No more rope...

[Practical]

Just going to bleed here a bit...apologies.

Worked for the last couple of years as a service tech for a pharm company. Good pay, wayyyy too many hours, never home, family suffered.

Got a new job as a service tech with a different company. Better hours, home life, that sort of thing. During a 'this doesn't leave the room' meeting, they let me know that their business model is to inflate the price of replacement parts by %70 to effectively force customers into purchasing a service agreement, thereby they get %50 off from all replacement parts. I personally consider this very shoddy business, but they are my employer so what ya gonna do. Big problem with this is that they do business with the VA. As I am still in the reserves, I am obligated to report fraud. Pretty sure any military member will back me up on this. When I went to my manager to request that he keep me out of the VA's and such so I could turn a blind eye, his response was to fire me. Lovely.

So, in a fit of patriotism ( and desperation ), went in to talk to my Reserve unit to see if they could do anything for me. The word Austerity got tossed around a whole lot, but the final answer turned out to be 'No, there is no money.' Wonderful!

Talked to the unemployment folks in my state. It turns out that Moral Turpitude is a sound reason to deny unemployment benefits. That was the grounds under which I was dismissed. I would say it was for business ethics, but that might be splitting hairs. So, because I quit my last job to pursue the new one, and was fired from the new one, the answer is No. Fabulous.

So, decided it was time to start armoring full time. I make and sell medieval armor. It is a joy for me. I absolutely love picking up the hammer and making that steel sing. I love creating. And, it can be profitable! Lined up some commissions and went to work. You ever work a job where you cannot wait to start and hate when you have to stop? That is what I have!

But alas, apparently a person cannot really be happy anymore. I feel resentment and anger from my wife. Granted, this could be guilt on my part for being happy, but I am starting to believe that she is upset with me for being truly content and loving my work. I do get to work from home, and that has huge advantages, but pounding hot steel 12 hours a day is not exactly kicking back. Just because you love your work, does not mean that it is not work!

So, with the resentment growing and the somewhat volatile uncertainty of owning a small business, we got stress =) Even better...you are going to love this...I woke up this morning to feed my 5 month old son and checked my bank account to see if an order of rivets went through...and it turns out my account balance on my/wifes/business accounts is $0.00. Notice of Levy - ########. They took every single penny.

Because, when things are this bad, the best thing to do is to leave me flat broke with no hope.

So I ask, where is God? To describe my current mind-set, I would have to say...volatile. I am a military fella...been doing it my whole life. When the screws are turned this tightly, how am I supposed to react? My dignity is gone. My manhood is gone. My ability to provide is gone ( I cannot even pay for the rivets now. How exactly am I supposed to ship finished armor with no rivets? ). Called my father, he empathizes. I would call a friend but I don't have one. Tried to get into my wife's church this morning just to talk to someone, but they were all busy. They do a radio show from there and they were all busy. Too busy.

Ever feel that crushing burden on your shoulders?

This is just a rant mind you. I am sure everything will work out, just doesn't feel that way right now. Sometimes I really wish I had faith but God has never talked to me...


To any of the DHS folks who monitor these boards, I am not dangerous. I am all talk and bluster. I have not received any martial training from the military. This has just been a test.

[clem]

Try this;

http://www.howtoreportfraud.com/?gcl...FUljTAodhEQPKg

[Chaplain Chuck]

Being former military myself, I empathize with your situation and applaud your ethical stand. I have no magic remedy and my choice of scripture references leaves me desiring to find more or better ones somewhere else. I hope you find something in these words to take hold of and find courage to carry on in them.


1. Not living by bread alone
Matthew 4:4 (Deut 8:3) “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”.

In the challenging statement that is used as a heading for this topic; Jesus was not stating a new principle. In fact he was quoting from Deuteronomy. 8:3. In all ages of time the Lord has tried to get his people to realize that physical, material things are only to be used by us but that our trust must be in the spiritual things. So, in this verse he said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

So again let us plead for that spiritual emphasis for this life. Let us determine to re-evaluate the things that are material so that we may see the full and important values of the spiritual aspects of life. Often all of us may show too much concern for “bread” for ourselves and others. Indeed, he that will not work should not eat (II Thess. 2:10), and we are to labor so that we may have to give of life’s necessities to others (Eph. 4:2.b. Yet we must remember that it would be better to starve our body than to allow our soul to be deprived of the “bread of life.”

Material things may satisfy some fleshly desires for a time, but lasting satisfactions are to be had, even in this life, only through spiritual processes. Man needs bread for physical life but more than that; Man needs spiritual food from God’s word.

2. Be anxious for nothing.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God: and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding shall guard your heart and minds through Jesus Christ”


The Apostle Paul also told us to not worry about anything.
What should we do instead of worrying?
1. Pray for what you need as well as for what you want.
2. Tell God that you are thankful for what he has already given you.
3. Request from God everything you need for the day, every day.
What happens then?
The peace of God (the feeling of contentment and security) which surpasses understanding (the peace of God that goes beyond rational thought and understanding from a human perspective) shall guard (the term is like that of a Roman soldier walking back and forth in front of a fort) your heart and mind (will not allow through whatever thoughts God does not want to pass) through Jesus Christ.

So then, you pray to God to give you what you need to live with thanksgiving. The peace of God will give you the feeling of security and protect your mind from the attacks of doubt that occasionally occur.

[sorrow]

lifting you and your wife up in prayer, practical.......

[Summerthyme]

AW, damn... that just sucks.

BTDT, including hubby being fired for refusing to campaign for a crooked boss' re-election as Highway Superintendent. Said crooked boss actually said in an interview (which was printed on the main page of the nearest city's newspaper) that "of course, I NEVER threatened his job if he didn't support his re-election. I'd NEVER do that!". Then he fired hubby the day after he lost the election. Of course, it was all illegal... but just try to get any help from ANYwhere. It's essentially impossible. We knew of the Town Supervisor stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the town.. but couldn't get ANYone interested.

Where is God? Where He always is... and believe it or not, he's holding you up. I'll tell you one thing we've found over the years- Satan attacks like this (and I truly believe you are being attacked by the Dark forces right now) when you are trying hard to live your life close to God, and succeeding. I don't know about your wife, but Satan does NOT want you to be happy, and fulfilled and to have time to be a good Christian husband and father. He hates that... so he attacks.

And God- for His own reasons, which after a lot of anger and angst, we've learned to not question- does often allow it for a time. But in the end, He's never let us down and we've always found that He had a plan for our lives.

I'm really confused about the "moral turpitude" thing... refusing to go along with an illegal price fixing act is somehow "moral turpitude"? Huh?

How about going to the newspapers? Maybe even with your name withheld? Or your local congresscritter's office?

And please, find a better church! Forget the big "we've got a fancy radio show" false churches, and find a small, Bible based fellowship where they care more about their members than how big their bank account is and whether or not they can contribute and help pay for fancy buildings and other worldly stuff. You might want to see if there is one associated with the local Salvation Army folks near you...

Your wife is frightened... that's normal for women, and you've got a baby as well. She probably could use a better church as well, but you don't NEED "a church" to talk to God and have a relationship with Him. She's used to depending on a steady paycheck, and probably is very concerned about how well you can do as an independent business. That will take some time for it to prove to her that it CAN feed and house you guys...

Does she work? CAN she work if necessary? I firmly believe in at least one parent staying home with a baby (especially babies), but there are times when things have to change, at least temporarily. I took a job a couple times when the farm wasn't even covering expenses- neither of us liked it, but it did help at the time. It's vitally necessary that you support each other, and that you find a way to communicate your hopes, fears, worries...

If you find that you're fighting over the situation rather than pulling together, see if you can find a pastor or someone willing to do some counseling or at least mediation... having a third party there to listen can keep things on track and let you actually HEAR what the other one is saying.

You'll be in our prayers.

Summerthyme

[joyfulheart]

This is the verse I often repeat to myself over and over...

Isaiah 65:24
I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!



If you have the health, I recommend fasting and prayer. Just focus on God, read scripture, ask HIM to handle this for you. HE will open the doors you need opened!

I am praying for ya'll too!

[wafflehouse]

Qui Tam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qui_tam



http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?singlepost=2895209

from the 'market ticker' link: "Let me spell it out for you folks who work for a big bank: If you have knowledge of the bank doing something that has caused the government to get screwed, you can sue in the name of the government and get a big chunk of the recovery."



in other words, if you can successfully prove in court that there is fraud, YOU GET A CUT OF THE COURT AWARDED DAMAGES

[Ruik]

Being honest and upright in the world of today is not a quality people appreciate anymore, it has passed much the way chivalry did; slowly and quietly into the night.

One thing that caught my eye on your post is the making of armor, I am a blacksmith; and out of curiosity why do you not make some of your own rivets. I am guessing you have a forge of some sort to heat the metal.

If you were nearby I would invite you and yours to dinner, even though I don't know you. But I doubt you are near central Tennessee.

I encourage you to find a real relationship with Jesus Christ, and even if you cannot always hear a voice his hand will be over your life. Though He didn't promise us an easy time, it is always better to not be alone in this struggle that is life.

Ben House

[LadyInWaiting]

My manhood is gone.

Practical, this statement above is not true, at all.

Praying!

[Practical]

Thanks for the kind words folks, is very much appreciated.

I do not make my own rivets simply from a time constraint. As an armorer, I am aggressively competing with the overseas folks who make shoddy armor, but do it very cost effectively ( cheap ). Hard to keep up with em and impossible if I have to stop to forge brass rivets =)