PART 1 - THE TAMPA TIMES

Greetings -

The scriptures are from the King James Bible.

Jeremiah 17: 7, 8, 10
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Last paragraph from PART 3 - GOD'S ADVENTURE FOR ME IN CHARLESTON.  Also, here is the link to that topic in its entirety
http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2011/02/part-3-gods-adventure-for-me-in.html.

While I was in Washington for about two days, our Lord told me that I was not going back to Charleston.  He brought back to my remembrance what the desk clerk had said, "You don't belong here."  My mission in Charleston was over.  Our Lord told me to go to Tampa.  The original plan was a go.

THE TAMPA TIMES BEGIN:

My time spent in Tampa, Florida was much lengthier than my adventure in Charleston, South Carolina.  What I will do here with my Tampa accounts is share the major highlight "moments."

When I reached the Greyhound station in Tampa, I inquired of one of the employees there about an inexpensive motel.  He suggested one.  I got a cab and the driver drove me to the subject motel.  That suggested place didn't witness in my spirit.  I left and went back to the cab.  The driver was a blessing from our Lord.  He agreed to take me to a motel that he considered better.  He didn't charge me for the additional trip which was a good distance from where we were.  The cab driver also told me that he would shut his cab meter off at a certain amount and not charge me for anything beyond that limit.  I was grateful and expressed to him, in earnest, my appreciation.  Thank you, Lord. 

We arrived at the better motel.  The cab driver was right.  It was a "fit" for me.  Also, it had free continental breakfast and Internet service for patrons.  I paid for a week in advance. 

When I got settled in some, I phoned my cousin (I'll call her Gina) to let her know that I was in Tampa.  Remember when I was in Charleston, one of my relatives had given me Gina's phone
number.  To my surprise, Gina lived about a ten minute drive from the motel.  Her job, at the time, was as a
live-in assistant for a mentally challenged client.  Gina came to pick me up and gave me a Tampa snapshot "tour."  Gina's grown daughter (I'll call her Lynn) had recently moved to Tampa and resided in a nearby boarding house. 

Our Lord led me to a church in walking distance from the motel.  It was full gospel, and a blessing to my spirit.  I quickly began a job search, and inquired about a shelter in Tampa.  My cousin and another relative in Maryland had concerns about me living in a shelter.  The Lord arranged it where, in the boarding house where Lynn lived, another tenant was evicted for nonpayment of rent.  The subject room was next door to Lynn's room.  It became available on the Wednesday after my arrival in Tampa.

I had concerns about the room matter because I didn't have a job and existed on savings.  It would be later that I would apply, in Florida, for unemployment compensation, which I did receive.  The house
live-in manager (I'll call her Rita) made a call to seek approval due to my status.  I was accepted to move in.  The motel didn't give refunds.  I had paid through that Friday so I decided to stay there until my time had expired. 

In one of my previous posts, I shared how our Lord had to humble me because I was a giver, but rarely did I ask others for financial help.  It was such a rarity that one of my sisters told her grown daughter something like, "I know that it "kills" Sandy (my nickname) to ask for help."  Anyway our Lord shared with me that there was pride in that position of mine.  So He placed me in positions, and told me to ask for help.  It wasn't excessive - I began to do as our Lord led.

As mentioned earlier, I had some savings and one of my sister's had deposited some money into my account.  But now I had to pay rent and didn't yet have a job or my unemployment compensation.  I needed some basic things for my room.  So one day at about 9:00 a.m., our Lord told me to begin to ask for donations from people.  I asked the motel manager if they had any old linen that could be given to me.  He stated that he would get back to me about it.  I had about two more days to be there.  The manager didn't get back to me.  Our Lord told me not to ask him again.  

Then our Lord told me to start walking and to seek donations, as He led.  I asked in stores, and at other motels.  One lady in a store gave me a dollar.  Hey!  I was thankful.  It was an answer.  Not once did I get discouraged.  Our Lord sent me to ask and that is what I did.  Also, more importantly, I had to do it for spiritual reasons - my pride, you know.  And do you know what?  Praise GOD - I didn't have one "morsel" of shame.  I was on a mission from GOD!   

I walked, and asked from 9:00 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m.  I had received one dollar.  At about 2:00, I walked to a business that had a message on the awning that advertised it as a Christian business.  I said to myself something like, Is this just a sign or are these people really about GOD?  I was led by our Lord to go in.  I forgot what I said to lead one of the men there to mention the awning signage that indicated that they were Christians.  When he said that, my friendly response was, "Are you good Samaritans?"  His friendly reply was "yes."  There were about 4-5 other people present when I walked in - all Caucasians.   I told them as much as our Lord led me to say about my situation.  Individuals gave me donations.  I expressed to them my appreciation.  When I left and had walked up the street, one of the women came out of the business and gave me her donation.  The total amount gained from the people there wasn't a large sum, but the amount wasn't the core issue.  I was deeply affected by the care that those people demonstrated.  They provided enough for me to get what I needed for the room with a few dollars left.  I walked up the street and offered someone a tithe of the money.  That person graciously refused  it.  I found someone else to give it to and on my merry way I went.   

When my motel check-out date arrived, praise our Lord, Rita, the boarding house live-in manager, and her son came to get me.  I offered, and they accepted some funds for their help.  Off to my new "digs" I went.

The boarding house was sizable with about eight rooms.  I liked the  room, and it was affordable.  The other tenants (names changed) were:

- Rita (house manager) and her boyfriend Richard - Black

- Emma - a Jamaican Seventh Day Adventist - Black

- Claude - a Christian who also worked as the maintenance man - Black

- Lee - an older biker type - Caucasian - alcohol addicted, and if I remember correctly, an atheist  

- Pedro - Hispanic - alcohol addicted

I mentioned the races/cultures...to show that our Lord had arranged diversity which I love because in heaven, there is diversity.  We should embrace it on earth in accordance with the precepts of our DIVERSE Lord.

We housemates got along sufficiently well.  I hit a "snag" with Rita and Richard after I had been there about a month.  Richard placed, on my room door, a notice of a rent increase.  The effective date was a "back date" for, I believe, the previous month.  I didn't know how they did rent business in Tampa, Florida, but in D.C., you cannot raise rent prior to a 30 day notice and you certainly cannot issue a rent increase notice with an effective date listed as a previous month.  

I reasonably questioned Richard about the matter.  He got angry.  I informed him that I wasn't going for that practice.  He stated that he would contact the house owner (I'll call him Bob) and get back to me.

My nature is investigative anyhow so to pursue the issue was a "given" for me.  I heard a prominent Christian Bishop say that a lot of Christians are spiritual but lack business sense.  They are holy but don't have sufficient business skills.  I am all for spirituality but I firmly believe in solid business practices and the ability to research and investigate practical and administrative matters.  We need to be business capable and intelligent.  There is not necessarily a need to go deep but sufficient knowledge should be possessed to manage affairs successfully and effectively.  And if we cannot or do not possess the necessary knowledge, we should know what resources to pursue. 

Anyhow, off I go to the appropriate government entity in Tampa to inquire about that rent increase notice.  The man at the subject agency informed me that the subject notice was a violation of governmental policy.  I asked for the necessary documentation and received what I needed from him.  Next I went to the public library to do some "research" on the property where I lived.   

What did I discover?  Bob and his "company" didn't have a license for a boarding house arrangement.  The official record revealed that it was a single family home.  I called and spoke to one of Bob's representatives.  I was told that the subject licensing was pending.  What?!  I'm no expert but I knew that the boarding house deal was not legit.  Of course, our Lord knew all of this - yet - He let me move in unaware of that matter.  2 Kings 4:27 - KJV says, "...and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me."  Not once did I sense that it wasn't our Lord's will for me to move into that house.  I sought Him about my dilemma.  I said something like, "Lord, I'm a Christian.  I can't be in this shady drama.  And You know I have limited options with no job..."   

To be continued...

Sandra

Written Saturday March 12, 2011

Copyright 2011