Last time I told you about my friend who had just experienced a devastating turn of events in her life.
Now let’s get back to my friend who is in a situation she never dreamed would happen to her or to her family. Let’s say for this blog post that my friend’s spouse has lost his job and she has been cut down to part time. They have just had their home foreclosed on and although she does have family in the area, she can only park her belongings in their garage and back storage shed and part her car in their driveway every night. They are in no better shape than her family, but at least they both still have employment. My friend and her family sleep on the family room floor of her sister’s home every night and feel very discouraged and ashamed at their current situation.
Once you get a roof over your head (in whatever that might look like), clean water and food for your family you can begin to make a life for yourself with what you already possess. My friend is very fortunate, that she has a roof over her head and a base to work from, even if it is temporary.
There are things that you, just like my friend can now do. I know you both have knowledge and skills which other women, men and families need right now. I am going to cut right to the chase here and help you out.
You know how to take care of children because you already have a couple I know. You also know who to read and write and these are skills which you can teach another person or a child.
You are a great cook too, I know. That is a skill that people will pay for.
You do know how to keep house and clean a house. That is a skill that people will pay for.
You yourself are looking for something to do in order to get money into your pocket so that you can rebuild your life and that will come from within you and what you already possess.
Today, I want you to go out there and look and see where the greatest need actually is.
What would happen if you asked those you met if they would consider paying you up front if you would stay at their home today and make them an evening meal? That way you can purchase the food and cook it in their home and have it there ready for them when they come home.
What would happen if you volunteered to take care of a person’s children while they were at work in return for some groceries or money for a days work?
What would happen if you went to your church and asked them who might consider giving you employment on a part time basis to clean their home or do errands for them?
When we get stripped down to the bare essentials we have to look at life entirely differently than when times are not tough.
We do not have the luxury of just turning on our computer or picking up the cell phone and calling.
Let’s say you are homeless, you have no cell phone and only a roller suitcase with all you could pack in there that you thought you might need. You no long have an ATM card, credit card or a checking account.
What do you do?
I am really feeling indignation and push back here. S-T-O-P! This is not so far fetched as you may think.
According to Reuters, in January 2010 345 companies filed for bankruptcy every day. According to the US Government Courts statistics by September of 2008 there were nearly 400,000 personal non-business bankruptcies in the US. The US Department of Labor sited In February, the number of unemployed persons, at 14.9 million, was essentially unchanged, and the unemployment rate remained at 9.7 percent. Are you one of these? According to this same site: Those who are in the “information business” made $ 28.80 per hour in Feb. 2010 and those in the “leisure and entertainment” business made only $12.86 per hour. Were you among either of these two groups?
What would you be doing if you were living in Hatti or Chile at this very moment?
If you do not think it can happen to you…where were you in 1981 when Mt. St. Helen’s blew up? Do you know how life changed for those living in the “ash zone”?
I do because I was one of those people!
Where were you in 1989 when the 6.9 earthquake hit the San Fransisco Bay area during the world series game and the Bay Bridge pancaked?
I do because I was on of those people!
Life can turn upside down in a heartbeat. One minute my children are swimming in the swimming pool and the next moment they are screaming and running into the street and the pool water looks like a tidal wave sloshing out of its sides.
Think about that. What would you do first?
More next time on your third day.
