Wow, one more day until Friday ... this week has flown by! Lots of activity in school, at home, and among family members.
For me, AIU, has kept my focus all week. Algebra for a 58 year old is either a joy or a curse ... for me a CURSE! This is week three(3) of a five(5) week course (online college moves quickly), and I am still working on the assignments for week ONE(1) ... this is NOT a good thing. I have a tutor lined up for the weekend - I hope it is not to late. Each course has a group project, also. My Algebra project is due during week four(4). PANIC has set in.
Now, Algebra, is not my only course this session; I also have Computer Systems Management. Thank goodness, this is a course I understand. I am doing really well in this one, an A, and current with all assignments. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Child number four is busy working on her thesis for her senior year, taking care of her cat, Rowan, and working part time at Lens-Crafters.
Child number two flew today to visit child number four for six days. She has decided to make a career change and is taking advantage of this time to visit her "little" sister. Should be a good time for both. I hope so.
Child number three is in nursing school, recovering from thyroid surgery, works part time at the hospital, and celebrated her second wedding anniversary on the 22nd.
Child number one is cheering on the Red Sox while running her company B G W E, which can be found
h.e.r.e.
Of course, Hubby, can be found in the woods hunting deer, enjoying the beauty, and the quiet! He is quite a hunter; I am very proud of him! BTW - Happy Birthday!
Like I said; busy, busy, busy. I left time for all of you, though, did I not?
Now, I am so glad all my ducks are in a row!
It's here! Blog Action Post Day 2008! The topic this year is POVERTY. Wow, this is a tough one ... especially with the problems in our economy over the last several weeks. It has hit most, if not, ALL Americans where it hurts the most - being able to take care of their families by providing shelter, food, clothing and the necessities for living, the basics. Jobs have been lost, homes have been foreclosed and families displaced, pension depleted, and people are scared!
Poverty falls across the board and shows no mercy to race, gender, religion, politics or economics. Persons with a lot of money have "lost it all" and have been placed in the Welfare system of the Federal Government. Some are able to get jobs and pull themselves up and out of "the system". The people in poverty that pull at my heart the most are those that have been in this "hell" for three generations and longer ... whole families - father, mother, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. It some areas the entire family is sharing a bathroom and sleeping in 1 or 2 bedrooms or on the floor, if they are blessed to have a house to live in. Others, are in shelters with their belongings in trash bags, carried from shelter to shelter - no privacy at all. Yet, they manage to get through the day, only to face the same situation when they awake the next day.
And then we find poverty in the lowest form and the hardest to help or understand, those living on the streets of ALL towns and cities across our country. Some (a few) choose this life, I think, because it is all they have ever known. Others have been removed from mental health institutions and prisons and left without any means of taking care of themselves - if they even know how! This section will grow as our economy continues to stagnate. Whose responsibility is it to change the conditions of people in our society that fall into this awful category of poverty?
EVERYONE ... that is the only way to help to eliminate poverty - the buddy system - every adult becomes the buddy of an adult in poverty. The BUDDY helps in this way ... when shopping for groceries purchase TWO of what they buy, bagged separately and taken to their buddy. Food is the first need to fill. If a person is not hungry, the chances increase that strength and health improve allowing the search for work each day until a job is found. Each BUDDY will check on their buddy each week, offering transportation to health care appointments, job interviews and church.
Our country was founded by very strong Christian men and women. Prayer was a daily part of their lives. Church is where you could find them on the Sabbath. What we have forgotten is this is what made us strong as a nation and what kept us strong. Now we have removed prayer from schools, we try to separate church and state, and we ridicule the beliefs held dear by Christians. This MUST be changed, freedom of religion needs to return. No one should be forced to pray, believe, attend, or practice something that is not what they want to do. However, my personal opinion, is one that feels in some cases poverty can be helped by having the strength of prayer and a home church to help person(s) and families.
Will we end poverty in a short amount of time? NO! Can we make a difference? YES!
Let's start today.
