Posted on 09/29/2005 10:11:28 PM PDT by SixStringSlinger
As of Friday, September 16th, 2005 the family that was staying with me returned to the New Orleans area. I wish I could say that I was sad and upset that they left, but I am not.
There were comments made that upset me, such as "Oh boy this is fun" or "I had more fun in the Astrodome."
Wow. Just wow.
We took in a guy and his 2 sons, many years ago. They bitched about the food, and everything else. After about a week, I just put them out the door. At the time, I was stuck with a lot of medical bills for my daughter. I would work every day, come home, put my little boat in the water, run a string of crab traps, and pull clams and oysters. The last day, they sat down to a table full of home made crab cakes, clam chowder, fried oysters, and home made bread, plus a good garden salad, and turned their noses up at it. I hope to hell they finally found McDonalds!
These folks should not feel regret or remorse for what they did; They did an extrodinary thing in opening their homes to these people.
You should give with an open heart and expect nothing in return, that is the best way to give.
Too many people expect somekind of acknowledgement when making a donation or helping someone out. If that is someones attitude when giving, then they are not really "giving".
"Im not gonna give to someone who isnt going to appreciate it."
You don`t know that until you actually do it. Do you take back what you give if you don`t get the result you want?
they will reap what they sow.
Actually, there are two adages, another one being an immutable law of the physical Universe:
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction".
Ungrateful people won't get squat from others, (givers who are doormats being the exception, of course).
It wouldn't cross my mind in a million years to take strangers into my house.
Man, find a national park and build a lean-to near a creek.
Me either, despite how bad that makes me sound. My uncle took a guy in that needed some help getting back on his feet, and all he did was sleep all day, eat all his food, and wouldn't find a job. My aunt was pulling her hair out and finally kicked the guy to the curb. It was a complete mess.
These good people who opened their home will find their reward in heaven. As far as the people they tried to help, it is too bad they were too blind to see what a loving, caring family they stayed with.
"It wouldn't cross my mind in a million years to take strangers into my house."
Me either. We had enough problems with a friend we took in once. I give credit to hubby for tossing the guy on very short order. But, complete strangers? No freaking way. Nor would I go live in a complete strangers home.
"You will find that charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than that kettle of soup and basket of bread. But you must keep your gentleness and smile.
Giving soup and bread isn't all; that the rich can do. You are the little servant of the poor, the maid of charity, always smiling and in good humor.
They are your masters, terribly sensitive and exacting you will see, but the uglier and dirtier they are, the more unjust and bitter, the more you must give them your love. It is only because of your love, only your love, that the poor will forgive you the bread that you give them."
Can I come to your house and stay a week or two? I will bring my own toothbrush and I PROMISE I won't complain..... God Bless Ya'
Please do not despair. Your children have learned something.
They have learned that their parents are loving and giving.
They have learned that the misuse of alcohol is ugly. These
people were mean to you because they are jealous and do not know how to achieve what you have on their own. Please, have peace with what you have done, because you have done your best.
God Bless you.
I agree that there is usually a reason the "have-not's have not" and it's not because the "have have". We have opened our doors to many people this past two years and some have made us feel uncomfortable in our own home and ungrateful for a roof and food over their heads.
I am sure many of the people in NO were so dependent on aid that they had control over with no one telling them or helping them get out from under the dependency.
I don't expect to be patted over the shoulder, but when turn their nose up at a decent meal, and can't contribute to their own affairs and unwilling to accept any kind of advise to become a "have" and not a "have not" there is very little to do but hope that you did make a difference in someones else that you were willing to help.
Wonderful post.
"they will reap what they sow"
Everyone does....
"Ungrateful people won't get squat from others, (givers who are doormats being the exception, of course)"
There is a difference between a person who gives without recognition and expects nothing in return and one that smiles when someone spits in their face and asks for more. But both have good intentions, which is not a bad thing.
How many times do you hold a door open for someone and they don`t thank you? I do it all the time, some will thank me and some will not. But I won`t stop being courteous to people because a few are not to me. I just try and do the right thing, that is all anyone can do.
Except that I like to camp in the national forests and national parks. Put those people there and what you get is garbage and human waste all over the place, panhandling, theft and the not-so-occassional violent crime against campers, hikers and boaters.
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