Twinky

Beer actually wouldn't be too good because it will end up making you thirstier. You will need extra water to deal with the dehydration from the beer. In Houston you will never need to buy firewood ever again (even for the BBQ) and a significant inroad into the cost of repair and recovery could be made by selling the pre-chopped matchsticks that places like Galveston and Crystal Beach turned into. (Gallows humor, apologies in advance if anyone's offended. I'm real sorry for those folks.)

Super dog. Looks like he enjoyed life. Eyes so firmly fixed on his owner but that great big smile on his face. How much more fun can a dog have? (Wonder if cats can be trained to dance? (ha ha) Would be nice if mine didn't run away when they saw me coming.)

TLB: What's in my own purse is a mystery even to me! Sudo: I know. Anyone else would laugh. The church I go to launched an event called "Hope 08" which is supposed to be outreach by all the churches in the city to the city as a whole. It was launched in January. Everyone knew we were preparing for it from about October. Goey: Exactly. Oldiesman: Glad you found the Lord within TWI but in later years, he was a bit hard to find. But it was mighty easy to find homosexuals. So, is anyone asking Paw for an application form to serve as wait staff in the Cafe?

A sneak preview of forthcoming events, can't tell you how I got this info so don't ask. Specially announced over the Cafe megaphone but not yet announced within the walls of Zion: The theme for the next ministry year at TWI, to be announced on October 5, 2008, is (drum roll): Serving the Lord with Gladness There will also two new programs, one taking place in the first part of the ministry year and the second in the latter part of the year. These are to enable believers "to serve on the field" in their current location, sort of "Way Disciple" but without compulsory relocation. A splendid reward awaits participants. Those signing up and completing will get ... a certificate. Anybody excited about returning to TWI? Ready to sign up? Innies - get ready to serve! (I believe there are wait staff positions available at the Cafe for those who prefer not to serve TWI!)

I think his point may be that we don't need to follow Jesus Christ but look straight at God. Yeah, I thought it was an odd comment, too. Is this a verse TWI uses to justify the "absent Christ"? Spoudazo, love your expression, "'truth' as a theological sport."

I heard from an innie contact that HQ lost power and the phone hook ups were canceled. I guess this was all the wicked hand of the adversary, out to stop the movement of the word: all that destruction from Ike just to get at TWI. Perhaps there will be something, some spiritual insight, on the next SNS that comes out (this coming Sunday?). Jim, you're excused from listening. Actually I would be surprised if they don't have a generator somewhere to provide essential power for food storage and emergency lighting in the main buildings. And they are pretty good and quick at fixing things that are physically wrong.

Who knows, John, you might find help and support here to sort out some of your remaining residual issues. This stuff, as you know, is very pernicious. I got talking with an elderly friend of mine and her two daughters, who are both about my age, about their experiences in the Plymouth Brethren. It was interesting - they had to deal with many of the same issues that I (and others at the Cafe) have had to deal with. They still have residual issues even though for them it is over 20 years since they were out. They just attended their local congregation - not any pseudo-leadership training to further ingrain it. For me it was good to see that other cult survivors had suffered similarly and I wasn't such a freak. Like ExCath, I suffered profound depression after I got very viciously expelled (marked and avoided) and the idea of suicide briefly crossed my mind (but I though I'd be a failure at that, too....). As Corps and having taken a salt covenant, my sense of failure and my desperation were absolute. Nervous breakdown? Mental illness? Perhaps, nothing diagnosed; I just know I wasn't functioning anywhere near properly. Knowing (via the Cafe) that others including Corps have been through the same stuff has been immensely healing. And every day gets better and I'm more thrillingly alive. I hope your chat group / group therapy brings closure and release to the participants. And to you, too.

Too funny!!!! Maybe it needs to be marked and avoided?

Hi John, nice to see you back here again. You say: "my cult" (speaking of TM) which is presumably a sort of shorthand. I can't think of TWI as being "my cult" but rather, "the cult that I was in." To call it "my" cult implies more ownership and buying-in than I care to acknowledge or be associated with now. But maybe that's just me. Have fun and enjoy life!

Good to know all's well with you! ((Ex10)) BBQ still going ahead then. Never mind the crane to remove the tree on the roof, get the GSers to heave it upright or chop it down for firewood for that fire pit of yours!

RG, that's horrible and completely ungodly. Your son needed love and compassion. Just a kid...kids fidget, make little noises, mess about, and rarely seem to be paying attention. Yet ask them about it later, and you may get a surprisingly full version. Perhaps your son couldn't do that but if you have managed to raise him, with his disabilities, to love God, you have done wonderfully well. "Suffer little children" means "Allow little children" (to come close to the Lord) - not "endure" little children. The "lovingly adopted by the child’s free will. Each individual grows up with freedom of will" bit really got to me, having seen how some parents hit their children for just being kids. There have been threads at the Cafe about the ill-treatment meted out to children; I wondered how some of our patrons who had been say Family Corps felt about their freedom of will. Some kids weren't raised with a silver spoon in their mouths but with a green card there.

That's what I saw on my first visit to TWI HQ - smart and talented people doing menial or even workless jobs. Seriously underutilized. I asked one or two about it and the stock response was that they were happy doing whatever was needed to move the Word, or some variation on that theme. To me, it seemed like they had been bludgeoned into a back alley, but then I thought I was just seeing them at a quiet time. Later, I realized that most of them really were desperately bored. What a waste. Obviously STFI didn't consider better utilization of ability something worth changing.

For Cafe visitors who were raised in TWI. Your examination question for today on the subject of Living in God's Power: From the Way International website, April 2008: "Our Powerful Examples of Young People in the Word "In the Bible, a young person is referred to as a youth until he reaches 30 years of age. To walk in truth and to stand for God, young people need purehearted love for Him, for His Word, and for others, which they learn from the example and training of their parents. They also need the self-discipline to carry out the Word, which is built by the training of their parents and then lovingly adopted by the child’s free will. Each individual grows up with freedom of will and becomes accountable to God for his own life. " Discuss, with particular reference to the words in bold type.

Oh I dunno. There's a cute bit where the man does some "moon walking" in the middle of it. LCM admired Michael Jackson's dancing ability. Looks like this is a bit of a copy... old LCM thinking, too... And the other lot... so disorderly. Hands not waving in unison, not smiling exactly the same, no gestures exactly matching, and one of the principal singers singing to himself off mike while the principal girl singer was singing her bit. ...Hooray for a bit of spontaneity!

T-Bone...nobody in the world could call "mark and avoid" subtle. Not even TWI with their amazing ability for double speak! Love your posts, T-Bone, and often read the books you suggest. Am working through one of the Linda Elder books on critical thinking right now. One day I might get to be as sharp as I was (or clearly wasn't (!) ) when I took PFAL and had all those niggling questions and concerns. Tzaia: "like mindedness" is one of those concepts that was abused. We are to put on the mind of Jesus Christ - not the mind of the "man of God", "President", twig leader or whoever else fancies being in authority. Also, we are to be "imitators" (followers) of our leadership as our leadership is itself imitators of Christ (1 Cor 11:1). TWI demanded followship of the rank and file but forgot about or ignored their followship of Christ.

The essence of Waybrain is not so much the doctrine as the absolute control over what we thought. We were not allowed to consider any teaching/doctrine other than what TWI gave us and our critical thinking abilities were crushed. Coupled with that, we were taught that we were better than other people (and specifically, better than other Christians), and others were to be treated with suspicion. I think (yes, I think nowadays) that if we can get rid of that superiority idea that we are the only ones God will speak to, but instead learn to respect other people (especially other Christians); and if we can examine such doctrines or beliefs as we still subscribe to, in light of what we learn from others (especially other Christians), we can with honesty consider ourselves "de-Wayed." WD, nobody is asking you to abandon all your beliefs as taught by TWI. Some of them are required for any Christian (a belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus, for example, which appears in PFAL but doesn't receive much publicity later). It's a matter of examining one's beliefs carefully and honestly, and adjusting where necessary. And also of continually adjusting, where necessary, as we learn and understand more and we are reminded of other scriptures which throw a different light on a belief. It is essential to understand the difference between what God instructs, and man's instructions. In other words, thinking about and not just absorbing what has been taught. So yes, with an open heart to God, it is possible to be "de-Wayed" - though as a specific time of our lives, it will always be part of our history.

I lived in a country that had a serious risk of earthquakes and every year the government would send around to every household a list of what to do and where to keep it. In addition to what TempleLady says: Don't forget a first aid kit of some sort - band-aids, bandages, scissors, some kind of disinfectant. Advice also included putting a note (actually back cover of the tel directory, preprinted for the purpose) on the door or some obvious place, to say that the property had been cleared of people. Saves rescuers some time, don't have to search known vacant and potentially dangerous sites. A small tent may be better than a tarp. A camping stove may be better than an open fire. Use lightweight pans (not cast iron) which require less energy to heat them. A windup radio is helpful. A windup flashlight is also helpful but if you can't get a windup one, then any other flashlights and make sure you have spare batteries. Some emergency food in cans (and some way of opening the cans!!) Have an agreed plan where to meet or how to contact other family members if you are not all at home when disaster strikes.

Many years ago I was at HQ and we were preparing for the Rock. My recollection is that the big marquees had been erected. A tornado (small one) came through and HQ was right in its path. A lot of prayer went on. The tornado could be seen in the distance and it sort of veered off to the left, missing all TWI land, later resuming more or less its original course once past TWI land. Well not being a local lass, I couldn't say about the details and whatever it was - it was a gray whirly mass that approached (but perhaps slowly) from the distance and then drifted off to the side. (This I did see.) And it was mighty windy (this I felt!). And there was much concern for the state of the marquees. Anyway: I just read on another thread that Ohio 's power is out and Ike is messing around in the midwest. Am just wondering if anyone knows how HQ may have been affected. No doubt they have their own generators and can have some power available for essentials. But did they "pray away" the worst of the winds, and claim God's hand of protection over the property? Have they not suffered any damage? Or only minor damage? Without doubt, any lack of damage will be attributed to the mighty protection of God (and maybe it is) and the power of prayer (and maybe it is) but more likely is due to just being on the edge of the storm. Any innies reading this, what's the information you were given? Maybe there will be something on your latest SNS (still to come)? Have they (cough) offered help to anyone?

Wow. Ten days ago, Tuxy crept onto my lap for the first time. Now - she thinks she ought to be on the sofa when I am on it. Better, she thinks she should be on my lap. Often she gets on by herself. Occasionally she sits near and I can sort of ease her onto my lap. She is happy that I do this as she is fully in contact with the sofa or my leg or whatever makes her secure. Today she crept alongside me and I sort of shoved her onto my lap. She was really enjoying being fondled and seemed quite relaxed so I tried something new. I folded her into my arms and held her to my chest, stood up and walked around the room just a little. She trembled with fright, but did not struggle except gently just at first, then remained trembling in my arms. When I sat down I made her stay on my lap for a few minutes and then let her leave, which she did unhurriedly. This really does count as a major milestone. For a cat that is terrified of physical contact - she is "overcoming her doubt, worry and fear" in a big way. Other cat Crypto is much more confident, demands to be stroked and pushes Tuxedo out of the way so that she, Crypto, can be stroked, and occasionally takes a gratuitous swipe at Tuxy. While I don't like the hitting bit, it shows she has become much more assertive and is less likely to put up with bullying from Tuxy. Also she is pushing Tuxy away from the food bowl (quite something, that!) and is eating much more. She appears to be getting rather plumper, not that she's fat, in fact far too thin; and her coat quality has softened and is really nice to touch. A new friend came to visit with me yesterday and both cats were constantly present, ie, did not hide behind the furniture, and also played with the new person.A few months ago, they would hide if a new person came to visit. Maybe in a couple of years, I will end up with "normal" cats...? Geisha, do show your photos of your crazy pair, high on the catnip!! They are too funny!

Don't know that I know you, Socks, except through the Cafe, but your posts are always enjoyable and thoughtful. Best wishes for a delightful birthday and a wonderful year ahead. Twinx

I got to talk with Ex10 last night. She sounded so miserable. With having no power, it is stiflingly hot. She thought the house was undamaged but of course no-one has not been up a ladder to check the roof, but no water seems to have got in. Her mum's home has also not suffered any damage though a tree has blown down. Even so, Ex10 is better off than some people in Texas, who have been flooded or had considerable damage to real estate or to vehicles. She can be phoned but not necessarily emailed (no power to hook up!). Prayers, of course, bypass "normal" worldly channels. ((((Ex10 and HotSax))))

From the "Will the real vpw-ministry remnant please stand up" thread:

nowIsee: you are absolutely disparaging Brit cooking. Yeuuk. Mushy peas....aargh. (LOL) Yeah, they're actually very popular in some parts of the country, especially the north of England. Mushy peas (as served in fish and chip shops) are not made with fresh peas but with dried processed peas. I believe they have a dollop of bicarbonate of soda in with them, which gives them an unnatural bright green color. Personally I don't believe there are any peas in the mush at all. They can be purchased in cans, from many supermarkets. Kinda like refried beans, except bright green. And far less pleasant. Now if anyone has a recipe for pea soup I'd like that, as I have a lot of homegrown peas in the freezer.

Bravo Newlife Since God wants us to reach all people, then he must want us at all places in society. JC hung about in the pubs and clubs of his day. He mixed with the down-and-outs. Dregs of society. Prostitutes and alcoholics. Sick people He also mixed with the professional classes: tax gatherers, small businessmen (first disciples). JC fed the hungry (okay, so the people forgot the picnic - but they were still hungry) It's not "God in a box" regarding one's calling. So yes, it may look a little different, but everywhere there are people with needs. The focus of needs may change as our own circumstances may change (eg, it may not be appropriate to do some things with babies in tow). TWI forgot this (or ignored it). But God doesn't forget.

Sounds like a good business opportunity might be opening up there, Waysider! Though you shouldn't just rely on the chosen 12. I reckon this will be "sweet as" for the first 2-4 years, a bit like the Way Corps except for the Zero Corps, and then (if it continues) will become increasingly regulated. The kids could probably learn a heck of a lot more digging wells in Africa, or working as volunteers out in India or Bangladesh or Hungary or Albania.