A Little Fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

My birthday will be on May 22, 2 weeks from today. To celebrate my upcoming sixty-third birthday, I decided this year, to create a fundraiser on Facebook to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude is also my Patron Saint.

I've chosen this nonprofit because their mission means a lot to me, and I hope you'll consider contributing as a way to celebrate with me. Every little bit will help me reach my goal.

https://www.facebook.com/donate/571624399877949/1873367949360318/

Standing With The Klien Family

As many of you are well aware, I am in need of cataract surgery. I had started a campaign to raise funds for my much needed surgery by using the crowd funding site, GoFundMe.

I had seen and heard good things about GoFundMe, but a recent decision of theirs has prompted me to remove my campaign from their site entirely.

My reason for deleting my campain is best summed up in the description given on a petition (which I have signed) at CitizenGo.org:

GoFundMe just removed a campaign... simply because it supported a couple exercising their Christian faith.

Sweet Cakes by Melissa owners Aaron and Melissa Klien refused to bake a cake for a lesbian same-sex ceremony after discovering that the wedding would have two brides. This same-sex ceremony went against their firmly held religious beliefs, and they believed that their God-given, Constitutionally-protected right to religious freedom should allow them to decline to bake a cake for the ceremony.

The state of Oregon disagreed with this right. The lesbian couple sued the Kliens, and they will likely have to pay at least $135,000 in "emotional damages" to the couple.

As if this compromise of religious freedom was not enough, GoFundMe took down a fundraiser to support the Klien family. The fundraiser was posted by a friend of the family late last week, and it had already raised $66,000 by Friday afternoon. But on Friday evening, the campaign was taken down by GoFundMe.

GoFundMe released a statement claiming that the fundraiser violated their “Terms and Conditions.” In the terms and conditions, GoFundMe explains that “Campaigns in defense of formal charges of heinous crimes, including violent, hateful, or sexual acts,” will not be allowed on their site. In deciding to remove this campaign, they're accusing the Kliens of committing a crime that was both “heinous” and “hateful.”....

You may read the rest here. While you are there, sign the petition!

I can not in good conscience continue to have my needs take precedence over GoFundMe's apparent decision on caving in to the pressure of the "unnatural marriage" crowd and their willing co-horts.

I fully support the Klien family and their willingness to stand by their religious convictions. In removing my campaign, I also stand by mine.

To Help With My Cataract Surgery

As regular readers of “Faith of the Fathers” blogs know from a previous post over a year ago here, I have cataracts in both eyes.

I also have no insurance, and my employer does not offer insurance, as I work for a very small company.

My eye sight is getting worse. I can tell a big difference since I posted the previous post referenced above. I especially notice the difference when driving at night, and even more so if it happens to also be raining.

I looked into what my surgery costs would be with 2 different eye surgeons (opthamologists), and have found out that it will be just over $4,000.oo per eye, and that this is for just the basic interocular lens (IOL) that will be used in the surgery. A multifocal lens replacement would be much more expensive. So basic is the way for me to go.

Since I do not have insurance, and no savings at all, I have decided to try the crowd funding site, GoFundMe. If any readers would like to contribute, I would be more than appreciative. I would be greatly appreciative as a matter of fact.

My GoFundMe page can be reached by clicking here.

If you are unable to make a donation, I would also be appreciative of your sharing the page with others.

I will also take all the prayers I can get! Prayer is always welcome, and certainly needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Thank you for your continued prayers and support as well!

May God Bless you all, and Our Lady keep you in her care!

That Time Of The Year...

It's that time of year again. It seems like the holidays get here faster and faster every year. My mom and dad both used to say how fast time goes by as you get older. They didn't even tell the half of it. It's actually faster than fast!

Already my employer has started cutting hours at work, and it is not a good time of the year for hours to get cut. Many of you know what I am talking about. Not just because of the holidays, but also with colder weather, and with winter soon starting in earnest, this is the time of the year when my expenses...and yours as well I am sure...tend to rise. A 30 hour work week just doesn't cut it.

So if you are thinking about buying some coffee, I'd appreciate it if you would click on my links (like the ones that follow) for Mystic Monk Coffee, and buy some coffee for yourself or for holiday gifts. Don't forget that they also have 5 pound bags available for your parish and office! It not only helps me out, but it helps support both the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming and their monastery. (Unfortunately, there is no commission for wholesale purchases, but there is for coffee subscriptions, tea subscriptions, etc.)

I'd also like to ask you to consider taking a look at the products I have available from Zazzle at "Faith of the Fathers Catholic Gifts". There are several poster prints, mousepads, mugs, and greeting cards available and all with a Catholic theme. New this year are some holiday poster prints and cards featuring wonderful art by James Tissot.

I'd like to thank all of you who have used my links to shop and buy, and for making donations via PayPal. I don't know who you all are, but God does, and I especially ask His blessings for you (as well as I do for all my blog visitors) in my prayers.

Thank you once again. May God Bless you and Our Lady keep you in Her care!

Get Ready For Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Note: It's back! For those of you who love the flavors of pumpkin, spices, and coffee, the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming have ready their Mystic Monk Coffee Pumpkin Spice coffee. A great flavored coffee for fall and those cooler fall mornings!

It's getting to be that time of year when people start looking towards the holidays and begin to think about the flavors and scents of the season. Just in time, the good Carmelite Monks of Wyoming are offering their Mystic Monk Coffee Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee.

The good monks at Mystic Monk Coffee say on their web site:

"Smooth and sweet! The creamy pumpkin flavor melds perfectly with cloves and aromatic spices, finishing with a warming aftertaste that will make even the coldest fall day cozy. It's especially delicious when topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg."

So get yours now while the supply is good. It is available in ground regular, whole bean, and ground decaffeinated. You can also find their other flavored coffees here.

Thanks!

I would just like to say thank you to all of you have sent me a donation to help me pay my $373.00 power bill.

I only have $150.00 to go to be able to pay it by April 24. 

Thanks for helping me not only have lights, but also it lets me have water, too, as I am on a well.

Thank you all, and may God Bless you and Our Lady keep you in her care!

Oh, and I almost forgot. I have created a small "banner" to show support for our Holy Father, Pope Francis. If you would like, you may have a copy of it for your own blogs, web pages, etc., by right clicking on it, click Save As, or Save Image (depending on your browser. Right click the image below, it is 400x80.

A Need

Once again, I must humbly ask for your prayers and assistance if possible. I have a power bill  due by April 24, that is over $370.00. I don't know where the money is going to come from. 

Last month, my power bill was over $417.00, and my landlady graciously allowed me to pay only one half of last months rent so that I would be able to pay THAT power bill. The other half of the rent will be paid over the next 2 months (that is this month and May).

So, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. I had my power disconnected almost one year ago, and I would like to avoid that scenario again, if at all possible. Not having lights is one thing, but I am also on a well, and would have no water without electricity. 

The good thing is, the weather has been very warm, and so I don't have to be concerned about heat right now, which is good because the home I rent has electric heat.

Anyway, please forgive my request, but I do especially covet your prayers, and would appreciate any assistance (even if it's just $1) or suggestions you might be able to offer.

Thank you, and may God Bless you all!

UPDATE: Thank you to those who have sent me donations through my PayPal donate button. Those donations have got the amount I need now to just under $300.00. Thank you again, and may God bless you all!

Attention All Blog Readers and Fellow Bloggers: A Seriously Ill Blogger

There is a post over on "Instapundit" regarding Dan Riehl of the blog "Riehl World News".

The post reads as follows:

• DAN RIEHL IS SICK: Dr. Melissa Clouthier writes:
• Sorry I didn’t write earlier. Thought you’d want to know that Dan went into the hospital last night with respiratory failure. They had to do pulmonary bypass because he couldn’t be intubated. The doctor gave him a 50-50 chance of living.

You can read the rest of the post here.

In the meantime, please, please consider going to his blog and making a donation in whatever amount you can afford. His "Donate" button is on the far right hand side near the top. You can go to his blog by clicking here.

Please also keep him in your prayers, and share this post if you don't mind.

A Little Boost

The last month found me short on work hours (I only got to work 3 days last week), and once again with too much month left at the end of the money.

I would greatly appreciate a little boost if possible, and as always, your prayers are greatly needed and valued.

Thank you!

Bad End To My Work Day

Well this work day ended on a sour note. I got ready to leave work at 7:00PM, and I see that I have a flat tire. So, I get out the jack, the do-nut spare, etc., and remove the flat. Put the donut on, tighten the lug nuts, lower the car...and the do-nut has no air in it. 

So, I go into Walmart (where I work) and ask if they have a portable air compressor I can use. Nope. The one they have won't hold air.

So, I buy one of the inflaters that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Won't connect. Managed to pop out the metal "liner" in the cigarette lighter, and then was able to plug it in and inflate the donut. 

Since using the donut won't allow speeds faster than 50, I had to take the side roads home, and arrived at home 2 and a half hours after I got off from work....and yep....I was talking to myself.....and still am.

Now I am going to see if I can find a cheap tire because I can't run on that do-nut for 2 weeks.

If you can give me a little boost here, I'd appreciate it greatly!

A Request

If you are able, I would appreciate any donation you might be able to make over the next couple of weeks. Thank you!

May God bless you and Our Lady keep you in her care!

Computer Woes---Again

My computer (which is 7 + years old) is acting up... again. 

I installed a new hard drive about 3 weeks or so ago, and reinstalled the operating system, but....alas, poor Compaq.....I knew it well.

Anyway, it is essentially on life support as I type this. How much longer it will last, I am not sure, but I don't think it will be too much longer. It has more wrong with it than is worth repairing.

So, tomorrow, my day off from work will be spent scheduling as many posts for the Daily Mass Readings blog as I possibly can. If it survives, and allows me to, I will also schedule as many posts for the Saint Quote of the Day blog too.

So, please keep me in your prayers, and if you can, please make a donation by clicking the "Donate" button on the upper right sidebar of the blog. It will help me with my living expenses, and hopefully enable me to buy a new computer so I can keep the Faith of the Fathers blogs all up and running.

And just for those who have wondered, my internet service is free, as my landlady allows me to connect to her ISP wirelessly.

Also, if anyone has any information about assistance for individuals needing cataract surgery in North Carolina, I would greatly appreciate it if you would pass any information my way. You can email me at faithofthefathers@gmail.com

Thanks for all of your much needed prayers and support!

May God bless you and Our Lady keep you in her care!