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Sunday, February 26, 2023

Is poor Catholic an oxymoron? (Will write for food 2014)

 

confession (is poor catholic an oxymoron?)

I volunteered a lot at St Mary's at the lakes. 
I did a lot of little things like shovel snow off the roof set up Christmas decorations, I also stood in front of the congregation and read scripture during Sunday mass and helped as an alter server.  I raised funds for the Diocesan Service Appeal. Three years in a row.
 One day I was approached by a man from Sacred heart in Hudson Michigan who asked if I would be interested in participating in a play type reading at the church and I agreed.
 He gave me an envelope with my part in the play. I took it home and studied.
 John Schaub who was married to Jean (Pastoral coordinator) had a part in the play as well, so he drove us down. When we arrived, we found the church packed.
Turns up its Pentecostal Saturday.
I hadn't given it much consideration, trying not to sweat I have to do this in a packed church.
I had been telling myself it's on a Saturday there will probably only be a hand full of parishioners.
 We started mass with a prayer then eight of us who were in the play took our places at different podiums in the church. There were Fathers and Deacons in the front row.
 I looked them in their eyes scanning rows and rows of Parishioners as we performed our parts. I was nervous but I'm proud to say I did good. everyone was listening to me. I'm looking at them looking at me I have their complete attention.
Afterward I took my seat and was ready for communion. Then the fathers and Deacons stood up and took the Alter. They took stations for confession.... I didn't even see this coming. (Am I a Poor Catholic? Http://fbgfgc.blogspot.com/2014/03/is-poor-catholic-oxymoron.html ).
  Now I'm sweating what am I going to confess? I picked a Father I didn't recognize. I told him "Father I confess I don't feel I'm doing what God wants me to do". I work as a roofer because I failed at another attempt at my radio career.
I told him I use to work in radio. That I've organized and conducted food drives that filled rental trucks with food for the local food pantries. Worked fund raisers for schools.
 I confessed to the Father I use to feel so important and now I'm just Hiding on a roof.
"I'm not doing what God wants me to do." The Father was quick to look to the podium I had just stood at. Nod his head toward it and ask me "why did you get up there and do that?" I quickly responded, "I was asked to". He told me there you go. "If God wanted you on the radio, you would be on the radio"! He told me I was good at the part I had taken in the play. He had also noticed how everyone was paying absolute attention to me as I spoke. He told me I should be an actor or something. He Also told me to do what God asks me to do. It was only weeks later I got a call from children Protective Service and then within days I had my own new baby. I told Jean Shaub Pastoral coordinator "I'm supposed to be a grandpa not a dad" she replied.
" Your who God Needs you to be" And I reflected back to Pentecostal Saturday when the Father told me to do what God asks me to do.   I'm trying!

ens
Thank you, Jean Schaub,
(on the right)











Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Struggling writer

 I sometimes think it makes their day

to see me struggle

  And sometimes I wonder.

what if I didn't struggle?

what If I were rich?

I'd probably fall over dead.

hypothesis 

the struggle is what I live for 

sometimes I get up just to struggle some more.


"Struggling writer"


Bob Jenkens



If-bleeds-leads-Bob-Jenkens-ebook/dp/B09XM23KDQ?ref_=ast_author_mpb

Saturday, February 18, 2023

The Russians are coming the Russians are coming

I wrote this poem inspired by our 2016 Presidential election. At the end of the poem I say something about bringing out the Martians so we all can, see? With these Balloons being flying around and speculation I feel like I need to share it again. 

The Russians are coming... The Russians are coming!




 what did the early revolution know?
about the internet?
What do you know Paul Revere?
one if by land
two if by sea
3 if by internet
Impeding democracy
The Russians are coming.
The Russians are coming.
And sling out #Donald Trump
For everyone to see.
The Russians are coming.
   the Russians are coming.
So, are the Mexicans and Chinese?

One if by land two if by sea
three at the hands of democracy
bring on the Martians.
for us all to see
It's not the internet. 
but the end of Humanity

Bob Jenkens




Wednesday, February 8, 2023

 Debriefed at the pearly gates


You've lived by the book anticipating Eternal life.
confessed your sins and accepted Jesus Christ
Walked a straight path.
but lied and cheated people
"It's my Job" doesn't count
Your going straight to hell
do not pass go
do not collect 200.00
you got paid by the hour
You sold your soul
To the devil

Debriefed at the pearly gates, you're in heaven now. December 26, 2016

My inspiration for this title:
  Prior to the 2016 Presidential election I was watching the news on tv, and it was reported that Donald Trump was at a debriefing. A debriefing I thought to myself. Why would they need to debrief him? Think about it.... Maybe Aliens are real? right? When Mr Trump tweets a picture of real Alien at area 51 It would be like war of the worlds 2016.  Only Global! Imagine the craziest movie plots could be secret reality's./christopher-columbus-thought-world-was.html.
 Really! It's not good being debriefed is it? Maybe There really is no hunger or war in Syria Mr President. It's a front to wash millions of dollars taken from the pockets of working people.
Or more likely. Mr President Our judicial system is no where near fair and just!/the-american-judicial-system.html . Our prosecutors pray on poor people. They use police to gather and write police reports to incriminate poor people that can't afford legal representation. They get court appointed Attorneys that try to get a fast conviction and puts dollars back into the judicial system./who-writes-police-reports-4222015.html .

  I'm just trying to write a piece about these people in our Judicial System who go to church. County clerks, commissioners, prosecutors, sheriff Jack Welch, attorneys stenographers.The court buildings are full of people who know the honest truth. eating poor people.    
  /poor-people-for-breakfast.html.
Some day the people of the judicial system will stand in front of their creator and be judged.
on the way they misrepresented reality./city-council-should-face-terrorism.html
/whats-oath-they-uphold-does-it-matter.html

Maybe your family is in the judicial system at the pearly gates you get debriefed?  Your Dad Rick Castleberry is not here! He went to Hell for being such a good prosecutor. and Your aunt? Judge Laura Shadler she's in hell too. for taking peoples homes and freedom so she could live high on the hog. "It's just my job" They say . You know the truth. But you remain on that bench and swear under oath "in God we trust" even still your position gets you immunity? Not at the Pearly Gates of Heaven.
  Unless of course Donald Trump tweets "There is no God or pearly gates"
"I'll swear on the Bible I've been debriefed".


Bob Jenkens





Sunday, February 5, 2023

Autopsy of a poet

 To dissect a poet

is to open his pages and read.

look at his vital organs.

how did life make him bleed?

my autopsy will reveal emotionally,

physically, ironically.

shut the book and know.

this is how I read.

scribbled out, crossed out, left out.

this is my autopsy.

in pencil and in ink

I've bled every word I write.


Bob Jenkens



Bob-Jenkens "If it bleeds it leads"


Friday, February 3, 2023

Pencil whipped

 Lock me up in a cage!

But don't take my pencil.

feed me rice with maggots!

but don't take my pencil.

make me defend my life.  

with nothing but a pencil

a little more than a popsicle stick

divides our lives.

but we can't see from you to me.

because it's not written 

in black and white



Bob Jenkens

Bob-Jenkens/If it bleeds it leads