Watered Garden

First of all, let me assure those who know my identity that J & K are not us! I am startled to hear about the TN couples' pedigreed dog. I thought the WC were strictly forbidden to have pets. Believe me that thing with being offered the privilege of serving the LC by cleaning for them, etc started long before LCM. There were work days at Limb in Indy my first year or so in TWI, which I graciously declined. This would have been 1973-74. It is a shame that so few could remain humble and meek in the face of being placed in such a high position. Jesus washed his disciples' feet. This was the job of the lowliest servant in the house. Apparently some of these folks held themselves to be more important than the Savior. Too bad! They missed out on a lot by having their noses in the air like that. WG

You mean like "the best place for us is on the ball"? I still use cameras that have film. But that's another story. Pentax K-1000 as a mattery fact. WG

Joyce Meyer said something this morning that kinda reminded me of this thread. It had to do with fruit of the spirit. She used a camera, took a picture of someone in the audience, and then mentioned this picture has to be developed in a dark room. Likewise, she said fruit of the spirit is developed in the dark room of our trials to ultimately become a picture of the spirit living within us. I think I paraphrased that a bit, but it reminded me of how so many churches, including the one we now attend, teach that God is in total control over every little thing without exception. God already has picked out the next president and what he will do or not do. God selected Adolf Hitler to be Chancellor of Germany or whatever and on and on. God gives us holy spirit when we are saved, and then how we develop it is of our free will. I think two of the very biggest problems in churches today are that they don't recognize the difference between foreknowledge and predestination and that they completely ignore Satan's existence and blame God for everything that happens. I do see a lot in Scripture where something awful happens to somebody, e.g., Joseph, and God is able to take that situation and make something great out of it after all. Actually the crucifixion and death of Jesus would fit that category. But Jesus Himself said in Gethsemane that he could call 10 legions of angels against the priest's men sent to arrest him. So he had free will, it would appear. The other thing she said is that meekness is strength under control. I liked that, too. WG

If you read the comments, Rookie died of cancer. How sad. But it sure looks like he had a wonderful life. WG

Thank you, RR, a perfect explanation of why Hugo, a category 4, did a lot of damage over a smaller area, but not so much as Ike. Keeps reminding me of the 1952 political slogan when Eisenhower was running for President, "I like Ike". Well, I don't much like THIS Ike. And Ohio got very little compared to y'all in Texas. WG

Power out here from 2 pm Sunday until 9:30 am yesterday. DSL just back on. 60 mph winds with gusts to 78 mph. We were out chasing Diva Dog around in the worst of it. She is only about a foot high so the wind didn't bother her and she was chasing leaves and papers flying by at 50-70 mph. We have a well and no generator, so had to halfway move into the house that belongs with our church, along with our groceries. Yesterday we came back from making breakfast and were messing around, then suddenly realized the lights were on! Last night's hot shower was sweeet! We lived in Charleston, SC during Hurricane Hugo, with winds twice the power and no electricity for two weeks. I haven't had too much sympathy with the whiners here. God was then and is now able to supply our every need. Prayers for all those affected by this SOB storm. Once when there was another hurricane in the Gulf I remember being in choir practice and praying for those affected by it. Our little twerp choir director prayed a corrective prayer right behind me THANKING God for showing His mighty power to the residents of New Orleans, Missiissippi etc. I could have strangled the little booger! WG

Thank you for posting this article. Not all the heroes were in uniform. WG

I had the day off. My mother-in-law was down for an appointment with the doctor at the hospital where I worked, so I was elected to take her. When we got in the building she couldn't walk without running out of breath, so I found her a place to sit and headed to my department for a wheelchair. A friend told me a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers. I said it must have been an accident, a small plane, like hit the Empire State Building? She said no, it was a passenger jet and it wasn't an accident. I went back with the wheelchair and got my mother-in-law and took her to X-ray, and while she had her study done, I went back down to my desk and called my husband. He had been told by a neighbor, came in and turned on the TV in time to see the second plane hit live. He was crying. The rest of the day was a blur, getting mother-in-law through the appointment, where she saw the chief resident since her doctor was in a high level security meeting, and then driving her back. She was on some weird medications and didn't have a clue what I was talking about, then or later. The next day at work an Iranian physicist told me that America is an evil country and got exactly what it deserves. To my credit, I just looked at her and said "that golden door swings both ways. Maybe you are on the wrong side of it." Our son was in boot camp in Chicago at that time. For weeks we had no idea what would happen with him. One year later, one of the women I worked with, whose husband is a firefighter, opined that she was heartily sick of hearing about 9/11 and wished everyone would just forget about it so "we can get on with our lives." Me? Well, I spent a lot of time sobbing in front of the TV set that month, comforted by Sophie, my lab. The Sprout never did go to war. And I will never forget. Ever. WG

Was Kim the older or younger? The older one got married on her WOW year and I think was in St. Louis or someplace years ago. It's just so ironic; Alan took forever to take PFAL and then refused when pressured to go in FWC because he didn't want someone else raising his kids, or even telling him how to raise his kids. Geesh! WG

Thanks, Tonto. The Buxter went into heat this week. I suspected as much last week when a big old boy dog followed us home, about 5 times her size, but very persistent. I ended up flagging down a car to convey us safely away from the brute. I think the "heat" lasts three weeks altogether, so this is her second week. Poor baby! She is on a leash even in the yard. End of this month, surgery! Nope, I'll leave the breeding to the breeders.

been a long time since I posted that, but you're right, it just doesn't matter. Yesterday and today the woman who owns the transcription company I work for (I'm an independent subcontractor) has been having an e-mail version of a screaming hissy-fit at me. I do not feel what she is complaining about is my fault, but hers, and she has been totally dishonest about something she wanted me to do that I found absolutely impossible, kind of like typing in tongues. I was concerned and upset, until I realized that this is not some great mission, but a two-bit job I'm going to dump like garbage as soon as we pay off our credit cards, and that made all the difference. So she's ranting at me...so what. It's HER problem with communication, not mine. I think TWI-brain trained us to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. WG

Allergies: One of my favorite all-time movie lines, which I did not, unfortunately, have in my verbal ammunition way back then, is from "I, Robot," starring Will Smith. "HAAACCCHOOOO! Oh, excuse, me. I'm allergic to bull$ hit!" Probably why I had those migraines in FLO. I have only had one since then, and it was a long time ago. None since leaving TWI. WG

Well, it's true. I don't remember who was in charge of RC in 1977. Maybe H**dricks? We were sent over there because there was some big deal going on somewhere else that the WC were required to attend, PFAL '77 I think. I will say this, during our three months of dang the food was much better, though there was never quite enough of it. WG

I don't really remember going but that once, though there may well have been more times. We did go to Muncie to help out with some big whoopee do deal. Slept on Army cots in one big room, one bathroom for all of us to use in turn. Ri** Pa&&ard was in charge, and really nasty to us. We worked our butts off and were fed one slider and a handful of lettuce. PJ and someone else took up a collection and went out and got pizza and soda at 10 pm to sustain us through the night. The next day was this big deal. I remember standing on the steps of the building and having LCM hissownself come up to me and "suggest" maybe I could round up some other FLO and we could sweep the cigarette butts and dead leaves (must have been autumn or early winter) off the steps. I suggested right back maybe the WC could quit throwing cigarette butts on the steps. Someone finally got me and told me that I should do as he asked because he was a great man of God. I cannot remember what I did, but I don't think I personally swept anything. You know, I had another damn migraine that time, too. Probably dehydrated and half starved on top of it. There were times in FLO when I swear they tried deliberately to dehumanize us. I wish I had stayed the little zeeaytch I was then; FWC and the Ru**os broke my heart. WG I sure disliked

I've only had three in my lifetime. One was at Rome City when FLO were sent over there to pick potatoes and other veggies, help out in the garden while the WC was at some special event or other. This would have been in 1977 We drove over there from Columbus Ohio Friday night, slept in some Godawful place and were aroused from peaceful slumber at dark-thirty, which we were used to after all. After something vaguely resembling breakfast (much,much worse than FLO breakfasts, which were usually not that great) we were sent out in the hot, hot sun to do something or other in the gardens. I got a headache that night, and ended up in the hot sun ready to pass out. Went inside. Went to the kitchen. Asked for some aspirin or something. Got startled, shocked looks. "We do not keep aspirin or any such thing on this campus. If you like, we can pray for you. Then you need to get right back to work." Oh for heaven's sake! I had blurred vision by this time. Nope, ain't goin' back out there. Got some water, went back and laid down in the hot room in my little bunk bed. Eventually someone came and exhorted me to believe God, rebuke the adversary and get out to pick potato bugs off potato plants or something. I suggested she get me some aspirin or get out of my room. As I recall, someone eventually produced some pain medication, which I took, and was somewhat better. I knew very little about migraines at all at that time and wouldn't have imagined at the moment that was what was happening. I did eventually drag my sorry self back out to the garden, but wasn't worth much the rest of the exciting tour of duty. I was a real smart-a$$ in those days. Actually until we went in the FWC ourselves and after King Okie took over, I pretty much spoke my mind. Guess FWC broke me. WG

Are you involved in a church? One that has a great youth group? Perhaps she might find friends there who have more to think about? Is she interested in sports? I had a boy, too, so I'm not much help. I do notice that mothers of teenage girls seem to worry a whole lot more. Anyway, I'll say a prayer for you, and remember, this too shall pass! WG

I just pray they get more substantiating evidence. I just do not believe that she is the only person who has any idea what happened. The babysitter thing was a blatant lie. I cannot imagine what that beautiful child went through. Imagine, her own precious mama ending her life. She may get away with it on this earth, but God knows what happened to her little one. I also wonder at Casey's own mother. I have two precious grandsons of my own, and I would die for them. As much as I love The Sprout, the mini-Sprouts come even ahead of him. WG

I scored 9 on artist - intuitive and reserved Some for caring and nurturing -9 on leader - no surprise there. Heck, when I was in FLO I even ate the damn familia! WG

Pachelbel's Canon "In The Garden", last hymn and ONLY non-Catholic hymn sung at my mother-in-law's funeral. "Above All" "The Rose" WG

Now here's a link to some fundamentalist stuff that makes may hair stand on end: http://www.bethelministries.com/subjection.htm This guy says somewhere on his website that he wanted to be a minister, but God told him NOT to go to seminary and He would teach him what people need to know, for seminaries are full of apostates and do not teach the truth. Deja vue all over again. WG

Contact with family members who were not followers of TWI or downright opposed their loved one's involvement was strongly discouraged. Example: In summer of 1994 I flew from WA state to the midwest to be with my mother while she underwent major surgery. I was gone, I guess, about a week. When I flew back, I noticed blurry vision while I was on the airplane. It kind of cleared up and I chalked it up to fatigue. I stayed tired and my vision was on-and-off blurred. My twig leader came up to me and asked about my mother, then told me "I can tell your mother is possessed just by how you look and how exhausted you are all the time. You should never go back there or be around her ever again or the devil spirits she has will kill you." I was actually suffering from insulin dependent diabetes and did not know it yet. But this fartbrain puts it down to my mother being possessed with evil spirits. Why didn't he just say, "Gee, I hope your mom is okay. And you look pretty tired yourself - maybe you should see a doctor." Oh, yeah, by the 1990's seeing a doctor was strongly discouraged also. Negative believing, you know. WG

Perhaps Bobby boy and Dotters will call Belle, begging on bended knee and uttering heartfelt apologies for treating her so badly! Probably not, though! We moved more than halfway across the country, and weren't worth all that much to them anyway, so I don't expect any calls any time soon. WG

WordWolf thanks for the verses. That is what conservatives call the "Great White Throne judgment" and some believe that Christians also will be judged at this judgment. Some don't. I just get so tired of all the exclusiveness. Every religion has it. WG

Which version of the Bible were you using? It sure ain't KJV. Waysider, most of the more conservative Christian churches teach that if you are not a confessed, saved Christian, you are going to roast! TWI does/did not have the corner on exclusivity. Someone once told me, and it fits more with my concept of a loving God, that while Christians may get a free ride through the pearly gates, those who are not Christians will be judged by their works. I can't document that book, chapter and verse, but it sounds more like the God I know. While most conservatives teach that you can live a perfectly Christ-like life, but not have surrendered to Jesus, you will yea verily go straight to hell, I think that's a bit much to swallow. And yes, dear conservatives I have yea verily accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, so don't fall out of your ivory towers trying to save me. According to other conservative Christians, if you are saved and do not perform the letter of the law (according to their standards) you may still be sent to roast in the fiery flames of hell for all eternity. According to others yet, if you do not think Christ like thoughts and perform many good works, you have not earned sufficient favor from God for God to so much as spit in your direction (See "Secrets of the Vine" by Bruce Wilkinson.) Me, I dunno. I just do my best, and if my best is not good enough, or if LCM is right and when you leave TWI, you lose your salvation, then I guess I'm doomed. So I may as well have fun while I'm here. WG

The people I bought Sophie from had not had her spayed and she was 6 years old. They told me if I bred her they wanted a puppy. They didn't take very good care of her, but they thought I'd let them have a puppy? I got her spayed. I got Maxx neutered. We are getting Buckeye spayed next month. My husband thought it might be fun to breed her but after my dangfit he changed his mind. He was thinking being a hobby breeder would be fun. Nope. No way. It would take years of research which I don't have time for. Can't go on vacation and leave your breeding stock on their own. The breeders where we got Buckeye have already done the homework and the research, and I got the benefit of that. Ms. Prancey Pants is getting "fixed" so I don't have to worry about cancer or boydogs (or male coyotes) on the prowl. She'll be much happier that way herself, I think. WG