Dawn

Joined

• started 145 topics
• posted 1,385 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Dawn

• 
  65

  DF and heartbroken

  by cassyrene in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  let me begin by saying that i never expected to even talk about my situation let alone discuss it on the internet but i guess im just feeling so sad that i must hope that someone will understand and give me encouragement...so here it goes.. .

  but the more active i got, the more abusive my stepmother became.

  ironically, he sent my stepmother to the wedding.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  mouthy - I love your non-nonsense way of speaking up. I hope some day to be as courageous as you!
• 
  52

  Ever have a "paranormal" event or experienced something unexplicable?

  by fedorE in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  once when i was returning from work i decided to take a short cut home.

  it was the halloween week and ppl had their houses decked out.

  i turned into a dark road that has a house just every so often.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  I have had a number of "experiences" where I feel something "wrong" with a person or situation. I believe that this comes from the fact that our subconscious can pick up on a lot that our conscious mind ignores. We tend to rely so much on our sense of sight, but our subconscious recongizes much more: scent, manerisms, sounds, expressions, things we may not actually consciously recognize.

  I have learned to listen to that voice when something or someone feels "not quite right" and realize that my subconscious (or 6th sense so to speak) is warning me.

  Case in point: a number of years ago I got a flat tire and was walking to the nearest quick mart to call my brother for help. It was raining out and a car stopped and the guy offered me a ride. For some reason I can't explain, I got a bad feeling about him and so I did not approach the car but politely declined from a distance. He opened his driver's side door and again encouraged me to get in out of the rain and he'd give me a ride. I declined again - at that point he went into a rage and started yelling at me and calling me names, then slammed his door and sped off. I know to this day if I had not listened to that subconscious thought that jumped into my mind, had gotten into his car, I would not be here today.
• 
  65

  DF and heartbroken

  by cassyrene in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  let me begin by saying that i never expected to even talk about my situation let alone discuss it on the internet but i guess im just feeling so sad that i must hope that someone will understand and give me encouragement...so here it goes.. .

  but the more active i got, the more abusive my stepmother became.

  ironically, he sent my stepmother to the wedding.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  Welcome Cassyrene and hugs to you. I am so sorry you are going through this.

  Unfortunately how strict family is on a DF'd person is totally unpredictable and up to each individual and/or congregation. I have been DF'd for a number of years, my mother still associates with me regularly (although has waffled on that from time to time), I had 3 brothers who were all elders, one associated with me with no problem, the other two refuse to speak to me. It is no comfort - I know. And I'm sorry.

  What I can offer you is my advice - take from this what learning experience you can and vow that these hurtful actions will stop with you and never impact your children. As a parent you can make a change in the future of society by loving your children unconditionally and making them aware that they do not have to tolerate such behavior. I have found through the years that those members of my family who I lost were eventually replaced by new family that I love very much. You will have a whole new family in your children and your grand children - cherish them and be proud that you are protecting them from suffering what you have gone through.
• 
  54

  Dfed and Damned for Life

  by Hangin_on in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have posted my story on here before.

  i was dfed at 22 for sleeping with an 18yr old girl in my cong.

  i was married and me and my "mistress" were both dfed.. i admit i was wrong by even the worlds standards.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  Hangin-on (hugs to you) - I do understand the position you are in completely.

  Let me pose a question to you and I ask you to think about it with a very open mind. It is hard to do this especially if you were raised as a JW or was in the organization for a long time.

  Since you have obviously prayed to God about this - do you think he is already answering your prayer but you don't yet recognize it? Sometimes when we pray for something we assume we know what the answer should be. Quite often, we are suprised to find out it's something entirely different.

  I prayed for a very long time that he would forgive me, that he would build my faith, and bring me back into his "fold". The more I prayed, the harder it was to stay in. Looking back now, I realize that he was listening and he was answering me and he was working in my life. It just wasn't the answer I expected.

  You are basing everything on the belief that the JWs have the truth - just as I did. But what if that it's not? Step back for a little bit and think with an open mind. Read the book of John from start to finish without stopping - don't be afraid to read the bible with an open mind like I was for so long, it's his word, just read it and then ask yourself - "Is he already answering your prayer?" You may be suprised at what you find.
• 
  23

  Stupid teenager(me) needs some nice words... *extremely long, sorry*

  by Anony-Mouse in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so we were just freinds.

  i was just becoming good freinds with her best freind's brother, which is now gone.

  so i smile back and say "good, not much.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  I completely understand how you are feeling right now. I went through a similar situation when I was 17 with a boy that I was in love with.We were waiting until we turned 18 to get married. His parents wanted him to go to Bethel and forbid us to date so we promised to wait for each other.

  I have no idea why - but a couple of weeks later he and his friends started treating me really bad. It broke my heart. And I didn't think I would EVER heal from that. I knew that my heartache was more deep and powerful than anyone could imagine.

  But I did make it through, and I healed.

  That was 20+ years ago and since then I have had some incredibly amazingly terrific times, and some incredibly sad times. But I have learned a very important lesson from these. There is a line from the movie "Castaway" that embodies that lesson. Tom Hank's character is telling his friend how he kept going on the island and he says "I just kept breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise, and you never know what the tide will bring."

  This is so true! You never know what is just around the corner. If I had married that boy I would never have went out with my neighbor's friend who was home from college, would never have fallen in love with him, married, had the family we have, and the life I have now.

  You just never know what the tide will bring. And perhaps your friend will change her mind as the gossip subsides and return to being your friend.
• 
  10

  How to treat Disfellowshipped Ones?

  by Thinking of Leaving in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i work with this jw but was recently df.

  prior to the convention i noticed the "sister" would talk to me normally as if i wasn't even df.

  she just brushed it aside and i really appreciated her mature, professional behaviour towards me.. since she attended the dc however she's been acting cold towards me.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  I work at a pretty large corporation - over 4000 people on site, so there are a few JWs out here. One of them sent me a request to do some programming on his project earlier in the month but then did not show up for our meeting and has not returned my emails after last week's convention - guess I have an idea of why now

  Good thing I didn't really care - I had a lot of work already lined up so I just moved those projects up in the timeline and now I'm scheduled clear through the end of this fiscal year - and so are all the other programmers that work on this particular project. I sure hope he doesn't change his mind soon - 'cause now he'll be kinda screwed if ya know what I mean
• 
  2

  Procrastinating on fun

  by Dawn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  weird subject line - i know.

  but here's my question to other posters.. there are a number of things i have always wanted to do, like go scuba diving, take a trip somewhere exotic, etc - but i would find excuses why i couldn't do it - usually just something inside said "oh - you could never do that".

  well - a couple of years ago i decided to just start doing some of the things i always wanted.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Dawn

  Oh yea - by the way. I'm a 40 something - closer to 40 than 50 but who'se counting?
• 
  2

  Procrastinating on fun

  by Dawn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  weird subject line - i know.

  but here's my question to other posters.. there are a number of things i have always wanted to do, like go scuba diving, take a trip somewhere exotic, etc - but i would find excuses why i couldn't do it - usually just something inside said "oh - you could never do that".

  well - a couple of years ago i decided to just start doing some of the things i always wanted.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Dawn

  Weird subject line - I know. But here's my question to other posters.

  There are a number of things I have always wanted to do, like go scuba diving, take a trip somewhere exotic, etc - but I would find excuses why I couldn't do it - usually just something inside said "Oh - you could never do that"

  Well - a couple of years ago I decided to just start doing some of the things I always wanted. I made a list, then set dates to complete them and started making plans. Over the last couple years I have done a lot of things I never thought I could before - and it's been a blast.

  So my question is this:

  (1) How many of you have gone from the Oh I could never do that to the Oh I'm doing that! whether it's skiing, flying a plane, or even just going on a trip.

  (2) Do you think this change in behavior is part of the process of freeing yourself from control - or do you think it's really just part of getting older, and being more confident with yourself.

  In my case I think it's more of #2 but I'm curious to see what other posters think.
• 
  16

  Going to Maui and looking for advice

  by Dawn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my girfriends and i are planning a trip to maui next year to go diving and snorkeling.

  we already have the condo reserved.

  has anyone here been to maui?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  Wow - this is great. Thank you so much.

  FlyingHighNow - I sure appreciate the insight from someone who lived there. I'm going to print these all out and share with my girlfriends.
• 
  16

  Going to Maui and looking for advice

  by Dawn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my girfriends and i are planning a trip to maui next year to go diving and snorkeling.

  we already have the condo reserved.

  has anyone here been to maui?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Dawn

  My girfriends and I are planning a trip to Maui next year to go diving and snorkeling. We already have the condo reserved. Has anyone here been to Maui? If so, can you give me some recommendations on good dive spots, snorkeling, restaurants? Also - anyone try to surf while they were there?

  Any advice you have would be appreciated! Thanks