Posts by burnedout

i resigned as an elder some time ago, have been working on fading, the wife is getting used to the new 'me' (not stressed, better husband and father, etc.

), been missing a lot of meetings... even received a few statements such as: 'hi burnedout, it's good to see you!!!

last sunday, i took my one of my sons to the local dragstrip to show him the races, oops missed the meeting.

I resigned as an Elder some time ago, have been working on fading, the wife is getting used to the new 'me' (not stressed, better husband and father, etc.), been missing a lot of meetings... even received a few statements such as: 'Hi Burnedout, it's good to see you!!!' or 'Where have you been?'

Last Sunday, I took my one of my sons to the local dragstrip to show him the races, oops missed the meeting. When the wife got back from the meeting, she said the COBOE asked if he could interview the two of us at the upcoming SAD regarding being 'brought up in the Truth...'

The guy even asked her this question in front of another sister. That sister commented about what a privilege that would be and how she never had a part on an assembly. My wife and I have had more than enough time 'on stage' at assemblies.

My wife seems agreeable to doing the interview, but I just can't go along with it...
Two years ago, I was interviewed at the congo on a part about being an appointed man and was asked 'Would you recommend reaching out for Elder or MS to other brothers?' Of course I said YES, but inside I was screaming 'HELL NO!!!!, I am now an alcoholic and want to drive my car into a tree' (for real). I was already pushed beyond my limit and steering myself towards serious harm.

Similar to another poster here, I gave the Memorial Talk one year ago (reluctantly), gave a million public talks, assembly parts, tons of hours of 'Sacred Service' and now am able to achieve 50/50 meeting attendance without the wife complaining too much. Now these jokers want to interview me at the Special Assembly Day.

Regarding being brought up in the 'Truth': My upbringing was good, Mom and Dad were great, fair but strict. The one thing I regret was not knowing my Dad until I was 10 years old or so. He was always on a JC or other 'privilege'. He cut way back on those activities and all the sudden... I had a Dad. I was going down the same road, but pulled the plug earlier.

I guess I could relate the good things during the interview, but I would hear the inner turmoil the whole time.
It just seems that there is never an easy way out of this.

This post may not seem like much, but it is part of my journey trying to dig myself out of this life I was 'born' into.

Burnedout

36

What was your volunteer job(s) at DCs?

by mummatron in

seeing as it's that time of year i've been reminiscing.

i used to volunteer as i really struggled to sit still all day, even with all the note-taking and sitting next to the deaf loop system and watching the bsl interpreter to try and learn a bit of bsl.. i have.... counted and voided food tokenspacked fruit bags at a sandwich stallcleaned the stadium at opening and closingcleaned and attended ladies toiletsmanned (or should that be womanned?!

lol) contribution boxeswhat did you do?.

burnedout

Security and cash transporter for food ticket sales (sometimes 10 - 15K in my briefcase)

Sound, stage, attendant

Parking lot security in West Palm Beach (VERY HOTTTTT we drank beer in the car, just had to check in by radio every 30 minutes)

14

Did I throw these guys under the bus?

by burnedout in

over a year ago i knew i had to resign my position as elder because of many reasons.

i was the youngest elder being 40ish... and there had already been some resistance to my wanting to cut back on the many responsiblities i had.

i knew that to make it easier for me to resign, there had to be some replacement.

burnedout

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I know they are big boys, but I know what they are facing. It is interesting to be just a little older than these guys but have 11 years experience as Elder that they don't have.

Sizemik: great continuation of the Bus illustration. I could see myself getting off the bus and these other guys climbing on board!!!

Burnedout

14

Did I throw these guys under the bus?

by burnedout in

over a year ago i knew i had to resign my position as elder because of many reasons.

i was the youngest elder being 40ish... and there had already been some resistance to my wanting to cut back on the many responsiblities i had.

i knew that to make it easier for me to resign, there had to be some replacement.

burnedout

Over a year ago I knew I had to resign my position as Elder because of many reasons. I was the youngest Elder being 40ish... and there had already been some resistance to my wanting to cut back on the many responsiblities I had.

I knew that to make it easier for me to resign, there had to be some replacement. There were two MS's that were obviously reaching out, and one brother that was reaching out to be an MS. During the course of one year I helped to make sure these brothers were recommended for appointment.
The two MS's were appointed as Elder and the other brothers is now an MS.

Now that I am off the BOE and recovering, I see the stress building in these three brothers (yes I still attend meetings every so often... family reasons). My wife even mentions that they look like I USED TO!!! I can't help but feel guilty for being instrumental if not soley responsible for their new found high level of stress in 'serving the congo.' I do know they were really wanting these positions...

Have I condemned these men to the same situation I was in?... abusing alcohol, yelling at the family due to stress of getting to the meetings on time so you can 'perform onstage', at the border of self-harm or suicide?

Did I throw these guys under the bus?

Burnedout

22

Funniest Thing to happen during a meeting?

by truthseeker1969 in

i am sure all of us have laughed at something that happened at the kingdom hall or assembly.. the first one i can think of is a brother giving a talk on voting and saying " why is it that men sit iin pubs and discuss how bad the economy is and the cost of everything and yet when the 'erection" (election) comes up they never do anything about it.. my brother in his best beavis n butthead voioce said " huh huh he said erection".

we sat for the next 45 mins trying hard not to laugh.. of course, i got the look from the elders and the talk about not laughing.. .

burnedout

One Elder was giving the local needs talk and says, 'Friends, this is a problem that we need to NIP IN THE BUTT!!!'

14

Do you still rush about??

by watersprout in

jw
friends

when i was in the wt i was always rushing.... never had time to do anything.... always had the meetings to prep for... dinner to get ready before the meeting... clothes to get ready.... ministry to go on.... there was always something i had to do for jehovah....etc etc etc..... i never sat down and enjoyed being in the moment... i always felt guilty... i would always be thinking ''i shouldn't be sat down i should be doing something for jehovah, he despises a lazy person.

it got soo bad i ended up in a hole to which i couldn't get out.

i needed help to function.. after coming out it took a long time to get used to enjoying some ''quiet'' time.

burnedout

I do not feel the need to 'rush about' anymore. I am a born-in that was running at full throttle for a long time (21 years appointed) and busy before that as a teenager. Am still 'in' to an extent (wife and kids, in-laws, etc) but no longer care if I am late for a meeting or just plain don't make it there.

Finally, I have a little peace that increases each day...