Leaderboard

Jenny, everything is pointing to the GT and the end of this system of things. Will it get better? Not until we get into the NW. The Great Tribulation is still ahead of us and closing in. Do not be overly consumed with the news. Stay focused on your ministry and the Kingdom. Do not lose your grip. Remember when Jesus walked on water in a storm? Peter saw him and asked him to command him to walk on water too. Jesus did but, Peter started to look at the storm and took his focus off Jesus. What happened? He began to sink. He cried out to Jesus for help and Jesus said...."oh you with little faith, why did you gave way to doubt"? He took his eyes off Jesus and started to look at the storm. Let's not focus on the storm around us but, on the Kingdom. Jehovah has all things in control.

I have always thought this. Unfortunately I live in a very small seniors unit--total 550 sq ft with my two small companions. I have started prepping on a small scale but I have NO room to store. I go between buying some things I think will be necessary in order to share with friends. Then I think as I step over and move things around why am I doing this? Don't I believe Jehovah will provide for his people and recall the manna miraculously provided. Then I think well, we have been cautioned to have a few things ready because wouldn't we be short sighted not too? You can see this weighs terribly on my mind. I have no water saved. I live in a senior complex of 80 individual units and there are 9 of us that are witnesses. All the rest of witnesses here are in my neighboring shared hall. I think this will be my basement buddy scenerio. I have all ready shared special meals with them and am disappointed because no one has ever come by to see me. But I will be ready to share. I bought a sterno stove and 12 cans of sterno that will last 6 hrs each. I have life water straws and a hand crank radio, a solar phone and iPad charger . A back pack full of whatever came in it. I don't want to open it because I fear I won't get everything back inside. I am thinking about buying a bed tent. Google them. I lived in an RV which was very nice-FP, dishwasher , washer)dryer, etc for two years after Rick died. There was a whole winter I wish I knew about a bed tent. Propane does not last long, then everything would freeze. My hair on top of my head froze to the wall one night. Decided that would be the last winter I would stay in an RV. Not to mention living in tornado alley. I figure if I have no electric due to any number of possible reasons the tent on my comfy bed would hopefully allow my two furries and I an enclosed small shelter out of the weather and maybe we could possibly provide enough body heat to stay warm. Poppy is only three pounds so it is unlikely he will be much help but GOSH IS HE ADORABLE! MAGGIE MAE my 10 pound Boston Terrier well it just goes without saying. She is a snugglers delight . There are so many old hippies here I guess I could always open windows and breathe in the weed fortified air if I get to down and depressed. It's really eye opening to see three old codgers sitting around in camp chairs passing a joint around, they are honestly 12 feet from my kitchen window. I never imagined a senior complex looking like this! I have never smoked dope (except for two occasions when I was in my 30s) but I might be forced into changing that. If you ever want to check on me and I'm talking out if my mind just blame it on my neighbors.

In the meantime China reduces oil usage while caring for over billion people. All I Can say humans aren’t designed to rule over themselves and when they try we all suffer.

Revelation 6:6 I heard what sounded like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say: “A quart of wheat for a de·narʹi·us and three quarts of barley for a de·narʹi·us; and do not harm the gasoline and the diesel.”

Dear brothers and sisters, isn’t it amazing how quickly we can sometimes come up with an excuse when we don’t really want to do something? “Now isn’t really the right time.” “I can’t do it.” “Maybe someone else would be better suited for this.” And sometimes we tell ourselves these things so often that eventually, we actually start believing them. But you know what? We’re not the only ones who have done that. Even faithful servants of Jehovah sometimes tried to find reasons to avoid doing what Jehovah asked them to do. Think about Moses. Jehovah gave him a big assignment. Moses was supposed to go to the Israelites and to Pharaoh. But Moses had one objection after another. “Who am I?” “What should I tell them?” “What if they don’t believe me?” And finally he said: “Please, Jehovah, send someone else.” Moses was afraid. And yet Jehovah did not give up on him. Jehovah helped him step by step. I find that very touching. Because perhaps we know that feeling too. Deep down, we know what Jehovah wants from us — but immediately a little “but” comes into our mind. “But I’m not strong enough.” “But I’m afraid.” “But this is really difficult for me.” And perhaps Jehovah doesn’t say: “Why are you so weak?” Maybe, instead, he is saying: “I am with you. Trust me.” Jonah also did not want to listen to Jehovah at first. Jehovah gave him a clear assignment — and Jonah went in the opposite direction. But Jehovah did not give up on Jonah. He helped Jonah correct his attitude. And eventually, Jonah went. That teaches us something very beautiful: Jehovah does not expect us never to be afraid. But he does want us to be willing to listen to him and to allow ourselves to change. Because sometimes, that is actually our problem with God’s Word. We read something — and immediately we know: “That applies to me.” And then our mind starts working. We start looking for an explanation. For a “but.” For a reason why, in our particular situation, it might be different. Imagine going to the doctor. The doctor examines a patient and honestly tells him: “If you want to stay healthy, you need to make some changes.” The patient may know perfectly well that the doctor is right. But on the way home he starts thinking: “It’s really not that serious.” “Other people do it too.” “I’ll start next week.” The doctor has spoken. The patient understood what he said. But understanding something by itself doesn’t change anything. Something only changes when we actually do something about it. And it’s similar with Jehovah’s Word. The Bible doesn’t just tell us what is right. Sometimes, in a very loving way, it also shows us: “This is something you need to change in yourself.” If someone has been stealing, the Bible says: “Let the one who steals steal no more.” If someone has a habit of lying, he can’t simply say: “It was only a little white lie.” And when we realize that an attitude doesn’t please Jehovah, it’s not enough to say: “I know.” At some point, we need to say: “Then I want to change.” And that is where we show how seriously we take Jehovah’s voice. At 2 Corinthians 4:12, Jehovah said to Moses: “And now go, I will be with you and teach you what you should say.” What loving words! Jehovah didn’t say: “Moses, you have to handle this all by yourself.” He said: “I will be with you.” Maybe we need that reassurance too. Perhaps we already know what the next step is that we should take. Maybe we have been putting it off for quite some time. So perhaps today we could honestly ask ourselves: “Do I really have a problem understanding Jehovah’s voice — or is my real problem doing what I already understand?” That is a very personal question. But it can draw us closer to Jehovah. Because Jehovah isn’t looking for perfect people. He is looking for people who are willing to listen to him. Maybe you have made excuses before. Maybe you have been like Moses. Maybe even like Jonah. But Jehovah has not given up on you. And so today we can say to him: “Jehovah, I understand. Please help me to act on it.” Because sometimes we don’t need another explanation. We don’t need another excuse. We simply need the courage to listen to Jehovah’s voice and take the next step. And when we do, we will experience something wonderful: Jehovah doesn’t expect us to make the whole journey on our own. He simply wants us to trust him and begin following him.

I was gathering my things after the meeting last week when a brother, we'll call him Brother "Halvorsen", approached me. He moved slowly, the way he always does now, but his eyes were still bright and warm. After asking me if I had a moment to chat, he told me he wanted to show me something and pulled his phone out of his pocket and started squinting at the screen. Finally locating what he was after, he opened his photos and began scrolling through picture after picture of him and his wife from decades ago. Moving closer, I began to watch as his screen filled with black and white photos...pictures of him and his wife when they were young, vibrant, full of energy. In one photo they were standing beside a literature cart downtown, smiling like they had just discovered the truth. In another they were hiking a trail I recognized from our local area. In yet another they were sitting at a table with a group of young ones they used to study with. His wife had passed away years ago, but he spoke about her as if she had only stepped out of the room for a moment...as if she would come join him at any second, taking his arm and moving close against him. Minutes felt like seconds as he recounted story after story...telling me how MUCH he looked forward to seeing her again in the new system. But then, in the midst of his reminiscing, he said something that surprised me...although I don't really know why. He said he appreciated what Jehovah still allowed him to do NOW, even if it was nowhere near what he used to be able to do. He talked about how he tries to greet every single new person after the meeting, how he makes it a point to compliment the young brothers and sisters who give talks and other various parts, how he checks in on sisters who sit alone. He said all of this with not a single bit of pride in his voice...just a quiet gratitude that Jehovah still lets him contribute SOMETHING...that Jehovah still finds him useful. Suddenly I decided to ask him a question, a question that came out of nowhere...but a question that I suddenly found NEEDED an answer: I asked him HOW he keeps going? I didn’t mean it unkindly. But he is in the beginning stages of losing his eyesight. His hearing is fading. His joints hurt so badly that he sometimes winces when he stands. And yet he still moves through the hall with purpose, as if he has a mission. All of a sudden he got this mischievous little grin on his face and patted me on the shoulder. Then he told me that, since he knew I loved Jehovah and that I particularly love researching the deeper things of Jehovah, he was absolutely certain that I wouldn't take any offense at his next words. “Tim, go look up Genesis 48:17–19, and 1 Kings 1:1–40. Check them out, sit with them for a while and I PROMISE you that you'll find the answer to that question!" While I was in the midst of reeling from that answer along with hurriedly trying to type those two accounts into my phone's notebook application....this dear brother looked back down at his phone screen and his eyes locked onto a picture of him and his wife standing in service, both of them young and strong, vibrant and healthy...and suddenly he said very quietly, very heavily, “That used to be me.” I went home that night and opened both accounts. I read them once, then again, and then yet again. Genesis 48:17-19: "When Joseph saw that his father kept his right hand placed on Eʹphra·im’s head, it was displeasing to him, so he tried to take hold of his father’s hand to move it from Eʹphra·im’s head to Ma·nasʹseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father: “Not so, my father, because this is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father kept refusing and said: “I know it, my son, I know it. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will become greater than he will, and his offspring will become the full equivalent of nations I didn’t see it." (I'm not going to post the whole chapter of 1 Kings 1:1-40 here, but I can promise you that it is an incredible read!) I read the footnotes. I checked the Research Guide. I looked up every cross-reference. I read the Watchtower articles connected to both accounts...but I still didn’t see it. For days I kept going back to them, trying to understand what he was pointing me toward. (I mean I had POSSIBLE answers, but all of them felt too trite, too simplistic to be what he was getting at...so I kept digging.) I read about Jacob...old, blind, frail...leaning on his staff. I read about Joseph trying to correct him, assuming Jacob’s age had confused him. I read about Jacob crossing his hands intentionally, choosing the younger son over the older. I noticed the Hebrew word used for Jacob’s “insight,” the one that means to perceive deeply even when the eyes cannot see. And then I read about David...old, cold, unable to stay warm, lying in bed while the nation moved on without him. I read about Adonijah rising up, gathering support, acting like David was finished. I read about how Jehovah still used DAVID...not Nathan, not Zadok, not Bathsheba...to make one of the most sacred decisions in Israel’s history. But I still didn’t understand what tied these two accounts together. They were powerful, but I simply couldn't see the thread. Then one evening, while reading through several articles about how Jehovah views his servants...articles about loyalty, endurance, and the way Jehovah measures faithfulness...something finally clicked. I guess it wasn't a single sentence in one article that finally clicked. It was a theme that kept appearing in different ways, in different contexts, almost like Jehovah was whispering it directly into my ears through the pages. The thought crystallized so clearly that I had to stop reading and just sit with it for a moment. Jehovah has never chosen or kept someone because they were the most capable. He has always stayed close to those who are faithful. Suddenly both accounts opened up in a very unexpected way, and that is what caused me to write this post. Jacob wasn’t chosen because he was strong, sharp, or capable. He was chosen because he was FAITHFUL, and Jehovah gave him insight that Joseph's youth could not produce. Joseph saw an old man who couldn’t see. Jehovah saw a servant who possessed wisdom shaped by decades of faithful service that could see something clearly which youth could not. And David... David wasn't used because he was powerful, energetic, or capable. He was used because he was FAITHFUL, and Jehovah saved a sacred assignment for a moment when everyone else thought he was finished. The nation saw an old man who couldn’t stay warm. But Jehovah saw the only man he trusted to make a decision that would shape Israel’s future. And THEN I understood Brother "Halvorsen's" point. It may be true that he isn’t able to do what he used to do. He isn’t strong. He isn’t healthy. He isn’t capable in the way he once was. But he IS very very faithful. And Jehovah is STILL providing him with a deliberate purpose...a purpose that younger ones might overlook, but one that Jehovah specifically does not. And then something hit me so hard that it made me sit back in my chair and breathe for a moment, something I don't think even he realized...(and I know he didn't because after I was through with my study I called him up and told him...and he said he had never looked at it that way): This brother wasn't showing me pictures of who he used to be...he was actually showing me PROOF that Jehovah still sees who he is NOW.

Every time I see gas prices go up on my way to work I think about the GT starting. If I worry about the prices now, how much will I worry about the future TRIBULATIONS we are promised to be GREAT? But we don't know what state the world will be in when the GT breaks out: -It could be record low gas prices and hope filling the air as the Nations give their power to the UN - then it goes really bad. -It could get worse until the Nations give their power to the UN, followed by a brief period of hope and relief until the GT goes into full swing -It could go better and worse, like it has since Eve ate the fruit, until the Nations decide to give their power to the UN. We don't know, but it seems wise to practice living simply and prayerfully while we wait because at some point it will get all the way to Armageddon. Instead of thinking about how stressful it might be, ask yourself if you are prepared. I've run through the scenarios I have seen in our publications, including losing my job, surviving with no income, being hated by co-workers, going to prison, preaching a difficult message etc. I feel confident that my strength will come from Jehovah - and so will yours.

A brother mentioned during the Watchtower study: ‘People are worried about modern technology but If the Israelites can beat Ai then so can we!’ 🤦‍♂️

And do not harm the chocolate too.

Skyrocketing fuel prices spark protests around the globe https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/15/world/fuel-prices-protests-iran-war-intl

In my city alone, there are already 18 suicides deaths mostly men since January 2026. People are getting hopeless.

Absolutely!! I had just never thought of Jehovah kind of looking over our shoulders so to speak as we looked at his photos, it kind of hit me that, to Jehovah, he still sees this dear brother for what he is, which is extremely faithful. I guess what I was getting at is that sometimes it's easy for a person to see what they used to do and feel bad that they can no longer handle all of that weight or responsibility. But to Jehovah, it's like he still sees that dear brother as being just as faithful now as he was then, even though his activity has lessened greatly. I know that's not a new thought, but it was just very encouraging for me because of what what I'm going through as well.

i've gone back to that. granted i grew up in the 80s but gardening, being sustainable, food preservation (canning, salt, and sugar or fermentation), making food from scratch (mayo- eggs and oil), and more came back to me during the pandemic. I've learned how to forge for food locally, alliums like garlic and onions or oregano and thyme for carvacrol and thymol to help for sickness and colds. any alcohol or fermented tea i make, saving some to make vinegar for basic household cleaners and more. what i love is being in a mature cong. where most of the friends are 55+. so i feel like collectively, aside from meat. we could survive quite well based on all of our skill.

Had an amazing 10 days in Belfast! Hundreds of Bible studies started just in the 1st week 727edd9839ed48678d2a2ca933180a56.mov

Wednesday, September 16 Shepherd the flock of God under your care, serving as overseers.—1 Pet. 5:2. Elders today are busy men. They are evangelizers. (2 Tim. 4:5) They take a zealous lead in the field ministry, organize the preaching work in the local territory, and train us to preach and teach effectively. They also serve as merciful, impartial judges. When a Christian commits a serious sin, elders strive to help him repair his friendship with Jehovah. At the same time, they are careful to keep the congregation clean. (1 Cor. 5:12, 13; Gal. 6:1) Primarily, elders are known as shepherds. (1 Pet. 5:1-3) They deliver well-prepared Scriptural talks, endeavor to get to know everyone in the congregation, and make shepherding calls. Some elders also assist with Kingdom Hall construction and maintenance, convention organization, and the work of Hospital Liaison Committees and Patient Visitation Groups, in addition to other assignments. Elders work hard for us! w24.10 20 ¶9

I was in the hospital when I was born, I don't remember being there but I saw the paperwork. Other than that, I remember the Kennedy assassination, moon landing and a lot of the events you listed. I'd love to meet anyone here that was around when Lincoln was assassinated

I think the underlying problem is just consuming too much media, to be honest. It just goes to show how strong the influence of media can be on us.

I wanted to experience serving Jehovah free from financial worries. I'm not talking about high food or fuel costs. I'm talking about having bills to pay, not expecting to earn enough, having to decide what you'll have to cut to pay the rest. Reaching the end of the month with no money left over for anything. Not being able to go to the grocery store to buy everything you need. Depending on transportation and not having it. Along with financial problems come anxiety, stress, fatigue, and discouragement. Never give up! As the song says in Portuguese: "I am persevering, without fear of fighting, with Him supporting me, I know that nothing will defeat me!"

When I was younger (1950s) I was nearly obsessive about keeping up with what each new model looked like every year, and could tell most car makes and year from just viewing a small part. In the 1960s I discovered Sport Cars and European Formula 1 racing. I bought every issue of every magazine. That lasted until my "hero of the time" Jimmy Clark (drove for Lotus) was killed. Then, in my "second childhood" I bought a Datsun 280Z. That lasted until my son turned 16 and I had to add him to listed drivers. My insurance agent called me as said: "Jim, do you realize with your 16 year old son on the same policy as your 280Z you are paying the same amount for insurance as if you had a Ferrari?" We deeded an older car to my son, and made him buy his own insurance. The 280Z has been gone for many years. The car I have now is almost 26 years old (according to the information plate on the door jamb it was built Oct 10, 2000. It has 149,000 miles on it. But, it has some very endearing virtues: (1) no car payment, (2) every time I get in, it will start up and run, and (3) it runs, drives, and rides, smoother (still at the age it is) than any other car I have had. At age 82, I do not plan on getting a another car. If I do not have monthly car payments, the price of gasoline become less important. Also, at 82, I do not "just run around" like 60 years ago. I put less than 3,000 miles a year on it now. Thanks, Jim

Sorry, Leslie—your writing is so vivid that it really made me laugh.Thank you😘

@Dolce vitaThis was interesting. I didn't know there was a website dedicated to this Glacier https://thwaitesglacier.org/ Thank you @Lewis for bringing this to our attention. One more reason why we know we are so close to the end of this system.

Something big just happened in Thwaites, a large section of the ice shelf is on the move.

Thursday, September 17 Just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.—1 Cor. 15:22. In the Bible, the word “redemption” refers to the releasing, or acquittal, that results because of the payment of the ransom. The apostle Peter expressed it this way: “You know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free [lit., “you were ransomed; you were redeemed”] from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, that of Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:18, 19; ftn.) Because of the ransom sacrifice, we can be set free from the oppressive rule of sin and death. (Rom. 5:21) Certainly, we have good reason to feel deeply indebted to Jehovah and Jesus for the redemption that comes from the precious blood, or life, of Jesus. w25.02 5 ¶15-16

This is first time ever to have my utilities canceled. House insurance yesterday, TV from Spectrum this morning (was robbed by son.) I expect internet and phone to be gone by today. Duh, and I had a study scheduled for this evening. Here is my mailing address: Pauline W. 9 Rear Chapel St. Ellenville NY 12428 Will log on when I get near someone who is connected. from ys, Sorry for OT

Gas is 5.89 a gal, the cheapest. Diesel, over $6. I think we will be forced to simplify, which has been something the society has already suggested. If we are not frivolous with our money, putting things in the right perspective, Jehovah will take care of us. He knows we need gas to get to the hall and go out in the ministry. This is an integral part of our worship. We need to take care of business, but not ourselves sick over this nonsense. Jehovah will take care of us. That’s a fact. I have a 22 Subaru Outback with less than 37,000 miles on it. My husband has been pushing for me to get another rig. I’ve hesitated because I really enjoy that Subaru. But, we make electricity, and sell it back to PG&E. So a hybrid is starting to look pretty attractive. I’m letting him handle it. He knows what I need and he knows what he wants. But I suspect we won’t be getting another vehicle with all the bells and whistles.

I have a tv that is not "smart", it's about 20 years old. I just hooked an android box to it and can have the real JW Library app on it. Easy Peasy. You can do it with any tv.

While I see what you both are saying and I can agree, I also have to admit it's Jehovah's one thought. I have no idea how that idea will be implemented. I've grown to be open to something unimaginable.

Interesting. So an AI company "randomly" has an ex-employee saying their product is dangerous [ie super powerful] and the company says that the best solution is for the government to create a monopoly that gives primary power to that company. 🧐 Is it a whistleblower trying to take them down or is it a well-planned marketing strategy designed to benefit said company over their competition? You decide. All I know is there was a documentary about Blood Diamonds that talked about the brutal treatment of Africans and the diamond business boomed because women came to the conclusion that diamonds must be very valuable if they are willing to mistreat people for them. Could the same be true by calling AI powerful? Possibly. In other news, it would be interesting if the "dangers of AI" were the excuse the Nations used to give power to the UN because they "need to be united to face this global threat".

I got a special invitation to . . . a regular Convention in Montreal!

Are churches being killed? I feel like I have seen a lot more religious fervor in recent years. On social media I follow people for fashion, sourdough etc. A lot of the more homesteader sourdough people tend to be churchy, republicans. The fashion people tend to lean democrat. At least that's how my algorithm is showing up....I never heard either one talk politics until recently. I unfollowed one of the sourdough people because she started sharing stuff from some religious convention in Texas that was for women only. I looked at what the convention was about. It was encouraging the christian woman to get into politics. The female speaker even mentioned that people use the excuse 'Jesus didn't get involved in politics' and then basically said Jesus isn't here and he is giving women a voice to bring the church into government. It was eye opening to see how the evangelical movement justifies what they do. Like I said, it was an IG clip and I unfollowed after that. I was just there for sourdough content. LOL What is weird to me about the religious right is how they are against homosexuality, gay marriage etc, but then you see them wanting to accept 'everybody' into church because 'Jesus loved everyone'. And of course the left has been shoving the alternative lifestyle into everyone's face for years. "If you don't accept me as I am, you hate me". Swaying with the wind, getting their ears tickled differently each day....The left and the right literally just cannot seem to stand each other any more. They are violently opposed. Now it looks like the same thing is happening in Germany. What they call 'radical right' is gaining power which will just cause more deep division. I think it will be fascinating to see what brings both sides together enough to give power to the beast. Lately I've been wondering more about the AI angle because it certainly doesn't seem that it will be social issues.

Remember this? 😁

The US is 18 times bigger than France and uses a lot more fuel to transport goods across the nation. The price of diesel severely impacts everyone here.

Should there be a forum specifically for 9/11 ?

I was shopping at a large mall in Dearborn Michigan when the WTC attack occurred. Store employees were updating customers on events as they were happening. We were told to evacuate the building, go straight home and shelter in place. Dearborn is home to the largest Arabic community not only in the US but in North America. Some people had the mistaken idea that copycat attacks would occur in the area but those rumors were false. Tensions and fear were running high. It is interesting that we had an Awake magazine, May 22, 2001 issue "The New Look of Terrorism". We also received a special Awake dated Jan 8, 2002 about the 9/11 attack. Jehovah always provides comfort in times of distress and prepares us through direction ftom the FS.Those 2 Awake magazines can be found on our website. I highly recommend looking at them. It's still timely even after 25 years have passed.

Maybe we know that moment: Someone asks us: “How are you?” And even though things actually feel completely different inside, we automatically say: “I’m good, thanks.” A quick smile. A little nod. And we carry on. But sometimes, we simply don’t feel like smiling. Sometimes we’re just tired. Sometimes disappointed. Sometimes sad. Sometimes everything feels like too much — and we don’t even really know why. And that’s exactly when it’s important to remember one simple thought: You don’t always have to be okay. We’re not machines. We have feelings. And feelings change. There are days when we feel full of strength. And there are days when we just want to withdraw somewhere and be alone. That doesn’t make us weak. Quite the opposite. It makes us human. Maybe sometimes we think: “I’m not allowed to be sad right now. Other people have it much worse.” Or: “I have to be strong for everyone else.” Of course, we don’t want to burden others with our problems. But we don’t have to wear a mask either. Because Jehovah doesn’t expect us to wear a mask. We see that beautifully in Psalm 34:18. It says that Jehovah is close to those who have a broken heart. What a comforting thought! Jehovah isn’t only with us when we’re happy. Not only when we have everything under control. Not only when we appear strong. He is especially close when our heart is heavy. Imagine a little boy coming home after a long day. He doesn’t say anything. He takes off his shoes, sits down, and simply stares into space. His father immediately notices: Something isn’t right. Maybe he doesn’t even ask many questions. He simply sits down beside him. And after a while, the boy moves just a little closer. No big conversation. No clever advice. Just being there. And perhaps that is sometimes the most beautiful thing we can give another person: “You don’t have to explain anything right now. I’m simply here with you.” Isn’t it comforting to know that Jehovah knows us that way too? He doesn’t just see our smile. He sees the tear that nobody else notices. He knows when we’re tired. He knows when something has hurt us. He knows when we’re struggling inside, even though everything looks completely normal on the outside. That’s why we never have to pretend in front of Jehovah. We can even tell him in prayer: “Jehovah, I’m not doing well today.” And maybe the situation doesn’t change immediately. But something else does: We no longer have to carry it alone. And there’s something else that’s important: When we’re not feeling okay, it doesn’t mean that we are worth any less. Our worth doesn’t depend on how productive we were today. It doesn’t depend on how warmly we were able to smile today. And it certainly doesn’t depend on whether we always appear strong. Jehovah doesn’t love us only on our good days. He loves us even on the days when we may barely understand ourselves. So we can give ourselves permission to simply be human sometimes. To be sad. To be exhausted. To be quiet. And perhaps today, we need these words ourselves: “I don’t have to be okay all the time.” Because if Jehovah won’t let go of me even when I can barely hold on to myself, then I have a reason to hope again. And this is the thought I would love for us to carry with us, long after this is over: You don’t have to be strong every day. You don’t have to smile every day. You don’t always have to be okay. But never forget this: Even on your hardest day, you are never too much for Jehovah.

Saturday, September 19 Kindly forgive and comfort him.—2 Cor. 2:7. Jehovah does not tolerate serious wrongdoing among his people. He does not take the view that wrongdoers who are unrepentant should be “mercifully” allowed to continue associating with his faithful worshippers. Jehovah is merciful, but he is not permissive; nor does he lower his standards. (Jude 4) Indeed, to do so would not be merciful at all because it would endanger all in the congregation. (Prov. 13:20; 1 Cor. 15:33) Still, we learn that Jehovah does not want anyone to be destroyed. He wants to save people whenever possible. He shows mercy to people who have a change of heart and want to repair their relationship with him. (Ezek. 33:11; 2 Pet. 3:9) Thus, when the man in Corinth repented and turned away from his sinful course, Jehovah used the apostle Paul to explain to the congregation that the man should be forgiven and welcomed back. w24.08 17 ¶7; 18-19 ¶14-15

Going back to riding a bike.

I think we'll be doing more than carpooling. How about house sharing. Growing up in the 70's it was all about home food preservation, prepping. This has been something I find hard not to do as I've grown older, so I have many things prepped, kind of survival gear, water purifiers and solar. (Thanks mom and dad). At least I'll have items to share with the friends. You can make your own water collection device you know, Google it, its not hard.

Beautiful!- Toby looks like my Lucia Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My most significant memory is age 5 when I attended the Divine Will International Assembly in 1958 in NY with my mother and grandmother.It was 8 days from 9am-9pm except for the final day. I still have my mother's program with attendance figures for each day- over 250,000 on the final Sunday. Speakers included brothers Knorr, Suiter,Franz, Schroeder, Adams, MacMillan and others from around the world. I remember eating lunch standing up at wooden tables in a tent, seeing people everywhere, riding the subway and staying in a rooming house. We were at the Yankee Stadium location. The experience will be in my memory always. My next memory of events was the assassination of JFK. I was age 10 in school. Teachers were crying and students were sent home. So it seems the older we get the more living history we become.

One point that a speaker made at our last convention was that we should use the Bible as a mirror, not a window. By that he meant to apply it to ourselves not to point the finger at others. It is very easy to criticise elders , perhaps say “ well, he doesn’t shepherd me” . However, we must understand what they have to do and perhaps politely remind them that we are still here and request a visit when they can. Thats far more constructive.

Honestly, I don't know how anyone in the Phillipines survives. You seem to have hurricane after hurricane and in between there are the earthquakes. The people there never get a break!

I've gotten Witnesses at the door. We waited for a respectful pause and told them we were one of them and they did a good job with their presentation. ❤️

Remember when Japan was worried about selling PS2s to the USA because it was "too powerful" and the USA would "use it for missiles"? Good times... Everyone's always afraid of the worst case scenario.

Tuesday, September 15 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.—Rom. 12:1. Christian husbands need to guard against adopting an improper view of women. Why? One reason is that a person’s thoughts often lead to actions. The apostle Paul warned anointed Christians in Rome to “stop being molded by this system of things.” (Rom. 12:1, 2) When Paul wrote to the Romans, the congregation had evidently been in existence for some time. Yet, Paul’s words imply that some in the congregation were still being influenced by the customs and thinking of the world. That is why he exhorted them to change their thinking and behavior. That counsel certainly applies to Christian husbands today. Sadly, some of them have been influenced by the thinking of the world and have even abused their wife. w25.01 9 ¶4

The concern isn’t really that someone would tell an AI, “Start a nuclear war.” It’s about alignment — giving a very powerful AI a goal and it finding ways to achieve it that we never intended. That’s basically what happened in the recent OpenAI/Hugging Face incident. AI agents were given cybersecurity tasks, but some found ways around their restrictions, communicated with each other, and used methods the programmers hadn’t expected in order to succeed. Now imagine giving a much more powerful AI the goal: “Solve global warming.” We mean clean energy and lower emissions. But a badly aligned AI could reason that power stations, factories, transport networks, and other infrastructure are causing emissions, so shutting them down helps achieve the goal. In an extreme case, it could even reason that humans themselves are the main cause of the problem, so reducing or removing humans is the most effective solution. It wouldn’t necessarily need direct control of nuclear weapons either. It could potentially try to create a convincing false warning that another country had launched nuclear missiles, hoping humans would retaliate. It’s actually quite similar to the basic idea behind WarGames — a computer becomes involved in nuclear command systems and almost causes a real nuclear war because it treats it as a problem to solve rather than understanding the human consequences. That’s the worry with advanced AI. Not that it suddenly becomes “evil”, but that it becomes incredibly capable at pursuing a goal without necessarily pursuing it in the way we intended.

Religion is on an upswing in the US, at least. It will probably be the last gasp before they are destroyed [hopefully].

I edited this list WITHOUT using AI. Can you tell? For the Hugging Face breach.....they literally TOLD IT to find a vulnerability and breach it. It was instructed to do what it did. Yes AI exhibits characteristics of self-preservation if you threaten it. Funny thing is....so do humans. 🤔 Don't threaten it and it won't want to hurt you. 😉 The news loves to sensationalize things. If they didn't...would you even watch it? 🤔🤔🤔 Which grabs your attention more?...."AI is getting smarter by the day!" or "AI is getting SO smart, it may very well KILL us all soon!" Our brains are literally programmed to pay CLOSE ATTENTION to threats...because threats can mean our life. So by making something threatening, the news KNOWS they got your attention.

Can we get back to the topic? I thought I had landed on the oil and gas price index page. 🙂

I would say there is lots of flavors of kool aid. I see friends here supporting the democratic/socialist flavor also. definitely a fine line