Not a bad idea, Valis. However, since I fell from a ladder one time while working on the house and broke a few things, I think the roof idea is pretty much out. She didn't like it last year when I got on the roof to put up the icicle lights. But hey, some things are just worth the risk.
jimbob
JoinedPosts by jimbob
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30
Christmas Lights...
by Steve Egner inchristmas lights remind me, that we're closing in on the second anniversary of our disassociation.. two years ago, around this time, "gifts in men" from our old congregation paid us a visit regarding our christmas display.
we invited them in, ushering them slowly past our decorated tree, and seated them at our dining room table.
they said that it had come to their attention that we appeared to be celbrating christmas..."indeed we are," i saiid, "as we have for the last four years.
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30
Christmas Lights...
by Steve Egner inchristmas lights remind me, that we're closing in on the second anniversary of our disassociation.. two years ago, around this time, "gifts in men" from our old congregation paid us a visit regarding our christmas display.
we invited them in, ushering them slowly past our decorated tree, and seated them at our dining room table.
they said that it had come to their attention that we appeared to be celbrating christmas..."indeed we are," i saiid, "as we have for the last four years.
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jimbob
I'll try and take a pic of our house tonight when it's dark and post it. I'm already planning next year's display which will obviously include even more lights.
Mulan, just let me know when you and Dave want to put up your lights...Steve and I will come over and help.... I had lights on the upper part of our house last year, but I decided to go with the ground level this year. But next year I will do them again up top. I already know I'm going to have to put in a bigger breaker with more amps to support the extra lights. Maybe my JW brother-in-law will help me...
Well, the snow is gone now. It went away as fast as it arrived. Hopefully we'll get more later this year. I'm surprised you guys didn't get any snow up north there in the Edmonds-Lynwood area. Usually your area gets the wild weather because of the convergence zone. I'm sure next time it will snow there, and we'll end up getting nothing here.
By the way Mulan, my wife won't let me get the big blow up Santa to put on our porch.... She says it's too much...but I'll work on her for next year!
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Christmas Lights...
by Steve Egner inchristmas lights remind me, that we're closing in on the second anniversary of our disassociation.. two years ago, around this time, "gifts in men" from our old congregation paid us a visit regarding our christmas display.
we invited them in, ushering them slowly past our decorated tree, and seated them at our dining room table.
they said that it had come to their attention that we appeared to be celbrating christmas..."indeed we are," i saiid, "as we have for the last four years.
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jimbob
Okay...here's a couple pics of our house in the daylight. It's obviously better at night. And notice the snow.... It's snowing here this morning!! YEAH!
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30
Christmas Lights...
by Steve Egner inchristmas lights remind me, that we're closing in on the second anniversary of our disassociation.. two years ago, around this time, "gifts in men" from our old congregation paid us a visit regarding our christmas display.
we invited them in, ushering them slowly past our decorated tree, and seated them at our dining room table.
they said that it had come to their attention that we appeared to be celbrating christmas..."indeed we are," i saiid, "as we have for the last four years.
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jimbob
Okay...that didn't go so well..let's try again.
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30
Christmas Lights...
by Steve Egner inchristmas lights remind me, that we're closing in on the second anniversary of our disassociation.. two years ago, around this time, "gifts in men" from our old congregation paid us a visit regarding our christmas display.
we invited them in, ushering them slowly past our decorated tree, and seated them at our dining room table.
they said that it had come to their attention that we appeared to be celbrating christmas..."indeed we are," i saiid, "as we have for the last four years.
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jimbob
Hi Steve. We got our Christmas lights up before Thanksgiving....but the wife wouldn't let me turn them on til afterwards.... (yeah, I know it would've been a bit early) We too enjoy the freedom of enjoying our life the way we want. They have no control over us anymore, and if we were worried what our family or other JW's would say, we wouldn't have the lights on the house. (which I might add is better than last year's display) With the house lighted up, and the Christmas tree decorated, we enjoy and appreciate the little things much more than we used to.
You are Rachel are extremely fortunate in that your entire family is out. All of you have a bond that no man or religious organization can break. And what's even better is that your kids can grow up in a caring and loving household without the threat of a religious organization's rules hanging over your heads. Holidays are meant to be spent with family, giving gifts and seeing joy on children's faces as they open their Christmas gifts. It's too bad JW's will never see the forest through the trees.
The wife and I have discussed what could happen if they were to see our Christmas display, and we no longer care. Life is too short to not enjoy. We no longer hide anything we do. In time they will know, but it's who we are. When we first left, we were cautious, I admit. But now, we are stronger and love the life we have. We no longer have contact with any JW's, and the only person we both care about who is still in is my mother, who would not shun us. So we have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. However, my in-laws would shun us...and belive me, from my point of view...that's not a bad thing at all.. The only difference for me is, I would never invite JW's in to my home or speak with them. I shun THEM now. They can't do anything to us...and if they feel the need to announce anything, that's their business. I can't control what they do, anymore than they can control what we do. We have a new life free from JW'isms.
We're looking forward to seeing you and your family after Christmas. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
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Before You Leave The Witnesses, You MUST Make New Friends!!!
by minimus inmy advice to anyone that is thinking of leaving the "organization" is to make friends (real friends) with people other than jehovah's witnesses.
the sad truth is that jws are only conditional "friends".
they will drop you like a hot potato if they think you want to leave.
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jimbob
Hey Minimus..I definitely agree with Teejay...one of your best posts....
You are absolutely correct...if one leaves the dubs without having some sort of social structure already in place, in can be extremely hard. Many JW's stay in the org, not because they think they will be saved...but because it fulfills a social need that every human has. Once one leaves, it leaves a big void socially. So one who is thinking of leaving would do well to make friends outside the org before leaving. I'd almost venture to say it's a necessity. Otherwise, it's too hard to go it alone with all your former so-called "friends" shunning you. Since leaving, we're much more social than we ever were as dubs.
It helped the wife and I that we had good friends at work, as well as we knew some who were already out...(thanks Mulan, Big Red, Princess and Steve and family...you guys have been great to us!) We've also become very close with some of our neighbors...something we never would have have even dreamed of doing while still in the org. Funny thing is...no one is evil like the Watchtower says they are...they're just decent people living and trying to make a difference in life. Sad to think how narrow minded we once were about non-JW's.
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Studying the new "Keep on the Watch!" brochure - Who's Judging Now? (p12)
by ozziepost infrom the next section in the brochure, entitled "the hour of judgment has arrived":
ask yourself: "do i still cling to a religious organisation that is tainted with teachings and practices that mark it as part of babylon the great?
" even if you are not a member, you might ask yourself: 'have i allowed its spirit to influence me?
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jimbob
Yes, they are definitely worse! I was simply giving them the benefit of the doubt...
Actually, the couple who I mentioned liked to play strip poker, we were best of friends with them before we left. After we told them we were leaving, they gave us the usual bullsh*t about how we were leaving god's organization, yada, yada, yada. Then we never heard from them, until about a year later. Guess what they wrote us in email....??
They proceeded to tell us how they went with a group to Vegas, (which included her older brother who's an elder) and how much money they won from gambling. Such hypocrites!! I called them on it, and they couldn't give a defense, other than they thought it was a conscience matter. But this lifestyle is typical of JW's...criticize everyone on earth about how wrong they are, but they can do what they want cause they're JW's.
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Studying the new "Keep on the Watch!" brochure - Who's Judging Now? (p12)
by ozziepost infrom the next section in the brochure, entitled "the hour of judgment has arrived":
ask yourself: "do i still cling to a religious organisation that is tainted with teachings and practices that mark it as part of babylon the great?
" even if you are not a member, you might ask yourself: 'have i allowed its spirit to influence me?
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jimbob
I don't know about you, but I saw plenty of loose morals, lovers of pleasure, and materialism while I was a JW. They aren't any different than anyone else. Like the elder who left his wife in my congo for a pioneer sister, like the ministerial servant and his wife who liked to play strip poker, (that's a whole 'nother story...:) like the ministerial servant I knew who was gone every weekend enjoying his summer home on the lake. Or the many brothers who have to have the latest in everything, and the fancy house and car...they're not any different from anyone else!!!
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THE INFORMATION AGE AND NEW JW MARKETING CHANGES
by seven006 inlately on this board there has been a couple of threads that show how much the watchtower is being effected by the open communication of the internet and web sites like this one.
they are changing long time policy and trying new ways of getting their religious product to the market.
no longer do their leaders hear the voice of god and then pass it directly on as unwavering guidance to their customers.
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jimbob
That was one of the best posts I have read in a long time. Pretty much sums up everything in a nutshell. Well done!!
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Ever met high ranking JW and felt uneasy
by AlanB inthis came up in another topic and feel it needs a topic of its own.
does anyone else have experiences of meeting (cant use the word 'brothers')men from high up in the borg and felt uneasy about it.. alanb wrote.
i was at twickenham many years ago (about 20) and went to the admin area to get info about serving where the need was great (great plan that turned out to be) anyway there were two elderly yet autstere brothers standing at the steps to the main office area looking as though they owned the place, they had a real air of seniority and importance about them, i have no idea who they were, yet sense they were senior one was english the other american.. .
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jimbob
I actually got to briefly meet Daniel Sydlick in an elevator one time. I was being an elevator attendant at the Tacoma Dome convention one year back in the 90's. He got into the elevator and made a brief comment to me. (don't ask me to remember what it was) He had a little following with him. All I could remember thinking was this man was supposed to be the closest thing on the planet to god, and he didn't appear anything special to me. Of course now I know better.
Funny thing was, he gave the last talk on Sunday. I was also a parking attendant, so I had to head outside to the parking lot 15 minutes or so before the convention ended. Well, once all us attendants got there, we waited, and waited, and waited for everyone to come streaming out. Finally, 45 minutes (or longer, I can't remember exactly, it felt like eternity) after it was supposed to end, they came out. Ends up Mr. Sydlicker went a tad overtime....par for the course for a member of the GB during convention time. It was bad enough to be there for 3 days, and I always looked forward to Sunday, cause not only was it over, but it ended earlier than the other days. But not when you have Sid Lycker giving the last talk...