Failure or Not.......

Congratulations!!!  Realizing where you should be in life and resigning yourself to doing God's will is the best success you can hope for.  You've seen the light.  May your ministry continue to grow.  God seems to be calling on you with your disabilities to shepherd His people.  You do it through your youth ministry and you also do it through your morning chats with us.  You don't have to be the earliest post each day.  I venture to say that almost every man here looks forward to reading what you have to say. Now you can spend more time with your family.  Now you can clear your mind of worries about the cafe.  Thank God for the revelation He has given your.

I quit and changed my mind on the cafe as of this past Saturday.  I walked in and told the woman I was buying it from that I changed my mind.  I could see myself ending up back in the hospital again.  I called my Momma Friday  night and cried like a baby.  Yep, a grown man, crying.  I was late for the cafe Saturday morning.  Took all I could do to get out of bed.  Every muscle, every bone, every fiber of my being was hurting me.  As much as I would love to do this, I have to face reality.  I understand why I am on disability.  Not that I have to stay on it and in God's timing I will come off of it.  Let my life be an example of getting ahead of God.  Let it shine out to other's that I don't listen good.  My momma alwasy said I didn't listen.  LOL  For those of you who said you were proud of me, I hope I haven't let you or anyone else down.  I hope I haven't let my children down, but I have to look at my life and what is best for me.  Monetary things, wanting a better life and wanting "the good things" is not worth killing yourself over.  All I did was sleep or work.  Yep, I do have feeling back in my feet and legs, but they ached so bad.  Now, it's back to volunteering at church 15 hours a week and LOVING that.  Back to visiting the sick in the hospital.  Back to being Youth Pastor full force and back to doing what God wants and not what Randall wants.  If you see me as a failure, just pray for me.  I need all  Yup!  I know I'm wishy washy!  Oh well.  I'm just counting it up as another stepping stone that I missed and fell into the water.  It does us good to get wet every now and again!

Randall, No way do I think of you as a failure.  I don't really know you (although I hope in time that changes) but I do know I visit the "Men's Forum" to see what you have to say each day.  You always encourage me and lift my spirits.  Your messages always make me think and always help me to take the focus off of myself and to put it toward others who may need help.  No one can determine what is right for you in this world.  By being a man that believes in God that should be between you and Him.  I know you have helped me and made me feel better.  I can and will pray for you!!

You've let no one down, including yourself. You prayed, listened and followed your heart. That's the best way any of us can play it. Congratulations on your decision. Doug

Hey RC... I look forward to you pouring us a cup of coffee every  morning... but I wanr you...we don;t tip.... I trust your judgement Russ

Think of it this way....God is the King of kings and He is the KING of plan B.   the one thing you learn when you are serving God is that sometimes the first thing you try doesn't work even if got the divine go ahead.   Think about this......God intended for man to be in the garden of eden...man sinned...that plan failed, but God had the back up plan of Jesus dying.  God intended to lead israel directly into the promise land, but that failed...so they ended up wandering around for 40 years.....until the old generaltion died, and the new generation could enter. God intended to make Saul's throne the one without end....but he failed, and so God had David as a replacement.  If you think about the parable of the fig tree.....it was intended to produce fruit...yet it didn't...it was given 1 more chance and then it was to be cut down and thrown into the fire.  What I'm saying is this...plans, even godly ones, sometimes fall apart for lots of reasons, some because we've jumped ahead of God, some because of things outside our control.  It doesn't mean we've necessarily failed, because when you are connected to Jesus you never fail....you are always a winner.  Just look for God's back up plan. Scott

Hello Randall, Sometimes, saying "no" to what seems like a gift or opportunity makes us--or me at least--feel guilty, fearful, unadventurous, slothful, etc., when what we're really saying "no" to is the pull of stuff, praise from others, and the wrong path for us today. A wise pal tries to remind me to take an honest inventory of myself, make the best decision I can right now and then let go and trust. He reminds me that gut feelings aren't to be overlooked and that there are all kinds of ways to live a "successful" life, but that no one is a "success" who risks his health (mental, physical, spiritual) in the pursuit of a better life. I don't know you personally, but I've been reading your posts and following your story long enough to be convinced that you haven't let your children or yourself down. Quite the contrary, to my way of seeing things: You've chosen a sane path that is not easy to choose in a world that defines so much materially. Here's wishing you peace of mind with your decision. You'll know when it's time to make a different choice. As my wise friend says, "Life is what happens while we're making other plans!"

I don't get it?  What cafe?  Did you work there or where you thinking about buying a Cafe?  Doesn't really matter though, you made up your mind and that's always good!