smitty

Thank you good Sir for your kind words to corps. A lifetime of service that hasn't stopped for many, only lived in another way!

Moved 9 times from 72 to 87, ended up staying in last assigment area. KIds don't remember Florida, only South Carolina. Next stop, paradise, heaven, or eternity!!!!!!!

Well said Steve and Exousia!!!!!

Radar, you really hit the nail on the head in you second paragraph. You described to a tee the situation many of us found ourselves in when we left. It has taken alot od blood, sweat, and tears to sort it all out again. I felt quite vulnerable for a long while, like all the walls around me had been leveled and I was completely exposed. I had to sort through all of it and begin the walls again. Thanks for the post!

Hey Hope, It is always nice to see you here, I've always looked for your posts as well as Igotout. You both have so much to add and are articulate to boot!!

Hey Y'all anybody here on the "Rock of Ages 72" album cover?

Well said ,Mary Cate, We don't have to apologize to anyone for being young and idealistic, it beats the hell out of being old and cynical!

Yup Imbus it is sobering! But there is more! Way Corps assignments, evaluations, LEAD,Lightbearers,5th corps weddings, corps week,etc and etc! But on the good side ,I've got a wonderful wife and three beautiful Christian daughters. Maybe God does work in mysterious ways!

Let us see, from 71 to 87, 16 years or so,I moved 12 times, went wow, married a fellow cult member, spent all my vacations in a cornfield, birthed our children at home due to no money, gave up many good jobs, drank too much to forget the pain, but it couldn't have been pain cause it was God's word wasn't it? Became paranoid of those outside, feared police, government,the devil, devil spirits, and feared those above me in the cult!!! Man, I'd like to sign up again! It was John 10 10 and it was great! Please pass the kool aid!

VeePee said at the Advanced Class 75 at Emporia that "no plant rolled up in paper and smoked could kill me!" Or something like that. I guess he wasn't afraid of the shorty Kools. I was thrilled to hear him say that, because I could then smoke for the next 25 yrs or so and it wouldn't kill me either!!

going "lightbearers" in Ft Wayne , Jet packing instruction, SIT and interp. practice sessions, or writing "My life, from birth to Corpse" WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone remember the farmer that spoke at corpse week around 83 or so? He had quite a tale of silos filling up right in front of him and I think maybe a rain miracle as well. Maybe true, but..............??????????

I must confess that I saw and did alot of drinking in the Way. I drank alot before the Way and drank alot after the Way. I remember a 5th corps party at RC and a cart was wheeled in with a case of bottled Bud on it. As is the way with alcoholics I quickly did the math and saw that I could have more than two. I sucked down 5 as I remember and then heard Trish Smith ask sweetly,"Has everyone had their two?" and the cart was wheeled out. I congradulated myself and went of to a good nights' sleep. By the way, I don't drink anymore.

The frog in the frying pan analogy is the best way to describe what happened to many of us. Do you think that if the frog could see into the future to his demise that he would not jump out of the pan before he got burned? The seclusion and all the rest came in such small events that it was hardly noticed. We are talking about decades for some! The major events (going corpse, wow, moving umpteen times) were hardly noticed because the habit was engrained, follow your leader, do the Word, be a faithful staked out dog soldier for Gawd! hal smith

Hope and John , So good to have folks like you on the site here! Thanks for the good words. The only good side to the seclusion that we endured was the fellowship {can I say that word?] WITH GOOD PEOPLE LIKE YOU, SALT OF THE EARTH HONEST AND A FRIEND TO THOSE IN NEED. hal smith

Jeez, this thread almost has me crying as I remember the systematic taking apart of life as I had known it.One vivid memory was Christmas 1982 when Nancy was at Camp Gunnison and I was in Lakeland Fl I spent Christmas Eve in a downtown bar with cheap draft beer, Marlboros and complete strangers I didn't have any close friends or invites, and who wants to spend that special time with those other than family and close friends? Christmas morning was a bummer also. I didn't even attend the funerals of my dear Grandparents and uncles because I didn't have the money to travel, and I had to do the work of the ministry. I saw my parents once a year for a day or two as I passed through on my way to the ROA. to be isolated in a gd corn field for 2 weeks with Corps week and the Rock. I could go on,but I won't. I thought I was over this stuff, but I guess not It has been excellent therapy to read and ponder on these posts! hal smith