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Brother, you write beautifully. Yes, our heart breaks for what you are going through, but it’s also a beautiful reminder of how loving our God is to us dust piles. One day soon , brother. One day soon…💐

Like other problems, it often comes down to whether it's a tool you can control. Some use it rather than theocratic publications, this is a poor option for personal study.

"Now it came to be the day when the sons of the [true] God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and even Satan proceeded to enter right among them." --- Job 1:6 "Afterward it came to be the day when the sons of the [true] God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and Satan also proceeded to enter right among them to take his station before Jehovah." --- Job 2:1 Two mentions of the sons of God taking their station before Jehovah when it came to be "the day," seems to indicate a specified day and perhaps an orderly routine for an appointed time to do so. Since we're talking about a short period of time between these two mentioned days in the testing of Job, it would indicate "the day" was part of a brief and specific measurement of time. Would that be one day in a week of seven days of 24 hours each, patterned after what was happening according to Jehovah's timetable here on earth?

Celebrate Jehovah's blessings. James 1:17 You have no obligation to tell us, but Celebrate! It is his gift. Whatever tomorrow brings, today's evidence of Jehovah's care is still one of his gifts. We can thank him for it without assuming we know what comes next

The only thing I know for sure is that she has some type of temporary housing and she was approved for universal credits. I didn't report that though to anyone here really because from what I'm hearing, it's only temporary and they could pull all of that away from her in an instant. I don't want to celebrate too early because they're raking her across the coals. A lot of it has to do with our house here, they're basically saying she is on the title so she is a homeowner therefore they have no duty to care for her. But a bigger part of it is the fact that they are simply making her wait wait as long as possible before they help.

Hi TIm, Good to hear from you. And we are all glad you are hanging in there. Has there been any news about your wife's situation?

This comment has nothing to do with AI and its use. It has to do with our current views and future possibilities. Many years ago, we were introduced to personal computers. One former Bethel brother wrote a program (can't remember the name, I think it was something like "Qsearch") that allowed us to have and use our scanned publications in an electronic/digital manner. So several of us bought the program and shared PDF copies of the publications and magazines. A few of us also shared scanned copies of the Watchtower Society's letters to the Elders. The organization did not have this available (they were working of the floppy-disk Folio version of the NWT Bible). Soon we had a directive telling all who had made or accepted PDF copies of the written letters to destroy them and not to make any more. Fast forward 30 years and here we are. Almost every correspondence is digital. All elders can save copies. Much of it is available in several formats (including PDF). What is the point? Today we are opinionated, even biased, for or against some relatively new digital solution. It may prove to be the next "JW Library" in our lives or it may fade with disuse. I will revisit this dichotomy with you in 10 years and see how it turns out. Perhaps it would be stretching a Bible quote to remember Gamaliel's words in Acts 5:38-39... "So under the present circumstances, I say to you, do not meddle with these men, but let them alone. For if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. Otherwise, you may even be found fighters against God himself.” So enjoy AI if you like and avoid it if you so desire but time will tell whether it advances the Kingdom interests.

Well, for those of us whose RC is still a month and a half away...we can use all the encouragement we can get...♥️

Likewise Tim, I appreciate what you explained. Makes sense and its beautiful. We are Beautiful Dust to Jehovah. Jehovah takes care of us and loves us despite that in reality we are all dust! Take care dear brother. You are not alone in this saga.

I understand. While checking out your question, I used Jesus's statement at Gethsemane, where he said, "I am he." None of those words are remarkable. The JW Library app updated a day or so ago. On my Windows computer, the search for the words...indescribable free gift...and the words...I am he... both worked with no quotation marks or notations of any kind. If you are using Windows, you might try again. I did not try it on my Apple devices.

I really appreciated this, Tim. It made me think of Psalm 113:7. You highlighted that dust was Jehovah's starting point. That scripture reminds me that even when someone feels they've ended up on the ash heap, Jehovah still reaches down and lifts them up. Thank you for giving me another way to think about those verses.

Latest forecast on Nino 3.4, a bit stronger than June’s forecast.

I know exactly how you feel. They become a member of your family, life and friend. They love you unconditionally. I just put my Bombay cat down this past October. He had cancer. I cried like a child. In fact, this is my second cat that was put down. Ironically, they were not mine. My youngest daughter keeps bringing cats she cannot take care of so.....mom always steps in to give a helping hand and, she leaves them with me. The first cat I had was a Calico, female cat. Had it for 18 years. The second one was a Bombay cat. She traveled the 50 states with this cat and finally it landed on my lap. Only 5 years I was privileged to have him. Advise, don't get another cat. It will die eventually. Get rid of all its furniture, toys, feeding dish etc. And, just mourn him. It should be over within a month or two. It hurts. Even now I still feel sad. But, the pain will ease. Sorry about your loss.

Apparently animals died in the Garden of Eden because Adam, Eve and Satan all understood the concept of death.

I, too, was merely commenting on what we did. Some time back, my daughter went to the dealership to see about getting a new car. At the time, she had a car that fit into the 'sporty car' category. She cleaned and vacuumed it before we went. The deal they offered, while good, was not what she expected when they allowed for her trade-in. She was about to walk out when the salesman tried one more thing. He took the manager of the dealership to see and ride in her car. When the manager saw the excellent condition her car was in, they raised their trade-in amount to a more realistic amount. She made the deal. It fit what you said, cleaning the car helped in that situation. Since we had gotten such a good deal, my wife wondered what kind of deal she could get. I called the same salesman, and we negotiated a deal via the phone and email. She had a car that had issues. I told the salesman what we had, and he offered a trade-in amount for well above what we could have gotten for the car if we had tried to sell it. We knew and they knew the trade-in was not worth the amount they were offering. My wife worried about the car and insisted on washing it and vacuuming it before we went to the dealer. She was afraid when they saw her car they would want to change the deal. When we got there, they had all the paperwork ready. We went straight to the salesman's desk, and he started with the paperwork she needed to sign. The price was as negotiated - nothing had changed. When we asked if they wanted to look at the trade-in he said they didn't need to - that the trade-in was going straight to the auction 'as-is'. In fact, they had already moved her tag to the new car. My wife still has that new car ... of course, it is no longer a new car, and it paid-off. The difference was, they wanted to sell my daughter's car for a good profit - which they did in less than two days and got way more than they allowed her. They knew they would not get the allowed amount for my wife's car and had made a deal accordingly ... so they didn't care if the car was clean or had gas. They absorbed the 'loss' since they had made two sales to the same family and made a cumulative profit they were happy with.

Does anyone know this month’s video code?

And yet, in Paradise we won't feel such deep, profound pain at losing a beloved pet in death. Right now, due to imperfection and the deplorable state the world is in, these losses are felt deep and strong.

The last time I addressed everyone on this forum, I said that I was broken. A little over 2 months have went by since that awful day...and I can now definitively declare that I am past being "broken"...I've been ground into dust. There are parts of me that will never be whole again in this system...because those parts simply no longer exist. I've been left sitting as a proverbial pile of dust...and no, I'm not feeling sorry for myself and I'm not being dramatic. I'm sharing this because after speaking with a trusted friend, an elder who has been with me through my years in prison to here and now today...I now am beginning to have a very different understanding of the word "dust"...and it has strengthened my faith immeasurably over the past few weeks. The scripture? Isaiah 57:15 "For this is what the High and Lofty One says, Who lives forever and whose name is holy: “I reside in the high and holy place, But also with those crushed and lowly in spirit, To revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of those being crushed." Dakah...crushed, pulverized, beaten down or ground down into dust! What a shocking word...what a visceral image that would have brought to mind for our ancient brothers and sisters. Total collapse... absolute vulnerability...sound familiar? It does to me...and that's why I'm formulating this post. These aren't just words on a page, not to me. This is weeks worth of shock, rage, humiliation, vulnerability, anger, hatred, sadness, fear and concern, loss of control...spilling out of a heart that has been crushed, pulverized , beaten and ground down...a heart reduced to dust. And yet...and yet, I'm still here. Emotional? Yes. At a loss for words sometimes? Definitely. Unable to move forward or backwards at times? Absolutely. Feeling tiny and vulnerable and sick to my stomach with worry and fear? Always. And yet...I'm STILL HERE! Why am I still here? Why haven't I blown away yet? Particles of me have scattered...individual dust motes of me have flitted away in the wind...I cannot retrieve them...and I cannot find the energy to chase them even if I could. So why am I still here? Dust...it's that simple. I'm dust, that's why I'm still here...here, let me explain. You see, I've always had a backwards understanding of dust, even though I've used it symbolically in my posts before, I never really stopped to take a good look at what it actually is...not to humans...but to Jehovah. Dust is not actually the end state of something...it's quite literally what Jehovah used to START human life. Dust scatters easily...and this isn't something I'm talking about from observation...it's something I've personally felt...something I've lived through...AM living through...currently. The wind comes along and WHOOSH!!...there it goes, up into the air...dancing around...lost and alone...helpless until the air settles down and it can land once again. I am dust...I've been picked up and moved along here and there...and yet...I'm still here...I haven't settled in some random place...I haven't been left to the mercy of chance or a good stuff breeze. Why?? Here's what the brother shared with me: My heart may be dust...but Jehovah's holy spirit is like that wind...it lifts up all those tiny fragments and gently carries it along with his chariot...protecting and shielding all the tiny bits of me that would otherwise be scattered and blown away. And JUST when I start to feel worthless...just when I start to feel like I should just give up and slip away, slip back into the darkness...Jehovah's glory lights up the tiny little specks that ARE me...and by that light...I start to glow and shine...just as real dust glows when hit by a sunbeam. So you see...I'm just dust...but that's okay, in fact it's the only reason I'm still here...because someone much much stronger and wiser than me...simply refuses to let me go.

Along those same lines, if anyone has a Toyota/Lexus, The Car Care Nut is the best YouTube channel to check out IMO. He worked as a master Toyota/Lexus diagnostic technician for 10 years or more and now operates an independent mechanic shop specializing in Toyota/Lexus repairs. He gives very good advice on how to take care of these cars and seems to value honesty. He also seems to do honest reviews of Toyota/Lexus vehicles.

Yes, me too. The dad is funny, and they make a good duo. Another good one is The Car Guy Chronicles With Zac. He's not humorous like they are, but he's been a finance manager for about 30 years and offers really good advice. If you’re talking about Scotty Kilmer, I like him too. His laugh and picture edits are hilarious.

All the dinosaurs died so that pretty much set a precedent that animals don't live forever Not to sound callous but I think pets will die in the new system also

I have been listening to him for years...and I like Scotty as well...very knowledgeable

do animals die in paradise?

I wasn't trying to contradict or one-up your comment, if that's what you were thinking. I was simply adding to or complementing it. You can email and text to inquire about a car without ever mentioning a trade-in, and bring your car in for them to appraise without ever bringing it up. That's what I did. I cleaned my car, filled up the tank and had screenshots of offers from Carmax and the Kelly Blue Book value.