Anyone Know About The PA Convention? (page 11)

Sunspot

Grace....I hope you see this before you head for bed....and I have to leave here before 8:00 PM, soooo....

I wanted to make sure to wish you a very safe trip to PA.....and I will be SO looking forward to meeting YOU!

See you there!

hugs,

Annie

mouthy

Yes You too Annie Have a safe trip. See you in PA God willing

NeonMadman

Heading out in a few more hours...safe trip, all!

Sunspot

You too, NeonMadman!!!

See you there!

hugs,

Annie

Good morning everyone! I HAD to log on to check out what's up here on JWD! I got home last night and was exhausted but happy...and my suitcases are still by the front door where I left them when I got home, haha!

That "little place" on the mountain.....was where the "biggest event" and greatest experience of my entire LIFE....unfolded and took place! The convention was everything I had heard it was...and so much MORE!

There was no whining or bitterness at ALL....but lots of love and understanding you could see, feel, and touch it was so real! I laughed until my sides hurt, cried at hearing some things, and sobbed uncontrollably more than once during those memorable three days! I was truly touched to my soul and have made so many friends!

I met so many people that I have been "talking with" for years on the computer----a couple of them whose screen/names I recognized from waaaay back when I was still in capivity to the WTS, when I was on DBs trying to defend my JW beliefs!

I had a lot of surprises that kept my head spinning the whole three days.....meeting these ones I have confided things in and shared things about myself with.....and then to actually MEET THEM in person and have them hug little old ME----was just such a delight! It was thrilling to meet Joan Cetnar and Lorrie MacGregor in person!

I did meet several from JWD---all great folks, BTW---everyone is SO open and friendly. It was amazing. I met Neon Madman and his sweet wife, DocBob and his terrific lady with the beautiful name, Ellder Who, Deputy Dog, Cynthia Hampton (sorry-I forgot her screen/name for the moment), had lunch one day with Sybil from the AOL chat I used to get on years ago, Natalie (Gold Morning) who I discovered lives about an hour or so away from me and had QUITE a story to share with us, and if I have overlooked mentioning anyone else from here, blame it on a poor memory and not forgetting the experience of meeting you.

The BEST I saved for last! The experience of meeting our dear Mouthy! What a delightful, truly precious and kind person she IS! Don't let her kid you with saying anything else! She will downplay this aspect of her warm personality and generous nature and you shouldn't listen to a word OF it! One thing that was a pleasant surprise---was when she spoke! She has the most charming British accent! You (of course) can't tell this by her posts! I LOVE a British accent and I could listen to her talk forever!

I took a few pictures of Grace but there were others IN those shots that are of folks that I don't think want to have their pictures shown here.....so I'll have to wait to have hubby monkey with the photos to crop off the others if I want to put them online. I never realized until I got home that I never DID take one of me and Grace together!

A few of my pix didn't come out....I don't know what I did (or didn't ) do to make them mess up....I borrowed the camera and was not too sure on how to use it properly. The "even a child can do it" does not apply in my case.

I must say that I have come home a changed person.....this experience has done so much for me and TO me. One of the Pastors saying a prayer and was "telling us" as former JWs, that we were told by the WTS that we were human garbage and we were not worthy of God. He went on to say the Jesus had seen it all and knows what each ONE of us has been through and how worthless we were made to feel......(and this was one of the times I "lost it" and began to sob.) He was so right! And it DOES stay with you even though we try and pretend it doesn't! It was quite a prayer and quite an experience! I even surprised myself and accepted the invitation to take communion the next morning after he said that. I saw myself in a new and different way after that prayer.

The only comparison with THIS convention and a WTS convention .....is that they are both "conventions" and have people of "like minds" in attendance. Other than that, there IS no comparison....and the resemblance ends. I have NEVER felt what I felt last week-end, at a WTS convention. I am saving up for NEXT YEAR'S convention being held on the same week-end in 2007!

hugs,

Annie

Sunspot

BTTT

Anyone else who was there, want to say something about this convention??????

LovesDubs

Yayyyy Sunspot!!! I knew youd have a great time! Thanks for the nice report back. I used to know a Sybil way back. I wonder if its the same one. Was the weather good? And the colors? :)

Yep...no place for the weak of heart. The whole gamut of emotions comes out of you there! Congratulations on your first communion.

Freeing...isnt it. :)

Loves

Sunspot

Yayyyy Sunspot!!! I knew youd have a great time! Thanks for the nice report back.

Dawn....I sure DID have a life-long time to remember always! I must admit I am quite shocked that others aren't posting about this event! Maybe they're not home yet?

I used to know a Sybil way back. I wonder if its the same one.

This lady is small and feisty---full of zip! I was drawn to her right away! She said she is on the AOL chat for JWs......I used to talk with her years ago! "Sybil" is not a very common name.....it's most likely the same gal!

Was the weather good? And the colors? :)

It rained heavily (we encountered lots of pockets of dense fog just before we got off the main highway to head for Tamoque (sp??) exit and had to travel at a snail's pace for quite a while. It was also cold and windy. There was one day where the sun shined for a number of hours but I never did get any pictures of the landscape and the trees. My friend said that the trees were more bare this year than she remembered from previous years. The entire area, all in all though, is magnificent.

Yep...no place for the weak of heart. The whole gamut of emotions comes out of you there!

I had NO idea! I had NOT expected that. (But I'm glad it happened---I needed every bit of what was said, you know what I mean) I really got in touch with the "me" that had been floating around somewhere and "pretending" I had it together. They knew exactly where I was "at" and how to show me what steps to take to find what I had been missing. THIS was the kind of comfort and peace that I had always thought that as JWs, we were supposed to be experiencing....

...but as I explained to my hubby, that most of the time I was so exhausted from all the stairclimbing and trekking with kids to the restrooms, and the crazy hours being kept, PLUS keeping my eyes on the kids as youngsters AND then when they were in their TEENS, and finally, as I was older and had an seriously autistic child (with no clue about social graces) to control while there...that what "joy" was to BE had, was overpowered by my circumstances. I was just too overwhelming at best. I was really quite ready to head for home when it was over----which was clearly NOT the case last week-end! I so hated to leave!

I truly have never felt the LOVE that I did during those three days. I felt a very warm connection with everyone there. It was truly phenomenal.

Congratulations on your first communion.

Thank you so much! I never thought it would be FOR ME ever again! The last time I had communion I was MUCH younger (grin) and dressed in white! A LOT of years have passed between the two events, eh? I was more "mentally ready" than I have been during ANY of those years! I was still a wee bit nervous when it came right down to it....but Grace was a great friend and took very good care of me that morning! I will always be grateful for having her alongside me.

Thanks for your post, Dawn. I'm sorry you couldn't have been there.....I would SO love to meet you!

hugs,

Annie

gold_morning

Annie,

Remember me...Natalie..from this weekend?

It was an honor to meet you. What a weekend and I so wish we could have had more time together.

I hope with all my heart you will be there next year. I think the word needs to be out there more at how wonderful this

Witness Now For Jesus conference is. What an amazing group of people. It is the most healing experience an ex JW can have.

If anyone reads this I want everyone to know what a truly special person you are.

God Bless Annie,

Natalie

Anyone Know About The PA Convention?

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