tonto

To realize that leaving the way doesn't mean leaving God. Geez, you guys...He is so much bigger than that organization.

Groucho said: In spite of all the corruption, all the deceit, all the wrong doctrines...what made it all worth while were the relationships that all of us "common folk" developed with each other...Yep, I miss that. Anyone else remember the Lamplighting song? To be sung sweetly: "When it's lamplighting time in the valley, When it's lamplighting time in the valley, When it's lamplighting time in the valley... Then it's lamplighting time in the valley." Then we would all crack up. I remember someone saying that Mrs. Weirwille liked that song.

I'm praying for you ex.

Steve!, you caught me. I left out an important pronoun. Col. Tom Parker screwed Elvis over, but at least he didn't get him involved in the way. Belle, yep there was lots of concern even back then about the state of affairs (pun intended) at the way. That is why I was flabbergasted that more corps didn't leave that year. (And I say corps not as an elitist thing, but because POP was read on corps night, things were talked about at corps week, yada yada). Learning, Right there in front of God and everybody, Craig demonstrated that he couldn't get revelation from the true God if it came down and bit him on the a$$. It was right there for all to see, but we were blinded by the lie that "there's nothing else out there".

Great post Jonny. ChasU, good point about the good ROA memories being about the people and not the teachings or leadershi+. Shoot, that goes for most of my twi experience. You guys all have me tripping down ROA memory lane, so if you'll indulge me: 1974: Fun, music, folks loving God, rain...who cares? 1975: Swarming flies everywhere...Going out WOW...I'm being sent WHERE? 1976: Whew! That year sucked, but I met my mate. 1977: Broke from having gone to PFAL '77 so we hitched out, slept in a pup tent, and found out Elvis died while standing in line for a wowburger. 1978: Boy, that-pie-and-coffee-hubby-brought back-to-our-blanket-under-the-big-top-each night-while-we-sat-through-another-teaching-on whatever-the-hell-it-was sure was good. Short on funds from taking advanced class that summer. 1979: Broke again after attending the "must-attend" Advanced Class '79. 1980: Ahhhh...stayed home with new baby. 1981: Camping with a one year old. 'Nuff said. 1982: Ditto plus one year. 1983: Wasn't this the year Ted blew out his knee and Craig "ministered" to him for his heart, and you could hear Ted telling him "it's my knee"? THAT was worth the price of admission. 1984: Right before entering corps...worked bless patrol again just as we had for many years previous. 1985: Worked the corps tents, and wasn't this the year the rain burst the big top and someone SHOULD have gotten struck by lightening? 1986: Post POP and corps week where we heard from Geer-head that things still hadn't changed, then proceeded with ROA just like nothing ever happened. During our shifts at the corps tents we talked with many others who agreed that if they start pouring Kool-Aid, we're outta there. 1987 and ff: Sweet freedom. Summers were made for real vacations.

Nope Garth. Krintz was sent somewhere in Alabama that year but I can't remember exactly where. Oh I just looked at a map and I think it was Gadsen. Thanks for the speedy reply, and sorry for the derail.

Moony, was there a wow named Krintz Church in Huntsville with you that year? Sorry for the derail.

I gotta chime in on this one... We've been married almost 29 years...met as wow's and we were married the following year by G. Hendl*y...covenant of salt and all the standard way hoopla. In our twi years we tried to operate the conventional way. Lucky for me I married a nice guy who stayed nice. The main source of marital trouble during those years almost always involved him letting twi responsibilities come before marriage and family. He didn't stand up for himself and say no to leadershi+, so he ended up with no spare time...and this was in the 80's, long before twi2's reign of terror. Before going in the corps we got "counseling" from the branch coordinator and guess what? I needed to be more submissive and quit complaining that I never saw my husband. I wondered if I might be holding him back "spiritually" and that he would go farther without me. I had a constant struggle between those feelings and the muffled screaming from my gut that told me something was wrong with the way. I guess we all got used to ignoring that voice... When we decided to leave at the end of '86 hubs' approach to finding out what to keep and what to toss from twi doctrine was kind of like bulldozing a brick wall, and I preferred to take the wall apart brick by brick. At that time I thought the only thing screwed up was leadership and piffle was ok. It scared the hell out of me that we didn't always agree on doctrine. I knew it was right that we left twi when we did but that didn't stop me from grilling him on each "new" hole he found in way doctrine. I was not only shaken by old beliefs crumbling, but I was afraid that he would jump on somebody else's looney doctrinal train and that we'd end up in another mess. I didn't give him enough credit. We never wasted a minute in one of the "other ways". We agree on some things and disagree on others, in both politics and religion. It's o.k. to think differently. Geez...what a concept. My point to any innies, or recent outies, for that matter, is that two fully-working brains are much better than one "likeminded" glob of twissue.

I think Paul Newman's character in "The Color of Money" said it best..."You're an Incredible Flake".

I have the "Mistakes" one hanging on the wall in my office at work. I think it is both hilarious and true. (True in light of my twi years).

Happy Birthday, "Mother" Ex! :)-->

Uh, a "pajama party" to which VP specifically invited the junior corps, was the setting for this particular screening of the beastiality film. Shortly before its' screening a pajama-clad VP called an extremely shapely pajama-wearing 16 year old junior corps girl up to personally see the porno pen he had in his hand. Yeah, we all needed to see that "shocking wake-up call". Oh, and monkeys might fly out of my b*++.

Wow Jardi, I had forgotten a lot of the details until you mentioned them, but your posts are true. I checked with hubs and he didn't have anything to add, except for when Jo* Ri**ardi called out during the dog/porno flick "Lord I have a beagle inside", which certainly brought comic relief to that awkwardly painful moment. (There was a ministry song at the time called "Lord I Have an Eagle Inside"...I guess you had to be there). I don't remember the specifics of learning about the melanoma but it seems that we knew about it before we left the way on our "practicum" year. One of those work days we were tearing down a shed. For some reason I ended up hanging out and talking with Pete the motorcoach driver, who voiced concern when he realized that VP was late in getting his medicine. I wanted to ask him what he was taking and why but of course I didn't. I had learned long before not to ask questions...

Splendor in the Grass Natalie Wood Bob, Carole, Ted and Alice

I'm getting ready to leave work and I actually thought that I would have to stick around to finish... :)-->

Hi Jardi!! --> Good to see you, and thanks! Hey, since this train is already off track, how's the new job?

MiniCorpsConscript, I was away from Greasespot when this topic came up so I'm just now getting around to catching up...we were in F-11 and our son is 24 so you might have been in something together your last year there. My hubs worked in activities for a block, or whatever they called it, with the 2 or 3 year olds but I think it was our second year. I don't remember anything about kids taking pills or vitamins, though.

I thought this movie was hilarious. Our 24 year-old son saw it last year and told us we had to see it. We finally did and love it.

Harold Ramis Ghostbusters Sigorney Weaver

Yep Raf, Woody Harrelson. (I loved this movie).

She was branch coordinator in Ft. Collins Colorado when we were there in the late 70's, and I only have good things to say about her.

Primary Colors John Travolta Michael

Betty Ford. I was a WOW in D.C. and gave her my PFAL book while she was shopping in Georgetown. I now like to joke that that's what led to the substance abuse. :D--> While working for a car-rental agency, I rented a car to one of the Hudson brothers. Even then in the 70's, hardly anyone knew who they were, but he would now be known as Kate Hudson's father or uncle...right now I can't remember which one.

Quick Change Bill Murray Lost in Translation

Kirsten Dunst Little Women Wynona Ryder