How without compassion can we pass them by?

A homeless man saves a woman from knife wielding attacker, gets stabbed and lays in a pool of blood, dying, for over an hour as 20+ people pass, even stopping to take pictures.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/passers_by_let_good_sam_die_5SGkf5XDP5ooudVuEd8fbI

Sadly, this is not an unusual situation, as we hear similar stories quite often.  

Last year, ABC ran a series called "What Would You Do." They sat up different scenarios and watched how people responded.  This one relates to the story at hand:
http://abcnews.go.com/whatwouldyoudo/  (under March 10- Aiding the Fallen)

The 'nicely dressed woman' gets help within six seconds. The 'homeless' man three minutes or more. The 'homeless man with a beer can'? Even longer. It took repeated pleadings from another homeless woman before someone-grudgingly- acted to call 911.

What has happened to us that we can pass by someone who is so obviously in need? How can we stop, look- directly in his face, even take a friggin picture, then continue on our merry way? This man gave his very life (no greater love- eh?) to help someone in need and no one came to his aid....because he wasn't 'worthy' enough? He wasn't 'pretty' enough? He was one of  'those' people?

Such a sad commentary on us all. May Hugo Alfredo rest in peace.

I tried to find this old song on You Tube, but had no luck- not even on itunes, so here are the lyrics.

THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I

By PAUL OVERSTREET

There's a man on a corner with a cardboard sign that reads

I will work for food

A woman stands beside him with hungry eyes that plead

Our children are hungry too

Some may say I'm foolish for giving to their cause

I've become a believer that heaven's helped us all.

Oh there but for the grace of God go I

How without compassion can we pass them by

Oh, it could be you it could be me the world has cast aside

There but for the grace of God go I.

When I think about my home late in the evening time

How we've been blessed with much more than we need

Keep a warm fire burning when it's cold outside

We don't have to worry that we might freeze

How can I go to bed at night and sleep so gracefully

If I haven't given something for the least of these.

Oh, there but for the grace of God go I

How without compassion can we pass them by

Oh it could be you and it could be me the world has locked outside

There but for the grace of God go I.

Oh, the time has come for everyone to learn to help another

We could turn this whole wide world around if we only loved each other.

Oh, there but for the grace of God go I

How without compassion can we pass them by...

Oh it could be you and it could be me the world has locked outside

There but for the grace of God go I

There but for the grace of God go I

There but for the grace of God go I

There but for the grace of God

There but for the grace of God go I

There but for the grace of God

There but for the grace of God go I

Yes, you need to believe in yourself, too!

If you want to be like Jesus it is not only about the passion in your chest to be like Him, it is not only about the conviction that He believes in you so you can be what He calls you to be, but it is also an awareness that you have to believe in yourself that you can, by the power His spirit and the direction of his word, be what Jesus called you to be.

Quote from the DVD guide to "In the Dust of the Rabbi." Session 2- When the Rabbi says GO!

Conversation with the Kid

KID: Mommy, did you know that Dr Seuss did not write JUST fun stories for kids? He wrote stories to teach kids a lesson.

ME: Oh really? Like what?

KID: Like in the Sneetches. that was about how we should be nice to each other even when it is not always easy.

ME: That is right! Where did you learn about that?

KID: My brain.

The Kid's poem (age 7)

For me and you
a dream come true
lovely day to play!
This will be fun!
Hooray and yay
to have fun!
lovely night to watch the stars
we might see a shooting star!

~Kid

I'll be damned.

(this post is copied from my Facebook notes-from over a year ago.)


I’ll be damned.

Over the past few months, I have had many people, who call themselves Christian trash, degrade me and question if I am even really saved? I even have had people tell me that they are praying for my depraved soul and that I am going straight to hell. Why? Because I support Barack Obama. I voted for him and am now happy to see him as my president elect.

So….I figure that since I am doomed for a one way hand basket ride to the fiery place, I should explain why I am so damned. I warn you this is long, and only part one. My level of evilness requires quite a bit of explaining. ; )

I’ll be damned if I call my self pro life (which I consider myself to be) , yet take away the very programs in place that help REDUCE abortions. When a woman feels that she can ‘afford’ to have her baby, she will have it…even if that means she will need government aid. How does one expect a woman to keep a baby when there is NOTHING there to help her? How can she have a healthy pregnancy/ baby without Medicaid? How will she be able to feed/clothe/ provide shelter/healthcare for her child if social programs are cut back?

I’ll be damned if we take away education that reduces unwanted pregnancy, thus reducing abortions. I know that not everyone is going to wait till they are married. This is a simple fact of life. Proper education on birth control and how our bodies work is essential to reducing the abortion rate. I don’t want to hear “Oh I took the pill and got pregnant anyway” because 99% of the time you screwed up, not the pill. This, again, is where education is essential.

I’ll be damned if I tell a woman who has a pregnancy that is a danger to her life that she is SOL and has to DIE….even if the baby can’t be saved. Where will all of you be if, say, I get pregnant again and that pregnancy becomes a threat to my life long before viability of the baby? Do I deserve to die? What about my child who is here? Does she deserve to be motherless? Does my husband deserve the added burden of raising her without me? Where will your help be? NOWHERE, that’s where. Not only will you be nowhere to be found, you would have struck down any form of aid that my family could have benefited from all the while calling it holy and praising God. Jesus would be proud! Not.

Oh and? I’ll surely be damned if I scream about how abortion is murder, yet think an unjust war (that has killed how many of our young men and women and innocent civilians) for a known lie is good.

Did these men and women deserve to die for a LIE? http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/ If you think so, then you will have no problem clicking on each.and.every. picture and tell them that their death was worth it. Tell them that you want to keep their brothers and sisters over there to continue dying and getting maimed for life…FOR A LIE. After you do that, go to their mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, and children. I support the death of your loved one for a lie….but by golly, we are protecting the lives of (unborn, once they get here they are on their own) babies! In fact, many of you voted based ONLY on abortion. How hypritical. Again, I am sure Jesus smiles down on such an unnecessary loss of life.

I almost forgot the verse I wanted to insert here. I think it fits this war perfectly.

"There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19

Make no mistake that I am pro life, very strongly so, in fact. However, I have long held that abortion is not the battle. The battle is things that stand in the way in 1) preventing unwanted pregnancies and 2) Providing all needs for those who find themselves in a situation of need. If you want to reduce abortion, then you HAVE to stand behind these things. To focus only on ending the medical procedure is ignorance, asinine, and unrealistic.

I know many will point out the adoption option. That is an idea that I pray women who find themselves in a situation where they can’t raise a baby will chose. So there is absolutely no argument there.

Just imagine, this is JUST abortion! I chose this topic first because many based their vote completely on this issue. Just wait till you hear that I am damned for supporting social equality and liberty for ALL!

She cracks me up

The Kid finished her homework, but her handwriting was very sloppy. I told her to write another sentence using the word ‘more.’

What did she write? “My meen mommy meade  me write moore sentances.”

I am sure her teacher will love that.

My first, and last, tattoo.

Matthew has been on me for years to get a tattoo.  I always knew what I wanted if I was ever brave enough to get one…a shamrock of course, since my birthday is on St Patrick’s day. I even had he specific design picked out for over a year.

He would bring it up from time to time and I would say NO! Basically, I am phobic of needles. The thought of having to get a shot makes me all sweaty and queasy.  I nearly passed out at my last blood draw. Needles and I are *not* friends. At all.

Fast forward to Friday after my birthday. We were out at dinner and Matthew noticed that our server had tattoos and enlisted her in the debate. I told Matthew that we could go to the tattoo parlor and *IF* they could do it then and *IF* we had the extra cash I would do it.
Well, here it is…..(located just above my right ankle)