Spiritual Meditation 9

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Luke 21:1-4

Think about this, imagine Jesus and the disciples watching all the wealthy going into the synagogue and placing their offerings into the box. Each one making a show of how much they were putting in. The tithe for the Jewish people was 10%.

Now along comes this poor widow she places 2 mites (coins) into the offering box. Then Jesus tells his disciples that she gave more than all of the others. You see the others had given their excess. She gave what she needed to live. When you give out of your own need it is worth more than all the philanthropy in the world.

Freelance Writers Websites

I am quite amazed that when you do a search for freelance writers almost all the websites you find are freelance writers selling their “Secrets”. It appears that most freelance writers are just writing to sell their scheme for making money. That scheme is “buy my program”.

If all you are doing is selling your program on freelance writing then you are not a freelance writer, you are a salesman. Many times they are not writing, they are just selling a scheme/program that does not work. If it did work they would be doing it and not selling it.

Spiritual Meditation 8

1 Samuel 16:7
English Standard Version
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

We all tend to look at the outward appearances of those we meet. We make judgments based on clothes, tattoos, cleanliness, roughness, or gentleness. These judgments are stereotypes and have no place in a Christian or Godly community.

Remember no matter what you see on the outside of others, or what they see on the outside of you, God sees the inside and knows the truth. Those who seem good to us but not to God and those who seem good to God we may condemn.

What does God see when he sees your heart? What would men see if they could see your heart?

Update

Sorry I have not posted this week. It’s been a big week.

First, on Tuesday I had the permanent spinal cord stimulator implanted in my back. The scarring is going to be a lot more than I was led to believe, but it has helped tremendously with my back and leg pain.

Second, on Wednesday, I had two job interviews for the Carlisle Barracks clinic. One was an interview for a referral clerk and one was for a coding clerk. Then on Friday, I had an interview at the same clinic for a front desk clerk. I did receive a tentative job offer from one of those interviews. I don’t know if I will receive a permanent job offer till their checks are complete.

If I do get the job, I will still be writing I’ll just have to be more selective. Cheers everyone!

Spiritual Meditation 7

2 Kings 20:1-5
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you.

Christ tells us the father knows when a sparrow falls and even the number of hairs on our head. Yet have you considered that God sees your tears. How wonderful is that? We pray and we say God has a plan and in the midst of our heartache we forget that God sees our tears. God is so moved that we are told that one day there will be no more tears.

We Are All Broken

–Earnest Hemingway

Everyone who joins the military is forever changed. While talking to a Master Sergeant he is the one who told me the Hemingway quote. We are all broken. It doesn’t matter if you were in combat or not, you are forever changed.

First a DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer. I am not dispensing legal advice. The only people who can represent you before the VA, VHA, and BVA are 1) YOURSELF, 2) a lawyer who is certified in VA law, and 3) a veterans service organization representative (legion, amvets, VFW, DAV, and they are not versed in the law at all). All I am doing is telling you what I did and that I believe most people can do the same thing.

Beware of Fraud

It is illegal to claim something from the VA that you are not entitled to. Lets be real. We have all seen the YouTube videos. How to get a 100% total disability from the VA. Claim sleep apnea, if you have a cpap thats an automatic 50%. Claim tetanitis thats an automatic 10%. All you have to do is see one of these doctors and get a NEXUS letter (more on a NEXUS later). By stacking your claims they can eventually all add up to 100%

Getting a doctor to say that something was more than likely to be caused by your military service, when you know it was not, is fraud. If you are caught (many people have been prosecuted lately) you will face criminal penalties. Don’t claim something you are not entitled to.

What I did

When I left the military in 1990, I had copies of all my medical records (thanks to a Chief Warrant Officer). I had a separation of my right shoulder. The surgical repair failed and my shoulder sublaxed every time I raised my arm. The VA gave me a 0% rating for scaring. They claimed my medical records were missing (thank you chief). I then presented them with my medical records and was rated at 10% without filing a claim.

I have been seeing the VA ever since (this is important). Because of being unable to keep work as a mechanic because of my shoulder (restrictions on lifting). I filed for an increase with letters from potential employers and was granted a 20% disability with VOC Rehab.

Then I got smart and read the rating system for my shoulder condition. Then I realized that I couldn’t raise my arm more than 33 degrees without it sublaxing. I filed a claim for an increase and their own doctors measured it at 28 degrees before sublaxing. This increased me to 40%

100%

Now here is where seeing the VA regularly since leaving the military becomes important. I started having panic attacks. The VA psychiatrist started treating me. He then sent me to a psychologist who treated me for a year. With her diagnosis, I filed a claim and using her records and another VA psychologist exam I received 100% just for the panic attacks.

Because the VA diagnosed me, examined me, and treated me, I never had to file an appeal on any claim I put in. People make the mistake of only seeing the VA when they have a complaint. Then they have to go through the process of proving their claims. If they had been diagnosed by the VA and treated by the VA their medical problems would already be on file.

If the VA or your military record has not already diagnosed you then you will have to get a NEXUS letter from a private doctor stating that your condition was more than likely caused by your military service. You will most likely need buddy statements and family statements attesting to the condition and when it started.

Summary

Use the VA doctors. Let them diagnose you. Let them treat you for your conditions. Then file your claims and use the VA medical records to support your claims. You can find all the files online and fill them out yourself. If denied you can file your own appeals. Don’t give up and don’t file false claims in an effort to reach 100%.

See my blog on 22 a day to see how I represented myself on an emergency room bill, with the VA, VHA, and BVA all without a lawyer or representative.

Spiritual Meditation 6

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

1 John 4:19-21
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother

1 John 4:11
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:7-8
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
 
1 Peter 4:8
8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Matthew 5:43-44
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

1 John 4:7-8
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 15:12
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 13:8
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 John 4:7
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Reading this makes some things perfectly clear.

First, Christ said a new commandment I give you, that you love one another. He meant that we should get up every day and make our love for each other new. Today is a new day, today is the day where it is new to love one another.

The second thing that is clear is if you do not love one another including those who rightfully should be despised, you are not a Christian. To be a Christian you must love your enemies and if you do not love them, you do not know God.

Google and CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is how a corporation interacts with society and hopes to make society a better place. This includes working with the environment, against poverty, creating jobs through ethical labor practices, and includes education and human development (Khan, et al, 2012). Most companies have chosen to re-brand their company image and include CSR (Khan, et al, 2012). Google is no exception.
How Google Practices CSR
Carbon-free / energy Carbon Neutral Footprint
Google has always been a leader concerning environmental issues. Google became the first major company to become carbon neutral in 2007. In 2020 Google was able to offset its legacy carbon footprint and became the first major company to be carbon neutral since its founding.
Data Center
Google’s data centers are the heart of its operation. Google has been practicing sustainability at its data centers from construction and retooling, to equipment and energy usage. Google data centers have been continuously designed and redesigned to be the cleanest and most efficient and most reliable in the industry. Serving billions of end users worldwide in 21 countries creating sustainable jobs and development, cultural and environmental projects, and educational programs (The CSR Journal. 2021).
Workplaces
Google has been creating sustainability in its workspaces for its users and employees. By using the Internet of Things (IoT) Google has been able to track waste at its food facilities and eliminate 9.2 million pounds of food waste since 2014 (Google. n.d.). Google has also created living workspaces designed to evolve with the user and Google’s sustainability goals. The buildings are being designed to produce more power and water than they use (Google. n.d.). Google is helping employees through their shuttle services in the bay area, which have saved more than 43,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent. That’s the same as taking 9,342 cars off the road every work day (Google. n.d.).
Devices & Services and Empowering technology
Google has created devices and services for the end user that helps low-income families and individuals (Google. n.d.). From smart thermostats to Google maps. These devices and applications help have a more efficient home and to be more efficient in operating a vehicle (Google. n.d.). Also, 100% of shipped end-user products are carbon neutral and made with recycled plastics (Google. n.d.).
Google is working to empower people, businesses, governments, and nonprofits, to become continuously sustainable. Google has created an air quality monitoring program at ground level to help individuals avoid irritable pollutants (Google. n.d.). At the end of 2019 Google’s project rooftop has mapped more than 170 million individual rooftops to help their owners understand what is needed to convert to solar energy (Google. n.d.).
Supplier Responsibility
Google has committed itself to an ethical supply chain. Google has the main goals of minimizing its environmental impact and improving the lives of manufacturing employees. Google enforces high ethical standards for its supply chain and promotes social change at work sites and partner communities (Google. n.d.).
CSR Stakeholders
The following groups’ Google considers as its major stakeholders, these stakeholders are listed in what Google considers prioritized, Users, Employees, Advertisers and other customers, Investors, Governments, and Communities (Meyer, 2017). Each one of these is important, but at Google, the most important is the end user. They do not pay Google but use Google. Google does have some pay services but they are not used by the majority of billions of end users. Without these Google could not make money later on (Meyer, 2017).
Google employees make the company run and expect compensation in return. Google tries to go beyond expectations with perks (free food, flexible hours, gyms, playing games, etc…). The advertisers and other employees directly affect Google’s financial situation (Meyer, 2017). As end users use their products they receive ads that pay for Google services. The advertisers and other customers also include the supply chain and they also directly benefit from Google’s programs.
Google’s investors became stakeholders in 2004 when Google went public (Meyer, 2017). The investors expect a return on their investment. The use of Google by end users makes Google profitable through ads and premium offerings. Governments are major stakeholders because they pass regulations that affect the corporation and its ability to do business in the government’s jurisdiction (Meyer, 2017).
Lastly, communities are included because communities receive direct and indirect benefits from Google. In addition to what we have discussed communities also look for grants and other investments from Google. The community’s perceptions of Google also affect Google’s end user perceptions (Meyer, 2017).
Summary
Google has created a wide range of CSR projects, incentives, and activities. They have become carbon neutral and are working on producing more carbon-free energy than they need. Their data centers are the most efficient and environmentally friendly in the world. They have created sustainable workspaces and buildings. Google has created services and devices in a sustainable way. They are empowering all levels of society to benefit from applications and devices to enable everyone to practice sustainability. They have incorporated an ethical supply chain with benefits for the supplier’s employees and communities.
Google has adopted a business cycle that starts and ends with the end user. The end user does not directly impact the financial situation of Google but is Google’s life’s blood. The user uses products and gets ads (there are some premium services). The advertisers pay Google to place ads based on the number of views. Investors have invested in Google expecting a return on investment. This helps Google to expand and innovate sustainability. Using revenue and (now) indispensable applications Google is able to influence government that may impact the way Google does business. Google also uses its revenue to build in other countries and create incentives for those communities. These communities affect end users’ perceptions and how likely they are to use Google. Thus, the cycle starts over.
References
Google. (n.d.). Sustainability. Sustainability Google. https://sustainability.google/progress/
Khan, M., Khan, N., Ahmed, S., & Ali, M. (2012). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) – Definition, concepts, and scope (a review). Universal Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 2(7), 41-52.
Meyer, P. (2017, January 28). Google stakeholders & corporate social responsibility (CSR). Panmore Institute. https://panmore.com/google-stakeholders-corporate-social-responsibility-csr-analysis
The CSR Journal. (2021, May 15). Global sustainability report: Google is first company to be carbon neutral through its entire operating history. https://thecsrjournal.in/global-sustainability-report-google-carbon-neutral/

Spiritual Meditation 5

7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
    I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord, your Redeemer.
9 “This is like the days of Noah[a] to me:
    as I swore that the waters of Noah
    should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
    and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart
    and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
    and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
    says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
                               Isaiah 54:7-10

I haven’t posted in the last couple of days. I am working on an article. I also have not wanted to do anything but sleep. Some days are harder than others.

I have to remember that the “covenant of peace shall not be removed” from me. I do not always remember but I always know. When your days are long and you want to quit remember God will not be angry with you and his steadfast love shall not depart from you.