BLESSINGS
I’m one of those drive-by blessing people. If I see someone broke down on the side of the road, I ask God to bless them. If I see someone walking, I automatically assume that they have no means of transportation and I ask God to bless them. The “homeless,” “down on their luck,” sign holders. I ask God to bless them.
And I know what you’re thinking, especially those of you who are part of my tribe, you’re waiting for the proverbial “other shoe” to drop. Surely there must be a flip side to Mimi’s drive-by blessings.
BUSTED!
You know me so well.
Enter BULLSHIT
I always wonder how many walking pedophiles I have blessed in my drive-bys. Or the guy that’s broke down on the side of the road was he on his way to murder his family? And I’m alllwaaayyyys suspect of the seemingly “homeless,” “down on their luck,” sign holders. Especially the ones who try and stare you down when you’re stopped at a light. There’s no humility in them. And the “single mom” holding the sign? God help her. I was a single mom. I didn’t hold a sign. Ya’ know what I held? A fucking job. Weird, I know. But the worst, the ones I absolutely DESPISE are the ones who claim to be U.S. Veterans. I want proof!
In any event, 8 times out of 10 they won’t get my cash but 10 times out of 10 they will get my blessings.
– Like I’m oh so wonderful that my blessings mean anything.-
The fact is, I don’t know these people. I don’t know their story. I do know my God and my God says, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow from thee turn not thou away.” (Matthew 5:42) He doesn’t ask us to be private investigators, (too late.) He simply tells us to give.
That being said, I keep the majority of my giving to the collection plate of my church. I know where that money is going.
I have to tell you though folks, as quick as my mind can flip from blessings to bullshit it’s the southerners who can really nail it, and they do it looking and sounding so stinkin’ sweet!
I lived in Arkansas for 5 years. This is the absolute truth.
Happy Saturday folks and happy A to Z-ing!
Magical Mystical Mimi 
well said 😀
(the “bless his heart” thingy gets me each time I hear it 😉 )
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Me to Emilia. That, and when I worked in offices the people who would end the calls with, “Have a blessed day.” That ALWAYS meant a scam of some kind. – Thanks for stopping by. What’s your site? I’d like to pop over. 😀
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https://bookbug2012.wordpress.com/ thank you so much 😀
now seriously talking about “blessed” – for me it has a very deep and religious meaning and I myself just do not use it at all 🙂
at the end of conversation I like using “have a great/wonderful/funny/silly/peaceful day”, just to name a few 😉
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When we say ‘bless your heart’ up here, we mean it the good way…like, ‘what a nice thing to do, bless her heart.’
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Hahahaha. I know. It’s the same for Michigan people. 🙂
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Offer your blessing, and let god sort it out.
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Omgosh Cranky, you have no idea how many of my days end just like that! That is great advice.
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I won’t lend something to people that I can’t afford to loose. I figure it a gift and hope there life doesn’t improve.
But most people have paid me back in some form or other.
In my calculation there only 1% of the population or less that doesn’t real deserve a blessing. The top notch curds of our society, as you would call a pedophiles.
But in general I think blessing the majority of us is good thing.
Coffee is on
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I think blessing one another is important. It’s important to me anyway. I hate to see people down on their luck and then I wonder what lessons God is teaching them, and sometimes I’m certain that lesson is something along the lines of, “don’t be such a dummy next time..” I don’t know. And I let people borrow all the time, buttttttttt… I know my people. I know they’ll return it, and I know if something happens while they’ve got it they’ll do their best to replace it.
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BAHAhaha ‘How many pedophiles and murderers have I blessed?” That cracked me up!
I’m not a sucker but I do help people out. I’m more likely to go buy some one food than to give money, there’s different circumstances.
I have stopped and helped people on the side of the road.
I buy flowers from the Romanian gypsies at the train station, they essentially steal flowers from public parks and then sell them. It’s an exchange of goods for money which motivates me more to help than a straight up begging cup. The woman and children of that faction are known to be prostituted… I buy their flowers it might save them for that day.
If I’m approached with a hard luck story like…”I need to get to (here) but my wallet/backpack/purse/train ticket was just stolen” I offer to call the police or a social service. That’s the quickest way to get that sorted. If someone is truly in need they take me up on it. If they don’t I report the grifter to the train authority and let them sort that shit out. Someone taking advantage of others pisses me off.
The red light stare down… never will they get a cent from me.
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Lol.. It’s true.. I don’t know who the people are but my first instinct to feel bad for them, where my sister’s first instinct is to call ’em a bum and tell ’em to get a job – seriously. – I think it’s both sad and wonderful that you buy flowers from the girls/women who prostituted.. It’s horrible that that happens… And I think your offering to call the police or social services is wise. Certainly weeds out the riffraff. – It’s a crazy world we live in and I wish I could save everybody but I’m convinced that some of our struggles are divine lessons but I’m pretty sure God is condoning women and children being prostituted out.. Makes me sad and mad..
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Hubby and I give, but we don’t give to people on the street for the most part. I’ve been know to pay it forward a time or two. Like buying the dinner for someone in line behind me. I’m so much like you.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
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Yeah, I’m not a street giver. I have but it’s only when I’m absolutely certain. Those moments are rare. And I too have bought lunch and dinner when I’ve that a couple clearly counting pennies and trying to make those pennies count. I always feel wonderful about those times because those are the people who are so appreciate and their smiles make me smile. – I’ll take that as a compliment that we’re some much alike.😀
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I have southern family and you have nailed the culture.
Unfortunately there are shysters and honest people in our world – gotta bless them all.
I’m A to Zing in April from Fill the Cracks for orphans of Ebola and
Moondustwriter’s Blog
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I agree Moon. We should bless them all, and as my friend Cranky says, “let God sort out the rest.” – Thanks for stopping by!
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Hello there, another entertaining post with depth – really enjoyed it (and the brilliant comments too). I do a similar thing whenever I see anyone who I perceive as needing some positive thoughts to come their way. Re the pedophile/murderer thing – I try not to judge even the most abhorrent behaviour and instead, mentally cut through it to see the original pure human soul that came into this world. I leave the judgement to God or Karma or the universe.
I try to see the original ‘ok-ness’ of the filthy homeless person and understand that there are layers and layers on ‘not ok – ness’ piled on so thick that no one can see the the light of humanity still burning at his or her core of being. None of us had a hand in who we were born to or how we got treated as helpless little humans with no power or voice. After working with some very damaged children and hearing their stories, I find it quite easy to separate judging a person’s horrible behaviour from their original humanity and I have compassion for them no matter what they have done.
Don’t get me wrong – I still support holding such people up to full justice for their victims because this world produces some people who become truly cold-hearted criminals. All I am saying is, most of them weren’t born that way unless they have some kind of brain defect.
I sometimes chat to homeless people and will buy food or hot drinks for them if they want me to. Even homeless people have pride and I always ask before I offer food or drink. Some of their back stories are gut wrenching and it hurts me as a fellow human that we don’t do more to help the most vulnerable people of our society. Here in the UK, our most vulnerable members of the community (disabled, unemployed, mentally ill etc) are being treated so badly by our government, it is bordering on persecution, in my opinion.
I don’t waste time judging them, I just think, there, but for the grace of God, go I. And at the very least, I will acknowledge their existence with a smile, a hot drink or a chat if it is safe to do so. It may not be much but, the more a person living on the edge of society feels included or even just SEEN and acknowledged by those at the centre of it, the greater the chance they may build on their fragile self-esteem . Only then will they be able to find their way back to who they were born to be before life circumstances crushed their souls and turned them into criminals or dysfunctional adults.
Of course, there are many people who have become so hardened, nothing will melt the layers of misery and allow their original goodness to blossom. Those people should be kept securely away from society to prevent more innocent souls turning bad from encounters with them. I really loved what you wrote here – it provoked lots of deep thinking on this fine Monday morning!!!!! Have a good day. 🙂
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Oh Gilly, you and I could talk for hours on the homeless. I used to make quilts for them and tuck lit’l necessities inside and go hand deliver them on the streets. I stayed away from the organized shelters because I saw too many things not going to the people they were intended. So many of the homeless don’t want to be homeless and so many of them do.. It’s sad and heartbreaking to me, mainly because of the kids being raised in that environment. I get furious here when I see another golf course go in when we have people sleeping on our streets and going hungry at night.Ugh. I could go on and on. – I love your idea about seeing the humanity of a soul. I use a similar analogy when I speak to people at church. – Thank you for stopping by and sharing your words of kindness. I think if we were ever on the same side of the planet together, we could change the world! 😀
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Congrats on joining the A-Z Blog Challenge!
I worked in Arkansas for seven years!
Beth Lapin
Activities for a Good Life
https://bethlapinsatozblog.wordpress.com/
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Thank you Beth! And thanks for stopping by! 😀
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I never trusted all that syrupy sweet “bless your heart” stuff, so phony! I’ve given to homeless on the street but I don’t always give money. I like to give useful items like warm socks in the winter or a thermos of coffee or hot chocolate. And I don’t give to people w/signs (don’t trust those “down on my luck” signs either!) unless they are homeless street performers, then I feel I’m paying for the entertainment. And I sure hope I haven’t given any murderers a hot cup of coffee before their spree! Yikes! A flip side to blessings, it’s so you!! And everyone can benefit from blessings. 🙂
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