tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post6747842003191364801..comments2024-03-27T03:25:08.267-07:00Comments on Life in the Shoe: An Odd but Divine MomentDorcashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07050605764466835485noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-29989700648302889372022-08-08T19:35:03.322-07:002022-08-08T19:35:03.322-07:00I really appreciated your thought -“What they say ...I really appreciated your thought -“What they say they need, what we think they need, and what they actually need”. <br />You’ve obviously got some experience that we can learn from. <br />Would you be willing to share some more tips the Lord has taught you in understanding who to help, when to help, and how to help?<br />I know there are many times we try to “fix” broken people, broken situations, and end up just wearing ourselves out and not helping them at all.<br />Too often we end up enabling them in their self destructive ways instead of helping them out of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-76162038198148999032022-07-29T10:50:01.790-07:002022-07-29T10:50:01.790-07:00Wonderful devotional for today- made Ed take his h...Wonderful devotional for today- made Ed take his head out of his book and listen as I read this out loud. God bless you!Cynthia Zirkwitzhttps://www.organicgranny.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-64366377472977889012022-06-24T08:28:25.814-07:002022-06-24T08:28:25.814-07:00I think you were right on by setting boundaries in...I think you were right on by setting boundaries in the moment. When we want to help someone, there are three tricky and sometimes mutually exclusive considerations to balance: What they say they need, what we think they need, and what they actually need, which we can't always know because we're passing by and don't actually know anything about this person. Example: I work for an agency that houses formerly homeless individuals. I recognize some tenants flying signs off our property and representing themselves as currently homeless. What they're asking for is cash; what well-meaning passers-by give them is socks and granola bars; what they actually need is a harder push toward MI/CD resources than the Fair Housing Act allows us to give. I'm not saying that this is the case for everyone who's flying a sign or in need of help; this is just an example of how little we might know about the person we've known for five seconds. Brava for providing comfort in the moment (the meetable need) and engaging someone who might better understand the needs you don't know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-35741269616849738122022-06-20T09:09:18.161-07:002022-06-20T09:09:18.161-07:00Been there! Many times. I try to take notes in my ...Been there! Many times. I try to take notes in my head so I can write it down later, because the rambling is usually so unique to the person and tells you so much about them.Dorcashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07050605764466835485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-82554434037325824732022-06-20T09:08:26.005-07:002022-06-20T09:08:26.005-07:00Interesting about swear words. I noticed this with...Interesting about swear words. I noticed this with my kids' college friends from other countries who learned their vernacular English from other college kids. <br />I am good at anxiety but somehow I've never thought of all your questions when I'm listening to someone! I hope you cultivate this gift because, like you say, we all love to be listened to!Dorcashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07050605764466835485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-39260414297434458222022-06-20T09:05:33.669-07:002022-06-20T09:05:33.669-07:00I love that song.
I love that song.<br />Dorcashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07050605764466835485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-12982709247240186942022-06-20T09:05:17.295-07:002022-06-20T09:05:17.295-07:00I've learned that we each have our callings, a...I've learned that we each have our callings, and you can't foist a calling onto someone else. I do hope Mr. Ukraine-fundraising helps Monika, but I can't judge him if he feels called to invest in Ukraine.<br />And yes, the story ends with Monika not being helped in any substantial way. I've had too many years of taking on everyone's burdens and getting thoroughly burned out. Now I am better at doing what I can in the moment and trusting God to take it from there.<br />I got only a glimpse of her story, and I have a lot of questions. Why is she estranged from her daughters? what if she reached out to them?<br />I think I was meant to be only a small part of her story, but we'll see what happens.Dorcashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07050605764466835485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-26195732822857592642022-06-17T11:13:42.817-07:002022-06-17T11:13:42.817-07:00^ the really tough thing is the people who want to...^ the really tough thing is the people who want to be listened to, but are so boring you just about start crying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-36343228130959660632022-06-17T11:04:26.493-07:002022-06-17T11:04:26.493-07:00Thank you so much for publishing this. Incidental...Thank you so much for publishing this. Incidentally swear words might not have anywhere near the same punch in one's head if it's a second language, and if you spend time around native speakers who punctuate their speech with easy repetitive swear words, and if you're frustrated with things in general and also the language itself as you speak it, I think it's easy for those words to almost become your 'ums' and 'likes'! Not necessarily in that particular lady's case of course. <br /><br />I wanted to say thank you for publishing this because it's made me realize that I think I have some of that same ability to listen, but I've never noticed it and definitely haven't thought of it as a positive, probably because of listening to silly anxiety in my head- 'what if they think you're nosy? What if they think you're not actually interested? What if you're enabling off-putting rambling that isn't helping them? What if they tell you something they regret later and you're actually manipulative?'. I think I can maybe laugh at or dismiss some of that now! I always love being listened to so it's probably not that complicated!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-39815960625581118842022-06-15T17:34:46.924-07:002022-06-15T17:34:46.924-07:00I have found that people are so open to prayer! Th...I have found that people are so open to prayer! They may never in their life have heard anyone pray for them by name!Karennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-17727736492181767802022-06-14T16:11:42.507-07:002022-06-14T16:11:42.507-07:00Love this story. And the image of a coin in your c...Love this story. And the image of a coin in your cupped hand. God uses all our efforts, I believe - we have a song in our hymnal called "Nothing is lost on the breath of God" which tells of all the little things gathered and known by God. Margohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345165456341197559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-58365015154961246152022-06-14T13:10:22.625-07:002022-06-14T13:10:22.625-07:00I had to think about this for a bit before I left ...I had to think about this for a bit before I left a comment. What struck me first was the sad dynamic of a person working so hard to gather "help" for Ukraine, while a neighbor a few steps away suffers and no one helps. Now, I know Monika is probably so prickly that she has probably made it difficult for anyone to help her. Still, I think sometimes our priorities get screwed up.<br />Secondly, and I'm trying to put this so you don't think I'm criticizing you or the prayers of your community...but the story basically ends with Monika...not helped. Is it your responsibility to make sure every needy person you meet is helped by you personally? Of course not. Still, it seems like you were led to Monika for a reason. I really do hope your encounter with her and her neighbor leads to positive things for Monika. Lisa :-]https://www.blogger.com/profile/02237889098638895390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-87082977487328793642022-06-14T11:55:19.307-07:002022-06-14T11:55:19.307-07:00Beautiful divine appointment!Beautiful divine appointment!Jeanie Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12125188322097493236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-36776943868672482222022-06-14T08:12:57.231-07:002022-06-14T08:12:57.231-07:00Dorcas, because you wrote about this experience mo...Dorcas, because you wrote about this experience more prayers are being said for Monika, including mine. You not only blessed her, but you’ve shown me and others how faith can work in ordinary life. Thank you for being an inspiration through your eloquent writing. Pattynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11022879.post-13511750885699794892022-06-14T05:27:13.125-07:002022-06-14T05:27:13.125-07:00There are no coincidences! God knew what Monika ne...There are no coincidences! God knew what Monika needed, and knew who would respond. I love stories like this because they remind me that we are known, we are loved, and we are provided for. Thank you for being a good listener, that is a much needed talent in this world.Rozy Lasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06019413665136390175noreply@blogger.com