Twinky

Thank y'all very much! Appreciate your concern. Funny song. Except we weren't trying to get rid of Twinkle. She is being kept in for a time while her wounds heal up. She thinks this is a bad thing and wants to go out (and have some more adventures?). Next collar if any is going to be easily removable/breakable. Miaow for now. Twinky

If they meant "hope to see you there" why not just say that? Why adopt instead an unusual way of speaking?

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Gt 22 but would have got 23 if I could spell prpr right and used an " " not a " "

What does it mean when people use “believing” as in to do something or for something to happen? As is: "Believingto see you [let’s say, Johnny Jumpup] at fellowship/work/the park tomorrow” “Believing for you [let’s say, Bill Bludger] to pass your exam/get your money together” “Believing that [let’s say, Maggie Muggins] will one day come to the Lord” Seems sloppy use of language to me. Believing? It’s a desire (and “whatsoever things ye desire,” etc…) but there are surely other factors at play. Like the other person’s free will. What if Johnny doesn’t want to go to fellowship tomorrow – other commitments, perhaps, or just plain doesn’t want to go? Doesn’t the other person’s “believing” put a burden on Johnny? What if Bill simply didn’t bother to study for the exam, or to make any effort to look after his financial affairs? What if Maggie really doesn’t want to know God? Where does that leave the other person’s “believing”? If the other person doesn’t want to do something or puts in no effort? In the first example, non-Way people might say, “hope to see you” or “look forward to seeing you” or even “would like to see you”. A person raised with Wayspeak would only rarely use “hope” in that way. But neither would they use a word like “expect” – which actually might seem too demanding! (“I expect to see you at fellowship…!”) In the second example, if the “beneficiary” of the believing doesn’t do anything towards what’s necessary, does s/he really want anything? In the third example, one might be “praying” for such an event, or, again, desiring, and might even take committed action to try to bring that about (by words or demonstration of God’s lovingkindness) and by praying. There are lots of NT records where Paul and others “pray” for the believers of their day and time and Christians are frequently exhorted to “pray” for one another – to come to a knowledge of the truth, to be established, to be strengthened, to understand, etc (eg Eph 1:16-18) – but “believing” for this to happen? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking prayer and commitment to other people – I’m considering inappropriate terminology. It seems to me that it’s a sloppy use of a word, a fear of using the word “hope” in its modern usage, and perhaps even disrespectful of other people and their own free will and beliefs. What do you think? (Believing I’ll get some replies to this) (tongue in cheek)

Somebody sent me this a while back and my first thought was, a more honest representation of Athletes of the Spirit. What I didn't like about it was that when the girl looks to him after she has played with the gun and as she tries to get back to him, "Jesus" stands helplessly messing about on the sidelines waving. It isn't till quite late on that he actually kicks into the fray and beats off all the baddies. He's not with her in her initial struggles to get away despite her keeping reaching back out to him. Nonetheless, it's short, to the point, and keeps the focus very definitely in the right direction not on the pseudo-savior.

Thanks, all. Dooj, too right. The vet says she is fine. She hass given Twinkle a shot of something and she has to have another on Sat. Antibiotics, I guess. Twinkle has a sore on her neck and under her "armpit" where the collar rubbed. The collar is all chewed at where she has tried to get out of it. Must be made of tough stuff - as is she. The vet in her exam found a growth in the cat's abdomen which apparently is common in older cats and will eventually constrict her insides too much. But at the moment T is in fine health despite her holiday, and the growth does not bother or pain her. So the growth either needs to be prayed away (and why not?) or the cat may need a colostomy bag. So glad she is home again. ...How much more glad our Father must be when we return from our wanderings in the dark and sh1tty places.

Just got to share this good news with you. Twinkle, my cat, has been missing now for just two weeks. She went out on Wednesday evening and did not return. Extensive searches and enquiries - no sign of her. Also prayed for her safe return. And this morning, Thursday two weeks later, she miaowed outside the door at breakfast time. She had one foot through her collar and clearly it had been like that for a while because the fur was rubbed off and the skin beneath a little sore. She smells of cat excrement and her fur instead of being soft and fluffy is hard and sticky (guess what?!). Other than that, she seems well. Can’t tell you how happy I am. Praise God for His goodness and loving kindness in restoring her to us, healthy and uninjured. (I posted a bit about this on ExCathedra's thread about her cockatiel. So encouraging! Many thanks for those of you who also prayed for Twinkle's safe return.)

I started something like this before - just about a year ago. witnessing cards (Hey I finally figured out how to make a link to another topic! (pats self on back))

When they threw me out, a year or so later the Credit Union threw my money out. I asked them to transfer it to my then spiritual partner (had supported me in rez and now in rez himself) and they refused to transfer it and demanded I withdraw the balance. Imagine that, huh, they simply didn't want my money.

Sorry, can't resist this... ...the exploits of certain leaders definitely give "root" locale a new meaning. Were they telling us all along what went on at HQ? (Slapped wrist, ducking for cover ;) )

You guys are too funny! Ain't life good, to be able to talk about pets and such? And not the word as it applies to cockies. Real cute of Rascal to bring a friend home albeit in utero. Clearly making sure she has a flock to hang out with.

Hey you guys really encourage me. My cat Twinkle (no, not quite my namesake, Twinky with a y is a different cat) - anyway Twinkle has gone on holiday... She never strays, very much a homebody, lets other cats roam through her territory, dislikes larger animals, likes to be with people and to sit and watch them, loves to hunt small rodents and birds, hunts in a wood next to the house, lies in the sun on the lawn, doesn't like being in houses (even "her" own), goes nowhere near any roads ... and has been missing since Wednesday evening. Looking forward to sharing my own "happy return" storywith you... Pleased for you, Exie. Always nice to have good news to share. Amazing story! (edited coz I missed a word out)

Some o'those pavement artists got real talent. Paying their way through art school, perhaps?

Ah well, Bumpy, that's where his powers of prediction failed. Most of us here (myself among them) would say we have a better relationship with God now than we did in TWI. Not so much of a grease spot as a growth spurt. (D'ya suppose he thinks of himself as a grease spot?) (Or d'ya suppose he realizes this infamous prediction didn't come to pass?)

me me me me me if only...

Hey, would it be funny if Rosie were a lurker here and heard about this possible "coup" from the greasevine? :lol:

When the Berlin Wall came down, I do recall LCM saying that all the "Cold War" stuff was collapsing because something worse was on the way. The devil spirits had had their fun with the Communist scenario; now they were moving into different territory. He alluded to the threat from Muslims and their rise in fanaticism, and said there would be a lot of trouble from that group of people. Now that has indeed come to pass with 9/11, London tube train bombings, train bombings in Madrid, bombings of embassies in many countries, various holiday resorts favored in particular by Jewish or American holidaymakers being bombed, etc to name but a few things. Sounded good at the time, and it did come to pass. But I'm not now convinced that LCM had any special revelation on what he said; or that it was a word of prophecy; or that it was any more than generally seeing the way things were stacking up.

Here is another aspect of manner of life that VPW and LCM taught. We see all these splinter ministries, all with their own MoG, and I wonder how many have the one figurehead or spokesman for God, and how many have a board or council or committee of trusted individuals to whom the spokesman can refer/seek advice? For sure it's not "MoG by committee" but we read many records in the OT about kings who sought the advice of the elders (or maybe rejected it) (eg 1 Kgs 12). Is there not safety in a multitude of counsellors? Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. Proverbs 24:3-6 3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. 5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. 6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. NT examples: We see Paul many times with trusted believers. We also see Paul imprisoned because he declined the counsel of many trusted believers. Manner of life is more that just keeping the trousers zipped.

Someone called Darnell mentioned. This would surely not be Bob Darnell ... would it?

Catcup, thanks, nice summary. Nice creds, too. Very little about rape is about anything sexual. The penis is just another weapon (in this context), like a gun, a baseball bat, an open knife. A weapon wielded by a bully to terrify a weaker person. Sympathies to those who have suffered rape or abuse of power anywhere. Especially from TWI.

Sunesis, Ex10 - exactly! Some organizations are very hot on the "accuracy of the Word" without being even the slightest bit accurate about the heart behind the words. Words paint the picture but if the canvas of the heart is not there, there's only a blobby mess on the floor.

Nice guy, sorry to hear this news.

Females probably suffered worst, being seriously abused within their relationships by partners and by higher-ups in TWI and the side of males generally being preferred by the hierarchy. However for every broken relationship (marriage, engagement, parenting, whatever else) there are two participants and therefore two victims. Women generally tend to vocalize their hurt more, talk it over (sometimes endlessly, it seems) with other people, including talking with their fingers on keyboards. Men generally tend to keep it closer to their chests or talk in a more jocular way with their mates, including talking with their fingers on keyboards. But GSC records posts from hurt males and hurt females. It's not to do with sex of leadership or female sticking-together-ness but how each handles problems. Who after dealing with their own difficulties sticks around to help others? That might be a more female thing, but there are lots of both male and female "helpers" here - Pawtucket, for one male, in just keeping the site operating. Start a poll if you're that interested, maybe people will respond to that.

Yes, I thought that was a pretty insulting statement as well. No doubt whoever was VP at the time would have felt truly valuable to TWI (tongue in cheek). LCM said something along the lines of, "in case all the trustees..." can't remember precisely, so don't quote me, but it was along the lines of, if all the trustees got killed/taken out/unable to act, all around the same time. He had in mind travelling together in one vehicle (the plane??) and there being an accident, something like that. (Where was his "believing" for God's hand of protection, LOL?). It was so that the Ministry could carry on in the absence of the BoT. To be able to do so would presumably necessitate that the substitute/deputy would be aware of the business of the BoT and therefore would have to attend Cabinet meetings and like meetings so that they knew what was going on (if they didn't already know!).