Week of Dreams

Dream on Tuesday night

I remember being in the New Life Christian Academy multi-purpose room. Still painted white with the different banners across the top. The alumni were getting together to play a game of basketball there.

 I saw Josh Hossler, Brian Karnowsowitz, and Ted Demerrit (who looked fairly old). They were wearing the old basketball uniforms. I had forgotten mine, or didn’t keep it. The game happened fast, real fast and we won. The thing is I didn’t get to play. I remembered telling someone that I could play in my normal clothes. I told Josh Hossler , “ It would have been nice to get a chance to play.” He started to cry. I told him not to bother about it. He stopped crying. I still felt somewhat disappointed. I was walking out to the truck (which was a blue F-150) and Tori Fite ran out and gave me a card in a white envelope.

 She said, “Don’t be burning yourself, you shouldn't hurt yourself like that”. I said I wouldn’t hurt myself. She went back in the school and I put the card in the door pocket of the truck-I woke up.

Wednesday night I had a dream

I was walking though the parking lot in St. Clair the one that has the movie theater that has been closed for twenty some years. I noticed a man was lying on the pavement and seemed to be hurt. I went over to him to help and recognized him. It was Steven Tyler, from Aerosmith.

I managed to get him to the hospital (there was no transport scene). We arrived at St John’s hospital on 12 mile rd. I took him in on a stretcher and the paramedics quickly took over.

 There were several nurses and doctors moving hurriedly about. Some seemed to know he was a celebrity, some were focused on their job of helping him. In time he was placed in his room and I went in to see him. His daughter Liv was there. She looked like she had been crying, saw me asked if I was the person who saved him and smiled giving me a hug. She said that she didn’t know what to say. Then she said, “thank you”.

The nurse had to run some tests and they came to wheel out Steven Tyler and Liv went with him. I must have been tired because shortly thereafter I woke up in the bed that had been next to his. I sat up; something seemed different. I noticed that I had on a white long sleeve shirt and began to feel confused. I shuffled out to the hall then to a waiting room. I noticed the nurses and orderlies were looking up keeping an eye on me but trying not to let me know they were keeping an eye on me. It was then I realized I needed to get out of there. I walked slowly toward the direction of my room picking up the pace a little as I noticed the exit sign. Turning the corner I looked up to notice a camera peering down the hall toward the exit door. As I began to jog toward the door I removed the white shirt, dropped it on the floor and exited the door. The street was completely unfamiliar, though it looked what I imagine a street in London would look like. I turned right and ran along the street noticing behind me several people chasing wearing white coats. I ran faster and lunged toward a flat top car and was able to get on top of it, unfortunately so did two of the men in white coats. Each grabbed a shoulder and-I woke up.

Homeless Loitering

 

Homeless Loitering a Crime No More

As the unemployment rate hovers around ten percent in the United States and an increasing number of people are left unable to afford housing; the issue of homelessness and a larger, visible homeless population are presenting themselves to society anew. Some portions of society have decided to term this issue a blight and pursued the criminalization of homelessness. There is a social problem in many cities where the case of the homeless population loitering has become a substantial issue. This policy topic is to address the issue of homeless populations loitering and the fact that it has become a crime in many cities by dealing with laws and resources for the homeless population.

This policy topic specifically incorporates four social work values as described in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.  This policy incorporates the value of service as it is designed to “help people in need and to address social problems” (The Association, 1999).  This would be met in helping people by providing additional safe places and shelter for the homeless population; also in addressing the social problem of the criminalization of homelessness by dealing with the laws.

The social work value of social justice would be incorporated as the policy addresses laws that local governments have set up. This would entail repealing certain current laws, enacting new laws, and changing the practices of cities and businesses.  This policy would also address societal thoughts and stereotypes directed toward the homeless population.

Dignity and worth of a person is a necessary aspect of all social work endeavors. This social work value is incorporated by the decriminalization of the homeless population loitering. In this respect a person would not be treated as a criminal and perhaps be viewed as a person of worth by standards of society. By keeping more of the homeless population out of the criminal system this will create opportunities for them to build “socially responsible self-determination” (The Association, 1999).

The importance of human relationships is incorporated in this policy in that were loitering decriminalized the homeless population and the housed population would have a higher frequency of interaction. With the creation of day centers increased social worker and the homeless population interaction could culminate in possible collaborative ventures.

Laws criminalizing the loitering of the homeless population are vast throughout 48 of the United States; controlled by local governments and businesses. “Through the passage of possibly unconstitutional laws, the "selective enforcement" of existing laws, arbitrary police practices, and discriminatory public regulations, people experiencing homelessness face overwhelming hardships in addition to their daily struggle for survival” (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2004). These communities have laws that forbid sleeping, sitting, sharing of food, and standing for too long a period of time. These communities have set a “process of legislating penalties for the performance of life-sustaining functions in public” (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2004).

Other communities create Business Improvement Districts and subsequently create limits on private and public space for the good of a business district. However, “regardless of the number of ordinances passed, homeless people still must eat, sleep, and survive in public because often no alternative is available to them” (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2004). A publication created to help law enforcement officers deal with the homeless population has guidelines that negatively affect the homeless population by deterring loitering. It states cities should, “include central armrests on benches, slanted surfaces at the bases of walls, prickly vegetation in planter boxes, and narrow or pointed treatments on tops of fences and ledges. However, some observers of public spaces argue that the way to lessen the impact of loitering homeless people is to construct even more desirable sitting environments to attract more legitimate users, thus decreasing the ratio of homeless to legitimate users” (Chamard, S. 2010). Other cities have used the presents of business security guards to ask the homeless to “move along”.

Still, several communities have set up task forces to aid in decriminalizing homelessness including: Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Fort Lauderdale. These task forces include such acts of advocacy as city attorney policies and programs, police protocols, police training, and referral programs to social services programs (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2004).

Several groups can be seen as stake holders in the work of this policy. The homeless are the primary stakeholders. They would be impacted by the policy primarily by decriminalization of loitering and the ability to “preform life sustaining functions in public” (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2004).  Businesses will be affected either by the stigma of the homeless in public places or by increases traffic that may lead to sales. Pedestrians will be affected by being put in a position to deal more closely with the homeless population.  Law enforcement will be affected in that they will have an increased opportunity to pursue crimes that are causing harm to society. Social service agencies will be affected in that they may need to create new programs and may be in need of skills as they are working with a more empowered homeless population. City planners and governments will be affected in that many laws and policies will be reevaluated, repealed, and created.

In reviewing the policy with the five layer policy analysis model each aspect will bring complex issues. I have little experience with policy as it relates to decriminalizing the homeless loitering.  Perhaps the most challenging aspect for me will be the economics. It is reported, “federal spending for people who are homeless increased every year in the last decade, more than doubling to over $5 billion. This spending includes both targeted dollars in homeless-specific federal programs and the estimated spending for people who are homeless and using nontargeted federal programs” (Hombs, M. 2011). I am aware most issues are moved by the economics of a matter, but it is an aspect that I do not have much experience with. The political factors that will influence this policy that I am aware of are: lobbying for change of law, creation of public programs, or funding for private programs. I have little experience in the political realm. In dealing with the ideological factors, I have some experience in dealing with the homeless population and the stigma that some communities hold.  I believe changing businesses’ and the public’s attitudes towards the homeless population may be a significant challenge as many view them as a menace to organized society. Social movements to support this policy are beginning already. I am aware that California has a proposed Homeless Bill of Rights that is gaining support. I am also unaware of social welfare history that deals specifically with homeless loitering, though, I think the vagrancy laws of the past might relatable.

This policy could measure outcomes by these factors including: cost, quality of life, number of homeless deaths, crime rates, and number of homeless individuals in a community. Cost would be measured by state and local governments’ revenue for policy enactment, as well as local businesses income gains and losses. Quality of life could be measured by a set of standards or by surveys of individuals before and after policy enactment. Crime rates could be measured by local law enforcement agencies before and after policy enactment. The number of homeless in a community can be measured during homeless point in time counts before and after policy enactment. While these factors are multifaceted they would be a good starting point for outcomes of the policy.

Depending on the anticipations of specific outcome findings the policy will be approached differently.  Were it measured by the amount of homeless on the streets a different approach and different outcomes will be desired; that is it would tend to be more removal based. If this was the case the policy would alter dramatically; meaning the types of measurements used are fundamental to having a policy oriented toward the social worker and implementation of the social work core values.

 

References

Chamard, S. (2010). Homeless encampments. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Community

Oriented Policing Services.

Hombs, M. (2011). Modern homelessness a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO.

Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. (1999). Washington, D.C.: The Association.

Illegal to be homeless: The criminalization of homelessness in the United States : Illegal to be homeless

                2004 report. (2004). Washington, D.C. (1012 14th St., NW, Suite 600, Washington 20005):

                National Coalition for the Homeless.

Time

Hard work doesn't hurt us.

We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important.

Make time for people.

The root of all sin is self-sufficiency.

It is almost October 31st

Halloween

By now everyone should know (as you can ask google, siri, bing?) that Halloween was a day  dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows),martyrs, and all the faithful departed believers. This was established by the catholic church as early as the 700's. Where would we be without the rememberances of past saintes? I think about some of the my fellow brothers and sisters who now reside not here that have influenced me. Here is a brief list:

• The apostles
• St. Francis
• John G. Lake
• Billy Sunday
• Leonard Ravenhill
• Rich Mullins
• Keith Green
• C. S. Lewis
• My Grandama

Certainly the world, and most certainly not I, would be the same were it not for the lives of these past Saints. Remembering them is good for the mind, soul, and spirit.

So, here are some thoughts on Halloween as it exists in present day in American culture. 

Let me say first, as an American I do not celebrate many holidays of other natios, mostly because they mean nothing to me; to American national heritage. Just as I would guess independence day isn't so well celebrated in England, the day the cardinals won the world series by the many teams they have beaten or the conquering of Ethiopia to Mussolini by the Ethiopians.

Hypothetically...
Let's say you are a Jew in Hitler's Germany. The Nazis have sworn to destroy you and your kind. Let's say each year they celebrate the day they enrolled the Hitler youth. Every year they celebrate this with dressing as Hitler youth with swastika badges and candy given to everyone. As a Jew who has watched the Nazis burn, cage and destroy your family and relatives, would you celebrate this day with them? It is just dressing up and enjoying candy; no harm done. But would you celebrate with your enemy? Would you celebrate separately from your enemy in a different fashion?

Christians, we are in a war. Let's not join in celebrating a day that centers on our enemy, seemingly devised by our enemy. A day Certainly not promoting the love and life of our king. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Instead celebrate our king everyday.

P.s. If you have any left over candy send it my way.

Advice about Drugs

This I found posted by an ex-addict.

Favorite Movie List

I used to keep a note card around my room when I was in high school and a little beyond. It carried a list of my favorite movies 1 through 20.

These are my new favorites until I find my old list and adjust it.

1. Unbreakable
2. Beyond Borders
3. Cyrano De Bergerac
4. Dark City
5. Surrogates
6. Indiana Jones Lost Ark
7. Indiana Jones Last Crusade
8. Star Wars Return of the Jedi
9. Batman (Micheal Keaton)
10. Star Wars Empire Strikes Back
11. Star Wars a New Hope


Well, these are the only ones I can think of right now. Will have to add to it later.

Social Media Oriented Society

What does this tell you about "social media orientated" society?

Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball Video on YouTube had 19.3 million views in 24 hours.
Miley Cyrus's video to end youth homelessness video on YouTube had under 5,000 views in 24 hours.

Pay to Know

http://pulse.infoneer.net/post/94429143207/there-is-something-distasteful-about-charging-by

Good article I did not write

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/why-homosexuality-is-not-like-other-sins

My Last Day

For the past two years I have been working a part time job at Kmart (not Kmarts as some believe it to be called).  It  has been a neat experience working with people from some geographic, social economic, and areas of interest that I usually do not interact with. I have found that although many people are obnoxious, selfish, annoying, crude, and close minded; people are to be loved- i think maybe even liked. Sometimes it isn't enough to love people and act like you do not like them; to many being liked is just as important; being listened to, agreed with, empathized with, and struggling through some type of hardship together is how they view love.

Over these two years I have grown to like many of the people who are employed at Kmart. It gave me another perspective on people (my last experience in retail was in 1999). In honor of this perspective I am offering my Poetry book for free on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week. Hopefully, someone will find something in there to relate to, to give them hope, and even help.

Get it at the link below.

Poems From a Helper

It saddens me

Well, it is dark out and it is mid day. It is steadily raining and the roof near my window makes each drop have its own distinct splash. The darkness and rain are making a cool breeze pass through the window. My computer is playing a youtube playlist of Lydia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O9vPPDvbT0&index=10&list=PLMq1i7XtOvZ5E_yJx8nWHTZWCIx2KyIXK) ; and of course I am blogging.

Last night I had a dream, that I was mostly doing normal things: walking around the house, walking around outside, talking to the sheep and goats,  Occasionally in my dream I would sit cross legged (what we used to refer to as Indian style). Except I wouldn't sit on the ground, in this particular dream, I sat cross legged to fly. It created a sense of lightness-like a floating sensation, obviously. But there was a greater sense; I was consciously choosing by a slight physical action, to defy the very forces of nature, the force of nature that holds each of us down at a specific rate; none of us float of our own will. In my dream, however I did. It was both very freeing and very empowering; not to mention fun.

Now at some point today, I realized that it was indeed just a dream. I had a sense, in the awake world, that I wasn't feeling particular free or empowered(of course I know in my head I am both); I was, in fact, in a store stocking shelves with candy when this realization hit me. It didn't particularly bring a happy feeling. It saddened me actually. While I was deep in thought, I stopped stocking for a moment and went to the bathroom. I flushed the silvery handle and water came into the bowl, and water came into the bowl, and water came into the bowl. Regardless of what I did to the handle or the other mechanisms, water came into the the bowl, onto the floor, and down into the drain in the floor. It was really a striking parallel to what I had just realized in my dream versus reality thought process.

I haven't quite shaken this feeling thought process, but the following quote I read today has helped.

"My blessing is this. I know a God who gives hope to the hopeless. I know a God who loves the unlovable. I know a God who comforts the sorrowful. And I know a God who has planted this same power within me. Within all of us."

Up on the google play store

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=d7kiAgAAQBAJ

Another blog about legislating morality

This blog has the title, keeping order in the midst of entropy.

Continually I notice people who have a post modern mindset (that is a mindset that has either not accepted that there is a constant set  standard of right and wrong or that there is no set standard of right and wrong) commenting, dialoguing, making statements regarding how others view order in society and how it effects them and how they therefore view it themselves. I would suggest that this view is an effect of entropy at work in society or a global consciousness throughout the ages; that is how the world is precieved by those who have had their understanding darkened or who have not seen the light.
.
Entropy is a scientific theory, that I do believe has been scientifically proven, that tells us that the universe, planet, and our own bodies are continuously breaking down to a state of disorder. Things rot, decay, rust and people die. My experiences in this world (like the apple core I found in my jeep) tell me that entropy is real an active. I would suggest also that (as some medical data may suggest) not only is physical entropy at work in a person, but also mental, emotional, and perhaps even moral.

I would suggest further that the same is true in social structures. They are trending toward disorder and  chaos. Some examples ( that I do not have any specific empirical evidence about) are amount and of crimes, divorce rates, school dropout rates, acceptance of what used to be called disorders without looking for cures and government corruption.

We, as humans living in an organized society, have attempted to create structure in the form of laws (not mentioning social stimula) to curtail the effects of social entropy. Laws that govern such things as murder, stealing, littering (those are the important three) have been put in place by us to keep order in a society bent toward entropy. These laws help keep order in a world tending toward chaos, much like the rustoleum paint I put on my jeep keeps it from rusting (and about just as successfully). Without them the world would be in complete disarray except where the exception to entropy triumphs. The exception of entropy would be the instance where a force is able to bring order in the midst of chaos, or life in the midst of death. This force in our world is love, not in a general sense, but love in the person of Christ who though his act of dying and rising again has put into place an exception to entropy accessible to everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, believes in their heart and confesses with their mouth this truth.

In a world that tends to violence the believer can tend toward peace; where the world tends toward hatred the believer can give love; for death life; for sickness, health; for love of evil, love of righteousness; for depression, joy; for anger, gentleness; for mocking, encouraging; for giving up, steadfastness, for weakness, strength, for anxiety, patience; for cruelness and rudeness, kindness; for lack of commitment, faithfulness; selfishness, self control; for lies, trustworthiness; even for immorality, morality. These attitudes are not something that a believer must regulate themselves to pursue (though they might have to at first as the spirit is often willing but the flesh is weak). These are simply how a believer, who has the holy spirit of god living in them, will perceive the world verses entropy( or the sin nature if you would like that term).

I would simply say that without legislating morality a society is giving into social entropy. Immorality (though it may look like freedom, may not harm anyone, and may make a person feel good) is spiritual chaos; an undisciplined life that tends toward those elements that are anti-christ, per the list above: violence, death, sickness, hatred, evil, depression, anger, mocking, giving up, weakness, anxiety, cruelness, rudeness, lack of commitment, selfishness, lies, and immorality.

3 Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. [Mat 5:3-16 KJV]

It's time

It is time for another blog,. I'm sure it will have something to do with people, changes, Christlikeness, maybe even technology.

Industrial Creativity

This is perhaps my first attempt at incorporating artistic aspects into something that is truly practical; without a doubt the first project in my "IDEAS" notebook that I have completed with some sort of satisfaction for functionality and ascetics. Finally, after a year of on and off research and planning, I acquired the correct parts through items that were meant to be added to the ever growing landfills nearby.  This is what I salvaged:

• one computer power supply case
• 2 CPU heat sinks
• 2 aluminum pipes from a set of chimes
• some random scrap copper wire
• one 1.5 volt motor from a "broken" coffee stirrer
• scrap metal strapping
• one fan from a broken freezer

Putting them together I created this monstrosity.

I bought a peltier element that operates at 90 watts max and some thermal adhesive that passes a charge through it. Completing the setup as to ensure the peltier element would be protected and the wire connections secure...

The next step was simply to get the stove roaring. When the temperature of the stove passing through the heat sink into the peltier element reached a hot enough temperature using the Peltier-Seebeck effect the motor starts spinning the fan starts moving. 

Heat activated stove fan 1.0 complete.

A Blog about fermented drinks

I am planning on writing a blog about the use of fermented drinks soon; however, i feel that i should blog about current circumstances instead, and i am almost certain that this blog title (see above) will get more attention than something like "Felling blessed".

As some people know, and some people do not know, the location that we have had The Refuge at for the past 7 years is changing. Due to some pretty strange circumstances with the federal government and funding etc. we do not have the funds to maintain the lease at our current location.

I did feel compelled to call a Pastor friend of mine a few weeks before our actual closing date. i simply told him what happened and straight forwardly asked him- "would you be able to house the Refuge at your church location?" He said that would be great. It worked out very well, as they say it was all god.

Last night was our first night open at the new place. It really seems like a great community of believers; they say they are southern baptist. They seem like great people who want to help others, who genuinely care for others, even at their own expense.

I'm feeling blessed to be becoming part of this group of believers, and blessed to have a job, helping people.

God is good.