Maxwell 28: You Can Leave Your Vest On!

[SPHASH]

Super Bowl tonight.  Maxwells are missing out.  Go Rams!

[MamaJunebug]

Wait — 2,500 posts over how many years and by a family with how many (nominally) literate members in it?

Erin Napier of HGTV fame wrote daily posts for 8 years, beginning it as an exercise in focusing on at least one good thing that happened that day.  During that time she opened and closed two or three real  businesses with her husband, got discovered by the TV and got pregnant, all the while being part of the serious movement to improve Laurel, MS, and its environs.

Of course she’s only a (gasp!) Methodist who goes to church in a real church with other sinners.  And she went to (clutch!) college. And has been known to wear blue jeans. Oh — and chose to delay pregnancy for several years. 

Anyway, one young, ambitious woman churning out  >2,920 seriously entertaining and thoughtful posts over 8 years puts the Maxcult’s 2,500 posts  (and many of them simply piss-poor to boot) over 11 years to shame. 

My story & I'm stickin’ to it. 

[meee]

2 hours ago, fundiefan said:

I think it means she, like every other Maxwell, is lacking in security in their spirituality/religion/world view. If they were secure, they wouldn't feel so threatened  by things like living away from mom & dad while unmarried or going to college or watching televsion or reading the news or interacting with people other than those they hold hostage in the nursing home. 

Honestly, though, it makes sense given the mindset. If you "know" that eternal bliss/joy/salvation/whatever awaits you if you're exactly the right kind of Christian, and that eternal damnation/hellfire/whatever awaits you if you're not, why would you put yourself in the path of temptation? Perhaps they (the Maxwell children, I mean) are really honestly afraid that TV, or secular books, or meeting secular people in college, etc., would lead to wanting to lead a secular life, away from all those rules, and thus giving up their eternal salvation. The best analogy I can come up with right now is alcoholism, and I hope it's not super offensive: a recovering alcoholic KNOWS they darn well better not be drinking, but oh gosh it's right there and it's so good and it's so tempting, and--nope, just don't have it around at all please. That's what I think of when people like the Maxwells choose to keep themselves so very sheltered.

[Syriana]

37 minutes ago, meee said:

The best analogy I can come up with right now is alcoholism, and I hope it's not super offensive: a recovering alcoholic KNOWS they darn well better not be drinking, but oh gosh it's right there and it's so good and it's so tempting, and--nope, just don't have it around at all please. That's what I think of when people like the Maxwells choose to keep themselves so very sheltered.

 

I like your analogy!  Taking that analogy as a basis and understanding that Steve is the driving force behind the Maxwell family's extreme sheltering, I have to wonder what he did/almost did that scared (and scarred) him so badly.  The way he has brainwashed his children is dreadful even by fundie standards.

The only thing I can say in his favour is that his children appear to have some decent practical skills (in terms of diy etc). 

[anachronistic]

I’m confused. Does Gigi not count in their family? Is that why she’s never in family pictures, even though she lives nearby? My family always included everyone around in family pictures, of all generations.

[Odd1Out]

36 minutes ago, anachronistic said:

I’m confused. Does Gigi not count in their family? Is that why she’s never in family pictures, even though she lives nearby? My family always included everyone around in family pictures, of all generations.

Gigi is not a Maxwell. Only people allowed in the family photo have the last name Maxwell.

doesnt matter that she is Terie’s mom and these are her descendants. She’s not a Maxwell that’s all that matters. 

[MamaJunebug]

45 minutes ago, Odd1Out said:

Gigi is not a Maxwell. Only people allowed in the family photo have the last name Maxwell.

doesnt matter that she is Terie’s mom and these are her descendants. She’s not a Maxwell that’s all that matters. 

That’s right. One of these days I’ll have nothing else to do and will find the family [sic] photo of THE MAXWELLS (with Gigi & Grandpa there, but practically in the next room, the easier to crop them out of the group, for sure. 

[bluelady]

1 hour ago, Odd1Out said:

Gigi is not a Maxwell. Only people allowed in the family photo have the last name Maxwell.

doesnt matter that she is Terie’s mom and these are her descendants. She’s not a Maxwell that’s all that matters. 

This reminds me of a family picture we had taken a number of years ago. I have 12 first cousins on my dad's side so with spouses and kids we number a lot. We're geographically spread out and it just so happened we were all able to attend a family wedding so we decided to have a picture taken. After the first one, someone decided to have a picture of just those of us with "last name" blood (why, I don't know). Anyway, next thing you know, we see Nana, my grandmother and the matriarch, wandering away. She didn't have "last name" blood so she assumed she wasn't wanted in the pic. We all had a laugh and assured her that, yes, she was to be included.

[Melissa1977]

I wonder if all the Anna breackdown about college was shown in the blog because, in fact, she WANTED to go. And of course she was too shy and scared to say it loud. Then Teri and Steve manipulate the situation to get her say (and probably think, too) what we read in the blog.

 

[meee]

As for starting the blog with 11 including Melanie, why wouldn't that be 9? I thought once people got married they got relegated to "extended family."

[Captain Obvious]

10 hours ago, meee said:

Perhaps they (the Maxwell children, I mean) are really honestly afraid that TV, or secular books, or meeting secular people in college, etc., would lead to wanting to lead a secular life, away from all those rules, and thus giving up their eternal salvation. The best analogy I can come up with right now is alcoholism, and I hope it's not super offensive: a recovering alcoholic KNOWS they darn well better not be drinking, but oh gosh it's right there and it's so good and it's so tempting, and--nope, just don't have it around at all please. That's what I think of when people like the Maxwells choose to keep themselves so very sheltered.

I would generally agree with that except we know that Joseph and Jesse's IT work has seen them attending secular conferences in Las Vegas and mixing with non-Christians (on one time at a function where there was alcohol), and apparently Anna has been to a similar conference as well. John (and Chelsy) the same, except with irrigation. So they're not entirely sheltered, and there's also the issue that we don't really know about the stuff that doesn't get reported on the blog.

Maybe it's more accurate to say that their exposure to the outside work is limited to strictly professional settings, once they are adults or (for the girls) are supervised by their menfolk. So any conversations they have can be work focused, with less risk of meeting someone who might have the opportunity to tell them about science or atheism. 

[johnhugh]

OK hands up, there are 121 entries in the 2,500 tits 2 giveaway. Some of these must be us.

new post up

Quote

We’ve done some interesting things to get pictures over the years. One involved going to a grocery store, with a nurse friend of ours, and asking permission from the store to break some eggs on the floor.

I just not imagine this being allowed in my local Waitrose or Sainsbury’s, you would be kicked out. Could artist Mary not use her imagination?

[Markie]

Why does she say “a nurse friend of ours?” What does being a nurse have to do with being allowed to break eggs in a grocery store aisle? 

[meee]

Didn't read it yet, but HUH? If you need broken eggs on the floor to draw a picture of (is that what this is?), then break your own eggs on your own kitchen floor!

[Lisafer]

I can understand needing photos to work off of for illustrations, but when you're putting smoke bombs in the engine of a UHaul truck I'd say perhaps you've gone a bit too far. Really? Smoke is not that hard to draw! Use your imagination!

Sadly, it's as if Steve has crushed their imaginations...

[fundiewatch]

The newest post is so Maxwell! A long ago column described them “treeing a cat” (had a dog chase a cat up a tree) so that they could take a picture for the (non-reversal) artist to draw from. Not only do the Maxwells completely lack imagination, they firmly believe everyone else does too. 

[keepsweet]

On 1/20/2019 at 10:58 AM, HerNameIsBuffy said:

This.  they have options and weren't born and raised in the order with no exposure to other lifestyles.

True for some, but not for all of them. There are some pretty sheltered fundamental Catholic children in families that push the monastic life as the more holy vocation.

Not to mention the ones that for decades/centuries saw it as their only option because of being a Catholic who was homosexual.

It was seen as noble, and instead of their bringing shame, it brought pride to the family to be a priest/nun. So they would go to their "calling" and try and deal with their "sinfulness"  while attempting to stay chaste with nobody expecting them to marry or asking their parents why they weren't married yet.  Of course that didn't always work so well for many of them it seems as we learn of the number of homosexual priests with hidden lovers etc. There's definitely some real sad stories of ex-nuns and ex-priests that stayed for years/decades, because what else were they going to do.

I do find myself wondering if Terri finding her 37 year old daughter still waiting for the Godly man that she knows she desires more than anything, and the other two faring no better,  has her sunken down into a deeper depression. Who would really know? 

I feel there has to be at least the odd sane moment where Terri wonders if what they've done has caused this to be the outcome for her girls who each probably long to be a wife and mommy as it's all they've been taught is their role in life. I mean their whole family ministry has been Titus 2 based.

All those girls have heard their entire lives is about the older woman teaching the younger how to love their husbands and children. But what happens when there is no husband or children of their own to love? Sadly, perhaps Sarah will be able to take over the ministry one day and write the book on that and then they will all see it as why God allowed that to be her destiny.

It has nothing to do with the fact that any man has/had to have been able to buy a house debt free to even be worthy of a Maxwell daughter's betrothal.  I mean come on Steve! Do the girls have a dowry? Maybe you should have the house renovated for them and waiting in lieu of some cash. 

Of course if Terri were to ever voice that thought to Steve I'm sure she would be seen as lacking faith with the only obvious answer being to spend more time in Scripture and prayer. Then, upon doing so she is lead to the scripture verses that credit God's will as the reason for the outcome and the result is to post the joyless birthday post. 

 

[uber frau]

3 hours ago, meee said:

As for starting the blog with 11 including Melanie, why wouldn't that be 9? I thought once people got married they got relegated to "extended family."

If they did that, they couldn't include any of the grandMaxs and they'd have to write that the family had shrunk to 7.  It'd more accurately reflect the truth: their 11 years have been spectacularly unproductive. Their audience has diminished considerably, and they've squandered that time pissing into the wind, trying to shore up Steve's increasingly irrelevant little cult.

Even they know that the only vaguely  interesting thing they've managed to do get a few of the boys married off and producing grandkids.

[Tatar-tot]

I tell you Teri really needs to grow up and take responsibility for the outcomes of her parenting.  She is a major fail as a mother.  Kids have mediocre jobs at best.  

Buying an $80k home job debt free is really nothing to brag about if you are living at home working full time.  A salary at your local fast food joint could accomplish that goal in less than 5 years.   

The Maxwell girls are a complete waste of time for the average guy: Mediocre looks, no job skills, blah personalities, and crazy potential in-laws.  Who on earth would want their son dealing with this crazy family in order to secure a bride?   The average guy can find a cute bride at the local community college, their church or a hiking club.  Why does Steve think anyone will want to jump through a bunch of hoops to marry one of his below average daughters?  Honestly I think Gigi would be a better catch.  She probably is a great cook, likes to laugh & dang, she owns her own home.   Gigi is probably a great snuggler too!  

Now that I got that out of my system I will climb back down into my cave!  

[keepsweet]

10 minutes ago, Tatar-tot said:

I tell you Teri really needs to grow up and take responsibility for the outcomes of her parenting.  She is a major fail as a mother.  Kids have mediocre jobs at best.  

Buying an $80k home job debt free is really nothing to brag about if you are living at home working full time.  A salary at your local fast food joint could accomplish that goal in less than 5 years.   

The Maxwell girls are a complete waste of time for the average guy: Mediocre looks, no job skills, blah personalities, and crazy potential in-laws.  Who on earth would want their son dealing with this crazy family in order to secure a bride?   The average guy can find a cute bride at the local community college, their church or a hiking club.  Why does Steve think anyone will want to jump through a bunch of hoops to marry one of his below average daughters?  Honestly I think Gigi would be a better catch.  She probably is a great cook, likes to laugh & dang, she owns her own home.   Gigi is probably a great snuggler too!  

Now that I got that out of my system I will climb back down into my cave!  

I don't think they are a complete waste of time for the average guy, because I'm sorry, if you look around the "average" guy of today often isn't all that deserving, although many might think they are. 

Personally, I think that the three girls have a good bit they could  bring  to a hardworking quiet man who wants a simple life. They know how to cook and clean and serve. They have good hearts. They want to be mothers.  Likely not enough for an intellectual, but enough for a man who simply wants a quiet peaceful life. 

I believe the problem is those types of men, probably work for somebody else. They aren't self employed as seems to be a big one for Steve or the type to be at seminars and conferences, and they might not have bought a home debt free. 

They probably aren't big on praying in public or giving out tracts in the Cosco line, or asking every waitress if she's saved, so perhaps they don't line up with what Steve sees as a leader in a home.

They are simply the quiet, reserved hard workers who stay in the background and would complement and be able to provide the simple life these girls(ladies) seek.

[Tatar-tot]

Take a look at these girls & then look at who John David Duggar married.  Now look at the Maxwell girls.  Who comes closest?

[Alisamer]

1 hour ago, fundiewatch said:

The newest post is so Maxwell! A long ago column described them “treeing a cat” (had a dog chase a cat up a tree) so that they could take a picture for the (non-reversal) artist to draw from. Not only do the Maxwells completely lack imagination, they firmly believe everyone else does too. 

Wow. So, yeah, I like to have references to draw from, but this is ridiculous! It's not that hard to look at a tree and a photo of a cat and put the two together for a cat in a tree. I guess we are lucky the people they draw illustrations of are so incredibly boring, or who knows what they'd get up to trying to draw fantasy stuff!

Of course, if they were normal people they could find tons of reference photos of all sorts of things on stock sites or "paint my photo" or any number of other places online. But stevehovah won't allow that, of course. So they go treeing cats and breaking eggs in the store, because they couldn't possibly take a photo of the store aisle then break an egg on the table at home to add into the drawing.

[Palimpsest]

Welp, they updated their bios when I wan't looking.

My edits.

Steve and Teri

Quote

Happily married for 44 years with eight fantastic suffocated children (now adults) and excited grandparents to a growing number. Steve and Teri UNenthusiastically homeschooled for thirty years! Steve writes a weekly e-newsletter called Seriously fucked up Dad, which is a short, encouraging berating read for all a few dads. Teri writes a monthly e-newsletter for moms called Mom’s Corner, challenging and motivating boring and depressing moms.

Steve and Teri think their ’s gifting is to:

• strengthen family relationships in the Lord
• teach husbands to be gentle but determined controlling and nagging leaders
• enable wives to be INefficient and peaceful idle with meek and quiet passive aggressive spirits

Teri loves investing her life in others, from those still in the home to her grandchildren to being a Titus2 mentor to countless moms around the world. “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Oh, blimey.  Yes, 80% of Titus 2 is Teri.

And then they run through the rest of the family.  When they graduated, when the boys bought their houses debt-free, marriage, kids, what they do for a living.  Kind of.

Quote

Nathan and Melanie homeschool and have five children:  Abigail, Bethany, Christina, Andrew, Benjamin, and another baby due in May! Nathan does IT work for churches and small businesses in the Kansas City area.

Nathan's bio is mostly a plug for the books.  And Nathan employs Annie Maxwell at the newly revamped CCI, why not mention that.

Christopher apparently doesn't work at all.  Actually he supposedly works for Joe at Swift Otter.  And occasionally takes morbid wedding photos.

Quote

Christopher graduated from homeschool in 1997, and he purchased his home debt-free years later before marrying Anna Marie in October 2010. They are embarking on the homeschooling journey as their oldest is approaching that age. Currently, they've been blessed with five children, Joshua, Ruthanne, Lydia, Daniel, and Elizabeth.

They can't remember when Chris bought his house - or decided not to mention it because that would help us dates his failed engagement.  They seem almost ashamed of Chris.

Sarah is indeed a key part of the Titus 2 Ministry.  It would probably fall apart without her as Teri can't organise her way out of a paper bag.

Quote

 She also does bookkeeping for three small businesses. Whenever she has a spare moment, you’ll probably find her writing a children’s book, taking pictures, working on a blog post, or learning a new skill. Her newest book, Finding Change, is now available. Sarah would love to be a wife and a mother, but she’s waiting on the Lord for that right guy.

What new skills has Sarah learned recently?  And of course she is still waiting on the Lord for that right guy.

Quote

Joseph is a full-time programmer. As a side project, he programmed ChoreWare, optional for Managers of Their Chores, and ScheduleBreeze, optional for Managers of Their Homes book owners.

Why not give Swift Otter a plug here?  And they finally developed Apps for the chore packs and MOTH!

Quote

John graduated in 2009 from the Maxwells' homeschool. He has an agriculture design firm and is a licensed real estate agent in Kansas. He is a energetic, creative worker—a people person with a great sense of humor! John bought his house debt-free recently. John married Chelsy in December 2017! They're expecting their first baby in late January.

Axton Maxton has arrived, Maxwells.  Time to edit.

But now it gets interesting:

Quote

Anna graduated in 2010 from the Maxwells' homeschool. She also is a great asset to Titus2 and lays out our books and helps with book reprints. Anna has a special bond with children and enjoys the ever-growing clan of nieces and nephews. She and Mary serve in a local Bible club for kids twice a week. She works part time from home for a business providing IT help desk support.

Well that is news!  But why not mention that Annie works for Nathan?  It is misleading to give the impression that she works outside the family.

 We get more about the Bible club in Mary's bio, which is fulsome in comparison.

Quote

Mary is the youngest, and she graduated from homeschool in 2015. Mary's heart thrust is for ministry, and she loves any opportunity to share Christ. Twice weekly she ministers at a Bible club at low-income apartments, pouring her heart and talent into the kids.

Her heart thrust.  But Anna and Mary are allowed out to "low income" apartments!  This is huge!   Also:

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For the past several summers, the Lord has opened doors for ministry trips.

You only told us about one "ministry trip" last summer, Maxwells.  Or are you including the one A & M went on with John?  That makes 2, not several.

Quote

On the home front, Mary illustrated Sarah's last three books. She is definitely a "creative" and enjoys doing graphic design projects for a small business. Mary also ships most of the Titus2.com orders, so the next time you order, it's likely she packed it!

Mary may actually be busy.  They don't mention Anna and Mary waiting on the Lord for the right guy.  Perhaps they know it is a lost cause.

Oh, and Jesse.  I almost forgot him, poor guy.

Quote

Jesse graduated in 2012. He is a full time programmer. Jesse had a major role in the construction of this website and made it mobile friendly. Jesse continues to expand his skill set and also pursue credentials. In addition, he enjoys studying Christian apologetics. Jesse is the final Maxwell son to purchase his home debt-free in the summer of 2018!

He also works for Swift Otter.  In addition, he has the initiative to clean up woodpiles.

And more misdirection.

Quote

Our Church

The Maxwells attend a multi-generational, family-integrated church Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Lansing, Kansas (outside of Kansas City).

The whole congregation consists of the Maxwell Clan and a sprinkling of  "elderly."  Interesting that Steve no longer claims to "pastor" the Church of the Holy Nursing Home.

[MamaJunebug]

3 hours ago, johnhugh said:

OK hands up, there are 121 entries in the 2,500 tits 2 giveaway. Some of these must be us.

new post up

I just not imagine this being allowed in my local Waitrose or Sainsbury’s, you would be kicked out. Could artist Mary not use her imagination?

The actual phuq? Couldn’t break an egg on their own floor? Or kitchen counter?

These guys are Special Snowflakes Extraordinaire!!!

[Alisamer]

Wow, if the Rods had bothered to teach their kids any print skills while running their "print ministry" I'd say Mary would be a decent match for Timothy. The Rods definitely need a "creative" and/or a "graphic designer".

I put those in quotes, because I am an actual graphic designer and I suspect she is more of the "got a bootleg copy of Photoshop and now thinks she's a legit 'creative'" type.