I grew up as the only child of a single mother. My father ditched her when she got pregnant, and never helped her in any way. My mom was older, almost 27 when I was born, and had a decent although low paying job (which she kept until she retired 30 years later). I was 28 and had been married for 8 years when my first was born. Raising kids is hard, even in the best of circumstances. I watched my mom struggle and sacrifice for me, and I lived the life of a low income fatherless child. I would *never* willingly sign up for parenthood under those circumstances. I think my mom did a pretty good job as a parent, but it was a really hard road for her.
finally awake
JoinedPosts by finally awake
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17
Single mothers are bad mothers.
by Chemical Emotions ini recently read an article in my local newspaper which essentially stated that single mothers were generally bad mothers and that they needed a man in the relationship.
not significant other, just a man.
i guess there are nosingle mothers who are lesbians!
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28
They don't think you can truly be happy "outside"
by lilbluekitty ini was on the phone with my mom last night (she's an uber-dub with a don't ask, don't tell type policy where we basically just don't discuss the fact that i celebrate holidays and go to church regularly etc.
) and she said she was talking to one of my old friends from the hall there.
the friend asked my mom how i've been and my mom said she made a face and kind of went "ehhh..." and talked about my lack of meeting attendance (she doesn't know it's way more than that) and my friend shook her head and said, "aw, that's too bad, but i've been in ruts like that before" as though i'm just depressed and don't feel like going lately.
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finally awake
Just Ron and I were at Walmart last night and we ran into 2 different dubs. One is an older man, a convert who hasn't been in the borg more than 20 years tops. He greeted me, but apparantly didn't notice Just Ron. I said hi and smiled, said we were all doing fine and kept on walking. The other is a young born in sister, although she's very irregular at meetings and I've never seen her in service. She married a non-dub and has 2 little kids. She was quite friendly, we chatted a bit although I didn't mention anything about the kids joining scouts or celebrating birthdays. She said something about really missing us at meetings, which I just let pass. I try to convey an upbeat and positive outlook to the dubs, because really there is nothing in my life worth complaining about although my natural inclination is to be less pollyanna and more eeyore
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17
I'm feeling rather lonely and down today.
by PaintedToeNail ini'm rather down today, feeling like my relationship with husband is sad, we don't have anything in common anymore.
i'm feeling outmoded, old and lonely.
just verbalizing what i can't say to anyone else.. .
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finally awake
((hugs)) I'm sorry your husband hasn't woken up yet. You have lots of friends here, but sometimes an in person friend is what you really want. I wish we lived nearby, I'd bring you a cupcake
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51
I can't remember the 'Most Important Date of My Life!' Can you?
by Diest ini honestly cant remember the exact date when i was baptized.
it does not bother me one bit.
i didnt have it stamped in that shitty reasoning book/babel that i got at the time, so i guess the only place i could find it would be my cards, which are far away..
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finally awake
April 2001 I think
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83
If you felt/feel that you had/have good, close "friends" in the org, how did/does it feel to just give them up?
by Crisis of Conscience inthis is my biggest dilema.
although mentally i really feel i could walk away from the org right now, i still have genuine love for the people i have come to know over the years.
i love people!.
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finally awake
I had already realized that no one at the hall was really my friend. Since I hadn't been out in field service in nearly 4 years, virtually no one talked to me anymore and I was rarely invited or included in social activities. So I feel like I lost my "friends" a long time before I actually left the borg.
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40
The gal I'm dating frequents match.com - advice?
by UnConfused ini am dating a gal that i met on match.com - we saw each other first last summer, but she didn't think we were a 'match'.
after the "pressure" was off we started hanging out quite a bit with all the benefits that go along with it.
this went on for months.. i became smitten with her, but we weren't a couple, which she pointed out a couple of times.
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finally awake
As a female in a long term relationship, any time that I have looked at any sort of dating site or craigslist or facebook, it's been strictly due to nosiness. I have no interest in chatting with other men, much less actually meeting or sexing it up. But the personal ads on craigslist can be really funny, and I'm always curious as to who I know that might be looking for love in all the wrong places. Perhaps your lady friend has no bad motives for occasionally logging in, but it's merely deleting unwanted messages or checking up on the crazy coworker or high school rival. Please don't shoot yourself in the foot over this issue - if that's the only indication you have that she's not 100% committed to you.
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27
When will they merge the BS, TMS, WTS, T into one meeting ?
by mP init seems to me with all the times being cut from talks, you could save further time and simply smash all the meetings into one on the weekend.
this would also save the need for those extra kingdom hall songs, and one trip to the kh.
with all these savings, jws could easily double their ministry..
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finally awake
I am actually surprised that they combined the book study into the school and service meeting. Like I Want to Believe said, the longer the gap between meetings, the more likely people are to wake up.
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8
Been there, done that......
by bikerchic002 in.......got the crumby t-shirt to prove it!.
i simply don't care on bit about all the jw stuff.
i am however on a trek to see what this life is all about, my life.
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finally awake
Good for you!
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28
CELEBRATE WITH ME!!!
by Notreadytorun inok so if you look at my membership and post history im very much a new member here, but have been researching things for some months on and off, so i have not made any sudden decisions..... i have been reading heaps of reasoning here as to why many of you have left jws, particularly those of you who have left for reasons of conscience.
i have just read crisis of conscience, which has become the proverbial "nail in the coffin" for me.. for many reasons i am no longer one of jehovahs witnesses in my heart, but i still identify myself as a christian, and will continue to uphold bible principles in my life.
the two big realisations for me is that: one: i do not have to compromise my bible trained conscience to make this differentiation, and it does not make me a true apostate, although loyal jws would label me that.
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finally awake
Welcome - I hope your husband follows you out soon!
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30
Now that we plan for Retirement
by designs inone of the big adjustments for many of us was growing older and realizing retirement was a reality.
did you have a company or government retirement package or personal ira or 401k.
what advice would you give the 20 to 60 year olds coming to term with 'life in this system'..
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finally awake
I am supposedly earning a government pension - if i put in a full 35 years I am supposed to receive 60% of my final salary each year as long as I live. I am also supposed to receive health insurance until I die, and I am paying into Social Security. I am beginning to think that my pension is at risk due to the political climate in my state. I put money into the deferred compensation (401K) plan, but I wonder if it's truly safe from being raided by the politicians. I have some private investments, but not anywhere near enough to substitute for my government pension