R
rwiding
Guest
[SIGN]PLEASE PRAY FOR AN END TO AN ENDLESS SAGA[/SIGN]
I feel the need to contact the press is due to the fact we have been utterly neglected by the City, they ignored for three months a suit sitting in the prothonatory clerks office, we have had to deal with the most incredible amount of stress financially using disability certificates month to month to avoid shut-offs, I’ve lost my friends, left school, family ties strained to the limit, my brother who lives here has been (name removed by moderator)atient twice in 5 weeks and I’m in the position of potentially evicting him, my only real friend (was at the last zoning hearing) gave up, left today, his birthday and nobody cares.
Our servants are our servants. Somewhere along the way things got backwards and we allowed our servants to become our masters. I do not seek a pound of flesh or vengeance or even retribution, simply the ability to not live in eternal loss, neglect and hopelessness which is the order of the day.
The first time i met you outside of City Hall, I told you I cannot explain many things, I still cannot, I said; “It’s a God Thing”, that’s how this whole thing began and throughout the last year when to be honest, has forever changed me, my views, my outlook, the reality is our world and irrespective of all things, my view of myself cannot be restored. “it’s still a God thing”, I just do not care about the outcome so much anymore. Justice will be found, not the punishment, or money or any other worldly nonsense, simply a correction in the way a few people who make the decisions to ruin lives go about and how they must procedurally do so.
I have found that there are things to be grateful for, I am grateful that we still stand, although being written off by everybody, told how ill advised it would be to resist, how we cannot win, why we are so unimportant, how selfish we are for claiming what is ours; having no legal guidance, no support from community; organizations, people and government; asking for no handouts, instead being the party which gives whilst being taken advantage of, follows the law, simple clear and direct laws; love of neighbor, treating the weakest with dinity and respect, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, adopting the abandoned, giving to the poor, forgiving those who wash dirty hands to appear clean as so many other white washed tombs whom we interact with everyday.
Right now I am poor in spirit enough, those that are good but just need a kick in the butt, need not to be shamed, the public needs not to have people to believe in less or more (that’s our fundamental problem, belief in man always leads to failure, research this one; how many success stories for an individual, city, nation or civilization in history has ever achieved transcending greatness without a belief in God?). How many failures now and yesterday are due to man’s decisions based on self knowledge, self facts, the counsel of one or many who’s ultimate authority is man and how many miracles can be attributed to the belief in self or the belief in man?
.
The story has been the daily survival through perseverance through the grace of God. I have done nothing and am as fallen as those I condemn, the only difference is I have no fear in my decision making. In fact, I would be the worst person to rely upon to complete with any competency the tasks they perform on a daily basis, not through my own morals or any self crowned nobility, but because I am weak, fragile, big headed, egotistical, prideful, lazy and not open minded.
The great story is that all I have had to do is say No. I am worn and battered to the bone, God has sustained me to this point and to call the mere existence of Victoria House after all the forces against us, we proved to be a house built on Rock and not not on Sand, we could fold tomorrow and I would be at peace knowing I did all I could. My resentments only exist for the duration of this process and I am at peace with my failures because I know the source of them. Me and my way. I actually for the very qualities that I loathe due to the pain they have caused me.
The commonality that exists between us all is how fallen we all are. Irrespective of how I may frame things, given different circumstances, I would probably see them all for only the good qualities of which they all have and if life had not become so painful and full of helplessness, loneliness, disappointment and anxiety over more loss that I am helpless to stop, I could smirk (I sometimes do still) thinking about the humanity of those I have condemned (Erie politics is like watching re-runs of the three stooges on a larger level).
The miracle is many have stayed sober. The story is just saying No to any person, power or authority which challenges a principle which has be instilled and held by a far grater power and used to defend against a far more lethal, manipulative, cunning, invisible and supremely more powerful than any threat or fear man may place or throw against it. The lesson is that all things, people, entities and powers must face an acid test at one stage or another. I do not know whether or not my own, or for that matter Victoria House’s test has been passed or failed, nor do I know if the results are only measured against time, or acidity of that which we are being subjected to. All I know is that we have been submerged and as of yet, have not disintegrated. I do wonder how many , if any others in this saga have even been subject to such a test, if not, they will, I hope that lessons learned equip them and their hearts are open enough to seek reconciliation, peace, loss of fear and a desire to do what is expected of a servant towards the people his master.
Again, God Bless, sorry for the thesis, I just start writing and go on but that’s who I am. .
Rob Widing
I feel the need to contact the press is due to the fact we have been utterly neglected by the City, they ignored for three months a suit sitting in the prothonatory clerks office, we have had to deal with the most incredible amount of stress financially using disability certificates month to month to avoid shut-offs, I’ve lost my friends, left school, family ties strained to the limit, my brother who lives here has been (name removed by moderator)atient twice in 5 weeks and I’m in the position of potentially evicting him, my only real friend (was at the last zoning hearing) gave up, left today, his birthday and nobody cares.
Our servants are our servants. Somewhere along the way things got backwards and we allowed our servants to become our masters. I do not seek a pound of flesh or vengeance or even retribution, simply the ability to not live in eternal loss, neglect and hopelessness which is the order of the day.
The first time i met you outside of City Hall, I told you I cannot explain many things, I still cannot, I said; “It’s a God Thing”, that’s how this whole thing began and throughout the last year when to be honest, has forever changed me, my views, my outlook, the reality is our world and irrespective of all things, my view of myself cannot be restored. “it’s still a God thing”, I just do not care about the outcome so much anymore. Justice will be found, not the punishment, or money or any other worldly nonsense, simply a correction in the way a few people who make the decisions to ruin lives go about and how they must procedurally do so.
I have found that there are things to be grateful for, I am grateful that we still stand, although being written off by everybody, told how ill advised it would be to resist, how we cannot win, why we are so unimportant, how selfish we are for claiming what is ours; having no legal guidance, no support from community; organizations, people and government; asking for no handouts, instead being the party which gives whilst being taken advantage of, follows the law, simple clear and direct laws; love of neighbor, treating the weakest with dinity and respect, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, adopting the abandoned, giving to the poor, forgiving those who wash dirty hands to appear clean as so many other white washed tombs whom we interact with everyday.
Right now I am poor in spirit enough, those that are good but just need a kick in the butt, need not to be shamed, the public needs not to have people to believe in less or more (that’s our fundamental problem, belief in man always leads to failure, research this one; how many success stories for an individual, city, nation or civilization in history has ever achieved transcending greatness without a belief in God?). How many failures now and yesterday are due to man’s decisions based on self knowledge, self facts, the counsel of one or many who’s ultimate authority is man and how many miracles can be attributed to the belief in self or the belief in man?
.
The story has been the daily survival through perseverance through the grace of God. I have done nothing and am as fallen as those I condemn, the only difference is I have no fear in my decision making. In fact, I would be the worst person to rely upon to complete with any competency the tasks they perform on a daily basis, not through my own morals or any self crowned nobility, but because I am weak, fragile, big headed, egotistical, prideful, lazy and not open minded.
The great story is that all I have had to do is say No. I am worn and battered to the bone, God has sustained me to this point and to call the mere existence of Victoria House after all the forces against us, we proved to be a house built on Rock and not not on Sand, we could fold tomorrow and I would be at peace knowing I did all I could. My resentments only exist for the duration of this process and I am at peace with my failures because I know the source of them. Me and my way. I actually for the very qualities that I loathe due to the pain they have caused me.
The commonality that exists between us all is how fallen we all are. Irrespective of how I may frame things, given different circumstances, I would probably see them all for only the good qualities of which they all have and if life had not become so painful and full of helplessness, loneliness, disappointment and anxiety over more loss that I am helpless to stop, I could smirk (I sometimes do still) thinking about the humanity of those I have condemned (Erie politics is like watching re-runs of the three stooges on a larger level).
The miracle is many have stayed sober. The story is just saying No to any person, power or authority which challenges a principle which has be instilled and held by a far grater power and used to defend against a far more lethal, manipulative, cunning, invisible and supremely more powerful than any threat or fear man may place or throw against it. The lesson is that all things, people, entities and powers must face an acid test at one stage or another. I do not know whether or not my own, or for that matter Victoria House’s test has been passed or failed, nor do I know if the results are only measured against time, or acidity of that which we are being subjected to. All I know is that we have been submerged and as of yet, have not disintegrated. I do wonder how many , if any others in this saga have even been subject to such a test, if not, they will, I hope that lessons learned equip them and their hearts are open enough to seek reconciliation, peace, loss of fear and a desire to do what is expected of a servant towards the people his master.
Again, God Bless, sorry for the thesis, I just start writing and go on but that’s who I am. .
Rob Widing
opcorn:Just an update. As of now, I’m still awaiting word on an official response from the City of Erie and the Code Guys, The Zoning Board have indicated they will probably not be able to meet prescribed deadlines. I received a 3 day hand delivered shut-off notice from the Energy Company due to inability to pay a $500 bill. Due to our status of being in “limbo” and in light of providing disability certificates which make it illegal to shut off services, I guess they tried to serve us with a shut-off (usually ten days required to give enough time to get proof of health sustaining medication/disability of individuals etc.) for 3 days in the hopes that we could not acquire the means of getting things organized.
On the bright side however, things are moving on, I don’t know how, but God keeps putting the right people, in the right places at the right time to carry us forward. There is Something to be thankful for everyday and all things are in His Hands. I do ask that those who have prayed for us to continue and I shall for you. Please pray for the people who rely on Victoria House and pray more for the people I have failed to shield from the anxiety of this mess.
Let us know how it turns out.