I have looked into/over 4 gigs of notes, papers, CAN logging programs. This is the closest I've got to working hardware. If you take a second to look at the picture I took of the setup, you will see that there are three nodes on the system, but I have taken off one of the microchip nodes and the system reacts identical to how I previously described, but with the lamps only lighting on the other node.

I have also read,
The Quintessential Microcontroller
An Introduction to Software and Hardware Interfacing
A Comprehensible Guide to Controller Area Network
Embeded Networking with CAN and CANopen
Bosch 2.0 IS0 Part 1,2,3,4
All application notes from microchip
All datasheets on PIC CAN family
All forums.
Even Errata on the PIC18F6585

Like the subject line said, I am at wit's end!!!!

I have no idea why my code or hardware is not producing a VERIFIED CANbus message.