THERE'S A TIME . . .

Life As It Is

Life is filled with leavetaking. I don’t need to try to control every little thing. Instead it’s best to let the process of life- and death- unfold as it will. I haven’t been feeling well lately, but I know it takes time to heal. Being impatient about it, or looking for shortcuts, doesn’t fix anything.

So here in this moment, I embrace life as it is. I will get through whatever life bestows, or throws (!) on me.

I trust in God. And sometimes, life is good. Theresa M

📷 geralt on pixabay

Haiku:

📸 MDevost on pixabay

Memory wakens

in dreamlike misty shadows

Light, longing are near.

Is There Time?

This past year has seemed longer than usual, with its ups and downs, drama and comedy, worries and delights. But doesn’t every year have all that? Of course it does. There really is no way to make time change its course. It just goes a-walking steadily forward. Its destination? Huh, I really don’t know!

📷guvo59 on pixabay

All I know is I’ve got to set my own course, steadily forward. No turning around, no attempt in changing what is past. To live with no regrets helps ease anxiety. I can use all the cliches I want, but “it” is what it is, and I accept “it.”

Getting older isn’t all that bad, as I’ve taken the time all these years to learn from my experiences, as well as those of others. I don’t need to stress out so much as I did when I was younger. Somewhere within, the answers manifest themselves to lead me in a direction I need to follow. Another cliche? Trust in the process.

My affirmation: I trust in God and the direction he leads me in life.

May you too find a way when there is no way. Theresa M

🎨DreamyArt on pixabay

For I Was Hungry...

As a child I was hungry a lot. My parents did their best to feed us. Government “commodities” was a thing for awhile- boxes and cans of unlabeled generic foods (ugh! including powdered eggs!) Then food stamps offered a way to get the “real” stuff in grocery stores.

Now it is called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) with EBT cards. I don’t have them, but I do live on the edge of possibly needing them someday, as prices on everything increase sharply but COLA on retirement does not cover these expenses.

by congerdesign on pixabay

At any rate, what happened recently really hit hard in my heart for those who rely on SNAP. Abruptly, the program was stopped as the government shutdown continued into November. But the fact is - it was not supposed to happen. It was entirely unnecessary. There were already safeguards in the funding (within the USDA) that could and should have kept people receiving their much-needed sustenance.

It was simply cruel and evil to use SNAP as a political bargaining leverage on the shutdown. Yes, lots of things needed to be worked out in the budget, (a big one was health insurance premiums) and Congress had a duty to negotiate a plan. But they didn’t even bother to address the egregious act of stopping SNAP benefits.

Although the Supreme Court ordered the benefits to be sent out immediately, the executive branch petitioned that order - they wanted to continue halting SNAP - this just doubles down on the heinous act. Not only that, but the Supreme Court allowed a stay for their request.

Thus, all three branches of government were purposely letting people stay hungry.

What does it take to do the right thing these days in America? How much loss? How much pain? How do governing officials dare to call themselves Christian when they so blatantly ignore Christ’s teaching? Their actions are so inhumane.

I hope Thanksgiving this year will bring some enlightenment. Theresa M.

link to Rhode Island's response to Brook Rollins, Sec of Agriculture in Supreme Court Docket 25A539

Rhode Island response

excerpts pages 31-36