We must encourage the poor to work.

[LadyRaven]

I'm going to give you some insight into my life, hopefully people will understand the purpose for which it was intended.

About 10 yrs ago, I was a fully functional, fully employed individual. I managed a storage facility. I had few physical problems (asthma, allergies) and the last remnants of health-care until my divorce from my ex-husband ended that (he was military). I ended up uninsured because I could not afford the 400$ per month it cost to COBRA my military health-care plan. I am a veteran myself, but the local VA facility accepts no new patients until they get a VA disability rating of more than '0' (I had a '0' rating because I also had carpal tunnel, which I acquired as an Information Manager but at the time I left the service it was not debilitating to any degree.) I worked for two years, full time. I sent my children to a Christian School. I purchased a car (on credit) because the one I received in the divorce was costing me more in repairs per month than the monthly payment on that 'gently used' one. I lived with my father and saved a few thousand dollars in the hopes of eventually owning a small house or trailer. I opened a mutual fund for my retirement. I tithed. As far as I am aware I did everything I was supposed to do.

Then I lost my position. I looked for work full time. I paid for all those drug tests and Criminal record checks people want nowadays. Just before my unemployment ran out I found a position selling Filter Queen products. In 6 weeks, I earned 200$. I also tried my hand at some work from home telemarketing and made a whopping 40$ doing that. My child support did not cover my expenses. My father moved elsewhere for a period of time and we had to go on food stamps to eat. I cried each night for days. My bf at the time told me "You paid taxes for that and you need it." I stopped paying on the mutual fund. I used my savings to try to hang on to the car. Eventually I went bankrupt. My bills were consolidated and I paid one payment. Things were still tight.

My sister said "Come live with me for a while, people in MD make 12$ an hour up here as a maid." I moved there and two families lived in her two bedroom apt. I got a job taking school photos. I loved it and I felt pride that I wasn't on food stamps anymore and hopeful that things would get better.

Unfortunately, within a month I had a wreck and my insurance company would not pay for the damage. They did not understand that I was there on a trial basis and my alloted time to change legal residence was not yet up. They canceled my policy and I would have had to pay 600$ or more to reinstate it. I drove the vehicle this way for almost a yr, but I could not register the car in MD because of the damage and one can only 'visit family' for so long. To top this off, it was starting to act up and no one could find the problem. It was unreliable and I had to have my bankruptcy overturned in order to sell it because the judge would not approve it.

I transferred my position to SC and purchased a new vehicle for 1000$ and gave the other back to GMAC. I made minuscule payments each month on the balance. I took out a title loan so I could move into a trailer and I worked for the photography company for a year here. Then my1K vehicle began having electrical problems which would leave me sit randomly. Again, no one could find the problem. Eventually the fuse box just melted. No wheels means no job at the photography place. I got hired part time at a pizza place and started that whole job search thing all over again. 4 yrs later, I'm still part time at the pizza place. I free lance and sometimes I get paid but not too much. My older son graduated and my child support decreased. In the mean time, the lack of health care began taking it's toll. I have found that not only am I uninsurable, I'm unemployable. The adjustments that need to be made for my physical and mental conditions are more than any employer wants to make. I am back on food stamps and was told by DSS that Disability might be the safest financial route for me. My experience has taught me that the system is rigged.

Once you get on it's hard to get off and one cannot even partially better life without losing everything. One month I had a fluke month. I was feeling pretty good and they had some new hires. Since I have been there 4+ yrs, I got extra light duty hours training. I lost half my food stamps (It was the month they used to compute the benefits) because they would not look at my w-2 from the yr before and my total yearly income on the stubs I turned in. I lost more in food than I gained monetarily.

I'd like to believe I am not completely disabled, yet. I was sure there is something I might be able to do, so I talked to DSS about job retraining. One has to go on welfare for that. I'd have my husband's child support payments sent to the state and I'd get paid welfare. I'd get paid less than what he sends but I'd get medicaid and I sure could use that, and I could get housing and utility assistance and live better than I do now. But...the second I got a minimum wage position I'd lose the medical benefits even though I could not pay them on my own, as well as all the other aid. I'd end up, in the end, with less than I have now. It's like they want everyone to fail in life.

I agree there are people on disability who are not disabled (know personally several who are merely 'depressed' and got it). I also agree that it would be best if everyone worked and it is the church's responsibility to care for the poor. But...where does that leave me? I don't even want government aid and I feel like some think I'm sinning for accepting it and possibly getting disability because it comes from the government. The church where my membership lives could never support me, though they did offer to pay for glasses once (I held my glasses together with superglue for two or more years). First of all they are very small, and second, I think giving is not what it could be.

[Guest]

....I agree there are people on disability who are not disabled (know personally several who are merely 'depressed' and got it). I also agree that it would be best if everyone worked and it is the church's responsibility to care for the poor. But...where does that leave me? I don't even want government aid and I feel like some think I'm sinning for accepting it and possibly getting disability because it comes from the government. The church where my membership lives could never support me, though they did offer to pay for glasses once (I held my glasses together with superglue for two or more years). First of all they are very small, and second, I think giving is not what it could be....

Praying!

[Fez]

What can I say? Except that we have to carry on don't we? Pray, hope, pray and pray again.

I will be praying for you as well.

Holy Lord Jesus, we lay this situation at the foot of the Cross. We know that You give the desires of their hearts to those who love you. We know that as we pray if we believe, so shall we receive. Besides laying this situation at the foot of the Cross, we lay ourselves down at the foot of Your Cross, knowing that You hear our prayers and supplications, and answer them as is Your Will.

Thank You for Your Grace, healing Mercy and Provision in our lives in this short time we are here. Thank you for the hope that rests in You.

Amen.

Hab 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,

Hab 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Hab 3:19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

[Logos Knight]

Here's a story from the Gospel of Matthew that the Religious Right doesn't like very much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Rich Young Man

¹⁷As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁸"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good

[Logos Knight]

I have a sickness that would allow me to receive disability payments, but I choose not too. I'm still able to work, so I do. I have maybe a year left in this world, but I'm gonna keep getting up at 3am and going to work until I can't. My paycheck for 40 hours come to $142.30. That's alittle over 550 dollars a month that I live on. I pay my taxes and I'm sure that a part of those taxes goes to welfare, but I don't care. I'm content with what I have. I don't look at those taxes I pay as belonging to me.....it's the governments money, they can do whatever they want with it.

The love of money.......that's all this is about....so sad.

I hear you, man! I too am on Disability because of my mental health issues, for which I am heavily medicated. (Say what you will about the Canadian health-care system.) Am I a freeloader? Absolutely. A parasite? You bet it. Proud of it? No, not remotely. I'm deeply ashamed of it. I'm ashamed of having mental health problems and having to rely on medications to have any kind of a life. By volunteering all this information, I'm sure I've earned the contempt of many Worthy posters who draw a paycheque, but I don't care. I want to be honest and transparent about myself. Hopefully I can be of some use to my fellow man and to God by pursuing ministry work. Believe me, the last thing I want to be is a barnacle, wholly without ambition or passion or motion. For the record, I have never cursed God for my disability. (Asperger Syndrome with a side of Bipolar & Depression). I have never hated Him because of it. My perspective is that my disability is my cross to bear. I do not hide behind it nor do I blame others for it.

And Love of Money is the most insidious of human failings.

Edited August 13, 2010 by Logos Knight

[MorningGlory]

I have a sickness that would allow me to receive disability payments, but I choose not too. I'm still able to work, so I do. I have maybe a year left in this world, but I'm gonna keep getting up at 3am and going to work until I can't. My paycheck for 40 hours come to $142.30. That's alittle over 550 dollars a month that I live on. I pay my taxes and I'm sure that a part of those taxes goes to welfare, but I don't care. I'm content with what I have. I don't look at those taxes I pay as belonging to me.....it's the governments money, they can do whatever they want with it.

The love of money.......that's all this is about....so sad.

I hear you, man! I too am on Disability because of my mental health issues, for which I am heavily medicated. (Say what you will about the Canadian health-care system.) Am I a freeloader? Absolutely. A parasite? You bet it. Proud of it? No, not remotely. I'm deeply ashamed of it. I'm ashamed of having mental health problems and having to rely on medications to have any kind of a life. By volunteering all this information, I'm sure I've earned the contempt of many Worthy posters who draw a paycheque, but I don't care. I want to be honest and transparent about myself. Hopefully I can be of some use to my fellow man and to God by pursuing ministry work. Believe me, the last thing I want to be is a barnacle, wholly without ambition or passion or motion. For the record, I have never cursed God for my disability. (Asperger Syndrome with a side of Bipolar & Depression). I have never hated Him because of it. My perspective is that my disability is my cross to bear. I do not hide behind it nor do I blame others for it.

And Love of Money is the most insidious of human failings.

You earn no contempt from me, logos. You can't help what afflicts you but you CAN control your attitude about it. If you feel called to the ministry then go for it. Everyone has something to contribute to the world. God made us that way.