Why Is It Hard To Talk About God?

I’ve been a Christian all my life.  I’ve attended a Lutheran church for all my life.  I took only a small hiatus from attending after my dad died…when I chose to be mad at God.  I’ve been a believer all my life, so why do I find it difficult to discuss God or bring Him up in conversation?  I guess I mean it more like why I’m not the one to enter God into the conversation…I’ll discuss once someone else starts the conversation.

I was doing some laundry at the washateria yesterday and I saw this lady in there doing the same for the second time.  I have only encountered her twice, and she has approached me both times to talk.  She speaks to everyone in there and asks if they need her to pray for them for any reason.  She does it in such a manner that it isn’t weird or disturbing.  What is actually amazing is how well she is recieved and most people give her something on their mind that needs prayer.  I could never do this.  I truly wish I could, because she is always so happy and upbeat.  I know it is the Holy Spirit in her.

My personality is to keep to myself, but I wish I could recieve God in such a manner that I could approach strangers and ask for their prayer requests or just talk about God.

What makes us do this?  I’m asking today for responses to this post.  Can WE discuss God and why we may or may not have the ability to approach others about their Godly needs?  I would really like to hear from  you.

God bless….

Why Misplace Our Trust?

I’ve been away from this blog for awhile.  I have several reasons and they aren’t really good ones when I step back and see them in different light.  I use this format to discuss my shortcomings to what I should do with my life and how I (as a sinner) do not live-up to what God expects from me.  To me, it is a type of confessional.  I have not been on here lately, because I was waiting to pronounce what a great story I had become in my faith.  I wanted it to be incouraging and incredible enough to make people cry.  The fault with this plan was that I was relying on other sinful people to make my “miracle from God” to come true and not the Lord.

My life has gone through many ups and downs since losing my job.  I’ve described it so much here, that I feel like it is old hat to anyone that follows me.  I’ve described the low spots, but I really hit one earlier this month.  I have been actively looking for jobs and have had many good leads and several follow-up interviews, but for whatever reason they hit a wall….I’ve even had 2 follow-up interviews with 3 different companies after the original.  The harder I try, the more unemployable I seem.

As the bills pile-up and stress levels go up and down, my family has stuck with me.  I know I’m not the easiest person to live with and this sure hasn’t helped any.  For quite a while, the kids really didn’t know what was happening, but it has been so long now, they are aware of our financial status, but we keep them from hearing about it or having them do without.

I lost my job on April 9, 2015.  When it happened, I felt I would have a job within a few weeks and didn’t even worry about filing for unemployment.  Hopes were high.  As the weeks and months passed by, I really became desperate.  I filled-out applications for jobs that paid close to six figures and ones that paid minimum wage.  No matter what, I could not find a job.  At all times, God provided what we needed and we kept the faith.  I knew I would be able to find work during the holidays, but I was not “selected” as any part time help either.  I could never understand.  Apparently, God has another use for me and my talents.  As the one year anniversary  came around, I became more and more depressed.  I was happy as-long-as the family was around, but when I was alone, I couldn’t handle it.  My wife became very worried about me and I couldn’t even get better for her.  I would pray daily, and thanked God for all the blessings He gives me, but I still could not understand why He wanted me to go through the torture I was feeling.

On April 8, 2016 (one day before the year anniversary), I felt like I could not handle it anymore.  I felt for sure that if the sun rose the next morning and I was not employed, I would not see the same sun set.  For the first time in my life, I felt I could not handle the pressure and considered taking my own life.  The devil had won.  I had no more hope.  I sat down in my chair and just thought about life in general.  I was home alone and there was no one to stop me.  Did I tell the kids I loved them before they left.  I sure hope one of them doesn’t find me before my wife does.  I even thought about making a video to tell them I was sorry and that I loved them.  All of a sudden, it became real for me.  I was really going to do it.

I closed my eyes and prayed.  Nothing special, just my normal morning prayer.  Sometimes while I’m praying, I get thoughts.  These thoughts are usually what I talk about here.  My thoughts were to take a risk. Really, I had nothing to lose.  Why not just go for it.  When I got through praying, I thought long and hard.  God was right.  What do I have to lose?  Nothing.

I penned an email to a local baseball team that I admire.  They are here in College Station.  I sent it via LinkedIn to the owner.  I told him of my talents and asked that if I could be of use to them, I would love working for a baseball organization.  I asked him to please look at my posted resume.  What did I have to lose?

To my amazement, he responded in a few hours.  He said that he found my resume interesting and asked me to take one of those online personality quizzes.  I did.  He lated messaged me back and wanted me to come in for a meeting the next day.  I was beside myself!  Of course, that meeting came on the one  year anniversary.  God was working in joyous mysterious ways!

After the meeting, he assured me that all was good and that I might very well have a future with them.  My life was elated at that point.  What has God blessed me with?  I am in no way deservant of this!  The owner wanted me to meet with the managing partner.

Two days later, I’m at Starbucks meeting with him and I left that meeting with the same feelings from before, but even more convinced I will have a future in baseball administration.

He mentioned they would contact me by week’s end.

When I had not heard from them, I sent a follow-up email.  At that point, I was told they would be sending me some follow-up questions while they interviewd other candidates.  That seems odd, since we had discussed so much about what I would be “doing for them”.

I never got the follow-up questions, so I sent a follow-up email restating my qualifications from a different perspective.  I got a reply many hours later saying they were traveling and appreciated the email.  I was told they would call me by week’s end or the weekend at the latest.  That time passed and I heard nothing.

Today was the Monday that followed that last weekend I was promised contact.  I sent a quick follow-up email to state as such.

The point I am trying to make is that  God keeps His promises and our trust is best put in Him.  Even if His plans are to be carried-out by sinful humans, they may not happen because we do not always listen or do as we should.  This is the last time I will get my hopes built-up to only come crashing down on me by sinful men who cannot keep their word/promises.  God loves us and His love will never fail us.  We continually let God down by our actions as we do each other.

God used the hope they gave me to save me from the clutches of satan, as I had definately fallen prey to.  His saving of me was hidden within their sinful inability to keep their word.  However, the hope it provided me got me through a terrible spot in my life.  I am SO grateful for God using them to help me.  I do not know if I will get that job or not, but that carrot definately kept me from the depths of hell.

Trust only in God.  He will never misguide us and will always keep His word to us.  Be careful who you trust…we are all sinners.

 

 

When Someone Touches You – Debbie Coleman

I have met a lot of people that have touched my life, but one in particular changed a part of me that most people don’t know or see.  The world lost Debbie Coleman to a battle that she never backed down from, lived with in spirit and gladly accepted it, but didn’t let it stop her.  She was an angel here on earth for anyone that met her or just came in contact with her work.

I met Debbie in the strangest of ways.  A friend and I were promoting professional wrestling on the side to just have some fun and make very little extra money.  Our major attraction was Bubba Dumplins.  He was a big guy, full of fun and in overalls and always wrestled barefooted.  The crowd…especially the kids…absolutely loved him.

One day I was called by Jerry Miller from the television station that covered our wrestling.  He said I had to come to the station quickly.  I got there as fast as I could to see what he had to show me…it was a cake.  A birthday cake that was made with the image of Bubba Dumplins on it.  Of course, I’m like “What?!”.  He explained to me that there was a lady in town that had started a charity called “Cake Angels”.  They provided customized birthday cakes to kids that otherwise wouldn’t have one.  This particular kid loved Bubba and wanted a Bubba Dumplins birthday cake.  I was astounded an amazed.

What most people don’t know about me is that I love birthdays.  That is the one special day a year that is personal and that those who love you can celebrate you.  I never buy gift cards for birthday gifts because I want to pick out something personal for you to let you know I was really thinking about you and didn’t want to just phone it in.  To me, this lady was amazing.

I sent a picture of the cake to Bubba.  He immediately started sending it around the wrestling community.  It got all over Facebook and people loved Debbie, Cake Angels and her work.  I had to meet her and let her know I wanted to help.  I thought she had to be the greatest person in the world for doing this.

At the time, Cake Angels was still in it’s infancy.  She just needed help in the form of decorators and money.  I couldn’t do the quality of decorating she needed, but I could do the money.  I did a lot of events…wrestling, indoor garage sales, etc.  So, anytime I did something, Debbie and Cake Angels were welcome to fundraise.  The wrestlers loved her, so they would always help.  We had one event that let kids decorate a cupcake with the wrestlers as a fundraiser.  It really was a lot of fun.  She even came to our Little League kickoff with cupcakes and auction items.  We did a Bubba Dumplins cake raffle at one of the events as well.  She was SO active and SO passionate.

Cake Angels finally achieved non-profit status and Debbie asked me to be on the Board of Directors.  This was the same time we were moving to College Station.  I was honored and saddened at the same time.  Debbie would come to my office to bounce ideas off of me and we would end up talking for hours.  I hated to say “no”, but I was leaving.  Cake Angles had grown to where she was making more than a cake a day for kids in the area.  She had a commercial kitchen and was cranking out cakes like nobody’s business.  She had grown Cake Angels into something larger than life.

This entire time, she was battling multiple heart attacks and just kept coming back.  Her health never slowed her down, although most people would have just ridden out disability and called it a life.  Debbie MADE life.  She never let anything get in her way.

She was a wonderfully religious lady and God took her by the hand and led her through everything she endured.  She inspired me everyday of my life since meeting her.  If she can conquer these mountains, I can climb a few hills.

No one reallly knows but me and God, but I prayed for her everyday.  I thanked God for letting me meet her and asked him to watch over her and take away any pain she suffered.  Now I find myself saddened every morning when I come to the spot in my prayers to mention her.  The words are a little different, but the emotions are still the same.

Lord, please take care of this angel.  Now that she is with you, I know she doesn’t have any pain and I’m sure is moving even faster.  Please take care of her and let her continue to bless others.

Debbie, if you become a guardian angel, I have a beautiful 18 month old little boy named Jacob…I would appreciate the help.  We miss and love you Debbie.

God bless….

What Really Matters?

Have you ever broken your life down into it’s simplest forms?  I’ve found myself doing that a lot during the last year.  At first, it was out of necessity because of our financial situation.  It came down to “What is important?”, then it came down to “What is a necessity?”, next was “What really matters?”.

As we trimmed our expenses down, we started seeing what used to be normal as a treat.  It also became clear as to what was wasteful in our life just a few months back.  We started to really appreciate what we have and see that we didn’t before.  What we now consider a “celebration” was normal and completely ignored or unappreciated.

God gives us what we need and we can find glory in that, when we don’t take it for granted.  God helps us in so many ways, that it goes unnoticed a lot.  At least if you are unappreciative and don’t care to notice.  God helps us in ways we could never imagine and so much that it slips by even the most accurate eyes.

Do you thank God when the weather clears up just long enough to get your outside chores done?  Maybe we say a quick “Oh THANK God!”, but it’s more of an expression than true thanks.  Do we thank God when those mear fumes in your gas tank gets you to the gas station?  Or that the gas just happens to be cheaper than the places you passed trying to finish your errands before stopping?

Now, let’s really break that down…

Do you thank God when you only have $5 to buy the groceries you need and a couple of the items scan cheaper than the shelf tag and it makes the total $4.98?  Yes, you do.  Do you thank God when you make it through a “weekend” cold without having to go to the doctor when your deductible hasn’t been met?  Yes, you do.  We always remember to thank God when it involves finances we don’t have.

Let’s break it down a little further…

Do you thank God when a family member is hospitalized and could die?  Yes, you do.  Do you thank God when your child makes it home safely from a friend’s house around the corner when they are 5 minutes late and it is dark?  Yes, you do.  Do you thank God when you barely avoid a wreck in your car?  Yes, you do.

What we appreciate and thank/remember God for is very simple.  It breaks down to “What is important?”  What might that be?  It is God and family.  God takes care of us and our family.  Life is that simple.  The rest is just added to our lives.

I have been learning this for a year and it still amazes me everything God does for me and I still don’t notice all of it.

God bless…

 

How Do You Handle Stress?

Well, that’s a loaded question.   Whenever life gets us down, we should take all our problems to God.  He already knows them, but we need to ask for guidance and acknowledge we can’t do it ourselves.  He is always there for us, we just don’t always notice it.  That’s why we should always say thanks.

When things get me down, I usually lose my tidiness.  I’m a very organized person and when things start getting cluttered around me, I know there is something bothering me and I haven’t been willing to acknowledge it.

I also buy things.  While I’m unemployed, I spend a lot of time alone and fairly sedimentary.  So, I get out and walk.  I’m not really a hiking trail kinda person, so I go to inside locations: the Mall, Walmart, Target, etc.  I have recently noticed I’ve started buying thing that aren’t on my list or things that strike my fancy.  Well, with us having financial issues, that’t not a good thing.

I used to stress eat.  Being a diabetic, that’s about as good as the shopping when unemployed.  I am by nature a foodie, so eating came natural for me.

I am quite blessed to not be a drinker, smoker or have ever used illegal drugs.  God blessed me and kept me away from those vices.

Today, I hope to spread a simple message.  Take a look at your vices and see how they can hurt you.  That is what I have recently done.  Decide why you are doing those things.  Take both of your answers and deliver them to God in prayer.

Ask him to help you through the rough times, teach you how to deal with it and ask for His forgiveness for not taking it to Him to being with.

Since I have started this blog, it has lifted so much from me to talk about issues and my relationship with God.  I do hope that if you feel the want or need to post those vices and how God helps you, please comment.  I will gladly “listen” and respond if needed.

God bless….

 

Compassion for Others

I like to think I am compassionate.  I like to think I understand others problems and are helpful to them.  I like to think I feel the pain of others when they are suffering.  If not, I will now.  My family and I have seen hardships like we have never seen before.  We are by no means as bad off as a lot, but these are things we have never experienced and are having to cope and deal with them on a daily basis.

We have done our best to keep these issues from effecting the kids and letting them have the “normal” life of kids their age.  I believe we are doing that.  Although they are not shaded from these issues, their lives are virtually the same.  Although we are in need, I haven’t been going around begging others for help, but I do accept more help from others than I have before.  I hope that some day I can be the angel for someone as others have been for us.  Everything we get we are grateful for.  Although all is from God, it is sent to us through the angels he has placed in our path.

I know that people are only doing their jobs, but at some point, when does their compassion as a human being kick in and they just decide to stop making things worse?  I say this because of our landlord/property manager.

They are aware of our situation and (although late), our rent has always been paid.  We got in a very quick financial bind and they were aware of it.  Instead of working with us just a little, they decided to give us a deadline or we would be taken to court and be evicted.  We got together more money than we have seen cummulative in two months and went to pay them the day before the court deadline.  We took the correct amount to them and they said that since the new month had started, we owed that rent as well.

After a few hours of “discussion” they decided to accept our payment and have us sign a payment agreement for the next two months.  Once the agreement was signed, we were given a non-renewal letter that was hand delivered the very next day.  We made the payments as required until the end of the agreement.

Now, we are into a new month.  The rent will be paid, but not all of it on time.  They are requiring another payment agreement and accepting what we have as payment.  They contiually get meaner and meaner about it.  I know we are late.  I know their job is to collect the rent.  HOWEVER, do they have to be so threatening and mean about it?  THye know our situation and they know we are doing all we can and are coninually stressed and worried about it.  It’s not like we are living like kings and queens…it is day to day.

I know they owe me nothing, but shouldn’t there at least be the simple compassion of one human being to another?  Didn’t God say to love one another?  I truly believe that and if I haven’t been doing that, I sure will be watching myself to make sure I do.

I was once a landlord in Nacogdoches for about 8 years.  We owned 5 loft apartments that all housed college students.  Trust me, I was definately more understanding about a lot of things.  I know the issues people have and I understood.  I hope I was better to them than the treatment we are getting now.   We are all God’s children.

I saw an interview on ESPN with Kam Chancellor about the misunderstanding that happened between him and a lady that called the police.  I am including a link to the interview, so that those that missed it can see the emotions he has at the end when he is asked what he wants people to take away from the incidet.  He pauses, lowers his head and thinks about what he wants to say.  What he says touched me.  He went to the most basic place a human can go and said it hurt his feelings.  That answer was SO honest and SO heartfelt, it really touched me.  This just shows that no matter what, we are all humans and God’s children.  We really should have compassion for each other.

God bless…

http://espn.go.com/blog/seattle-seahawks/post/_/id/18464/kam-chancellor-the-911-call-was-all-i-needed-to-hear

Pride

Here’s a tough subject to discuss.  There are so many ways that we let our pride get in the way of leading a Christian life.  My life is full of it and the more I try to relinquish it, the more interesting ways it comes back into my life.  My pride is the bane of my existence.

With being unemployed because I was fired, is hard enough to swallow.  There is a lot of pride involved just in those two things.  At first, it was easy….be mad at who did it and blame them to everyone you speak to about it.  That only goes so far.  Eventually, your family starts to hurt because of it and you have to do something.

At first, you only apply for the jobs you know that you can do and will pay you the same or more than what you were making.  You go to interviews and have to explain being fired.  You have to relive your most horrific moment in your life….and to a stranger.  You don’t get the job and realize you relived it for no reason.

It gets worse and you start applying for any job that you think you can do with lesser pay.  You repeat the whole interview process.  No job, more embarrassment.

When you are at the point that you start applying for governmental assistance you feel you have reached your lowest point because now you are having someone else take care of your family.

As a man, it was instilled in me at a young age that a man goes to work and provides for his family.  It is his job to take care of his wife and kids.  It even says this in the Bible.  God’s Word tells me to lead my family to God and work to take care of them.  It is the simplest of tasks, but I can’t do it.

My pride makes it hard for me to admit the problem, face up to it or ask for help.  With each passing day, it becomes more of a shame on me.  At times, it is hard to take.  I have so much pride built into me that with each step, I feel like I cannot go any further.  There is only so much help you can ask for before you feel you are being judged and it is embarrassing to be around those that are helping.

This past weekend was an example of that.  We went back to Lufkin to visit my mom and we planned to attend church with her there.  This is the church I grew up in and was a member for 45 years before joining Bethel in College Station.  These people have known me all my life.  We go in and sit down.  I open the bulletin to read it. While looking at the prayer requests,  see our names.  It is under the heading of “Financial and Family Issues”.  This immediately made my blood pressure go up from embarrassment.  How long had it been listed there?  Now, here we sit.  My wife and I met in this very church and they all know us very well.  All three kids were baptized here.  For them to know we have financial issues and possibly other family issues was too much for me.  I got physically ill and had to leave.  Outside air didn’t even work and I spent the rest of the service sitting in the car praying for forgiveness.

My pride made me walk out of a church service!  Strike that up as a win for satan.  Just when I thought I had humbed myself and broken myself down as far as I could go, another curve was thrown my way and I couldn’t handle it.  Why would I be ashamed that people are praying for me?  Is it because I am too judgemental and God is showing me to humble myself and understand that all people need help at some point and that we should just help them without judgement?   It is a known fact that we will only accuse others of what we are capable of doing ourselves.  I can only assume that I am too judgemental of others if I feel others will judge me because of this.

I am both ashamed and humiliated.  This also makes me look at how I am leading my family and raising my kids.  I do not want them to have a judgemental quality like that.  I have learned so many lessons in the last year.  I only hope that God shows me the proper way to use them that I can make a difference.

God bless….

Children Are God’s Blessing

I have 3 kids.  My two sons are biological and my daughter is a step.  I love them all equally and look at them with awe everyday.  When I look at Jacob (18 months), I see deep into his eyes that wonder and trust that is directed right at me.  I wonder what he is thinking…I kinda have an idea, but how is he processing it?  He is looking at me for the answers and usually a drink.  He is helpless and relies on us for everything.  I want nothing more than to make that happen.

Then I look at myself.  Why has God placed such a huge responsibility on my back?  I’m not worthy of any of the gifts He gives me, but this one really has consequences.  How could He trust such a value unmolded blessing to me?  I don’t even have a job?  I’m busting it just to make money to barely help support all of us.  I love my family so much, and I feel like I’m letting them down daily.  Why would God want me to have another blessing?

I look to Zachry (9) and Riehle (13).  They are good kids.  They have their stumbling blocks, but make good grades, have nice friends, participate in church and Sunday School and love us.  I was scared to takeon Riehle.  She was just under two when Liss and I got married.  I took over being a dad DURING the Terrible Twos.  Then along came Zachry.  I was so used to dealing with Riehle and nephew Owen (just 1.5 years younger), that Zachry didn’t scare me too much.  They are great kids.

Now, we had a family vote to move to College Station and we all decided that was what to do.  We setdown some roots and started dealing with things in a different manner.  We had to pay rent.  We lost 3 acres of yard for a quarter acre.  I lost my spot on the Little League Board.  We lost our home church.  We lost all our friends.  We became a more solidified family.  We were all nervous, but we had each other.  The kids kept us strong.  We stayed so concerned with them that nothing else really hit home too hard.

The bills started stacking.  We kept paying them, but moving really set us further back than we had planned.  It stayed about the kids.  As we moved around College Station, trying to find a home that would work, it was all about the kids.  Riehle needs to stay with her friends.  She has choir.  Zachry needs to stay in a neighborhood that is bike, scooter and friend-friendly.  We need lower rent and utility bills.  We need a bedroom large enough to handle Jacob’s things.  The whole time, we are frantic, but it is centered around the kids.

Now, I lose my job.  It is April 9.  My biggest concern is Zachry’s bday party.  His bday is May 9.  No matter what, it has to happen.  This cannot effect him.  We cannot take away what is ultimately a life memory.  It’s all about making it happen.

I look for job after job.  It is Riehle’s bday on September 19.  We can’t let her down. This cannot effect her.  She only wants something small and family oriented.  We can make that happen.  You only turn 13 once!  This is a life memory.  It happened!

Oh no, Christmas is just around the corner and now we have a little one.  First Christmas!  We can’t let this mess it up.  I keep looking for work.  As I clean the house and storage, I find things to sell.  It’s working.  We can’t ruin his first Christmas.  It happened and everyone is happy.

So, why does God bless me with 3 children?  He loves me as I love them.  Even though we are struggling more than I ever have in my entire life, God has taken care of us.  He has always provided for us and although we needlessly worry, He gives us hope, encouragement, love and so many other blessings.  God gives us kids to we can truly understand what unconditional love is.  Throughout all of this, God gave us the kids to watch over and take our minds off the needless worry, while he provides and cares for us.

The blessing of children is a teaching tool for us to love and share that love.  You cannot truly love someone until you love yourself, forgive yourself and stop worrying about yourself.  God gave us children to understand that love and to love ourselves ans we love them and as they love us.  Children are our blessing from God to show us what Christ commanded us to do…love one another.  Take that love, show that love and give that love.  It is so much easier than resentment.

I love you.

God bless….

Need Answers?

Suffering

In church and in my life recently, I’ve been seeing a lot and reading a lot about Job and the troubles he suffered through.  He would be the ultimate “Eh, it could be worse.” guy to talk to when you are going through something rough.

My attitude has completely changed on how to handle struggles whether they are mine or others.  I have been through some pretty troubling times over the last year and that is when you really have to dig deep and see who you are inside and how you handle your faith in God.  I’m talking about making the decision of “Am I really a Christian?” type decisions.  It is human nature that you feel that your suffering is like no others and no one has ever suffered or gone through what is happening to you.  This is where we are wrong.  There are others that have gone through that and much worse.  We have to think…how is is any different?  Everyone thinks of their troubles as horrific, so that is how we should approach it with them.

When we want to help someone going through a rough patch, we have to see it through their eyes and through their eyes, it is the worse amount of suffering ever seen.  We cannot dismiss how they feel about it, if we truly want to help.  They have to trust and believe you.  NEVER dismiss how strong someone’s feelings are…they are hurt and emotional.  We have all been there and know how aweful it can feel to be sick, hungry, jobless, mourning, etc, etc, etc.  We must put ourselves in their shoes and out of our judgmental shoes.  Drop to your knees with them, for them, or both and pray to God to get them through these tribulations.  Be the proof for them that God answers prays and it is on His time, not on your’s.

No situation is hopless with God.  He is always watching over us and taking care of us whether we ask or not.  Pray to him.  Call to Him.  Trust in Him to take these weights from your shoulders so you can stand-up straight and walk with Him.  God is the answer to all our issues, but we must help people to understand that.  When you are suffering, you cannot think straight.  It takes very special people to immediately turn to God when life-altering events happen to them.  Ask for help from your prayer warriors.  Ask your church to help pray for you.  No request is too humbling.  We all need God to lift us from these issues.  At that time, we do not need to be judge by each other because “You’ve seen worse.”.  Get on your knees and pray with these people as though you were experiencing it yourself.  Love thy neighbor!

There are so many sources that help others that are looked down upon by others.  The state will help you with a lot of things as-well-as so many organizations. When you are in a time of need, this is where you must turn to get back on your feet.  Why do most people not do this?  Pride.  They are scared of what others would think about them?  Why would our feelings about others opinions keep us from asking for help?  Why would we make someone needing help not do it because of our ridicule?

I know because that’s where I was/am.  When I lost my job, I thought it would be easy, everyone wants to hire me.  Wrong.  As funds dwindled and expenses piled-up, our lives started changing.  It was only the love for my family that made me ask for help/assistance and it killed me…because of pride.  Once I made that decision, I started seeing how caring and helpful the people were.  They didn’t look down on us.  They didn’t pity us.  They understood our troubles and made it more relaxing for me to drop my pride and accept the assistance they were offering.  They knew and I knew it is only a temporary thing, but it takes my mind off of it and lets me concentrate on the necessities of finding work and controlling my diabetes.

This experience has really helped me to understand why God wants us to love our neighbors.  It isn’t to just sit around and enjoy each other’s company.  It is to help them when they need it and understand…not ridicule or judge.  On the most basic level, we are all people and have the same needs.  We just have those needs at different time.

God bless….