Really didn't intend to post anything today. Just thought I would sneak in and read others' blogs , catch up (since I am still behind on my reading here), and chill out.
However, ahem!...visited another site before this one. It is more of a social interaction and information site, and although I don't blog there, I do occasionally comment on others' posts. There is a "bar" on the right side of the home page of the site which details current activity of members who are posting or commenting. My name must have popped up too much to suit someone. Ohhh yeah.
Evidently I attracted the attention of one of the more active members there who is very insecure about her position or popularity ranking on the site.
She had requested my friendship and has been nice...until I made the mistake of not being so invisible today. Oops!
Since I saw several posts of interest to me today, and had the time to comment I did. Nothing earth shattering or lengthy; usually just thanking them for sharing their views, and to one for the thought provoking questions he posed. Almost immediately, she messaged me to say that I must be feeling very chipper today as I was "all over the site and commenting on everything!" One might have thought that I was some demented person run amok with a machete whacking off members' heads. Now, lest you think that I am misinterpreting and/or overreacting...please read on.....
She continued by telling me her current popularity rating on the site;
(The site ranks members, and she checks her postion every day, she says!) and then proceeded to tell me about all the men on the site who were "hot" for her and who offered her "the world on a platter", and who offered to service her "needs". Needless to say, I will spare you the details of that tid bit. She informed me further of her profile page views being in the hundreds (or was it thousands? I honestly cannot recall), and her plans to promote herself and move even further up in the popularity ratings. Ok. Ahem!
It was one of those moments of thinking, "Honey, please! Who are you trying to convince of your worth, me or yourself?"
No, of course, I didn't say that!
The site is not a game to me, and I am content to go there, read, learn, and interact with some of the other members on occasion. It was just sad to me that this otherwise intelligent, creative, attractive and young (40s) woman feels so easily threatened by an old fart like me who is not even that active on the site; not there (plainly states in my profile) for romance or anything intimate, just friendship; and who has encouraged her writing (blogs, journal, and poetry). How empty does one's life have to be to need that kind of validation?
Yes, I know. There are people on facebook, and other social networking or interaction sites, as well as folks who blog on sites such as this who have a Junior High mentality of collecting names on their friends list, most of whom they have never met and never will, and have little to no online interaction with; but who add to the "numbers", and thus to their perception of their value (one might guess), since they boast about their "numbers". Not talking about people who are making money on their blogs and are therefore bound to be tied to the numbers, but those who seem to get some genuine sense of satisfaction by the amount of names on their page. Interesting. Just cannot wrap my mind around that, much less really relate to it. As a close (real) friend of mine says, "Whatever floats their boat". That is true, I suppose. We are all different, with different backgrounds, experiences, and needs.
Not sure that there is any message in all of this, other than the fact that at my age, I am still stunned sometimes by human behavior. lol
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Coming and Going Through Life...........
Ever think about the people who come and go through our lives? Some are the briefest of encounters..servers in restaurants, ticket sellers at the movies, cashiers at a store... while others last longer but still sort of fizzle out or fade over time. Then there are those who just disappear out of our lives with little to no warning, and it is if we never knew them at all, or we may feel that this is what they think.
Others such as our family and some few friends may be with us (if not physically or geographically, then in our hearts and minds) forever.
Ever wonder who remembers you and how they remember you? Sometimes we impact people's lives without intending to or even being aware of it. Our smile or frown might make a difference in someone's day. Our attitude and behavior may be the only Bible or church they ever see. Are we behaving such that we would want them to remember us? Have our impatience or unkindness brought someone else discouragement? Knowing what to say and do is not the issue; whether we are doing and saying what we know to be right is.
Sometimes it seems that the impermanence of some relationships is like life itself, all too brief, and sometimes painful.
Some approach life (and interaction with others) as if it is a drudgery and something to be endured, while others see it as a blessing and live each day as an adventure of sorts, relishing each moment and trying to suck the flavor or essence out like a dog trying to get the juicy marrow out of a bone.
Well, you probably know by now that I am of the latter group. No matter how challenging some days...weeks...months..lol..can be, God is great and life is good. That doesn't change. Does this mean that I am always on my best behavior, and never mess up? No, indeed. Does this mean that I am never down and discouraged? Nope. Not at all. It simply means that I choose not to stay there. The Bible talks about walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23). Keyword is not valley nor shadow nor death ...not for me. It is through. We don't have to stay there! God will bring us through.
When I am gone, I hope that if anyone does remember me, what they recall is that I was good to them, treated them well, and was a truly happy person. That is more than enough.
Others such as our family and some few friends may be with us (if not physically or geographically, then in our hearts and minds) forever.
Ever wonder who remembers you and how they remember you? Sometimes we impact people's lives without intending to or even being aware of it. Our smile or frown might make a difference in someone's day. Our attitude and behavior may be the only Bible or church they ever see. Are we behaving such that we would want them to remember us? Have our impatience or unkindness brought someone else discouragement? Knowing what to say and do is not the issue; whether we are doing and saying what we know to be right is.
Sometimes it seems that the impermanence of some relationships is like life itself, all too brief, and sometimes painful.
Some approach life (and interaction with others) as if it is a drudgery and something to be endured, while others see it as a blessing and live each day as an adventure of sorts, relishing each moment and trying to suck the flavor or essence out like a dog trying to get the juicy marrow out of a bone.
Well, you probably know by now that I am of the latter group. No matter how challenging some days...weeks...months..lol..can be, God is great and life is good. That doesn't change. Does this mean that I am always on my best behavior, and never mess up? No, indeed. Does this mean that I am never down and discouraged? Nope. Not at all. It simply means that I choose not to stay there. The Bible talks about walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23). Keyword is not valley nor shadow nor death ...not for me. It is through. We don't have to stay there! God will bring us through.
When I am gone, I hope that if anyone does remember me, what they recall is that I was good to them, treated them well, and was a truly happy person. That is more than enough.
Stalking............
Friend of mine who blogs on another site posted a blog about stalking. She did not name names in the blog, but two of us (her friends) and the site admins. know who the stalker is.
She does not use her real name on that site because of the unwanted contact she has received from others in the past, and the fact that it is an alternative lifestyle site.
She is a female living alone in a somewhat remote area, and seeks not to be unfriendly nor duplicitous, but cautious. Unfortunately, she did put her pic on her profile. Probably not the best choice considering the circumstances. Well, someone she does not esp. care for from that site tracked her down somehow on fb and asked to "friend" her there. They did not have her name, but her general area, and age. Who knows the profiles they had to comb through before matching up her photos from both sites? There is software out there that can do this, I am told, so it may have been easy for them.
The point is that they now have my friend's real name, family member's names and more of a clue on her location. If they found her there, getting her actual physical address should be no problem. She was outraged and terrified, as she had done nothing to invite nor encourage this contact, and now has to worry about having her lifestyle choices disclosed to others...as well as the possibility of having some psycho show up at her door.
She is a strong and determined coonass (relax, it is what cajuns call themselves), and would have no problem tcob if threatened; but it is not something she or any other sane person would relish having to do.
The incident has been reported to the site admins., and a private message sent to this person politely asking them to refrain from further contact or face legal action. There was obviously no mention of what would occur should this individual show up at her home. Ahem!
What was in his demented mind, you wonder? Well, the he was a she. Nope, not a sexual nor romantic thing at all. Just an attempt by a disturbed and attention seeking woman who found nothing wrong in what she did and quickly came up with a cover story for the site admin. to keep from being banned from the site. Interestingly, even on her fb site, the stalking woman uses a false ID, so while she intrudes into others lives gathering their info, she seeks to reveal little to none of her own.
One of the site admins commented that in this day and age, such behavior is sadly more and more common, and people should remember that whatever they put online is out there forever. It is a wake up call as to our vulnerability and our false sense of security.
She does not use her real name on that site because of the unwanted contact she has received from others in the past, and the fact that it is an alternative lifestyle site.
She is a female living alone in a somewhat remote area, and seeks not to be unfriendly nor duplicitous, but cautious. Unfortunately, she did put her pic on her profile. Probably not the best choice considering the circumstances. Well, someone she does not esp. care for from that site tracked her down somehow on fb and asked to "friend" her there. They did not have her name, but her general area, and age. Who knows the profiles they had to comb through before matching up her photos from both sites? There is software out there that can do this, I am told, so it may have been easy for them.
The point is that they now have my friend's real name, family member's names and more of a clue on her location. If they found her there, getting her actual physical address should be no problem. She was outraged and terrified, as she had done nothing to invite nor encourage this contact, and now has to worry about having her lifestyle choices disclosed to others...as well as the possibility of having some psycho show up at her door.
She is a strong and determined coonass (relax, it is what cajuns call themselves), and would have no problem tcob if threatened; but it is not something she or any other sane person would relish having to do.
The incident has been reported to the site admins., and a private message sent to this person politely asking them to refrain from further contact or face legal action. There was obviously no mention of what would occur should this individual show up at her home. Ahem!
What was in his demented mind, you wonder? Well, the he was a she. Nope, not a sexual nor romantic thing at all. Just an attempt by a disturbed and attention seeking woman who found nothing wrong in what she did and quickly came up with a cover story for the site admin. to keep from being banned from the site. Interestingly, even on her fb site, the stalking woman uses a false ID, so while she intrudes into others lives gathering their info, she seeks to reveal little to none of her own.
One of the site admins commented that in this day and age, such behavior is sadly more and more common, and people should remember that whatever they put online is out there forever. It is a wake up call as to our vulnerability and our false sense of security.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Still Slogging Along.............
Well, it is Labor Day, Sept. 5th, and the remnants of TS Lee are still giving us sporadic wind and rain.
Don't mind the cooler temps, but will be glad if my yard ever dries out.
When I try to get my furball to exit to take care of business, he looks out at the wet, almost butt high grass (he is a shiz tsu), and then at me (as he backs away from the door) as if to say, "You have got to be kidding me! I could drown out there." Poor baby.
Hope everyone else in the rest of the country is having a sunny, safe, and fun Labor Day.
************
Friend of mine who also likes to write clued me into some software I might try (free trial from microsoft). It is supposed to be helpful in writing one's novel. Ahhhh yes, I know. We all aspire to be writers ....and some of us actually write. lol At any rate, it sounds interesting and might be worth a try.
She also mentioned considering having her book published as an ebook, something I had not thought of. Why, I don't know, as I read copious amouts of ebooks on my kindle through amazon. Lots of them are free and get one hooked on an author and make one want to read more of their work....and therefore pay for the privilege. Yes, it works with me. lol
At any rate, it is also another good thought, if I ever do get anything finished and ready for submission.
Doncha just love getting good tid bits from others...and without even trying to pick their brains. lol
************************
This same gal is also starting her own site online. Just getting it sort of "framed out" now and still building. Cool!
It is an especially positive step for her because she has been nursing a heartache/heartbreak over some pompous ass she was involved with. Oops! Did I say that? Well, it is the truth. He was/is a player, and is really into much younger women (20ish). She is in her 40s (he is in his 50s) so she was too old for him to start with. Geez!
At any rate, she has been alone for years (as have I), and was swept off her feet by this charming rascal, then got in over her head before she knew what hit her. Then, of course, he dropped her cold. Nice, eh?
He still shows up where he knows she will see him and ignores her. Get this: he "forbade" her to contact him, speak to him, or acknowledge him in public. Do ya see why I called him what I did?! Was making her beyond depressed; actually physically ill.
Another friend and I have been trying to do what we can to divert her mind onto something positive and productive, and she is finally sounding more like herself. Thank God!! She is finally eating and sleeping again and talking about her book and the website again. Whew!
There, but for the Grace of God, go I.
***************
Going to go and see what I can get into. Wish me luck :-)
Don't mind the cooler temps, but will be glad if my yard ever dries out.
When I try to get my furball to exit to take care of business, he looks out at the wet, almost butt high grass (he is a shiz tsu), and then at me (as he backs away from the door) as if to say, "You have got to be kidding me! I could drown out there." Poor baby.
Hope everyone else in the rest of the country is having a sunny, safe, and fun Labor Day.
************
Friend of mine who also likes to write clued me into some software I might try (free trial from microsoft). It is supposed to be helpful in writing one's novel. Ahhhh yes, I know. We all aspire to be writers ....and some of us actually write. lol At any rate, it sounds interesting and might be worth a try.
She also mentioned considering having her book published as an ebook, something I had not thought of. Why, I don't know, as I read copious amouts of ebooks on my kindle through amazon. Lots of them are free and get one hooked on an author and make one want to read more of their work....and therefore pay for the privilege. Yes, it works with me. lol
At any rate, it is also another good thought, if I ever do get anything finished and ready for submission.
Doncha just love getting good tid bits from others...and without even trying to pick their brains. lol
************************
This same gal is also starting her own site online. Just getting it sort of "framed out" now and still building. Cool!
It is an especially positive step for her because she has been nursing a heartache/heartbreak over some pompous ass she was involved with. Oops! Did I say that? Well, it is the truth. He was/is a player, and is really into much younger women (20ish). She is in her 40s (he is in his 50s) so she was too old for him to start with. Geez!
At any rate, she has been alone for years (as have I), and was swept off her feet by this charming rascal, then got in over her head before she knew what hit her. Then, of course, he dropped her cold. Nice, eh?
He still shows up where he knows she will see him and ignores her. Get this: he "forbade" her to contact him, speak to him, or acknowledge him in public. Do ya see why I called him what I did?! Was making her beyond depressed; actually physically ill.
Another friend and I have been trying to do what we can to divert her mind onto something positive and productive, and she is finally sounding more like herself. Thank God!! She is finally eating and sleeping again and talking about her book and the website again. Whew!
There, but for the Grace of God, go I.
***************
Going to go and see what I can get into. Wish me luck :-)
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Thoughts On Thinking..............
Yes, it's me, back again. So can I help it if my muse just decides to jab me in spurts some days and ignores me on others? Ahem!
Just thought I had best get these ideas posted before I possibly lost the internet or power (or both) with this storm.
Was reading something recently in which the author stated that we have two different basic types of thoughts.
There are our conscious thoughts of decisions, choices, things we want and have to do to make it through the day in this life. He called these our "busy thoughts" (need to buy bread, take out the trash, cut the dog's nails).
What we might consider out intuition, conscience, or flashes of inspiration and insight, he calls our still small voice. No we don't hear audible voices (at least I hope not!), but you get the picture.
It is this inner voice that he says we need to pay more attention to. He contends that we are all equipped with "instructions" encoded in our DNA, as to how to take better care of ourselves, and we need to access and heed our inner voice for the best outcomes. We are all humans, yet different, so our instructions will not be identical. What works for one person could be detrimental or harmful for another.
He used the analogy of buying a fern and a cactus. Both are plants, but mix up the tags with the care instructions and both plants will likely perish.
Well, I have no problem with some of this, BUT...yeah, you knew that was inevitable didn't you? Hahahahhahaha
That "still, small voice" he describes is what I believe is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, God's Divine Spark Within Us, or however else you might be comfortable in referring to it. To me, it is not part of our brain or other physiology, but is still a very real and living spirt within our own spirit. Hey, it's my blog. I say what I think. You can say what you think in the comments if ya want to.
God is a spirit and when He created us in his own image, that meant we are spirit too. It has nothing to do with physical characteristics, race, gender, or any of that junk. Old Hebrew scriptures say God created man as a "speaking spirit", presumably so that He could have fellowship with this particular creation.
So God is spirit, and we are spirit; now where did this other spirit come from? Well, I won't get off on that tanget today. Some believe that when God breathed the breath of life into man, He also shared some of His spirit or essence with man. Others will say that when Christians accept Jesus, that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us.
Suffice it to say that I believe that God has given us this Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, teach, and help us; it is up to us to choose to shut up our "busy thoughts" and listen to the leadings of God through this Spirit. For me, two of the easiest and best ways to do this are prayer and meditation.
Don't roll your eyes at me! When one says "meditation" in Western culture, people seem to automatically see images of Buddhists, Hindus, or some other Eastern religions. Not necessarily so. Do you concentrate on things? Do you daydream? Do you worry and fret about stuff? Guess what...you are already doing a form of meditation. Surprise! There are as many kinds, styles and forms of it as grains of sand on the beach. When you read a Bible verse or some beautiful poetry, listen to some beautiful music, or watch something like a sunrise or sunset, and let these things touch your heart and soul, you are meditating.
It is not necessary to "clear your mind", or have some exotic mantra to chant, or sit cross legged and burn incense. Nope. Don't let the word "meditation" fool you or intimidate you. It is cool, and as I said, you are very likely already doing it and have been for years. Now what one chooses to meditate on is the kicker. It is up to us. What we fill our mind with can determine the course of our life.
Often what we worry, whine, and complain about is already answered/solved, if we will but shut up and listen. God is not careless or heartless, and he has not created us and just run off and left us bereft and defenseless.
As a preacher friend of mine has said, "Prayer is not supposed to be a monologue. It is supposed to be a conversation with God."
That requires input from the other side, right? We have to shut up and listen to hear what He is trying to tell us.
Prayer is also not supposed to be a list of " I want, I need, and Can you do this for me please? things".
One friend I know described it as a sandwich. Using Biblical references telling us to always praise God and always be thankful, she says that our prayers should start that way, and not as a matter of rote, but out of a true spirit of gratitude for all that He has done for us. Then we can ask for what we think we need, or tell him what our problems are. Then she says we should thank him in advance for giving us what we ask for.
The Bible says if we ask "believing" already that we have received, it will be done. Doesn't say when, so don't get your knickers all in a wad if you fail to see immediate evidence of having your needs met. Sometimes that does happen; sometimes it doesn't.
When we worry or think God has failed us we are saying we have no faith in Him.
So why ask?
He is God, His timing is best for us, and He will always do His best for us. It is when we start trying to second guess Him and think we know what is best that we usually mess up big time.
If we talked to some people as some of us do to God, they would zone out and cease to hear us, and soon start avoiding us. Think about it. Seriously.
Would say that all of this is JMHO, but I am not humble. Nope, despite my best efforts. If I ever did achieve true humility, knowing me, I'd be proud of it. Dang it, Lee!
Actually that is ok. I have learned to accept and approve of myself, because God does. He accepts me for who I am, what I am, and where I am, and encourages me to do my best to learn, grow in love, and compassion, and evolve as He would have me to do....same as He does with all of His children. If you know how very much you love your children, just multiply that MANY times over and you will know how much God loves you. Nuff said.
Just thought I had best get these ideas posted before I possibly lost the internet or power (or both) with this storm.
Was reading something recently in which the author stated that we have two different basic types of thoughts.
There are our conscious thoughts of decisions, choices, things we want and have to do to make it through the day in this life. He called these our "busy thoughts" (need to buy bread, take out the trash, cut the dog's nails).
What we might consider out intuition, conscience, or flashes of inspiration and insight, he calls our still small voice. No we don't hear audible voices (at least I hope not!), but you get the picture.
It is this inner voice that he says we need to pay more attention to. He contends that we are all equipped with "instructions" encoded in our DNA, as to how to take better care of ourselves, and we need to access and heed our inner voice for the best outcomes. We are all humans, yet different, so our instructions will not be identical. What works for one person could be detrimental or harmful for another.
He used the analogy of buying a fern and a cactus. Both are plants, but mix up the tags with the care instructions and both plants will likely perish.
Well, I have no problem with some of this, BUT...yeah, you knew that was inevitable didn't you? Hahahahhahaha
That "still, small voice" he describes is what I believe is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, God's Divine Spark Within Us, or however else you might be comfortable in referring to it. To me, it is not part of our brain or other physiology, but is still a very real and living spirt within our own spirit. Hey, it's my blog. I say what I think. You can say what you think in the comments if ya want to.
God is a spirit and when He created us in his own image, that meant we are spirit too. It has nothing to do with physical characteristics, race, gender, or any of that junk. Old Hebrew scriptures say God created man as a "speaking spirit", presumably so that He could have fellowship with this particular creation.
So God is spirit, and we are spirit; now where did this other spirit come from? Well, I won't get off on that tanget today. Some believe that when God breathed the breath of life into man, He also shared some of His spirit or essence with man. Others will say that when Christians accept Jesus, that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us.
Suffice it to say that I believe that God has given us this Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, teach, and help us; it is up to us to choose to shut up our "busy thoughts" and listen to the leadings of God through this Spirit. For me, two of the easiest and best ways to do this are prayer and meditation.
Don't roll your eyes at me! When one says "meditation" in Western culture, people seem to automatically see images of Buddhists, Hindus, or some other Eastern religions. Not necessarily so. Do you concentrate on things? Do you daydream? Do you worry and fret about stuff? Guess what...you are already doing a form of meditation. Surprise! There are as many kinds, styles and forms of it as grains of sand on the beach. When you read a Bible verse or some beautiful poetry, listen to some beautiful music, or watch something like a sunrise or sunset, and let these things touch your heart and soul, you are meditating.
It is not necessary to "clear your mind", or have some exotic mantra to chant, or sit cross legged and burn incense. Nope. Don't let the word "meditation" fool you or intimidate you. It is cool, and as I said, you are very likely already doing it and have been for years. Now what one chooses to meditate on is the kicker. It is up to us. What we fill our mind with can determine the course of our life.
Often what we worry, whine, and complain about is already answered/solved, if we will but shut up and listen. God is not careless or heartless, and he has not created us and just run off and left us bereft and defenseless.
As a preacher friend of mine has said, "Prayer is not supposed to be a monologue. It is supposed to be a conversation with God."
That requires input from the other side, right? We have to shut up and listen to hear what He is trying to tell us.
Prayer is also not supposed to be a list of " I want, I need, and Can you do this for me please? things".
One friend I know described it as a sandwich. Using Biblical references telling us to always praise God and always be thankful, she says that our prayers should start that way, and not as a matter of rote, but out of a true spirit of gratitude for all that He has done for us. Then we can ask for what we think we need, or tell him what our problems are. Then she says we should thank him in advance for giving us what we ask for.
The Bible says if we ask "believing" already that we have received, it will be done. Doesn't say when, so don't get your knickers all in a wad if you fail to see immediate evidence of having your needs met. Sometimes that does happen; sometimes it doesn't.
When we worry or think God has failed us we are saying we have no faith in Him.
So why ask?
He is God, His timing is best for us, and He will always do His best for us. It is when we start trying to second guess Him and think we know what is best that we usually mess up big time.
If we talked to some people as some of us do to God, they would zone out and cease to hear us, and soon start avoiding us. Think about it. Seriously.
Would say that all of this is JMHO, but I am not humble. Nope, despite my best efforts. If I ever did achieve true humility, knowing me, I'd be proud of it. Dang it, Lee!
Actually that is ok. I have learned to accept and approve of myself, because God does. He accepts me for who I am, what I am, and where I am, and encourages me to do my best to learn, grow in love, and compassion, and evolve as He would have me to do....same as He does with all of His children. If you know how very much you love your children, just multiply that MANY times over and you will know how much God loves you. Nuff said.
The Walking, Talking Barometer and My Namesake Storm
Tropical Storm Lee is beating the crap out of us right now, and even though I am relishing the blessings of the much cooler air, my decrepit and raggedy body is taking the lower air pressure personally. Yes, it hurts like some psycho giant "body slammed" me and then decided to sit on my back after stomping on my knees. Ouch!
Having grown up in hurricane country, there is something almost musical and mystical about the rhythmic, wave-like motions of the feeder bands off these storms. They make the rain come in spastic cycles, and slanted to boot. Interesting, ya gotta admit. The bouncy limbs of the oak in my front yard get really agitated and whip around when the wind kicks up, and then resume their gentle bouncing as the band passes on through. The taller, but flimsier silver maple in the back yard will no doubt donate some more limbs to the trash heap. It does every time.
Nope, I am not a storm chaser, and not really trying to romanticize the havoc and destruction these suckers can wreak; but when you know you are safely inside, not in a low lying area, and not going to get the brunt of a major hurricane, it is a totally different feeling. They are a part of nature and as such, beautiful, powerful, and magical in their own way.
Of course, if you take into consideration what some of the HAARP conspiracy theorists have to say, it puts a wholly different light on it.
I don't entirely dismiss them either, because, I know that HAARP does exist. It is an electro magnetic pulse generator folks! What good can come of that?! Also, I know the govenment does lie (Love my country, it's the gov't that scares the tar out of me!), and that they were able to keep the building of a whole city in TN (Oak Ridge) secret for so long when they were working on the big bomb; even the governor of TN didn't know about it!
Just sayin'........
There will be media speculation about FEMA again, I am sure. They are allegedly out of money these days. Big surprise.
In all these years (and we have had some major damage/losses) and gone without power for days, having just some plastic to cover our naked roof, we have never taken a dime from the govenment. Honestly. Never really expected to.
Closest we came was accepting some water and food from a Red Cross van that cruised through after Katrina. That was a first, and was nice; some really nice people on that van.
As Thomas Jefferson said, "The government that can give you everything you want, can take everything you have." Something to think about!
Hope your days are full of sunshine and smiles wherever you are.
Having grown up in hurricane country, there is something almost musical and mystical about the rhythmic, wave-like motions of the feeder bands off these storms. They make the rain come in spastic cycles, and slanted to boot. Interesting, ya gotta admit. The bouncy limbs of the oak in my front yard get really agitated and whip around when the wind kicks up, and then resume their gentle bouncing as the band passes on through. The taller, but flimsier silver maple in the back yard will no doubt donate some more limbs to the trash heap. It does every time.
Nope, I am not a storm chaser, and not really trying to romanticize the havoc and destruction these suckers can wreak; but when you know you are safely inside, not in a low lying area, and not going to get the brunt of a major hurricane, it is a totally different feeling. They are a part of nature and as such, beautiful, powerful, and magical in their own way.
Of course, if you take into consideration what some of the HAARP conspiracy theorists have to say, it puts a wholly different light on it.
I don't entirely dismiss them either, because, I know that HAARP does exist. It is an electro magnetic pulse generator folks! What good can come of that?! Also, I know the govenment does lie (Love my country, it's the gov't that scares the tar out of me!), and that they were able to keep the building of a whole city in TN (Oak Ridge) secret for so long when they were working on the big bomb; even the governor of TN didn't know about it!
Just sayin'........
There will be media speculation about FEMA again, I am sure. They are allegedly out of money these days. Big surprise.
In all these years (and we have had some major damage/losses) and gone without power for days, having just some plastic to cover our naked roof, we have never taken a dime from the govenment. Honestly. Never really expected to.
Closest we came was accepting some water and food from a Red Cross van that cruised through after Katrina. That was a first, and was nice; some really nice people on that van.
As Thomas Jefferson said, "The government that can give you everything you want, can take everything you have." Something to think about!
Hope your days are full of sunshine and smiles wherever you are.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Stuff and Things
Was sorting, bagging, and boxing up more stuff to take to the local thrift store operated by the Home of Grace ( which runs a shelter for abused women and children and a rehab program for alcoholic men), when a friend of mine from Cali rang in.
Seems he and his gf emptied a storage unit of the things they no longer use and want and tried to donate the items to Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
They were turned down on most of the stuff. Seems they were not that much in need of donations in that area (Silicon Valley), and some of the furniture had a scratch or two. He was shocked as the items are in good condition. His gf showed him the small scratch on a table leg of one item which a man at Goodwill told her made it totally unacceptable. Also, they are both large people and their clothes are large sizes, and even though the clothes were in good shape, the man said they had no calls for sizes that large and would just be "stuck" with the clothes.
They tried to find some other group, church, or organization to take the stuff, but as this was done on their day off, and time was running out, they wound up having to take the stuff to the dump and paying to be rid of it. No, I am not kidding!
As frustrated as he was by all of this (he said it sickened him to have to throw away good things that some people might need and be able to use), my friend said the dump still beat continuing to pay to store the stuff.
He is more of a minimalist, while his gf is a hoarder, so they are slowly but surely compromising their views and adjusting. Divesting themselves of this storage unit was a major step for them, but it was clouded by having to literally dump the contents of the unit. Sad but true story, and sad commentary on our times as well.
******************
Over the years, I have seen (in the cases of my Mom and Aunt and some of their elderly neighbors) what happens when hoarding folk die. The children or grands are left to deal with all this "stuff". Some keep it or most of it out of a sense of obligation, or some feel overwhelmed and just trash everything. Neither way is really good, and the point is that it is all so unnecessary.
No, I am not against folks having possessions. It is not like I think we should all run around nude and live in a cave or a tree...BUT..There is a limit.
When you start having to pack away and store stuff, whether in a rental unit, the closets in your home, a spare room, or your garage or outside shed, you know it is time to stop it and get real! Give it away, have a yard sale, whatever it takes.
Speaking as one who has had too much "stuff" over the years, and has begun getting rid of it, believe me when I say it is freeing beyond anything you might have imagined.
****************************
Another friend of mine in the same (or worse?) shape recently decided that within the next two years, he will have divested himself of at least half of his "things". If you had any idea of how much stuff and therefore how much effort and work this involves, you would know that this is a major undertaking, and will entail some serious commitment of time and sweat on his part. I am so happy for him and proud of him!! This is really an accomplishment in terms of change of mindset alone. WTG!!
********************
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6: 19-21, not to store up treasures for ourselves here on earth. He goes on to say that where our treasures are, there will be our hearts also.
No I do not believe the Bible teaches us to live in poverty as some sign of piety, but to trust in God, obey him, and seek him first. We are the heirs of Abraham through Christ Jesus, and Abraham was not a poor man; but he did put God first and was blessed.
Ok. Ok. I can see you rolling your eyes. Don't take my word for it. Look it up, and check out Mark 8: 36 -37, Luke 9:25, and Matthew 6: 31-34..to name just a few.
*******
So now what do YOU think??
Seems he and his gf emptied a storage unit of the things they no longer use and want and tried to donate the items to Goodwill and the Salvation Army.
They were turned down on most of the stuff. Seems they were not that much in need of donations in that area (Silicon Valley), and some of the furniture had a scratch or two. He was shocked as the items are in good condition. His gf showed him the small scratch on a table leg of one item which a man at Goodwill told her made it totally unacceptable. Also, they are both large people and their clothes are large sizes, and even though the clothes were in good shape, the man said they had no calls for sizes that large and would just be "stuck" with the clothes.
They tried to find some other group, church, or organization to take the stuff, but as this was done on their day off, and time was running out, they wound up having to take the stuff to the dump and paying to be rid of it. No, I am not kidding!
As frustrated as he was by all of this (he said it sickened him to have to throw away good things that some people might need and be able to use), my friend said the dump still beat continuing to pay to store the stuff.
He is more of a minimalist, while his gf is a hoarder, so they are slowly but surely compromising their views and adjusting. Divesting themselves of this storage unit was a major step for them, but it was clouded by having to literally dump the contents of the unit. Sad but true story, and sad commentary on our times as well.
******************
Over the years, I have seen (in the cases of my Mom and Aunt and some of their elderly neighbors) what happens when hoarding folk die. The children or grands are left to deal with all this "stuff". Some keep it or most of it out of a sense of obligation, or some feel overwhelmed and just trash everything. Neither way is really good, and the point is that it is all so unnecessary.
No, I am not against folks having possessions. It is not like I think we should all run around nude and live in a cave or a tree...BUT..There is a limit.
When you start having to pack away and store stuff, whether in a rental unit, the closets in your home, a spare room, or your garage or outside shed, you know it is time to stop it and get real! Give it away, have a yard sale, whatever it takes.
Speaking as one who has had too much "stuff" over the years, and has begun getting rid of it, believe me when I say it is freeing beyond anything you might have imagined.
****************************
Another friend of mine in the same (or worse?) shape recently decided that within the next two years, he will have divested himself of at least half of his "things". If you had any idea of how much stuff and therefore how much effort and work this involves, you would know that this is a major undertaking, and will entail some serious commitment of time and sweat on his part. I am so happy for him and proud of him!! This is really an accomplishment in terms of change of mindset alone. WTG!!
********************
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6: 19-21, not to store up treasures for ourselves here on earth. He goes on to say that where our treasures are, there will be our hearts also.
No I do not believe the Bible teaches us to live in poverty as some sign of piety, but to trust in God, obey him, and seek him first. We are the heirs of Abraham through Christ Jesus, and Abraham was not a poor man; but he did put God first and was blessed.
Ok. Ok. I can see you rolling your eyes. Don't take my word for it. Look it up, and check out Mark 8: 36 -37, Luke 9:25, and Matthew 6: 31-34..to name just a few.
*******
So now what do YOU think??
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