The something, the something that is an unknown factor.? ? I remember talking to a very smart man one time. Mr.McCall, Dr.McCall that is. Holder of at least a couple doctor degrees.? I asked him just what didn't he know?? He laughed about that one. Said something along the line that he really knew very little. He said there is always room to learn more about the something you claim to know something about. There is in most cases the unknown. You can study and study about something, think you have it all figured out, then the something
shows up.
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We only may be some what smart in some field, that is each person. But know little about other things. We may be total stupid in thinking we have all the answers to some problem. There is always a unknown. He said we stumble along in this life, never know everything about what we claim to be an expert on.
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I go to my medical doctor. He is treating me for a problem, but after a few times, all at once he says, "your hopeless, think I better send you to see Dr. Killfungus.? He? is an expert in this." ? Now the doctor I was looking at maybe has treated lots of cases like mine by what the books say to do in my case, but we need the expert that maybe will see the something that is not? normal.? Now here is where I think people gets doctors wrong.
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I remember as a boy of about 6, I was very bad
sick.? This doctor was try as he could, I just was not making it. As a last ditch he pulled something out of the wild blue yonder. He had no idea if it would work or not. He went against the grain in? a way.? It worked, I'm still here. He also had his hands on a new wonder drug. Just what this drug would do, no one was sure even if it was safe yet or not.
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Now I wonder if that hasn't been the case all through medical history.? Sometimes something is tried as a last ditch, and what do you know, we have found a cure. This may be
the case that is yet to happen for cancer. Some little country unknown doctor will hit on the cure. I for one hope so.
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Dr.McCall said, " We only know little about something. There is always something more to know about something. That is why we have experts in any field.? And even those are learning something new about something. One time in our little chats.? He said," Every one know something about something.? The thing is there always somebody that thinks they know more about something."
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Now I remember reading about an expert about moves on the battlefield.? That would be General R.E. Lee and his right hand man, General Stonewall Jackson.? Now as long as Jackson was making the moves, things worked.? But when he was gone, there was none that could work it.? Others tried and failed. The move was to make and hold a large army at bay, while the other arm
hit somewhere else.? Now that tack was studied by others, it never worked, ask Custer, but then Custer was no Stonewall Jackson either. I think looking back at Custer, he forgot something about something. Maybe the something was to know what you was up against, and to have studied a bit on the other Generals.? In this case the other Generals never went to West Point.
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About Me:
Well I??™m a story teller, not a writer. Never learned the art of fancy English. I
happen to live in Nebraska, but I??™m still Missouri. Never married, all the Dollies I
ever took a second look at was too smart. Now at 74, just turned that other day, I
figure they all home safe. I love Doggies and Dollies in that order. Lost my two
true friends this year, that be Tinker and Poo. So I found me a new one. This
time a little girlie Peke. She is a normal female. Got a mouth, talks all the time.
She will never be a great writers of stories like Tinker and Poo. They have
about 50 stories on HWS. And now writing back from RainbowBridge.
I just try to write about people, places and things best I remember. Have something
over 250 stories on HWS. under three names
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My Memories
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Roger Dean Kiser
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I suppose we all have memories of our youth. The time we went swimming with our friends, and screaming as we slid down the water-slide at the top of our voices. Our
first time on water-skis at the lake and feeling the cool wind on our face. The time we went to see a scary movie, and when it was over we laughed and tried to convince our friends that we were not really scared. Will we ever forget that first tender kiss in the back seat of a car? Oh, how grown up we felt. Let us not forget the high school football games and all the pep rallies. We screamed and yelled with our friends, what fun times they were. How great it was to ride down the sidewalk in the evening on a bicycle, and meet up with friends on their bicycles.
Well, I never did any of those things, not one single one of them. My life in the orphanage was cleaning pots and pans, scrubbing toilets, sinks,
and waxing tile floors. My weekends were spent raking pine straw and leaves. From the age of five until I was fourteen, that was all I did.
As I look back, I do not miss any of the things most of you experienced. What I do miss? It was never having had the opportunity to open a refrigerator door and make a sandwich when I was hungry. I miss never having had a cold glass of milk with my food. I miss never having owned a shirt and a pair of pants that belonged to me. I miss never having had a picture to hang on my bedroom wall.
Many tend to think that I am unhappy. Oh, how wrong they are about me. Hanging on the walls of
my home are about fifty 8X10 family pictures. My refrigerator has three doors, and there is ice-cold milk for everyone. My pantry has more than 800 cans of meat, fruit, and vegetables. My closet is full of clothes and shoes.
Would my life have been different if I had the memories of others? With wonderful memories inside my head, would I still have gone to the reform school, jail, and then on to prison?
Exactly what did having none of those memories teach me? It taught me that I was lucky to have survived, and I should appreciate what is important in life. Tonight I will stand out on my front screened-in porch with a glass
of cold milk in hand, and I will give myself a toast. Not because of what I became, but because of what I did not become.
Roger Dean Kiser
trampolineone @earthlink.net Roger Dean Kiser is the author of thebook "Orphan, A True Story ofAbandonment, Abuse and Redemption."Roger also writes non-fiction shortstories which he displays on hiswebsite "The Sad Orphan" located at:www.rogerdeankiser.comRoger's short stories have also beenpublished in: Chicken Soup, Heartwarmers Heartwarmers of Love, ACool Collection I and II (Israel), "The Bully" was made intoa short film by Nicholas Delfinoand has been entered into several majorfilm festivals in the United State
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? America Growing Cold
Joyce C. Lock
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12
In America, everyone wants our money.? The government taxes business and industry, then tax that money again, via stockholder profits.? They also tax our labor income, then tax whatever money we have left (the second time) as we make purchases.
In addition, the government continues to annually tax for real estate, automobiles, and other
big ticket items purchased.? So, the same money gets taxed upon 'from several times to life', besides state and local taxes.? Then, if we sell the taxable item for profit, we may have to pay taxes on that profit, too.
And if that wasn't enough, government further taxes whomever they determine to penalize; from big industry all the way down to the individual smoker.? Plus, penalty may be charged for whomever does not pay taxes in advance, like if government pre-determines your quarterly income could prove to exceed annual expectation.
Though we might not complain except taxed money is spent without logic.? For example: it is given to other countries, when we have homeless, too.? It pays for wars intended to protect life and it pays for abortions to end life.
Additional
taxes are taken for Social Security, which is suppose to be given back in our retirement years; except the government spent that money, too.? And, instead of replacing what they stole, they're trying to figure out how to get out of their commitment.
If America is not your native country, you're likely to receive more financial assistance here than if you're American and, if you're really in need, you may have to get a divorce before assistance is given.? We're also expected to support people too lazy to work.? And, if that wasn't enough, government gave thousands of our jobs to Mexico.
Churches remind us of our duty to support them and we can still do that, even though God already promises provisions in exchange for walking in faith.? Only, it doesn't stop there.? TV ministries are known for saying God can't bless or heal, or much of anything else until we give to them, too; that being above our tithe.? Only, Biblical mandate is for ministries to be supported by the church.? And while some might argue they are appealing to the universal church, God never told us to be asking others for our needs, only Him.? Yet, their presentation is so compelling that money is sent, often later to discover such ministries were fraudulent.
That isn't to say but what all ministries might actually accomplish some good.? But, when the church does not support its laborers (leading
servants to mission fields like the internet and those ministries blossom with no financial backing), it seems evident the remainder missed God's best.
Then, there's varied poor relief programs where companies keep as much as 95% of donations and only 5% actually gets to the starving children.? In addition, most of our government's 'foreign aid efforts' have been confiscated, wherein intended parties didn't receive the food and supplies sent, and remaining countries only like us to the extent it serves to their benefit.
On a more local level, in addition to donating our used items for the benefit of those less fortunate (for which these ministries usually sell, to the poor, what we donated for free), groups collect food, at thanksgiving, to give to those already on food
stamps.? Yet, these often eat better than the rest.? And, if you happen to live in a nicer neighborhood, those looking for handouts knock on your door first.
And there's always Christmas, with bell ringers you have to walk passed, in order to enter stores; their mere presence guilting you for having been blessed enough to afford entry while offering the unspoken promise of relief 'when you fill their collection buckets'.? However, this is one of the groups that sold our previous donations to the poor. Luke 16:8
But also, throughout the remaining year, any of several organizations may summons you to purchase their overpriced non-need items for a greater good ... and, if you have children in school and don't buy or help sell for their cause, you're deemed a bad parent, in
addition to being a chintzy neighbor or disgruntled co-worker ... leaving you only two options: 1.) to look good in front of your peers or 2.) to forget about wise money management.
Religious activists rally support for their endeavor to stand against all that ails.? However, in paying close attention, it becomes evident their methods often contradict their claim to righteousness; withholding pertinent information to the point of slanderous accusation at the expense of stockholders (sometimes the named company only being a target to convince smaller corporations to fear them; the end thought to justify the means), and, while professing themselves to be Christians, they promote warring instead of accountability. 2 Chron. 7:14
When crossing foreign soil, particularly in tourist
areas (where they know you're coming) ... beggars (disguised as vendors) seem to come out of the closet, all at once; bombarding you to the point of annoyance, if not aggravation.? And by this time, using one's sword comes to mind (wherever it happens to land), as the righteous have no need to beg.? Psalm 37:25
However, there seems to be no place to hide, as one can't even open their inbox; most of such requests not even being true ministries.? And, if they ask you to come to their country to share your ministry with them, their plan may either be to rob you upon arrival or they want you to see their plight (to guilt you into offering financial assistance).? Also, many prayer requests, via the computer (for which we sobbed, prayed, and sometimes sent relief), turned out to be hoaxes.
As a whole, and rightly so, we have just about had it with people jerking our heart strings and or unloading condemnation for our not having given enough ... and, as a result, cries for help go unheard.? If unknown senders e-mails haven't already been designated for the delete file, e-mail gets deleted from the moment the reader realizes it's another request, advertisement, or bogus offer that involves money.
Yet, because it is our heart to help the needy (many, via the net, also being low income, fixed income, and disabled), people still try to help by visiting sites where a company will further support 'special named causes' with every designated click ... until they realize, when we do, we are taking funds that rightfully belong to stockholders.
So, we give up
and respond that we already gave at the office.? But, in reality, we're still giving at home ... to our own grown family, often lacking in spiritual maturity because they were never allowed to experience blessings that come as a result of accountability or to thereby discover all needs are met when looking higher.
We have given so far beyond reason that, from pure exhaustion, we finally look to consider our failing bodies and depleting bank accounts, only to realize our shoulders are not big enough to be their God.? How could there be any question but what America cares?? Only,
there is no end of all the people.? Did we take it upon ourselves to be God or interfere when God was trying to do a greater work? 1 Cor. 5:5? Did we become an embarrassment to the testament of God (our only true provider and theirs) by thinking He couldn't accomplish it without us?? Romans 1:18-24?
The only way left to protect our heart from growing cold is to revert to what we know to do; what we would have been doing all along (had we not entrusted our calling to others) and what we should have trusted God for (concerning the rest) in the first place, our Biblical mandate. Matthew 7:13? And, being that the giver receives the greater blessing, why would we want to send our donation to middlemen?
When God places a burden upon our heart, He is calling us; our part then
being to report for duty.? When we have two coats and see another without, we share one of ours.? When the solution is not so obvious, we seek God for further instruction.? Perhaps 'within our testimony' is just the word of hope needed, we happen to have the necessary tool of information, or are somehow otherwise being called upon to be their friend.
And, when need isn't met the way hoped or expected, we hold their hand and remind them our hope isn't to be in people because God gets jealous, too.? He causes people to fail so He can have that special place in our heart.? Then, we reassure them that God can be trusted and, by our own testimony, we 'know' He always answers in time.? Thus, we watch for God to answer, together, and He always does; giving God back His rightful place (in
our heart and theirs).
Then, the next time someone comes at you as if you owe them, remind them you are following your Biblical mandate for their blessing and they need to be following theirs. James 1:5
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew
? The sunrises through the window panes, opening and closing their mouths, like a choir singing in a cold dark valley. In the middle of the night, where then do the tunes go?
(reference to opening the shades)
In the morning light, stillness sings on its own, so solemly like ravens perching and leaving there nest. There home, a place of there own.
(the mornign when a child must leave their home and grow up)
In the morning, shadows cast angry snickers, they dance and play wickedly, frolocking about as if the world was ending...
(the evil in the world, that makes me brace for a new day)
"What are trifles?" My little one asks. "Well, It's the little things that make life bad" I said. "Would it be Children like me, suffering from Aids?" "Yes, It would be" "Would a trifle be what makes YOU sad mommy?" A slight pause, deep breathe. Hold the tears, and the sobs to your chest. "Yes, I suppose so." " Mom, why are you so sad?" Breathe, just breathe. "Because, everyday I look at you. Wanting the best. Hoping God will let you live. I want to see you get married and have kids; but most of all I want you to be happy." "But Mom, I am happy. God has given me happiness. My trifle, the one you see, of me living with Aids, is not a trifle. It has made me stronger. I am happy because I know one day I can look down from heaven and bless your day with sunshine." Hold back the tears. " You're my angel" "No,
mom. You're mine."
Before I leave this earth and worms crawl through my bones, I'd like to hear angels sing sweet melodies of the wind. I'd like to see a raven smile and a dove assume her place next to him. I'd like to see penguins
fly, soaring through the sky, no longer plopping down in effort. I'd like to touch objects and feel there pain and joy. I'd like to be fish and swim through the waves, looking at the melting sun and dance to the howling moon.
Christina Hymes was born in Bethesda, Maryland on March 4th, 1986. She grew up with her older sister, twin, and younger sister. In 2002, the family moved to JacksonvilleFlorida where upon she finished high school in 2004, eight in her class. She now attends the University of North Florida and will be majoring in Nursing and minoring in English. Christina writes on her free time. Her work is a collaboration of poems that deal with her life and the events around her.
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Writers Feedback
? Roger has outdone himself!? What a powerful, loving story!? Thank you Roger, Karin (www.orphanconnect.com)
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Carol, your poetry is lovely.
Barb
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Prayer Requests and Updates
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? Hello Gang,
First, I wish to thank you for all the prayers and cards of encouragment so please continue with the prayers and limit the emails as I have found that I have a hernia plus a mass in the belly area.? At this time, I am not sure what direction my doctor will go
but I am fine with whatever he finds necessary to do in the testing area or etc.? I have a feeling that he will do a scope to check out the mass for a possible malignancy but I am a believer and I know that I am in God's Hands so I am not discouraged as I wish to stay with an 'up' attitude as I am 75 but I have a lot of livin' to do so with that in mind, I will be fine.
Love, Normie? p.s. I am with my daughter and son-in-law for as long as this takes and for those that may not be aware, my daughter is a reg nurse who is studying for her bachelors of science in nursing.
