Watered Garden

Our cocker spaniel, Maxx The Wonder Dog, would eat until he was full then walk away from the bowl. Sophie would gobble hers down as quickly as possible, then stare at Maxx until she had him intimidated enough that she could move in on his dinner. We took to feeding them in different rooms. In fact, she is downstairs right now, barking for OUR dinner! WG

Congratulations! Labs are great dogs. Ours will be 15 in May, if she survives that long. She is in bad shape with arthritis and all. We got her when she was 6 years old, a semi-rescue from a couple who were going to put her down as dangerous to children! Imagine, a lab dangerous to children! My grandson and she have always been close; she knows he's The Sprout's pup, and watches out for him as best she can. Here is the best advice I can ever give you about raising a Lab, Jen-o: DO NOT LET HERSHEY GET OVERWEIGHT!!!! Labs will eat until the food is gone. At age 6 Sophie, a show lab (shorter and blockier than a field lab bred specifically for hunting) weighed about 100 lb. She should have weighed 60-70, 70 being the maximum and let's get that down a bit, more like 65 (my vet is very smart). In spite of twice daily walks and a stringent diet that got the flab off her, the damage to her hips and spine was done. Her hips click when I pick them up to help her move, and I fear that means she is bone-on-bone, a painful condition. She is way smart, very loving, very protective without having a vicious bone in her body. OH, and beautiful, too. Her grandfather was a national champion. I wish you and Hershey a long, happy life together. WG

It is absolutely amazing, isn't it? If this had been taught openly, though, TWI would have had very little impact, because most of us would have run the other way as fast as our Adidas could carry us! WG

Reading back over your posts, I get the impression that this man was a teacher in a small Christian school for TWO YEARS? That is hardly getting started. Mr. Garden's first year where he teaches now, it seemed he sent kids to the office every week. This year, his fifth, he's maybe sent three the whole year. He knows how to handle the little darlins. And I agree that father-son clashes are pretty much the rule during this time in the young man's life. I haven't had a chance to talk to Mr. Garden. He is in something of a unique position because the school system where he teaches is somewhat small and "country" but really really really good. I would definitely hash out some stuff with these friends, though. How are they going to handle it if Isaac's dyslexia, which they say doesn't exist, gives him challenges in some areas. It can be a real bytch, as I'm sure you realize, for a kid of any age to get grief about being stupid or inferior because of something he can't help. Ask my five-year-old grandson whose mother is too lazy to take him for speech therapy! (But that's another story). I think Isaac is truly fortunate to have you for a mom! And I know you will make the right decision. I'll try to chat with Mr. Garden this weekend about your dilemma. We are both working two jobs right now so kind of say Hi - Bye on weekdays. WG

The thing that jumped out at me this time reading the posts, is the prejudice against learning disabilities AND antidepressants. Are these guys Scientologists? Sometimes antidepressants can be the difference between life and death. And learning "disabilities" are real, if misperceived many times. Ron G, I think it was, wrote about the standardization of education and the bad things about it. Your Isaac sounds like someone I'd like to call a friend. My hope and prayer for him is that he never gets crammed into a mold! Other than that, I dunno. IF you would like, I'll discuss this with my very educated educator husband, who has a great deal of common sense. I do think getting Isaac tested for dyslexia if you can do it free through the state or something would be a good idea. WG

We had communion the Thursday before Easter, and began it with the Seder elements. I found it really weird, as the church we belong to doesn't have a freaking clue about Jesus Christ being our Passover. I didn't like it at all. They also believe, of course, that the last meal Jesus ate with his disciples was the Seder. A woman at each table had to light a candle. I burned myself. Maybe if I had known they were doing it in advance and thus what to expect, I would have enjoyed it more. But I really didn't understand very much of it, like the bowl of salt water and the parsley. WG

The three months we were in FWC they were very strict indeed with the kids, who were all expected to conform and be perfect. My son flatly refused and caused all sorts of mayhem. He was and is like greased lightning on his feet, and if an adult wanted to "reprove" (as in beat the stuffing out of) him, he simply took off like a shot, laughing over his shoulder all the while. He stole food from the third floor WC kitchen, threw eggs out his bedroom window across Adam's Alley, and offered to beat the snot out of his roommates if they tattled which they did anyway, being solemn little 19th FWC kids, who took their responsibility to make my son into their image quite seriously indeed. During all of this, I never really understood how miserable he was, and how like dirt the other adults on staff treated him, along with several of the FWC 19 children, who as mentioned above, considered themselves "in charge" of him. He of course was having none of it and when a kid his age ordered him to make his bed, vacuum the bedroom and scrub the bathroom before breakfast, simply suggested he take a flying leap. He was behind a year in school, so was older than the other kids in his age group, yet had to go to bed at 8 PM like little kid. When we humbly petitioned FC to let him stay up until 9 with kids his own age, we were brusquely told he was in such and such grade, that grade went to bed at 8 pm and that was that! Finally, he got in a fight or two at school and that, combined with the eggs and the pop tarts, and a few other attitude problems, got us thrown out of the FWC after three months. I can never thank him enough. WG

I don't know much about home schooling, but here in Ohio there are programs through the county that home schoolers can take advantage of, for example, my friend at church who home schools is part of a loose organization of home schoolers, but it was the county that tested and treats her children for speech problems. Perhaps you could find out about getting your kids tested for dyslexia via a similar route? I would find out how these people discipline their own children before I sent one of mine to live with them. Just a thought. I would have to have a real big serious heart-to-heart with a teacher who denied all "disabilities". Mr. Garden has seen kids who need medication to be able to sit still in class and kids who just don't want to do the work. He has had autistic kids in his classes because he is the only teacher there who gets through to them. He has had Down's syndrome kids who did better for him than for anybody. Yet he is not a softie and does not allow anyone to slack off. Perhaps this gentleman simply feels a learning uniqueness is not necessarily to be used as an excuse. (Not at all implying that Isaac would). There's a book/class on different ways of learning. Have you read it? "Eight Ways of Learning" I think it is. Mr. Garden took this seminar several years ago and loved it. Kids learn visually, musically, tactilely, all sort of ways.l It might be fun to look at and see the different ways your boys learn. And if this teacher hasn't seen it, he might like it too. Just a few thoughts. WG

Folks on the west side of Columbus received a rude awakening when their beds started shaking. We are more northeast and I didn't feel or hear a thing. And I know what to look for, as when we lived on the west coast an earthquake of about the same magnitude hit several miles southwest of where we lived. I heard it first, thought a noisy truck was coming up the street. The screen door made a banging sound and then everything just rumbled. My son came halfway down the stairs, his eyes as big as saucers. My husband leaned out the bathroom door and yelled at our son for moving furniture around upstairs. I finally noticed the light fixture over the dining room table was swaying from side to side and yelled "Hey! It's an earthquake!" Then it was over just like that. Son slept under the dining room table that night in a sleeping bag. Not unexpected there. Pretty surprising here. WG

Hey,I apologize for posting. I just thought that although the circumstances were quite different, you might like to know that it is available to succeed in those circumstances of being alone. I gues I completely misunderstood. I apologize agan. I'll go away now. WG

(((((((((Dot))))))))) I'm afraid I cannot personally relate, but I can share one thing. I had a wonderful aunt who was single all her life, and as the manner was in those days for many maiden aunts, lived with her parents and took care of them until they both had died. She was alone for the first time in her life and probably in her mid sixties. Though she had friends, she still came home to the empty echo of the house she had lived in since age 4, no one to greet, help, love, cook for, etc. Just her. She made it. She lived to be 87 years old, still mostly independent, though Mr. Garden and I got her to move closer to us and looked in on her almost daily. She told her once that she had been bitterly lonely, but she had TO LEARN to live and be alone. My hope and prayer for you is first of all peace, and then the confidence that you, too, can learn this. And then, whatever the future holds, I pray it holds great blessings for you. Love, WG

When I got married 30 years ago I told Mr. Garden I wanted a facelift at age 50. I would do it if I had the money. Not extremes, but just sort of a tune-up,not a complete overhaul. Wasn't there some rich heiress who got so many facelifts her eyes were kind of the sides of her face? And then there's M. Jackson. Rottiegirl, I think you are doing it in moderation and if it makes you happy, you go girl! WG

Obviously you never saw the pictures used to advertise TWI that were from the Rock of Ages 1972, with sweaty, fervent young people singing together their eyes closed and their hands waviing in the air. I guess if they had, you weren't be the passionate defender of TWI/Wierwille theology, huh? You would have run from the one true household of The Way? In 1973 LCM himself gave me a business card with his name and address on one side and this very picture on the other. Gave me the creeps. But then I'd never have met Mr. Garden..... Give it a rest. Go to an Episcopal Church or Sunday Service at TWI. Not everyone who likes contemporary music is a "handwaver". Some are. The important thing is that Christ is honored, God is given His due worship. Give it a rest. WG

I'd suggest a good chiropractor who can keep your spine in alignment and maybe get you some massage and stuff. I probably have some OA in my fingers, but it doesn't much bother me. They just look a bit funny from all the typing I do. Chiropractors are good with supplements, too. I will be praying for you. WG

I think that praise and worship in the midst of hell must bless and honor God an awful lot. It's easy to praise God when you're happy and healthy and everything is going well. It's not so easy when life sucks. David talked about that some in Psalms, I believe. Jesus could commend his spirit into the hands of His Father with his last breath. I ran out of printer ink today and had a hissy. Waysider, thanks for posting that for me. I'll get some lessons when I get this antivirus program on my almost brand-new computer with the 22" screen. (Yep, I'm braqging)! WG

For me it was "Above All" but I don't have the skills to import or upload it or whatever magic it is you guys do. Above all powers Above all kings Above all nature And all created things That one. WG

I do not recall giving you permission to post an early morning picture of me! wg

Probably the great-great-great-great-great-great-grandrabbit of the one that attacked Jimmy Carter. WG

If everyone did that a couple times a day, it would be a better world. WG

That is scary! I don't go hiking around where I think I might meet something that would consider me just another item a little lower down on the food chain. WG

Sounds like you are describing the PFAL 1972 film. I'm sure the words to this song are not in alignment and harmony with PFAL and the doctrine of VP Wierwille. Except for a few sects and cults, most Christians today believe that Jesus is God the Son, which is reflected in the words of their songs of praise and worship. Just an explanation. You don't have to like the song. You may even believe that those who wrote and those who sing it are aliens or possessed or something. I didn't even know Jesus while I was TWI. It was all about TWI and the MOGFODAT. So I find the song refreshing. To each his own. WG

We only heard it the night when they removed the "J" word. Also noticed that after it was all over with some guy comes out spouting bleeped out words. Mr. Garden commented there were about 3 people singing like they actually believed what they were singing. It was nice they did it at all, even if they did want it to be politically correct, leaving out the name of the politically incorrect Saviour of all mankind. Some of us were singing "My Jesus" in our hearts. WG

I really like that cat!.\\WG

That woman did indeed look a tad familiar. WG

That is truly weird! Were the sound effects added in or is this the sequel to The Exorcist? Nobody from that bunch would get near my kids/grandkids! Yuck! Gives me the shivers. WG