Hello Fall

Although Fall may have technically started a few weeks ago; for my family today “officially” starts the Fall season.  My son had his first baseball game of the season (we won game one 5-2 and tied 7-7 on the second game!), it is the first day that I haven’t had to turn on the AC at all since April, AND, wait for it….. its raining! Really raining.  Consistent pour down, thunder and a lil bit of lightening (which in Texas (and Oklahoma) sounds like God is literally saying “sit down and be still for moment”.  🙂

These are the days I love the most.  The family is moving slower, settling into a good book, working on a puzzle or legos, or watching tv.  Together. Under blankets.  We are all “snuggle buddies” as we call it.  There is no place to go.  Nothing needs any immediate attention.  Its just chill.    

I fell in love with fall as a freshman in college.  It was the first time I had actually seen the seasons change.  Being born and raised in Los Angeles, the weather is pretty consistent most of the year.  You wouldn’t even know it was Christmas if not for the decorations.  My freshman year, I saw an orange leaf in person for the first time.   I remember my roommate laughing at me because I went to pick leaves outside our dorm.  Our college had the biggest trees, dropping the prettiest leaves.  I remember calling my mom to tell her about the leaves I had just sent her in the mail.  And I remember her calling me, saying “WHY did you mail me leaves?!” LOL!!!!  It’s pretty amazing that attending college just 5 hours away from home would offer me a true Fall.  California is awesome like that.  🙂 

Moving to the South has enhanced my love of Fall even more.  Accompanying (what will soon be) changing/falling leaves are the rain storms.  I love a good rain storm (Not when it knocks out your cable in the middle of your fav show though). I love the sound of the rain hitting your window.  The smell of freshness when the storm is over.  I’ve started to think that maybe God created Fall for cleansing, renewing, refocusing and recharging for the last leg of the year.  

With October just a few days away, I’ve started to think about what I need to cleanse from my life in this season.  There is a key area that I need to refocus my energy on- namely my health.  I have to stop procrastinating about getting in shape and eating better.  It’s frustrating to feel like you’ve been down this road before only to have made a u turn(I lost 50lbs a few years ago, had my daughter and gained it all back).  But the only person I have to blame is myself.  No one made me eat the brownies- I’m so breaking up with them.   I’m going to finish 2013 physically strong. I will be healthier.

So, as Fall kicks into full gear, what area do you have to renew, refocus or recharge? 

Be Blessed yall! 

How you treat the least of these

As Congress gets back into its groove, the republican house is back at it- proposing even deeper cuts (beyond what will already start 10/1 due to the sequester) to the food stamp (and other need based) program. They also want to require those that receive aid to take drug tests, and other new invasive requirements. Many folks, even some of yall reading this, support drug testing and other requirements as prerequisites to receiving aid. With all due respect, yall and the republican house should be ashamed.

What is the goal in requiring extra hoops and latters to jump through for a family, vet or senior who needs assistance?

People who support these types of changes to program eligibility often paint a picture of welfare recipients taking advantage of the system; with their iphones and flat screen tvs, multiple children and baby daddies, illegal citizens from Mexico (as if that’s the only country illegals come from) and if you listen to Rush or Hannity (Yes, I do- you always need to know what the enemy is thinking) you’ve heard these me say that the welfare recipients are also President Obama’s “base”.The racism wrapped up in that thinking……………

 

There are over 47 million people currently receiving food stamps/SNAP benefits (www.fns.usda.gov).

Let me say that again. There are over 47 million people currently receiving food stamps/SNAP benefits.

Most of these recipients are families with children, seniors with limited income, low income vets and military families. Some are folks who found themselves pushed out of the middle class after losing their job and possibly even their home during this recession. And yes, some are people who may very well be taking advantage- but they are not the majority.

The biggest beneficiary of the food stamp program are children. Children. Are folks thinking about the children when they consider these cuts? Are we thinking of the kids whose mom is on Meth who will go hungry when their mom fails the proposed drug test and as a result loses her benefits? Nope, you’re not thinking of them. You are sadly thinking that somehow, punishing mom will save you money- your tax dollars? It’s plain nonsensical.

So many Americans at some point have needed a helping hand via government aid.The mere fact that we have these programs is a GOOD thing. It’s what separates America from a 3rd world country. We don’t (generally) having children starving, living on the streets with no one to care for them in America.America- our beloved country that so many(especially on the Right that vastly support gutting these programs) proudly proclaim that was built on Christian principles, so quickly put God and Jesus on the bookshelf when time comes to actually do God’s work. Matthew 25:40 states ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’How can we proclaim to love and serve God and not show compassion with words AND deeds for the least among us??????

SO WHAT if some folks game the system!!! That number is miniscule in comparison to the vast majority who receive aid because they really need it.These programs aren’t bankrupting our country.

Some of yall acting super brand new too. You know who you are.You grew up in the ‘hood or the trailer park, (OR in a middle class community but one or both of your parents smoked up or dranked up all the money) and your family received aid. WIC. Food stamps. Medicaid.Section 8.Don’t front.

And if your family didn’t have these programs when they needed them, YOU could’ve went hungry. Or homeless.What would have become of you if YOUR mom didn’t “pass” the tests?

My family needed food stamps.? And I lived in a two parent household in the ‘hood.My dad never EVER had less than 2 jobs. But we were a working poor family. And when Reganomics hit, my dad lost his main job for a while. Those food stamps helped keep me, my brothers and sister’s belly full so we could concentrate on excelling in school so we could all become college graduates and eradicate generational poverty. I’m grateful that I live in a country (at least back then) that didn’t punish the son for the sins of the father.

What will you do if these proposed changes take affect? Are you gonna take in the family next door when they get down on their luck? See, you cant have it both ways. We need a healthy government to serve as a temporary safety net when needed.
And if you are a Christian, you absolutely can not accept or support a program or proposal that will hurt “the least of these”.

I acknowledge that this blog post is quite soap-boxy.

Be blessed yall- and thankful. Cause if it wasn’t for the grace of God………………….