All I want is a garage and to be left alone.

[GJunktionMike]

I was raise by a dad who was a very religious man. He was in the men’s fellowship at your church, even did a sermons now and then. I was always told “son God has a reason for letting that happen, he is preparing you” and after today I’m left with, I’m either destined for something great or it is all BS. When my dad passed away when I was 17, I never picked up his torch but I do to this day follow a lot of what I was taught. Like my dad I often find myself going against the grain, Right is right and wrong is wrong, an eye for an eye and God loves hotrods.

In this day and age where you have a little sliver of white on one side and a little sliver of black on the other and this huge gray spot in the middle. It is no wonder why very few people have faith and why so many people are unwilling to do the right thing. And this brings me to my day.

My day started with a visit from the department of human services because my oldest and his two kids are back at my house (real long ugly story). I have to sit down and do a one on one interview with the social worker. We establish my son and his other need to pull their heads out and grow up ect ect ect.

Then hear comes the blind side, oh by the way you need to go down and do a urine test. I’m floored by this and ask why, she explained because other parties involved have expressed their concern about everyone in the household is using drugs and that there are large amount in the house at any given time. All I could do is look at her and say “You are joking me”. So I asked how can they come in and make those kind of demands, she responded with “you can refuse but I will mark you down as a refusal and they will assume you are a drug user” at this point I’m WTF. I pulled my head out 24 years ago I have nothing to hide. I agreed to the testing and went and done it (and was treated like a pieces of %&% down at the testing facility).

At the conclusion of my interview I asked, so all I have the do is pick up the phone, call you, point the finger at someone saying their using drugs, and I can harass someone legally all I want. She told me no that’s not how it works. I stated it seems to be happing right now. She told me I’m just doing my job and that is the way we do things. I asked how long am I going to have to put up with this legalized harassment. She responded with “till DHS gets tired of the person turning me in” WHAT!!!!! So I asked after I’m done jumping thru your hoops and you find out all this is BS what is going to happen to the person that is reporting false information, she replied “NOTHING”

 

[26Troadster]

yes this kind of crap goes on all the time. a fellow i knew afew years back took dhr to court over this kind of stuff, and the judge wanted to know who was pointing the finger at them, turns out it was the case worker. he lost his job and there was a settlement, but he did have to move out of state (didn't have to, but it was better). best of luck to you.

 

[YBeNormal]

I'm sorry you are going through all that man.

That is another sad thing about our country people abuse the system and there is no consequence for their actions.

 

[earthman]

Someone may only be concerned about the kids and not trying to personally harass. Stinking drugs. The Bible says to bless those that curse you GJM.
Vibe up and rise to a better reality. You can't think and focus on what you don't want and get much except more of what you don't want.

Sending positive energy your way bud.

 

[Dirtyrat]

I think I would have thrown her out, although would have been nice to take a wiz on her...

 

[Snake Farm]

Sorry to hear about the hassle Mike.........I know there's some screwed up stuff with the system but you just gotta be positive and think of it as "doing it for the Grandkids" Hope things get better for you soon.

 

[maverickmk]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear what you are going through. It seems if the system is stacked against the very people it was set up to help. Stupid government. Anytime you want to hide in a garage, mine is always open. You might have to lend a hand every now & again

Best of luck to you my friend, I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Gastrick]

I worked for an entity for 25 years (with 6000 employees) that had "random" drug testing. Out of all those employees, I was "randomy" chosen for drug testing 4 times in a 6 week period. Never before and never after. I had nothing to fear from the test results so I just took it in stride. Hang in there. It really does get better eventually if you keep trying your best.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Thank you guys for the words

It will take more then this to get me down, I’ll take it all in stride and remain positive thru all the BS. The only thing I’m guilty of is trying to give my grand kids a better life because their parents just don’t seem to care about anything but them self’s right now. I’m ok with DHS doing their job but it does bother me that they can come in your house and pull a stunt like this. Then treat you like a pile for trying to do the right thing.

 

[phillip-r-s]

First let me say that I feel for ya, and am glad to hear that you are staying positive. To many people who have it perfectly fine seem to be going through life constantly looking at the negative and dwelling on it. I like it when I see people who are actively working to find the positives.
That being said I find it interesting how our official agencies seem to work of late. You are assisting someone, giving a helping hand. So you should be tested to make sure your not on something. However, if you taking assistance they assume you are perfectly clear of mind.
You know what maybe there is more to this line of thinking, maybe there is some rational, we should start testing the officials that are constantly handing out assistance in the form of money that we don't have.
I have to laugh, because I know everything will work out the way it should.

 

[oldmanb]

Terrible!! It seems you have no control over anything that happens in your life today. Guilty until proven innocent.

 

[bob w]

I'm not a religious guy and I don't attend AA meetings, but, I have found the AA prayer to be very helpful in times of high stress.

You can look it up if you so desire.

 

[Toad]

Our wonderful government at work! Disgusting!

Toad

 

[GJunktionMike]

No deed goes unpunish

The original, attributed to Niebuhr, is:
God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.

Bob that’s some good stuff, I have always heard the first 6 lines but never the rest. This line speaks to me “Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,” Thanks for sharing some of your wisdom.

The biggest thing to me was just the disrespect I was treated with, this is not my first rodeo with DHS thanks to my son’s other half (the genuine original drama queen) and probably not my last. I can live with the drug testing and them barging into my home to check on the welfare of my grand kids. If it means keeping the grand kids safe, I say what ever. The highlight of all this is while she was over there with the worker dogging my house hold, my wife asked why she can point the finger at us when she is part of this and why she doesn’t have to get tested, So the worker also told her to get tested. She had to admit right there she would come back hot. There is a positive side to everything

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

Same exact thing happened to me. Wife's ex husband reported us to DHS. Claimed we were handcuffing the kids and threatening them. (Didnt know it was him till he started bragging about it later) After an interview with the girls they discovered it was him (He's a Detroit cop) doing that and have left us alone since, but I still missed most of a days worth of work for the interview.

 

[Bamamav]

We adopted both our boys. Had to deal with DHR in our state many times before and for a time after the adoption. Never had any problems with them at that time.

Flash forward 10 years---
The oldest one was 12, going into rebellion constantly against us. At that time, he was as big as me, 5"11", 200lbs, now he's 6'3", 285lbs. He was giving me a hard time not wanting to do something, mowing the grass I think, and started cussing me and talking back. I took both hands and pushed him down to the ground by his shoulders and got in his face telling him that we adults were in charge, not him, and he would do as we say. I never hit him, just a quick shove. A few days later we get a call from DHR to come in to the office. Seems he had called them and reported us as abusing him!
After a breif discussion on what actually had taken place with the social worker, the social worker made a snide smartass comment that they could take him from our home, I replied back, "When are you coming? I'll go pack his clothes right now.". The social worker changed his tune right quick like. We didn't have any more problems with DHR after that.

He left home at 17, got into drugs and trouble with the law. He's came back a few times since then, but always goes back to his drugs. We tried to get him help several times, but he cons his way out of the programs and goes back to his drugs. We found out later that his birthmother was a druggie, so it was probably in his system since birth.

And on the drug testing, since I have a Commercial drivers license and drive a truck, I'm subject to a drug test at any time. I have had to do them two or three months in a row, then I might not get hit again for a year. Doesn't bother me, I know that I'm clean and will be every time. Just gets aggravating when ou know some of the others aren't clean, but seem to never get tested, but that's another story...

 

[old man dave]

WOW just WOW!!!!!!!!

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

Hey Bama. On your drug testing, This is something I learned. Employers insurance can be based on the percentage of employees who pass the drug test. The company I used to work for drug tested every three months and I was hit EVERY time. I asked and they told me it was because they knew I would pass and they needed the lower premiums.

 

[shakey56]

Bad break.....

Hey Mike. I've kinda been out of pocket lately and had not seen your thread. Man....what a bad deal! So sorry my friend.

But I have a hunch that you will overcome. You were obviously "raised right". We all have a tendency to react at first but when things level out and we can think straighter, the path is clear. It will work out for the best. Just don't be too hard on yourself. And....if you can, keep at least one rat/hotrod. Everyone needs flowers for their soul.

Good luck, my friend.

Lynn

 

[phillip-r-s]

Hey Mike. I've kinda been out of pocket lately and had not seen your thread. Man....what a bad deal! So sorry my friend.

But I have a hunch that you will overcome. You were obviously "raised right". We all have a tendency to react at first but when things level out and we can think straighter, the path is clear. It will work out for the best. Just don't be too hard on yourself. And....if you can, keep at least one rat/hotrod. Everyone needs flowers for their soul.

Good luck, my friend.

Lynn

Well spoken..