Bramble

I had an internet stalker years ago, it was not fun. I stay anonymous except for facebook, where my family hangs out, and a couple of closed groups that are not open to the general public. The name Bramble is just for GSC, I use a different net name on other large boards I go to. There are a few people on GSC that I knew in RL, and they know me, we are not close, and they don't really post anymore. For me, there are too many red flags at this site for me to be really comfortable revealing real life names etc. There are people here I truly enjoy reading and I think of them with friendly vibes, though I don't know them personally. Because of how they have acted and treated me and others I have warm and fuzzy thoughts for them, though that is not really friendship! In TWI friendship was almost an instant thing--one conversation at the ROA and we were 'friends'...but outside TWI real friendships don't happen that quickly or simply.

I'm so so glad we are not part of the Cleanliness IS Godliness insanity now. I do like to have a functional house--you can find a clean spoon when you want one, or you can walk to the kitchen at night without tripping on anything(well, except the cats). I like colors to blend, not clash. But i am glad I don't have some impersonal motel lobby type living room. Mine is full of books, magazines,plants, knicknacks, pictures, cats--TWI would never accept it as decent! Sheesh, if the laundry is piled up it is likely because there has been NO Time due to extra activities on the schedule etc, not due to spiritual disease!

TWI didn't care about individuality, except in the context of one of their bland teachings on the one body--the gist of which usually went 'So if you are the toilet cleaner of TWI, embrace it!' Is authenic self a religious term? I haven't read those books, I guess. For ex twi, I would think authentic self is the individual's personality, talents, choices etc when not forcing themselves into a TWI acceptable mode. How many people can relate to the phraze 'put on their twig face'? That facade of perfection, I'm doing everything right face. After we left and started to get reaquainted with family I was astonished by how much expertise some had in things like gardening, painting(art, not rooms) music, photography etc, things that took both time and money to learn to do well. Time and money being two things that were Hubby and i had little of while in TWI. Over the years they pursued interests. Hubby and I have both done this since leaving TWI and have found much contenetment in 'hobbies.'

This we saw over and over. It took us many years to realized the respect and care we held for others--why we did so many of the time consuming things we did, thinking in our pure and stupid hearts that we were serving some greater good...only to learn we were not thought of in the same regard at all, that our value was in what we could provide in goods or services. My hubby was a good mechanic, he spent years repairing cars for free for the believers, many weekends. We had a truck, guess how many believers we moved( and many we had to help pack)? How many children I babysat for free. And how no one helped us move, no one helped us when I had babies--not even a frozen pizza!--I had 8 weeks of bedrest during one pregnancy--One of my non TWI neighbors actually came by to help with the house etc. My husband's health was always an issue of "believing"( a diabetic who did not received a miraculous healing as he outght.) We thought we were part of a family or community, but the reality was not even close. Our good actions did not make it so--we poured our lives into a toxic sewer. I suspect we were missed after we left--not us, our 'souls' or anything like that, but the hours of work we put in around the branch, how very handy we were, just a phone call away. That's probably why we were slapped with M&A so quickly. How dare we take such rescources away from the Prevailing household.

What I wonder--Could any of the Waygb be using their knowledge of illegal shennanigans to blackmail the BOD! Seems like The BOD might be vulnerable to a double crosser. Hmmm Plus it would make a great movie.

Really? An individual cannot distinguish himself from the TWI he was raised in? All his thoughts, beliefs, actions emotions etc are lock step with TWI? The best they can hope for is to suppress their twi nature? No healing, no growth, no understanding, no escape? Interesting. Is that what you are doing, Bolshevik? Suppressing?

Kimberly, I've been thinking about adding both irises and daffodils(I have a few of each). We are redoing our back yard into beds, so I might just make one for iris and daffodils this fall. I love living near mountains. Probably my favorite place to be is in an alpine meadow in early summer when all the wild flowers are in bloom.

I have pink tulips, white hyacinth and grape hyacinth up right now, but I have had crocus and those little dark blue cluster flowers(don't know what they are called)since March. We are in the Rockies, our last frost date is June 6. Normally we can plant earlier than that but we have to keep an eye on the weather. We start seedlings in March, especially peppers and tomatoes, and put them out when they are quite large. Hubby had a job offer in so Colorado, on the west slope where they can grow peaches etc. It is tempting!

I have bulbs up and some perineal herbs, but it is still too early to plant here. We had 8 inches of snow last weekend. We do have lots of starter plants in pots and I usually get a ton of bedding plants on mother's day--but we have to cover them at night. Some of our raised beds have pvc tube arches which are handy for a quick cover up.

We have avast on the family pc and my three teens haven't picked up any nasties while using it--and it is free!

Joined-- 21. Left-- 40. Hubby--joined 18, left-- 46

I have bought heirloom seeds from here: http://rareseeds.com/.Finding heirloom seeds in a local store is always iffy.

Your whole post was avery good explanation of how people in TWI think and feel, but this paragraphrang particularly true to me. To leave the One True Ministry with the exceedingly rare and precious Doctrine given to us by VPW, the greatest man o gawd since the apostle Paul, and runaway to the devil spirit infested world requires a brick wall experience. It's not pleasant or easy, more an act of desperation. Lots of people in TWI have two lives, I think--the life they pretend to live in order to look good, and a life they know they actually live, which they try to avoid looking at. Thankfully, the busy busy schedules ans 'renewed mind' practices help keep those thought unexamined. Until there is a real crisis.

My house is a wind break from the west wind so i think the corn will do all right, but I might have to stake it. I thought about planting some Lovage. I hear it tastes like celery. I thought I might research more tea herbs since we all like herbal teas in the winter.

Why is a shift leader necessary?

Has TWI changed their Internet is full of debbils belief? If not then innies who surf probably don't want to leave any type of record! You never know when someone might rat you out.

I'm not a church goer now, but i was for a few years after leaving TWI . Perhaps there is a reason no one wants that job! Perhaps instead of a shift leader you could spread the tasks out--a refreshment person, a paperwork/secretary etc, a street coordinator. Or let the group coordinate itself. One thing I noticed about churches, unlike TWI--people have the right to disagree with anyone in the church, including the pastor. It is not lock step obedience like in TWI--and I think that is much healthier. Life is certainly easier for a leader if they can just issue orders and be instantly obeyed, but how healthy is that, anyway? Certainly makes leading more difficult and communication more important, when people can say NO.

Odd that the writer's of the New Testament would use well known Greek words for well known concepts/beliefs, but mean something entirely different than the accepted use of the words. Seems like that would be horribly confusing to all the newbie gentile converts. Or maybe it was one of those'Christianize the pagan belief to win converts' deals.

Already been done. Sunnydale sat on the Hellmouth, but luckily Spike blew it closed with his fancy necklace. Though rumor has it another Hellmouth exists in Cleveland.

I think they'll pull the next prez from the region coords. Those all stood with Rosie and before her were Craig's men, and promoted his insane policies, mimiced him. They know all the dirt and are content to cover it up, probably because they have dirt under their own fingernails. They are tainted and have self interest in keeping TWI afloat and unenlightened.

There are people I look forward to seeing or chatting with everyday. My hubby and children and all they are doing interests me. My sister and I talk several times a day, I hear from my good friend who moved to Scotland(we IM) daily, also hear from my brother who travels, and one or more of my local wichy sisters, my online writer's group, my cousin who is retired and travels and iMs, my niece who has a new baby. Work friends. I look forward to all that communication daily. I like to read, I spend time writing everyday, I play with my cats, maybe cook something tasty, plan or work on the garden, watch TV with Hubby, give my (largley unwanted) opinions to my teens and ask all manner of snoopy questions.There is often something to do that is fun or interesting or comforting that I enjoy, though none of it is life changing important stuff, just day to day things. I'm thinking of buying one of those Learn to Knit kits. Many of those activities were not possible or were put down or limited when we were in TWI , because we had so many ministry responsibilities to fufill to be 'good.' Now my life is more in my control and I like it much much better. There's enough sad stuff in life...we lost both my parents and mom in law just a few years ago, hubby has type 1 diabetes that is difficult to manage, I have some health issues due to autoimmune disease... making home and life pleasant and comfortable is important to me, people I love are important to me, helping my kids be successful is important to me, giving what I can is important to me. Life is full.

Or guy! I married one of the wows who got me in the class.

In TWI submitting yourselves to one another pretty much went like this: The wife would submit to her hubby, then to another--the HFC, and another--The Branch coord, still another--limb coord, and don't forget another--region coord and a random group of others--any loose corps you happened to deal with. Plenty of people to keep you on the straight and narrow. Plus they could communicate amongst each other about you, and even have your ministry 'friends" knowingly or unknowingly spy on you--that kept you 'honest,' and kept the household pure. I have no interest in anyone having authority in my personal or family life In my relationships with hubby, siblings and friends, I do not have to submit. I can say yes or no, agree or disagree, compromise, take advice or ignore it. My well being does not hinge on my 'obedience.'

I did the same thing, Ham. I had a wide margin oxford, all written up, even had color coding in places. Sent that one to the dump. We still have seven or eight bibles, New Testaments etc around the house, dfferent versions and types--even have my mom's old Catholic Bible with color illustrations. But none of those are filled with notes and teachings from ROA etc. Sheesh--bad thought I had once, that after I'm gone the kids would look through the old Bible, all sentimental, and contact the Way international.--After all, Mom must have really liked it.

I think one of the reasons so many of us bought it was due to our age at enlistment time. Many of us were in a late adolescnt developmental stage, not entirely adult, willing to take risks that a more mature individual might not. How many of us got involved in our late teens, early twenties? My wow team of twelve was sent to a college area, with housing boundaries, to live in the college area. Kids, Kids, Kids everywhere we went. We held many public ex and classes at the college too. They were our target.