I have been reading and enjoying the posts here for over 2 years. I have been a Witness for over 30 years. I am going to the meetings just to keep peace in the family. I was an elder for about 10 years until I just could not take it any more and stepped down using my job as an excuse.
I do not go from door to door however I still put my "time" in the box to keep the elders off of my back. Not one person has ever questioned how I can report time without ever going out in service. It is easy, just write it down on a little piece of paper. My wife and other family members are rigid members.
The blood issue is now really a hot topic with the ever changing new light. Everyone is in a state of confusion. It is so sad to see so many people not using the brain that God gave them. The Bible says very little about blood however the society can put out a 6 page letter of instruction concerning the ins and outs of proper blood usage.
Just a little note concerning rooms for the conventions this summer. I just refuse to permit anyone to tell me where I can stay, when I am covering the cost. I made reservations at a nice hotel so that I can get my points for staying with the hotel chain. I did, for the heck of it, call a few hotels one day after everyone in the back of the hall struggled to see the list of acceptable rooms authorized for use, and three of the hotel chains only had smoking rooms left. Why would the organization every book smoking rooms. I do not want to be offensive to any out there who smoke, but everyone knows how witnesses view smoke from cigs. I forgot to mention that some of the friends, on the night of the much looked forward to release of the acceptable list for hotels, actually used their cell phones in the kingdom hall to make the reservations to increase their odds of getting what they want. For some reason I did not see any of the elder's wifes writing down the hotel numbers to call.
When I told my dear wife what I had reserved for the assembly she asked why did I do that? I told her and she said well what am I going to tell the friends if they ask were we are staying for the assembly? Isn't it sad when you have to worry what others think if you stay in a hotel that you are paying for?
I have tons and tons of experiences during the past 30 years. I will share some as time permits.