ex10

I just told hubby about your post, andrea. His comment, and I quote: "Yeah, the issue we had with 'leadershihp' was they were d*p....s." I guess that pretty much sums it up..... The funny thing is, after they got fired, we were ask to "run the branch." We said, no thanks.

Ha, Andrea. So that was what they said about us, huh? "Issues with leadership?" As if! harrumf..... Yeah, we had big issues with the way Smoke and company operated. Funny, I never thought of him or them as my "leadership." I thought we were peers. My mistake for thinking... Yeah, our "cmmitment" was in question because we refused to jump when he said to. And more adamantly refused to tell other people to jump when he said to. I guess that was the problem. :D-->

def Well then we knew each other maybe. My hubby worked with the band a little, I think. My memory is real fuzzy. I knew Gary from in-rez. (We were in the same twig when outandabout was our twig leader.) From the moment we got to Michigan, until he got fired, we went toe to toe with him on several issues. Hubby and him even got into a few shouting matches. (And if anybody knows my hubby, you know that's highly unusual for him. :)--> ) So we weren't exactly welcome at the way in K-zoo. :D--> I'll send you a private message.

horse Good questions with not a whole lot of answers according to way theology. Now you know why the trinity thing makes more sense than at first glance. :D-->

def I moved to Michigan in the summer of '86. My husband and I lived in St. Joseph. We were twig area coordinators who were also part of the Kalamazoo branch. But we were already ostracized by the "leadership" there when we arrived, so our participation in way things was minimal. (We had resigned our ministry position in another state, so we were suspect.) But maybe we know each other? We lived in my husband's home town, and he was friends with alot of the Michigan old-timers before he went in the corps. So even though we weren't real involved in way activities, we hung out with alot of the Michigan folks, til we got officially kicked out. (We even got a letter from Craig and everything. :D-->) Even after we left, we still kept in touch with many of those who left when we did, til we moved in '99. After all, we'd known many of them since forever....

I have to chime in hear. The D and D believer guy, I guess it was Dave whatshisname, I don't remember, was never in the way corps. One year at the Rock, he spoke, and I was assigned as his corps buddy hostess. All I remember is taking him to the food tent, and making sure he got fed. I do remember he told me he worked for Parker Brothers Games? He was a nice guy. He told me the game he invented was a "retemory" and role playing game based on the book of Acts. But he worked for the company, so he had no rights to anything he invented. They took the game, and made it something else. That's all I remember. :)-->

I confess to not understanding this thread. I read it a couple of times through. :D--> The reverence and respect for the Pope, and the long lines of millions of people being there, makes total sense to me. I wish I could explain it better, but the way I see it is, the world is looking for a mog, a bit of kindness, in the whole mess of things. I think we all hunger for a saviour, a man who will save us from ourselves, a better answer than war and strife.... The pope represented the best of humanity. It's only natural that people who take their faith seriously would show up. And even those that are wondering what it's all about? It ain't hard to figure out.....

Well yeah, great point, smurfette. Hubby and I run a home fellowship for our very large Methodist church. It's way better than anything I ever experienced in the cult. No micromanagement, respect for all, no "status" as far as church hierarchy goes. We are all working professionals, who get together because we want to. No pressure, no conformity required. Our little fellowship is a haven in the busy world of being a christian in the working world. We just finished "The Sacred Romance" and it was life-changing for most of us. What a twig was meant to be......

Linda, I work with a girl from St. Mary's. We are the exact same age, to the month. Her best friend from high school happens to be someone I "undershepherded" through PFAL. We have both stayed in touch with the same girlfriend, all these years later. Freaky, ain't it? :)-->

Evan You really bring out a great point. I think the problem most of us have with "personal prophecy" is the ego and presumption that we think goes along with it.

Excellent insights on this thread. Honestly, the only reason I ever got persuaded to go into the way corps, was that I loved my home fellowship. Somehow, I believed, at the tender age of 19, that if I left my fellowship, and received further training "in the whole Word, as to be able to teach others also..." it would be a good thing. All the study stuff was interesting to a point, but I loved how my home fellowship brought me closer to my parents and my brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc...and kept me close. I know now that I was the exception to the rule, in that TWI divided alot of families. But it really united mine, and in my naivete, I thought it could only get better. In many ways it did. And when it didn't anymore, I quit. :)--> The idea of intimate, in-home fellowship and living out one's faith day to day, is so good. But when it gets micro-managed, it erupts. The so-called "doctrine" and "research and teaching" got to be so important, that it took the place of relationships. How that happened, I'm still trying to figure out.....Of course, corrupt people on ego trips played a big part. :D--> But it ruined everything. Call me an idealist, but some of the concepts, like home fellowships, are a really good idea. It's just that the "research and teaching," groupthink, cult-mentality somehow got in the way. That's my story, for tonight, anyway.....

In other words, we have to whisper like we're in church? Ok, I get it. Reverence and respect are very good things....

congrats, you two lovebirds!! And my next question is, where's the dang honeymoon? :D-->

ohmigosh, Groucho, did you ever hit the proverbial nail on the head. For a total control freak, VP sure had a way of losing control, by talking out of his drambuie head. :D-->

Ohmigosh, Someone told the words "hot tub" and "barbeque" were used in the same thread. Party at my house. :D-->

Flat is on his merry way to other parts of Texas. I think I have totally converted him to Texan, though. He told me, ahem, off the record, that Houston was his favorite stop so far. He wanted to stay longer, but I convinced him that he owed it to his kids back at school, to keep moving on. :D--> What can I say? Southern hospitality and the Texas landscape, rule.......yeee haaaaa!

Well, um, yes. I did take a pic of him in the bluebonnets. ;)--> I couldn't help myself. Really. All these other cars were stopped taking pics of kids, dogs, strangers, whoever, in the wildflowers, I just had to go and do likewise for Flat. And he told me he enjoyed it, and will keep the picture forever. So there. :D-->

yeah, socks, I getcha. Ya know, if something is "personal" then it ain't "impersonal." Call me simplistic. But I understand English. :D-->

So, Jim Doop, is this prophecy? That the devil has taken over CES?

As far a christianity goes, I feel like I've done a 180. I was born a catholic, and I guess was destined to be a christian. I've tried being agnostic, aetheist, dabbled in buddism, mysticism, etc. etc. tried to be the artistic, designer type, tried to be smart, keep up with politics, the art world. Business, but it bores me in 10 seconds. I'm not smart enuff to be an intellectual..... :)--> Hmmmmm, I always come back to my christian, democratic, southern roots. I like going to church, take joy in my family, love my job. :)--> Try as I might, I'm just not the sophisticated, intellectual, artsy, religious politically savvy, or anything else, type. I like having a nice house, car that runs, kids that love me, family that cares, friends that are fun to hang out with, and a job that I like. :)--> Couldn't have all this while in TWI.....

Clearwater, You asked some totally legitimate questions. Unfortunately, I don't have any answers, just more questions. Prophesy is a pretty broad subject, and I'm pretty sure hardly anybody knows what the heck they are talking about, christian or not. This I can say, I have pretty much tossed out what TWI taught about it. I mean as far as "manifestations" go, and all the doublespeak about what it can and cannot be. I tend to agree with my bro, socks, that any effort to institutionalize it, put it in a box, wrap it up, make it look all pretty, and leave it.......is suspect. :D--> On the other hand, prophecy is a legitimate "gift" in the church. I am a Christian who believes that God speaks through people sometimes. Are those that speak words of prophecy more "important' than anybody else? What are the preliminary requirements of one who speaks? I would think that a personal agenda would be out of the question.....no? I'm not so sure about the whole subject. Seems to me that most of the instances of "prophecy" to an individual in the bible, were not for public consumption, or open to public debate. :D--> And yes, accountability is an issue. So, I guess I have the same questions that you do. I know I didn't help any. I have experience inside and outside of TWI and CES, with the whole thing. And no, I'm not gonna share here. My perogative. :)--> Private topic me if you want.

rut roh I left Flat at work, accidentally. :(--> Unfortunately for him, he's got to hang out with the designing women of Ethan Allen til then. :D--> I wonder if he'll mind too much.... I'm off til Tuesday. If I promise to mail him to Tom Strange first thing Tuesday, am I off the hook? :)-->

Yee ha!! Flat Stanley has arrived at my humble abode. I think I'll take him to work with me tomorrow, and show him around the place. And of course, I simply must get a picture oh him with the Texas bluebonnets.

And that's why I live outside of Houston. That and the traffic....

well, I didn't wanna bring up the fire ants and spider problems. I've killed both a black widow and some brown recluses in the back yard, not to mention copperheads, a coral snake, seen plenty of cotton mouths. Never seen a rattler around here, though. Actually I stepped on a baby copperhead the other day, walking through the grass in a client's front yard. Didn't get bit, though, thank goodness. I'm allergic to fire ants so I have to be super careful I don't get bit. If I do, I have to go straight to the ER. And now I've got to worry about killer bees too? aye chihuahua. God bless Texas, my home sweet home.