ADVISORY: This post includes explicit content that some readers may find objectionable.
One lives in a world substantially of one’s own creation.
The previous post asked, “What can I give as an offering?”
As of now, I am essentially a panhandler.
Category Archives: The Way of Peace
* The offering plate, part 1
One lives in a world substantially of one’s own creation.
The offering plate came around, and I got a shock. I can remember when I dreamed of putting $60 in there each week, as the woman does who normally sits in front of me. No such dream is available to me now; I am unable to envision myself ever putting anything in there.
My circumstances have rendered me infantile; a complete “taker.” One of those who seeks to receive “blessings” rather than seeking to be a blessing, a “maker.”
What can I give as an offering?
The offertory hymn was, “We are an offering.”
We lift our voices, we lift our hands
We lift our lives up to You
We are an offering
Lord use our voices, Lord use our hands
Lord use our lives, they are Yours
We are an offering
All that we have, all the we are
All that we hope to be
We give to You, we give to You
We lift our voices, we lift our hands
We lift our lives up to You
We are an offering, we are an offering[*]
I myself can be my offering.
More about that next week.
[*]Author: Dwight Liles. ©1984, Word Music, Inc.
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Previous posts mentioning the offering plate:
I’m getting interviews!
What a homeless man dreams of
Previous posts mentioning the credibility of dreams:
Hope and vision
Reblogged 2023-10-05.
* Wolves in sheep’s clothing
I am at a difficult juncture.
My immediate material situation requires that, like never before in my life, I practice what I preach; care for myself; work in my own self-interest; be “here-now-can;” “keep the focus on me;” live by the Serenity Prayer. These are what I counsel any poor person to do. These are what I most emphatically now must do myself.
This entails dis-attending to all the current social turmoil.
It entails turning a deaf ear and blind eye to many messages, insistent messages, particularly coming from those who claim to have the best interests of the poor (like me) at heart.
* German Lopez on race
* Transference, BLM and anti-Semitism
When I hang out at Dunkin’ Donuts in the morning, I have a prescribed spot, in a corner, by the door.
This morning this woman came in scowling. She was deeply resentful about something. Once she got her order and began to head out, it became clear that the something had changed. Whatever she’d been resentful about before was no matter; what she resented now was my skin color.
Transference is the removal of emotions, normally negative, from connection with one idea or situation, and attaching the same to a different idea or situation. This incident this morning was an epiphany for me of how easily it happens, and how evil it can be.
* The pain pills saga
The dentist prescribed ibuprofen 800s and, for me to take at night if the toothache became severe, Hydrocodon-Acetaminoph 7.5-325. This is a narcotic. “Pain pills.”
I have a large zipper bag with four compartments. There is a main compartment, which I can lock; a front compartment; a left side compartment; and a right side compartment.
Every afternoon when I sit on my bunk, I empty my pockets and put my phone, debit card, and cash in the main compartment. I take my afternoon meds, which are already in there, and lock it all back up.
Related: Giving it all away
* “World’s happiest man” shares his secret
A 69-year-old monk who scientists call the ‘world’s happiest man’ says the secret to being happy takes just 15 minutes per day
Another must-read.
This is actually a different approach to meditation than any I have ever used. I may try it.
Enigmatically, happiness is no laughing matter. Last week’s article suggested that your happiness is a key to success in life. It is central to one’s functionality, the ability to get things done, overcome obstacles, set wise goals and diligently pursue them. Whether you believe in heaven or hell, wish to serve merely yourself, or instead wish to “serve” God, serve Jesus, or serve humanity — it’s essential to optimize your functionality, your effectiveness in life.
Fortunately, apparently, that can be fun!
* “A Stanford scientist says a simple psychological shift can make you more successful”
A Stanford scientist says a simple psychological shift can make you more successful
The headline left me skeptical. A scientist tells about success?
The article proves to be all about self-love, and backs up everything I’ve said about that subject. It also speaks to the issues I face at this moment in dealing with my feelings and the way I treat myself.
I urge you to read it.
Related:
Chaos overwhelms the poor
A short route to agony
Life in the outer darkness
Self-comfort
Why racism no longer matters to me
* The church cannot be a safe space.
If Pastor never says anything I disagree with, I’ll never learn anything from him.
Reblogged 2023-03-09.
* In the forecast: Pain
(Reblogged 2023-02-23.)
A toothache can distract you completely.
For the past two months, I have now and then, with increasing frequency and duration, had mild toothaches in (I thought) one upper left tooth and one lower left tooth. They always went away; and that’s all I thought of it.
Then last Thursday night there was such severe pain for such a long time, that I lost several hours’ sleep and resolved to get those two teeth filled the next day. But that didn’t happen. The dentist said four teeth must be extracted; and the appointments the clinic scheduled for me are two weeks and four weeks away.
This means: for the coming month, I am going to be in pain of varying severity for varying lengths of time.
It may not be much, now and then; it may be a lot, now and then, and for quite a while now and then. But it’s unavoidable. It’s coming.
How will I choose to feel about it?
Will I accept it, or react continually against it?
Will I hate myself for being in pain? or possibly hate others? Hate God?
Will I be crying out, “Why me?”
Or may there be other options?
Related: A short route to agony
From my diary:
The Homeless Blogger 