Belle

I've been watching for word from gc. I hope she checks in soon. I know she said she was evacuating early, but I'd still like to know she's okay.

Great News, Psalmie! Yes, you should let her know not to worry people who care about her like that! Ask her if she at least had on clean underwear if she's not going to call to let us know she's okay. ;)-->

I'm currently dealing with the death of a few close friends; still not being able to contact beloved cousins; concerns for my elderly paternal grandmother who just had surgery; my maternal grandfather is expected to die any day now; some very frustrating personal "life" ****; work obligations and all. I'm drained, physically, emotionally and mentally. I've been lucky enough to have never had anyone close to me die and watching the news just reduces me to tears - heaving, loud sighing tears. I was born and raised in Mississippi. Spent many a week-end partying and enjoying New Orleans and the MS coast. I had most of my relatives in the path of Katrina and have still not been able to contact somet of them. I've heard that those I haven't been able to contact are okay, but there are still a few relatives that we aren't sure about. I'm just so drained. I think, though, that even if 99% of my family wasn't affected by Katrina that I would feel this way. Is it just me? Is anyone else as drained and on emotional edge as I am? Katrina wasn't anywhere near me and didn't directly affect me at all, just my loved ones but I've been able to establish that most of them are safe. It doesn't seem to help my situation much at all though.

How bout "we see through a glass darkly". How bout "I don't know". How bout "There's lots of things we can't know or understand right now."

Katrina Survivors Psalmie, this looks like an excellent place to look if you haven't already heard of this site. :)-->

Uh, rhino, you might want to take some time off from posting and look around the boards. Raf makes no secret about his profession. In fact we all celebrated a promotion for him on here not too long ago. :)--> And the tone of your posts here and accusing Raf of HIDING his occupation are making it personal. Are you a member of the "let's attach a label to everyone" group, too? --> Nobody has to provide any information about themselves that they don't want to, but if you're going to make an argument, you might want to back it up with some verifiable facts.

Goey, I always appreciate and respect your posts. You're right on here! Very well explained, too. Just because I don't believe someone else's interpretation of the Bible does not mean that I don't believe in God or the Bible. It's just like my ex telling me that I was turning my back on God because I left TWI. I didn't turn my back on God, I turned my back on TWI.

Jard, I'll share my cabin. We'll just be cozy on Saturday night. But my parents are cool. Highway, I'm so sorry you're not going to be there! WWJLA, Don't worry, I got a different cabin. ;)-->

*sing song voice* I'M GOING! I'M GOING!! I GET TO GO TO THE WEENIE ROAST!!! :D--> :D--> :D--> I got the last cabin the lady said they had. I also talked to Mama and Daddy and they are going to join us on Saturday night. My Mama has been dying to meet these wonderful GSpotters who kept her daughter sane and supported for so long. Daddy just wants to try Sudo's Stew. ;)--> Sudo, if I remember correctly you're from THAT OTHER school in Mississippi. --> I promise to leave my maroon and white at home if you leave that gawd awful rebel stuff behind. I was thinking about buying the makin's for Sticky Buns to contribute, but I'm not sure if there's a stove in the effeciency cabins. It doesn't look like it from the pictures. What else can I bring to contribute?

And which way did you vote, George? Ginger or Mary Ann? ;)-->

None of that says, "unless it's not God's will" - None of "God's will" was taught in the TWI I was involved with. We TOLD God what to do and what to give us and if we didn't get what we prayed for it was because we were out of alignment and harmony or not believing. Karmic, I prayed a few times during my last month in TWI using the words, "if it's your will...." and was reproved. My husband was so embarrassed that he yelled at me the whole way home for praying amiss. We believe God and THANK him for things - we don't say "if it's your will" - that's not believing. *shrug* OM, It just doesn't make sense to me. Out of one side of your mouth you say that if we ask God for it then he "shall (absolutely according to vee pee)" answer our prayers, but then out of the other side of your mouth you say "it wasn't available" when I question why your first statement patently appears to be false......

It was disproven to all those folks who prayed for their loved ones to be kept safe. It's been disproven for all those folks praying for help to get to them before more of them die. It was disproven to all those folks who prayed for their homes to be kept safe.

Ah, yesssss..... Pavlov's dogs - I didn't recognize him with the full name. :D--> I was conditioned well, no?

Did I miss the wire transfers to offshore "business" accounts?

OM, if you believe vee pee's teachings, then you know that the Bible has to fit like a hand in a glove with a mathmatical exactness and a scientific precision. That alone would mean that getting the administrations correct is important, wouldn't it? ;)--> Also, the way TWI teaches the administrations it's convenient for them to throw out the teachings of Jesus when and where it's convenient for them. That's a big deal in my book. :)--> Besides that, why WOULDN'T you want to know if what you're believing is correct or not?

MO, you can bet not one person in TWI is being encouraged to give to the Red Cross. Nevermind that some of them accepted or have family members who accepted care from them in the past. WhiteDove - ROFLMAO! You got that right! They'll need you to bring your own toilet paper and water, too. And since it's a difficult time they'll reduce the price of the class to a mere $75 for hurricane victims.

I would have been duly impressed, Ham. I do think you might be just a wee bit off on your calculations though. Niccolo Machiavelli 5% Seems like that should be a tad bit higher percentage unless you're talking about for the whole ministry and not counting those teachings that were strictly for the way corps training.

please read the above post tongue in cheek. I DID do all those things, but I don't think me, TWI or God had anything to do with it.

Then you can thank me now. My righteous self prayed and God listened so your sorry copped out foot could be safe from doom and destruction. :)--> I also took a full inventory of my house, bought hundreds upon hundreds of dollars worth of emergency supplies, canned food, water and bleach. I even got shooting lessons and a gun. Since I prepared for the worst and prayed for the best with all the other TWIts in the world, y'all owe me a huge debt of gratitude. ;)-->

Keep that hope alive, Psalmie!! Just yesterday a guy from down here was in a small MS town where there were lots of survivors who had absolutely no contact with the outside world. He let them take turns using his cell phone till the battery ran out. They were ALL calling relatives for the first time to tell them they were okay! :)--> This was yesterday, Psalmie! Your friend could be noplace near a phone or so busy taking care of others that she hasn't been able to contact anyone. I'm praying with you for the best! I thought Good Morning America said that they had a place on their site where you could go to look for survivors, but I couldn't find it this morning. A lot of local newspapers do have message boards and links set up for that. The Times Picayune does, I know. (Don't tell my relatives that I can't remember how to spell Picayune, though).

Long Gone, TWI saved the world from total anarchy December 31, 1999. Doncha remember? We walked around with great pride for months after that!

I vote for Willow. I've always been a fan of hers. But I also adore Zander and his witty one-liners. Sorry, Brother Speed, I could not avoid continuing the derail.

They guy on GMA this morning who got separated from his wife during the storm surge could still see his shirt from the storm up in the tree where he had been holding on to branches would tell you that if it wasn't 20 feet, it was enough to cover houses and push him up high into the tree. *shrug* I don't think he cares how high the waters were, just that he's alive and so's his family with the exception of his wife, who is presumed to be dead. Seems as though catastrophes like this bring out the best or the worst in people. Unfortunately many have gone to "the dark side".

There's way more than just New Orleans affected by all of this and there is way more relief and support than you see on TV. Good news does not sell in their view, that's why you never hear good news from Iraq, either. There's plenty of good news, it's just not profitable. --> My favorite local radio station raised over $200K for the Red Cross in just four hours yesterday. The people in Florida have been helped by the Red Cross and know what the survivors are going through is even worse than what we experienced. There is an outpouring of people wanting to help and contribute in any way we can. You just have to look further than the television to hear of these things.

THE coffee spray has been retributed. *evil laugh* Don't worry about THE chocolate for THE shaver of THE. I have about 200 lbs. in secret reserve and just may be willing to share some of THE chocolate, but yer gonna have to do something with THE hanky cause I'm not getting near anything that's been honked on.... MUAHHHHHH!!! All Hais THE!