Belle

And SITting gives you more energy, too - so you don't need to eat those calorie laden foods. YOu work your a$$ off each day for us and we'll ask God to grow you a new one each morning.

I saved over $1,000 this Thanksgiving alone by not having to attend the "Most Spiritual Significant Event of the Year" :D--> I'll be saving about $9,000 in tithing and abs a year. I saved whatever the cost of the new christian family and sex class was. I've saved whatever the cost of the new "Prevailing Turd" editions of the collaterals is. I save over 100 hours a month by not having to attend fellowships, witnessing events, branch meetings, phone hook-ups and having prayer partners or re-reading the same drivel they repeat each week. Not having to search for free places to have those "big" meetings. I save probably $25/month by not having to buy coffee, toilet paper and a/c or heat for extra people in my house each week. My carpet and furniture will last longer since it's not being used as much. My peace of mind - priceless savings - I no longer worry about God not protecting me or answering my prayers. I no longer have strained relations with my family. I save at least 40 miles/week and the gas required to get to fellowship each week. Oh, LIFE IS GOOD.....SOOOOO GOOOD! ;)--> Thanks for the reminder, Roy!

LOVED IT! It's ALL too familiar, though!

I knew we had smart people on here, but having the grades to back it up is really kewl! Congrats Reikilady! Congrats Raf! Congrats Mr H!

Awwwww! I'm so happy for you, Oak! What a great Yuletide indeed and you of all people certainly deserve it! :D--> :D--> :D--> :D--> :D--> :D--> :D-->

Belle is anxiously awaiting the arrival of this book!

Trust me - it does happen - maybe the particular information posted about a new drug was a hoax, but it does happen. :(--> All too often - especially in college towns.

My all time favorite is those frozen italian meatballs or mini sausages in the crock pot with a jar of Chili Sauce and a jar of grape jelly serve with little toothpicks

Mini Key Lime Pies Buy those filo dough mini crusts Mix 1 can of Sweetened condensed milk 1 cup lime juice 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla Pour into the filo dough and chill Serve like that or with whipped cream on top Yummy!

Oh yeah! The ever popular "Rotel Dip" 1 lb of Velveeta Cheese (do not skimp on no-name brand) 2 Cans of Rotel Tomatoes (drain 1 of the cans) Cut the cheese into tiny cubes and melt it with the rotel tomatoes For variation add: ground sausage or ground beef or chili Serve with Tostito Scoops, Fritos or veggies

Just the same one I make every year: Get thee to a gym on a regular basis :D--> One of these years I'll keep it!

Your non-TWIt friend wouldn't have held onto that savings very long if he had ended up getting involved, probably. And then he would have been in the same boat with the rest of us. I asked repeatedly how they could ask us to do something they couldn't tell us HOW to do and got some b.s. drivel. As of about a year ago, they still weren't telling people HOW to do what they required them to do. HOW they can call themselves a "how to" ministry is beyond me. They must be certifiably insane. (I know WE think they are, but I mean professional opinion on their sanity)

Thanks, Buddy! The carb on that bong is tooo hard to reach. This is much better.

Well, that explains the huge cheeks filled with munchies.

DUUUUUUUUDE!!! No wonder Chip & Dale are always so nice!

Reikilady, I have a couple of those recipes too, I'll look when I get home. You can also make Sticky Buns, which are sooooo easy and good! I hafta get that recipe from my mom. Chas, I'll bet you have some awesome Greek recipes! Sounds like a blast! My stuffed mushrooms are cheap and probably not as good as Cindy!'s but they ARE quick and easy: At the seafood section of the grocery store they carry tubes of seafood stuffing (some stores have frozen tubes of the stuff in the frozen food section). I buy a tube of that and either stuffing mushrooms or baby portobellas and put a spoon full on each mushroom, top with a pat of butter and pop in the oven till browned on top. (If I'm feeling REALLY fancy, I put garlic butter on the bottom of the mushrooms before adding the stuffing ;)--> )

My dad asked one time what the Pres did at hq. He also asked what the BC, LC and RC's do. I was embarrassed that I couldn't tell him. Now I can answer at least part of his question. Thanks!

So much for the - "We're a how to ministry; we teach you the principles and you decide what works for your family." It must have been really hard for the parents wanting to be good ministers of God and not being able to spend hardly any time with their own kids. I thought family came before the work of the ministry, but that's only when it's convenient for the ministry isn't it? The poor children must have been afraid of adults and had a hard time learning to trust them, if at all, after they left. :(--> That just breaks my heart. :(--> I wish so many times that we had seen the complete hipocracy we taught and believed so much sooner than we did. It makes me sick to think of how much kool-aid I drank and couldn't even taste it.

So do you think the moneyhands knew about his bad ways? Is this another situation that she knew about and refused to do or say anything? Or did they completely agree with craig, their buddy, and not realize this guy was a pervert who shouldn't be around kids? I know that a couple wanted to adopt an older child from "the system" and he told them that he wouldn't support them or have anything to do with them if they did. He said all those kids in the system are trouble and under devil spirit influence. The couple left TWI, adopted the kid and have a wonderful, wonderful family and live a much more Christian life than the moneyhands ever have. I think they should lock THEM up for all the evil they witness, know and see and have been aware of in the past without doing anything but covering for the TWIts.

WOW! Just when you think you've heard it all.... Does the depth of the corruption and evil never end?? TWI is a Grand Canyon of deception. How dare they make fun of the Catholics?? I'll wager that they don't tell anyone about this except those in the area affected. So, what's this poor schmuck going to do now that his cash cow has dried up? Just reminds me of craiggers yelling when he was reading that verse from Psalms or Proverbs about their destruction coming swiftly and they don't see it coming. I guess that's one thing he did get right. So many evil TWIts have gotten destroyed, just not as quickly as I would have liked.

Nothing to forgive, Galen. You made an excellent point and it "smarted". I wasn't mad, I just wish I had been able to be as non-chalant about climbing the ladder or busting my butt for approval of the leaders instead of God. I wasn't trying to be mean or make you feel like you were sounding 'holier than thou', that's why I put the smiley face on there. I apologize for making you feel bad. I didn't mean to. Please forgive ME.

Garth, I wasn't trying to imply anything about any candidate, only the humor in the situation. I don't know if I would have taken my shirt off in front of hundreds of people standing in a very slow moving line. So, why is there forbidding of political propaganda at polling stations?

Wow, herbiejuan. That sounds EXACTLY like what they did with the lawsuit announcements.

I so want to see Raising Helen! I've been on a "chick flick" marathon since I can watch them now. ;)--> How about Chia Pets?? Has anyone ever had a Chia Pet? I thought about asking for one of those.

My3Cents - So, if I ever do get to have the “normal” family I dreamed of having, I’ll really be “abnormal”? :D--> Thanks for the kind words, seriously. I do worry that not having a family might be the dire consequences of the horrible decisions I made and didn’t make regarding TWI. Bramble – Pretty sick, isn’t it, that we were supposed to be the ones living the more abundant life and all most of us could do was envy those friends and family outside the walls of TWI who were obviously truly living it and didn’t even have to tell each other they were so “blessed” Abigail – Abigail, thank you so much! I’m working on my breathing and relaxation things such as chakra clearing. I am definitely not strong enough to have a baby on my own (but could change my mind by the time I’m 40). I don’t know how single moms do it. I have the utmost respect and admiration for them. It is nice to know that modern medicine and being healthy can make things possible that weren’t years ago. Shellon – – Glad to hear there is a new normal and softer edges down the road. Thanks so much for your encouragement. I’m sure your words resonate for many more folks than just me. dmiller – Thank God for the *healthy* insurgents, eh? :D--> Sounds like you were in the perfect place at the right time to be able to get out maybe more healthy attitude. You sound very grounded, Sir. Rejoice – I’m so sorry you had the double-betrayal emotional roller coaster so similar to mine. I’m glad that therapy is a lot more acceptable and accepted these days or I would have been much more hesitant to go. I think I knew that I was emotionally bankrupt and would have had a nervous breakdown (or had already had one) if I didn’t get some help. I love hearing the simple things of God when I’m in the mood to hear anything about God. Mental ascension just ....e$ me off now. Mocha Tree Girl - I think the honest, sincere and truly loving folks are the only reason so many of us stayed as long as we did. houseisarockin - So good to read you again! I’ve missed seeing you around. It is scary to think that I could get sucked in to some other group very similar to TWI. I have a hard time telling people “no” and I think that’s part of the problem and I’m definitely working on that. My3Cents – I really appreciate all your input here on this thread and at Gspot in general. Thank you for making the time for us. Your ‘manufactured reality’ statement resonates loud and clear. It’s kind of like a parent who knows her kid is doing drugs but refuses to pay attention to the proof. TheEvan - AMEN and AMEN to that! Ditto the marriages, too. If they were truly based on biblical principle we wouldn’t have had to keep secrets, constantly watch and monitor each other. If a group can come between us, what kind of marriage/friendship was it to begin with? I think that’s what really hurts. Mr. Hammeroni – You never fail to bring a smile to my face! :D--> Thanks! rascal – So, it’s kinda like being married to a new man but without having to go through the ceremony again, eh?? :D--> I do know it has to be frustrating, but I really admire your determination and strength.