themadclipper
05-25-2008, 06:01 PM
I noticed that Labby had copied his testimony over, so I figured it best that I do so as well.
Testimony of Christopher Joel (Catholics beware!) 03. Nov 2006 at 05:17
I titled my testimony with those particular words because I know there are Catholics who are members of this board, and they might not find humor in the testimony of a former Catholic. So, as they used to say on 'The Jackie Gleason Show,' "Awaaayyyy we go!"
I was born to parents, as most children are. I'm told my parents had trouble conceiving, and I was the only child of this union. I was born in 1959... long after the Roman Empire and the Hapsburg Encirclement and the discovery of the New World, but during the Cold War. My mother pased away on Nov 13, 1964. I am told this was a Friday. The good Sister at Resurrection Hospital in Chicago reportedly asked my father if he was not superstitious paying a bill on Friday the 13th. This was nine weeks after my 5th birthday. In honor of this, I got to skip kindergarten.
I attended a parochial (Catholic) grade school in Chicago- St James, near Central Ave and Fullerton. I grew up in my Dad's parent's house, and I was a good Catholic boy. I graduated from 8th grade, but I had to take a lot of tests that my classmates did not take (at the time, there was no definition for ADD- it was "minimal brain disfunction (DSM III)."
So then, I went to St Patrick HS, and was a moderately average student there, in spite of being placed in the top third of the class. The bottom line of my educational career of ~12 years was this: "Oh, he's wonderful in class. Such a great kid. He'd be (insert superlative here) if "HE'D ONLY APPLY HIMSELF." Of course, I bought it. There was no other option- I was lazy; I just devoured history and foreign languages. By the time I finally quit colleges and the Catholic Church, I think I'd studied half a dozen languages, and history was not a discipline, it was something I did for fun.
So, fast forward. I went to a bunch of schools, and dropped out of a bunch of schools. My Dad's parent's both passed away in 1986, so I finally was able to make a life decision: I joined the United States Air Force at age 27 under the delayed enlistment program. I bet at this point everyone is getting tired of words and wondering just where the testimony comes in. Well, it started when my grandparents passed away. WAKE UP- you missed it!
You see, our family was really tightly knit; when my Mom passed away, my Dad was totally lost and on meds for a few years. Everything he did was for his parents or me; then they died. And I joined the Air Force. So we're up to 1987 now.
I joined the Air Force as part of the Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP.) The DEP alllowed you to get a guaranteed enlistment date, so that you could take care of all of your civilian affairs (jobs, etc.) My Dad met me at the MEPS ()Military Enlisted Personnel Station) in downtown Chicago on a February morning in 1987, and that was the next to last time I saw him alive. I was sworn in, and joined the Air Force with a job gaurantee of "open general." This means I could not find a job I liked. Well, I went through Basic Training, and lost 25lbs (in six weeks). I got to meet with a career counselor one day, and he had me take this test (DLAB). Since I had studied numerous languages, I actively tried to fail the test. However, after awhile, I got mad and decided I would pass the test.
So I ended up at the Presidio of Monterey. After 3000+ words, what does this have to do with salvation? Something about God moving Heaven and Earth....
I arrived at Monterey, and got to room with Gary. Gary and I became fast friends. Our politics were really similiar, and I learned a bit about the Bible that the Catholic Church didn't teach. So anyway, eventually I got enough seniority where I was able to get my own dorm room. Here's where it get's interesting; better freshen up that sweet tea!
Tillie- I'm still not sure how I knew her, was Jennifer's roommate. Tillie knew Bud, who was a swabbie (sailor) that most of us on B flight knew. I was not a social animal then- or ever! So I guess I knew Tillie through Bud.
So anyway. It was a Friday night. I was up in the AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service) Cafe, enjoying some garlic bread and beer and reading a book (a repast of mine.) Tillie obviously was dragging Jennifer along, and Tillie introduced us to each other. Well, my evening was shot, I thought, but I'm willing to party. We all first went to an Army barracks, and then down to the Club. Jennifer and I danced once or twice, but closed the place down talking.
After that, we were fairly inseparable. I went on leave, and spent a week or two in Chicago, which totally confused everyone, especially Jennifer, as I don't think I had told her. Then, I came back. Things were going along pretty well until one Sunday night. I was doing my usual Sunday thing- read a book and drink beer. Testimony follows.
I GOT DRUNK AND FELL DOWN THE HILL.
That's about it, to a point. You see, I knew one of the guys on my flight was an ordained minister, and after Jennifer patched my knee up from the skid, I went back to my room, and opened that Catholic Bible, like I'd seen in so many Westerns, and I found something that said something like seek out a man of God.
Wow- I've got characters left. Here's the bottom line of God's love at that point in my life: in a space of eight months (being fairly generous), I not only got saved, but I got married as well!
(For those of you who may have read this before, I cleaned up a few misspellings and added a little more detail.):cool:
Testimony of Christopher Joel (Catholics beware!) 03. Nov 2006 at 05:17
I titled my testimony with those particular words because I know there are Catholics who are members of this board, and they might not find humor in the testimony of a former Catholic. So, as they used to say on 'The Jackie Gleason Show,' "Awaaayyyy we go!"
I was born to parents, as most children are. I'm told my parents had trouble conceiving, and I was the only child of this union. I was born in 1959... long after the Roman Empire and the Hapsburg Encirclement and the discovery of the New World, but during the Cold War. My mother pased away on Nov 13, 1964. I am told this was a Friday. The good Sister at Resurrection Hospital in Chicago reportedly asked my father if he was not superstitious paying a bill on Friday the 13th. This was nine weeks after my 5th birthday. In honor of this, I got to skip kindergarten.
I attended a parochial (Catholic) grade school in Chicago- St James, near Central Ave and Fullerton. I grew up in my Dad's parent's house, and I was a good Catholic boy. I graduated from 8th grade, but I had to take a lot of tests that my classmates did not take (at the time, there was no definition for ADD- it was "minimal brain disfunction (DSM III)."
So then, I went to St Patrick HS, and was a moderately average student there, in spite of being placed in the top third of the class. The bottom line of my educational career of ~12 years was this: "Oh, he's wonderful in class. Such a great kid. He'd be (insert superlative here) if "HE'D ONLY APPLY HIMSELF." Of course, I bought it. There was no other option- I was lazy; I just devoured history and foreign languages. By the time I finally quit colleges and the Catholic Church, I think I'd studied half a dozen languages, and history was not a discipline, it was something I did for fun.
So, fast forward. I went to a bunch of schools, and dropped out of a bunch of schools. My Dad's parent's both passed away in 1986, so I finally was able to make a life decision: I joined the United States Air Force at age 27 under the delayed enlistment program. I bet at this point everyone is getting tired of words and wondering just where the testimony comes in. Well, it started when my grandparents passed away. WAKE UP- you missed it!
You see, our family was really tightly knit; when my Mom passed away, my Dad was totally lost and on meds for a few years. Everything he did was for his parents or me; then they died. And I joined the Air Force. So we're up to 1987 now.
I joined the Air Force as part of the Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP.) The DEP alllowed you to get a guaranteed enlistment date, so that you could take care of all of your civilian affairs (jobs, etc.) My Dad met me at the MEPS ()Military Enlisted Personnel Station) in downtown Chicago on a February morning in 1987, and that was the next to last time I saw him alive. I was sworn in, and joined the Air Force with a job gaurantee of "open general." This means I could not find a job I liked. Well, I went through Basic Training, and lost 25lbs (in six weeks). I got to meet with a career counselor one day, and he had me take this test (DLAB). Since I had studied numerous languages, I actively tried to fail the test. However, after awhile, I got mad and decided I would pass the test.
So I ended up at the Presidio of Monterey. After 3000+ words, what does this have to do with salvation? Something about God moving Heaven and Earth....
I arrived at Monterey, and got to room with Gary. Gary and I became fast friends. Our politics were really similiar, and I learned a bit about the Bible that the Catholic Church didn't teach. So anyway, eventually I got enough seniority where I was able to get my own dorm room. Here's where it get's interesting; better freshen up that sweet tea!
Tillie- I'm still not sure how I knew her, was Jennifer's roommate. Tillie knew Bud, who was a swabbie (sailor) that most of us on B flight knew. I was not a social animal then- or ever! So I guess I knew Tillie through Bud.
So anyway. It was a Friday night. I was up in the AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service) Cafe, enjoying some garlic bread and beer and reading a book (a repast of mine.) Tillie obviously was dragging Jennifer along, and Tillie introduced us to each other. Well, my evening was shot, I thought, but I'm willing to party. We all first went to an Army barracks, and then down to the Club. Jennifer and I danced once or twice, but closed the place down talking.
After that, we were fairly inseparable. I went on leave, and spent a week or two in Chicago, which totally confused everyone, especially Jennifer, as I don't think I had told her. Then, I came back. Things were going along pretty well until one Sunday night. I was doing my usual Sunday thing- read a book and drink beer. Testimony follows.
I GOT DRUNK AND FELL DOWN THE HILL.
That's about it, to a point. You see, I knew one of the guys on my flight was an ordained minister, and after Jennifer patched my knee up from the skid, I went back to my room, and opened that Catholic Bible, like I'd seen in so many Westerns, and I found something that said something like seek out a man of God.
Wow- I've got characters left. Here's the bottom line of God's love at that point in my life: in a space of eight months (being fairly generous), I not only got saved, but I got married as well!
(For those of you who may have read this before, I cleaned up a few misspellings and added a little more detail.):cool: