Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Fire destroys food, gifts for 1,000 needy people | fire, caswell, gifts - News - The Orange County Register

Fire destroys food, gifts for 1,000 needy people | fire, caswell, gifts - News - The Orange County Register

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this is so sad I went by his morning and you are all these people standing out in the street. I had to as myself"what can I do to help these poor people?" well I have posted Facebook & Twitter and will be looking for ways & means to help them rebuild. Any assistance will be gratefully appreciated.

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

the guy on the street

That's me, I'm the guy on the street. I'm the one that hangs out with people you see standing on the corner or on the freeway off ramp with a sign that says " helped me," because I can't help myself.This seems to be a growing problem in the richest country in the world. Every day I see more and more people waiting in the feeding lines that are provided by the churches and nonprofit organizations. The sad fact of the matter is that many of these people are mentally ill. They could not find work if it were handed to them on a Silver Platter. If they did get a job it would be short-lived due to the mental illness.
I am the guy that hangs out with these folks on a daily basis. I work for a government agency and I go home at night. I wake up in the morning and my house is a little chilly and the first thing I think about is my people that are sleeping out in a cold.
We now have some cold weather shelters that are good between 6 PM and 6 AM but then they're back out in the cold. This is indeed a sad state of affairs. The stigma of homelessness says that these are non- people who are not deserving of our generosity or compassion. The truth of the matter is that each one is someone's son, daughter, mother or father. How difficult it is it for us in this time of Christmas cheer to share some of that with those that are less fortunate than we are. My job if you will, my calling in life is to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. Sometimes all it is is blessing someone with the gift of my attention. Last night, I spent some time with the person who didn't have a home who was telling me that he was a police officer. He believed what he was telling me was the truth and for him it was. He took me on a journey through the secret intimacies of his tangled mind and I was more than happy to share the journey with him. I had to leave him in the shelter but we will share more time together in the future and perhaps I can make a difference in his life. That is my hope and my goal.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Breakfast at McDonald's





This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!):



I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.



The last class I had to take was Sociology.


The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.


Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'


The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake,
literally....


Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.


We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then
even my husband did.


I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.


As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.


As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.
He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching..

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation....

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.

He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford.. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something.. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the

restaurant were set on me, judging


my every action.


I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.



I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.


He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.'

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope..'

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers....

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.

Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son,the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to

LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS -

NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.


There is an Angel sent to watch over you....

In order for her to work, you must pass this on to the people you want watched over..

An Angel wrote:

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart


To handle yourself, use your head..

To handle others, use your heart.



God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.