As indicated on the thread "Mad as Hell" which has now been resolved:

There seemed to be a general agreement that women are difficult to understand... and that people in general are difficult to understand.

My husband is always saying that I should 'seek first to understand..."

That is true not only as a wife and mother but as a female scout leader. It was in an attempt to seek that knowledge that I read an amazing book called "Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge. It has helped me, the forth of four girls, to understand men and boys much better. I used to say "don't do..." "you should..." and a number of other things I had heard my mother say to me growing up. Now (unless it's a safety issue or against BSA policy) I turn to the adult next to me and say, "watch what happens.." or "wait, just listen, they will work it out".

There's a second book that John Eldredge wrote with his wife called "Captivating". Now when I first started reading it, I was upset about all the things it said about women. I put the book down and refused to continue. Then one day I was ordering the CDs for 'Wild at Heart' and they offered the CDs of both books at a better price... so being thrifty I bought it. Being thrift and not wanting to waist my new purchase I started listening to them.

It's amazing! When I heard the authors voices say the things that I had read... now with voice inflections and emotion... I understood that they were not being insulting. I had misunderstood them.

How often do we misunderstand people via e-mail, text, letters...

I think if you get the books on tape or CDs it will help you to understand why we react to people and out environment the way we do. It is about how we are designed by the creator. You may not agree hat there is a God or that he made us the way the Eldredges describe, but you will come away with a new perspective. And isn't that part of "Seeking first to understand..."

There is a world of difference between 'kilt' and 'skirt' and it is usually in the understanding or misunderstanding of it all.

My understanding has had to change about a lot of things over the 42 years of my life (most of which has come in the past decade). My morals, my ideals, my creed... as grew in faith, I grew as a person. I'm no 'Bible thumper', but I do try to seek out what it says so that I may better understand why so many misunderstand it's words and meaning. Why others choose to dismiss it, and why some manage live in peace and understanding of the world around them because of it.

I am still just clay in the potters hands but he has already given me a foundation upon which to rest. I'm a work in progress and I can't wait to see what he makes of me. Every time I try to shape myself he makes me look at myself from a new perspective. Then I give myself back to him, he fixes my mistakes and continues to shape me in his likeness.

I am new to this forum. Thank you for your time.