None of my business

Listening to a radio program last evening I listened to a story of a woman who was brutally murdered outside an apartment building. She was slashed numerous times and as she was attacked she called out for help and in pain.

When the police arrived to investigate the body of a dead woman in the street and they interviewed the residents, you might think that because of the size of the building or because of the time of day no one heard her, but that was not the case, several residents had either seen or heard her screams and chose to do nothing, as they informed the police that they “Did not want to get involved, none of their business”.

You might be saying okay Jim, nice story but that rarely happens and there had to be more to the story. Well no and yes. No, because it happens everyday in every town great and small just pick up and newspaper and you’ll find a story of how someone lived alone and either fell or became sick and died as a result or how someone had spoken about committing suicide, gave away their belongings and how no one took notice until someone noticed their dead body.

Yes there is more to the story and it involves you and I. We are part of the solution. When we became born again and Jesus washed away our sin forever he became involved in all aspects of our life, he became involved. Think of how devastating it would be without his gift of redemption, no way of cleansing our sin.

Now consider this before we become to caught up in “This will never happen to me”, whether it’s a woman being murdered on a city street, a child being abused, an elderly person being abandoned – long ago forgotten by their neighbors and friends, the vet who worked to help other vets only to die alone in a tent along a protected trout stream – not far from a church that gives shelter and food to drug addicts and alcoholics but not to someone who is just homeless and dealing with an unseen enemy called PTSD.

People matter, it is all our business. You don’t have to start a crusade, but you should care. So I am asking you to stand up with me, take note of that person standing at the door at Walmart, thank them for doing a good job – what will it hurt to slow down and talk with them a second or two. Take note of that young parent losing their Patience with an unruly child who is just hungry or tired – give them reassurance it will be alright, Take note of that young man who sits in a wheelchair at the McDonalds who just needs to feel the touch of another human being – knowing they matter they have worth.

Stand up and be counted among those who give hope to the couple who just learned their loved one has cancer – let them know they do not have to face this alone, take note of the young Marine who seems to have his act together- helping other Marines and veterans deal with exposure to combat – but takes his own life because no one stopped to ask him how he was doing.

STAND UP and be counted among those who write to a vet in prison who felt so afraid of losing their temper they committed a crime in order to be locked away from those they may hurt or may have killed. Take note of the family that must endure the hardships of wondering what they could have done differently to help them and struggle now with the fall out.

STAND UP and know that it is okay to be afraid of the unknown, but know that God is with you and you can not fail, no matter what you do to help. Know that the person you stop to talk with today may be hurting so bad they will result to taking their own life tonight because they did not want to burden anyone with their pain or issues.

STAND UP because you matter enough to me this morning to write this from the heart and couldn’t wait till sunset to let you know that. I hope everyone of you reading this feels compelled as I do to let someone know today they matter, they are my business and yours.

Think of how life would have ended before it got started because someone stood up for us when we couldn’t. Think of how our lives would be different if Christ had not taken the burden of sin because he didn’t want to get involved. Think of how there would not have been any churches if Peter who denied even knowing Jesus had not been forgiven by the one who he rebuked.

Stand up, even when you are tired from working all day and you have hundreds of things to do, you just need a minute to yourself, isn’t it better to wish you could have done more than regret you did nothing to help, not even a phone call, a letter, a note or an e-mail.

You are my business, what happens or doesn’t happen, we all have the same needs, to have hope, to feel loved, to feel needed, to be complimented to know that someone passing by will not just say “it is none of my business” There is always room in our lives for improvement, I hope this helps you improve yours as it has mine and others.


I mind and you matter.

Lessons for my grandchildren passed on from my Dad

Although Brittni was the only one he got to hold and kiss for a little while, doesn't mean he did not pass along his traits to the rest of you. Tyler sleeps like him and is just a big a man as he ever was, hope you turn out as well. Colton has his intelligence, same as Brittni. He loved math. Cortney you have his infectious laugh and attitude, he was never bashful.

I love you all dearly an hope you get to read these words someday.


Never go to bed angry, even if that means loosing the argument, doesn't hurt making the peace now and then.

Always try your best, never regret that you tried to do what you thought as right, let your conscience be your guide.

Love your family like there is no tomorrow, you might not get another chance to tell them you love them.

Be proud of who you are and who you came from, it makes you unique and gives you value.

Make your peace with God early on in life. You might not have a second chance. Be very humble in his presence.

God bless you all with long life and happiness in all you do, wish I could be around your whole life. All my love to you always.

Escaping

What are you escaping from? I often wondered why I smoked, was it because it made me look cool? gave me focus? gained me honor among co-workers? What was it that made me smoke?

Well to be honest at first I swallowed a big lie, that I was in control of it, just like anyone addicted is in control and can quit at anytime. Not addicted you say, really? really? Lets just look at a few things here first of all, why are we using pills, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, sex, money, work, violence or whatever your poison to escape?

What do we hope to escape? This is satan's lie. take a little pill and tomorrow you will feel as right as rain, its just a little drink what will it hurt, oh come on, no one will ever know, right? Does any of this sound familiar?

Okay Jim, you have all the righteous answers, life is easy for you. Wrong, dead wrong. How could a simple kid from a small town with an average education ever begin to understand the complexities of addiction on his own without first some first hand knowledge of what it is to live with addictions, secondly feel the love in my heart to share this with everyone who reads it.

I tried escaping for years through the use of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, if you could smoke it I've tried it, for a while drank it as well. Took me 38 years to stop killing myself with addictions. Seen friends and family kill themselves, cried myself to sleep over their loss and I know the crying is far from over yet.

Satan uses all sorts of gimmicks and lies to get us to thinking that we can escape all our troubles and woes if we just do this or that, won't hurt anyone, we can stop anytime we want, right? Once addicted, always addicted. There is no halfway, I can never just have one cigarette or one drink or one lie or one whatever.

Addicts are vigilant all the time, knowing the triggers is helpful, knowing we have zero tolerance limits is paramount.

So what's your poison? What are you escaping? Does smoking pot take away the frustration? Content with being lied to? Content with being addicted to death?

Want real answers? Want to stop killing yourself? Want to get away from it all? 

The truth is we can't do it by ourselves, we need a counselor, someone not paid, someone who is always awake, never tires of spending time with us - no matter how much we talk, knows what is really bothering you - but rejoices when you admit things to him.

There is no 800 number, he is here now, he is there now. All it takes is you and an open honest heart. Admit to God you are addicted, you are tired of running away and trying to escape - but need his help, Give him the option to rid this poison from your life once and for all, accept the truth of his words written in the bible they haven't changed, he loves you and me, just love him in return.

Escape the grip addiction has over yourself, don't continue to believe the lie. Need encouragement? Need someone to walk with you? Call upon the holy spirit to come into your life, accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, understand that we are all sinners, everyone of us. Relief from the bondage and lies is right there, within arms reach, no one can do this for you.

Final promise, I will pray for you. I don't want your confession just as you don't want mine, I've already given my burdens to God, he has long since forgotten yesterday and "will forgive me of my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me..." his words not mine.

Don't have a bible? Send me a message, letter, e-mail, whatever, I will mail you one.

papointman@comcast.net   Private Cell: 814-308-2802   720 Toftrees Ave, Apt 309   State College, PA 16803.

God bless us all.

The Great Pretender

Years ago there was a 50's song titled the same as this, same principal different results. The difference being is most of us are great pretenders, I am a christian, everything is just fine. Okay well before we go becoming a lightning rod for presumptions that your life is terrific no fuss and no muss...

Lets consider just how miserable we actually are and need the grace of god just to get past the coffee pot in the morning. Not sure why he even grants us the ability to whine about how our clothes just hang on us, or taxes just keep going up and up or even the price of our expresso-latte foamalotta's or whatever it is we can't stand at the moment.

When we do get past ourselves and realize just how fragile life is, we become much more appreciative of all the little things he provides us with, going un-noticed by most throughout there day. Instead we choose to be miserable or full of pride in what we think is our own abilities, little do we give credit to the real reason we survive.

Instead lets just pretend that fate rests solely in your own hands, your destiny is by your choosing, after all wasn't the world created through chance? Have you ever considered through what process the gases and particles combined to create the complex life forms we now have?

I would venture to say more people spend more time trying to convince themselves they have plenty of time to get right with God then they actually have. Or the alternative is to continue to think "or continue to think outside some box" that pretending is a much better choice.

Not to be confused with escaping....(see the next blog entry for more on Escaping)...

Are you pretending? Are you tired of pretending everything is fine? If you are, maybe now is the time to "get real" with God, come as you are, no one will be turned away. What are you waiting for?