Remember getting out of bed Saturday morning, silently cussing to yourself because you really had no desire to go out in Service? Especially on a Saturday, when you would prefer to sleep in or just bum around? Or even go to a yard sale? Then, you had to drag yourself and your family to the Field Service Meeting, where everyone supposedly participated in the Daily Text before making "car groups"? Some car groups would have the priviledge of having a pioneer with them so the remainder of the publishers could feel inadequate in their ability to preach the good news. Most of us dead-beat publishers would say "oh, I have to break off early for a ...." and make up some excuse.
I did this; I used to say "I have to leave at 10:30 for an appointment", and leave it at that. The appointment was with my flower garden, I think.
Just for fun, I should have done the following:
"I am struggling with a hangover, so I can only be out for an hour or so"
"let's skip the Daily Text, and talk about what is really on our minds"
"This head covering doesn't match my outfit, so I'll pray without it"
"let's say we skip field service and go boating"
"please meet my boyfriend. He is staying for the weekend, so I thought I would bring him along"
"I have to prepare for the Easter Egg Hunt at my child's school, so I will leave the car group just before break"
"say, let's just take a break at Mac's and count our time there"
"Our time started when we left the old magazines at the laundromat 40 minutes ago, right?"
"I'm meeting my professor later at school for some one-on-one tutoring, so I will be leaving the car group at 10 o'clock"
"Can we count time our time at the mall if we leave magazines in the vestibule?"