Back a couple months ago, I was scheduled to be a vendor at a two-day art show in St. Petersburg. I went to my car on Sunday morning & lo and behold...I had a COMPLETELY flat tire. There happened to be a gas station a few blocks from my place, so I drove very slowly to the gas station, hoping to inflate the tire and drive to the show. Of course, their air machine was out of order.
Plan B - change the tire. Not my favorite thing to do, but I started unpacking everything from my car so I could get to my spare tire. While I was doing this, a local homeless man who I had seen at this particular gas station before offered to help me change the tire...I graciously accepted, as I had to get to the show by a certain time. I had never unearthed the spare in my current vehicle, as I never had a flat since I owned it. When I finally dug out the spare, I couldn't find the jack. Being a Sunday morning at a relatively busy gas station, there were quite a few people stopping to get gas, dressed (it appeared) to go to church. I asked quite a few different "church-going" men if they had a jack in their car that I could use to change my tire...not one of them would help me. After a while, the man who did offer to help me stated that he had to go because he was getting a meal at the local shelter, so I thanked him for the offer to help. I continued to search through my car and finally found the jack after finding the manual buried in the glove box of my car. I asked a couple more people who stopped...again, no luck. I guess getting to church was more important than helping someone with a problem.
Finally, a car that had passed on the street turned around and pulled up. A young guy stepped out and offered to help. He had a bottle of the tire-fixing spray in his car, and although he put half a can in the tire, it didn't work. So he set to work on changing the tire, and asked if he could use my cell phone to call his wife to let her know he had stopped to help me. He told me he was on his way back from spending the night in the hospital with his grandfather, and his wife would be worried if he didn't get home soon, as he had told her when he was leaving the hospital. I let him use the phone, I talked to his wife for a moment (thanking her for letting me "borrow" her husband), and he changed the tire in a couple of minutes. I thanked him profusely, and told him about all the people who refused to even try to help me with the problem. He and I agreed that there are many people out there in the world who like to talk the talk about being righteous and religious, but when it comes down to it they do not follow the "WWJD" concept.
Just my little take on the "Good Samaritan" parable...thanks to the two gentlemen who offered their help that Sunday. You are appreciated and will not be forgotten.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
No, I'm not winking at you
OK, for over a month now my left eye has been "twitching". I know EVERYONE has had this happen to them before, but this has never gone on for this long...i feel like the "hiccup" girl that was all over the news a while ago. I have been pretty much trying to ignore it, but now I am starting to wonder if it is related to my migraines since it is on the same side of my head. My neurologist told me he didn't think so, but he was pretty much in a hurry to get rid of me since I arrived so late on Tuesday (damn job!).
I guess I will try to get an appointment with my general doc (always nice to see him anyway!) and see what he thinks. Mom was giving me a hard time (whether she thinks so or not) about it today and said her opthamologist thinks I should see a neuro-opthamologist. Of course, the only one I can find around here is at USF...great.
On the plus side, maybe some hot guy will think I'm winking at him Saturday at the St. Patrick's Day night parade. LOL
I guess I will try to get an appointment with my general doc (always nice to see him anyway!) and see what he thinks. Mom was giving me a hard time (whether she thinks so or not) about it today and said her opthamologist thinks I should see a neuro-opthamologist. Of course, the only one I can find around here is at USF...great.
On the plus side, maybe some hot guy will think I'm winking at him Saturday at the St. Patrick's Day night parade. LOL
Really a heretic
This dude ROCKS:
There was a segment on one of the cable news shows a while ago about a preacher named Calvin Pearson who used to be one of the up-and-coming people in the evangelical movement...he had been singing in the choir and preaching since he was but a child...he was expected to be the next huge on-air "personality" in that movement. He had a huge church, he had Oral Roberts and his people behind him...but he always had something nagging at the back of his mind. He always questioned why a "loving God" would send certain people to Hell...people who had not heard of Jesus...people who 'backslid' and did not come around before they died, etc. One day, he was watching a tv show about children in Africa and he was horribly saddened. How could God send these people to hell after living such a life of suffering? Then he heard the "voice of the Holy Ghost" who told him..."no one goes to hell...this is hell for these people. When they die, everyone is saved." A weight was lifted off his shoulders...he couldn't wait to tell the congregation...what a marvelous thing! Everyone in the entire world would have salvation, no matter what! But the funny thing was...many people did not want to hear this. They were upset, angry...they began to argue with him...then they began to go above his head to other church leaders. They began to leave in droves. The leaders above him told him that he needed to stop preaching this "evil"...that it was heretical, and he was wrong. It was the Devil telling him this! The preacher didn't stop...he didn't believe this was evil or that the devil was behind it...what could possibly be wrong with telling everyone that they would be saved? It was the best message ever...there would be no more reason to hate, no more reason to fight, no more reason to be suspicious or judgemental of other beliefs! This could not possibly be a bad thing!
So what happened to this preacher? He lost 80% of his church membership. He was removed from his "post" with the Evangelical church and was labeled a "Heretic" for teaching the message of "Inclusionism" (this surprised me...I was not aware that Protestant churches even "defrocked" people for being heretics). He basically became a pariah amongst the movement in which he had spent his whole life.
He's still preaching his new-found "revelation"...to a smaller congregation, and without the backing of a large religious group. But he refuses to give up...he believes what the "holy spirit" has revealed to him is important to get out to as many people as possible. He truly has the courage of his convictions...
With someone like this man being called a heretic, I can only hope that I am worthy to be called one...
There was a segment on one of the cable news shows a while ago about a preacher named Calvin Pearson who used to be one of the up-and-coming people in the evangelical movement...he had been singing in the choir and preaching since he was but a child...he was expected to be the next huge on-air "personality" in that movement. He had a huge church, he had Oral Roberts and his people behind him...but he always had something nagging at the back of his mind. He always questioned why a "loving God" would send certain people to Hell...people who had not heard of Jesus...people who 'backslid' and did not come around before they died, etc. One day, he was watching a tv show about children in Africa and he was horribly saddened. How could God send these people to hell after living such a life of suffering? Then he heard the "voice of the Holy Ghost" who told him..."no one goes to hell...this is hell for these people. When they die, everyone is saved." A weight was lifted off his shoulders...he couldn't wait to tell the congregation...what a marvelous thing! Everyone in the entire world would have salvation, no matter what! But the funny thing was...many people did not want to hear this. They were upset, angry...they began to argue with him...then they began to go above his head to other church leaders. They began to leave in droves. The leaders above him told him that he needed to stop preaching this "evil"...that it was heretical, and he was wrong. It was the Devil telling him this! The preacher didn't stop...he didn't believe this was evil or that the devil was behind it...what could possibly be wrong with telling everyone that they would be saved? It was the best message ever...there would be no more reason to hate, no more reason to fight, no more reason to be suspicious or judgemental of other beliefs! This could not possibly be a bad thing!
So what happened to this preacher? He lost 80% of his church membership. He was removed from his "post" with the Evangelical church and was labeled a "Heretic" for teaching the message of "Inclusionism" (this surprised me...I was not aware that Protestant churches even "defrocked" people for being heretics). He basically became a pariah amongst the movement in which he had spent his whole life.
He's still preaching his new-found "revelation"...to a smaller congregation, and without the backing of a large religious group. But he refuses to give up...he believes what the "holy spirit" has revealed to him is important to get out to as many people as possible. He truly has the courage of his convictions...
With someone like this man being called a heretic, I can only hope that I am worthy to be called one...
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Always the heretic
I really wish my parents would realize that their continual nagging of me to believe the way they do about religion just makes me really uncomfortable. That ship has sailed long, long ago. I know they feel they have to try to "save" me from burning in hell, but frankly it is extremely tiring to try to fake interest in the religious tracts and books they keep sending me. It's a waste of their time and money.
I can't even explain to them that I feel more at peace now than I ever did growing up in their church...for god's sake, all we ever heard about then was how we were all sinners and going to burn in hell. I had nightmares my entire childhood about it. It took me YEARS to get over them.
The logic of it makes no sense...my mother made a statement to me about how "we are all sinners" after I spent half an hour talking about some evil shit that has been going down around here. I'm sorry, I refuse to cover myself in the same mantle as the people who have been backstabbing and treating others like complete dog shit. I am not an innately evil person as some of these people are, and I won't equate myself to them. I'll never understand the masochistic tendencies of that religion...it's just a ploy to make everyone feel like crap about themselves so they can be controlled. There's a reason the church basically told me they never wanted me back...I was too smart to fall for their line of doohickey. It always seemed rather like a game to me...'this is the only way we can keep them in line'.
If not being able to see myself as evil as those other MF's is being a heretic, so be it.
I can't even explain to them that I feel more at peace now than I ever did growing up in their church...for god's sake, all we ever heard about then was how we were all sinners and going to burn in hell. I had nightmares my entire childhood about it. It took me YEARS to get over them.
The logic of it makes no sense...my mother made a statement to me about how "we are all sinners" after I spent half an hour talking about some evil shit that has been going down around here. I'm sorry, I refuse to cover myself in the same mantle as the people who have been backstabbing and treating others like complete dog shit. I am not an innately evil person as some of these people are, and I won't equate myself to them. I'll never understand the masochistic tendencies of that religion...it's just a ploy to make everyone feel like crap about themselves so they can be controlled. There's a reason the church basically told me they never wanted me back...I was too smart to fall for their line of doohickey. It always seemed rather like a game to me...'this is the only way we can keep them in line'.
If not being able to see myself as evil as those other MF's is being a heretic, so be it.
Maybe
Is the universe trying to tell me that I finally need to get off my a$$ and try to become a real working photographer? Things are getting progressively worse in the mortgage business in general and at our office specifically, and I keep getting "hints" thrown at me from all directions.
The offer to rent out space at the really cool new age store for a studio as well as setting up some of my work there keeps nagging at me...it is one thing to have the owner want me to set up some artwork, another for her to basically say she WANTS me there as a renter of one of the rooms. She must have received a good word from our mutual friend.
I just wish I had more money saved up right now so I didn't have to worry about where the cash will come from...time to do my taxes, I guess...
The offer to rent out space at the really cool new age store for a studio as well as setting up some of my work there keeps nagging at me...it is one thing to have the owner want me to set up some artwork, another for her to basically say she WANTS me there as a renter of one of the rooms. She must have received a good word from our mutual friend.
I just wish I had more money saved up right now so I didn't have to worry about where the cash will come from...time to do my taxes, I guess...
Monday, March 12, 2007
Chillin with the kitties
Sometimes, the best thing to do is to come home from a horrible day at work and just chill with the cats.
Buku - my "old lady" - is the meanest Torti to walk the face of the earth. But she loves her "mom". And men...she has no use for other women, but boy does she love men! It could be the cable guy, the mailman, whoever...as long as it is a man, she is the friendliest cat on the face of the earth! She is a big fan of giving kitty kisses...within the last year or so, they've become increasingly drooly, though. I finally figured out why yesterday. She has lost her bottom left "canine" (is that what you call it on a cat?) tooth. I guess she's allowed...she would be over 100 years old in people years, but still acts like a kitten sometimes.
Tipper, the Bombay bomber, never ceases to amaze me with her silliness. At times she seems to have no brain in her head at all...but she is the sweetest cat in the world. She loves to snuggle, and is definitely a "lap kitty". She would flop on me all day if I would stay still. I'll never forget taking her to the vet for the first time...my regular vet was not in, and the vet on duty always came across to me as more of a "dog person" - he was not a bad vet, but never seemed to be very warm towards my cats in the past. When Tipper stepped out of the cage, he picked her up, looked at her, turned her towards me and said (in his Eastern-Indian accent), "Look at that face! Have you ever seen such a precious face? She is the most beautiful kitten I have ever seen!" And Tipper has never forgotten it...
I don't think I could survive some days without coming home and getting some unconditional love from "my girls".
Buku - my "old lady" - is the meanest Torti to walk the face of the earth. But she loves her "mom". And men...she has no use for other women, but boy does she love men! It could be the cable guy, the mailman, whoever...as long as it is a man, she is the friendliest cat on the face of the earth! She is a big fan of giving kitty kisses...within the last year or so, they've become increasingly drooly, though. I finally figured out why yesterday. She has lost her bottom left "canine" (is that what you call it on a cat?) tooth. I guess she's allowed...she would be over 100 years old in people years, but still acts like a kitten sometimes.
Tipper, the Bombay bomber, never ceases to amaze me with her silliness. At times she seems to have no brain in her head at all...but she is the sweetest cat in the world. She loves to snuggle, and is definitely a "lap kitty". She would flop on me all day if I would stay still. I'll never forget taking her to the vet for the first time...my regular vet was not in, and the vet on duty always came across to me as more of a "dog person" - he was not a bad vet, but never seemed to be very warm towards my cats in the past. When Tipper stepped out of the cage, he picked her up, looked at her, turned her towards me and said (in his Eastern-Indian accent), "Look at that face! Have you ever seen such a precious face? She is the most beautiful kitten I have ever seen!" And Tipper has never forgotten it...
I don't think I could survive some days without coming home and getting some unconditional love from "my girls".
Sunday, March 11, 2007
My, How Time Flies
OK...I knew it had been a while since I posted, but a year & 3 months? Holy crap.
What is it about getting older that makes time move at supersonic speed? And it increases exponentially with each year. Ick.
Anyway, back later with more. After caffeine and breakfast. My body says it's only 9:40 after all...I hate the Sunday after the "spring forward" time change. Like I am not already tired enough.
What is it about getting older that makes time move at supersonic speed? And it increases exponentially with each year. Ick.
Anyway, back later with more. After caffeine and breakfast. My body says it's only 9:40 after all...I hate the Sunday after the "spring forward" time change. Like I am not already tired enough.
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