ex10

john I always thought his degree was in English. But I don't know for sure. If it was psych, I don't think it's done him much good. -->

Aw, uncle hairy, come on. I bet you tried jet-style packing at least once. :D--> Maybe if Richard and Linda hadn't spent the whole year arguing, he woulda been in a better mood. I've always prayed that God got Richard back, somehow. ;)-->

Johnny I always thought JAL was pretty cool, and had a terrific sense of humor. I remember once, towards the end of our last yr at Euphoria, I lost my one and only corps nametag. I put my request into Engraving for a new one, but they were all backed up, as they were making all the Living Victoriously nametags. You know what a potential catastrophe this was. :D--> What to do? what to do? I couldn't get into meals, or do anything without my nametag. Remember that rule? Anyway, there was a girl in the 12th, Cathy P, who happened to look alot like moi. I mean it was ridiculous how people couldn't tell us apart sometimes. We used to switch nametags sometimes, just as a gag. So anyways, Cathy being the friend she was, let me borrow her extra nametag til mine got done. Lo and behold, one day after lunch, JAL announces for me to come to head table after lunch and pick up my lost nametag. So when lunch is over, I walk over to him and say, "Geeeze, I'm really glad someone found my nametag. Now I can give Cathy hers back." He about died laughing when he realized I'd been wearing hers for like, days. And then he says, "Well I guess I never said you had to wear your own nametag!" He was a good sport.

IMHO, and if what various people have told me over the years is true, LCM was really into threesomes long before he taught WAP. Sure would be interesting to know how his warped little mind came up with the original sin being lesbian sex thing. Sure would make a great case study for Abnormal Psych.

No oldies, i would think that anyone who had sense would ask for sponsership before sleeping with someone. --> Johnny, I don't know who farmer Bob would be. --> And I love cabbage soup. Couldn't handle the borsht, though. Although my okie sis-in-law loved it. So I'd pass my bowl on to her. :)--> Which reminds me, I was always popular at meal times. Not being a big eater, some of the guys took note, and loved to sit with me at meals since I was always willing to "share of my plurality." :D-->

Parsnips?? Were they disguised as something else? I did learn to actually like sour kraut while in-rez. A feat that I am still proud of to this day...

Oldies My only personal experiences with DW involved "adultery issues." So, no, I can't lay them "aside." In those situations, I know what what was said and done, or rather, not done, behind closed doors. And it wasn't pretty. And these things happened long before the "loyalty letter," or even the poop, for that matter. So forgive me for not being too hopeful that he would've done the stand up thing when the pressure was really on.

exie Maybe you and Dot could offer to do makeovers for the choir? :D-->

Good grief. Oldies, I have some particularly nasty memories of personal involvment with Don and his sordid, adulterous liasons. And no, I'm not gonna tell you about it. It involves other people, and it's their story to tell if they choose to, or not. INMO, Don was a total wimp, in these particular situations, who didn't "do the right thing," when he had the chance. I really doubt he would've acted any differently in any other circumstance. He didn't have it in him, IMO.

Well, Johnny, I agree with you. The "corps experience" was what we made of it for ourselves, I think. For me personally, our 1st year in-rez was radically different than our last year. It got better as time went on. I hated all that MAL crud, and honestly had one foot out the door while that was all coming down. If it hadn't been for my dear friend, Daggoo, (where are you, Daggs?) and her wicked sense of humor, I probably would've taken the whole thing waaaay too seriously. ;)--> I remember having some really fun times, and overall, had a blast while in. I loved LEAD, didn't even mind the hitchiking, hung out with some great people, (Sangat included, he was a swell guy, cute too ;)--> ) and laughed ALOT. The running was even ok, and I enjoyed the physical challenge of it. Honestly, I've never run 10 miles since then. But I can say I did it, while in-rez. The classes were ok, and I read alot of the bible that I probably never would have otherwise. I always managed to have jobs that were fun, kept me busy, and allowed me some "self-structured" time to catch a nap here and there. Overall, there were some unique opportunities to challenge ourselves if we wanted to. Of course, I was really young, so maybe that gives me a different perapective than those who were older and gave up jobs, career, put off having kids, and other stuff. I think it was different for each of us, depending on so many varying factors... But I know I was a much more "mature" person when I got out, than when I went in. For what it's worth.

Oh yeah, and another thing. Many of the so called 'leaders" still left at the way, were players in the whole adultery thing. That's why they are still there, in my not so humble opinion. Either they are being blackmailed into staying, or they are just plain afraid that their dirty little secrets will get out if they leave.

Paradise Geeze, this stuff gets deep. I too, still have copies of the paper, and all the correspondence that went along with it. Signed and dated. Copies of letters from Ralph D., John L., John S., Bo R., his brother, Robert B., to name a few. It's the only waycrap I've saved over the years. HA! Waygb, please take note. :D--> The funny thing is, I thought the paper was dircted at LCM, Howard and Don. I had no idea VP was involved at the time. So when psychogeer mandated that everyone who read it or passed it on should be fired, I couldn't at first figure it out. OK, it took me about an hour. :D--> Having nothing to lose, being already "just a twig leader" and having no aspirations to be anything else, we made mega copies and passed it on to everyone whose address we had. More people than you think had copies of it, and knew what was going on, they just didn't want to admit it. Of course anyone who wasn't on waypay, had nothing to lose. It was those who were afraid of "losing their jobs," that acted blind, deaf, and dumb. And of course, some of our twiggies who couldn't believe it. But that's a different story altogether. The word was definitely out. And you're right. Very few people were willing to "go to bat" for the cause. But those who did, I admire still to this day. They had the chutzpah to speak up for what they believed in, no matter what it cost them personally! I'll get off my soapbox now. :D-->

Oak The thing to remember I guess is that by 1990, the A-word was verboten. The adultery stuff came out in 86, when John S. wrote his paper, and anybody who dared ask questions, and talk about it, got the ax. Everybody who knew anything concrete was long gone by 90, or so we thought. That's when most of my friends and family either got fired or resigned. Evidently, the whole adultery issure came up again in the mid 90's when lcm and others were confronted again. And people left when they learned the truth. Honestly, what I've never figured out, is how the word didn't get out the first time. I mean, I thought EVERYBODY KNEW. In my little circle of waydom, and exwaydom, (and please remember I wasn't anybody "important") we figured anybody that stayed in after the loyalty oath, knew about the adultery, but didn't care enuff to "take a stand" about it. I know different now, but can't quite put the pieces together. -->

yeah, sisex Our "wholesome Christian character" got taken for a pretty wild ride.

ohmigosh Catcup I wish I could count how many times I've heard the same story from different people, and even lived it myself. There were 2 "way ministries" going on. The public one, and the private one. One of the greatest things that came out of the great poop was that alot of us started comparing stories and talking about things that once made us go "hmmm." The amazing thing to me is that here we are, all these years later, (going on 2 decades for moi) and it's still NEWS to some. There must be a lesson in here somewhere.

Great thoughts, here. I don't think that God is EVER silent. His heart's desire is to draw us closer to Him, and have an intimate relationship with us, His precious ones. Sometimes, it just a matter of us pressing in closer, and experiencing the myriad of ways He reveals Himself to us. He is the master communicator, after all, and not short on creativity. He just doesn't limit Himself to our expectations is all. Not to be preachy, like MO said, but He is faithful to us, always. He would never withhold Himself from us. But He will surprise and amaze us, if we just pay closer attention. After all, we do have direct access to His Presence. It's just a matter of entering in, and hanging around long enough to "hear" Him.

Radar ;)--> Well, we can look at it this way, at least the preoccupation of the waygb with GS, keeps them away from the unsuspecting public. :D-->

Hope I hear ya about somebody on a farm in Ohio keeping files on us! But somehow, I find comfort in the fact that what I know about some of them could fill quite a few files as well. :D--> :D--> :D-->

Oh my. Has anyone told them it's the 21st century yet? :D--> Seriously, they all look like they're stuck in an old episode of "Sing Along With Mitch." Egads.

Aw, Still, thanks for saying that! And Steve, it's amazing what small acts of kindness can do for people, isn't it? Especially those who can't do for themselves. The funny thing is, once you let people know that it's okay to need help, and then you actually HELP them, their whole perspective on life can change. I can't help but think how different TWI would have been, if people knew it was ok to need help sometimes. And there was no shame in asking for it. Sheesh, that's why people come to Jesus Christ in the first place, not because we have it all together, but because we don't. I wonder how it all got so convoluted....

andrea Yeah, we moved to MI in June of 86 and lived there til the summer of 99. But by the time I got to Michigan, hubby and me where already branded as "troublemakers" so we were not in on alot of stuff that happened there. :(--> I've always wondered what happened with Phil and Teresa. I knew them before MI. Long story. All I know is they got divorced and Phil is remarried. When they split up, I was already out of the loop. That was in 87 or so, I think. Can't remember exactly. We got uninvolved about then, except for people calling us wanting to know what the H*** was going on. :D--> I don't have fond memories of being in the way in Michigan. It was really screwed up. Private topic me if you want. :)-->

Dot You made me think on this one. But honestly, I was 21 when I met my beloved. We married soon after. I really don't think I had any "loves" before him. Not that I didn't date or anything, but I wasn't "invovled" like with him. So I guess I'm not qualified to answer really, but I can't imagine being with anyone but him. :D--> I've had old high school and college buddies call and hint at "what if." Honestly, I can't go there. :D--> I know I'm wierd.....

Yeah, good thoughts here. Danny, last night I read Acts 1-13 in the Message, and what really struck me was the fact that the early church grew and multiplied was because those that had need, came, and were filled. Everybody gave, however they could, and followed the example of the Master. It was just the opposite in TWI, were those that had need were turned away. How sad. Jesus was in the business of taking care of people, not matter what was going on. and that's what he taught his followers. Maybe it's just human nature, but I've noticed that many of us, especially as we age, don't like to be dependent on anybody for anything. Sometimes I wonder if TWI got away with what they did, was partially because there weren't that many older folk around who could teach us that life isn't always the same as when we're 20 something or 30 something. It changes, and as we grow older, we need our loved ones more, not less. This I know, most people, at the end of their lives, cherish their RELATIONSHIPS with loved ones, above all else. That seems to be the most important thing. Not what they did for a living, where they lived, who they knew socially, etc. Somehow, who's around right here, right now becomes the most important thing. And if you spent your life running people off, it's pretty lonely at the end of it all.

Ah, geeze, I wasn't gonna respond here. But, I changed my mind. I don't remember much about the gift thing being "required," and all that. Maybe it's cause I was usually broke during my corps years, and didn't pay attention. I don't know. Plus, I like to give gifts, and always get a thrill out of it. ;)--> But, this I do know. As a branch coord. in the early 80's, I did receive a couple of gifts that are really priceless to me. We never expected anything, so when our friends and fellow twiggies gave us something, we, (hubby and I) were so touched. In fact, a gift we received from our twig, just recently broke, and I feel like I lost a family member. It was a stained glass panel with a dove on a blue background with Phil 4:13 on it. The person who made this gift for us passed away a number of years ago, and it was my reminder of her and her life. It fell recently when we had a thunderstorm that shook our house. It hit our tile floor and shattered. So sad. Also, when we quit being branch coord.'s, the ladies in our branch gave us a quilt that they had made for us, and each member of our branch signed it. It still hangs over the bannister in our family room. It reminds me of the utter kindness and generosity of the people we knew then. When I turned 25, the branch gave me a birthday gift. I was surprised and absolutely humbled by it. It was so sweet of them to think of it. It was a crystal cake plate with a dome over it, and it sits proudly on the buffet in my dining room. I love to use it and have even baked fancy cakes for social events at our home, just so's I can show off my fancy cake plate that reminds me of Sunday morning fellowships when I would pile donuts on it for our twiggies. :)--> Not all gifts were in vain. I cherish the ones I received, and always think of the thoughtfulness behind them.

I've been talking to/working with lots of Senior Citizens lately, due to our new business venture. One thing that I've noticed is that many seniors don't like to admit that they need help with everyday activities. I've thought alot about TWI, and how there was always some kind of shame in admitting that help was needed. PFAL was supposed to be THE ANSWER for all of life's situations, and if it wasn't, then we just weren't "believing." How sad! There was so much potential to really serve one another, but because of the teachings, ie PFAL is the instant solution to all of life, we missed so many opportunities. I think this is quite the opposite of what Jesus was/is all about. Any thoughts?