Them @ MindSay

Have you noticed ...

Some people are not happy unless they're miserable! 

Others are not happy unless they can share their misery.

Some people are not miserable unless they see others around them as happier than themselves.

Others flaunt their misery as a gift.

Some people struggle to overcome life's obstacles to live freely.

Others struggle to hold onto the pain because it is familiar, and the unknown is much more threatening.

All of us need affirmation, acceptance, and simple attention. 

Some will say or do anything to get these. 

Others slowly waste away due to a lack of any of them.

Some make an effort to understand the position of others.

Others are content to judge.

Woke up this morning

Got myself a blog

So I could keep up

With Dees' travel log

--sorry

Every place I look, I see us v them: left v right, Dems, v Reps, Red v Blue, male v female, young v old, conservatives v liberals. It's enough to make one ill! Is this a kindergarten or a society? (See, another dichotomy!) We've been trained to compare, but what is the fruit of that?

Comparisons speak of competition.

I am certainly no psychologist or psychiatrist, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that those who feel a need to continually make comparisons are, in fact, demonstrating a lack of confidence in some related realm. In other words, if a young man is always bad mouthing the captain of the football team for being an idiot, it is very likely that the young man in question would very much like to be on the football team or be like the captain. We make comparisons not realizing that when we do, we elevate one over another.

Experience builds faith.

Competitiveness becomes even more heated when it trickles over into our political and spiritual views of life. Some are sworn democrats while others are just as committed to a republican platform, but are either of these political parties perfectly in sync? NO! Why? Because they are populated with human beings! Individuals,... not any two of whom hold any plank or doctrine in complete agreement. Our beliefs systems, both politically and spiritually, are built upon our personal experience(s), and since no two of us have walked the identical path for any significant distance, we do not share identical experiences.

For example, I am a WASP! I will never know experientially what it is to be an African American or an Asian or a Muslim, but I can learn from their life experience if I allow myself. It doesn't mean I have to agree 100%, as I already explained, that kind of agreement is virtually impossible. We get into trouble, however, when we insist our viewpoint, (based on our experience), is the only conceivable reality. There is something of value to be gleaned from every human being and situation, or at least, that's my belief.

Jesus is the Way.

YES! Although I believe (based on my personal experiences) that Jesus Christ is, indeed, the Way, it does not preclude me from listening to the different points of view of others. I am not in a position, nor is anyone else really, to evaluate the life experiences of another person or discredit their belief system – politically or spiritually. I can listen respectfully for points of agreement and focus on those. How eager are you to listen to one who only points out your errors or flaws? As long as competitiveness compels us to prove we're RIGHT and they're WRONG, hatred will grow and thrive. Not until we learn how to genuinely respect one another, in spite of our differences and maybe because of them, will we learn another way of life and obtain a more complete picture.

So the question becomes ... is it US v THEM or is there a way to put our unique personal experiences together? I can tell you this ... as long as the US v THEM mentality is popular, wars, death, persecutions, genocide, and hatred will exist.

What about the TRUTH?

My God is continually teaching me. I can only assume He is willing and able to teach anyone. In fact, there is a statement made in the book of Hebrews that says:

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb 11:6

The chapter is about faith and lists a great many specific deeds and actions done in faith. My point is, I cannot change a person's heart or their life experiences. I can, however, extend to them the same grace given to me on a daily basis and listen with a heart of faith for anything God might want to teach me.   If a person is seeking God, whatever path he may be on, God is big enough to redirect his steps.  You see, it is my experience, that God can and will use anything and everything as a teaching tool that we allow Him to use.

So ... do we continue to pick one another apart, to PROVE who is right or wrong? (which, of course, cannot actually be done, anyway) or do we learn how to walk in genuine faith that God is big enough to take care of Himself and His rep! Your choice!

So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision - you'll see it yet!” Phil 3:16 The Message

 

~ B

We did well, with the four of us working for quite awhile. We all had our own dogs & cats, & we kept moving into nicer & nicer homes, till we found a really neat one. But I met someone I wish I never had. A man with cocaine. It started small, but it will grab you quick, & before long, we found ourselves in a huge money bind, & couldn't pay our rent, so it was time to take an adventure, & get as far away from Bo as possible, which did work. No more of that crap up my nose. Neither of us have ever smoked crack. We're not much into drugs. At all. I take medication for physical problems, but that's about it. Anyhow, we sold hubs car, put most of our stuff in storage, loaded the bigger car with everything we could get in it, including 1 100 lb dog, & a smaller one, who laid at hubs feet while I drove. Off we went, headed for Phoenix, because my daughter had mentioned she might get a place there. She ended up in Washington state, lol! So, we got jobs, after staying at KOA's, & in a nice hotel for a couple weeks, but we ended up on 24th & VanBuren, downtown Phoenix, the worst part of town. Didn't scare me. I had Teddy Bear, & Coco, they took care of me while hub worked nights at the airport, washing planes. I got a data entry job. One morning, I was standing out front waiting for a bus to go to work, when a car pulled up. Remember, we're in dope fiend, hooker territory, & his passenger window was down. I didn't even look at him, I just said, "You can't afford me" He said, "You don't know how much money I have", my reply, "Doesn't matter, you still don't have enough". From then on, hub stood with me while I waited for my bus. I was actually quite comfy there. A guy on crack would come to my door, Teddy keeping him way away from coming too close, telling me aliens were after him to kill him. I just told him "Tom, go back to your place, & I'll be right there, ok? No one is going to kill you", & I went to our place, where food was very short, made him a bologna sandwich, & some chips & a soda, & took it to him, & told him, "You're safe hon. The aliens left, so I want you to eat, & then lay your head down & get some sleep, ok?" He did just that, bless his heart. I watched that man lose his wife, business, car, everything he had in a months time over crack. I've never tried it nor will I. It's just another devil in disguise. I got along fine with all the people around, & for 1 night, worked at Dennys, where I got off at 3am, but told them I wouldn't take the shift, unless they drove me home or paid for a cab. They didn't, & I had to walk several blocks to my house, in this very dangerous place, but I got lucky. A huge black woman, a hooker, walked with me, to keep me safe. She knew I wasn't a hooker, but I didn't judge, I just don't do that until I know the person, but bless her heart, I got home safe.  The monsoon's in the summer in AZ are just awesome. I can remember opening the door, & putting up the gate for the dogs, & just watching the rain pour down in sheets, with fingers of lightning everywhere. I've always loved thunder & lightning storms, & Arizona is where they are, as far as I know. I'm sure there are many place with good storms, but I sure enjoyed the ones I saw there. One day, I saw a very old man, digging for cans in the dumpster. We had a big bag full, & I took them to him. He was shocked, but I just wanted to help him. I've slept under houses, & eaten out of garbage cans, so I hope along with his wine, he got something to eat that night. One of those times you are just compelled to help someone, ya know? Hub worked nights, & there was a huge empty field next to the hotel, mattresses & all, & one night I was walking my dogs before bed. Now Teddy Bear was a dark brindle mutt, 100 lbs worth, & Coco was black, & they stayed close by, but no one could see they were there. One night in particular, I saw a man come into the field, headed one way, until he saw me, then he turned & began to walk right towards me. Well, I said the secret code (at the time), which was "Who's that?" to my dogs. They immediately started growling, & heading towards him, when he decided he'd go the way he was headed in the first place, lol. I love my dogs. We ended up so stuck there, so I headed up to get a few more of our things from storage in California, but the truck broke down at a retirement/recreational park. People there tried their best to start the truck for me, but it wasn't happening. I was so amazed by this place, especially compared to downtown Phoenix. You could hear a frog fart across the river, lol, it was so peaceful, dark, & quiet. I fell in love. A nice couple let Teddy & I stay in their camper,until my hub could get to me. This was a wonderful adventure, which I will tell tomorrow....Blessed Be, all of you, QuellyQ

TORONTO, Canada - A five-year hunt for a man accused of killing a police informant in Phoenix ended in Toronto's west end this weekend thanks to a "courageous" young woman who turned in her boyfriend.

Mikhail Drachev, 24, who has been on the run since the "horrific" slaying of Konstantin Simberg in December 2001, was arrested by police Friday in the Rexdale apartment the pair had been sharing for more than five years.

"About a week ago, he decided to come clean and give her his real name because they were thinking about marriage," Staff-Sgt. Paul MacIntyre said yesterday. "She Googled his name and learned he was in fact on America's Most Wanted."

The fugitive's girlfriend, whose name was not released, was initially "conflicted," MacIntyre said. Although it took her a week to tell police, she eventually "did the right thing" and should be commended, he said.

"She was with this fellow for a long time, and obviously they were very close," MacIntyre said. "The fact that she came in to a (police) station and told us who he was, I think, showed tremendous courage on her behalf."

Drachev and two other men are accused of attacking Simberg, 21, while he was on the phone with a cop. He was stabbed in the back, doused with gas and set ablaze.

It's now believed Drachev fled Arizona to Ottawa, where the couple met. They moved here about five years ago.

Drachev must have known police were coming for him because when officers arrived at their apartment they found he had barricaded himself in by piling furniture against the door, MacIntyre said.

Police also found a climber's rope tied to the balcony.

Drachev remains in the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency and it's expected he will be turned over to U.S. authorities.

MacIntyre said he didn't know if the woman is standing by her man or walking away.

"If she wants to continue the relationship, I would guess she'll have to move down south," he said.

from Canoe.Ca