Tag Archives: hungry

Daily Prompt; Community Service

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http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/daily-prompt-community/, DP, Daily Post

Your entire community — however you define that; your hometown, your neighborhood, your family, your colleagues — is guaranteed to read your blog tomorrow. Write the post you’d like them all to see.

Photographers, artists, poets: show us COMMUNITY.

I have waited for the perfect time and it seems like it is finally here to write my sincere feelings about a topic very dear to my heart.

To The Community I Reside In

I have lived in this community for my entire life, minus a few years of making some decisions to live else where. I know so many of you here. Not only in my own neighborhood, but in Public Relations, and including the Political side.

Churches I have attended, two in my life.  Most,everyone would recognize me when I walked in the front doors. Don’t worry, you don’t have to worry about using your head to think back to whether you remember me or not. I will not be attending your services again.

You see from the time I was a little girl I learned Jesus loves me. I was taught that love was the foundation along with our wonderful God. Once inside the sacred doors you could put to rest all of your fears. You knew you were in the depth of people who cared.

As I grew up and ran into problems in my life and I began to care for Al, my brother; I was given a rude awakening. Churches aren’t like this at all. I can’t attack all churches, I can only speak of the ones I have attended.

I realized by experience that if I didn’t have the right last name, or enough money was going into the plate that was passed I didn’t count. If I didn’t get involved with enough programs I became quietly pushed aside.

When I asked, and eventually lowered my pride and begged for help in trying to reach out for volunteers or paid companions I was let down. My parents told me there were two groups of people you could count on in life. Number one was your parents and number two was your church.

Wrong, so wrong in my case. When Al fell at church not one of you offered to help me pick him up. In fact a few of you complained to me that his walker was in their way. This hurt and along with whispers and slowly emitting myself from the choir I have walked through the last doors of church.

For me it has been a blessing. I have been forced to go to God on my own, in my home. My brother and I listen daily to Dr. Charles Stanley on the computer radio. We talk together about what we got out of each sermon. Afterwards I play different church songs that Al and I recognize.

The time that we spend each morning brings Al and I  closer than ever to God. He is a constant topic in our home.

I also wish to let it be known that I agree that schools and functions are very important to a child. It helps shape them for adulthood, introducing them to team efforts, the art of winning and losing gracefully.

My point is other than politics and school sports have you realized the hundreds of people left here in our own community to fend for themselves? Where does a person go to when they are in need?

I have lived in a time here where I ended up on the streets with no shelter and no food. No matter where I went, the offices were open for only a short time, or there was no food  pantry. Here food pantries are found inside the churches and if you don’t attend the church, then good luck. The couple of places I did fine, there were more rules and documents to be filled out. The humiliation that I went through because I was hungry or homeless made me feel like I should just stay under my big rock and hide.

For the most part when people are searching for a bite of bread or a roof over their head; they are sincere. They gulp hard  and lower their pride and after having tried every other means they seek the streets for help.

The programs are set up so that even if you have nothing but one can of soup left in your cupboards, your income is too high. Not everyone is out wasting valuable dollars. There are reasons such as medications that are so costly. After emptying your pockets to fill them and getting any help you can, you don’t have enough for food. Electric and gas bills are out of this world in price to  heat or cool your home.

I would like to see people in this community come together and give. Yes give, give a sack full of groceries. Take a bag to your elderly neighbor. Offer one hour of your busy schedule to help someone who has less.

Why is it so hard to do this? I have to state once again I am not speaking about everyone. There are wonderful people who help every day. There are those who abuse the systems who choose  not to work. I am speaking of the sincere ones who desperately need the help.

Here in our community we are the Orthopedic Capital of the world. When downsizing occurs and our work is sent over seas so the company can stick more change in their pockets who pays the price?

The head of the household of course. The one who worked even when they didn’t feel well so they could give to their families, have a retirement and pension. Release the fear of growing old and poor.

Letting these long-term employees go is devastating. How can they start over when they are shy only a few years of retiring? Who is going to hire them now? These people need help and where are we and what are we doing about it?

What you see in activity at Christmas is what we should see all year-long. The spirit of Christmas comes in season only. This needs to be changed and changed now. When we give to the Adopt-A-Families, or help the Salvation Army, or bake extra goodies for our shut-ins, lets continue to make at least a small effort the rest of the year.

Thankfully for me I have my daughter who loves me very much. If it weren’t for her and her big heart Lord only knows where I would be today. It wouldn’t be inside my nice, warm home with a roof over Al and my head. The cupboards would not be filled with food. I may have done drastic things in order to survive. I will always be grateful to  her for her help in my life.

So in closing, let’s put maybe, lets say, a fourth of the effort we do in sports and politics and place that into helping others. Remember, it is not what you have that is making you stand out. I swear you can’t take your three cars and your fancy home, your name brand clothes and your  money to heaven. God won’t let material things in. But giving of yourself, your heart will make God happy and you a better person. Come on community, let’s hold tight and make our city proud.helping-hands2                                                                       http://youtu.be/eBpYgpF1bqQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Visit

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Brick Barn

Thrown out of the car as it was slowly going down the road. Dust flying getting in his eyes. He looks at the car leaving more and more distance between them. He takes off as fast as he can run. He runs for miles but the car can outdo him.

He stops and lays down in the middle of the road. Panting and thirsty he has run out of energy. The heat of the remaining day beats down upon him and he stands up and walks over to a tree providing shade and lies down.

He closes his eyes and rest, sometimes snapping at a passing fly. Feeling rested but tired and hungry he walks down the isolated road. Once in a while a car speeds by  and he blinks his eyes to remove the gravel.

He comes upon a farm. He walks slowly up towards the barn. He doesn’t want to be noticed yet. He has a goal in mind and that is to find water and food. He walks along the side of the barn. Staying in the shadows he stumbles upon a watering trough.

He looks around and sees no one and slowly makes his way to the cool water. He drinks until he belches and then walks back into the darkness. He lays down and again takes another rest.

He sees the car in his memories. He feels unwanted and alone. His eyes have a sad look. Flies keep landing on him as to let him know they will keep him company. He tries chasing them a way but eventually gives up. He closes his eyes for a while and then he hears human voices.

He rises and his ears perk up. They are strange voices but yet comforting. He walks again to the edge of the barn and sees three young people. He loves young people. They play with him. They run with him and best of all they pet him.

He watches the children. They are placing food in bowls and he then sees kittens coming to eat. He licks his lips as his hunger takes over his emotions. He walks slowly a few steps and still watching the kids he yearns for some food also.

He walks a little closer and one of the children notice him. The child kneels down and calls out, come here, come here. Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you. Come on, you can do it.

The voice sounded nice and he sensed no anger. He started to walk over but hesitated. He didn’t want to be afraid again. Come on, come on. The boy whistled and clapped his hands.

He walked slowly until he stood in front of the boy. The boy leaned down and petted his head. Are you hungry boy? Are you thirsty? Do you want some food too?

He wasted no time eating out of the hands of this stranger. The child ran and got a bowl and put some food in it and sat it close to him. The children all watched him eat and one of them filled a bowl with water and sat it down near the food.

After he had eaten and drank all he could he sat looking at all three of these people. One of the kids started to pet him and soon all three were petting him.

He relaxed  and was enjoying what they were doing to him. The kids turned to leave. It was time for supper. They looked back at him to see if he was coming. When they saw he was sitting still they smacked their legs with their hands motioning for him to follow.

He did follow slowly at first and then keeping pace with them let them lead him up to the front door of the house. One of the kids raced inside and yelled to Mom. Come on Mom, come outside. Look what we found. Say we can keep him Mom. He’s all alone.

Mom went outside and when the dog and the Mom looked at each other they saw love. She slowly walked over to him and let him sniff her fingers. He sat still and then licked her fingers showing his approval.

Who do you belong to you beautiful creature? Are you lost? Did someone drop you off? Why would someone drop off such a handsome dog? Alright kids, we will keep him but if his owner returns or we hear of someone losing their pet we will have to give him back. Do we all understand?

Three years later if you drive by on that lonely road you will pass a farm. You will see young people and cats and a beautiful family dog.