My apologies all, but I have been battling a pretty nasty bug the last few weeks and have only been able to be online sporadically. I will return soon and have more thoughts on how to improve the plight of the Homeless. As well, I hope to open the gates of empathy in all our hearts so we will stop seeing each other as "us" and "them" and realize there is only "us". Remember again, Circumstances don't define any part of who we are, but our reaction to circumstances does!" Take care and we will talk soon...
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Life = Risk
thanks Maureen...
LISTEN
Best believe! Choose to be defined OUTSIDE of your circumstances!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdBp2_ygcTSA&h=66034
LISTEN
Best believe! Choose to be defined OUTSIDE of your circumstances!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdBp2_ygcTSA&h=66034
God is Good
This song encourages me greatly...hope it does you as well...and if you don't know Him, come talk to me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlcdx2rH_CE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlcdx2rH_CE
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
No Such Thing as Coincidence
The Luck of the Irish, The Luck of the Draw, Dumb Luck, Lucky Duck....All these are various ways to describe what we call fortunate coincidence. We have as many labels for bad coincidence. All of which seem to say that our life is nothing but a shambling existence that bounces us around like a pinball in a pinball game, randomly, inexplicably, blindly.
That is a load of crap! To buy into that mind set also sells yourself as a puppet manipulated by "Fate" or worse just a random occurrence yourself...eeking out a pitiful and meaningless existence. Ugh! What a tepid and miserable way to look at yourself, I am nothing and less than that, I am inconsequential. Then what is the purpose of your ability to think, to feel...to dream?
You are not a random occurrence nor are you in a world of random occurrences. You are SPECIAL and UNIQUE! The only YOU in this special and unique world. And everything...EVERYTHING that happens to you is meant for a reason! For your growth, for your insight...even at times to tempt you to failure. Everyone you meet, everything that is said to you or done to you has meaning. The most evil and sadistic things have relevance, the most unfortunate and tragic things are meant to be. And that is off putting to many of you, but understand...the worst things in life at times bring out the best of us. For the Lepers there was Mother Theresa, for the downtrodden there was Gandhi and MLK and Caesar Chavez, for a lost and dying world there was Christ.
Look for the connection, search for the meaning...many times to find it you may have to look past your own blinders...see out to the daisy chain that is you and me and the world and every moment in time locked together for a purpose. It may take you a minute or a lifetime to see it but you will see signs of it. Those will be the times when you call what happens a Coincidence.
"One of the most amazing revelations of God comes when we learn that it is in the commonplace things that the deity of Jesus Christ is revealed" Oswald Chambers
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Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Be not weary in well doing
I had the opportunity to give some coaching and direction yesterday. But today that instruction seems to have boomeranged and caused those I instructed to doubt doing the right thing. What do you do with this?
Some people who knew better broke the rules here at Grace House. The two men, who were in charge at the time yet novices at their job, did not respond properly when the incident happened. I found out about it the next day (yesterday) and told them of how serious it was that they respond, even a day later to these malefactors. So, I lead them through what was necessary that they do and...Nothing happened. Admin discussed the event, folks made their excuses and no one was held accountable. Except that the men of Grace House are grumbling thinking there are two sets of rules here, and that these two men doubt doing the right thing. People are now whispering behind these guys backs as to weather their report can even be considered trustworthy.
I feel for these men and I have to follow up today with administration to nudge them into some response. None of us want to lose our housing, but that may be the price to see that justice is evenly handled here. And, trust me, I am not being overly dramatic here.
But that is the price for being the honest guy sometimes. You do not get to pick and chose when it is the proper time to do what is right or wrong on any given occasions. You can't say, this might hurt me so I will stay silent. You have to be compelled to do what is right regardless many times of what might happen next. Because that is the only way that the principals that you aspire to can exist. There has to be something bigger than you that you strive to measure up to if you are going to be any kind of just person in this world of injustices. These men did what is right and they are suffering for it. I am going to try to help them and I may suffer for it. But that is not the issue. Personal discomfort and even pain can not preclude you from doing what is right.
Many times in life you do what is right just because it is the right thing to do. I will let you know what happens, dear reader...but today go and do the right thing.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Spectator
I hear that the Packers won over the Steelers. I hear that Christina Aguilera messed up the National Anthem and that the Black Eyed Peas gave a less than ground breaking performance at the Halftime show.
I didn't see a moment of it and that has caused absolutely no upset to my peace of mind. I saw the men at the shelter today getting ready to get ready for "The Big Game"...people were already drawing lines in the sand. I got dressed for church. Then at church people were talking about what Superbowl parties that they were having/going to. After church me and a group of guys went down to Forsythe Park to feed the Homeless like we do most every Sunday. While we were there a few people talked about who they wanted to win the game, I talked to men who were struggling to get on their feet and congratulated them for their first, tentative steps back to normalcy as they did to me as well. Then I caught the free shuttle and came in to work.
At work I chided some of the workers here for not having the game on and having snacks on hand.
But when someone (again) asked me who I wanted to win the Superbowl and my reply came out the same as it has been for the last couple of years..."you know, I really couldn't care less."
No, this is not going to be one of those preachy posts about how we could spend our time money and efforts on better things than some big blowout to make a bunch of other people rich. I didn't tell you what I did to come off as "holier-than-thou" all “see what I did today” to make you feel bad. I just want you to think about something, though. At the end of the day, especially if your team lost, was it worth it? Was it worth the preparation and the overspending and the stress?
To many of you, I would say...it may have been. If only for the opportunity to share these moments with friends and family...focused on a common purpose and goal. That is a great feeling to have to go to bed with. That is a feeling that can bring some warmth to you.
Now what I am going to say next is...why not carry that feeling with you out of the vicarious, living through someone else's, realm, and gather your friends and family and volunteer at the local Homeless shelter next weekend, clean up the yard of an elderly neighbor, pick up the trash on your block, give some tutoring help to disadvantaged kids...not as an individual but as a group...the same group that gave their time to watch men in colorful uniforms throw themselves at each other, come throw yourself into this. Make a plan, make a pact that sometime within the next month you all are going to get together again and do something more for your community and for yourselves. I guarantee that you will sleep warmer and feel better that night as you lay down for sleep after that day, than you have in a while…even after tonight.
Come on, get IN the game...Heck, you can even eat Buffalo Wings afterwards if you want to!
I didn't see a moment of it and that has caused absolutely no upset to my peace of mind. I saw the men at the shelter today getting ready to get ready for "The Big Game"...people were already drawing lines in the sand. I got dressed for church. Then at church people were talking about what Superbowl parties that they were having/going to. After church me and a group of guys went down to Forsythe Park to feed the Homeless like we do most every Sunday. While we were there a few people talked about who they wanted to win the game, I talked to men who were struggling to get on their feet and congratulated them for their first, tentative steps back to normalcy as they did to me as well. Then I caught the free shuttle and came in to work.
At work I chided some of the workers here for not having the game on and having snacks on hand.
But when someone (again) asked me who I wanted to win the Superbowl and my reply came out the same as it has been for the last couple of years..."you know, I really couldn't care less."
No, this is not going to be one of those preachy posts about how we could spend our time money and efforts on better things than some big blowout to make a bunch of other people rich. I didn't tell you what I did to come off as "holier-than-thou" all “see what I did today” to make you feel bad. I just want you to think about something, though. At the end of the day, especially if your team lost, was it worth it? Was it worth the preparation and the overspending and the stress?
To many of you, I would say...it may have been. If only for the opportunity to share these moments with friends and family...focused on a common purpose and goal. That is a great feeling to have to go to bed with. That is a feeling that can bring some warmth to you.
Now what I am going to say next is...why not carry that feeling with you out of the vicarious, living through someone else's, realm, and gather your friends and family and volunteer at the local Homeless shelter next weekend, clean up the yard of an elderly neighbor, pick up the trash on your block, give some tutoring help to disadvantaged kids...not as an individual but as a group...the same group that gave their time to watch men in colorful uniforms throw themselves at each other, come throw yourself into this. Make a plan, make a pact that sometime within the next month you all are going to get together again and do something more for your community and for yourselves. I guarantee that you will sleep warmer and feel better that night as you lay down for sleep after that day, than you have in a while…even after tonight.
Come on, get IN the game...Heck, you can even eat Buffalo Wings afterwards if you want to!
Rize ...On the Beach
Just wanted to send out a little message about breaking through this morning from the movie "Rize"...enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWp3kfg0yzY
Friday, February 4, 2011
Fireworks on the River
You know, I really love Savannah Savannah Savannah
Recently I was presented with the opportunity to apply for a position on the Savannah/Chatham Authority for the Homeless' board of directors. I am going for the position and, Lord willing, I will get on the board. I hope to be able to help bring real and lasting change to the plight of the Homeless inChatham County Savannah
Savannah Savannah felt pride in Savannah
I believe in the better angels of your natureSavannah Savannah
Recently I was presented with the opportunity to apply for a position on the Savannah/Chatham Authority for the Homeless' board of directors. I am going for the position and, Lord willing, I will get on the board. I hope to be able to help bring real and lasting change to the plight of the Homeless in
I believe in the better angels of your nature
Sunset Road
I explained in earlier blogs that the few things that the Homeless have become very precious to them. But at times some of the things that the Homeless hold on to (even among the very few things we have), some of those things have to go.
We all are faced with these kinds of decisions through out our life. A new friend of mine is getting a divorce and she is trying to figure out what she can take from the old life into her new, smaller life. These types of changes are familiar to us all and not very much liked by any of us. But to the Homeless having to lay down one more thing may carry the emotional heft of an amputation. Much of that has to do with the ability to get back anything given away. In these circumstances, one's ability to replace generally is diminished dramatically.
So old things, tired things, things that have outlived there usefulness become cherished to the Homeless. But many times these items become albatrosses around our necks. We have to learn to throw away the daggers at our chest. Many times those cherished items are fuel behind our lack of necessary change and growth...i.e... Just because the dagger is familiar, doesn’t mean that cutting into our flesh is a good thing.
Old thoughts and attitudes must give way to new ones for growth to occur. And without growth no one can navigate successfully out of thesea of Homelessness
Thankfully, here inSavannah United Way has a list of organizations that can be accessed by dialing "211" on any phone.
Sometimes, it is ok to say goodbye...other times you have to say goodbye to stay alive.
We all are faced with these kinds of decisions through out our life. A new friend of mine is getting a divorce and she is trying to figure out what she can take from the old life into her new, smaller life. These types of changes are familiar to us all and not very much liked by any of us. But to the Homeless having to lay down one more thing may carry the emotional heft of an amputation. Much of that has to do with the ability to get back anything given away. In these circumstances, one's ability to replace generally is diminished dramatically.
So old things, tired things, things that have outlived there usefulness become cherished to the Homeless. But many times these items become albatrosses around our necks. We have to learn to throw away the daggers at our chest. Many times those cherished items are fuel behind our lack of necessary change and growth...i.e... Just because the dagger is familiar, doesn’t mean that cutting into our flesh is a good thing.
Old thoughts and attitudes must give way to new ones for growth to occur. And without growth no one can navigate successfully out of the
Thankfully, here in
Sometimes, it is ok to say goodbye...other times you have to say goodbye to stay alive.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Crying Out
Many of the Homeless feel that way...but since we are the hands and feet of the Lord, is it really us that are forsaking the Homeless?
All praise to Yeshua Ha'Mashiach (Jesus The Christ)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Homelessness BY CHOICE
Before I go all in, please read this
http://www.socialoutcast.net/blog/2009/03/24/10-reasons-why-homeless-people-choose-to-be-homeless/
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community/HomelessnessServices/InformationKitForVolunteers/Module1/DoPeopleChooseToBecomeHomeless.asp
Did you read those posts; I sure hope you did...because I will not be so kind.
You know the philosopher George Santayana said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.", So I was caught off guard when someone, who is an advocate for victims in other arenas, asked me to write a blog about the community of people who choose to be homeless.
Again, I sure hope that you read those articles.
This is the STIGMA that I didn't think I had to address as an individual issue. The image of a Happy Hobo's leisurely scaling Big Rock Candy Mountain, eating beans out the can over an open flame, hoppin' trains, all his belongings nestled safely in a bandana knapsack tied securely to a stick...Is this what you believe Homelessness to be?
The Homeless who say that they are happy being out in "God's Country" are no different than the porn star who says she loves the industry while covering the sexual molestations of her past. Did you know some slaves were upset at being Emancipated? Even some blacks in the south were more comfortable living under 'Jim Crow" than after it was dismantled? The Children of Israel complained that they should have stayed in Egypt instead of coming into the wilderness to die...Moses had to plead with God not to strike them dead for their insolence. Do you not get it? We can adapt to any situation; that never means that that situation is GOOD for us. A frog in a pot will sit in the pot as you slowly increase the heat under him until the water boils and he dies...acclimating until he is stew.
People WAKE UP! The plight of the Homeless is real! The kids who decide to ride the rails or hitchhike for a year to experience America MUST NEVER color your perception of those who are truly Homeless (My God, didn't I already say this?) The mentally ill individual sleeping in a tent city and saying he loves it there can not make up for the countless women who are raped and sold into prostitution while living on the streets. The ramblin' man with banjo in hand strumming on River Street must not color your perception so that the family living in their van in the middle of a field, gas running out while running the heater while the temperature hits 32° and dropping never gets help. The panhandler with the "Let's Face it I just need a Drink" sign does not look like the heart of the man who has just about ruined the soles of his feet chasing after job after job, trying to maintain his sobriety while door after door gets slammed in his face…no employment, no future, ‘cause he doesn’t have a phone, or address or good, clean clothes.
Do you all know the story of Little Suzy? Little Suzy's Dad told her that at the end of the week he was going to take her toDisneyland . So, excitedly, Little Suzy packs her stuff in a little case and come Saturday morning she is, dressed and at the door, suitcase in hand waiting for her Dad and the ride to see Mickey Mouse. Well her Dad comes down, dressed like he is going to work, apologizes to Suzy and says that he had an unexpected business meeting. They would not be going to Disneyland today, but he promised next week, next week we will go and rushes out the door. Little Suzy is left there, crushed but hopeful...OK, it will just be one more week then DISNEY! Of course that was the longest week of Little Suzy's life, but come Saturday morning, here she sits in the entry way again almost as excited as she was the first week. Until her Dad comes down the stairs dressed in his golf clothes...”Important Client, sorry honey…but next week...” And this same cycle goes on for a few more weeks. And after a while Suzy begins not to want to go to Disneyland, she even begins to hate the idea of Disneyland . So when her father comes to her again with an excuse that "maybe next week" Suzy's heart will not permit her to hope again "No. don't worry about it Daddy...I don't even like Disneyland anymore."
Do you get it? Sometimes the thought, the idea of having a Home is so painful that many have even given up the hope of having a home. That doesn't mean that they want to live outside, sometimes it just means that they can't let themselves be hurt again by hoping.
The bowing and scrapping of an Uncle Tom with minstrel makeup on never overshadows the desperate plight of African Americans in our society. The Taco Bell Chihuahua and Speedy Gonzales are not the defining images of my Mexican brothers. The 16 year old put on the stroll, high on horse and smiling, trippin’, leaning into the car of the 50 year old letch making money for her pimp…No one takes her drug addled opinion of her environment over the desperate need to try and get teenage prostitutes off the streets. So the, what, 1% of the Homeless population that chooses to be Homeless for whatever reason (I don't want to live under someone else’s rules, I love the freedom of nature, I want to experience it, I have a mission, etc...) MUST NEVER DEFINE the 99% that are praying and trying and scraping and flailing against the whirlwind to make it to a place called Home, at least one last time.
Nobody picks hepatitis, staff infection, hypertension, diabetes, athlete's foot, colds and flu and respiratory infections, chronic coughs, itchy skin from the harsh chemicals used to wash your clothes, curfews, and having to see your family under someone else's schedule, going hungry & going cold, sleeping above someone, or below someone in bunk beds, not having any where to go between the hours of 6am until 7pm sometimes, people cursing around you incessantly, arguments, fights, not being able to watch what you want on T.V (if you can watch T.V at all), being inside for tonight and not wanting to deal with where you might end up tomorrow, separating the family, can't eat when you want, smoke when you want, shower when you want, sleep when you want, get up when you want...not ever...or if you are outside always being vulnerable to the police breaking up your camp and throwing away your important papers, children's pictures, medals you earned in combat (I will get to how this country treats her Homeless Vets in a future post, it will not be kind either.) told you can't sleep here, you can't sit here, you can't wait here, you can't stay here or you may end up in jail. This precludes the higher rape estimates
( http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2010-03-20/story/rape_shows_dangers_to_homeless_women ), physical abuse estimates ( http://wellesleyinstitute.com/files/wi%20backgrounder%20-%20homeless%20violence.pdf ) , depression and mental illness
( http://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/07/weekinreview/the-nation-seeing-a-link-between-depression-and-homelessness.html ) and drug and alcohol addiction estimates ( http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts/addiction.pdf )and, of course, the higher mortality rate of the Homeless
( http://www.nhchc.org/PrematureMortalityFinal.pdf ).
http://www.socialoutcast.net/blog/2009/03/24/10-reasons-why-homeless-people-choose-to-be-homeless/
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community/HomelessnessServices/InformationKitForVolunteers/Module1/DoPeopleChooseToBecomeHomeless.asp
Did you read those posts; I sure hope you did...because I will not be so kind.
You know the philosopher George Santayana said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.", So I was caught off guard when someone, who is an advocate for victims in other arenas, asked me to write a blog about the community of people who choose to be homeless.
Again, I sure hope that you read those articles.
This is the STIGMA that I didn't think I had to address as an individual issue. The image of a Happy Hobo's leisurely scaling Big Rock Candy Mountain, eating beans out the can over an open flame, hoppin' trains, all his belongings nestled safely in a bandana knapsack tied securely to a stick...Is this what you believe Homelessness to be?
The Homeless who say that they are happy being out in "God's Country" are no different than the porn star who says she loves the industry while covering the sexual molestations of her past. Did you know some slaves were upset at being Emancipated? Even some blacks in the south were more comfortable living under 'Jim Crow" than after it was dismantled? The Children of Israel complained that they should have stayed in Egypt instead of coming into the wilderness to die...Moses had to plead with God not to strike them dead for their insolence. Do you not get it? We can adapt to any situation; that never means that that situation is GOOD for us. A frog in a pot will sit in the pot as you slowly increase the heat under him until the water boils and he dies...acclimating until he is stew.
People WAKE UP! The plight of the Homeless is real! The kids who decide to ride the rails or hitchhike for a year to experience America MUST NEVER color your perception of those who are truly Homeless (My God, didn't I already say this?) The mentally ill individual sleeping in a tent city and saying he loves it there can not make up for the countless women who are raped and sold into prostitution while living on the streets. The ramblin' man with banjo in hand strumming on River Street must not color your perception so that the family living in their van in the middle of a field, gas running out while running the heater while the temperature hits 32° and dropping never gets help. The panhandler with the "Let's Face it I just need a Drink" sign does not look like the heart of the man who has just about ruined the soles of his feet chasing after job after job, trying to maintain his sobriety while door after door gets slammed in his face…no employment, no future, ‘cause he doesn’t have a phone, or address or good, clean clothes.
Do you all know the story of Little Suzy? Little Suzy's Dad told her that at the end of the week he was going to take her to
Do you get it? Sometimes the thought, the idea of having a Home is so painful that many have even given up the hope of having a home. That doesn't mean that they want to live outside, sometimes it just means that they can't let themselves be hurt again by hoping.
The bowing and scrapping of an Uncle Tom with minstrel makeup on never overshadows the desperate plight of African Americans in our society. The Taco Bell Chihuahua and Speedy Gonzales are not the defining images of my Mexican brothers. The 16 year old put on the stroll, high on horse and smiling, trippin’, leaning into the car of the 50 year old letch making money for her pimp…No one takes her drug addled opinion of her environment over the desperate need to try and get teenage prostitutes off the streets. So the, what, 1% of the Homeless population that chooses to be Homeless for whatever reason (I don't want to live under someone else’s rules, I love the freedom of nature, I want to experience it, I have a mission, etc...) MUST NEVER DEFINE the 99% that are praying and trying and scraping and flailing against the whirlwind to make it to a place called Home, at least one last time.
Nobody picks hepatitis, staff infection, hypertension, diabetes, athlete's foot, colds and flu and respiratory infections, chronic coughs, itchy skin from the harsh chemicals used to wash your clothes, curfews, and having to see your family under someone else's schedule, going hungry & going cold, sleeping above someone, or below someone in bunk beds, not having any where to go between the hours of 6am until 7pm sometimes, people cursing around you incessantly, arguments, fights, not being able to watch what you want on T.V (if you can watch T.V at all), being inside for tonight and not wanting to deal with where you might end up tomorrow, separating the family, can't eat when you want, smoke when you want, shower when you want, sleep when you want, get up when you want...not ever...or if you are outside always being vulnerable to the police breaking up your camp and throwing away your important papers, children's pictures, medals you earned in combat (I will get to how this country treats her Homeless Vets in a future post, it will not be kind either.) told you can't sleep here, you can't sit here, you can't wait here, you can't stay here or you may end up in jail. This precludes the higher rape estimates
( http://jacksonville.com/community/shorelines/2010-03-20/story/rape_shows_dangers_to_homeless_women ), physical abuse estimates ( http://wellesleyinstitute.com/files/wi%20backgrounder%20-%20homeless%20violence.pdf ) , depression and mental illness
( http://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/07/weekinreview/the-nation-seeing-a-link-between-depression-and-homelessness.html ) and drug and alcohol addiction estimates ( http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts/addiction.pdf )and, of course, the higher mortality rate of the Homeless
( http://www.nhchc.org/PrematureMortalityFinal.pdf ).
So, do you really believe that most of the people on the street are there BY CHOICE?
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