Choose your circle

Happy Monday,

How is everyone doing on this wonderful Monday evening? Did you have a nice weekend? Hopefully you were able to keep cool. The AC is such a blessing, that is until the bill comes. UGH, I’m dreading this months bill. Anyway, I’d love to hear all about your weekend, so shoot me a text or drop me a comment.

This past weekend was busy and so full of love and making memories. Friday was spa day with the girl tribe. We all enjoyed time just sitting, talking, laughing and sharing experiences about our lives. Saturday John and I headed to San Diego and had dinner at Chart House along with one of his sisters and her family and Johns’ parents. We celebrated John’s mom Mina’s birthday. It was a wonderful day and she really seemed to enjoy her lunch and presents. Grant had been in San Diego, so he came back with John and I and Sunday was a busy day for me, doing laundry, cleaning and getting ready for this busy week.

Overall, the weekend, while busy was amazing. Today launched a non-stop week. Today has been a little difficult since I’ve been dealing with some bad neck and lower back pain which is causing me to deal with a migraine. Oh well, enough of that pity party. Onto today’s blog.

I came across this quote and I want to share it with you. “Some people will judge you for changing. Others will celebrate you for growing. Choose your circle carefully.”-@Bl.ack.magic.wo.man

As I write today’s blog, I can’t help but think how blessed I am to have a circle of family and friends who celebrate the person I’m continuing to be and continue to become.

Being raised in a cult, I was taught early on in my life to judge. Life was black and white. Gray was never allowed. In fact, if you were doubting something or questioning things, you were considered on the fence and being on the fence meant you were on the outside looking in.

The Watchtower, when I was growing up was very clear on how you couldn’t ever be in a gray area. They said to question your faith in order to prove it, but the real undertone for those types of statements were, question your faith and find the answers in Watchtower. You don’t go to outside sources. Hence, you’re only source of information is strictly biased to their way of teaching.

Being an outsider of Watchtower, being someone who is shunned by most of her previous community, I can tell you this much. When I was first shunned it hurt. I couldn’t believe people who professed to be my friends treated me as though I didn’t exist. I would see someone in the store and they would look at me and turn around and walk the other way.

Once, while at Costco I ran across someone who used to be my friend and she kept questioning me as to what congregation I was in. Lots of questions about my thoughts and whereabouts. When I told Maria that it wasn’t the time or place to talk about religion, she became agitated with me and asked me in a very stern voice. “What congregation are you in!” I told her I was no longer practicing the religion. I told her I wasn’t disfellowshipped or publicly shunned, but I didn’t follow the Watchtower teachings. She put her hand up, you know, the one where you imply, talk to the hand then she proceeded to her put her fingers together and did the kiss and blow off all while saying, “goodbye.”

What a contrast God has shown me. How amazing our creator is. I was so indoctrinated at one point in my life and He opened my eyes to seeing the truth about the religion of Watchtower. God brought people into my life who not only accept me, but to encourage me to grow. He’s shown me that the circle of friends I once had were judging me for changing and growing, but the circle I have now, which thank-goodness include my sons, they celebrate my growing.

John was telling me this weekend, he’s so excited that we found my passion for writing. He then went on to say, “I wonder if you would have ever of found it if you would have stayed in the religion.”

I can say with all certainty, NOPE!

While I’ve always loved writing, being able to express myself openly and honestly, well, that was discouraged. Most JW’s, if they read my blog now, which with almost near certainty, they wouldn’t, but those that possibly would read my blog would openly call me an apostate, which is a label that means you’ve committed the unforgivable sin. I’ll talk about this later in another blog.

Talking and writing about my own experiences, my own truth, would by their teachings, I would be known as sinning directly against God and the Holy Spirit.

My dear readers, sometimes we don’t choose the right circle of friends, associates or partners. Sometimes we are born into a life that is laid out for us from start to finish and sometimes those lives work out well.

From an early age I craved learning new things. I couldn’t get enough information on topics that I found to be of interest, but when I tried to express interests in things, especially to my mother or my ex, I was met with having those ideas squashed.

In my previous life I wasn’t celebrated for having new ideas or questions, I was met with being told to pray and ask God to get rid of those worldly ideas. I was told Satan is creeping into my life and I better be careful because I was teetering on loosing favor in Jehovah’s eyes.

I’ve learned, God doesn’t judge like that. He’s a God of love, compassion and understanding. He’s a God of forgiveness when we fall short of his standards. John says he’s already forgiven us even before we ask for it.

I am so beyond grateful that I found the strength to speak up and tell people in my life that I wanted to change and grow.

I am now blessed to have people in my life cheering me on. When I doubt my abilities as a writers, I have fellow bloggers along with family and friends reminding me of the faith they have in me. I have people celebrating me growing and those that used to judge me, well, they aren’t in my life anymore.

I miss some of them from time to time, but they chose to cast me out of their lives and that’s okay. We’ve chosen different paths and we’ve gone different directions. I wish them well and I pray for their happiness.

One things for sure, I’m happy.

I’m growing as a person.

I’m no longer judging, at least I’m trying not to.

I have an amazing circle of people in my life.

My dear readers, please don’t forget: “Some people will judge you for changing. Others will celebrate you for growing. Choose your circle carefully.”-

And that’s all I have for this evening. Please don’t forget, Love Life++ Hugs.