Cosmic Bubbles

 Todays’ anagram was done using two text bubbles:

“Think what shows a true Bible gift…Ghost accords a hand.”

Earlier today I started a new category/page/blog for more than a few reasons, and put a link to the blog on this page, rather than having a post on this page. I wasn’t sure I wanted to start another blog but…

Let me begin by saying I feel I have been blessed many times in many ways throughout my life. No matter what happens I have been able to find a blessing and to make life relative to something else, so I can have that blessing. There will always be people who have more than or less than, can do and cannot do. I find that extremes and degrees of life are important to notice and discuss. I have no reason to try to make myself appear better than anyone else or less than anyone else. I only try to be realistic about where I am in my walk of life.  I try to be as honest as I can, and find sometimes I may have had myself fooled for a while, long enough to notice the difference and make an adjustment.

The fact that there have been challenges in my life, in my family, as well as blessings, makes me always a student of someone, somewhere. It makes life worthwhile to learn from someone else, no matter how insignificant it may seem. If I don’t learn something today, it was a waste of my time and effort. It can only matter to me long enough to make something happen, to change something, or to go on about my life. Of course, sometimes I just forget, too. It is only my life, after all, that I can exert any level of control over, if you can call it that. I like that someone else is in control in my world, someone I count on a lot. I call that someone God. Maybe I can make a difference somehow, and if I do, I can only hope people remember nothing of me, or what I have done or not done, but what they can or cannot do. What they will or won’t change. What matters to them, not me. Leave me out of it. Yet, I write a blog that few probably will ever read, or could care less about the content when they do read it. My life is not very exciting, but it must be worthwhile on some level, because I generally can make people smile, or feel better about themselves, when I talk to them face-to-face. I don’t know what my ramblings amount to in cyberspace, and maybe it doesn’t matter, except that I made a connection somehow, if only to myself.

The new category/page is about being on foodstamps. It is a new experience in my life, and something I never thought I would want or need or ask for. I am grateful there is such a thing as foodstamps. When I got my first job at the age of 16 I remember wondering why so much money was taken out. Some of “that money” was supposed to be what I would draw on as an adult when I was old enough. So paying into the system became part of every paycheck. It was nice to have those paychecks, whenever I had a job. Years later, the youth is gone, the jobs barely recalled, 2 divorces, children grown, and a couple of lifestyle adjustments, I am still determined to beat my present health problems and get back out in the world of earning a living. Earning a living being the key words here…earning s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g.

Not having an income and depending on someone else to care for you through an illness is humbling to say the least. Not being able to contribute is difficult to handle when you are used to taking care of yourself, too. When that person, in turn, cannot then take care of him/herself and you can’t contribute what you need to, it becomes another challenge. Having no insurance just puts you in the same boat as everyone else. You try to figure out how to pay something every month to however many doctors you have seen. You still need to have food, shelter, electric, heat, and whatever bills are on the list. It isn’t impossible for everyone who finds themselves in that circumstance. It is impossible for many though. A lot of people just do without.

They do without when the rent can’t be paid, and they get evicted. They do without when the electric bill can’t be paid, and they have no other way to stay warm. They do without when it is a choice between medication and food that week. I am fortunate to not have to make too many “between choices”. Like I said, there will always be those who have more than and less than I do, and I consider myself blessed. Some may look at where I live and think they could never live in a place like this. My sister calls it a hovel. I call it home. Someone else may say, gee, a place out of the rain, the wind, someplace where you can light a fire in the stove to stay warm. Now that’s living. Yes, it is all relative.

So why would I write about my new foodstamp diet, when there are people who don’t eat but a potato a day, or those who are struggling to make ends meet without foodstamps, or those who can’t imagine ever being is such a circumstance, and may even admonish someone about being in that place, to have to ask for assistance? Why? I don’t know, really, other than to allow part of my journey to cause a link in the chain. If someone else discusses a child who ate nothing today, and does something to address it, or makes a meal for a friend or neighbor that may not tell you they aren’t eating, isn’t it worth the time it takes to write something, anything to make someone think about someone, something else for long enough to roll that ball forward?

I don’t know if my method is the best way, or even any way, mentioning something in my own life in such a way that may seem a bit ridiculous to some…either those with more, or with less, or just now wondering, how is their life any different or better or worse because of it…and quite frankly, there are a lot of other things to read and discuss more interesting and important than my journey. Yet I continue…

My friend and I went to the laundromat together and had an interesting discussion with someone neither of us had met before. We had the discussion about my starting the new blog, whether it was worthwhile, if people would be upset about the things I write, or if it would be beneficial in any way. People can always choose another blog. A few moments later a young lady came in and sat in our area while she waited for her clothes to finish drying. She was reading a book titled “In Defense of Food”. With a title like that, and that I was wondering if I should continue the blog, I asked her what it was about, she telling me about eating healthier, going back to basics, not eating processed foods, etc. I thought, OK, Lord, what is it you want from me today?

I have a tendency to think there is a lot to the coincidences in my life, whether one calls them that or not. Basically, I think nothing comes by chance, there is something that connects it all. In this case, it is food somehow. There was also another woman sitting there, who had come into the building at the same time we did. We had already exchanged a few pleasantries, and I knew she was listening to other conversations my friend and I had, because now and then she would laugh or make a small comment. I decided I should ask, is it worth it to tell people I have started writing something about my experience and ask about their experiences, so that which we have in common can be out there in the consciousness somehow, and maybe somehow, someplace, at some time, things may start to change for those that really need help? I don’t know, but I went ahead and started the conversation in the direction of foodstamps.

Within a few moments the young woman with the conversation-starter was gone, leaving my friend and the woman with whom the conversation continued. I told her how much we were receiving, and she said that was a lot of money for food stamps. Two people, $298. I had no way to measure it, other than knowing it was wonderful to have a way to eat since we had no money coming in from any jobs, and any cash was a toss-up between bills and food. She told me she was on social security and received $10 a month in food stamps. Dag.

$10 a month? She said she wondered sometimes why they put that through the system, but that many others she knows are getting the same thing (she lives in a community for the elderly). I asked her how she manages that, and she said there are times when she lets it build up over a couple of months. $10 over a “couple of months”. That is certainly a lot less than $298, even if it is for two. Of course, I don’t know what other expenses she has, what she pays for rent, or heat, or doctor bills, etc., Does it matter? She did tell me she was diabetic and she has difficulty eating properly and controlling weight on a limited income. Her story sounds like that of many others I call neighbor or friend, but I wasn’t aware that there could be an allotment for $10 a month in food stamps. That doesn’t sound like a lot to me, but to someone else, it might be a week’s worth of food, depending on where you live in this world. Where this woman lives, I doubt it really goes very far.

I need to find a way to help my neighbors, people that live in my town, once I can figure out a way to do so. I need to get back on my own feet first. God is always calling on us to do more, to find another way, to take a risk. Well, writing on such a subject IS a risk. It would have been much easier to write on the subject I originally planned…the view out my kitchen window. I thought, that would be a nice venture, little risk. Ask women what hopes and dreams and thoughts have been thought while standing at their kitchen window. I took a picture outside my window, but thought people might find it too depressing. The building next door has been collapsing over a period of a few years, so some might think it isn’t very inspiring, but one has to be able to see the blessings in that.

Here’s the blessing in my story today. With all that the woman in the laundromat has to deal with I asked her how she stays positive. She seemed to have a decent attitude, and was happy to talk with us. She said, at one point in her life, when she was dealing with a drunkard husband, whom she was getting ready to divorce, three kids,  no job experience, etc., etc., she looked out her kitchen window and decided she needed to make that change for herself and her kids. Out her kitchen window.

We discussed the kitchen window for a few minutes, how deals are made or broken there sometimes, and since I opened our conversation with a question as to whether or not writing a blog about my foodstamps diet would be worthwhile, I close with the knowledge that I have learned something today. Someone else made a difference in my life by the conversation I was willing to put out there.  The woman with the book was a plant from God.  The other woman, with whom my friend and I spoke, may have been as well.  She said she hoped to see me around town again, now that she knows I live downtown, too. I like learning about who my neighbors are, whether I ever know their name or not. I learn about who they are through chance, and like a child, I ask who they are, how they manage, what they need, so that somewhere down the line, the effort might make a difference.

I don’t know, can one person’a ramblings do anything in the big scheme of things? It can if accounting makes feet. I hear enough stories where a small thing becomes large and many people’s voices effectively change the course. Being the ever-questioning student of life I hope to learn much more. In Defense of Food is not such a big stretch of happenstance. Everyone should be able to eat…and I can do with less.

An excerpt from the book mentioned, In Defense of Food

A gap-filling kinda’ day… 

The only “diagnosis” I have received since last November was possible vertigo/dizziness/giddiness, which means whirling rapidly, it’s like having a big drunk on, but without drinking or any sense of fun about it. I have come to tell folks I am just God-possessed, via the more archaic definition found in my dictionary at home, because if I don’t have a sense of humor about it I would definitely be depressed by it for this amount of time. It  fills in the gaps and explains a lot of things in my case. I am not now, nor have I ever been possessed by a god, as in an evil spirit, nor do I believe that or say that. It’s not in the Bible either: 

Cite This Page:

Blue Letter Bible. “Dictionary and Word Search for ‘giddiness’ in the KJV”. Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2008. 29 Jan 2008. < http:// cf.blb.org/search/translationResults.cfm?
Criteria=giddiness&Version=KJV >

The day I saw the diagnosis written was just one of those days that it hit me just right, and  I figured with my sense of humor, it was best explained that if THE One and Only Almighty God wants to possess me, fine…I may have something worth sharing.

Today’s anagram had to happen…

Yesterday’s Rubes  gave me fodder for today’s collage. I used text found in another bubble (previously shown in another post collage on the 26th) to anagram that which is shown in the Rubes comic strip (and more) in the collage. A bit of a puzzle at first glance… definitely a clarification of where I have been. Maybe I will explain on another day, but for now, why is that for me to explain everything all the time. The clues are everywhere!

Church, eat sleep, church, eat, rest, church, eat, rest…ahhhh. Three days of revival… you would think it I would be raring to go, but I am tired tonight. Sometimes it can be wearing on me. A couple of hours in a pew is hard on the dizzy old bones sometimes.

The day brought a couple of firsts at the church, there seems to be more of those lately, but since God is in control, anything can happen. I guess the church is growing in ways it never has before, and trying new things is sometimes a good thing. Since it was youth revival the focus was on them, and they all gave testimony at the end of the night, so we didn’t get out of their until about 8:30. Church started at 6. 

I don’t happen to have a great command of bible passages, so when they kinda’ come to me in the knowing that I get, it strikes me a being very real.  So I knew to write down 2nd Corinthians 13:3.  And then I had to look it up: “Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.” I told her (in front of the woman who prayed over her) it was to verify that what she had been told at the altar was true. I didn’t actually hear what was said at the altar, but I knew to give her the message anyway, on faith. I take it that was what I was supposed to do.

10:30, a huge headache (probably weather changes) and that’s it for the night. I haven’t even seen the papers today, so no comics or anagrams until tomorrow. I am sure there is something in the cosmic works waiting.

P.S. I had to edit after seeing one of my favorite cartoons/comics because, on the lighter side, I did find two pieces of spaghetti noodles in the dishware cabinet today, thinking it was a bit weird, one long and one short. Seeing today’s Spot the Frog tells me, nope, ain’t nuttin’ unusual around here!

Conversing?

Do you ever have God BLIPPS? That’s what I call them…little connections to let me know He’’s there. Some unusual word or phrase or object is used to make me sit up and take notice, or just smile. In this case entangled. In a good way. Last night there was a youth revival and lock in, the former officiated by a visiting minister, whom I mentioned on the 21^st when I made a mini-connection, or BLIPP “:there is a revival at the church starting this Friday, led by Mark Cravens. The Buckets comic strip is done by Greg Cravens” having made a name connection.

Except for the fact that I expected something to connect the revival to my journal, there may have been no connection in the minds of others, but I wrote entanglement the other day, because it showed up in my anagram.. So when the minister used the word “entangled” in such a way that I could not help but notice…I just smiled. He preached from Hebrews 11 (into 12). Hebrews 11:1 is one of my favorites (but he didn’t talk about that). He is here for three nights this youth revival weekend. His main message to the youth in church was, not to quit, to keep running the race, that they will win a winnable race.

When I got home from church last night the papers had come (via a friend) and I noticed an article in the sports section about Ron Hunter (IUPUI basketball coach) who coached a game on Thursday night, sans shoes, to draw attention to Samaritan’’s Feet, a non-profit trying to shoe the world. Apparently he appeared on ESPN’s morning show and by the time I read the article, had appeared as ABC’s person of the week. What a wonderful worthwhile charity he has drawn attention to by his selfless act.

On Wednesday, the 23^rd, I wrote, “People take for granted that other people have shoes..” They do indeed, Buying a pair of shoes may seem like a small thing, but when someone needs shoes, and they have none, it really is a big thing. I am glad to have seen the story of how people work together for the welfare of others. The TV is on (9:51 AM HGTV) ”Like a pair of shoes!” I hear on HGTV as I pasted the photo for the shoes I bought..

Time for on-line comics and more HGTV.

Today’s horoscope seems to fit: Capricorn

You’re in touch with the right people and should get a few more pieces of information today. Whether or not they add up to an answer is hard to say, but your reasoning abilities are strong.

Today’s Cow & Boy gave me a little out of this world thought.

Yesterday I used an elephant photo, taken under a tent the last time the circus came to town. And today, finding cow and boy under a tent,well, it certainly was easy to figure I should use the text from that, which I did, for today’s anagrams. The text, as seen in the frame, reads “Kinda’ neat having our own little fortress away from the world, isn’t it cow?” And since I have that elephant at the forefront, in Heart of the City there is a frame which says, “I am not an elephant! I am a human being! A man! I am a man!” A man? Could there BE “man”out there, someplace other than on this world? Maybe on Mars? Maybe there WAS at some point. Ya never know. Sooooooo, I anagrammed the Cow & Boy text to reveal:

1. Martians know that we can drill for water, often worthy oil, God invites us.”

Hmmm, that is interesting, considering there was an article out there about a photo on Mars that looks like…ah, it couldn’t be…

2. Last Martian wrote of light door, Vickie found it, want lens-worthy answer?”

Hmmm, again it sounds interesting, but…

3. Vickie wrote thoughts to warrant a way for all men to find, witness in Lord.”

Now which link was that…the one about the castle under the hay or the one about the photo of something on Mars which may or may not be lens-worthy.

“Danger Will Robinson!” the computer in the Ziggy cartoon says today.  The parrot on his shoulder asks how old the computer is, because the Lost in Space robot is definitely dating it. I couldn’t help but notice the cartoon today because the other day I tried to upload the pictures  , but didn’t yet realize I couldn’t upload bitmaps. I now have it in jpeg form. In the picture I have, the robot is in front of a particular space photo background. I think I got the robot photo from an ad header.

I can never just leave things …I usually see something else. I remember what I did when I saw the ad header photo. I put text between two pictures of the robot, so I’d know when it was made (the time of this article on Space.com in my file) . I copied the photo, flipped the copy and placed the copy and original side by side, then connected them. I have done that before with other random photos.

In the newly formed picture I saw the DaVinci guy everyone is familiar with, and da Vinci being the reason I did that copy and flip move.  A little freaky, but hey, I find strange things in strange places. Actually, I easily find such things right in front of me, all the time. Other people may not see the same things I do, like the God eye photo I put on earlier. I suppose it depends on your perspectve.

Any hoots, I just thought it was a fun coincidence that Ziggy mentioned it today. I guess it’s all in the timing. Don’t worry, we’re safe, the destruction mentioned in that headline is millions of miles from here. Besides, the man I see between the two robots is no ordinary man.

The circus is about to begin….well, sometimes it seems like it, but in about a month things will feel like it around here, with a flurry of activity. A little background is in order.

Sometime in the past 8 months, the Beau, as I call him, fractured a femur, but he didn’t know it until he fell to the ground in November, when it completely broke. Ouch! He thought he has just pulled a groin muscle or something until that point. He is  (or I should say was) muscular so that probably had something to do with the fracture holding together that long. For the past two months he has visited doctors, and finally has one now willing to do the surgery to pull things back together…a good 25 degrees anyway. Everyone swears they saw Mr. Bill in the MRIs. Maybe I can get a photo sometime in the future. The doc said it would be a challenge but he can do it.

After two months, it is about time. The hospital called today about scheduling, so we have a tenative date. The Beau has been able to do little more than lie in bed and sit in a chair a few hours a day. Though a tinner by trade, to put bread on the table he does roofing, and as you can imagine, that has not happened in a while. He’ll be on crutches a good six weeks after surgery, and then re-hab, and still, not likely to do anything new, but maybe get the roofing jobs done that he started last summer. The people are willing to wait as long as it takes for him to complete the job.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…paying for an operation without insurance is an interesting business, so there are well-wishers putting together a benefit auction/sale/something so the bills can get paid, roof over the head, food, etc., and the first planning meeting was last night. God love ‘em, they certainly have heart. The whole thing sounded a bit big to me, but they assure me it will be handled well, and I shouldn’t worry my pretty little head about volunteers, logistics, etc. Well, I did ask for help. I expect a certain amount of assistance to happen, because the Big Guy and I talk all the time, and I have been shown not to worry. I have faith that keeps me sane, calm, and assured.

Thanks Big Guy