Tolerance in troubled times

Morgan Spurlock is the film maker that created "Super Size Me", he has a show called "30 Days".
On this show he explores living a different lifestyle for thirty days...in this episode the subject was religious freedom, specifically Muslims & America

check it out and come back and read this again

http://www.hulu.com/watch/5276/30-days-muslims-and-america

I think that if Morgan had chosen someone who had more of an understanding of the basic principles of all faiths this episode wouldn't be as frustrating. As a baby boomer Catholic American I was not taught about Islam, or Hinduism, or any other faiths in school. I had to mature and read other texts and watch films an learn.

God is God...He is the Father, we are His children.

Whether He spoke through Christ or Muhammed or The Bhudda, matters little.

The basic text of all faiths is that all men may live in harmony. Clearly the Muslim faith is disciplined beyond most Americans ability to worship, prostrate, and understand Who provides.

God is timeless and ageless, He is larger and more powerful than any one man can comprehend. The ignorance and predjudice that flew out of peoples mouths on the street is astoundingly sad. We live in a country that thrives on excess and worships money and celebrity. May God save us especially in these scary times, to teach us to band together with all Americans especially the Muslims...and we must ban hate language, and let the call to prayers come over speakers in every town, as easily as the bells played all my life three times a day, and believe and fight for the freedom to worship before it is stamped out by the fools that fear they may be told that there are rules to living well as humans.

My Brother Mike O'Malley

Mike has been coming over to my house for
breakfast for 13 years...he is my closest friend in my family.
I love him dearly and owe him a great deal for his kind ear,
and emotional support.

Mike is a contractor...he builds houses, paints houses,
remodels bathrooms, installs decks, new windows, he can do
almost everthing there is to do around a job site. He has a expert
carpenter John, who has been with him for years...he has helpers that he hires on for big jobs.
I started painting for Mike when I was in high school...
long story short...my Pamela rebuilt his website and I hope it
brings tons of new business his way
please go check it out and call Mike the next time are
thinking of remodeling or building from scratch..or for a good ole
paint job...call my brother Mike.

Heres a link to his new site:

http://www.omalleyremodel.com/album/omalbum.html

O'Malley Decorating & Remodeling is a FULL service company, specializing in kitchens and baths. We do additions, roofs, siding, fascia and gutters, custom decks and porches, window replacement, painting and wallpaper, ceramic tile, electrical, plumbing, glass block, floor tile and more. Over 30 years of experience serving Beverly, Mt. Greenwood, Blue Island, Morgan Park, and surrounding areas. INSURED - References available upon request.Contact: 773-386-5252 or email mike@omalleyremodel.com

Small Pieces

Whenever I feel low or lost because of life circumstances or events...I have noticed

that some strand of hope always comes through for me. When am afraid about work and my security for whatever reason I almost always recieve a tiny gift from God...small threads of

hope are what connect us to Him. Afew years back I was in trouble at work for something I did wrong,

I was called to the mat and I apologized and hung on to God...I had done a few commercials

for a burdgeoning ad company and they had put my face across the top of their site http://www.thewelladvertising.com/...I felt

instant hope that my employer is God and that He supplies my food and shelter and clothing.

Many more smaller instances have occured when I have felt down...students and strangers

commenting how they found Godshow online and it helps them go on.

Today I got an message at Facebook from Angel

Here's the exchange...another small piece in the veiled mosaic of God's will for me!

(note her name is Angel...hmm)

Hi Angel,

Thanks for adding me as a friend...I vaguely remember you read my blog and commented that is you right?
Tim O

Hi Tim,

Yes, I left a comment on your blog once, but I don't think we ever chatted. I was googling Ben Shearn's name to see what he was up to and I found the film he made on your blog. When I read your posts, it appealed to me because I am both an artist and was heavily into the comedy scene. Also, because I believe in God but over the years have been falling away from my faith. Reading your blog made me feel close to him again; just your humble words. I still don't know how I feel about my faith--maybe I am resistant--but when I read your words I can feel the spirit in them.

So thank you for that,

Angel

Thank you Angel
I use my blog to try and inspire myself... to
remember who and where I get my strength
and power from.... so i don't fall into self pity.
I often forget how much God has done for me,
and that He is still working to keep me on the path
to do His will...it is when things I feel victimized by, pile up,
that I get the most lost.
So thanks and I am grateful you found me...it reminds
me that He works in the small quiet places...and the grand scale dreams
I have... are all broken up in tiny little pieces that I must
look back at to see the true mosiac of my life.
Peace and blessings on you Angel
Tim O

Haven't Posted in a while

Dear Friend,

Am excited about the upcoming channel 11, WTTW special "Irish Chicago".

I am featured as one of the segments in the documentary covering the Irish cutlural influence in Chicago, and the personal stories of first second and third generation Irish.

It airs Tuesday March 3rd at 7:30pm,

will be replayed at 10pm that night and a few more times in the weeks following.

Hopefully my contribution will be mostly covering the myths and truths of Irish alcoholism...funny stuff once again from your favorite neighborhood sober Irish alcoholic Tim O'Malley!

Please be sure to watch or tivo it on WTTW 11 Chicago, or WTTW HD

God is alive and well

I believe God is a power source that flows through time and space....

His power had no beginning and has no end.

That power resides in all things living and past.

He is everlasting light and love and strength, with deep kindness and patience.

He is the source of all wisdoms.

He is God, He is good.

He goes by many names, and when

He reveals Himself in this world,

it is unmistakable and clear that

He has been at work in our lives.

Success as I see it.

Fame is not the goal.

The truth of what success is in the long term is...success is healthy survival against the odds, while living a real life on the ground, with the rest of us, with a partner and friends,and hopefully children...

and not to die alone, that is the goal.

What most young artists see is a glittering lie.

FAME is a fantasy word, a lie.

What is really there... is a long hard road with crazy odds, and we cannot see the pain, & hardships to come.

The fact that a lot of your idols in show business

from just a few years ago are broke financially and

spiritually or probably will be in the next few years.

Hang on to your life RIGHT NOW...and live what is right in front of you.

Stay out of fantasies of what is going on in the lives of well known people...

and pray to God you never become one.

Well known people are not happier than you.

You will not become a better person if you become well known or wealthy,

nor will you find any more peace than you can find right now.

Just work and be good to each other and if someone is in trouble... offer help

and if you are in trouble ....do not be afraid to go and seek professional help.

In this day and age seeking mental health help is completely acceptable and encouraged.

Express and name your true feelings.

Identify your fears attempt to stop the cycle of poor parenting.

If you fall... get back up, ...when you can,... and walk again

Faith

Last night I wrote a prayer to God about my career. I read the comments and I am already feeling God's strength from supportive positive artists who understand. I am posting this clip from Shift, because I must remind myself what God has already done for me, and what He continues to plan for me.

Here's the story of Shift: A former student sent a tape of Godshow to the director of this film (Jonathan Yi). It's a beautiful simple tale of Jonathan's early struggles with being an artist in a Chinese culture in America. A culture that didn't look at artwork as a "real job", and how Jonathan maintained his vision throughout. It's beautifully acted by Aldous Davidson and several non actor Chinese men who were a blast to work with.

They flew me to NY and scheduled the shoot around me. They paid me 200 a day, gave me second billing, the film won several awards, and was seen in several cities here and abroad. I slept on the floor in a young artists apartment, replete with a young dancer, and an actress, and the producer of Shift. He had been sober since he was thirteen, now twenty three. We shot from 11pm til dawn every night. The crew were all friends of the director from NYU Film Dept. I helped pack and unpack each night. It was like I was a young artist too...I really was because this was my first major role in an independent film of weight and merit.

When I saw this scene in the film, I suddenly realized that God had given me a moment of glory and joy, with music and real rain and real actors and a real director that had hired me from an audition tape from a show I wrote.

GOD DOES SUPPLY ME WITH ALL I NEED...I just have to use my faith to remember this has all happened and that He is planning more for me if I make myself ready and available for the opportunities when they present themselves. I must not be blinded by seeming tough times. God loves me and He loves you too. I must keep my eyes and heart on my original dream of being working artist with a message...and that I am already a star.