Zealous = Humble

Anyone who has read my blog lately knows about the razoo contest to win $10,000. In my zealousness to win, I have been adding friends and then inviting them to FHC's group as fast as I can.
I decided this morning to do a little research on FHC's new friends when someone pointed out to me the accomplishments of one those friends.
Wow, these new friends of FHC are doers, not talkers, they have accomplished a lot during the course of their lives. One of them speaks 7 languages, when you compare my bio to theirs no wonder the support for FHC comes hard. I am even having a difficult time getting verified on a site that receives donations for people and non-profits because my address on my drivers license is not the address I live it (curse of the nomad).
Although my calling is not new, answering my calling is and I can get a little over zealous at times (just ask my wife). Reading just one of FHC's new friends bio is humbling enough, reading several is very humbling.
FHC's commitment to being an ounce of prevention for the working poor of America is my calling, you'll find me in church on Sunday sitting in the pews not the pulpit, that is a different calling than mine. It took me a long time to realize the only way out of the belly of the whale was to have faith and practice obedience.
Thank you, new friends for reminding me that obedience should be my most important priority.

Prayer is the wrong application

I was having a conversation with someone in church yesterday I thought I should share.
We were talking about F.H.C. Ministries, and the poor, and he pointed out to me that he prays for the homeless and the poor everyday. I told him prayer was the wrong application, prayer is a great thing, but the wrong application in this case. See Matthew 25:35.
The Bible says to feed the hungry not pray for them.

Thanks

I was looking through all of the take actions on razoo when I came across this one - Create an appriciation and post it. I thought to myself orginally, gee this will be easy, I'll just write a short thank you to my wife and be done.
My wife is my rock, when things get crazy and I need a little focus, she always comes through, she is smart, witty, a nut case sometimes, and a joy to be with, a blessing for me by all rights.
It can’t just end there I know I have left many things go unappreciated for a long time.
I thank God for His Son and the restoration of my soul.
I thank God for listening and answering my prayers even when I forget to pray sometimes.
I thank God for the countless blessing He has given me.
I thank my wife for her support and love!
I thank my children for their patience.
I thank my Dogs for my daily licks.
I thank Denny for being there when I needed it.
I thank the Eagle for being there when I needed it.
I thank Jim, Jerry, Scott, Julie, Cindy, Cherly, John, Terry, Mike, Leon and the countless number of other people that have come into or been a part of my life. Everyone brought something to table and I walked away blessed from every encounter and some are still blessing me today.

Apathy

My wife and I were discussing how we were going to raise the funds we need to get the ball rolling with F.H.C.
She was thinking and talking about how a few years ago she raised close to $1000.00 to help a cat that got left behind find it's way back to it's owner's. She did this in under 3 months, so far, to date, F.H.C. has raised $234.00 dollars. The media (local TV station) loved her cause and put it on the air in just the first two weeks, so far, to date, no media outlet will talk to me about the homeless. If poverty was cute would you help me stop someone from becoming homeless, that is my goal.
One person at a time, one day at a time we can set aside our fear, our loathing, and remember that Christ said we are to take care of each other, He gave us dominion over the animals, and commanded us to love one another and take care of each other.

We have an opportunity win $10,000 for our organization which will completely solve the problem of where to get funding for our 501c3

We can do it! You can help! (It's easy, it's free and you'll DO GOOD!

A group with the unlikely name of razoo is holding a Change the World contest:
Razoo is an innovative new web platform that is actively engaging individuals and organizations to mobilize a new generation for social change. At Razoo, we are putting all our resources behind our mission of empowering and inspiring individuals for positive social change - and to celebrate our initial Launch, we are hosting a $10,000 contest for organizations to help us build a global community for social change!

Contest Details

Who: non-profits and other social cause groups
What: A $10,000 prize your organization can win
Why: To create awareness, community, and action around important social issues
When: August 1st - September 15th
How: Create a Razoo Group and recruit at least 100 members to join by September 15th and you will be eligible to win the $10,000 prize!

The Change Your World Contest is an opportunity for social change organizations and groups to win $10,000 and publicity for your work! Any social change organization that creates a Razoo Group and recruits at least 100 members to join by September 15th will be entered into the Change Your World Contest. The Razoo community will then vote for its favorite organization to select the winner of the contest. The prize is a $10,000 donation to your organization, and a high-profile online campaign built around your issues and work!

What can you do to help? (step by step instructions)

Create your new account now and join F.H.C. Ministries Razoo Family
Sign Up at http://beta.razoo.com and...you have to respond to the confirmation e-mail...

2) Then join our group: http://beta.razoo.com/causes/preventing_homelessness_alleviating_poverty_in_the_united_states

(You can find us by typing FHC in the What's your passion? search bar, but we've made it easy for you to find by providing the link.) click here and join our group.

3) Then...from the razoo web site, invite at least one other person to join!

There! It's easy, it's free and YOU DID GOOD!

6 Questions

I just read an article called 6 Questions To Ask Charities Before Donating.

It is a good article and you should question yourself before you give to a charity. Even F.H.C.

I would like to address those 6 questions.

1. Can your charity clearly communicate who they are and what they do?
Yes we believe we have done so, however, if you disagree please eMail us any questions you have and we will be happy to answer them. You will find our who / what / how on our website at F.H.C. Ministries.

2. Can your charity define their short-term and long-term goals? We believe we have, but just in case.
Our Short Term Goals:
Develop F.H.C. Ministries Web Site. Done - It is evolving, but it is done.
Raise the funds necessary to establish our 501c3 letters of incorporation. Still in Progress
Raise the funds necessary to purchase some much needed initial supplies and equipment. Still in Progress
Help those we can as we become aware of their needs. 6 Requests for help - 4 Served.
Networking, volunteering and shaking hands. Ongoing Process
Our Long Term Goals:
Raise the funds necessary to give local communities the funds they need in order to address the issues and causes in their own communities as they see fit.
Teach Right Living Courses
Teach How to get the un-churched back in Church.
Spread the word about the benefits of just being a good neighbor.
Major Long Term Goal:
To not be needed anymore.

3. Can your charity tell you the progress it has made (or is making) toward its goal?
Yes, we have decided to not only make this information available by request as the law requires, we will post this information on our website as we go.
Currently F.H.C. Ministries has raised $60.00 that money was put into our Internet hosting costs. All other monies approximately $2600.00 at this point and time have come from me (Reverend Thomas) as I continued to work full time while praying and letting God develop F.H.C.
We are now on the road and I no longer have a full time job. We are obedient and the rest is in God's hands as well as yours.
We are still dedicated to not asking local groups, churches or individuals to making any donation to us that would interfere with any tithing ministry. Do not donate to us if you have doubt in us or what we are doing.

4. Do your charity's programs make sense to you?
That is a question you have to ask yourself, do you believe in what we are doing?

5. Can you trust your charity?
That is a question you should ask God, pray first give second, something we already discussed on the website.

6. Are you willing to make a long-term commitment to your organization?
We hope the answer is yes, because your long term commitment to us, is a long term commitment to American Workers.

Lies and Myths about Poverty in America

Most poor people are not black or brown. Most poor people are white. They are disproportionately young, female and single.

This is a quote from Jesse Jackson in the Chicago Tribune. The article can be found here: America has poor excuse for poverty.

This article is a great read. It helps dismiss more myths and lies about poverty in America. I have read many.

There would be no poverty if the mother would marry the fathers of their children is lie I read.
There would be no poverty if the lazy people would just get a job is a lie.
There would be no poverty if .........

Poverty is an ugly beast with many heads. Poverty in America, with all it's indulgences, bling, excess, and wealth is an insult to American Citizens. Instead of running from someone who is homeless you should feel shame for America. Instead of fussing at your co-workers about the bum on the corner you should bring him a meal.

If you want real wealth in your life, give up what you have. God does not want you to live without, He wants you to live abundantly. He will get you a new coat if you only had one to give. He will replace the food in your cupboards if you empty them for your neighbor.

Real wealth comes from being right with God. Not right with yourself, your neighbor, your boss, or anyone else for that matter.

A friend told me a story once I am going to share with you. He said "why don't the homeless and poor just ask God to solve their problems"? I told him they did, just a lot of people are not listening to God's still small voice and passing out the abundance God has for them.

That's really how God works, through us. He speaks to us, He offers us opportunities, He guides us and leads so that we are always in the right place, in the right time, doing the right thing. That is if we listen to Him.

How is your listening skill?

Poverty is looking good! or The Road To Ninevah

I have had several conversations with friends and family and they all say the same thing. All the facts and figures on our website are boring and hard to read.

They encourage me to make poverty fun?

• Ok, fine, who wants to hear all about the starving children in America?
• Who wants to hear about the blue collar worker who can’t pay his light bill because his daughter’s medical bills from her cancer are killing him?
• Who wants to hear another preacher tell us to cough up some cash, feed the hungry, and love one another? I mean did you see that idiot cut me off on the highway the other day.

I could take the time to repeat all the things I have said on my website, but you know what, you take one look and poof you are gone. So I won’t.

You want to make poverty a fun and exciting topic at the dinner table? I will tell you how.

• Take the kids to Miami for a week at Disney land. But stay for two, during the second week, go to the grocery store, buy a bunch of groceries, take your grill to a park or someplace all the homeless people are and feed some folks that are hungry, shake a few hands, hear a few stories, WALK AWAY BLESSED! Oh and by the way if you don’t get arrested (and you might because it is illegal in the city of Miami to feed the homeless) think of all the stories you will have to share. Guess what grandma, while we were at Disney Land, Mommy and Daddy got arrested.
• Spoil yourself one day next week, spend a night on the town, sleep in a shelter, it’s free, comes with blankets and food, you might make a new friend.
• Toss one of those bags for the local food pantries in your shopping cart every time you buy some groceries for you.

The truth is this: Poverty will only become fun and exciting when it’s gone. The only way that is going to happen if you make it happen, not someone else. You are the support staff the soldier in the trenches need. You are source of income for the soldiers fighting in this war.

Maybe I have not given you a reason to support F.H.C. Ministries yet, we are young, we could be just another group trying to use poverty has an excuse to make money. I won’t bore you with more statistics. I only have one last comment.

I have been running from my calling for years, and I know that God has given a wide enough view on things to scare me good and hard. I will be obedient to His call, and since this is His idea, it’ a done deal, with or without you. I thank Him for that. Everyday is a blessing since I have been released from my whale. The road to Nineveh is my path.

Our first squidoo

We just created our first squidoo. It's about President Johnson's declaration of war on poverty in America. Check it out and I hope you enjoy it.

New Web Site Editions

We have just added a web board to our site. We did this so we can continue to find as many ways to communicate with you as possible. You can visit our board at http://fhcministries.proboards52.com/ have fun. We look forward to keeping in touch with you.

Jesus has been declared an outlaw and criminal in Orlando, FL

That's right, the city of Orlando, FL, home of Disney Land, has declared Jesus an outlaw and all Christians as well, read the story for yourself.

Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry! The city of Orlando and several other major cities as well has made it against the law to do so.

I am currently emailing the local major of these cities, and or there local paper. I will let you know what they say.

In the meantime, keep your dollars out of these cities. Dallas has Six Flags, Don't Go, Orlando has Disney Land, Don't Go.

Better yet, break the law and bring a homeless person a sandwich and some love from our heavenly Father.

If you see sign like this email them to me. I will post them, the city, the mayor and everything else I can post about it.

A New way to help

We have just added two new features to our web site and blog. First we have an eNews(letter) coming out in March, so if you don't want to miss the first issue or any issue, sign up today. We use the double verification method to insure that you signed up, not that someone signed up for you. We also added a brochure to website that we would appreciate any help with that you can give us. Just download the brochure, make as many photo copies of it you can and pass it around to your friends and family. Thanks!
I have not mentioned my thoughts on the "new" minimum wage yet. It's a joke! Why? today's dollar is actually worth $2.00 less than it was when President Johnson declared war on poverty. So a $2.00 dollar increase will only bring us up to 1964 standards of living.

Not a Foreign Affairs Office

I would like to address the 3 out of 5 emails I have been getting lately. The calling God placed on my heart was to fight in this war against poverty in America. Blue Collar Poverty in America even more specifically.
I appreciate and respect the hundreds of missionaries all across the world and keep you in my daily prayers.
Do not ask FHC for help if you are not serving the needs of American's I can't help. My calling is different than yours.
Next nasty email I get from one you. I will post it here on my blog.

Did Jesus Lie To You, No, Of Course Not!

My wife and I were joking around and chatting, when we started talking about a serious subject but in a very funny perspective. I think everyone should here this.

Do you know how many people call Jesus a liar everyday, I don't either but I bet it's a lot more than most people think.

Think about this: You just answered the alter call, for the first 10 to 15 minutes down at the alter you feel great. You know you have been forgiven, your sins are all washed away and now your a prince or princess, the son or daughter of the Greatest King, God, the Heavenly Father.

You go home, you look around, your in need of some blessings, but before you stop to pray for those blessings you start feeling guilty about the sins you were just given forgiveness for. You decide that you are not worthy to ask so you stop and go about your day feeling guilty. Well, guess what? You just called Jesus a liar and let the devil sneak in and ruin the whole thing for you. God has forgotten all your sins, your acceptance of His Son and His Son's sacrifice just erased your past, the one who won't let go is you. God wants to bestow His gifts on you, He wants to give you your inheritance, you are after all now, a prince or princess and one of God's children.

That's arrogance my friends, that pride talking, that's the devil slipping in and whispering in your ear, see Jesus lied to you, you still feel guilty. Your not worthy.

Jesus said to go boldly to the Father and ask. Jesus said you can't get to the Father except through Him, but since you made that alter call, and you accepted Christ's sacrifice and the Father's gift of forgiveness, you just got that free pass to God.

So go and ask, be bold, talk to your brother Jesus, spend some time chatting away, remember your in, your one of "them" now, heck, your one of "us" now, your the son or daughter of the most powerful King ever, one with no limits to what He can do. Your a prince or a princess.

Stop Poverty In America Petition

It has come to my attention that a petition to end poverty in Africa and other foreign countries is a hot new item. I don't believe that anyone should go hungry. However, I believe we should start here, at home, in America first.
It seems to me that foreign aid is a bandwagon that the rich and famous want everyone to jump on. Billions of Blue Collar consumer dollars have already financed the private endeavors of many private foreign aide projects of the Rich and Famous. In as much as these Rich and Famous choose to invest American Consumer Dollars in rescuing the improvised of the world, let our American Tax Dollars be spent at home.
Let's end poverty in America! Let’s send a message to congress, that we want the grant monies set aside for poverty issues, health care, human rights and human affairs to stay in America, and be reinvested in the Health and Welfare of American Citizens!
This band wagon is painted red, white and blue.
To sign this petition please follow this link. Thank You! Rev T

My Apologies

It seems the contact form on our website has been sending the forms to an e mail address that we set up as a catch all address and I have missed a couple of contacts.
I am very sorry, we have addressed the issue of where the contact form goes. I will contact the folks I missed immediately. I am very sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused anyone. RevT

PAF - Patient Advocate Foundation - Can't Help

Here we go again, another non-profit organization, designed to help people with lots of if statements.
This client of F.H.C. ministries is looking for help. She has issues that a Patient Advocate could be of great help and major importance.
But of course you have to have a qualifying ailment or disability. It makes me wonder how many people they just send a "book" to. I have not been able to get them on the phone, nor have I been able to locate their financial statements on line to determine how they spend their money and if they have money to spend on patients rights.
I believe in naming my source and backing up what I have said with evidence. I have always used links to the bad guys when I blog them. Below here is the e-mail they sent our F.H.C. Client.
Just the other day we received a call from someone who just got out of the hospital looking for prescription assistance. We only asked what the medications are, checked the Walmart $4.00 dollar list and purchased the medications for the client. That is patient advocacy. Get them what they need so they can go back to work and provide for their family without a lot of strings and ho hums.
I need a Texas Lawyer with a background in employee rights to contact me immediately. Let's help this client instead of telling her what can't be done.

Patient Advocate Foundation wrote: From: "Patient Advocate Foundation"
To: NAME WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES
Subject: RE: PAF CONTACT FORM - Case Manager Request
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 10:53:35 -0500

Thank you for contacting Patient Advocate Foundation. Patient Advocate
Foundation is a national non-profit organization that serves as an active
liaison between the patient and their insurer, employer and/or creditors to
resolve insurance, job retention and/or debt crisis matters relative to
their diagnosis through case managers, doctors and attorneys. Patient
Advocate Foundation seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation
assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their
financial stability.

Unfortunately your diagnosis does not fall within the scope of our services
and we are unable to provide adequate assistance. You may want to visit
www.patientadvocate.org and click on the resources tab to view our
publication Your Guide to the Disability Process. This book will guide you
through the entire disability process.

Please refer to our website www.patientadvocate.org for additional resources
that may benefit you. From our home page, click on Money Matters under
resources at PAF.' Choose the "State by State Financial Resource Guide."
Select your state if you wish to see what resources are available. You can
also view resources available that are national and governmental.

We wish you the best. Take care.

Sincerely,
Patient Services



-----Original Message-----
From: NAME WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2006 4:47 PM
To: help@patientadvocate.org
Subject: PAF CONTACT FORM - Case Manager Request


First:
Last:
I am a: Patient
My Issue: access_to_care
Diagnosis: bipolar 2
Email:
Address:
Address:
Phone#:
City:
State:
Zipcode:
Message: I need a lot of help. I am having trouble with my Social Security
Disability application. I am having trouble with the forms. I am having a
lot of trouble with a denial of disability insurance benefits under ERISA.
I have an EEOC complaint against my employer, as well as a COBRA violation.
I am very overwhelmed and can't handle all the forms and only vaguely
understand the laws. I can't even use the co-pay assistance
because I don't have a doctor office to have medication delivered to unless I have my insurance active. I
don't know where to start getting help.

Not A Fan

I am not a fan of Walmarts, I do my best not to shop there, and I encourage others not to. I don't encourage the employees to file frivolous law suits. If the employees of Walmarts wish to see effective changes made by their employer than they have to let the people's sympathy for their plight continue to work in their favor.
You can make a difference in Walmarts attitude, especially right now during the holidays, shop somewhere else. I realize that not everyone can afford to shop somewhere else, but, if you can avoid going to Walmarts even one time less a month it will make a difference. My wife and I do shop there, it is the only place we can find a particular dog food that our dog will eat, at $7.84 a bag, twice a month, that's were we buy it. We also shop at Walmarts for our prescription needs, they have $4.00 prescriptions that you can't beat price wise. Get your prescriptions filled at Walmarts. While this lasts.
I know this sounds like I went from don't shop to do shop, let me do the math for you. We spend approximately $50.00 a month there. That is a huge difference in what we used to spend there. We buy our groceries and gas at Kroger's and this month that was $300.00 so far. We have spent $300.00 on Christmas presents of which none were bought at Walmarts, and we spend another $200.00 to $400.00 a month on business, personal, and other necessities, all of which could be bought at Walmarts. Of the $950.00 we have spent this month, $50.00 and only $50.00 went to Walmarts. That is how you make a difference, spend your money else where. Buy your prescription drugs at Walmarts, you can't beat $4.00 for a months supply. Buy everything else, somewhere else. Let Walmarts know how you feel about the way they treat their employees and the long..............long...............lines, the rude managers, the blocked aisles, and the other hundreds of reasons by taking your money else where.

Trample the poor with horses.

Here you go. If you can't get those blue collar workers to work for minimum wage, trample them with your mounted police. You heard me take them down with your horses.
Well that's what the city of Houston did. Read this article, let me know if you share in my outrage.
"The Houston janitors continue to get attacked viciously, this time through legal means, for standing up for their economic welfare. At first they were trampled by horses, then they were arrested and mistreated in jail, and now bail is set at a ridiculous level so the 44 people arrested can't pay it." This is a direct quote, the first paragraph of this article.
I hope everyone is aware of the hidden truth, they don't want to increase the wages of those people because it would mean that the CEO of that company might have to forgo the planned outrageous raise he / she had planned for themselves, or, heaven forbid, a salary cut.
I have an idea Mr. / Mrs. CEO, pay them a living wage, honestly, you will get to work in the same amount of time in a stock factory car as you would in your Bentley. Sell the Bentley buy yourself a nice Chevy, Ford, Dodge, off of the lot. Pass the savings on to your employee's.
I hold nothing against you if you live better than your employee's. You worked hard to start your business. Do you really need to make a thousand times more than your employee's. Buy a good house, leave the million dollar homes for rot. Take care of your people and I bet your business will boom even bigger.

A Texan Helping Texans

I meet John Fenner today. He has a mission of his own, he is trying to raise $10,000 by December 2007 to donate to the American Cancer society. I know this is not an American Blue Collar Poverty issue. It is a ministry and I respect anyone fighting the good fight.
One thing each and every one of us can do to support people fighting the good fight is to share this information with as many people as possible. If you have a web blog, link to them, if you have a web page link to them. Links across the world wide web help increase your traffic for both your site and the person you are linking to. You can take that a step further and not only link to them but bookmark them in your favorites and visit their site often.
John is trying to raise his money by selling autographed memorabilia on e-bay, and his prices are low. His first auction is for an autographed chair that belonged to Stone Cold Steve Austin. You can visit this auction here. John has the starting bid at only $100.00 start your bidding.
The link A Texan Helping Texans is John's Blog, go ahead and visit his blog and meet this noble man, with a noble cause.