Interesting Cookout---MORE Interesting Guests!!!!

by Sunspot 4 Replies latest jw friends

  • Sunspot
    Sunspot

    I quite inadvertantly met some folks this past weekend that SO touched my heart so that I actually stood there and wept---at a cookout at my son's home. Having been quite ill recently, (as most of you know), he had been keeping "an eye" on me all day to make sure I was okay, and he saw me standing with a few people that his neighbor had invited....He saw my tears and could not imagine with everyone laughing and chatting---what had been said to me to make me stand there and weep.

    There is no way to describe the love, the caring and the compassion that I was shown (by these strangers) that I was told later are members of the church my grandson attends. It's a very long story and has <i>many</i> twists and turns, (and people that are connected to others I didn't realize even knew each other), but that took my breath away---and it was all quite overwelming to say the least. This was only ONE of several wonderful and quite unexpected things that happened last weekend!

    The enormity of it all sinking in, and actually feeling the hand of God working on me through these sweet people...will always stay with me, one of those golden and memorable moments that stick with you forever.

    I have said this before this happened, and I have said it on this forum....that these feelings that occur since I left the Watchtower are all feelings and experiences that I never had or enjoyed AS a JW. All the intelligence, the "bible knowledge on Greek verbs" or the "understanding on deeper points" in the entire universe....come anywhere near the beauty and joy that one feels when God touches you and shows His care and tenderness. I no longer wonder why this is. I know why.

    I had approached a woman about my age who I had heard used to be a JW....and we began to talk. I liked her immediately and she had asked if I knew this one or that one from the internet (former JWs) and I had heard of every one...and had emailed all but one over the last few years of my leaving the WTS. She invited me to go along with her and her daughter to the convention in PA in October...I forgot the name of it. She said I would be their guest---and she wouldn't take "no" for an answer!

    She talked about meeting this one and that one---as I said---ALL people I have admired and written to but never even hoped to meet! THIS was when I began to cry over the mere THOUGHT of going to this event...and when my son was walking towards me to see who had upset me and why, LOL! My heart was just too full to accept anything more and the tears just spilled out!

    There's a whole lot MORE to tell.....but I can't do it all right now. I couldn't wait to get back here and "share" my good stuff with everyone!

    hugs,

    Annie

  • Warlock
    Warlock

    Sun,

    All those tears are the love you wanted to give the j.w.'s, but they didn't want it. They also represent the love that you needed from the j.w.'s but they didn't have it.

    I know how you feel.

    Warlock

  • Sunspot
    Sunspot

    Thanks for the sweet words, Warlock. I was just so HAPPY at how it all happened!

    One year we just could not afford the expense of gas, food and lodging to attend the convention being held in another state....the nearest one to our congregation. It was the only time I had ever missed a convention.....even on crutches or in a wheelchair---I always "made it" being a loyal and obedient JW. This one year in the late 80's....it was out of the question....

    There was not one offer of any kind to help me or my kids (only two at home by now as opposed to five) and all I got was clucking of the tongues and hearing how I "should BE there" etc....

    And yet someone asks me if I ever heard of this convention.....I said yes I HAD....and arrangements were made on the SPOT for me to go! No one even ASKED if I could afford this...or what I could swing financially.....it was all set and good to GO right then and there! You can see why I was so overwhelmed and touched beyond words!

    There are SO MANY great people "out there in the world"...the same people we were warned were so evil and were BAD simply because they weren't JWs. I was being pushed out of the WTS nest long before I actually left.....a sickly sister with an unbelieving mate was of NO value to the WTS and they sure let me KNOW it.....I pretended for YEARS that I didn't notice this reverse favoritism. I got tired of pretending.

    Thanks again for what you wrote.....it was very nice and actually right on target. Bless your heart.....

    hugs,

    Annie

  • bebu
    bebu

    Wow, that's wonderful to hear! Did this new friend name anyone from this board? I hope you will get to meet everyone you hoped! That sounds like a fun convention, too.

    bebu

  • Sunspot
    Sunspot

    Hi Bebu!

    No, she mentioned Paul & Pat Blizzard, Laurie McKenzie (hope I spelled it right---somehow it just doesn't look right to me) of McKenzie Ministries and Joan Cetnar. Joan Cetnar was the only one I hadn't written to in the years I was newly "out". She said a few other names that I just cannot recall...and I had emailed them as well.....but nobody from this board...or should I say one who is a regular poster here.

    It was funny....this lady had said something about cancelling my "meals" when we were gone away....and I wondered HOW in the world did SHE know that I got the meals on wheels! I found out that she is the head co-ordinator for our town and recognized me when she saw me....she had been here on occasion but I didn't recognize her! There were so many coincidences like this and some weird and hard-to-explain things that happened that day!

    I am still trying to piece some things together!

    hugs,

    Annie

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