VENDOR WRITING

EVICTION

BY VICKY B.

A word that feels so dirty, so painful, so shameful. A word that breaks apart families and separates loved ones. A word that brings back memories and the all-too-real nightmare. The word is, “Eviction.” To evict, to remove. With seven of them under my belt, you could say I’m an expert at it. One thing is for sure it doesn’t go away until seven years from your last one. Even if you pay it off. No one will rent to you. It’s a word that brings fear to those who’ve been homeless before. We say, “it’s OK we’ll figure something out,” but in reality, we’re dying inside, pushing back the tears. Crunch time has arrived. Get a storage shed as cheap as possible. Pawn or sell what you can. Cash is king right now. Preserve all you can.

Once housed, landlords will use this word to keep tenants in line, threatening them with eviction if the rules aren’t followed. Simple rules really, but that word “evicted” comes up on the notices, “If you don’t do this, you will be evicted.” Terror runs through my body and the mind races to survival mode. I can’t lose everything I’ve got; all I’ve worked for and all that people have helped with. Where will we go? I start thinking storage and then cry with the thought of how much we all have lost doing that. Is that a smart move or not? My eyes then drop back down to the notice and I read it again. I don’t have to worry about that rule and then take a deep breath.

Loud firecrackers can spark a PTSD episode from a veteran, and a word like eviction starts my PTSD. There’s no cure for it, but many have learned to live with it. I hope one day to be able to help other homeless people who are recently housed to identify the signs of PTSD and share tools to handle it. I need to learn that first though. I’ve said many times writing has been my therapy.

This past month millions of Americans were threatened with eviction until an 11th hour save came in. What a roller-coaster of emotions to have to go through. Living out of boxes in a home you’ve rented for years, not knowing when the ax will drop or the federal money will come in. It’s a game of cat and mouse that effects not only the renters, but the owners of the property as well. I’ve always said, “It’s business not personal, it’s business” and it is.

That doesn’t make it any less painful or shameful. It’s just easier for me to breathe with that thinking.

The Law and Sin

BY JOHN H.

Just sitting around today reading the word and came to this scripture that I’d like to share with people who are against their kids wearing masks. Whether parent or kid’s decision, does it matter if it’s the law? Does money, wealth, prestige, power make us act this way? You break that law — it’s sin, people. Romans 7:7 says, “I would have never known what sin was had it not been for the law.”

These kids are the future at stake. Should we have more consideration for someone else or our children? I don’t understand many as parents. Actually the children shouldn't really have a say — so, I clearly understand why the schools are making it law because many parents are very negligent, irresponsible. What if you went to pick up your child from school, you get to the school and you’re told that your child was rushed to the emergency room at Vanderbilt? The child had a sickness they weren’t accustomed to seeing. We tried to reach you but we couldn't. What if you got that news? How would you feel? Or what if your kid came home very sick? “One who preferred to be unmasked.” Do you actually think bad things don’t happen to good people? What if a well-known kid die from this virus, what then? Better yet, what if the kid’s yours? The way that many are acting, God just may allow it, to let you parents see how important the law is. How to be more respectful. It's OK to be able to make decisions for your family, yes, but when it involves many more families, wouldn't it be better to just follow the law that’s been set before you?

God said in his word that we should follow the law of the land. I know sometimes it’s hard, but we must. If not, it’s sin. Sin is sin whether big or small, bad or good. Can’t compare — it’s all sin. I encourage you to follow the laws of the land. It would be your child who gets very ill.