Chelsy and John Maxwell 2: On to the Honeymoon Somewhere Warm

[Palimpsest]

3 minutes ago, Lea said:

@nausicaa--If I dive into the blog from the beginning, am I going to find this whole, sad tale? Or should I stick to the FJ forums?

Not the person you asked, but your best bet is to read a few of the Mom's Corners or Seriously Dads on Titus2.  http://articles.titus2.com/

Here's one on John's "character deficiency." http://articles.titus2.com/homeschooling-the-dawdler/  He wrote a later post basically saying they got him to believe he was lazy.  In fact he probably has more gumption than all the other Maxwells combined.

Or read Summer with the Moodys for Sarah's description of a perfect Christian family with a perfect controlling father, a perfect detached mother, and perfect children who live the most boring and isolated perfect life known to humankind.  Don't pay full price - you can buy it second hand for pennies.

1 hour ago, Coconutwater said:

I bet Steve has been making John fast through the whole wedding process as a way to punish him because he stepped out of line. Might explain why he looks sickly thin. 

Actually, all the Maxwells who want to court routinely fast and pray to make sure they are doing the right thing. 

Steve has food issues.

[mango_fandango]

Steve says that reading the Bible is more important than brushing your teeth twice daily, and you need to read the Bible/be in God’s word every day. Never mind that you’ve read it all before, you absolutely must read the Bible every single day as your spiritual “diet” is more important than your physical one. I’m guessing individual Bible time is important for your own salvation and private journey with God and family Bible time is important for fellowship/discussing things as a family etc.

Ohhhh the Moody books are a trip (a dull one). The Moody kids don’t do anything wrong. If they make even the slightest mistake they immediately over-apologise like they’ve committed a serious crime. 

Just looking at the Christmas Day recap. Mary was ill “so she opted that it was better to pass”. Sarah, your writing is appalling. 

[FloraKitty35]

Stevehovah always make me appreciate the fact that my own father wasn't religious.  He was just as manipulative and controlling as Stevehovah, but a least God went as far as the honor thy father.  

[Eternalbluepearl]

4 hours ago, lilith said:

Steve decided they should stop (before they finished the series), not because he objected to the theology, but because they were too invested in the story/excitement and enjoying it too much.

This is chilling. What if God wanted Teri and Steve to enjoy books? Why does Steve claim to know exactly what God wants? When I read my fan fic or play my Taylor Swift albums and enjoy the hell out of them, maybe God smiles. 

[Lea]

4 hours ago, lilith said:

One of the older (already married at the time) boys once recommended the Left Behind books to Steve and Teri. They used to read them to each other in bed at night. Steve decided they should stop (before they finished the series), not because he objected to the theology, but because they were too invested in the story/excitement and enjoying it too much.

Thats life (or what passes for it) in Maxhell.

Good thing they never watched "The Wire"! My headship and I were up until 3AM most nights when we got addicted to that!

[usmcmom]

Quote

 The last time with John single.

^^This reads like John has the last name of "Single," as in "This was our last night with John Single."

So now I absolutely must call John "Married John Single." 

Mr. And Mrs. John Single Maxwell. 

Has a nice ring to it. 

[onekidanddone]

3 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Hey Arnold! Get in there between Steve and Teri! Good job buddy. Teri needs some warmth and affection. And we know she isn't getting it from Steve. I wonder if Steve resents Arnold.

I want to add that I think John adds a little f*n to that household and I'm guessing it will be boring as hell without him there. 

Why do they even have a cat in the first place? Cats are fun and unpredictable. The only time a cat might be on any sort of schedule is when they start crying for their can at the same time every day. I'm speaking of my cat, your cat mileage may vary. 

[mydoggoskeeper]

This quote from one of the Dad's corners explains their (or rather Steve's) view of the dangers of pleasure.

 

"There are certain things we just don’t do. For example, we would not even consider going to a movie theater, a professional sporting event of any kind, or amusement parks. For us, there is nothing redeeming about any of those activities, and much that is negative (that is for another Dad’s Corner). In addition, there is the potential if we participate in those areas of creating the intense appetite for more. Please don’t get me wrong; we have fun as a family, and much laughter is heard in the Maxwell home. However, it is the desire of my heart to raise children who are “lovers of God” far more than “lovers of pleasure.”

We would all do well to treat pleasure as the dangerous drug that it is."

 

And that, my friends, is why is Maxhell.  

[mango_fandango]

Steve is an arse of the highest degree. If something doesn’t directly glorify God it’s bad. Their lives must be so, so dull.

[PsyD2013]

40 minutes ago, onekidanddone said:

Why do they even have a cat in the first place? Cats are fun and unpredictable. The only time a cat might be on any sort of schedule is when they start crying for their can at the same time every day. I'm speaking of my cat, your cat mileage may vary. 

Right!  I have two Siamese.   They are chatty and demand of the the center of attention at at times.  The seal point starts her Siamese yowl when it gets dark because she wants the covers turned back on the bed so she can burrow. We cater to her because she is the house diva.  They are my idols and I love them.  I was married to a controlling Stevehova type.  He  demanded that I give them up.  The cats are still with me and well the controlling husband is now an ex.

[Jana814]

I have a dog client, they call their dog "queen Elizabeth". She thinks she controls the house. She taps at her food mat when she wants food or water. It's very funny. 

[Palimpsest]

4 minutes ago, Jana814 said:

I have a dog client, they call their dog "queen Elizabeth". She thinks she controls the house. She taps at her food mat when she wants food or water. It's very funny. 

My dogs get Christmas stockings.  They each get a new collar, a new soft toy, and a bag of special treats.  They get a treat and the toy to distract them while we open gifts.  At one point on Christmas morning we noticed them both in perfect sits, one on either side of the mantel, tails wagging frantically, and each of them staring fixedly at their stocking hoping for another treat!

[grammyj]

Well, I know I've been quick to blame Steve for all this religious over-scrupulousity coupled with legalism, for his interpretation of Biblical principle.   And, yeah, for Teri having all those back to back pregnancies  after Steve's reversal,even though she was suffering crippling depress ion.

BUT, I hold Teri every bit as responsible for how things have gone down in that family.  She had agency. She did not need to have more children if she ddidn't feel she could handle them.  She did not have to home school.  i don't think for one moment that those kids haven't suffered   long term damage because Teri did not protect her children from Steve's excesses.  I may sound harsh here but that's how I see it.

As far as I can tell, Teri has not done her job as a mother which is to Protect her children .  I give her no pass. OK Rant over.

Actually, I harbour no ill-will toward the Maxes. I just hope I live long enough to see those adult offspring get a life and the joys that go with it.  I agree with I think Palimpsest who saw Teri and deemed her "Terrifying" more than "Terrified."   Steve was a write-off with his kids. Teri should have fought for  the kids.   (For the record, I wasn't there personally  there to see how it all went down, I base my opinions on al their corners, Seriouslys and blog.)

On the other hand maybe theyve been trolling us for years and LTAO!!  I'd probably feel better about that zany family..... 

 

[catlady]

28 minutes ago, Jana814 said:

I have a dog client, they call their dog "queen Elizabeth". She thinks she controls the house. She taps at her food mat when she wants food or water. It's very funny. 

my dog knocks his dish around when he wants his dinner.  and he does NOT do this on schedule.  

 

[Palimpsest]

4 minutes ago, grammyj said:

 I agree with I think Palimpsest who saw Teri and deemed her "Terrifying" more than "Terrified."

Yes.  I feel conflicted over Teri but I do think she shares some of the blame. 

I believe she was horribly depressed in the past, to the extent of being genuinely unable to function or make decisions.  I'm sure she was relieved because Steve took control.  However, I don't think she is depressed today, but has a learned helplessness.

She is as passive aggressive as fuck, rather revels in her fragility, and wallows in being absolved of responsibility by Steve and the Holy Schedule.  And she is up to her neck in disseminating and preaching this terrible way of life.

I think she should be held responsible for the part she plays today.

[formergothardite]

29 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

I believe she was horribly depressed in the past, to the extent of being genuinely unable to function or make decisions. 

ITA. The one Moody book I read shows how detached Terri was from life. She needed real help and all she got was more babies and a strict schedule. The Moody mother in the book spent a good chunk of time locked in her room and my impression is this is what Terri did. 

John turned out this vibrant after being raised by a mother like Terri and a father like Steve, just imagine what he would have been like if he had even been raised in a normal fundie family.

[Rosie]

2 hours ago, formergothardite said:

People who are new to the Maxwells, this isn't an exaggeration. You would have thought he had started on the Oregon Trail and they would never see him again. 

He left home and moved across the street! He is still very much an integral part of their family! 

http://www.titus2.com/wedding/nathan-melanie.html

For whatever reason, I cannot think about Nathan and Melanie's wedding without also thinking about her eating yogurt in the car as they drove around after the ceremony.  

[grammyj]

The yogurt. Am other wedding eeewwwww, gag, if it's what I think it means.   Modesty--bah!

[singsingsing]

1 hour ago, grammyj said:

The yogurt. Am other wedding eeewwwww, gag, if it's what I think it means.   Modesty--bah!

Huh? 

[Odd1Out]

So it’s been discussed a bit if Chelsy will wear pants at all after being married. We’ll never see on the Maxwell blog if she does, but it will be very interesting to see come annual ‘surprise’ hiking time next August. I would think she would draw a line at hiking in a skirt. Since John usually goes and joins them at some point I’m guessing they both will. If we see pics of Chelsy only from the waist up I’m betting on she’s hiking in pants and Steve won’t be able to look her direction. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

13 minutes ago, Odd1Out said:

So it’s been discussed a bit if Chelsy will wear pants at all after being married. We’ll never see on the Maxwell blog if she does, but it will be very interesting to see come annual ‘surprise’ hiking time next August. I would think she would draw a line at hiking in a skirt. Since John usually goes and joins them at some point I’m guessing they both will. If we see pics of Chelsy only from the waist up I’m betting on she’s hiking in pants and Steve won’t be able to look her direction. 

But John is extended family now. So he may not go with the "immediate family." It will probably be just the girls and poor Jesse. He's got to get out of that house! 

Oh and Chelsy will probably be pregnant and may not feel like doing long hikes barefoot. 

[sparkles]

6 hours ago, Foudeb said:

It can't all be fear of punishment. I bet there's loads of emotional blackmail - <snip>

It's all about emotional blackmail and manipulation. The one example that sticks out in my mind is how Steve convinced the older boys to give up sports. Instead of appealing to them on their level, he took them out and then started weeping about how this wasn't edifying to Jesus (this is how they measure the worth of anything) and sure enough, the kids "chose" to give up sports. I was well into adulthood before I saw my father cry—after we lost two of my grandparents within a week of one another—and I'll never forget how shaken I was to see him so distraught. I can only imagine how it felt for two small boys to see their father weeping an wailing how they were going to spend eternity in hell if they continued playing Little League. I think it's in Keeping Our Children's Hearts so I'll have to look for it.

As far as the early wake-up call goes, I can say from experience that once you get into the habit, it's not a big deal. I went from basically hibernating instead of sleeping—I could easily snore away an entire day—to becoming an early riser, 5 am is my usual. I actually really love waking up early, especially when I have work to do. No phone calls, no emails, no other disruptions, I can watch the sun rise, drink my coffee, get freelance stuff done, start baking, go for a walk and take my time getting ready for work. I'm so much more alert and productive in the early morning hours. And I've been doing it for so many years than even on my days off or weekends, I still wake up at the same time. Of course, unlike the Maxwells, this is my CHOICE.

[mango_fandango]

1 hour ago, singsingsing said:

Huh? 

I’m guessing it’s a reference to oral sex. Knowing the Maxwells, I think this is highly unlikely. 

[nausicaa]

8 hours ago, Lea said:

@nausicaa--If I dive into the blog from the beginning, am I going to find this whole, sad tale? Or should I stick to the FJ forums?

You'll eventually get there. I learned about the Maxwells mostly by reading old FJ threads and then clicking the relevant links to their blog.

But yeah, it's one crazy, super boring but also kind of fascinating, ride. 

Let us know when you get to Teri taking white out to censor the words to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" in a kids songbook cause the lyrics aren't directly about the wrath of God and the afterlife. 

[onekidanddone]

7 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

Steve is an arse of the highest degree. If something doesn’t directly glorify God  Steve t’s bad. Their lives must be so, so dull.

Fixed it for you