I have missed a lot in the last week or more. I am sorry for not being here to try and make things better.

I you feel comfortable could you tell me via email, or
on this thread what you feel the problems are at RITA, and tell me what you think I should do to better cover RITA. I am upset that we are losing members, I don't want any one to leave RITA if it is my fault, I want to work out a solution if I can.

Love...................Lynn

Email: ljpoohbunny@insightbb.com

Hi Lynn, I am so glad you are home and will be praying for you and your family!

I think that don said it pretty well on the other thread, that RITA is so GOOD that it can become addictive!!

I don't really see that as a problem, but sometimes people may spend too much time here because it is such a wonderful place, and maybe they feel they need to back off a bit!! That has been my experience and I have to discipline myself a little during the day or I would be here all day long!

I hope nobody leaves also and truly cannot offer any suggestions to make this place any better! I think you, Donna and Brenda are doing a wonderful job and I really appreciate the chance to fellowship here at RITA!

Love you in Christ, Melissa

Lynn, I don't think there is anything wrong with RITA, nor does there need to be any changes. We are one big family who love each other and will work out our differences with love.

It is OK to take a vacation from the family for a little while and enjoy some solitude from time to time.

Anyone who does not want to continue being a part of this family has the free will to move on without condemnation.


We are all in a state of flux in our lives and must learn to accept the differences in peoples maturity level physically, spiritually and relationally. We do not have to always agree with each others viewpoint or behavior, but we should always strive to exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit in our disagreements. I think we do just that 99% of the time.

I would encourage each of us to continue to pray for each other. It is really hard to dislike someone you hold up to the Lord in prayer.

I encourage each of us to look at the RITA list of names and pick out 10 a day to pray for. It will take a month to complete the list of 300 names, but will be the glue that keeps us gentle toward each other.

Hope that helps

Tom

Hi Lynn,
Im pretty new here but I guess Ill put my 2 cents in
I think Melissa is right as well, people seem to be getting EASILY offended and just walking away for a bit ( or a day or 2 LOL) would be a great start.

I think also, we are adults and realize that we are NOT here to change people's beliefs! We are here to fellowship and when we see/read a thread that goes against what we believe we just need to leave it!

If they believe it enough to post it Im pretty sure responding negatively will certainly NOT change anyones mind. I try to stay away from posts I dont agree with even tho it is VERY TEMPTING to tell them how wrong they are! (HAHA)

Just my thoughts!
I think some of the posts about people leaving is a bit dramatic, since anyone can just NOT log onto RITA whenever they want and come back just the same. There is no need to get people so distressed. Just take a break.

Email: iampriceles@aol.com

I don't really see a problem with this forum, RITA is a wonderful place for Christian fellowship

that being said, this internet forum should not replace anyone's regular church worship attendance. Spending time in church attendance and worship is vital to any believers faith walk

some have posted that they spend too much time here at this forum. We all need to have a Christian life that is balanced between church worship, bible studies, internet forums, and serving God with our gifts

too much of any one thing may not be good. I like this forum as i can read other belivers ideas and thoughts on lots of different issues, including the rapture and i only spend about 1 hour a day here

RITA is a good place to have fellowship, so please keep up the good work, and to all the forum's members out there- keep posting !!!

Well, said!

And I agree. Also really love the idea of picking 10 names a day from the Rita Names list and praying for these folks, that's a great suggestion. A person could either start from the bottom of the list, the middle of the list, the top of the list, or anywhere in between, If every one did this, then every day, all here would be covered by the prayers of their brothers and sister.

Rita's a great place.

Great input Tom....well said.

Lynn, so glad you are home and hopefully feeling wonderful. Let's give this to the Lord....He put it on your heart to start this fellowship and He will maintain it for his Glory.

To those who need to take a break, we love and understand, and can't wait for you to drop by again.

So glad you are feeling better Lynn.

I am new to posting here but have been a lurker for some time now. I love RITA. And yes like others have said, it is very addictive. The people here wonderful.

I do understand some people taking a "break". I have done that before with several board sites. Sometimes I think we do just get overwhelmed a bit, but always come back.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me the other night, showing me alot of terrible things, tornados, storms, fireballs, planes crashing. When I asked what it was, all I heard was that we have lost communication with Him. The one that matters most. I heard that we are too interested in sports, tv and internet instead of seeking Him. I heard judgement would be coming soon to those that have pushed Him aside. So yes it got me to thinking about my priorities in life and what is most important.
So maybe we are being "prepared" for His soon arrival! I don't know.

But RITA is a very special place to fellowship and pray and share and I love it. Please don't change a thing!!

Email: tedebear395@yahoo.com

Thank you for asking Lynn, but please know that nothing is your fault! Please don't feel that way!

I think all of RITA as you have constructed it, is a wonderful means of fellowship amongst brothers and sisters, and don't we all know that brothers and sisters squabble sometimes. But the love in the Lord remains and has the victory overall.

I posted elsewhere on what a source of blessing RITA is to me, and that is true. If I could offer any suggestion, it might be to just have more interaction from the moderators if, when and as the more tough or serious issue's do arise, to remind and keep us all centered on scripture. I personally would enjoy that anyway.

Thanks for all you do, and keep resting!

I agree with everyone above, Lynn. We are all going to do fine here and I don't think there's anything else you need to do. You have been an AWESOME moderator so far!! Don't feel bad if you are not around for a time. We will be ok and work out any disagreements we have. I think it's actually good if we have to work some things out on our own. Iron sharpening iron, and all. Families sometimes disagree, but I KNOW we all love each other here and only want the best for each other, even if we disagree.

You need to take care of YOU for awhile! Please take time and heal and be renewed in the Lord! You're a big part of the family and we love you and want you to be healthy!

Blessings!

Diane C

It's the nature of web boards, Lynn.

When topics as volatile as end times subjects are thrown out, there are bound to be differing views.

Having built & seen the operation @ CMT's boards, I can tell you this kind of thing happens daily there, only on a much larger scale. You should see what happens when 10 million people chime in on a topic! I have horror stories, but I won't go there.

People come, people go, people come back once they cool off sometimes.

I wouldn't take it personally... happens any time this many people interact on a variety of issues, especially about personal beliefs. There are thousands of boards out there. If someone offends them here, they can choose another. RITA is one of many, many web boards in the family. You're never going to please everyone all of the time — that much I learned doing this stuff long ago.

I will say that if differing views are not allowed at all, maybe the mods should delete debate threads totally before they get out of hand... & before feelings get hurt - especially on fringe topics. Or, post a huge sign at the top saying we only allow positive & uplifting comments. If you have an opposing view, don't post it!! No negativity allowed.

That said, I think we all should avoid ANY denominational issues & stick to the subject in these last few weeks like the top of the homepage already encourages us to do! I know I will be avoiding anything like that from here on out.

Love you, & glad you made it home OK.

I think the problem is we can not just copy and paste a graphic but have to put the whole address with the img in brackets thing and it takes waaaaaay too much time.... thats must be what happened with charity...talk about time consuming :) ( I am just kidding but thats my 2 cents)

Lynn,

As it has been said before by others above. It is definitely not your fault.

I believe it is more of a pulling by the Holy Spirit in many peoples lives to get closer to the Lord in these last few days.

Rita is addictive....mainly because it is soooo encouraging about the soon coming of the Lord. People are a family here and as we have planned we will all be meeting in Heaven for the re-union (don't forget a rose).

What you can do is what you are already doing....Pray for us all. And hopefully if we err...let it be on the side of love.

With admiration and love for what you are doing...

YBIC
Rich

Hey Ms Lynn, glad you're home and praying your strength has come back sooner rather than later.. Also keeping Jerry in mind also..

I think as a whole this is a great Christian site.

As with other Web sites, there will always be differing opinions, but I think we are doing this in a Chritian stance..

You just keep getting better and keep looking up daily, because we are about to evacuate this ole planet earth very soon..

God bless Lynn..


Joseph

Wow, this touches my heart too...cause before I read this, a few hours ago Lynn and I talked on the phone and I did say that I didn't feel that there was anything major going on here and that it would sort itself out with people saying they need to leave. I hope they just need to take a break and not leave permanently.

Now YOU GO AND REST LYNN....give yourself some time to get strong again. RITA is doing fine and we are all so very glad your home and doing so well...and God had the doctor's see the problem before it became a problem and got you all fixed up...Thank YOU LORD for our wonderful dear Sister Lynn and her health!

YSIC
Brenz

Lynn, I don't post very often, and when I do, I usually just have a little story to add to what someone else has brought up. I usually check on my "sites" about 4 or 5 times a day and always stop by RITA.

I too am finding that the computer itself tends to keep me from my Bible and just communing with the Lord. By the time I'm ready to go to bed, I realize that the day has been spent, I am too bone tired to read and so it goes. I have to admit that I feel guilty about it.

I applaud Charity for her decision to take a break.
She is setting a good example for me. Thank you Charity. And thank you Lynn for all you do.

I have been feeling the need to pull in closer to the Lord as well. However, I am doing what Steve Hadley said in his sermon this past week. I am getting up a little earlier to spend time in my Bible, with the Lord, and praying. I have also limited my time on RITA just a little.

Hello Lynn,
We're so glad you are home from the hospital!! and back home with your family. We will continue to lift you and your family up to the Lord, in prayer. Lynn, we're praying that you will be able to get lots of rest.

Now, about the imput....... We don't have any You're doing a great job!!! I would like to encouage our RITA family to continue to pray for one another like we have done; and continue to love one another deeply, because love is of God.

We will continue to pray for our RITA family until we go to our heavenly home. Lynn, I believe that you, Donna and Brenda are doing a wonderful job!!! Wayne and I truly do appreciate the opportunity to fellowship with our RITA family on this forum.

Lynn! EVERYTHING is going to be alright!!! and YES, this WILL PASS!!! because PRAYER WORKS!!!

THANK YOU AGAIN LYNN, DONNA and BRENDA for all your hard work in keeping the forum going!!!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always presevers. LOVE NEVER FAILS.

PS: We posted mainly on the WELCOME and PRAYER POST because the Lord touch my heart to do this. And it's alright with us, because we know that when the Lord, place something on our hearts to posted, we will do it. We're truly grateful for our family here on RITA.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!


Blessings,
WC/Cathy

Lynn, I don't mean to derail this thread, but I hated to post a whole new subject for this:

I can't get the smilies to work when I post. I can get the ones directly under the message box to work, but when I click on MORE on the right, they don't show up. I'm not sure if it's a problem with my computer, or on the web. They worked for me just the other day, so not sure what's going on.

Blessings, peace and rest to you!

Email: DiChapman1@aol.com

see it is the graphics that are the problem .. I am not alone and neither are you Diane... they would not work fo rme either earlier......

JS - Ha, Ha - I didn't understand your post at the top before about the graphics, but now it makes perfect sense!

Email: DiChapman1@aol.com

It would be so much easier if we could just find a graphic online and copy and paste in here instead of having to make a code with it (You know going to properties and adding the img[] to the address you copied)....and you know Charity posted millions of graphics.... that took all her time and she needed more time to be with the Lord...seeeeeee if we can make that process a little faster we would have more time...hahahahaaaa ...problem solved...and even waiting all day for the smilies to show up ...waste of time..

Email: DiChapman1@aol.com

Lynn,
Glad to see you are at home and recuperating. I really don't have much to add. I don't think there is anything wrong with the board per se...more like people needing to take time off for reflection. I hope and pray that they will return. Lifting all of us here at RITA in prayer.

May the Lord of the Heavens and Earth watch and protect us and keep our families safe and our eyes on His soon return. Amen.

Psalm 18:2 (NASB)
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I think the site is fine. You don't need to do anything. And I think if you have a life and don't always post here, you won't be offended by what someone says or not be able to handle debate. If you can't, than it's probably a good thing you moved on. After all, real Christianity is not supposed to be offended, so if you are, step back and ask really why are you? Does that say something about the person that offended you or you? If you're not that spiritually mature than pray about it, but let it go, by that, meaning releasing the offense and the offender. Don't post on the forum until you can come to terms, if you can't, maybe this isn't the place you should be at until the time comes when you can handle such things.

Second, please do not allow posters to constantly change their tags and post constantly to the site. It is not necessary, is quiet distrubing and distracting at the same time. You know who I'm talking about and so do the others.

Last, don't post something with a title that makes it sound like it's important or you are going to talk about it, and you don't or it's not important - Don't waste my time!

Life is too busy! Post the really really good stuff, that's what I want to see! After all, this isn't high school anymore trying to get people's attention! - Look at me, look at me!

Hello Lynn and all fellow RITA family memembers.

I have been taking a break from RITA but it's only because I did become addicted and I was spending way too much time worrying about "when" the Rapture was going to happen. However; it won't happen for me if I am not spending time alone with the Lord and letting Him stretch me and use me the way He wants too. I became afraid of missing the Rapture because I was searching out answers all the time and always being let down. I would become discouraged and found myself no longer even caring when the Rapture would happen or even if it would happen at all. With each disappointment, I was starting to believe that it was all a lie and we were being deceived. With everything else that I have been dealing with this year, I was really afraid of losing my faith all together because I was always depressed or discouraged. Does this make sense?

Don't think for one minute that just because I have not been posting lately, that I am not still here. I am lurking all the time and I LOVE this place. Finding RITA saved my life. Each and every one of you have helped me in some way and I LOVE knowing that you guys are here.

I wouldn't change a thing Lynn.

Love in Christ,
Angel

Lynn I too think that nothing needs to be changed at RITA which is real church with real fellowship and really answered prayers. Of course the enemy of our souls will always try to put the boot in and there will be ups and downs and squalls now and again which is normal Christian life and a sign of vitality.

The only suggestion I'd make is for all of us really, to regularly and collectively pray for RITA and in particular the moderators Lynn, Brenda and Donna who have the responsibility and the burden. I know this is happening anyway and just the more prayer the better I think!
love
Ditta

Lynn I too think that nothing needs to be changed at RITA which is real church with real fellowship and really answered prayers. Of course the enemy of our souls will always try to put the boot in and there will be ups and downs and squalls now and again which is normal Christian life and a sign of vitality.


Ditta you are so right....there are no changes
that I or anyone could recommend.

Its a board to watch for the coming of our Lord
and to hold each other up in prayer.

Amen Mary, Ditta and everyone else.

Lynn, please do not feel that this board needs changing because several people have left. Don't be discouraged, you stil have "us"

Dear Lynn & all RITANS, Isn't this just like most churches? I have been in a few pretty good churches but these things happen even in good churches with good pastors. Even if RITA was a totally perfect board (somehow!?) the people are not perfect who come here and read or post.

So glad to see you back Lynn. You are a major Sweetie and we miss you when you are gone even if it is a good excuse (vacation), but we think about you every day when you are ill. Glad you are better. God bless you and keep you in His love, your sister in our Lord Jesus

I just noticed when I looked at the smiley boards that there are no smileys. I will send in a tech request to fix the problems.

Email: ljpoohbunny@insightbb.com

Lynn,

Its a great day at RITA :). Glad you are well.

Email: maria callison@hotmail.com

Lynn,

I joined Rita last winter and visited for several years prior. I believe the website has become more mellow and more caring and more loving. Sometimes we may get a little carried away, but I believe if we stick to scripture any type of controversy will cease.
I visit other websites but I find this is above all the most inspiring that I visit.

His Blessings...Virginia

Email: varnke@roadrunner.com

Website: RITA