Happyasaclam

Something I wish someone had suggested to me ... Ask the regular folks at fellowship, "what happens when someone decides to leave?" Can someone be a part of this outfit and leave without being shamed? I joined the group as a college student, sharp, top of my class, and I'd say with good intentions to make a positive impact with my life. I wasn't hurting anyone, wasn't down on myself, wasn't wasting away or on the verge of suicide. And I certainly wasn't wallowing in vomit. When I left, people were told that I returned to said "vomit" and was worthless. What was the difference in between? 27 years of involvement in The Way. If I was horrible, to be avoided at all costs, a imbecile without purpose ... where did I formulate those traits? If a good decent person cannot leave The Way without being a horrible person, it isn't a worthy organization.

I clearly remember LCM on a Corps Night stating that things had become financially strained from HQ because of the full-time Way Corps status "revelation." But that this was NOT because we (as a ministry) were not "living within our means" ... Oh no! It wasn't that. It was the TAXES! Yes ... the payroll TAXES. That was the problem. As if these were a mysterious surprise that no-one could have anticipated ... a trick of the adversary. In fact, anyone in business understands the tax-cost of employees. It's not a mystery but federal code, set in stone and as obvious as the time of day. If you have employees, you pay these or the government shuts. you. down... and fast. And the percentages are clear and understandable with an 8th grade education. The pay deadlines are clear. Nothing mysterious or vague. Someone did not do their homework ... their arithmetic. So staff were "asked" (ie required) to take another 10% cut in pay - off their already determined need-basis.

Hello - I know Grant. He lives in the Boise, ID area. You can find him via searches or PM me here. And, nope, he is not related to Hank, although that was always a common assumption. Clam

Dot, Is there a way to post an audio link? I'd love to hear this song. I get my strength, order, center from music ALL the time! Actually, if I could only have one of my 5 senses, I'd take my hearing ANY day! What motivates or calms me? Oh my ... that would be a topic! If I just need to get off my hiney and get moving I love the sound track to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. There is a "suite" on that production that describes the "Old West" and I love it. It has a little Copland, "Orange Blossom Special," and a theme that is as moving as Bonanza. That's just for starters. Clam

I loved looking at the pictures again. I have nightmares about returning there - I left something that I really wish I had - a carefully notated book of all the Way songs - complete with chording and tablature for accompanying on the piano. In my dreams, I sneek into the campus through the unsecured sliding door to the walk-in freezer from Allen's Alley (a little known security weakness that actually existed while we were there. Mostly, staff kids knew about it.) Then I make my way through the West Wing to the chapel, to the piano bench where my binder was left. We were summarily dismissed and it would not have been so bad except that my heart breaks when I remember how my middle-school age son cried for miles and miles as we drove away. In a matter of minutes, his entire life was upended, no way to effect closure with friends, his world, his classmates, his teachers, he just disappeared. It was so hurtful and evil ... But the campus was beautiful and not to blame. I would love to go there again some day ... and sneak into the kitchen through the freezer door, to the West Wing, to the Chapel, to the piano bench ... I am sure someone threw away my binder that took me hours, days, weeks and months to develop ... but I would like to look in the piano bench, just in case. Clam

Two days! Bowtwi - that must have been a record! I would love to hear the story. We made the head lice check - not that it helped. Within a few days we had to decontaminate our entire earthly possessions due to ... yes ... head lice. Evidently, our son's roommate was diagnosed. I was given about 2 hours notice to strip, wash, and bleach our entire household's inventory of bedding, clothing and outerware ... remake all our beds, and "report back" that all had been done ... and that we were all properly head washed and medicated. When I suggested that I would not make it to the evening meal on time ... well ... you can imagine the response. BELIEVE GOD! We were Family22, so I probably did not know you. Although a couple in our Corps also did leave within a few days - evidently because they decided to quit smoking while pulling into the driveway of the Indiana Campus! HAHAHA! Don't know about Mark and Joanne, but their family was in our Corps - David and Karen. Good people. They were released - medical reasons.

Then there is "throughly" ... or is it "thoroughly"? I know, that is not actually a preposition. I think they are both adverbs actually. But I can totally see God scratching his metaphorical head at TWI's issue with this one! Clam

Satori, I LOVE you!

The legend of Coco lives on You can still hear her cries by the pond, Though she swam like a brick and was rescued by Tic The flutterbutt somehow was gone.

Quick! Someone call Dateline!

Here is a family favorite. Even my kids enjoyed this salad made with these "seeds." Quinoa Salad: 3 cups cooked Quinoa 3 chicken breasts, cubed One-half green pepper, coarsely chopped One whole red pepper, coarsely chopped 2 green onions, finely chopped Dressing: One third cup olive oil One fourth cup lemon juice Two teaspoons Spike One quarter teaspoon garlic powder Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl. Add lemon or Spike to taste.

So, when you can't watch 24 during its regularly scheduled broadcast, and you record it on your DVR - do you fast forward past the commercials??? Wouldn't that screw up the whole thing? Afterall, how would the characters take care of all the things they need to that would not really pertain to the story - like drink a glass of water and eat a sandwich, etc. Clam

"Ill-considered emotional outbursts became doctrines and policy!" Wow - that does say it, in a nutshell. All of a sudden, we could not bring flowers from our garden to the LC's table. BUT, we were expected to come regularly to clean and work at their house and yard. What's up with that?Wasn't that a gift too? Except that when I came to clean her house, I could barely do anything because of the lack of cleaning supplies. It was ridiculous. It got to where I snuck in my own rags and cleansers. I remember that after the gift ban, the card giving competition got real crazy. So, the gift ban didn't really change anything, it just morphed into another form of adulation. One night, we were called to arrange baby sitting last minute and make a command appearance at the LC home ... an important meeting. It turned out to be an a*** reaming because as a group of believers, we had not sent written "thank-yous" to them often enough. We were not showing our respect properly. And I stayed with this outfit another 2 years!

"What do you think? Has anyone had roasted garlic? Do you think a whole head of garlic, even left whole, in a stew that serves 6 is too much?" Vegan, We roast garlic often. We bought a special dish (terra cotta thingy at Bed Bath and Beyond) but you can do it in simply foil, or a small oven proof dish. You'll need a firm head but not the giant type. Slice off the tips of all the little cloves while keeping the head in tact, brush a little olive oil on and season. We use salt, pepper, and some Italian seasonings, but you can experiment. Roast (bake) at 350 or so for 20 to 30 minutes. The cloves come out creamy and you can spread them with a butter knife on italian bread or just eat them like that. You can put them in your stew right from the oven, I suppose. The recipe you mention sounds like it calls for the whole head to be stewed in tact - that sounds similar although I haven't tried it on the stove top. I imagine the cloves would pop out creamy like roasting. Yumm!

Yes, Out There, I clearly remember a phone hookup in Indiana (it would have been in early 1997 as best I can remember) where he described himself doing just this. I WISH I had recorded the day and the event of the hook-up, but it must have been a Corps hookup, one of those Wednesday morning events we did for awhile. After the meeting, I looked at my husband and asked him if he thought that was a bit crazy - but as in Jonestown, we were not to question anything. I had to be careful to even suggest to my husband that I thought anything was in any way a little "off." But, LCM described what I would think any professional mental health expert would say was a psychotic event - unapproachable, distressed, "spiritually" spent, ... and that these times would break as quickly as they had come on. He would then be fine, drained, but ready to go on with normal daily activities. His physical surroundings during these times he described as being spent alone, with instructions not to be disturbed, no food, conversation, distractions, light, noise, company of any type. I sware I remember him saying that he just spiritually KNEW afterwards that Michael had won that battle, and he IMPLIED (if not directly stated) that his intervention allowed the victory. A little hyperbolic, perhaps.