Bad is Good and Good is Bad

[Believer1997]

believer, what a touching story! yes, your granddaughter was like an angel to that man! what a blessing!

artsy, a target of what? well, i'll explain that, and tell you that he and our associate pastor both were adamant about it, having spent time working directly on the streets themselves... but i'll also say that i don't agree with them and never felt that i was putting myself in harm's way.

this city is rife with homeless people... and not all of them are appreciative of what is freely given. people often think of the homeless as autonomous individuals but it's really a community... and like any community, word spreads quickly when someone shows compassion.

the homeless people i knew i never felt any threat from, and don't believe for a moment they would ever bring harm to me. but, for every one that i knew, there were 20 others who know who i am... what i look like, what i drive, and quite possibly where i live. or at least where i lived at the time, because they often salvaged what they could from the dumpster right outside my apartment door.

many of these people are desperate, others are high, or drunk, or angry with the world... and sometimes in situations like that, it is better to remain unknown to them.

i did one time almost make a big mistake. i believe God put his hand out and stopped it from happening. i had invited one homeless girl (who i frequently talked to) to come over and take a shower while i washed her clothing. i had an appointment, but was going to take her home with me as soon as i was done. my appointment was nothing important... it was at the tanning salon LOL. but i spent the next 20 minutes in that tanning bed praying. i felt a huge weight on me that i had just set myself up and put myself in danger, and that God was trying to warn me. so i was praying that God would get me out of it.

when i finished tanning and went outside, i saw the girl. her boyfriend was a short distance away, and she told me she had changed her mind, and would not be coming home with me after all.

i do believe that was God's intervention in what could have been really bad.

I honestly would never invite them to my home...firstly they carry all kinds of disease...you really don't want them using your shower! It is good that God saved you from that position you put yourself in! It could have been disasterous. Living on the streets is not a pretty thing, but we have to keep in mind that most of them made choices that put them there. It is a community of sorts, it's actually a way of life. They obviously aren't in a hurry to leave that lifestyle. My son (23 yr old) has been homeless since he was 16...choices put him there, drug addictions, sex addictions and other issues keep him there. When he comes home (which is very rare) I bleach everything after he leaves, throw out the soap...you know...I could tell you alot of stories about the homeless...love them, yes...help them in areas that you can, yes...but don't get too involved on a personal level.

When he was in college, my son and his room-mates "adopted" an 79 year old street woman... just down on her luck and had no one. She showered at their apartment and stayed there during the day and slept in a spare-room. When he graduated and left - he & one of his buddies got her accepted into a group home before they left school. I was concerned, but when I met her and saw what a sweet woman she was - I knew this was special. She is, as far as we know, still in an elderly group home.

[BFP]

believer, what a touching story! yes, your granddaughter was like an angel to that man! what a blessing!

artsy, a target of what? well, i'll explain that, and tell you that he and our associate pastor both were adamant about it, having spent time working directly on the streets themselves... but i'll also say that i don't agree with them and never felt that i was putting myself in harm's way.

this city is rife with homeless people... and not all of them are appreciative of what is freely given. people often think of the homeless as autonomous individuals but it's really a community... and like any community, word spreads quickly when someone shows compassion.

the homeless people i knew i never felt any threat from, and don't believe for a moment they would ever bring harm to me. but, for every one that i knew, there were 20 others who know who i am... what i look like, what i drive, and quite possibly where i live. or at least where i lived at the time, because they often salvaged what they could from the dumpster right outside my apartment door.

many of these people are desperate, others are high, or drunk, or angry with the world... and sometimes in situations like that, it is better to remain unknown to them.

i did one time almost make a big mistake. i believe God put his hand out and stopped it from happening. i had invited one homeless girl (who i frequently talked to) to come over and take a shower while i washed her clothing. i had an appointment, but was going to take her home with me as soon as i was done. my appointment was nothing important... it was at the tanning salon LOL. but i spent the next 20 minutes in that tanning bed praying. i felt a huge weight on me that i had just set myself up and put myself in danger, and that God was trying to warn me. so i was praying that God would get me out of it.

when i finished tanning and went outside, i saw the girl. her boyfriend was a short distance away, and she told me she had changed her mind, and would not be coming home with me after all.

i do believe that was God's intervention in what could have been really bad.

I honestly would never invite them to my home...firstly they carry all kinds of disease...you really don't want them using your shower! It is good that God saved you from that position you put yourself in! It could have been disasterous. Living on the streets is not a pretty thing, but we have to keep in mind that most of them made choices that put them there. It is a community of sorts, it's actually a way of life. They obviously aren't in a hurry to leave that lifestyle. My son (23 yr old) has been homeless since he was 16...choices put him there, drug addictions, sex addictions and other issues keep him there. When he comes home (which is very rare) I bleach everything after he leaves, throw out the soap...you know...I could tell you alot of stories about the homeless...love them, yes...help them in areas that you can, yes...but don't get too involved on a personal level.

When he was in college, my son and his room-mates "adopted" an 79 year old street woman... just down on her luck and had no one. She showered at their apartment and stayed there during the day and slept in a spare-room. When he graduated and left - he & one of his buddies got her accepted into a group home before they left school. I was concerned, but when I met her and saw what a sweet woman she was - I knew this was special. She is, as far as we know, still in an elderly group home.

I DO feel for the elderly in that position...some of them are there because of circumstances beyond thier control, and it is so sad to see this part of it. My son just called a moment ago to let me know he's still alive and proudly partaking in a 'drag show' tonite...choices...ugh! Don't mind me if I come off as a little bitter at times

[Believer1997]

believer, what a touching story! yes, your granddaughter was like an angel to that man! what a blessing!

artsy, a target of what? well, i'll explain that, and tell you that he and our associate pastor both were adamant about it, having spent time working directly on the streets themselves... but i'll also say that i don't agree with them and never felt that i was putting myself in harm's way.

this city is rife with homeless people... and not all of them are appreciative of what is freely given. people often think of the homeless as autonomous individuals but it's really a community... and like any community, word spreads quickly when someone shows compassion.

the homeless people i knew i never felt any threat from, and don't believe for a moment they would ever bring harm to me. but, for every one that i knew, there were 20 others who know who i am... what i look like, what i drive, and quite possibly where i live. or at least where i lived at the time, because they often salvaged what they could from the dumpster right outside my apartment door.

many of these people are desperate, others are high, or drunk, or angry with the world... and sometimes in situations like that, it is better to remain unknown to them.

i did one time almost make a big mistake. i believe God put his hand out and stopped it from happening. i had invited one homeless girl (who i frequently talked to) to come over and take a shower while i washed her clothing. i had an appointment, but was going to take her home with me as soon as i was done. my appointment was nothing important... it was at the tanning salon LOL. but i spent the next 20 minutes in that tanning bed praying. i felt a huge weight on me that i had just set myself up and put myself in danger, and that God was trying to warn me. so i was praying that God would get me out of it.

when i finished tanning and went outside, i saw the girl. her boyfriend was a short distance away, and she told me she had changed her mind, and would not be coming home with me after all.

i do believe that was God's intervention in what could have been really bad.

I honestly would never invite them to my home...firstly they carry all kinds of disease...you really don't want them using your shower! It is good that God saved you from that position you put yourself in! It could have been disasterous. Living on the streets is not a pretty thing, but we have to keep in mind that most of them made choices that put them there. It is a community of sorts, it's actually a way of life. They obviously aren't in a hurry to leave that lifestyle. My son (23 yr old) has been homeless since he was 16...choices put him there, drug addictions, sex addictions and other issues keep him there. When he comes home (which is very rare) I bleach everything after he leaves, throw out the soap...you know...I could tell you alot of stories about the homeless...love them, yes...help them in areas that you can, yes...but don't get too involved on a personal level.

When he was in college, my son and his room-mates "adopted" an 79 year old street woman... just down on her luck and had no one. She showered at their apartment and stayed there during the day and slept in a spare-room. When he graduated and left - he & one of his buddies got her accepted into a group home before they left school. I was concerned, but when I met her and saw what a sweet woman she was - I knew this was special. She is, as far as we know, still in an elderly group home.

I DO feel for the elderly in that position...some of them are there because of circumstances beyond thier control, and it is so sad to see this part of it. My son just called a moment ago to let me know he's still alive and proudly partaking in a 'drag show' tonite...choices...ugh! Don't mind me if I come off as a little bitter at times

Keep praying for him BFP..... Love him and tell you love him and lay him upon the altar of God and pray. Ask God to Cover and Surround your son and place a hedge of protection against the evil in his life. Love him, dear.... and believe.

[Guest LadyC]

bfp, a lot of them are there by choice, true. a lot of them, even the younger ones, are victims of circumstances beyond their control. i find the comment about them carrying "all manner of diseases" to be quite offensive. they're people, not animals.

what i feel God was protecting me from was the girl's boyfriend... not that he would have done anything then, but i have a strong sense that knowing what we had in our home, he might have paid an unexpected visit while mark and i were not at home at some point in the future, helping himself to whatever could bring a little cash on the streets.

my best friend used to be homeless... she had two children. this wasn't so long ago, they were homeless shortly before i met her, and we've known each other now for almost four years. they lived on the streets for about six months.

the homeless population has exploded here in the last couple of years because of loss of jobs and loss of homes. there are entire families living in tents or in cars, who never in a million years thought they would be in that situation.

and my husband and i have been so close to joining them that it's not even funny.

so forgive me when i get a little miffed over comments like you made. i know it was with the best of intentions on your part, but it sounds very much like you're talking about some flea-infested, mangy, rabid stray mutt. if i were to ever have a homeless person come to my home, i would do as much disinfecting as i do after any guest that comes to visit, with the probable exception that i would let them keep the hairbrush and buy myself another.

[~Shalhevet~]

And the hate continues to spread:

Friend: "Huh; speaking of jobs...GM of one of the places I work for went out and offered a job to one of the guys who stands out on the sidewalk begging for money every day.-Guy turned him down flat. That's funny, I thought his sign said "will work for food". It will be a cold day in hell before I give ANYONE who's panhandling a penny of my hard-earned cash! Get a job (or two) like the rest of us!!! I am so irritated at people's lack of motivation. People think they're entitled to and deserve a free ride. I just don't understand it. This idiot chooses to stand out in the cold and beg for free money when he could get a legitimate pay check. Of course that would mean he would have to work on someone else's time and schedule, and God forbid. Makes me sick."

Of course there are going to be con artists out there. But does that mean we treat them all as if they were? NO. We keep giving. God says to give to everyone...not just honest people...not just those who deserve it. EVERYONE. Even if they rob you, GIVE AGAIN.

What pains me about this particular friend is that she strives for inner peace. She does yoga and pilates and focuses a lot on being mindful and and spiritually grounded. Buddha obviously has not given her what she thinks she has...peace. I feel bad for her. I wish I could just wrap my arms around her and show her God's real love.

[Believer1997]

And the hate continues to spread:

Friend: "Huh; speaking of jobs...GM of one of the places I work for went out and offered a job to one of the guys who stands out on the sidewalk begging for money every day.-Guy turned him down flat. That's funny, I thought his sign said "will work for food". It will be a cold day in hell before I give ANYONE who's panhandling a penny of my hard-earned cash! Get a job (or two) like the rest of us!!! I am so irritated at people's lack of motivation. People think they're entitled to and deserve a free ride. I just don't understand it. This idiot chooses to stand out in the cold and beg for free money when he could get a legitimate pay check. Of course that would mean he would have to work on someone else's time and schedule, and God forbid. Makes me sick."

Of course there are going to be con artists out there. But does that mean we treat them all as if they were? NO. We keep giving. God says to give to everyone...not just honest people...not just those who deserve it. EVERYONE. Even if they rob you, GIVE AGAIN.

What pains me about this particular friend is that she strives for inner peace. She does yoga and pilates and focuses a lot on being mindful and and spiritually grounded. Buddha obviously has not given her what she thinks she has...peace. I feel bad for her. I wish I could just wrap my arms around her and show her God's real love.

She is not enlightened. She's muscularly flexible. There is no spiritual grounding without Jesus.

[Guest LadyC]

you have more compassion than i have. i'd have looked right at her and called her out for being a liar. do you know how many times i have heard the story about the general manager (of kroger, of walmart, of this store or that store... in vegas, in dallas, in oceanside, ca...) going out and offering a homeless person a job and the homeless person turning it down?

it's an urban legend. i bet we could find it on snopes. that story has been going around for as many years as i've been old enough to hear it, and everytime i hear it, the person telling it always says that it was the manager of where they happen to work.

like i said, i usually give food or drink or clothing. rarely do i give cash. of course, rarely do i even have cash. i carry a debit card. anyway, i know a whole lot of homeless people who work the parking lot of grocery stores and shopping centers... and when i say work, i mean work. they've invested what they've been given in a bucket, squeegy, and windex, and they go around washing windows. or if they don't have those things, they'll load groceries into cars for people. things like that. they're not all trying to get a free ride.