been wondering...when CAN we be proud of ourselves? EVER really?

[reallyME]

Another thought has flown through my brain cells, as usual, and here is the discussion topic.

All my life, I've been told that is it NOT RIGHT to be proud...I don't mean like proud of an accomplishment materially...I mean PROUD IN MYSELF.

So, as I go through life, KNOWING of an area I've "arrived" in, which YES I do believe people CAN arrive in certain areas of their lives and be EXPERTS at information in those areas, well, when, I wonder is it OK to realize that you HAVE achieved a goal, that you DO know BETTER than some other people, that you ARE an expert in whatever it is...cause there seems to be an underlying "smack on the hands" anytime anyone, ESPECIALLY A CHRISTIAN, dares to say "yes, I know better than you do about such and such, so let me teach you, show you, demonstrate.

For instance, I am rather accomplished as a woodcraft painter, in tole painting.  I would not see my items as equal to someone's who has just started painting and has no clue about shadow or highlighting.  I'd see my items as, dare I say it...BETTER THAN THEIRS...so OWWWWWWWW ...does that now make me PRIDEFUL? POMPOUS?  SNOBBISH?  maybe even NARCISSISTIC?

Cause I'll tell you the truth, from my own perception. almost EVERY PERSON on this planet, does something, makes something, is something, that, to them, they are thinking "I KNOW BETTER ABOUT THIS THAN SO AND SO"...the only difference, as a former mentor of mine once said, is that, by my speaking out of personal "pride" I am merely saying what others are wishing they dared to.

I'm not afraid to say I'm better than someone at something.  I'm just not.

PS.  I am not afraid to say that HOPS is a person that is wiser than most people I know and even in some ways, wiser than ME.

~Laura

[teartracks]

RM,

I don't think there is anything wrong with your approach unless you want to add to these,

PRIDEFUL? POMPOUS?  SNOBBISH?  maybe even NARCISSISTIC?

BORING.

tt

[Leah]

reallyME posted ...

PS.  I am not afraid to say that HOPS is a person that is wiser than most people I know and even in some ways, wiser than ME.

    

[reallyME]

yeah Leah? so what was the quote about Hops for?  I have admired her since I came to this place.  Are you thinking it was wrong for me to say so?

[reallyME]

oh my GOSH, Izzy, thank you! I see what you mean.  That came out all wrong.

I was meaning that HOPS has taught me a LOT of things that I hadn't known.  I wasn't at ALL meaning to sound like I'm so wonderful and yet Hops sometimes compares even to me...my goodness.

Hops, I think you are a really neat person as I've told you many times before.  I'm sorry that that totally came out wrong.  Sometimes my communication of what I'm feeling doesn't always come out real clear.

Forgive me?
~Laura

[Certain Hope]

Hi, Laura,

There can be such a fine line between feeling pride in accomplishments and getting puffed up, you know....
but I'd say the main thing is to use caution that we don't start thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, because after all, Jesus said that without HIM, we can do nothing.

Also, of course, there's a gigantic difference between boastful pride and confident assurance

With love,
Carolyn