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Patterson is my favourite. If I could only do two it would be Warwick and Patterson. But highly recommend do all three (but not in one day! Never heard of anyone doing that) If you can only do one this year, you can always make a goal to do another in a future trip.

“Become full-grown in your understanding.”—1 Corinthians 14:20 There are some things we understand with our mind long before we ever understand them with our heart. We can repeat the words. We can explain the teaching. But the meaning stays just out of reach—until life places us inside the experience. That is what happened to me the day my son was born. He is my firstborn. Thirty-five years and a week ago, on December 21, I became a father. Leading up to that moment, I had feelings that confused me. I talked to him. I listened to him. I felt him kick. I knew he was real. But I could not honestly say that I loved him yet. I hadn’t met him. I hadn’t carried him. And that troubled me, because I thought I should feel something more. Then he was born. The moment I saw him—that moment—I fell in love. It wasn’t gradual. It wasn’t learned. It arrived whole, complete, undeniable. I did not decide to love him. I simply did. And in that same instant, something else happened. I finally understood what Jehovah gave. I had always known why Jehovah gave his Son. I could explain the ransom. I could quote the scriptures. But standing there as a father, holding my own child, the reality of the sacrifice opened in a way it never had before. There is not a thing, not a person, not a cause—nothing—for which I would give up my son. And yet Jehovah did exactly that. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son.”—John 3:16 That day, I did not learn something new. I became someone new. I had to be full-grown to understand it. I had to be a father to comprehend it. Only then could I feel—deeply and personally—the measure of Jehovah’s love. That understanding was not painful. It was beautiful. And it changed the way I have loved ever since.

Books are usually better than the television show/movie with a few exceptions (Jurassic Park, for example).

On paper. I've done all 3. Twice. At best you can do Patterson and Walkill in 1 day. If you do this, you will rush yourself and cheat yourself out of a wonderful experience. Warwick itself will take half a day. Really, each one takes about half a day. You also need to eat. And drive. And tours start at specific times. I recommend doing 1 a day. Stay somewhere centrally located, like Newburg to make the daily drive easier. The last time we stayed in Fishkill and drove from there. If you know anyone there, look them up. If they can, maybe they can be your tour guide. Sometimes they take you to areas not on the tour. Definitely see if they can get you lunch with the Bethel family. If you are familiar with the Angry Orchard hard cider drink, it's home is a few minutes from Patterson. It's a nice stop.

Yes, the show was good - but in my opinion books are better. 😊

My friend Cristina was telling me about this show, and said it was pretty good.

Jehovah is happy when we take our first steps as followers of Jesus. But He does not want us to remain spiritual toddlers forever. Jehovah does not look at us and say, “Oh good, they’re still crawling.” 😉 Instead, he invites us to grow up spiritually.

One of the easier hikes in White County, Georgia, is Dukes Creek Falls, which stands at the site where gold was first found in 1828. Dukes Creek is about 8 miles long and empties into the Chattahoochee river. In case you have a bad knee like me, know that there are stairs at the top and bottom of the trail near the observation point. The trail itself is about 1.1 miles down and back up again, partially paved, and a lot of fun. Dogs are welcome as long as they’re leashed. The top of the trailhead has a gorgeous view of Mount Yonah. This is where you’ll park and hit the trail. Restrooms are also available. (Yonah is also a great hike but more challenging) There is an ADA accessible platform at 0.1 mile on the trail, and this is where the pavement ends. The hike drops in elevation (the stairs) and there is a trail junction at 0.3 mile. Kids and dogs might want to take a right turn at this junction and head over to Davis Creek, where water flows over mossy boulders. The main trail can get muddy at times, and swings a hard left at the intersection, hiking southwest and descending into the creek valley. The sounds of the waterfall can be heard at various points along the trail. My friend Kate and I brought our dogs, Georgia and Emma, and they didn’t have too much of a problem with the trail with the exception of the stairs; Emma doesn’t like those. The trail reaches the Falls viewing platforms at 1 mile, with amazing views of the 150-foot tall falls. The trail is only about 20 minutes north of the tourist town of Helen, GA, famous for its Alpine looks and Oktoberfest. Anna Ruby Falls and Unicoi State Park are also nearby.

Currently reading: Silo by Hugh Howey. (Series - I have 3 books) Silo Series Boxed Set Wool, Shift, Dust, and Silo Stories By: Hugh Howey Humanity clings to survival in the Silo, a subterranean city extending one hundred forty-four stories beneath the surface. The series initially follows the character of Holston, the sheriff of the Silo, with subsequent volumes focusing on the characters of Juliette, Jahns, and Marnes. An ongoing storyline of the series is the focus on the mystery behind the Silo and the secrets it holds.

This is on the news: Ukrainian and European officials have rejected Moscow's claims that Ukraine targeted a personal residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone attack this week, an incident that threatens to disrupt U.S.-led peace negotiations heading into the new year. U.S. national security officials have found Ukraine did not target Putin or one of his residences in a drone strike, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The paper reported the conclusion was supported by a CIA assessment that found no attempt to target Putin or one of his residences. A CIA spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. U.S. President Donald Trump initially expressed sympathy for the Russian charge, telling reporters on Monday that Putin had informed him of the alleged incident and that he was "very angry" about it. By Wednesday, he appeared more skeptical, sharing on social media a New York Post editorial accusing Russia of blocking peace in Ukraine. UKRAINE ALLEGES RUSSIA TRYING TO SABOTAGE AGREEMENTS https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/ukraine-crisis-russia-drones-2025-12-2/

No Putin always tells the truth

Thursday, January 1 Become full-grown in your understanding.—1 Cor. 14:20. Few events bring more joy to a married couple than the birth of a healthy baby. Yet, even though parents love their precious newborn, they do not want him to remain an infant permanently. In fact, they would be seriously concerned if he did not grow. Similarly, Jehovah is happy when we take our first steps as followers of Jesus, but He does not want us to remain spiritual toddlers. (1 Cor. 3:1) Instead, he asks us to “become full-grown” Christians. In the Bible, the Greek word translated “full-grown” can also mean “mature,” “perfect,” and “complete.” (1 Cor. 2:6) We become full-grown, or mature, as Christians when we grow out of spiritual infancy and become spiritual men or women. Of course, even when we have reached that goal, we should never stop advancing spiritually.—1 Tim. 4:15. w24.04 2 ¶1, 3

The short answer is: The number is regular pioneers. The long answer is: It's a 'catch' question 🤔 🤣 Auxiliary Pioneers where actually doing the current Regular Pioneer requirement of 50 hours-a-month up until April 2023, with the exception of a reduction for selected months (CO Visits and special campaigns etc) The real question to ask was: If more people pioneered on a lower hour requirement, will it equal the same, less or more hours overall? (question submitted by @Luisabola ) See: https://jwtalk.net/topic/53994-2023-governing-body-update-1/page/4/#comment-911749 Of course with the 'tick box' reporting for publishers nowadays, you can't do the same analysis, which is probaby just as well - we want to be people-focused, rather than hour-focused And for context: Regular Pioneers: 1,800 hours-per-year - up to early 1950s?? 1,200 hours-per-year - up to 1976 Service Year 1,000 hours-per-year - from 1977 Service Year 840 hours-per-year - from January 1999 600 hours-per-year - from March 2023 Vacation/Auxiliary Pioneers: 100 hours-per-month OR 75 hours-a-fortnight - up to 1976 Service Year 60 hours-per-month - from 1977 Service Year 50 hours-per-month - from January 1999 30 hours-for-March - from March 2012 30 hour option then expanded to include CO Visits 30 hours-per-month - from March 2023 15 hour option for CO/Memorial - from March 2023

And all the more sobering when we look just one year further back, to the 2023 service year..... the number of baptisms though, especially considering the drop in publishers due to the situation....

JW Library Sign Language® App Discontinued The JW Library Sign Language app has been discontinued and will be removed from the app stores. All sign-language content is now available in the JW Library app, which contains improved features for sign languages. Further enhancements will be added in the future. Read the announcement here.

I'll chime in. I don't understand cricket or baseball. I do love NFL football. My team is the Miami Dolphins.

I finished this a few weeks ago, loved it. Just finished John Grisham's "The Reckoning." It's about a man who murders a small town pastor seemingly for no good reason, but the book delves into his military service during WWII. Be forewarned, the Bataan Death March and other atrocities are discussed at length. Not Grisham's best, but a solid book. Currently reading "Tomlinson's Wake" by Randy Wayne White.

Today I am grateful for 1) Cold, crisp weather (-20°C), clear sky (the sun is currently under the horizon, but it is a soft blue sky) 2) Point no. 1 gave me an excuse to put a log in the fire, which is my favourite cosy in the winter time ❤️ My oven isn't quite so stylish, but it has a window, and is soooo relaxing to gaze into ❤️ Winter sure can be paradise. I even shoveled some snow, to get to the wood

I love vegans because they leave more meat for the rest of us.

Well due to various health issues I started a vegan lifestyle last week. (The food only,still wearing leather and animal products.) I love lentils which is helpful! No eggs and no dairy is hard but I am getting used to it. Anyone else on this path? 🤗

It sure is a lot of rocks they are digging up while excavating ... glad they can crush and reuse them.

I've not heard the term "ball and chain" used outside of dated comedy shows, but it persists as a metaphor for how men are "chained" to a woman in marriage. I guess it persists because women (wives) become the most visible reminder of responsibility. Men who refer to their wives this way aren't showing them love or respect, and seem to be resentful of having to behave like a grown up. They might complain about having to do household chores ("women's work") but there's a better word for that: adulting. I also think this terminology persists because many people get married because they think they're supposed to, and not because they actually like the person they're marrying enough to live in the same house for 80 years.

All my territories designated as Letter Writing have that same mark. I notice that it is written over the latitude/longitude fields, so maybe that is the intent: to alert the user why geolocation data is missing. Obviously not needed for mailing a letter.

4 - unless you like eating them raw .... OR you fry them still in the shell??? Options - you know.

You can do all 3 in a day, assuming you mean Patterson, Wallkill and Warwick. They form a triangle that is about an hour drive between each -> Here is a link to the tour information - Bethel Tours: Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Offices in the United States of America