John 12.24to28

My affection for you is not dependent on whether or not you return that affection at present, my brother, just as an affectionate expecting mother loves the child in her womb before that child has breathed its first breath. Your lack of love for me does not change my love and concern for you.💖
 
My expressions are neither angry nor misguided. I am devoted to Jehovah and I will continue to devote myself to ministering to all those He is calling to be His children, yourself included...
 
"And the spirit and the bride keep on saying, “Come!” and let anyone hearing say, “Come!” and let anyone thirsting come; let anyone who wishes take life’s water free."
 
 

(Just another note in passing...Wiccans like to honor the dead on Samhain. Why would the organizer mention that it's Russell's birthday? Will some of the participants show up in animal skin costumes and go mumming, have a bonfire after? The day the so-called veil is "thinnest"... I don't really know but it seems to me the veil is thin over the organizer's spiritual preferences. Not that it matters - again, when it is Jehovah's time to remove false worship from His Name People, He can use whoever He wants to precipitate it. He's allowed pagans to have such a part for that purpose before. For those people who believe in rebirth and regeneration, they should know that with Jehovah it is still possible for the heart to be Reborn into True Faith and Holiness - Jehovah has not shut the door of life, and He does not limit strong access to His spirit to only one day or season. For humans on earth today, there is no heart in darkness too dark for the Light of Jehovah's Love to reach, if that person chooses to embrace Jehovah again. May such ones repent and come out of the grave to bask in the light of His Love every day and forever...)
 
"...if I were to make my bed in the Grave, look! you would be there.  
If I would fly away with the wings of the dawn 
To reside by the most remote sea, 
Even there your hand would lead me 
And your right hand would take hold of me.  
If I say: “Surely darkness will conceal me!” 
Then the night around me would become light. 
Even the darkness would not be too dark for you, 
But night would be as bright as the day; 
Darkness is the same as light to you."

My face? You mean why does it look tan? 
 
It's certainly not from the bright light and wisdom shining from @boyle...he's full of...well, I won't say what he's full of, but...
 
My face definitely won't "shine" after talking to him!
 
If my face looks "tan" to you, it's because I'm embarrassed for @boyle - (he forgot what love is and it's so embarrassing because he's spiritually just as "naked" as the men in the organization he's so mad at and he doesn't even know it!)
 
"Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.”
 
"Clothe yourselves with love."
 
Hopefully the whole lot of them repent - the ones in and the ones out. There's still time for that even after the tower falls. Jehovah is the one who will make it fall, but it is imperative that right-hearted ones not join in the destructive melee of the nations that follows. Vengeance belongs to Jehovah, not to men. The nations are just the rod for Jehovah's anger, but they will try to go too far and that's when Jehovah will have to take vengeance on them too. Certainly @boyle will need to be shown mercy on the day of Jehovah's judgment. Hopefully @boyle will restrain himself and show mercy so he can receive mercy.
 
"Happy are the merciful, since they will be shown mercy."
 
(I'm done playing on this thread - perhaps I'll catch up with you later!😁)

If you don't know me I'll just say i left the Org this January because of the Child Abuse 'problem' earthwide in the Org. 
However when i was one of JW's, one of our daughters after only being baptised a year, became involved with someone she should not have, and started a relationship. One of our other daughters told the Elders, which annoyed me, because she told the Elders rather than tell us first. As if she was looking to score points and look good.. She would say it was for the good of the congregation, but I think she just wanted attention. .. Anyway, the elders went to visit our daughter that was in the relationship and that daughter said she wanted to leave the Org. Whether she left the Org or was disfellowshipped i don't know, nor do i care. I said on the day that her 'leaving' was announced in the Hall, that i would not turn my back on her and that i would always be there if she needed me. Both myself and my wife are in regular contact with her and will continue to be, even if i should be reinstated.. She has ended the relationship she was in and is now without a 'partner' so is probably quite lonely. In my opinion God doesn't want people continually punished, so if i can be of help to her I will be. Balance, mercy and love. Jesus said "I want mercy not sacrifice".

"The one who despises his neighbor sins, 
But whoever shows compassion to the lowly is happy."
 
The Who-Really-Is-My-Neighbor "window test" be like...
 
...Me Crying 😭 and then @Pudgy @boyle Showing Compassion 😃
 
May Jehovah Bless You Forever🥰💖
 
"The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, 
And He will repay him for what he does."
 
Hope you guys have a good day🙂

You mean, apostasy?

Audrey; 
I fully understand every point you made. 

I traveled the world on Engineering Projects, and had to endure much as well.
The only partial solution I could think of was “If I could only just rent a dog somewhere …”. 

 When I remarried at age 67 I had two Siberian Husky’s and my wife had five chihuahuas. They have since died but she adopted 5 more assorted dogs, some blind and toothless, some with diabetes, etc and with our Pack and Family we are doing fine.
I even now have a large blue tick Coon Dog /  German Shepherd mix, my greatest joy of our dogs.
……. we all take care of each other.

… that’s why I am a huge advocate of the “box full of puppies” method.
My wife teaches high school calculus and it’s nice to have someone to … *coff!*. … count on.

😭😩😣🥲😌
...I am sorry I am such a mess - thank you for being gracious and patient with me.🥲🌷

Dear @Pudgy...
 
Your advice is well-intentioned and beautiful.
 
(I won't watch the movie, because as I've expressed to you before, I already "see" in my mind the bad things going on in the world and feel them too intensely to be able to handle watching anything like that film at present. I have a really vivid imagination. I can't hardly take the news. I make myself read it so I know what's going on in the world, and I cry and pray about it. I can't handle a bloody movie anymore. I used to watch them when I was younger. I can't anymore. I seriously wouldn't be able to function for a week.)
 
I go outside and enjoy the sunshine and the rain. I have had animals, still have my dog. I go on day trips with my kids and enjoy life. One thing I don't have right now is adult association to speak about intellectual things or crazy things or any things.
 
I was disfellowshipped less than a year ago after being in the "truth" for over twenty years. Practically every person I was close to dropped me like a maggot-infested corpse. I am married to a man I love but who won't talk about anything spiritual with me because he considers me an apostate. He is battling with alcoholism and other things and trying to just get through each day without committing suicide. I am proud of him and I carry what I can, but I can't just go "see the world". For me, fooling around on an "irrelevant forum" is a great escape and a type of therapy and entertainment. If someone learns anything from anything I say, wow, that's amazing, but even if you are the only person that ever reads it - or even if you don't - it has served a purpose in that it's keeping me alive sometimes when I am feeling very alone.
 
I am not a strong person. Jehovah makes me strong. He gives me strength. When I talk about Him, it helps me. I don't have to stay here, I guess I could go write in a journal or something, but this has been kind of fun. Whatever "character" or "puppet" writes back, it's just like a game in a way. It would be nice to talk to someone who doesn't have on a mask, but I am not in a position right now to be able to go out and make new friends. My life situation is not like that right now. I am limited in the freedoms I have. Even the ones I have at present can change very quickly. I am not complaining about that, but it is the reality I have right now. 
 
Not everyone believes in Jehovah or the things in the Bible. That's their right. I know the things He says are true, so it doesn't bother me if someone else doesn't agree. Even though @boyle is ornery, he is easy association compared to a lot of the people I have been dealing with in the past couple years. I like conversing about Bible-related things, but I also enjoy sharing other things. I may not be good at it, knowing how to write on a forum in an appropriate way - whatever that is - but I can't change my personality quickly. It takes time to grow. I've had to grow a lot in the past year, so many new things. I can't believe I've survived some of the things I've been through in the past few years, and I am aware I am a little damaged from some of the experiences, I am sure it shows socially. (Again, it might not be stuff that'd be difficult for someone else, but I am a weak person.)
 
Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is if my presence here is annoying or inappropriate, I will graciously say "goodbye". I can look for another place to play around on the internet. I am not here to cause issues. I am not forum savvy, I'm kind of learning as I go. 
 
I have confidence in my hope for the future, but that doesn't change that we all have to get through today. I am just trying to get through each day as it comes. Being here has helped me to do it, but Jehovah will provide something else if need be.

Perhaps it's because of your perspective?

 
 
How many beats?
 

 
 

 
😆
 
 

Jehovah designed us to have friendships with everybody. It's only because of the present fallout from the rebellion in Eden that friendship has been marred. However, the difficulties we face give an opportunity to build even stronger friendships, if we want to seize the opportunity to be a friend when it comes.🌷
 
 

There are many options for building a chicken run. I used metal posts on mine, but here is a picture of different kinds of posts that someone else used on their chicken run.
 

 
I can't say which posts are better.
 
 
"You must stick to Jehovah your God."
 
I do the best I can.
 
(Joshua 23:8)
 
 
I can't write a symposium right now, I'm kinda tired, maybe later.
 
 
Oh, but it has everything to do with it, my dear. Some people on the thread seemed to be concerned that Jehovah won't hear somebody's prayer if they pronounce Jehovah's name the "wrong" way. This verse shows that it doesn't matter, as long as you are approaching Jehovah through Jesus with the right heart, Jehovah will hear you. That deaf man never heard "the so-called correct pronunciation of God's name" prior to being healed because that man was deaf. And yet he must have prayed many many times to be healed, and Jehovah heard and answered that prayer, even before the man heard out loud how Jesus uttered God's name in Hebrew or Greek or any other language.
 
 
What would you like me to start a thread about?
 
 
I know Jehovah as Jehovah, so that's what I call Him. He has answered my prayers when I call on Him by name. Before I knew Jehovah, I was an atheist. At one point I went through a particularly difficult trial, and I called on the names of many different gods that I had heard about or studied about - and not one of them did a thing. When I prayed to Jehovah through Jesus' name, Jehovah answered that prayer. I know Jehovah is the true God, and I know He answers prayers when I use His Name.
 
My point was that if someone deaf who never heard God's Name out loud can pray to the true God and have that prayer answered, then surely if someone calls Him Yahweh or Jehovah or YHWH or JH and they mean the God of the Bible who Created All Things, then that person can be confident that Jehovah's not going to be mad at them or call them an apostate because they mispronounced it according to some scholars.
 
Jehovah is nice. He's not mean, and He's definitely not a Pharisee. Or a scribe. He's a Dad. (Praise Jehovah!😄)

There are many options for building a chicken run. I used metal posts on mine, but here is a picture of different kinds of posts that someone else used on their chicken run.
 

 
I can't say which posts are better.
 
 
"You must stick to Jehovah your God."
 
I do the best I can.
 
(Joshua 23:8)
 
 
I can't write a symposium right now, I'm kinda tired, maybe later.
 
 
Oh, but it has everything to do with it, my dear. Some people on the thread seemed to be concerned that Jehovah won't hear somebody's prayer if they pronounce Jehovah's name the "wrong" way. This verse shows that it doesn't matter, as long as you are approaching Jehovah through Jesus with the right heart, Jehovah will hear you. That deaf man never heard "the so-called correct pronunciation of God's name" prior to being healed because that man was deaf. And yet he must have prayed many many times to be healed, and Jehovah heard and answered that prayer, even before the man heard out loud how Jesus uttered God's name in Hebrew or Greek or any other language.
 
 
What would you like me to start a thread about?
 
 
I know Jehovah as Jehovah, so that's what I call Him. He has answered my prayers when I call on Him by name. Before I knew Jehovah, I was an atheist. At one point I went through a particularly difficult trial, and I called on the names of many different gods that I had heard about or studied about - and not one of them did a thing. When I prayed to Jehovah through Jesus' name, Jehovah answered that prayer. I know Jehovah is the true God, and I know He answers prayers when I use His Name.
 
My point was that if someone deaf who never heard God's Name out loud can pray to the true God and have that prayer answered, then surely if someone calls Him Yahweh or Jehovah or YHWH or JH and they mean the God of the Bible who Created All Things, then that person can be confident that Jehovah's not going to be mad at them or call them an apostate because they mispronounced it according to some scholars.
 
Jehovah is nice. He's not mean, and He's definitely not a Pharisee. Or a scribe. He's a Dad. (Praise Jehovah!😄)

...Just goes to show you can't trust a computer to tell the truth...
 
Here is a poem by Eduard Einstein:
 
"Forebodings, how I’m dying lonely
Silently disappear
And in no bark
My existence is notched.
What I’ve sown
The winds have blown away.
What I’ve contained
Has already disappeared
The stem has washed away.
Forebodings, how I’m dying lonely
And how the shame,
My grip on myself,
Took everything from me."
 
(from website https://oddfeed.net/eduard-einstein/)
 
Modern technology and medical science failed him. Having Albert Einstein as a father didn't fix his problems. Jehovah will bring poor Eduard back and then he can write poetry without living under affliction. It sounds like the words of the psalmist would have resounded with him...
 
"O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, 
By day I cry out, 
And by night I come before you.  
Let my prayer come to you, 
Incline your ear to my cry for help.  
For my soul has been filled with calamity, 
And my life is on the brink of the Grave.  
I am already counted among those going down to the pit; 
I have become a helpless man, 
Left among the dead 
Like the slain lying in a grave, 
Whom you remember no longer 
And who have been separated from your care.  
You have put me in the lowest pit, 
In dark places, in a large abyss.  
Your rage weighs heavily on me, 
And you overwhelm me with your crashing waves. (Selah)  
You have driven my acquaintances far away from me; 
You have made me something detestable to them.  
I am trapped and cannot escape. 
My eye is worn out because of my affliction. 
I call on you, O Jehovah, all day long; 
To you I spread out my hands.  
Will you perform wonders for the dead? 
Can those powerless in death rise up to praise you? (Selah) 
Will your loyal love be declared in the grave, 
Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?  
Will your wonders be known in the darkness 
Or your righteousness in the land of oblivion?  
But I still cry to you for help, O Jehovah, 
Each morning my prayer comes before you.  
Why, O Jehovah, do you reject me? 
Why do you hide your face from me? 
From my youth on, I have been afflicted and ready to perish; 
I am numb from the terrible things you allow me to suffer.  
Your burning anger overwhelms me; 
Your terrors destroy me.  
They surround me like waters all day long; 
They close in on me from all sides.  
You have driven my friends and companions far away from me; 
Darkness has become my companion."
 
The psalmist didn't know that Jehovah hadn't left him. Obviously Jehovah heard the words of the psalmist and had them recorded in the Bible for our benefit. Jehovah was with the psalmist that whole time he was in the dark. When we are in the dark, we don't understand why things are happening. Things are dark sometimes, even for an extended time. Eventually the light comes. It always comes. It will come for Eduard when he wakes up, and then it will be only light forever. It will come for all of those in the dark who yearn for the light. It will be worth the wait. 
 
"...go ahead of Jehovah to prepare his ways,  to give knowledge of salvation to his people by forgiveness of their sins,  because of the tender compassion of our God. With this compassion a daybreak will visit us from on high,  to give light to those sitting in darkness and death’s shadow and to guide our feet in the way of peace.”
 
(Psalm 88:1-18; Luke 1:76-79)

What's the difference between a hypocritical jw and a hypocritical ex-jw?

"The heart knows its own bitterness, 
And no outsider can share in its joy."
 
(Proverbs 14:10)
 
"The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chal·ceʹdo·ny, the fourth emerald,  the fifth sar·donʹyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysʹo·lite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysʹo·prase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst."
 
(Revelation 21:19,20)
 
Jehovah has a way of making what some people consider "trash" into something beautiful.💖 We're all made of dust anyway...but with Jehovah's light even the lowliest piece of dust can sparkle...
 
"There is One who does not show partiality to princes
And who does not favor the rich over the poor,
For they are all the work of his hands."
 
(Job 34:19)

Sweet @boyle, I hope you have a good rest of your afternoon! I am going to enjoy the sunshine for awhile.
 
"Light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.  For if a man should live many years, let him enjoy them all."
 
I hope you can enjoy your day too, my brother🥰
 
(Ecclesiastes 11:8,9)

"There is an appointed time for everything..."
 
I have not been shy about my affection for you as for my brothers. Brotherly affection, however, is not always mutual. I cannot read hearts, only comments.
 
I think it's time for me to go for now.🙂
 
(Talk to you later, Jehovah willing...)💖
 
 
 

Jehovah cares even for those who have sown nothing. His mercy and undeserved kindness are higher than what we can imagine. Praise Jehovah.🙂
 
"Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are?"
 
(Matthew 6:26)
 
 
"I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous."
 
(Matthew 5:44,45)
 
(I liked the little animal video! The doggy was funny☺️)

I know I haven't been on this forum very long, but after looking at some of the older threads, I figured out, @boyle, that you are the "Resident Allen". 🙂

"There is an appointed time for everything..."
 
I have not been shy about my affection for you as for my brothers. Brotherly affection, however, is not always mutual. I cannot read hearts, only comments.
 
I think it's time for me to go for now.🙂
 
(Talk to you later, Jehovah willing...)💖
 
 
 

Jehovah cares even for those who have sown nothing. His mercy and undeserved kindness are higher than what we can imagine. Praise Jehovah.🙂
 
"Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are?"
 
(Matthew 6:26)
 
 
"I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous."
 
(Matthew 5:44,45)
 
(I liked the little animal video! The doggy was funny☺️)