Being Open to God---I Mean Really Being Open

A nun from the St. Elizabeth Missions, Franciscan Associates came to Mass to speak.  In a nutshell she said she grew up thinking poverty meant lack of material things, now she knows it now as a lack of opportunity.   Here's their Link.

She worked in hospitals and education during her more than 50 years of mission work.  She brought up three examples of people she worked with who were able to benefit from the Franciscan Sister's schools and go on to pursue fulfilling careers.

In today's Gospel, the Samaritan was the only person to stop and help someone beaten up in the road.  The Samaritan felt compassion for the man and to care for him.  The injured man could not care for himself at that time.  It is a good reminder  that we have the ability to give to others who need it and it can be a very transforming for the people who accept help.

I reflected on the times when we are the Samaritan.  There are also times when we are the beaten one laying helpless in the street too injured to move.

Sometimes the person who needs help also needs to find the humility to ask for help or to allow others to provide help.  We are in a proud society and many people feel they are failing if they show their vulnerability and let others know they have a need. It's not easy to ask for help.  And it is a gift to help others who cannot return the favor.  I saw this during my time working at a nursing home.  People needed 24 hour care.  Those who were aware of their weaknesses felt bad as if they were a burden to others.  It was difficult for them to let that wall down and just receive the attention and care.

The nun also spoke of young people who were so devoted to their education that they worked very hard balancing the needs of their family and allowing for time to study.  The Franciscans made it possible for them to have a school and access scholarships for advanced education.  They didn't consider their lack of electricity or running water as a hindrance.  In fact, they were not conscious of the fact they lacked these conveniences  We look in from our own view point and see this as a detriment.  But they appreciated everything.

Afterward I walked up to her and thanked her for coming to our church to speak.  She was very friendly, of course, and really drew me out into a moving conversation.  All I wanted to do was speak to her momentarily and be on my way.  After all she was busy spreading the word about the work of the Franciscan Sisters.  I did not want to be a bother.

Then, she asked me about my occupation and I told her I am a chiropractor.  Now, she melted my heart saying how important it was to help alleviate people's pain.  I said I hoped I was helping them.  In my mind I was reliving the times I didn't feel people were making progress.  I think about them often.  I told Sister I am answering a call from God.  I'm not sure at all what I am doing but I will follow his command and stick with it.  She said that's what we do.  We keep on going for God.

It has been the rare moment when I tell others God told me to become a chiropractor. I usually tell people I want to share the benefits of chiropractic because I found the experience to be liberating and everyone should have that as well.   But, I clearly heard God's voice say I was to become a chiropractor.  I feel like Moses in the desert.  Some days (many) I have no confidence, but then again, why should I have any confidence at all?  I am not supposed to be above God.

This kind lady made me stop and think for a moment and I decided I don't have to figure it all out today, or tomorrow.
Even Mother Angelica said:
Whatever you feel needs to be done, even though you're shaking in your boots, you're scared to death – take the first step forward. The grace comes with that one step and you get the grace as you step. Being afraid is not a problem; it's doing nothing when you're afraid."

Here's another Mother Angelica gem:  Get back to the basics, your prayers.

Thank you, ladies for your words. 

Cars, Phones, Coffee, and Sneakers

(Source: bestwalkingfeet.com)
I took a walk this morning.  It's a nice quiet time to be alone and enjoy my thoughts.  It's a good outlet compared to my crammed, stressful thoughts during the work day.  So I walk and think.

I came up to an intersection at the same time a car slowly approached.  Being the nice person that I am I hate to make other people slow down and at times I walk behind a car.  Pedestrians have the right of way and I know you cannot trust that.  How many people get hit downtown when drivers should be driving less than 30 m.p.h. because there are so many parked cars and walkers?

As I walked behind the car that had now stopped for the stop sign, my thought at that moment was, "What a nice color.  Some kind of dark red blended with maroon."  The driver was a young man.  I don't know how young because I assume everyone is just very young compared to me.  My next internalized thought was, "Wow, I had a crappy rust bucket for a car when I was young."  And I reveled in my old memory of a $300 used Chevette that allowed me to complete my student teaching during my senior year of college.

The guy shouts at me:  "I'm sorry!"  He really yelled.  By this time I was behind his car heading for the sidewalk on the other side of the street.  Why would he apologize?  His window on the passenger side was closed so I made a hand motion that I wasn't concerned.

He rolled down the window and repeated his apology again with an explanation.  "I am so sorry.  I was texting.  I shouldn't text."

I didn't think of it.  I didn't see his head down.  I really wasn't looking at him.  I was looking at my walking path and making the decision to walk behind the car so he didn't have to wait for me to cross. There we were, two people in our own worlds coming to an intersection.

He apologized.  I said, "Don't worry, I was walking behind your car anyway."  He said, "Have a happy fourth."

So, there you go.  He was feeling bad for texting as he approached a stop sign.  I really had no intention of crossing the street in front of him whether he was texting or not.  I was defensive walking.  We learned in driver's ed about defensive driving.  We just happen to go through life with defensive living. And if we are pleasant about it, we end up pleasantly surprised at times.

I continued on with my walk and was approaching the Dunkin Donuts.  A car was left running and I assumed the driver was inside getting his coffee fix.  I live in a small city where people feel comfortable enough to leave their car idle and rush into a store. It's not legal in NY, but some people do it anyway.  He must have continued on with his day, in his car.  There were no police cars when I came back.

I then walked past a house where two men were outside looking tense.  One man said, "She must have my keys and took it."  The other man was using a cell phone.  Again, a cell phone and a car.

Before my walk was over I crossed paths with a man leaving a convenient store.  He had an energy drink in his hand.  He looked happy to have just purchased a cold soft drink since he appeared to be walking rather than driving and a walk can make you thirsty.

My last part of the walk takes me through a strip mall near my house.  One of the businesses is a gym. Work out music could be heard since the door was propped open.  Gym members were jogging past me as I headed down my street.  No running for me today.  I was happy to get two hill climbs on my walking route.

Have a great day.

Teach Teens to Understand Pain

Heroin

(Source: www.teendrugsrehab.com)
Kids in sports?  Injuries in sports addiction to opiates?   Yikes.
(Source: CDC, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-over-counter-medications)

That's the latest on young people who become addicted to opiates.  Before they go begging for the street stuff, it all starts in the medical offices.

Teenagers who play sports get hurt.  It happens.  It is a given.  Sports medicine is a big niche now.  Colleges are giving out scholarships based on sports performance.  It's an exciting time for a kid.  And also full of pressure.

If you read the news reports, teenagers are given pretty strong pain meds to help them get through an injury.  Just one taste is all it takes.  

The brain is delicate for all of us. We should be respecting our brains.  But for children, the brain is in constant development up to age 25.  The brain is still immature developmentally for quite a long time.  The wiring is still primitive you could say.

Look at very young children.  They  want want want all day long.  They need parents to keep their desires in check.  A child that doesn't know how to share needs to learn by having toys taken away and given to another child.  A child that only wants cookies needs to not have cookies.

When it comes to children and pain, we don't want them to hurt.  Most children are lucky enough to get to adolescence without major diseases or injuries.  They don't know what serious pain feels like.  When they do experience pain, they need to be reassured that it is a normal part of the healing process and they need to patiently wait it out.

Caution here.  I did say "normal" pain.  The kind that is not ominous.  It's not cancer or a stoke.  But a sprained ankle does hurt, so does wisdom teeth surgery and conservative precautions can be taken while the body mends itself.

The prescription option for teenagers should not be necessary.  Basically we need to teach our children to handle pain.  There is no quick fix.  We need to teach our children to live in a tough world.

It's been a hard lesson for some.  Young people have died because their brains were exposed to a strong addictive chemical and they just couldn't get enough.  Cherish the brain.

When Did Sports Become More Important than Your Immortal Soul?

Does anyone see why I find this image to the left offensive?

Do we have to strive for college sports scholarships starting in 3rd grade?

Just asking?

Are we so over-scheduled that we can't make it to Mass on Sundays or Saturday Vigil?

Who thought it was a good idea to play and practice sports on Sunday morning?

Can't parents just say no and put a limit on kids' activities?

Since when did the rush of adrenaline on the field or screaming in the stands become more profound than bowing to our King of the Universe in front of his altar?

When did the body and blood of Christ become a dusty, relic of a concept when it is actually His promise and command?

Don't Be a Burden but Be a Prudent Judge: The Tough Love of Jesus

With the current debates as the general election of 2016 looms closer, the messages are old and tiring.  I find it very useless to hear the constipated arguments of the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer.  It's such a meaningless statement yet powerfully incites sinfulness in all who proclaim it.

Someone out there with an agenda, (a very highly self-serving agenda) has decided what is the definition of poor and rich.  So, now we go down a long complicated road of complaining and coveting.  

Corporations are just not taxed enough. What you buy is not taxed enough. Workers are not paid enough. Where is all this magic money going to come from?

Are you fed up with it as I am? Why do we promote anger and distrust of each other?  If you're not a part of my political party you are ill informed, maybe even blind. Yes, both side are full of their own delusions.

I like the term “covet” because it sounds like an outdated word, but it is very relevant throughout these discussions. Because if you're not “giving til it hurts,” you are selfish. And if you are feeling deprived you should rightfully take from someone else who makes “obscene profit.” There we go again deciding that someone makes too much money. This means it's perfectly okay to be jealous of your neighbor and harbor feelings of resentment.

God really pinpointed our sinful nature. He didn't just throw in that commandment about coveting for no reason. "Thou shalt not steal" is an awesome commandment, but God knew we needed to recognize how we likely nurture the desire to steal through coveting.

Let's take a look at what creates coveting? Too much idle time to obsess about other people probably creates a covetous nature. Also, a foolish, careless attitude snowballs into bad outcomes that do not happen overnight. Perhaps being spoiled as a child, too?

While we are taught to bear one another's burdens, it has been conveniently left out of modern bible talk that we should not purposely become a burden to others. Yikes. How did I get to be so uncaring? Didn't Jesus teach us about “tough love?”

Take the book of Matthew, Chapter 25. The parable of the foolish virgins shows how we should not purposely become a burden to others and expect to be taken care of. The foolish virgins did not plan ahead and take extra oil for their lamps. The wise virgins took along their own extra oil because they could not predict when the bridegroom would arrive.
What were the foolish virgins thinking? Did they think the bridegroom couldn't possibly take very long to appear? Patience is a virtue, too.


And next, the foolish virgins seemed to expect the wise virgins to fix it for them. This was an important time to judge the situation and be prudent. I know we are told in modern bible talk that we should virtually judge nothing anymore. But these wise virgins knew they did not have enough oil if they gave it up. It's like a recipe for cake. If you only have half the eggs and sugar and proceed anyway, it's not going to be cake.

Now the foolish virgins were coveting. “We want some of your oil.” Their unspoken words could have been saying, “We know you'll share because it's the nice thing to do. You have more than enough ( AKA: more than you need, obscene profits).”

The wise virgins suggested the foolish virgins go to the nearest merchant and buy more oil. And while they went away from door, they missed the bridegroom's arrival and were locked out of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thou shall not steal also comes to mind. A thief can try to connive a kind person who wants to be helpful. It's the oldest trick in the book. Lazy people prey on loving people hoping to lie to get something they want. “I will pay you back. I'll never do it again. I've learned my lesson, honey. No more gambling, drinking, cheating, etc. I'm just lucky to have you so I can take this shortcut and not be required to do something for myself.”

Jesus said:
Therefore, stay awake,* for you know neither the day nor the hour.

In the next parable in Matthew, Chapter 25, a servant who did nothing with his master's talents was thrown out into the darkness where he could wail and grind his teeth. 

 And Jesus himself said:
For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Our own master, Jesus, gives each one of us talents and he hates to see us waste them.

I cannot predict how the election will turn out. I have no idea if the new president will inspire the country to strive for holiness to serve God rather than man. We will be waiting to see what kind of bills will be rolled out by the Congress.


We owe it to ourselves, each other, and God, to not make a mess of things here on earth. We should keep our “sin meters” well primed so we can correct our bad decisions before they blow up into huge problems that divide the country.


Jesus also said in Matthew Chapter 25:
 ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’


We shouldn't look down on ourselves as helpless and blame others in politics. We shouldn't argue which party is more evil. We need to take care of ourselves and not be a burden to others. We need to stop our sinful foolishness and trust that God didn't waste his time creating us. While evil does exist, we must not get sucked into evil with smooth talking arguments that lead us into resentment, jealousy, and coveting.

A Very Sick Game: Why Sick People Don't Stand Up for Themselves

Maybe I should call my blog, "Lisa's Rant."  Here it comes.  Hold on to your hat.

The politicians are at it again. Not only are they telling you how awful our country is, they want you to feel helpless.

I was listening to a speech today about poor people not affording their medicine while the pharmaceutical companies are making billions in profits.

Time for me to step in here with a question to turn the tables.  While the people in the audience were making sounds of shock to demonstrate their disgust, I have to ask,  why are you spending any money on drugs at all?  They are poisons given out in small doses which makes it legal in some illogical way.

Let's forget all about the money and ask the public, "Haven't you figured out by now, the drug madness has not made you healthy?"

In less than two sentences later, this politician said the USA spends more on health care than any other country.  Let that sink in.  We pay more than any other country because we allow the health insurance industry and pharmaceutical industry to push us around.

But, certain people created this legalized bullying:  the elected officials.

Oh, that hurts, because us buffoons have reelected these kooks, I mean crooks, over and over again.

If you are taking medicines and not feeling any better, have you ever asked, is there something else out there?  We are a sick nation and sick people don't stand up for themselves very well.

Sad.

How did we get sucked into the failures of the drug merry-go-round?  We listened and complied without asking any questions.  Now, ask the people who died from properly prescribed drug use what they think?  Ask the people who are dealing with long drawn out class action court cases?  Ask the people who were harmed by drugs that were later removed from the market?

I watched my Grandma take piles of drugs for as long as I  knew her.  She was in pain.  She was miserable.  She lived in fear because her health continued to fail.  Not only did her health continue to fail, it was expected, and no one ever offered her a non-drug solution. No one wonders why toxins in small doses didn't work.

Now, I see a lot of people in my office who don't like to take meds.  Some won't take pain meds, but still agree to take maintenance meds for chronic systemic problems. So, I am wondering, will there ever be a time when nearly all of the population decides that expensive medications don't work and should be tossed out?

When I hear someone say they are choosing their medications over food, or rent over their medications, I cringe.  Now it has become a weapon to create hate, angst, and disgust against our neighbors.  How can the pharmaceuticals and insurance companies be so cruel?  Really?  Just stop playing their game.

You've been lied to about creating and maintaining health.  For some people it is too late.  They will die prematurely.  I hate it.  I hate it worse than the lies about medications being expensive and people being deprived of poisons.

You think the politicians have the solutions?  Maybe stopping the drugs is a solution.  It is certainly a question worth asking.

(Before you comment and call me ignorant because there are serious diseases that require special drugs like epilepsy or mental illness, you need to consider that most diseases have common causes that are treated successfully  by diet and life style modification.  Even diseases with congenital concerns can likely be treated with minimal medication that should be fairly cheap and not burdened by an expensive patent.)

It is time to give up the twisted game of lies about health and money.

I'm not alone in this:

“One of the biggest tragedies of human civilization is the precedence of chemical therapy over nutrition. It’s a substitution of artificial therapy over nature, of poisons over food, in which we are feeding people poisons trying to correct the reactions of starvation.” — Dr. Royal Lee, 1951

How Do You Truly Thank a Stranger?

Let's face it.  We come across a lot of grumpy people during the course of a day.  They bring you down.  You want to smack them but you refrain.

It's so very nice to deal with friendly people who go the extra mile.

People like that deserve recognition, but how do you it?  A simple, "thank you," seems inadequate.  What are the chances you will see that person again and return the favor?

I am truly grateful for the "Pay It Forward" moments I have encountered with others who have extended me useful favors, in the store, when my vehicle was stuck or broken down, etc.

Thankfully we still have a majority of people who do good looking for nothing in return.