Urgent: Help for Lisa Graas Who Was In A Car Accident

Photo of Lisa Graas' car taken after the accident.

My good friend, and fellow Catholic blogger, Lisa Graas, and her daughter Bethany, were in a head-on collision on December 2, 2016.

I will let Lisa’s own description from Facebook explain what happened:

On December 2, 2016, my daughter and I were involved in a head on collision. Another driver came over into my lane and we impacted at approximately 46 mph. By the grace of God, we were not killed. My daughter Bethany has a concussion and my heel bone is shattered. I am unable to work and ask for some extra help until the insurance pays what it is supposed to. It is expected that I will have to have multiple surgeries on my foot. Thank you.

Lisa has a GoFundMe page that was set up earlier last month to help with upgrades to her blog. Lisa will require several surgeries on her heel, and it is going to be awhile before the insurance kicks in.

So please help out with a donation if you can by clicking here : https://www.gofundme.com/lisagraascom

When you get to Lisa’s GoFundMe page, you can click the “Updates” button where you can read her update posts about the accident.

Embarrassed Again

As many of you already know, I was fired from my previous job back in January, as I told you in a previous post here.

At the time, I did not want to go into the details of the reason I was given for being fired, so I will now. My former employer had told me, and the young lady that I worked with, that he was going to have to cut hours. She had found out a few weeks earlier that she and her husband were expecting their first child. She had to miss some work due to some related problems, and then she was laid off. Meanwhile, my hours were cut from 40 per week, to 26 per week. No one else had any hours cut.

Then, my former employer hired four new employees. One was full time, and the other 3 were part time. So in talking to another employee, I had complained about my hours being cut, while no one else was cut, and the fact that new employees were hired. I suppose that my having been with this company the longest did not count.

Any way, my employer was told that I had complained about my hours being cut and his hiring more people, so he said he was firing me because I had complained.

So, I finally found a new job 2 weeks ago. I started out at less pay per hour, but at least I am working and getting 40 hours per week.

The thing is, being unemployed for 3 weeks with no money coming in, combined with already being in a financial bind because of my reduced work hours, has really put me behind on my necessities, like the rent, power bill, and such.

It was also time to renew the license plate for my car, and have it inspected. I have not been able to have that done, because the check engine light was on, and they can not inspect a car until the reason for it being on is repaired. I had the repairs done by a mechanic friend, and I now owe him $270.00 for the parts alone.

I have been getting by on food by eating ramen noodles, beans and rice, and pasta. Sometimes I get tuna and maybe chicken when it’s on sale.

I owe a months rent, and a power bill (I have been using a portable kerosene heater to heat with to reduce the power bill), and still can’t get the car inspection and license renewal done because I only have $3.50 left in the bank. In other words, I am already in the red over $800.00 before I even get started.

So, once again, I am asking my blog readers and friends to please make a donation to me through PayPal. I hate to ask you to do this, but I have nowhere else to turn.

If you can’t make a donation, your prayers are surely needed and deeply appreciated!

Thank you for reading and following Faith of the Fathers blogs!

Your brother in Christ,

Steve Smith

Hard Times Again

As some may know, my hours have been cut at work yet again. Earlier this year than in previous years. Only getting 26-32 hours a week, and I make less than $10.00 an hour.

I heat with an old electric furnace which not only is on it's last legs, but when I just now got home, is no longer working. It runs but no warm air, so apparently the blower is gone.

I have a high power bill once again, and since the rules for getting heating assistance and power bill assistance have changed, I no longer qualify for any help.

So once again, I would be extremely grateful for any assistance my readers might be able to provide.

I am going to be $183.00 short on the power bill (which must be paid by December 22, 2014), and it's going to take another $125.00 to buy a kerosene heater to get me by until such a time as I can get the furnace repaired.

I hate doing this, but I have nowhere else to turn, but to God and my blog's readers.

So thank you for your prayers and any other assistance you can provide.

God bless you all, and Our Lady keep you in her care.

Thank You!

I want to thank all of you who prayed for me, and who were so generous with your donations!

I was able to get my power bill paid, and I am greatly relieved to say the least!

God is good, and I ask His blessings for all of you!

Thank you again, so very much!

Another Problem

Once again, I find myself in a most embarrassing situation, and I am in quite a quandary.

As you know, I hurt my back at work due to a ladder falling....while I was on it. I twisted my back in the fall, and have a "slight compression fracture". It is still bothering me somewhat, but is slowly improving.

Because of the back injury, I missed over a week of work, and there is no such thing as any insurance where I work. Plus, my employer had already started cutting our hours a good month before my fall. I have a power bill that is overdue, for $444.89. I have until January 22 to pay it, or my power will be turned off. If the power is turned off, I will have no water, as well as no heat, and no lights.

I am fortunate that my landlady, allows me to access her internet service with my wireless adapter. (I mention this for those who wonder why I still have internet.)

I don't have cable or satellite TV, or even over the air TV. I have not had TV service in fact, for almost 8 years.

I would be very, very grateful for any donations you might be able and willing to make. We are having a colder winter this year than we have had in several years, and electric heat is my only source of heat.

If you can't make a donation prayers are greatly appreciated as always.

Thank you, and God bless you all!

Need Your Prayers

I find myself still in need of your prayers for my needs. Please keep me and these blogs in your prayers.

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

Thanks So Much!!

Thanks to all of my blog readers for your purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee. The commissions I have earned will help pay my power bill.

The good monks from Mystic Monk Coffee have not yet decided what flavored coffees they are going to add for this summer. So, for a limited time, they have samples of six flavors available, and will base their summer offerings on the flavor best liked by you, their customers.

Here is what they have to say:

• Strictly limited number available!  Available for the next 2 weeks only!
• This year, you can decide what flavors we will have this summer!  Once you place your order, you'll receive an email with a link to vote for your favorite flavor!  At the end of May, we will tally the results and showcase the most popular flavor!  
• We'll send you six 2 oz sampler bags of our summer flavor contenders.  You can choose your favorite from: Blueberry Muffin, French Silk,Vanilla Ice Cream, Banana Rum, Coconut Margarita, and Creme Brulee.

So hurry and go here to get your sampler pack, and then vote for your favorite. I can tell you that the two top contenders as of this post, are Blueberry Muffin and Banana Rum.

Once again, thanks for your purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee. Your purchase helps support The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming and this blogger, too!

If you'd still like to make a donation, then click the button below. Thank you, and may God Bless you all, and Our Lady keep you in her care!

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!

Urgent Help Needed For A Catholic Blogger And Friend

One of my good blogging friends, Lisa Graas, is in great need of your prayers and a financial boost if you will.

Lisa is the author of  the blog "Catholic Bandita", and is on twitter as @CatholicLisa. She always reminds us in her blog posts that our identity as Christians is, and should be in Christ, and nothing else.

Lisa and her children have been going through some difficult times...physically, financially... and I am sure the emotional strain is not easy either. I have been there myself. 

Some other blogging pals, including Sofia Guerra of the blog "Always Catholic", George Vogt of the blog "A Talking Donkey", and Father Z of "Fr. Z's Blog – What Does The Prayer Really Say?" have all posted about Lisa's situation here... here... and here.

You can go to Lisa's blog here, and scrolling down, look on the left side for a PayPal Donate button similar to mine. It will say "Hit The Tip Jar".

We all are asking you to give of both your prayers and money to help out Lisa and her family at this time. Please.

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