RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their cart?
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 10:23:11 AM
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doinkdom
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wow...
I know several families on food stamps. Good, God-fearing families. None of them buy the same things...each family is different. And our church helps to supplement their household with things food stamps don't cover like paper towels and toilet paper.
It would never occur to me to doubt their integrity based on the contents of their grocery cart. Kinda reminds me of Christians who tithe...but only if they can dictate where the money goes instead of giving to God and trusting that He knows what's happening.
It breaks my heart when people sin with assumptions instead of reaching out to someone in a relationship. I get pet peeves...I have them, too. But even my pet peeves are me sinning in my mind about someone else's actions.
I find it incredibly selfish when someone needs help, we want to micro-manage their usage of the help they receive. I understand teaching good stewardship, but mandating people never have a soda or a cookie based on the help they receive is just silly.
I suppose I live in a demographic where even the most proud middle class family has been forced to rely on the goverment and the church for their survival. And when you've been taken to that place, assumptions about others tend to stop.
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Rest assured, dear friends, that where your pleasure is, there your heart is.
- Charles Spurgeon
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 10:47:09 AM
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Lapidoth
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quote:
And when you've been taken to that place, assumptions about others tend to stop.
Experiences do tend to temper us.
Been there, done that.
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http://www.tedpearce.com/Videos/TheForgottenpeople.html
BARUCH HABA BASHEM YAHUAH
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 11:43:02 AM
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laura...
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When my kids were young and I was a single mom we got food stamps for a number of years. It was a great blessing to be able to buy healthy food for my family. We also would buy some junk. But, overall it was good food for a balanced diet.
I don't look into the cart of someone using food stamps or ebt and judge what they are buying. I guess I just know too much. The person buying lots of steaks or hundreds of cans of pop may be exchanging them for cash. Foods stamps don't pay for essentials like toilet paper, laundry detergent, bar soap, and gasoline. That person buying all frozen dinners... well, I've known people who didn't have a working stove in their home or their gas was shut off. The only thing they could cook with was a microwave.
_____________________________
This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ Jer 6:16
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 11:43:26 AM
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Liveloved
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quote:
What are your thoughts? Do you second-guess what sorts of things that people receiving government assistance are buying? Are you critical or resentful of their choices? Do you ever say anything to them?
Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ is the need of my life. Otherwise 'my' thoughts can carry me away. . . and the place they carry me is not pretty.
Do I do this (have the thoughts you're talking about)? If I'm going to be honest, I have to say YES! The flesh loves to judge others.
It is what I do WITH the thoughts that matters. Do I take them to the Lord? Do I take them to The Judge and let Him judge them (my thoughts not the people)?
I'm learning.
Do people make wrong choices? All the time. I see it all around me. I go to church and I see women leaving marriages. I talk to my sister and her daughter is leaving her husband. Do I see many within the body dying to self and living the Christlife? No. We make excuses. We have 'good' reasons for wrong choices and deceive ourselves over and over and over again.
So what do I do? I take what I see to the Lord. People need the Lord. Believers especially. And so I pray. And need to pray more. Lord, help me!
< Message edited by Liveloved -- 10/27/2009 11:49:49 AM >
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 11:48:19 AM
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Lapidoth
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Have you ever noticed that when people pass you in the isles they
examine what is in your cart? Oh, and we observe what is in their
carts? LOL.
I used to have an aunt that would baby-sit me when I was young.
Her kitchen was stacked to the ceiling with 2-liter Pepsi. Of couse,
that was a treat to a stupid kid. All the Pepsi you could drink. lol.
And we ate everything off paper plates. That was odd to me. lol.
But I guess it's easier to throw everything out than to wash them.
_____________________________
Why does He keep quoting Torah? Doesn't He know He's about to abolish it?
http://www.tedpearce.com/Videos/TheForgottenpeople.html
BARUCH HABA BASHEM YAHUAH
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 11:54:03 AM
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Focusing
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quote:
I can see gift cards being used by individuals to give to someone they know who doesn't have money to buy food.
I have a gift card that I continually replenish because a portion of my purchases goes to my church, who in turn use the benefits they receive to help replenish their food pantry.
quote:
Sometimes people fall on hard times through outside circumstances and not through any of the "stereotypes" that are so often applied to people on assistance.
Thank you Sharon-Marie. Just because someone falls on hard times ... or in my personal situation, because I had to flee an abusive husband, I had to walk away from my home, my job, my church and friends and go into hiding ... does not mean a person needs to dress in dirty clothing, or not take a shower, or fix their hair. Strangers who encountered me in the store making purchases with a food stamp card had no business passing judgment ... nor did they have any right whatsoever to look down their noses at me. A little kindness goes a very long way. God forbid anyone ever be in the situation I was in, and I pray that the Lord continues to keep my heart soft and filled with compassion towards others.
quote:
when you've been taken to that place, assumptions about others tend to stop
Yep
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 12:17:36 PM
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Ellie-Mae
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If I remember correctly, in NY you can't buy taxable items with Food stamps so soda and candy were out.
There are only three times when I noticed.
1. A young mother came through my checkout line (almost 20 years ago). She was very obviously stung out on drugs. She put all this baby formula on the counter and brought out her WIC stamps. There were a lot of them, but most of them were out of date. We had to search to find the current one, and she couldn't get that much formula with it. I remember how scared I was for her and her baby. If I had been older and wiser, I would have called the police.
2. My parents went through a really rough time financially stemming from that they had cosigned for my brother and his wife that they didn't always fee that they should pay. They would boast about how much money they made and then run to the store with their food stamps. She would come through my line with Ben and Jerry ice cream, prime cuts of meat, and all sorts of expensive stuff... and pay for it with food stamps. I was giving her rides to and from work and would have to listen to how tough her life was. Then I would go home to more onions and potatoes. We got them cheep because they were culls and often had spoiled spots and bugs in them. We lived for a long time that way. I got really sick from always eating potatoes and onions. It was really hard to check her groceries out. I can't tell you how good I felt though when I found some really good deals where I worked, and could contribute to the family.
3. Sometimes I feel sad when I know that someone is on food stamps and their cart is full of processed foods. Not angry, just sad, especially when they have little kids.
Also
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 12:26:44 PM
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jhuperetes
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The electronic debit cards were implemented because food stamps were sold for cash.
I would be surprised if paper is still used for either food stamp of WIC transactions. It is highly unlikely anyone could notice it.
My experience with the WIC was as I stood at the end of the line, listening to the young mothers, and as the bagger I had no choice but to see every item of theirs.
As for food stamps, when it used to be paper and did not require authentication of ownership, I watched books of these sold in the parking lot where I worked, usually $0.50 to $0.33 for $1's worth of stamp.
I guess I am getting defensive, because we tend to paint with a broad brush.
Indeed I should never judge - but should I have become blind? Should I not notice something that I find reprehensible, sinful or simply sorrowful?
It is good to be reminded not to be judgmental. So let us not judge, but approach this from a different perspective.
As, we still live in this world.
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 12:36:42 PM
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Consecrated2God
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quote:
As for food stamps, when it used to be paper and did not require authentication of ownership, I watched books of these sold in the parking lot where I worked, usually $0.50 to $0.33 for $1's worth of stamp.
It still happens. I knew someone who was complaining to me about a relative who would buy milk and other good food, and then take it and sell it for half-price so she would have money for drugs. The person complaining was on food stamps, too, so it wasn't like she was just being judgmental--she had first-hand knowledge about what was going on.
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 12:41:33 PM
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Tinkerbell_
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jhuperetes
I would be surprised if paper is still used for either food stamp of WIC transactions. It is highly unlikely anyone could notice it.
My experience with the WIC was as I stood at the end of the line, listening to the young mothers, and as the bagger I had no choice but to see every item of theirs.
As stated earlier, WIC has checks and a VERY specific list of food which you can purchase AND a set dollar amount. If you went over that amount you'd have to substitute for something cheaper or put something back.
And if it were the wrong item, it wouldn't work. Like American cheese; you couldn't purchase the individuallly wrapped slices and if you did you had to replace it with something else.
It was very tedious but very helpful. When I worked at Wal-Mart I always knew the WIC girls before they got to the counter because of the milk, eggs, cheese, and cereal in their cart.
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When I'm throwing punches in the air
When I'm broken down and I can't stand
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 12:55:44 PM
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jhuperetes
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Does anyone remember those big foot long logs of government yellow cheese blocks?
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 1:49:24 PM
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rcjames
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jhuperetes
Does anyone remember those big foot long logs of government yellow cheese blocks?
Oh yea, and the buckets of really good peanut butter, sacks of flour, buckets of shortning, etc.
Thanks
RC
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Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 2:55:21 PM
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car2ner
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For awhile I stood in line for those long blocks of cheese and the pounds of butter. I felt odd eatting good butter when folks who paid cash had cheap margarine. I had foodstamps and had to figure out how to buy t.p. Never used WIC. This was so long ago that we had paper food stamps and not a card. Yes, we ran out near the end of the month and had a couple of days having bread and butter for dinner even with careful shopping.
Even now I am curious about what people have in their carts. It is part of people watching...the single person, the person having a bbq party, someone shopping for a bunch of kids, the "well, now I know how they got to looking like that" grocery order. It still bugs me, cash or otherwise, when someone has a child and their cart is full of salty snacks and sugary foods, but unless they ask me for advice on good healthy eatting I put it out of my mind.
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:12:08 PM
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WhiteRoseBlessings
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jhuperetes
Indeed I should never judge - but should I have become blind? Should I not notice something that I find reprehensible, sinful or simply sorrowful? It all depends. What do you do with the new-found "information"? Do you judge the person (whether silently or not)? Do you jump to conclusions based on incomplete information? Do you pray for that person? If you do pray, do you ask Our Lord's Holy Spirit how to pray (or do you pray based on the judgment you're making, which then turns into self-righteousness)? Do you ask for Our Lord's Wisdom and Guidance as to if there's anything else, in addition to praying, that He wants you to do specific to that person or even specific to that situation? And, after praying for Our Lord's Wisdom and Guidance, do you obey what He is telling you?
If what you're doing and the reason you're doing it (in regard to your specific question) is not edifying to someone nor out of obedience to Our Lord, then my answer to your question (that's bolded, above) would be, "No, you shouldn't."
And incidentally, just because you find something reprehensible doesn't necessarily mean that it is, indeed, reprehensible. There's always that fine line to walk; "we" can get so completely tangled in "our" opinions of what is right / wrong, appropriate / inappropriate, sorrowful, etc., etc., that it becomes quite a chore to become untangled and to be able to see what is Scriptural and what is nothing more than self-righteousness.
I say "we" because I know I'm not the only one that Our Lord has dealt with concerning this. In fact, one only needs to read their Bible to find the myriad admonishments Our Lord gives us regarding this.
There's a huge difference between noticing something versus judging it; i.e., noticing what someone is buying at the grocery is one thing; making speculations about such purchases, paying attention to how one is paying for their groceries and tsk-tsking is quite another thing; the two (noticing versus judging) are nowhere near the same thing at all.
Perhaps Our Lord will bring specific grocery store situation (or anything else) to our attention. When He does, there's always a reason for it; and we should endeavor to find out what that reason is. Perhaps, He will use someone in such a situation for His Good. However, that is completely different than intentionally minding someone else's business (or their groceries) for no good reason or purpose.
("You / you" in the above paragraphs are used generically; and not towards anyone specific).
.
< Message edited by WhiteRoseBlessings -- 10/27/2009 3:20:40 PM >
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:32:51 PM
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solo_soprano23
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Honestly, I think it's better just to mind your own business.
I have a friend who's all into being healthy; I don't mind that, but then she'll turn around and talk about "fat" people, look at what everyone else is ordering in the restaurant and pick at that, look at what everyone is buying at the store, look at this look at that... It's like rubbernecking at at accident, but like that with normal life all the time!
Anyway, I have a disorder, and it's irritated by a compound that fruits/veggies synthesize in the growing process. It's better for me to eat stuff that's processed, because it won't make me sick. If someone looked at what I eat, it wouldn't look healthy, but no one bothers to figure out why... You just never know what knd of burdens someone has to bear in life. Just like the woman with the big cake... You can sit there and mouth-off about buying a cake with food stamps, all the while not knowing that the child would more than likely never live to have another birthday.
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:43:07 PM
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WhiteRoseBlessings
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jhuperetes
Thank you.
Do you always have to be sensible?  LOL!!! 
Thanks!
quote:
ORIGINAL: jhuperetes
quote:
Perhaps Our Lord will bring specific grocery store situation (or anything else) to our attention. When He does, there's always a reason for it; and we should endeavor to find out what that reason is. Perhaps, He will use someone in such a situation for His Good. However, that is completely different than intentionally minding someone else's business (or their groceries) for no good reason or purpose.
Can we take this a step further? Once you had the situation arise, what have you done?
I have been known to hand a few dollars to the cashier, when someone front of me is short. I yet to figure out how to do this without being embarrassed myself... That's why it's so important to pray for Our Lord's Wisdom and Guidance. If He wants us to do something, He will also be there guiding us in the actual doing of it.
Regarding your example, if you feel Our Lord is leading you to give money, then don't just stop there, continue to listen to Him as to how to carry it out. And also ask Him to give you the words to say.
Do know, however, that doing what He wants us to do doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to go smoothly with no aspects of uncomfortableness. It might . . . but then again, it might not. And even THAT can be directed by Our Lord for His Purposes.
In all thing, it boils down to this: Trust and Obey.
Ask Our Lord for His Covering in it; and go from there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One thing I have a tendency to forget when I run ahead of Our Lord is how much I can mess something up in the process.
I have to remind myself to ask Our Lord if He wants me to do such and such for so and so before doing the such and such. On the outside, it can look to me like a verifiable need - and most often, it is. However, perhaps Our Lord wanted someone else to do the such and such for so and so. Or perhaps, He wants me to do it; just at a different time or in a different manner.
Perhaps what I've deemed as "necessary" is not even part of Our Lord's plan at all and all I'm doing is creating a mess. Sure, He can handle my messes and He can even work around them or with them; but His Ways are much greater than mine ever could hope to be; and He's God and I'm not. He sees the whole picture, where I can only see what's in front of me and with my finite eyes, at that.
.
< Message edited by WhiteRoseBlessings -- 10/27/2009 3:51:40 PM >
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:46:20 PM
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doinkdom
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jhuperetes
I have been known to hand a few dollars to the cashier, when someone front of me is short. I yet to figure out how to do this without being embarrassed myself...
LOL...I begged this little man to let me please use some of my change to pay the few cents he needed at a check-out. I told him that if he would let me do this, I may see the bottom of my purse one day and I would have him to thank for it. He was so sweet, gave me a little hug and left.
Course, that wouldn't work in every scenario, but I have also paid towards the person's order behind me at a drive-thru and they never knew...that was pretty cool.
_____________________________
Rest assured, dear friends, that where your pleasure is, there your heart is.
- Charles Spurgeon
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:48:00 PM
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doinkdom
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whiterose...you are always a blessing...
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Rest assured, dear friends, that where your pleasure is, there your heart is.
- Charles Spurgeon
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:56:20 PM
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Qtman
Posts: 6319
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quote:
ORIGINAL: RJR_fan
quote:
So ... what would you advocate in its place?
A. God
B. Family
C. Church
It can't be called "charity" when an agent of the gut puts a gun in your gut and demands the money you worked for, just to give it to someone who hasn't worked for it.
I was not going to post in this thread until I saw this. This post is false and misleading. No agent of the Government is puting a gun in your gut and demanding money.
Now if you choose to ignore the tax laws you could be prosecuted. But the drama you posted is a bit overboard.
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At one time Jesus was my co-pilot. Things are much better now that He and I have changed seats.
<Me & my happyplate at Lobster Hut
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 3:57:15 PM
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jhuperetes
Posts: 471
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There is a series of sermons I just downloaded because it struck me so much while listening to it on the radio.
It is by pastor Paul Sheppard on "Enduring Truth". He goes into how Jesus went to be with all the sinners. And, the sinners enjoyed his company. They searched him out.
Think about that...
quote:
ORIGINAL: solo_soprano23
Honestly, I think it's better just to mind your own business.
I have a friend who's all into being healthy; I don't mind that, but then she'll turn around and talk about "fat" people, look at what everyone else is ordering in the restaurant and pick at that, look at what everyone is buying at the store, look at this look at that... It's like rubbernecking at at accident, but like that with normal life all the time!
Anyway, I have a disorder, and it's irritated by a compound that fruits/veggies synthesize in the growing process. It's better for me to eat stuff that's processed, because it won't make me sick. If someone looked at what I eat, it wouldn't look healthy, but no one bothers to figure out why... You just never know what knd of burdens someone has to bear in life. Just like the woman with the big cake... You can sit there and mouth-off about buying a cake with food stamps, all the while not knowing that the child would more than likely never live to have another birthday.
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 4:00:13 PM
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WhiteRoseBlessings
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Awww, Doink. Thank you.
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 4:05:23 PM
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laura...
Posts: 3281
Joined: 3/1/2005
From: NE Ohio
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quote:
Just like the woman with the big cake... You can sit there and mouth-off about buying a cake with food stamps, all the while not knowing that the child would more than likely never live to have another birthday.
The story of the cake being for a child's possibly last birthday is heart wrenching, but, does it really matter why someone is buying a large cake with food stamps? NO. It's neither illegal nor immoral to buy a cake with food stamps. It is also neither illegal nor immoral to buy steaks, pop, coolade, chips, frozen pizza or load up a cart with twinkies and pay for it all with food stamps. Why someone is choosing to purchase items that are not illegal with food stamps is none of our business even if we are the cashier.
_____________________________
This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ Jer 6:16
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RE: FOOD STAMPS - Do you second guess what's in their c... - 10/27/2009 4:23:13 PM
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jhuperetes
Posts: 471
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Although I do agree with you on many of those points, something that is legal, is not necessarily moral.
Yes, I have lived off of charity of others for most of my childhood.
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