by JH 15 Replies latest jw friends
I remember when I had a seasonal job and worked 40 or 50 hours a week, I missed many meetings, cause I was too tired to go to a 2 hour meeting.
I prefered to rest or keep that precious time for myself.
When I was layed off, then I found the time and energy to go to my meetings.
Although back then, I wanted to go to my meetings, but it wasn't my top proiority.
Work came first
My free time or some entertainment came second
Meetings came third
Field Service came last.
that would be easy..it was working, going to meetings, raising kids, being a wife, keeping the house clean, laundry, kids school stuff done, going in service, studying with kids, taking care of elderly relatives, etc etc etc etc that was hard LOL
I found it especially hard after January 1, 1976.
I was to brain-washed for that
It was a MUST to be at all meetings.
how stupid was that?
.
Greetings JH,
Absolutely! Yet when younger and having the momentum of other young married couples to provide mutual support, it was a social/religious experience that gave satisfaction. [of course, not knowing the "truth" at this time] Children arrive on the scene and it becomes harder, but on the basis of "family merit" kids'll be saved only if you keep active. Incentive to keep dragging on. Years pass, your world is turned upside down, and you're on your own. Losing my health provided me a reason - excuse - to fade. No one close any longer to "force" meeting attendance; yes, it came to that. I could honestly tell anyone who inquired - friend or elder - I can barely do secular work with my bad health, how could I possibly attend meetings? Now in my current state, I work a few hours a day, and spend the rest of my life here on JWD and sleeping and reading, etc. Stress is virtually a thing of the past.
Do you remember this?
"Just to let you know we're thinking of you during this testing time regarding your health. The principle in the Scripture that things are established by having two or three witnesses can be applied to accepting a diagnosis of our health. Let two or three independent authorities agree about it then we in the congregation can accept it. One's spiritual health must not be neglected."
www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/126151/2.ashx : "Falsely Accused by Elders"
May I see a note from your doctor?
CoCo
Heck yeah, I found it hard and almost impossible, one income family as the ex pioneered, worked 60-80 hours a week for witnesses in construction and to do all that you are suppose to do from a witness mentality.
Matt 23:4 They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger.
I guess life in Bethel would be easier with someone paying for all my obligations in life.
abr
Absolutely. The Thurs. night meeting was the worst. Then I looked around the hall one Thursday night and saw that the regulars were retired people and stay-at-home housewives and some school children. For the retirees, going to meetings was their ONLY venture out of their homes for the week, but there was one critical older bro. who used to make remarks about those who didn't make meetings. I guess he forgot how it was during his working years.
So, how could I ever compare myself to these people when our circumstances are so vastly different??? Some of the women there never worked a secular job in their lives, so how could they ever relate to me. When I realized that I had to look out for MYSELF because nobody else was going to do it for me, I stopped knocking myself out and slacked off the meetings. I only went when I felt like it. As far as study was concerned, I never did it ALL because, frankly, it was too much and I saw that early on. Maybe a little bible reading and a cursory review of the Sunday article was all I did. I might consider the Tues. night book study article IF it interested me. I know I wasn't a "good" JW and was probably considered "weak" but I didn't give two sh#ts what anybody thought.
That's how I functioned there.
LHG
Once I left pioneering and got a real job I was much less critical of those who missed meetings due to illness and/or exhaustion. Two months after working I realized something had to give ... so initially Tuesday night, then Thursday night, then Sunday. Then I used those meeting times to really study the Word and then came the letter writing to the GB. They told the elders that if I attended the meetings this wouldn't happen. Yeah, exhausted and worn out from the badgering, there is little desire to contradict or expose the WTS lies.
I will never forget the time after working all day, getting off at 5PM, rushing home, making supper for spouse and self, then rushing off to the MS &Service meeting. After the meeting, an elder asked how I was doing. I said I was tired, it had been a long day. He told me to quit my job so I wouldn't be so tired for the meetings. I ended up quitting the hall and kept the job... and retired from that job in 2001 after 30 years.
