GrumpysWife

I really like that app.

Maybe some of you will remember Chad Green. Back in the late 70's or early 80's, he got cancer and his parents decided to go for natural instead of the usual treatment for cancer. He was my cousins son. They took him to Mexico and he got treatments. The government then tried to take him away from his parents. There was a big uproar here in the US about it. His parents imported illegel Laetrile and had members of the family saving apricot pits for Chad. It was a terrible time for that dear little boy, and no matter what was done, in the end he died. Not a easy death. His parents thought they were doing the best for him.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that we all have the right to decide the method we want to improve our health, but we also need to investigate these choices so that they are informed choices. None of us should take it upon ourselves to try to convince another person that our view is better than theirs, in this respect. We just don't know.
My mother-in-law died a horrific death because she chose to treat herself with holistic medicines instead of the main stream drugs. She died of colon cancer. I took care of her during the last months of her life. What a waste. The doctor told me later that had she gone the usual method, she could have lived many more years. She was a wonderful mother-in-law and mother to me. The only real mother I ever knew because my own mother didn't really want me around. I miss her terribly, but she had the right to chose how she took care of her body. Personally I choose to go to the doctor and go along with his advice.

Castor Oil. It is so useful for so many things. I had a wart on my face just under my eye. I was afraid to have it taken off. I put castor oil on a piece of cotton and put it over the wart held down with a band-aid. I changed it once a day for a week. At the end of a week, it was gone. That was a year ago. It hasn't returned. So it works.
 
Read about it here:Castor Oil for beautiful skin and hair

I have been growing a beard for over 50 years..
 
But I shave it off several times a week 😁

Tony Stark is too fine, I must say. ❤️ I like goatees precisely BECAUSE they look a bit rakish and snazzy.   💋 The groovy thing about beards is that they can often be grown to suit all tastes and moods, personalities and facial structures. 
 
We just have to be careful not to attribute any badness to the choices others make about their dress and grooming. If something is "off", one of the brothers will have a quiet word.  We just need to worry about ourselves, right? 😉 
 

At the annual meeting, it looked like Brother Lett had skin cancer when I had an old workmate who had skin cancer and he looked this way with yellow skin and cuts on his forehead and hand he only lasted a year and a half before the skin cancer took his life.
 
Got to keep Brother Lett in my prayers 

He seems to be taking cortisone... But whatever it is is not my affair. I feel concerned about his welfare and all I can do is to pray.

I keep a clean, close shave at ALL times! 😉 

they have to shave. heard it from my elders

And what is Proper (which should be Proverbs) 18:17? Thanks for pointing this out, either the internet has gone strange, my eyes are getting worse, or this post was edited by someone else 😂
Most likely my eyes are getting worse!
 
As for the beard app thing, I'm aware of that, however when you know someone there who was actually present and saw him then you'll know this post has credibility, you'll thank me later. 
 

It is me indeed, and thank you Uani.

Wow the US brothers really thought that non moustache facial hair was a mark of the beast! Getting that worked up over a soul patch! Wow!

I just tweaked it to fit our beard story, but Ai did the bulk of it. 
 
PS. I forgot to include the theme:
 
"Holy Whiskers: Navigating the Fuzzy Rules of Faith and Fashion"

I had an experience months before this occasion. I was counseled in SMPW by a brother in oversight regarding my soul patch. I had this for over 25 years and it was always cut very short in a v shape. I have stood before many COs and I give convention and circuit parts and never had a problem. Weeks later I found out that our CO had an issue with it. I was upset at first, but I prayed to Jehovah and shaved it immediately. Fast forward, I have gone full beard! 
 
I am so glad I don't have to worry about this anymore!

Thank you for your kind words. Our troubles really began in 2003, Debbie broke her leg, had a heart attack and I was diagnosed with rapid cycling bi-polar. My physical problems did not manifest until 2013, shortly after our daughter died unexpectantly. Debbie and I have been married now for almost 24 years (second marriage for both of us.) Our marriage has been plagued with problems beyond our control. One CO told us he has seen couples divorce and leave the Truth over less problems than we have endured. My wife and I often discuss the vow we took to serve Jehovah and to be loyal and loving in our marriage. One brother referred to me as Job with all our troubles. The one constant thread has been Jehovah guiding us and taking care of us, especially at unexpected times. 

I love the poem. You look like a poet in your pic.  :-)

I loved the poem. Thank you very much! 

Brother Gregg, you are an example! His sense of humor is contagious and has always made me laugh, through many difficult times for me.
 
I didn't realize the struggle you and your wife have had over the years. Your trust in Jehovah and your spirituality demonstrated by your comments here have always been very encouraging to me.
 
Thank you for that joyful spirit and the spiritual person that you are. 

In days of old, within our sheepfold,
Where tales of faith and hope are told,
There stood an unwritten rule, quite bizarre,
Against beards, those symbols seen from afar.
 
"They're signs of rebellion," so the whispers went,
"Like sixties' hippies or bikers, hell-bent.
A beard on a face, oh what a strange sight,
In our halls of worship, it's not quite right."
 
But then, as dawn breaks after the night's gloom,
Comes a shift in thinking, like flowers in bloom.
"Beards, after all, are a personal choice,"
Said brother Lett, clear and poised.
 
"Remember Jesus, with his beard so grand,
And his apostles too, a bearded band.
Even CT Russell, in the early dawn's light,
Wore his beard with pride, in plain sight."
 
The lesson here, profound and yet so clear,
Is not about the hair on your face, my dear.
It's about modesty in style and taste 
Not strict rules about your face. 
 
In God's grand design, variety's a treasure,
Each unique trait, a gift without measure.
In a world of diversity, so broad and so wide,
Unity in spirit, not uniformity, is our guide.
 
In the tapestry of life, every thread plays its part,
It's the spiritual man that reflects the heart.
God's creation, a spectrum, vibrant and bold,
Teaches us unity, more precious than gold.
 
 
For Jehovah's people, let this be heard,
It's not about the growth on your face,
It’s about finding your place in the “race".
Let each one decide, with wisdom and discretion 
Whether to don a beard, or keep a smooth complexion. 
 😁
 
 
 
 
 

From 2014 after I had just had my second shoulder surgery. There is a lot of pain physically and emotionally behind my smile. I lost my income, our car was unable to be repaired due to no income. I had a small amount of money coming in which paid our rent and utilities. My wife and I were struggling. Even in tough times Debbie and I have found moments to smile. I was not physically going to the meetings, staying home and listening by the phone. I could barely move the first shoulder that was operated on, before the second was scheduled. Of course workman comp wants you back to work as soon as possible and does not personally care about you. 
 
The company I worked for had what was called "self-insured" which is different from workmans comp. The main difference? The ability to deny your claim, bury your complain with a plethora of lawyers the company would use. It took almost years of lawsuits, living with our daughter who was not a witness before my case was successfully settled.
 
My shoulder surgeries may have repaired the damage but the pain has never gone away. There is undiagnosed nerve damage too. My point? I could not shave and grew a beard and kept it for awhile. I was still studying, preparing for the meetings, doing letter writing. The only thing missing was in person meeting attendance. We had no car or vehicle to get there and Debbie was able to go when sisters would pick her up from time to time.
 
The one thing I kept during these troubled times was my sense of humor. In this photo we were taking the bus home from a doctor appointment and had about an hour to wait. There was a Burger King so we went in for iced coffee. I was in pain but still found the need to make my wife laugh. Hard to believe this was 10 years ago now. My life and my face have come full circle!

I think it will likely be fine, so long as it looks good.  So many things are going to be largely determined by how well you can pull it off.  If it looks all patchy and bad, I imagine it will be unacceptable.  Just have to see how it goes!

Ah, but see, that wasn't me. If you look back in those previous posts I linked to, I said I had no problem with the expectation that appointed men be clean shaven. 
 
Remember, there never was a "no beard" rule for everyday publishers, but it was taboo. We've had bearded publishers on the school and out in the ministry in my area for years and years, though they sometimes had to deal with snide comments from friends who had strong feelings. Brother Lett mentioned people with such feelings, and how they should listen to Jesus when he said "stop judging by the outward appearance". And with that, the taboo has been lifted.
 
 
Well stated 😉

Last month was an overwhelming conversation about counting time and "check boxes".  Then we had a sample talk series (symposium) by GB members, from the AM.  Everyone was excited about changes.
 
A few weeks later we get this update on beards.  More excitement and conversation.  We get a special letter reminding us about unity and obedience.
 
Now, in two weeks we will get the rest of the Annual Meeting.  It is even more in-depth and clarifying.  I am sure we will put beards aside for the moment (like "check-boxes") and delve into the new adjustment.  Some will say, "I told you so" and others will have disappointments just like the last few clarifications.
 
We must remember that our reactions should represent the unity and obedience, loyalty and submission required of faithful servants.  We will continue to progress according to the will of God and Christ.  We will not be ahead of the chariot nor will we lag behind.

Castor Oil. It is so useful for so many things. I had a wart on my face just under my eye. I was afraid to have it taken off. I put castor oil on a piece of cotton and put it over the wart held down with a band-aid. I changed it once a day for a week. At the end of a week, it was gone. That was a year ago. It hasn't returned. So it works.
 
Read about it here:Castor Oil for beautiful skin and hair

Castor Oil. It is so useful for so many things. I had a wart on my face just under my eye. I was afraid to have it taken off. I put castor oil on a piece of cotton and put it over the wart held down with a band-aid. I changed it once a day for a week. At the end of a week, it was gone. That was a year ago. It hasn't returned. So it works.
 
Read about it here:Castor Oil for beautiful skin and hair