jeast

What more needs to be said? Peace

I agree with Sunesis. It is tough to reach any kind of understanding on any given topic when loose associations and name calling e.g. snobbish, etc are used to give the semblance of superiority. I have learned to respect many of the posters here because they treat others with respect regardless of our position on any given doctrine. There have been topics though that I would have enjoyed seeing more in depth discussions on but backed away when the slams and put-downs started. We can be honest and open without being derisive.

T-Bone, Just need to say I really appreciate your posts. They are helpful.

fooledagainII, Very honest, much respect to you for doing so. Your experience is very similar to mine with a few exceptions. I took the class in 1975. Felt compelled to get out of TWI after a couple of years. Involved in many different churches/denominations (mostly through music) Always questioning, listening and matching it up to what I had learned. No allegiance to TWI, CES, STFI, etc but still reading and evaluating. Thought maybe someone would step up and spoon feed me the answers but I remember where that got me the last time. I do not totally discount everthing I had learned or am learning now just because it has been associated with TWI or any other name. Like yourself I too have been confused and dazed. I knew in the beginning that I wanted to serve God but got caught up in the I know more than you syndrome of TWI. As basic as it may sound, just as I believe works without faith is empty so is knowledge/information without your motive being to please God and not man. I share this with you not trying to give the perception that I know anything. But this has served me and my family very well. It seems to be finally sinking in what it really means to love your neighbor and to honor God first. It is my understanding that God has promised to teach us if we trust in Him. (NOT MAN) Been there done that. Sometimes we need to shut out the noise and just listen and that is easier said than done.

Last year my son Cody went to sleep while driving home from work. He worked 3rd shift at the time. This used to be a Silverado full size extended cab pickup. He had it on cruise control and went through an busy intersection on 4 lane highway 37 south. No other vehicles were involved but the huge metal pole that supports the stop lights did not budge. He climbed out the side window and walk away. We had him checked out at the hospital to eliminate any chance of hidden injuries and there were none. This blew our minds. Again God has delivered.

Well said Oldiesman, I also applaud all of those "in top leadership positions" which I understand included more than just JL, who did have the courage to take a stand to expose what they sincerely believed then and now was not of God. I also find it interesting that hatred, discord, jealousy, dissensions, factions & envy also makes the list along with sexual immorality in Heb 5:19-21. Might as well add Heb 5:15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. For the life of me I cannot accept that JL, JS or RD lay awake at night thinking of ways to hurt and destroy peoples lives. For those interested in healing. I wish you all well. I am not a disciple of any of them but I have learned much from all of them. Love and Peace (really)

wrdsandwrks Thank you for starting this thread.

mstar1, Thanks for posting Whiskey Fore Breakfast.

Like waysider mine is a bit bizarre and because of that I have never told anyone this before. So for some crazy reason I feel like sharing it now on the internet no less. I believe I was around 5 or 6 at the time, I was the youngest in a family of 11. Most of them had left by now but my Dad had remarried since my Mom died when I was 2. We lived way out in the boonies and as some would say we were so poor we could not even pay attention. I was outside playing in the rain one day when I saw an unusual looking cloud that looked like a huge hand. The hand then extended down towards me which totally freaked me out. I can't explain to this day what it was or what it meant but through all the trails in my life I have been delivered time after time. Just surviving the first five years was an accomplishment, then a bone disease that almost crippled me for life, two abusive stepmothers & one abusive brother in law/guardian. I've done all the wrong things according to some by getting married my senior year and having 4 kids by the time we were 22. But I am so humbled because as feeble and weak as I have believed and trusted in God he has always had his hand on me. That includes my time in TWI. I have an incredible family and have been married to the most loving woman for 38 years. I am more at peace than ever and I can't help but believe that the hand that I saw when I was young was indeed from God. I believe all of this including discovering GSC is still part of that process. I can't help but be excited as to what lays up ahead.

That is just a little bit freaky because I just came from the front porch where I had been playing that exact song. (Whiskey Before Breakfast). Not that well mind you. When I first heard the lyrics to that song it cracked me up. Speaking of Clarence White's guitar...the first decent guitar that I ever had was an old Guild and I could not help but enlarge the sound hole to try to imitate that guitar. Of course it just wasn't quite the same. thanks dmiller

Tim Staffor & Jim Hurst, Forked Deer, Acoustic Guitar This just makes me grin all over.

Thanks so much for the kind words. It means more than you realize.

I just can't help but to want to share this with those of you who appreciate having a blessed family. I just walked out of the turnstyle, at midnight, for the last time from the foundry that I had work at for 30 years. About 20 some years ago I wrote a song with some of the lyrics going like this.. "I get off work around midnight from the foundry don't ya see Just doing my time tryin to make a dime to feed my family" Music has always been a very big part of our family. That is how we share things that just can't be said any other way. As I walked out the gate I saw several of my fellow workers standing around off to one side then I heard this song that I wrote coming from in between the parked cars. It was my wife & family with a couple of guitars and a mandolin singing that song for me. I was floored! Life is good!

Some confuse polite with being submissive There’s no need to be so derisive No need to put down someone Heck this thread is supposed to be fun Light and friendly it's not nearly so obtrusive. Piece