There must be an answer to help hurting hearts to understand, that what is happening to cause them pain, isn’t happening because they are a bad person, or for no apparent reason at all.  The mind and the soul just needs to make some kind of sense of it all.  Understanding tragedy is no easy task.  People have differing opinions on why bad things happen.

Some people believe that the tragedy is a punishment from God.  Others believe it is a situation that is meant to teach a life lesson to those left standing.  Others still are of the understanding that bad stuff happens for no reason at all; other than being in the wrong place, at the wrong time.  After all, why does a bad situation happen to good people?  Do Christians suffer more than non-believers?  Do non-believers suffer more than Christians? Does faith play a part in human suffering at all?

It all depends on who you talk to about the idea of suffering and faith.  Everyone has their own opinion based upon their personal experiences.  However, when someone is suffering and searching for answers, it is natural to turn to those who we are closest to for answers.

For a Christian that could be their spiritual leader, a fellow believer, friend or even a family member who is grounded in their faith.  For an unbeliever, the lack of a foundation of faith can still lead to a pathway about God.  I say that, because God will often get the blame for bad circumstances, even when a suffering person doesn’t believe in God.  Often, you will hear people say, IF there is a God, why did he let this terrible thing happen?

I  believe that is because the human soul knows for certain, deep inside that person’s mind, that God not only exists; but, he is the only one who has the answers that they seek.  A person who is committed to an unbelief in God seems to struggle more when dealing with grief or suffering, in my opinion.  I believe that is because to me, God and having a faith in eternity means having hope of moving from this life of challenges and struggles to a place called Heaven.

It is important to recognize that God can handle the unbelief, the anger, and the questions.  But for those seeking answers; it is not just about asking the questions, but more importantly, it is about getting answers.  If you ask and you seem to be going without answers; you must ask yourself the hard question; are you ready to listen, really listen and accept the answer that God has for you?

No one truly can tell you why God does what he does, why he allows the bad things to happen in life?  Only God knows all of the pieces of the puzzle that make up our life circumstances.  He alone can bring peace to your heart and mind about such things.

So how do you communicate with God.  First you must pray, ask him the question that troubles your soul.  Sometimes answers do not come immediately and that can be frustrating.  There are times when you must fast (with a dr’s approval) and pray while waiting.  Read the word of God and allow the scriptures to speak to you, words of wisdom.  Take time to meditate on the word, peacefully & quietly.  Don’t do all of the talking; listen for God’s answer.  There are times when God will use another person to speak to your heart. He will speak to you through the Bible, other people and sometimes through dreams.  He will confirm his answer to you so that you know it is of him and not just another person’s opinion or your own.

Grief at a time of loss can add to a person’s sense of suffering.  It can confuse the heart and mind of a person with anger, disbelief, anxiousness and denial.  Those things can be worked through as long as a person doesn’t get stuck in any one of those phases of grieving.  Grief is a challenging time and everyone copes with grief differently.  That is ok, as long as you ARE coping and moving forward by healing.

        This was illustrated very clearly to many this past month when a young 13 old girl was given in marriage to a 23 year old Yemeni man.  He and his in-laws allegedly arranged a sort of deal for him to be given the 13 yr old bride and for his brother in law to be given HIS sister in marriage to avoid the high cost of a bride price.  According to the new pieces i have seen, it appears that the 13 year old bride was not only a reluctant bride when it came to sexual relations…the groom supposedly took her to a clinic to allegedly get medicated to render her helpless to resist his advances. 

        When the clinic denied him…he supposedly took her home and somehow was able to get himself a type of male enhancement drug to help him perform the sexual act because he was having trouble having intercourse.  The young girls mother says that her daughter told her in the hospital shortly before she died that her husband tied her up and raped and sodomized her.  This after he had already allegedly forced her to have sex and caused her internal injuries that required a trip back to that clinic.

       The news pieces said that they adviced the husband to avoid having relations with his wife for approximately 10 days.  He had carried her into the clinic because she could not walk.  The injuries evidently became more life threatening after he allegedly returned home and continued having sex.   The young girl was admitted to the hospital days after the wedding, where she died from ruptured reproductive organs.  Her mother says she appeared as if she had been butchered.  How do you look your child in the eye and know that what had been done to them will result in their death and you were powerless to change the outcome? 

         It is hard to think of a human being abusing someone so callously, as to think of their sexual needs exclusively to the well-being of the other person, outside of a predator or rapist who attacks another person purely for this purpose.    I am sure that the young brides family had no idea that her husband could be capable of such treatment of their daughter or they may not have agreed to the marriage arrangement…yet, this is what happened.  It is a tragedy.

        Not only was her body and spirit abused…but she was not protected in any way from a further sexual assault on her body once she was brought into the clinic the first time.   She was a 13 year old girl and she had to have been fearful.   She suffered greatly and lost her life simply because she was female and vulnerable to her situation because of where she was born and  into a culture which allows such things to happen to those unfortunate enough to be in her position. 

         Just today, there was another news piece about another girl; an 11 year old child.  She was also allegedly hospitalized with damage to her genitals.  She too was a child bride; this is unacceptable. 

          It is a human rights issue.  Poverty and ignorance are no excuse for these situations to continue.  Families have to protect their children from the potential of this kind of treatment by not giving children in marriage.  It is wrong to subject them to the sexual torture of their bodies and possible pregnancies… to protect them even from a potential death from young bodies that strain to give birth when they are yet barely matured to the point of conceiving a child in the first place; and truly, some of them are not even that physically mature.

         There are some people and cultures that believe marrying children off before they are considered adults will help to avoid premature sexual activity.  While it might prevent them from having sex before they are married…it in no way guarantees that they will not have sex until they are an adult; willingly or by force.   Because, there is no way to insure that once a child is legally, morally, or spiritually entered into a marriage that the adult partner won’t try to enforce a sexual relationship with that child. 

         Empoverished nations must be given alternatives to joining children in marriage to adults as a means of relieving financial burdens upon their families.  Educating people to the use of birth control to help reduce the number of children born to impoverished parents would be helpful.  Creating an awareness program about the dangers of forced sexual activity upon the bodies of children.  Holding offenders legally responsible for death or for damage caused to the children that this happens to; making it a crime to harm a child in this way.  

          Creating a means of earning a higher wage for families in those areas where these kind of arrangements take place;  so that they don’t see the need to marry off their children while they are still yet children.  How horrible to have such a situation within your own family or circle of acquaintance.   No caring parent would want to have to live with such an outcome on their conscience.  I hope that those who have a voice and have power will find the courage to change the way things are so that no family has to live with the knowledge that they have failed to protect their child from such a tragedy.  

            It makes me angry, and it makes me sad that people who are in the position of stopping this abuse of children do not; we must demand accountability and responsibility of our leaders, our religious counselors, law makers and our own family members!

When a young person, no matter how troubled, crosses your path and you have the chance to positively impact their life…take it from me..you need to be bold, by doing or saying what needs to be said or done.  What you think may annoy them or offend is not as important as avoiding a potential event if that person has time to think through the things that they are doing with their life.

Not so long ago, such an opportunity came and went.  Several of us tried to touch the lives of the young men who momentarily passed through our youth group.  They had varying degrees of response to the spiritual teachings and to the adults trying to make a connection with them.  One young man was a rubber ball; oh he came back a few times…but he wasn’t there for spiritual guidance.  He appeared to be there for social reasons. 

That isn’t terribly unusual.  What is unusual is that there seemed to be little to no positive impact on his life; his heart was not about to let anyone in deep enough to touch him spiritually or emotionally.  Everything was funny to him or made him angry.  He did not respect authority nor did he appear to have a good relationship with any of the other teens in attendance, even though he went to school with them.

In fact, he seemed to flaunt his defiance and rebellion.   He instilled fear in some of the kids because of his actions and his attitude.  He threatened some, he disobeyed requests to respect bare minimum requests for appropriate behavior.  Mostly, he just put in a couple of  appearances and left the place “untouched or unchanged”.

One of the other two that came was a bit older.   This young man knew scripture and could quote it.  I had no knowledge of this person before he came to visit, the one and only time that he came to the youth group.  However, others knew of him.  He freely admitted that he was not living right (even though his family had taught him about God and living according to his guidelines).  This made me sad; yet, I was hopeful because he seemed to have a foot on both sides of the fence.  He was young, intelligent and had the capability of making the right choice.

Do not be fooled…people can’t live that way indefinitely; eventually, you must get off of the fence and make a choice on how you conduct yourself in life.   It comes down to a choice of living in a Godly way or choosing to do whatever you want regardless of the consequences.   Of course the news story has not yet been tried in court; so we do not know if what is being charged to these young people, is in fact what happened beyond a shadow of a doubt.   However, these young men that visited our youth group are now being charged with a murder.

Initially, as I said the younger man was totally defiant and the first one seemed to be trying to choose which way he was going to go.  I had hoped that he would choose the correct path.  His family I am sure was praying for the same outcome.  They both had been in trouble with the law before and were on probation, they said.  Drugs & alcohol appeared to be a part of the problem.  The older one seemed to be trying to come to terms with how he was going to go forward while on probation; while the other was mocking the system and made light of all of the wrongs they had done previously.  That never bodes well for anyone…to have an experience that is meant to teach us a lesson and to laugh in the face of it. 

While I know that everyone make mistakes; some people turn their lives around and others do not.  What makes the difference???  I don’t know, I wish that I did.   Many lives could be kept from making tragic mistakes that have huge and horrific consequences, if only someone had the answer to that question.

We always tell our teens that God is there; and he is.  He knocks and waits for a person to answer the door.  He patiently and lovingly keeps an eye on you and keeps trying to call your name so that your life is one of purpose and value.  One that is full of promise and hope.  He forgives mistakes and he wants for you to turn to him before life gets out of control; as long as the person truly is sorry for their mistakes and makes an effort to learn from it, when they ask God to forgive he does.  

Even when we make mistakes God never leaves us; he will be there when we need to pick up the tattered remains of our lives.  It is not too late for these young men (or anyone) to ask God to be the ruler of their lives.  It won’t undo the loss of  life, if they were indeed responsible for this person’s death.  However, God can make good come from any evil act or darkness in a person’s life.

Still, let’s not forget that justice will be served.  Forgiveness does not entitle anyone to be exempt from punishment.  There are c0nsequences to our actions…both good and bad.  It is hard to hear but it is a fact of life.

A life was lost and it cannot be returned.   That person’s family and friends will want justice…some will even want revenge.  Things do not have to be this way, a person’s future if you are convicted, is not one of freedom of choice.  It seems such a waste to have a whole life before you, only to throw it away; and for what reason?  A party, a moment of rebellion, a reckless decision, a fleeting moment of pleasure?  A choice that sometimes has a high price for the decision maker; care must be taken not to make choices that will waste the time we have here with our friends and family. 

 The victim had friends and family too, and they will be grieving.   Young men did you take this person’s life?  I don’t know.  But still i wonder, why didn’t you hear him when God called your name?  Or if you heard him, why didn’t you respond in a way that allowed God to be present in your daily life?  If you did, then the murder victim would still be alive, your family would not be facing a life without you in it on a daily basis, you would not be sitting in prison, when instead, you could be having a life full of all of the good things that God intended for you.

Why was your rebellion (of choosing drugs and violence) so much more important than choosing a life of right?  Why is it that the things God meant for you to hear fell away from you like water off of a ducks back?  Having rules and guidelines in life helps keep us accountable and out of situations that can destroy us.  Having parents, teachers, law enforcement, bus drivers etc who give you boundaries to follow aren’t doing it to make your life miserable; in fact, it is just the opposite, they care enough to tell you when you have crossed a line of inappropriate behavior, to help you do what is right.  It really is for your own good and the good of others.

Even though you were not a part of our youth group, on a permanent basis, I grieve that you have been accused of this murder.  I am sad that it is even a possibility that it could be true.  I am heartbroken for the victim’s friends and family.  I am horrified that the victim died a needless death full of pain, only to be discarded like something left behind that had no value.

Our world is becoming too full of these kinds of stories.   Stories filled with a lack of respect for others, violence, lack of accountability, a sense of entitlement, drugs/alcohol, low self-esteem, death, rape, anger, loneliness, sadness, abuse, lack of education, jail/prison, isolation, and so many other negative things that are harmful to our society.  There are too many lives that are destroyed by those who can’t or won’t respect authority and the rules of society; at home, in school, at church, on the streets or in any other environment.  There are too many innocent people who have to suffer from the negative choices that others make.   If we all tried to follow the rules that God set before us then there would be so much less suffering in the world.

My heart wonders if you have had time yet to wish that you had heard God when he called your name.  How many others will find themselves in situations of their own making because they have chosen to rebel and ignore the concerns of their loved ones?  How can we keep those we care about from making choices that harm themselves or others when they are living outside of God’s protection?  What can we learn from these horrible stories?

        There is extreme hunger, thirst, a desperate need for shelter and personal safety…and again, a huge concern for predators intent on inflicting the horror of human trafficking/modern day slavery on the men,women and children caught in the natural disaster that is the earthquake that Haiti has suffered.  Good things are happening too, but we don’t hear as much about that…but, we need to so that those helping to make a difference see that goodness can come out of tragedy.

         But there are at least two positives that I want to point out, one is a miracle of another survivor who was found 15 days after the earthquake; a 17 year old girl, now that is a miracle!  The other positive is a pat on the back for those that I saw on a news report who have had next to nothing to eat & drink; and yet, some of those same people have been sharing with their neighbors the last of their valuable items of food and drink.  It reminded me of the old story, Stone Soup…Haiti is creating stone soup.

     For those of you who don’t remember the story of  Stone Soup; it is a story of a travelor who wanders into a village and teaches a lesson about working together and having compassion.  The travelor is hungry and has nothing to eat so he asks a woman for some food.  She denies him because she says she has nothing to give him.  The travelor has a large pot but nothing to put into it.  However, he asks the woman if he can use her fire for cooking and he goes to the well to get water for the pot he carries on his shoulder. 

        Curious, the woman asks him what he is going to cook.  He tells her stone soup.  He looks around the yard and finds a nice smooth rock.  He cleans it off and drops it into the pot of water that is heating up on the fire.  After some time, he tastes it and the woman asks him, how does it taste.  He says well, it is not done yet.  Then he mentions that normally he would add some carrots but, he doesn’t have any.  The woman’s young son says that they have a few carrots in the side garden.  The mother gives her ok to go get them and add them to the pot if he will share with her family some of his stone soup; he agrees and the child gathers the carrots to add to the pot.

       It cooks for a while, and he tastes the soup…mentions that it needs some herbs.  Of course by this time, the children are playing off to the side of the fire; and, one of the boys friends says that his mother has some wild onions growing by her picket fence and runs off to get them.  When he comes back he brings his sister who has two potatoes that she dug up just that afternoon; and his mother follows with a handful of peas that she was cleaning for supper.  Together they throw the wild onions and the chopped up potatoes into the pot as well as the peas that the woman had.  The soup is starting to smell good.  No one had ever heard of stone soup before and it wasn’t long before people were talking about it and coming to watch in case they may learn to make it for themselves.

        The first village woman had gone to her friends house to tell of the stranger and his stone soup.  Her friend says she must see this to learn how to make it as times are hard.  She tells her friend that all she has to feed her family is one dead chicken that she was plucking when her friend came to tell her of the soup.  She takes the chicken with her as she doesn’t want to lay it down on the dirty outdoor table. 

        When the women arrive the soup is sending up a lovely smell and people are starting to gather around the pot.  There were young and old alike giving their advice on what to add and how it would taste.  The pot was very large and so the woman with the chicken asks if she adds the chicken to the pot whether she could bring her family over to share the soup.  Of course says the travelor…the chicken would be a wonderful addition to the soup.  Excitement began to touch those around the fire…they started to think about what they had that could be added, for a small sample of the stone soup.

        A husband and wife happened along in their wagon coming home from the mill.  They had sacks of grain, and inside one of those sacks was some barley they were willing to share with the travelor and his pot for a portion for themselves.  Into the pot went a couple of cups of barley.   The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves about how good the stone soup would taste when it was done.

       Another added some corn, a grandmother had some rice she was willing to share, and a teenager had some beans that he had been shelling for his mother…these they added to the pot.  The travelor said it was nearly done…did anyone else have anything to share…and out of nowhere a rutabaga appeared, along with a few sticks of celery, some lentils, and a head of garlic, some green beans and a fat sausage or two.

       It wasn’t long before the stranger said it was nearly done and did anyone have some bowls to serve it with; the people began to scurry home and came back with not only bowls and spoons but hungry family members who were thankful to have a meal;  when earlier, they had no idea how they were going to find something to eat when alas, they only had an item or two to prepare.  They were all grateful that the travelor had taught them how to make Stone Soup by sharing their blessings with one another.

        This is the story of Haiti…i read a news item this week of neighbors who were sharing the last little bits they had with one another.  One woman said, today I have this to share with my neighbors and friends…tomorrow they will share with me what they have.  In this way we all shall have something to eat and drink.

        In a time when most would understand that desperation has the tendency to bring out the worst in people (and for some it does); I want to celebrate those who in their desperation are finding ways to help one another.  Whether they are sharing their food or water, trying to protect the people from human trafficking, looking for survivors, helping those grieving…or tending to the sick and dying in make shift hospitals…i want to say thank you for finding human compassion inside of yourselves and using it to help a nation trying to survive.  God bless!

Nations around the world are moved towards a sensitivity to the suffering of the Haitian people.  Money and donations of life saving supplies are poring in however, getting the supplies to the most devastated areas are difficult.  There is so much destruction and people are desparate.   Medical care is critical and people have been being treated in the street and in tents.  There is, and has been, a thin line between life and death.  

 Compassion is the fuel that moves people from merely hearing the news of the suffering and becoming involved and committed to doing what each person can to help.  Many people are giving money, some are donating their skills and talents or their time-volunteering to help the people of Haiti.  I read an article that made me question peoples awareness of their sensitivity towards others in need and their own need for a moment when life goes on in spite of what is happening around the world. 

So, it came as a bit of a surprise to read an article about a cruise ship line that stops at a port in Haiti that has made the decision to continue stopping at their destination in Haiti.  After reading about this, I couldn’t help reading the comments at the end of the article.  There were people who were for the cruise ship line continuing to stop in Haiti.  Those people were of the opinion that continuing to bring in tourists with their money would help to keep the Haitian people who were employed at the port working, providing them income during this time. 

The problem is, from what I understand of the situation is that this particular port is on the far end of the island; somewhat removed from the devastated area.  Still, those people who are employed do need jobs.  They do need income.  It was said that supplies were also carried in on the cruise ships.  I don’t know if that is true or not…but, if it is…God bless them for delivering supplies to the island.  The need is strong for medical supplies, food, water, blankets, shelter (many are homeless including the elderly and small children)…and there is a need for caregivers and adoptive families for those who are now orphans. 

Those who criticized the cruise line were of the opinion that tourists had no business partying, drinking, and living it up on the island paradise when they knew full well that human beings were starving and dying of thirst for lack of clean and healthy water just across the island in the area of Port au Prince.  The dead and the dying do not have instant access to the plenty that the cruise line passengers and those enjoying the comfort of the port.  There were comments in this section that wondered how someone could possibly eat, drink and take advantage of the activities knowing of the intense struggle for survivial just miles away.   Is it justification by saying that continuing to vacation there is bringing in money?  Or is it true and therefore ok in the opinion of the reader here?

It just got me wondering…how the human spirit who is sensitive towards those in need decides at what point, life goes on?  I mean, do you do all that you know to do to help, in your spirit and contribute what you can giving yourself permission to go about your business?  Do you just ignore the suffering?  Do you allow the situation to paralyze you and keep you from moving forward in your own life; attending to the daily issues at hand?  Is it possible to find a balance of helping through charity, volunteerism, and prayer; and, living in gratitude for the gifts or blessings in your life?   When is it ok for those who are sensitive to the needs of others in peril translate to a life goes on moment without guilt?  It is going to take a long time for recovery; hopefully, people do not forget too soon and stop acting on the behalf of those suffering who have been traumatized by this natural disaster.

 What are your thoughts as you read this blog post?

See possibly related post: http://www.writewhereyouareblog.com/heros-what-are-they-made-of/

        Cynical people who think that pastors are constantly “begging” for money from the pulpit may feel vindicated by news stories like this one about Pastor Warren’s plea for donations; but, they shouldn’t.  Churches supply a huge role in helping people, in need, in communities all around the world.  For the working poor, who often cannot get help from governmental agencies because they “earn too much money to qualify”, the local churches are a lifeline when it comes to seeing them meet the needs of families in their local communities.  Many churches have a benevolence committee or a food pantry…some even have access to donated clothing or household items that families in crisis are in need of, but can’t afford to provide their loved ones. 

         Churches are often asked to help people pay their heating bills, or help them pay their rent, give them gas money so they can get back and forth to work, provide them with groceries or money for food to feed their children.  The needs are great and becoming greater everyday with the homeforclosures, job layoffs or downsizings and with employees who lose their medical benefits and have to use their cash to provide medical needs to their dependents.

       Churches are the silent heros (as they should be) in the struggle to provide for people in need; just as Jesus commands his followers to do, in his name, in the book of Matthew.   In Matthew 25, the Bible talks about God judging on the day of judgement regarding helping those in need.    In Matthew 25 vs. 40-46, He basically says that when we give to those in need; to the hungry, the thirsty, the unclothed, those in prison,  it is as if we are giving to him and, if we do not give to those in need…it is as if we have denied him; we will be judged on whether we have been his hands and his feet in our service to others.  It can mean the difference between going to heaven or going to hell in our eternal destination. 

        It is a hard heart that sees another person suffering in need and denies them help when they have the ability to positively impact their situation.  The body of Christ, his churches, want to help…they desire to help…but, they are limited in their ability to help when they are often in the same situation as those who come and knock at the perverbial door of the church looking for assistance.   Tithing or the giving back a tenth of the blessings that God provides his people is scriptual.  We are supposed to give 1/10 of our wealth, our time, our skills-our blessings back to God…that is not much that he is requiring from us.   I have a friend who has a passion to help others…she uses her talents to provide information to those who get much of their food from food pantries or food stamp programs…she teaches them to provide healthy and filling meals from the food in those programs.  This is a link to her site as it ministers to others: http://foodstampscookingclub.com/blog/  She gives back to others out of her joy and her skills!

         God does not need our money…but tithing is an obedience that he requires from us.  He uses that obedience to him through our churches, our charities and our associations to meet the needs of the poor.  It is a tool of ministry to reach the sinners who do not believe and to help provide for those who are believers as well who are going through struggles of their own.  Are there people who will take advantage of this?  Yes, but that is why there are guidelines set up for most ministry programs so that people do not abuse this ministry outreach, in most churches.  That way, more people can receive the help and services of the church ministry programs.

         So, when people pay their tithes in church…this money helps to keep the church functioning so that it can continue to be God’s hands reaching out to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of his people.    It is wrong to sit in church, absorb all the good things that a spirit filled church provides and not give back; so those people who claim to be Christians and do not do as God commands by paying their tithes and giving of offerings…there are consequences…don’t be fooled into thinking that your obedience in this matter doesn’t count.  

            Don’t become jaded when that offering plate comes to you…or you hear a pastor asking for donations; it takes money to keep the lights on, heat the church building, pay the church staff, put gas in the church vans to bring in people who don’t have a car to drive, and minister to families in crisis,  and couples whose marriages may be in trouble.    Give of your time (volunteer), your skills, your money…your personal possessions when you have the opportunity; just because it is the right thing to do.   If you don’t have money but have a skill that would benefit others…use it to help them.  If you don’t have a skill or money but you have free time…become a volunteer and be a willing hand!

         As a worker in my own church, I see the truth in how the church reaches out and blesses it’s people, the community and those in need.  I want to do my part and be a blessing and not a curse.  How about you…are you doing your part?

Update:  http://www.writewhereyouareblog.com/his-cup-runneth-over/

          Today, Bernie Madoff the so called-mastermind of the biggest Ponzi scheme perpetuated on the world of financial investing was sentenced to 150 years behind bars for his crimes.  He actually stood before the judge and said that he was NOT asking for forgiveness; nor, was he going to be offering any excuses for his behavior.  He tried to communicate how he is shamed, and that he must live with the pain and the suffering that he has caused.   Those sentiments do not jive well with the allegations that approximately $15 million dollars of company money was allegedly transferred into his wife’s personal account when it became clear that this scheme was about to come to an end.   Good Lord…is Bernie Madoff delusional? 

           Bernie…at least Robin Hood GAVE to the poor…he didn’t steal from them!  In the stories of Robin Hood, he is forced to steal from the rich to survive and he shares his gains with those less fortunate.  He becomes a champion of those who are suffering.  In this scam, Bernie has probably gone as far away from being a champion, of the oppressed, as you can get…rich or poor, his victims do not hold him in high regard.

        Alot of the media coverage has focussed on celebrity victims and high profile people who lost fortunes with the Madoff scam.  However, the truth of the matter is…there were many average people who invested their retirement funds with him and his company.  The thing is…no one deserves to have their money stolen from them when they put their trust in a company and it’s employees to invest for them.  It isn’t about how much money people can afford to lose…investing is sometimes a gamble; however, that is dependent on the market…not on the companies who are expected to conduct themselves honestly in their financial dealings.  Is there no agency, organization, or government branch that is supposed to oversee these types of transactions; deal with complaints, and look for patterns of improper behaviors.

         A person who is ashamed of their behavior does not say something like, I am not asking for your forgiveness or offering any excuses.  When you injure another person…there needs to be words expressed that explain the circumstances… there needs to be offered, true repetence.  That is obviously not going to happen here.   Bernie Madoff stole from those, both rich and poor.   He took from his friends, his acquaintances, his clients and from complete strangers.  Bernie Madoff…let’s remember, even Robin Hood GAVE to the poor!  No one, rich or poor, deserves what this Ponzi scheme has done to them.

         For each person scammed, there is a horror story.  There is a future that was stolen.  There is a trust that will never be extended confidently again to another individual.  There are folks who have suffered terrible financial losses, personal losses, health ills, and the list goes on. 

           I think that the judge hit the nail on the head when he said, that Madoff’s crimes were “extra-ordinarily evil”.    I think that there is no better description of what took place.  There are so many questions still standing…where is the rest of the money?  Did his wife know what he did?  She worked in his same office and had financial information, since she worked on the books.   Did his sons have any involvement in the scheme?  Are there any other relatives or employees involved in the cover up that took place, for all of those years?  

          In court, it appears that a message was trying to be conveyed.  Ruth Madoff said this in a statement that was released by her attorney; I am embarassed and ashamed.  Like everyone else, I feel betrayed and confused.  The man who committed this fraud is not the man that I have known all of these years.  

           To me that sounds like a defensive move…one that is trying to say that he “wasn’t himself” or that she is trying to distance herself away from the crimes…even though she has not YET been accused of doing anything illegal.    Whether she is involved in the crime herself or not…loving the man or not; how can she continue to live in a multi-million dollar home that she shared w/her husband that was more than like paid for with the money from the lives of the very people who have lost their investments through her husband’s schemes.   Wouldn’t the guilt alone eat most people up?

         Some people say that she should get to keep some of the money since there isn’t any evidence proven so far of her involvement.   Money that was stolen from innocent people is sitting there in the bank account of the Madoffs silently mocking the words of sympathy and understanding, for the losses of all of those innocent people.    Isn’t it possible to set up a foundation which could attempt to some sort of restitution for those who have lost their life savings and could prove their investments with their company?  That would go a long way towards healing the ill will that many victims of the scheme feel towards the Madoffs.   

          Mrs. Madoff  has said that  by keeping silent all of these months…that her silence has come across as being uncaring or insensitive.   Fair or not, many have held hard feelings towards her and the rest of her family while they themselves are suffering devastating effects from their losses…Bernie’s family continues to live in environments that many would consider well off.  Surely their lives are going through changes as well…but, ill will is going to be hard for many to overcome, as they struggle to meet their most basic needs while some of the Madoff family members do not have the same concerns.

         There are rumors swirling about more arrests to come, at the end of the investigation…those however, are mere rumors.  The truth of the matter is, this is not over yet!  There is more to the story behind these events…hopefully, those responsible will be held accountable so that this can never happen again, to innocent people.   Do you know someone who was affected by this Ponzi scheme?  How has it impacted their lives?

Sandra had raised the chimpanzee for most of his 14 years of life…treating him as a member of her family.  On the day of the attack he had become quite agitated and Sandra alledgedly called her friend Charla  Nash to come and help her encourage him to come back into the home.  Instead, he attacked Charla who had recently changed her appearance.  Charla sustained grave injuries and will need many, surgeries to regain some of her health back.  She is now blind and has suffered terribly.  Her family has alledgedly sued Sandra Herold for multiple millions of dollars; I am sure they will need additional funds to help pay for all of the medical bills that Charla’s injuries have caused.  So far, no charges have been filed against Ms. Herold.   The whole situation is a horrible experience for everyone involved.  Our prayers go out to Ms. Nash and Ms Herold and all of those who had to deal with this tragedy, including the emergency responders and medical staff.   On a seperate issues…

Today, there is the  news story about the Miss California controversy.  Miss California nearly lost her crown over her answer during the pagent about her opinion regarding same sex marriages.   There was a huge outcry from some of the program administrators because they felt that she offended the gay community; as well as, they claim that she was unreachable to them during this controversy by her handlers.  After this issue, someone released pictures of Carrie Prejean when she was modeling as a teenager; she had modeled semi-nude which goes against the rules.  She supposedly did not disclose the fact that these pictures existed…someone released them to the public.

Shannon Moakler who was the co-pagent director until today, when she resigned;  she had said just yesterday that she looked forward to working with Miss Carrie Prejean, Miss California, after a huge meeting  with Donald Trump between the interested parties.

Miss Shannon Moakler is a former Miss USA; she justified her resignation by saying that she spent the night trying to make the right decision.  She feels that she can not, in good conscience, continue supporting the Miss Universe Organization when she alledgedly said she does not believe in it.  This is a big deal right now…everyone has an opinion on the subject; what’s yours?

Donald Trump made the decision yesterday to allow Carrie Prejean to keep her crown and serve as Miss California.  The decision was awaited with baited breath, because of the stance that Miss Prejean took, as a Christian, to support her belief that marriage should be reserved between a man and a woman; or as some call it, opposite sex marriage.  That is a conservative opinion that is supported by many, including our President of the United States, Barack Obama, and others.  However, there were also many who were ready to openly challenge Carrie’s right to serve as Miss California because they wish to change the legal definition of  the term, marriage.

Here in this situation, we have two women who both believe very strongly in issues which are in opposition of one another.  However, with Shannon Moakler’s resignation from her position as co-director this will have a direct affect on how Miss Prejean performs her duties.  I believe they each have a right to take a stand for what they believe and to live their lives accordingly.  However, I also believe that marriage should be reserved for a relationship between a man and a woman.  I think that Miss California worded her answer in a way that was non-judgemental and spoke honestly about her personal opinion…which is what she was asked to give.  I happen to think it takes alot of courage to speak your opinion when you know that it is possibly and unpopular one or an opinion that is not politically correct.

I do think that the question was expected to inspire a different opinion to be spoken, by whatever candidate had to answer it…and, I do not think that the answer that was given was what some people wanted to hear from that stage.  What is the old saying…never risk asking a question when you aren’t sure of the answer!

       Parvo-virus is a virus which mainly affects their digestive systems.  They get weak, they lose their appetites and they get dehydrated by getting bloody, smelly diarrhea.  I remember when a litter of our puppies had it…the vet told us to check their gums to see if their gums were a healthy pink color or, if their gums were lacking color and looking white-ish.  We lost several puppies before we knew what we were dealing with.  It cost alot of money to save the others.  It was a very helpless feeling to see them so sick and weak; it still makes me sad to think about it.  I remember one of the puppies, that I adored, couldn’t even lift his head.

       When the weather starts to warm up you may begin to see animals who are affected by the virus.  Any place that has been exposed to the parvo-virus has the ability to infect your dogs.  Your home or property can be infected from an infected dog; or, it could be contaminated by fecal matter on the bottom of someone’s shoes.   The virus has staying power and can live in an environment for up to 9 months to a year, once  that environment has been exposed.  The incubation time for symptoms to appear is generally 7-10 days.   Cleaning products are not very effective for killing the virus…however, cholorine does appear to kill the virus.   The best thing you can do for your dogs is to prevent them from getting the virus in the first place. 

        Your dogs and your puppies can be vaccinated for this virus and they should be.  Older dogs should get a vaccine once a year; puppies, need a series of shots every 3-4 weeks starting at about six weeks of age until they are  about 20 weeks old.  

        If your dog or puppy becomes listless, doesn’t want to eat or drink, or shows signs of  bloody diarrhea; then you need to seek medical care for them right away.  Treatment is usually antibiotics and IV’s to rehydrate the fluid levels of the animal, as well as keeping their body temperature at the appropriate level.  The vet must also balance the electrolytes of the dog/puppy.   Even once our puppies came home from the veternarian’s office we had to give them electrolytes; we bought packets of it from Tractor Supply stores.   In some cases, vets must give affected dogs blood transfusions.   Many dogs die from this virus; those that get immediate medical treatment stand a better chance of survival. 

        Once you have seen a dog suffering from the Parvo-virus, you will never forget it.  The devastation is horrendous…the symptoms unforgettable.  Please vaccinate your dogs for this virus so that you are not put in the position of watching your dogs suffer and die.

       Bernie Madoff made statements to the court that he is sorry, ashamed and acknowledges that he has hurt many people; he admitted his guilt.  Those statements are some of the biggest understatements ever made.  There are those who have lost their life savings, some who have allegedly committed suicide over their financial situations, others who have need of medical interventions that could save their lives…but now, cannot afford to have done, people who can’t afford to pay their rent/mortgages because of the deliberate actions of Mr. Madoff. 

       The investigations into the financial mess that Madoff has created for his investors will be ongoing.  He will be sentenced on June 16th for his admitted crimes.  His “victims” suffering will be an ongoing journey…some for life.  The family of Bernie Madoff will be investigated as well…all finances associated with Bernie Madoff will have investigators going through them looking with a magnifying glass to see if he has hidden assets with-in any of his relationships. 

         Will any of the victims see restitution of their finances?  How can someone use and abuse friends, family, clients and the general public and still manage to hold their head up…knowing the devastation that they have caused?  There are so many un-answered questions. 

          If Bernie Madoff is truly ashamed and sorry…you would think that he would cooperate with the investigators to locate the missing funds and help to restore some of that money to those that he took advantage of.  Bernie is supposedly 70 years old…he could have a whole lot of time in prison to think on the misery that he has visited upon himself, his friends, his family and the general population by doing what he did. 

         It is sad to say; but when you cause the kind of desperation, that he has caused in the lives of so many people, he is going to way better off behind bars than he would be walking in the streets, facing the people that he took advantage of.  At this moment in time, he is one of the least liked persons in the United States.  Do you know anyone who was affected by Bernie Madoff”s actions?