Quote:
Originally Posted by Overflow
Hope - So what are some of the apologies that you were able to offer your children about the whole LC mess and the effect it had on your family? It's crazy that so much happened in Dallas while you were an elder (with my dad who was also an elder) and yet you had NO idea was going on, isn't it!!! Crazy!
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Dear Overflow,
I believe that you meant no ill will by what you wrote and addressed to me. But I did find it to be very offensive. Therefore I must address it. I mean no ill will toward you and hope a frank answer can clear the air.
Perhaps you have overstepped your bounds. Why do you assume I need to offer apologies to my children? Maybe our family's experience was not a "whole LC mess" with bad effects. My children have never blamed my wife or I for our time in the church in Dallas which is their only local church experience. I have caught heat for being too strict on homework getting done. My teenage sons did not appreciate our trip to the Smithsonian in DC. They claimed it was just something Sheryl and I wanted to do. These were the type of issues we had.
We all live within 15 minutes of each other. There is mutual respect and I am sure you would be touching a hornet's nest if you threw up statements accusing their parents. One son is still single. He has declared that there are just no women out there to compare with his mom and sister. Not true, but it is kind of flattering is a sort of obtuse way.
I cannot imagine us being any closer. Sometimes it is too close!
They drop in all the time at any time. We love it but it does require that Sheryl and I stay flexible with our plans. We love them all unconditionally and they seemed to feel the same way towards us.
When we were first leaving the local church movement and I was very poor and starting a new business, I had a great opportunity with my business but not the funds to take advantage of it. My second son had just graduated from high school. He had worked a 30 hour a week job that year to save for college. In early June of that year we were having one of our frequent state of the family talks and I mentioned something about the opportunity. The next day he approached me and offered his college money. I declined saying what if I fail. He replied, dad you are the smartest person I know and I know you will succeed. Wow. Was I ever motivated!!! A word from a child can either crush or exhilarate a parent. I knew I had to succeed. That summer I was able to put the program in place and make enough profit to give him the money back on the day he was scheduled to leave for college. What a bond we have from that experience.
Don Rutledge