On Family and Faith

One of my rules posted yesterday was:  My family will never be referred to by name and only spoken about in direct reference to me.  Today I will outline my family and faith because these are the major elements that make us who we are today.    

Husband – never was one. Not that I don’t believe in them, just never found the right person at the right time.  (Had an offer in the 80’s for a “Sugar Daddy” but didn’t take it.) I will marry for love.

Children – 2 a boy and a girl but both have wet noses, long floppy ears and docked tails. Yes, my mother has “grandpuppies” from me.  Many of you will understand that giving them away is a last option.

Father – deceased (1990)

Step-father – deceased (1989)

Mother – living on only social security & food stamps at 78 on her next birthday in a couple weeks.

Mother’s current husband – several years older than Mom and dealing with “memory issues”.

Brother #1 – (older) unemployed and looking.

Brother #2 – deceased (1992)

Brother #3 – (younger) disabled and fighting to get SSI but keeps getting turned down (too many assets – So he has to lose his house before they will qualify him (a house paid off – just owes taxes).

Sister – (20 years younger) Cancer survivor, working, tremendous help to the family and I feel she has a right to enjoy her life with her significant other.  That means starting a family if they want or not.

Step-Sister (Father’s side) – Married with 2 sons. We have seen each other maybe 3 times since Daddy died.

My faith is Christian based.  I believe in God.  I also believe that Man is arrogant enough to impose individual beliefs upon their God as His traits and teachings when interpreting the Bible.  With so many doctrines and formal religions out there I sometimes wonder if one is the ONE religion to believe in.  Having grown up in a predominantly Jewish community and then taken the class “Non Western Religions” at Otterbein also helped shape this view.  My father was Lutheran; my grandparents took us to a Presbyterian church; and my step-father was Catholic.  This morning I have the opportunity to go to church (not working those hours) and I will go to Trinity Episcopal (downtown Columbus).  This is the church where I feel the spirit.

Many religions teach love, being good towards others, and the teachings of the Christians’ 10 Commandments and The Golden Rule.  So this is how I try to live MY life and not really by a name tag saying “Hello I’m _____________”.  Just as there are many roads (with different names) to get to Cleveland, I believe the name tag is moot.  I believe Christ when he taught “Believe in me and ye shall surely see the Kingdom of Heaven.” Period! 

Like Job in the Old Testament, my current troubles will not sway my beliefs.  So many times when I have truly needed something it has come to me.  This blog is what I believe was meant to come from my experiences.  Without the hardships I would not have been able to attempt to make understand homelessness.  I might have bought into the myths I am trying now to dispel.

Today's Tally:
Sunday, February 13, 2011                      Time:  worked 5.5 hours but also got to go to church
Location:  the retail chain store
Temp:  worked inside so this is not applicable
Newspapers sold:   0
Viable job postings:   0
Filled or baiting job posted:   0
Resumes/Job Applications sent:   0