Blog or Article?
Blogs often focus on personal opinion, experiences, views, anecdotes or advice. Blogs tend to have a relaxed and conversational feel, such as in storytelling and are generally 300-500 words.
Articles aim to deliver well-researched, informative content with solid evidence to back up the points made. Articles are usually more formal, organized and frequently range 500-1000 words.
Comments
Gosh, 10 years have gone by since this post! So, now it's been 35 years since Dr.'s falling asleep. Still grateful, still thankful. It was great to read thru these posts again. Love and bless to all.
One of VP's secretaries confided to me that he felt terrible about some of his (disturbing) shortcomings ... not to say that is an excuse. But the adventure we had was a road less traveled, and quite an adventure. I still find the "higher calling" most of us were trying to accomplish, quite commendable. The enduring common bond most of us still have testifies to ... something. :)
A shout out to my 9th corps brothers and sisters ... wish I had known you better.
Cheers,
Bill
I, like you John, am well acquainted with deep, traumatic hurts and sufferings long before TWI. The events in the ministry towards the end served to exacerbate the effects of those un-resolved, harbored issues. Some of the teaching in the ministry even served to worsen them.
Let's just say "I get it". I get the hurt, I get the pain and suffering, I get the anger and frustration. God and His Son Jesus Christ gets it, too...far more than any of us ever will in this life. We have some pretty clear instruction in the Church epistles and other places as to what to do.
Part of my problem was I've read and memorized so many passages, but failed to sit down and actually DO them. But when I finally started doing it, and let go of so many things that were "holding me hostage", it's become so freeing and the joy of living with and for God has returned. It does take time, but it doesn't have to take forever. It's well worth doing, as holding something against someone does nothing to them, but it does hurt you.
Most especially, we need to let go of things we're holding against ourselves. I have discovered that when I have resentment against someone, what I find buried underneath that is some resentment for myself. THAT was a painful discovery! The problem is almost never someone or something else, it's internal. And THAT can be controlled.
I'm happy to help anyone in any way I can, but we'd have to take it off this blog. Drop me an email.
"Love one another as I have loved you"--Jesus Christ (who was as hurt as any of us)
In the end, God will judge all our works. Meanwhile, if anyone's been hurt, it's a good idea to practice forgiveness, if only for your own sake--as unforgiveness is poison to our own systems! Let us love one another as Christ has loved us.
Many times I saw believers give money to VP as a special blessing for his own use. He never looked to see the amount that was given to him. Soon as he saw someone that had a need financially,he gave to that person all was just given to him.
When I first traveling with VP I was not on paid staff .We would go here and there and when someone gave money to him. He immediately passed it on to me. Sometimes it was a twenty but sometimes it was a hundred or better.
I suppose I was fortunate to have had many incidents and close contact with VPW. I have the teeth marks to prove it.
My last year in residence was the year he must have taken me on as a special project, and what a year it was! He was definately continually on my case and it seemed every time I turned around, he was in my face for one reason or another.
The day I graduated the Corps I had no guests to celebrate with, He came over to me and asked if I had any guests? When I said no I didn't, he told me that he was my guest and proceeded to walk around the reception with me and told people that he was my guest and that was proud of me for graduating the Corps..
I have lots of great VPW stories, of which some of you have heard, but others have not.
I learned much about what to do and what not to do just from observing him, but mostly it was his bold love and stand for the WORD that stuck to me! I can still hear him saying,"It's the Word! The Word! The Word! Nothing but the Word People!"
A quick incident I recall occured when I was a Fellow-Laborer in Texas (77-78).
It was during a special weekend, when thousands of believers were in attendance at some fancy hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. When he saw me in the lobby, he called me over to him and handed me an envelope stuffed with cash. He asked me if I knew the WOW's whose names were on the envelop. I said yes I did. As he handed me the envelop, he sternly instructed me to give it to them, but not to say it was from him. I was just to tell them that God is blessing them with this gift, and then walk away.
When I found them and gave them the envelop and delivered the message, they all cried for joy.
VPW never took credit and never checked up on me to see if had delivered the gift.
I am sure this type of incident was not an isolated one either.
Knowing VPW was just a man with shortcomings and bad habits like every one of us, I keep the good and discard the bad and the ugly. Ultimately I remain thankful for his input in my life and the things he taught me personally.
Mark you said: "Now I work in a plush casino in Vegas, and sometimes I feel like I am the only one standing"
Look up my buddy Dave Petit on this site. Check out his profile. He states:
"I'm president of Southwest Surveillance Systems, a company which designs, sells and installs video surveillance and security systems, primarily for the gaming industry." (In Vegas)
If you do an advanced member search and put Las Vegas in "Where I Live" I found about 8 others on this site who live there.
David I like your words. Here here! Cheers my friend. Atlanta in March!