Maxwell 10: Following the 15 minute schedule and the monthly menu

[bertnee]

Oh, that list. It makes me so sad. I remember feeling that level of fear when I was in my teens, that every non-(right-type-of-)Christian man wanted to attack me all of the time. But then I broke away from a fear-based religion and realized that MOST men -- heck, most PEOPLE -- are just living their lives and hadn't even noticed me, let alone formulated a plan to kidnap and murder me.

I took my very first flight as an unmarried woman in her early-twenties. By then I had realized that seriously, most people are fine and are worried about their own flights/travels, not attacking me. Instead of being a tense, anxious mess about the possibility of sitting near a man (!), I got to be a little nervous but excited about air travel and my destination. 

I also find it hard to believe that she is actually older than I am. She seems very immature, thanks to Steve's vice grip on her life. Poor Sarah. Life should not be so full of fear and anxiety. 

[danvillebelle]

I don't mind airports at all - I actually kind of enjoy them (but that's probably because I only fly once every couple of years).  

Tip for Sarah if she wants to be left alone:  dress fundie-ish (frumpers are good, break out one of your old ones) and wear a distinctly Christian looking headcovering.  Trust me - people will avoid you like the plague.

[Jana814]

I rarely travel. Mostly do to my business. I relie on people going on vacation to make money (pet sitter). When I do travel it's always on my own. 

[Justmurrayed]

I'm actually travelling by myself for the first time next month. I'm terrified of the possibility but not because I think people are scary or out to get me. Mostly because my lack of direction and absolute fear of being lost. I have to navigate myself from one plane to a connecting plane and I'm having full blown panic attacks BUT I'm already trying to prepare myself by reminding myself that I can ask people for help because they want to help and not rape and kill me like Sarah thinks. 

[HereticHick]

6 minutes ago, Justmurrayed said:

I'm actually travelling by myself for the first time next month. I'm terrified of the possibility but not because I think people are scary or out to get me. Mostly because my lack of direction and absolute fear of being lost. I have to navigate myself from one plane to a connecting plane and I'm having full blown panic attacks BUT I'm already trying to prepare myself by reminding myself that I can ask people for help because they want to help and not rape and kill me like Sarah thinks. 

You can do it. I still have travel anxiety even though I travel internationally a lot (and often alone). And if people ask me for help, I help them. So just assume that there a lot of people like me all around you, and not a lot of Sarah Maxwells.

[Coconutwater]

59 minutes ago, Justmurrayed said:

I'm actually travelling by myself for the first time next month. I'm terrified of the possibility but not because I think people are scary or out to get me. Mostly because my lack of direction and absolute fear of being lost. I have to navigate myself from one plane to a connecting plane and I'm having full blown panic attacks BUT I'm already trying to prepare myself by reminding myself that I can ask people for help because they want to help and not rape and kill me like Sarah thinks. 

I flew alone for the first time last year, I normally fly with someone. I was nervous due to my anxiety in general, but started chatting people up waiting on the same flight and managed to always get lucky and sit next to someone nice who if I felt nervous and took out my earphones was willing to talk a bit. Also, anyone I asked was very nice directing me when I got lost which I did a few times.

Everyone is not out to get you Sarah. 

[SPHASH]

New post up.  This part kills me:                                             This eBook giveaway is a superb educational opportunity. Check out the resources, and pass the link along to others. We’re not sure how long this offer lasts (we only found out yesterday), so don’t procrastinate.                                                                   Well Poor Sarah if your family actually read or watched the news once in a while you would know these things.              

[fundiefan]

The first time I flew alone I was 20. I was going to meet my 'pen pal' - a man I'd never met in person but 'knew' for more than 4 years through letters and phone calls. I was strangely calm and not concerned at all. We were friends, nothing more, and I wasn't worried he'd kill me or kidnap me or hurt me. Nor was I scared of flying. I'd flown quite a bit as a kid & teen, so it didn't really bother me at all. A friend dropped me at the airport, I sat in a bar for 3 hours because of a flight delay and had 2 giant beers. At 11am I got on my plane and flew away. This was the 80's. No cell phones, no nothing, just me in the big ol' plane with a bunch of strangers. I chatted the whole way with the man next to me who was very nice about my near drunkenness -  not once did he make a pass at me or threaten me. Somehow, a slightly inebriated 20 year old girl traveling alone never once encountered anyone out to hurt her, rape her, kill her, kidnap her, or say something to her that might offend her delicate senses (or religion).

Would I suggest it? Probably not. But, if you skip the beer part I don't think anything was stupid or dangerous in and of itself. When you learn to trust yourself you learn to trust others and not be a fearful little maiden. You also learn to listen to and trust your instincts and have the skills to avoid threatening situations.  I had been living on my own since I was 16, I was a bit more experienced than your average 20 year old as far as making my own way in life and dealing with people. While I think every person is wise to be..well, be wise...and pay attention, there is nothing inherently dangerous about traveling alone. Of course anything can happen and being aware of that is something one is usually taught as a social/life skill for one to contribute to their own safety and decision making.

It just makes me very, very sad that a 35 year old woman lives the life of a 15 year old. She has no ability at the adulting thing. 

 

[Closed Womb]

Oh, poor Sarah.  Such fear.   

I've been flying alone since I was sixteen -- just short of thirty years.  I fly quite a bit, given that it's always leisure travel.  Literally no one has ever, ever harmed me in any way on any flight (except for a recent Southwest flight when I GOT FREAKING INJURED BY THEIR FAULTY SEAT BELT and the B**** of a LEAD FLIGHT ATTENDANT MADE FUN OF ME OVER THE PA BECAUSE OF IT*.   Sorry for the yelling, still bitter.  Flying Delta these days.) 

Sorry...as I was saying...I've been widowed for about three years, so I'll be looking for a secluded seat at the end of the terminal next flight, just in case one of those overly friendly men wants to say hello. 

*Yes, I emailed and wrote them and they literally would not address the unprofessional bullshit I went through.  They addressed the injury (ie, they said they did everything right, which they did), but not the part I'm still pissed about (the public humiliation.)  

[SPHASH]

When I fly (about 1-2 times/year) I worry more about delays and finding my way to the next gate to make a connecting flight than whether or not some guy is gonna grope me.  Although if Bill Cosby or the pussy grabber that's fucking up our country right now sat down next to me I would definitely get my ass away and far from them as I could.

[Coconutwater]

2 hours ago, SPHASH said:

When I fly (about 1-2 times/year) I worry more about delays and finding my way to the next gate to make a connecting flight than whether or not some guy is gonna grope me.  Although if Bill Cosby or the pussy grabber that's fucking up our country right now sat down next to me I would definitely get my ass away and far from them as I could.

Same, I can't tell you how many times I've had to take off my heels and run to the other end of the terminal to catch my connection due to delaysand/or the connecting flight leaving early and if I could like this a thousand times I would hahahaha

[ViolaSebastian]

My first solo travel experience was at the age of nine--flying internationally between Minneapolis/St. Paul and London--Gatwick. (Joys of being a child of parents from two different countries). I don't remember having any anxiety, but instead thinking it was awesome because everyone gave me their after dinner mints on the plane. But my father, in particular, was always very focused on making me into an independent, capable adult, for which I am thankful. 

[socalrules]

I think it's possible Sarah truly believes most, if not all women, have the same fears about criminal acts against them while flying/being at the airport as she does. Or the same fears about life in general. It must be very hard to always be afraid of the world outside your own home. She likely has no frame of reference of how people outside of the Maxwell home feel/think/live. I have no problem believing she was raised to think that the outside world is a dangerous, scary place where everyone but a few fundy Christians are out to get you. 

[Foudeb]

 Her advice is somewhat similar to what my parents told me the first time I flew all on my own - ask someone in a uniform for directions, stay focussed and alert, if scared find a family I can sit next to. Oh, and to be very, very careful not to lose my passport or wallet. And to keep some money and everyone's phone numbers in different places (pockets, bags) so that something got stolen I could still pay for a phone call and know who to call.

The only difference? I was 10 when that happened. And even then my parents were far more worried about pickpockets and / or my being too naive to watch my stuff than about strange men who flirt.

That post is an unwitting insight into how stifling life in Maxhell is. Sarah really is 10 years old inside her head.

[Captain Obvious]

It shouldn't be that much of a surprise Sarah thinks solo travel as a single female is dangerous.

After all, it was an airport where Steve and Teri taught Sarah that all men are lustful by asking her to watch the way men looked at all the immodestly dressed women walking past.

She probably feels it's only her double t-shirt and denim maxi that's preventing her from guaranteed rape.

[albanuadh_1]

Anna and Mary are back from the ' mission fields'; John will return next week. Knew Anna would be back in time for the fair. Who else is going to twist balloons?  Mary looks like she is sporting a tan.

[SPHASH]

Amish Anna is prego or she hasn't lost any baby weight on Danny.  Wonder if they will throw a party for Stud John too.

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, albanuadh_1 said:

Anna and Mary are back from the ' mission fields'; John will return next week. Knew Anna would be back in time for the fair. Who else is going to twist balloons?  Mary looks like she is sporting a tan.

They were away less than two weeks on their misscation and were welcomed home with "happy tears."  Good grief!

Will we be blessed with that scary Lolly costume again at the county fair?

[meee]

John stayed longer? By himself? Between that and all these sibling trips Jesse is taking, I'll throw in a prediction that they're both courting.

And I don't think Anna Marie looks pregnant, personally.

[Eternalbluepearl]

12 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

They were away less than two weeks on their misscation and were welcomed home with "happy tears."  Good grief!

This family depresses me more with every blog post. I hate that the only time they do an activity it is "ministering" to someone. Can't they just do something? Why do they have to bother others? Can you just enjoy Christmas without it being a time of ministering to your neighbors? Can you just attend your county fair without asking little kids if they are good people? It's sick. I don't believe their Jesus would want life lived this way in his name. Even he is probably like "shut the hell up, Maxwells!"

[Coconutwater]

12 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

They were away less than two weeks on their misscation and were welcomed home with "happy tears."  Good grief!

 

When I was a child I would go to camp longer than that and not be greeted with a welcome home party! That's normal, I remember calling home and my mom telling me to "go have fun! Don't worry about what's going on here" went off to college and got a "bye! See you at the next break!" They may heave teared up, but I've never seen it. It's the whole make your children grow up philosophy and learn to live on their own...these people...

[kpmom]

Yes, you'd think they'd been away all summer with Sarah's comment of , "Wow, it's been a long time."

So, is John still in the "mission field" or did he stop off to see someone special on the way back home?

And I just realized, Jesse was the only "child" at home for a little while when the three were mission fielding, and Sarah was helping the Corrals.

Maybe that's the reason for all the short trips with Jesse and Sarah, and then Jesse and John.  The poor guy had Steve and Teri breathing down only his neck for awhile and they felt bad for him.

ETA: I have to say, NR-Anna does look pregnant in that picture.  Could just be the way the very unflattering frumper is fitting her, but it does look that way.

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, Eternalbluepearl said:

This family depresses me more with every blog post. I hate that the only time they do an activity it is "ministering" to someone. Can't they just do something?

I think they do a lot of activities that don't involve ministering to others.  They take a lot of vacations, take family trips to the Zoo, and so on.   These are presented as enjoying God's creation, helping with the grandchildren, appreciating their siblings, or whatever.  They do mention when they hand out tracts - but the prime activity is the Maxwells enjoying themselves.  In the only ways they know.

Some activities are left off the blog too.  On purpose, I suspect. John attended a couple of Irrigation conferences with no mention.  Joseph blowing off Grandma's funeral to court Elissa wasn't mentioned either.

 I also don't remember Sarah announcing that Steve and Teri were presenters at Big Sandy.  I would have thought that was big news.

I also think Steve is letting his now ADULT children off the leash a little.  Or perhaps he is now allowing them to boast about their independent travel because too many people have told him that his control over them is bloody weird!

On Sarah and her travel tips - Steve's sheltering and training of his daughters to subjugate themselves to male authority makes them more vulnerable in my view.

 Let's look back at a genuinely traumatic experience in Sarah's life.  The dog attack on Ellie.  My bolding.  https://blog.titus2.com/2016/07/12/dog-attack-and-the-lords-protection/

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Thankfully the road is very public, and a car soon drove up. I could tell the lady wasn’t sure how to help, but she stopped and told me to get in the vehicle.  The dogs stopped attacking Ellie and circled around the car, giving me a chance to pick Ellie up. As I was trying to get in,

It seems to me that the lady did know how to help.  Sarah and Ellie were almost safely in her car and the dogs had stopped attacking. But then:

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another vehicle stopped, and two men jumped out.

Men to the rescue!

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They scared the dogs off and asked me if I was okay.

Excellent. Now is she in the lady's car away from the dogs?

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I’m so grateful the dogs had not attacked me physically.

Yes, poor Ellie.

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The men were very kind

So was the lady.

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and carried Ellie to their van and brought us back home.

Wait.  Sarah had picked Ellie up and was getting into the lady's car.  So she apparently gets out of the lady's car, allows two strange men to carry Ellie to their van, and lets the men drive her home.  

I am still surprised the lady didn't drive Sarah home, but Sarah apparently found her an inferior source of support.

And, of course, all this is God's providence not complete strangers being extremely kind to Sarah and Ellie.  Go figure.

 

[jozina]

Sitting alone in a secluded part of an airport is asking for trouble? Ah yes, the ever popular "Rape someone in a secluded part of an airport terminal" trick.  Important to avoid.

[HereticHick]

I wish Sarah could show me the secluded seating areas in airports. Sometimes I'm desperate to get away from the PA announcements and blaring Foxnews tv screens.

What is so upsetting (and un-Christian) about the Maxwell attitude towards others is that it restricts their willingness to help strangers in need. If you think every man in the airport is desperate to assault you-- you aren't going to help them if they ask you for directions. Or just want to chat to relieve their flight anxiety. Or are having a heart attack. Or choking on a bean burrito. Or are about to be shot by a terrorist.

tl,dr--when shit goes south, you don't want the Maxwells in your corner.