Cry of the self-absorbed

Wow, this is the 2nd blog I've written in less than a week. To be completely honest, I had the idea for this particular piece floating around in my head the night after I wrote my last one. I figured I should hold off on writing it until all the people that don't know this blog exists have had ample time to not read my last submission.

Anyway, onto my rant for today.

Have you ever sat down and talked with a friend and they go off on how they know exactly what they're going to do with their life because it's their passion to do that work for God? Sounds pretty fantastic doesn't it?

But do you know what word in that sentence sends up a red flag for me? Their. It's not God's plan for their lives, it's their plan to do God's work. Now, don't get me wrong, usually what this person is looking at doing is perfectly acceptable by all standards. It's usually a missions trip, or some sort of drop-in shelter, or something of the sort, but is it being done for the right reasons? Most of these people are the exact same one's that have to tell everyone they see about all the amazing things they've done and all the wonderful gifts they've given etc. Not to say these stories aren't kinda cool sometimes, but you need to be very careful of who you're giving the credit too.

If you were to give a homeless person a fifty dollar bill, who would you tell about it? Would you run and tell all your friends about your ministry oppurtunity? Or would you keep it private? Would you keep it only between you and God, and let His knowledge that you have done a small work for His kingdom, in His name, be enough?

Matthew 6:2-4 says:

2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (NIV)

Now, some of you may take this personal, and I want you to now right now that this is not my intention. My original purposes for writing this blog is a reminder to myself first and foremost. Not a few months ago I was that person running and telling everyone about ministry oppurtunities I came across. I'll admit that a large part of it was excitement that I could actually remember and use some of the things I had been learning at school. But in my desire to share my excitement with those around me, I was desiring their admiration. I wanted them to know what I was doing so they would think me a better person. I wanted them to know so that I could sit idle and let my ego grow. I wanted them to know so that I could feel superior.

So next time you go to give money to a homeless person, don't flash around a fifty dollar bill before proudly dropping it in their lap. Take them out and buy them a nice, hot meal, or even a cup of coffee. Most of the time you'll make their day brighter, you'll feel good about yourself without needing the approval of others, and there's a pretty good chance you'll make a friend too.



[EDIT: This actually veered the complete other direction than where I had originally intended it to go. In fact, during the process of writing this I felt like I wrote two completely different articles. Just a fun fact for you all of you who were wondering why my introduction has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of my blog!]

Effin Health Care...

You know what? Im sick of public health care. I know alot of people will disagree with me on this one, but in my own selfishness, hear me out.

I will be 21 years of age in just a little over a month, and because of this detail, I am now no longer on my parent's plan, and now I have to pay just under $600 a year to continue getting my 'free' health care, and refusing to pay it does not fit into the government's best interest for a healthy, working young adult. So, now that Im shilling out about $200 every 4 months or so, what am I getting out of the deal? I can count the amount of times I've had to go to the hospital and/or clinic on one slightly disfigured 6-fingered hand.

Twice in my life have I ever gone to the ER. Once for a bad cut above my eye that needed stitches, once when I was hit by a car in second grade. How about that there walk-in clinic? I have had need to attend this bad boy, a grand total of 3 times in my life. 3. Once for a sliver the size of my pinky lodged into the flesh next to my eye, once for tonsilitis, and once for banging up my knee pretty bad playing football on ice. That's pretty much it.

You might be thinking to yourself; "Hey moron! That's only 5! Duh!"

You wanna know the 6th time? When I was born, n00b.

That's it that's all! All the members of my family each have probably less than 10 trips to either one of these places in their life. It's a freakin gong show! I have a 5 year old cousin who has spent more time in the ER for sniffles in any one year than my family of 5 combined. And for this they charge me and my siblings $600/month each, and my parents about $900/month for our family, which was the same even when all the kids were under the plan. (more shenanigans)

So, in conclusion. I am against public health care, cuz I don't like wasting money so whiny hypochondriacs get free pills that they don't even effing need.

/end rant

PS- Somehow this rant seems alot nicer than the way it sounded in my head when I was writing it. Please read it with an angry voice. okithxbbq