Angels Take Many Forms......

[revtimothybland]

I would like to take the time to put a few things out in the open, as recent events have proven to me that ordinary Human Beings have the potential to be both Angels.......and Demons.

It started in Oct, when I was suspended from my job. It not only wasn't my fault, but my manager fought to keep me from BEING suspended in the first place; it was the owner's decision, and he threatened my manager's job as well as mine if he didn't suspend me. My wife and I decided it was time to get away, and move down to DeFuniak Springs Fl. But first, we were going to stop in Bay Minette AL in order to visit her family, my inlaws I never met.

We spent Oct to Jan in Bay Minette do to the fact that we had no money, job market was scarce, and the aunt in DeFuniak we were going to go see died shortly after we got Bay Minette; we never got to meet her, and she was so looking foward to it. Around the first of Jan, we had to leave, and our cousin in DeFuniak really wanted us to come down. Before we left, I was physically assualted for no reason by another of my wife's cousins. Now I believe in turn the other cheek, but he had already threatened me before with a knife, so I felt my life in danger. I came away with a busted lip, but he ended up with several cracked ribs; I know because I felt them buckle under my fist. We left the next day, and since I called the cops on him first, they didn't care that his ribs were in pain.

We made it to DeFuniak and spent a week with the other cousin I mentioned. Then we had to move again, because he was about to lose his mother's (the aunt I mentioned who passed on) house we were in. It was a stupid situation that we could have helped him fix, but he left the next day, left his cell phone so we could call people, and threatened to call the cops if we weren't out by that night. We couldn't get anyone to help us until the next day, so we gathered our thirteen heavy bags of clothes and books and started walking, hoping to get to a shelter, which was two miles away. We made it a tenth of a mile before my wife's seizure disorder started to kick in.

I called 911 and we were taken to the hospital. We got to stay the night, and when the nurses heard of our plight, they did everything they could; called churches, which sent out a person to help us with two nights in a hotel and a meal at a local buffet, and they were able to pitch in $15 to help us out.

From the hotel, we used the internet (we still have my wife's laptop) to find out about palces, and ended up at an outreach store called The Matrix, which works kind of like Goodwill. They helped us get a temporary place at another church, as well as the use of their wi-fi to find jobs. We've been here a week. We are moving in with a couple that we met that really enjoys our company, so we can have a permanent address, I have multiple jobs oportunities that I put in for, and we help out around The Matrix, and will continue to do so as long as we live in DeFuniak Springs.

So while we've met a fair amount of Demons in our journey, we've met many, many Angels. Pray our luck continues, as we keep doing, and keep this story at heart when you run across the occasional Human Demon. Angels DO exist. And we're always with you.

NOTE: I'll update our progress on the job market and living situation as soon as we have new news.

[Brother Kaman]

Let me begin by saying I read your post titled, "Who is Right and Who is Wrong?" on a different thread and I agree with it. At the same time, people tend to believe that people are Angels or heroes when they are only doing what any self respecting human being would do for another. When a child is being swept away in a river and a man who knows how to swim leaps into the water and saves the child, he is hailed a hero when in fact he was only doing what he felt any man, under the same circumstances, would do and would tell anyone who asked that he was no hero at all. Has our society come to the point where someone doing what they are supposed to do as a human being must be hailed as a hero or an Angel? If I were the lone survivor of a bus or plane accident and said, "God was sure looking out after me that day!" what does that say about all those that God was apparently not looking out after that died on the bus or plane? Or is that the Old Testament God that would kill many to make a point to a few?

I am glad that people had the heart to do what they were supposed to do in order to render you aid in your time of need but I find it difficult to believe they were Angels or Demons. Good luck and I hope you find work and shelter you can call your own soon.

[Bro. Hex]

On the other hand, I rather like revtimothy's "characterization"

of many of the people we encounter in this life as being "angels' or "demons".

Do not misunderstand me; I do not think that such characterizations

are appropriate for "most" of the people we encounter in life. They are not.

Most of us are admixtures of good and bad. We are thoroughly "grey"...

but every so-often there comes along a person who has clearly gone over

to one side or the other. And for such people as these, "angels or demons"

is not a bad descriptor.

This is not to suggest that there are not "real" angels or "real" demons "out there... somewhere"

There might be such. But for most of us, the only angels or demons that we will encounter

in this life... will look just like us.

And one other thing... I mean no disrespect to Brother Kaman, but I cannot agree

that the "hero" in his example is really "no hero at all". And I am not sure that I can agree

that "he was only doing what he felt any man, under the same circumstances, would do".

That may be the case. It may not.

I don't think it matters at all whether the rescuer thinks his action was heroic.

I THINK his action was heroic. Perhaps that's because I have a much lower opinion

of what "any man" might do ...or choose not to do... in any given circumstance.

A hero is a hero, regardless of whether or not he (or she) thinks so.

We need heroes in this life.

We need to be able to believe in the fundamental "goodness of man".

It is our occasional, though perhaps rare, encounter with a genuine hero that helps us to carry on.

And speaking of the courage to carry on, revtimothybland,

I wish you and your brave wife good fortune,

and kind encounters during your search for a home and a job.

[Brother Kaman]

Rather than believe in the fundamental "goodness of man," we should live as fundamentally good men.

[Bro. Hex]

Rather than believe in the fundamental "goodness of man,"

we should live as fundamentally good men.

I can't argue with your "prescription for living", Bro. Kaman.

In fact, I like it.

But why must it be "Either/Or" ??

.....Why not "Both/And"???

Edited January 15, 2012 by Hexalpa

[revtimothybland]

I thank you all for your comments, first and foremost. I knew that the way I said it might spark some friendly debate, so allow me to put in some more clarification on WHY I used those characterizations:

No one here is really wrong in their respective opinions. All are valid. My reasoning for the characterization is that we, as a society, have become so complacent with being "grey" that we lose sight of what it means to be "angelic". No, this doesn't mean that those of us who do good whenever and wherever they can are true angels, but it does mean that they are closer to the light than most of us, and we should all aspire to live such a life, as Brother Kaman sugested we should. But some have fallen to darker paths, and are closer to "demonic" than "angelic". This doesn't mean that they are real demons, but instead that they are farther from the light than they need to be, and should aspire to become more "angelic". Also, because of our complacency to be "grey", we tend to hail those who only did what they felt was right as heroes or angels because we've lost that ability to see that we can ALL be like that.

As for your sympathies, I appreciate it, and so does my wife (who REALLY liked that you called her "brave", Hexalpa, so thank you for lightening her day a bit), and I'll continue to provide updates as soon as they arrive.

Also, Brother Kaman, I appreciate that you enjoyed my little mini-sermon there, and to anyone else who reads it, if you want to discuss it, come right here. I didn't come up with the analogy on my own, I got it from my Nocturnal Witchcraft book written by Konstantinos, but I DID expand upon it to turn it into a mini-sermon because I agreed with it. This is hereby my disclaimer on that, incase anyone recognizes it and tries to berrate me for it.

Edited January 16, 2012 by revtimothybland

[Atwater Vitki]

"Religion is for those who don't want to go to Hell; Spirituality is for those who've already been through it." -Unknown

I like your signature Rev. Bland, sure hits home with many folks I'm sure.

I can ditto what has been said above and that under the circumstance you and your wife are both brave souls, trekking out into uncertain future with even less certain outcomes. I can add a long list of angels and demons to the list from the five months I spent homeless, hungry and all but given up on Life some 35 years ago now. But in the end, of course looking back, I wouldn't change that portion of my life if I had the power to do so. It was one of the pivotal parts of my Life. I didn't even realize the ways and manners I had grown until years later because through that whole ordeal I learned things that I still hold as core values today.

That is why today when I see and "angel" I voice my happiness and congratulate them; it could be a father teaching his children values or a young person helping a little ol' lady across a busy street, doesn't matter. I also express my angst with the "demons" in life as well which could be as simple as a parent ignoring an unruly child or a husband mistreating his wife, doesn't matter. The point is that as Spiritual People experiencing a physical Life we can only make changes to what we acknowledge.

I sincerely hope you find some courage and support from the rest of us here and please, please do, keep us informed of your progress and victories. And don't forget to hug that ever so brave wife every chance you get!

Blessings of Peace,

[Jaybee]

Rev. Bland -

I wish you and your wife every possible blessing on your journey - I know you will succeed !

You are both in my prayers !

Be strong ! God Bless.

John.

[Brother Kaman]

On the other hand, I rather like revtimothy's "characterization"

of many of the people we encounter in this life as being "angels' or "demons".

Do not misunderstand me; I do not think that such characterizations

are appropriate for "most" of the people we encounter in life. They are not.

Most of us are admixtures of good and bad. We are thoroughly "grey"...

but every so-often there comes along a person who has clearly gone over

to one side or the other. And for such people as these, "angels or demons"

is not a bad descriptor.

This is not to suggest that there are not "real" angels or "real" demons "out there... somewhere"

There might be such. But for most of us, the only angels or demons that we will encounter

in this life... will look just like us.

And one other thing... I mean no disrespect to Brother Kaman, but I cannot agree

that the "hero" in his example is really "no hero at all". And I am not sure that I can agree

that "he was only doing what he felt any man, under the same circumstances, would do".

That may be the case. It may not.

I don't think it matters at all whether the rescuer thinks his action was heroic.

I THINK his action was heroic. Perhaps that's because I have a much lower opinion

of what "any man" might do ...or choose not to do... in any given circumstance.

A hero is a hero, regardless of whether or not he (or she) thinks so.

We need heroes in this life.

We need to be able to believe in the fundamental "goodness of man".

It is our occasional, though perhaps rare, encounter with a genuine hero that helps us to carry on.

And speaking of the courage to carry on, revtimothybland,

I wish you and your brave wife good fortune,

and kind encounters during your search for a home and a job.

Why do we need "heroes?" Cannot you or I (don't worry about what anyone else is doing) find the fundamental goodness within ourselves and act accordingly? The writers of HIGH NOON had Gary Cooper saying, "A man gotta do what a man gotta do," and that about sums it up.