Does a cat brush and pet hair remover in my stocking last year count?
mom
after reading a few threads regarding the upcoming christmas season, i thought i'd post a funny story, and ask you to add to it.. if you've ever received a wacky present, or one you had to pretend that you liked, please post it.. about 5 years ago, when i first started celebrating christmas with hubby, i got a real shocker of a present.
a deep fryer.. now, hubby was *very* proud of himself.
you see, about three months prior to christmas we were going through costco (warehouse type store) when i noticed they had a nice little deep fryer.
Does a cat brush and pet hair remover in my stocking last year count?
mom
just thought i would take a look over at wol.
then, i found this.. of course, all the responses were what fantastic news this was.. .
hdhslh .
Yes, I have to admit how wonderful it is that they force small children to sit still in a seat and not make a sound for two hours. How I miss the days of telling my kids "quiet!" and dragging them to the bathroom for a spanking. Isn't that "impressive"?
Well, it won't be long 'till they wish they HAD ignored that knock at the door. I feel almost sorry for the poor sap who worte this...they really just don't get it.
mom
here is an example of what passes for thought provoking poetry among the dubs.
(try not to hurl).... of all my years as a witness, the times were not always good.. too many mistakes were being made, the brothers not doing what they should.. as i look back now there are times, i can recall, when i did not even look forward to going to the kingdom hall.. the brothers showed no love.. they didn't seem to care.. the elders were unyielding, demanding and unfair.. meetings were dull and boring; field service was a chore.. there wasn't much of a "pioneer spirit,".
while going from door to door.. it would not get any better, as i hoped it would.. i knew the day was coming when i would leave jehovah's house for good.. but happily, it's so different now, jehovah has been so kind.. he has allowed me a wonderful congregation to find.. the spirit is so strong here.. the brothers really care.. i couldn't be more happy if i were anywhere!.
In the words of my friends Wayne and Garth,
"If you're going to spew, spew into this."
Yuck!
mom
in the "christmas" thread, aroarer asked this:.
: ...have researched christmas in a new way and have come to realize it is not as evil as wt teaches.
the real ugliness is the wt.
"This Watchtower stuff about "Jehovah's Witnesses don't need holidays to be generous. They do it all year around," is a total bunch of crap from my personal exeriences. It never happened for me, and it never happened for any of my young Witness friends, either."
I had to laugh at this. Most of the witnesses I knew were totally cheap. I never saw any gifts from the "friends," just an occasional one from my parents.
As a side note, we had my daughter's second bday party last weekend. We had so much leftover food it was as if no one ate anything. I had to laugh at this, because if it had been a witness gathering there wouldn't have been a crumb left. I always marveled at the gluttony that went on in the org. I guess it was one of the few vices they could indulge in.
mom
hey everyone, i am thinking of having a tree this year for the very first time since i stopped going to the kh.
although i am not disfellowshipped and i have not written a letter to disassociate, the closest friends i have had over the years as a witness have all chosen to avoid me and my family unless we return to the hall.
unofficial shunning by those who we have loved.
ARoarer-
Unfortunately I was raised as a JW so I never got to experience Xmas. That's probably why I go overboard now.
I'm so sorry you missed out on celebrating with your mom. We all have regrets of things we missed out on because of being in the org. I don't know what your beliefs are now, but if you feel that your mom is in heaven (or still with you), then having a tree may be a healing thing for you. I think decorating the tree (maybe with some of her ornaments) might help you overcome some of the guilt you feel.
As far as worrying about repercussions, that's something you have to decide. I remember the first Xmas I celebrated I was constantly looking over my shoulder when I bought decorations. Now I don't really care. Like you said, you can't have the fear of man. If you want to put some lights out, then put some lights out.
Personally, I love everything about Christmas. The sights, the smells, the sounds...I don't even care about the gifts (other than the fact that I like to buy for other people). Bottom line...do what feels right to you, not what you think you should do.
mom
in the spirit of halloween, list your all-time fave horror flicks.
these are mine:.
nosferatu.
Here are mine (I like joelbears too):
seven
Silence of The Lambs
Alien (the first one)
mom
what do you consider the worst venues holding conventions?.
indoor?, outdoor?.
my votes go to: #1- the hollywood (broward county)florida "sportatorium" why?
I went to a convention in 1991 in Ogden, Utah. First of all, well - it was in Ogden. Need I say more? There was NO leg room and the seats were stacked on top of each other so you felt like you had vertigo. The convention center was a big ring so at lunch time everyone milled around in a continuous circle like a bunch of sweaty cows. I guess I should have skipped it and gone to the temple. =)
yes, i know, the title is a pun.
it was deliberate.. i can recall in the 1970s seeing very few overweight jws.
in fact, i used to think (in my arrogant jw manner) that this was a sign of how jws were better at self-control than worldly people.
Ahh...this takes me back to the days of watching people make a mad dash for the hoagies and burritos. Remember how mad you'd be when you'd get to the front of the line and all that was left was fruit bags? As my mom used to say, "serve food and watch the Witnesses come."
I hadn't noticed the weight problem before I left, but the depression thing seemed to be running rampant. I'm sure it's worse now. If I heard one more talk on bi-polar disorders, I think I would have destroyed the sound system.
i just called wbts public information office.
718 560-5619.. i had a hard time not busting out laughing........ i asked them, "is this armeggedon?".
the girl who answered the phone laughed.
You're right Joelbear, but they also reserve the right to change anything, at anytime.
momoftwo
hi, folks.
i know nytelecom works nearby (across the river?
), but i can tell you all that today has been (and will continue to be for a loooong time) the single most bizarre, surreal event i have witnessed.. i work in an office building at 26 broadway in manhattan, about 10 blocks from the world trade towers.
Michael-
You poor thing. I can't even imagine. I'll be thinking of you.
momoftwo