Words to Live By - Jeff Cadle

Today would have been Jeff's 44th birthday. I'm posting something I found in his computer shortly before he passed away.

A friend on Facebook sent it to me as a reminder...sweet of you Jennie. Thanks.

WORDS TO LIVE BY

My goal is to find the middle road - in work, home and social life.

I will pay attention to my level of stress and strive to take deep breaths and center myself.


I will develop the ability to recover from setbacks and validate my self-worthin areas of true relaxation.

I will continue to notice when I am disappearing and remind myself of thecomforts of my home, family and friends.

I will balance my needs for alone time and time with others.

Live your dreams.

Take time to smell the flowers.

Remember you are only visiting.

Be good to your fellow humans (and animals too).

Be there for your family and friends.Be above pettiness.Live below your means.

Be prepared for the inevitable rainy day.

No excuses! Take responsibility for your own life.

Be honest and loyal.

Don't take everything so seriously (especially yourself)

Have some fun!

Grow things!

Enjoy nature and be aware of the simple pleasures of life.

There is more to life than success, work and money.

There are many more important non-material considerations.

Use your own noggin.

Trust your instincts.

Think before you act.

A guilty conscience is not worth the effort. Just don't do it!

You reap what you sow, but sometimes your crops will die.

Try to find the good in people and understand the bad.

Look upon everyone you meet as a holy person (for they are).

For every rule there exists a valid exception. Use rules properly. Many rules are stupid.

Plow a field.

-J. Cadle

I have papers he wrote prayers to the Lord upon as well...he was a tender man who lived the above. But those are sacred and I'll just keep those to myself. The originals are in a box for his son when he is old enough to need them.

(After I saved this I checked and noticed on my blog page the SNIPPET for the day...love it.)
He was a delight!!

Birthday Thoughts

It's a few minutes past midnight

so technically yesterday 2/24 was my birthday.

I was thinking about my upcoming birthday the night before last. Thoughts included how I feel like I'm very young in spirit but betrayed by my true age. I reflected on the things I had done and hadn't done over my many years..the joys and disappointments -- my journey thus far and the future ahead.



Knowing I would be alone on my birthday, I could have taken the woe-is-me attitude, but determined that was not to be the case. I have so much to be grateful for that to complain about being alone would be a slap in the face for all God brings to my life.



So I awoke on my big birthday morning happy to be alive! Thank you Lord for another day, one you created for me.

Today is the day that the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

OK, Lord - I WILL!

I plopped a nice pork roast in the crock pot and enjoyed that wonderful aroma all day long!! I knew I had a couple of small red potatos which would be done in a fast couple of minutes in the microwave when it came time to eat my birthday dinner. It was all so easy and quite tasty if I do say so myself. (You'll just have to take my word for it.) ;)

I had two phone calls wishing me Happy Birtday before 10 am. I am so blessed to have family and friends who care for me and make time for me. I had two more calls by 2 pm. Tons of well wishes on Facebook, in emails and snail mail has been arriving since Saturday from people who want me to know they care about me and wish me many blessings in the days ahead. I am so blessed in my relationships.

I was very aware of the Lord's goodness to me throughout the day. I am grateful His hand is on my life. He brought to mind some scripture that really changed my life around about five years into my walk with Him.

"I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

marvelous are your works, and my soul knows very well."

Psalm 139:14

In Hebrew the word fearfully means with great reverence. The word wonderfully means unique, set apart, uniquely marvelous. I am a unique and individually made creation of the Most High and Holy One. What more esteem does a person ever need than the knowledge of the love and care of God Himself! He set me free with that knowledge. Free to be the me that He made..the one that would follow Him all of her days.

Jeremiah 29:13 assures me..."For I know the thoughts (purposes) that I plan for you. Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope."

So I get ready to go to bed in a few minutes having had a wonderful blessed day, cared for by my family, friends and the Lord God Almighty feeling like the masterpiece He created and rejoicing in the days He has planned for me. Peaceful and content am I on this birthday in the year of our Lord 2009.

Bringing our Requests to Christ

BRINGING OUR REQUESTS TO CHRIST

We sometimes fear to bring our troubles to God, because they must seem small to Him who sitteth on the circle of the earth. But if they are large enough to vex and endanger our welfare, they are large enough to touch His heart of love. For love does not measure by a merchant's scales, not with a surveyor's chain. It hath a delicacy... unknown in any handling of material substance.

--R.A. Torrey

Another Goose Episode...

Yesterday I told about the geese, small groups and an episode with Patti. Late last night I was reminded of another time that our friend Rose Marie was so sick in the night that she could barely move. She and Patti lived in the same town so she called Patti to ask for help in getting dressed and getting to the hospital. The hospital she went to was near my home so they called me as well and I met them there. I think Rose Marie was in that hospital four-six hours. Patti and I hung out in the lobby and they let us see her once. Eventually they diagnosed her problem and fixed her up and Patti took her home.

This is just another example of why it is good to dwell in unity with fellow believers. God knows what he is talking about. We were not meant to be lone rangers. Sometimes people have a hard time trusting others because of childhood issues or just because someone hurt their feelings. That's just what the enemy wants! Stay alone, don't trust anyone, be depressed because then he doesn't have to worry about that person accomplishing much for the Kingdom of God. No fear of them sharing Jesus with anyone. No fear of them feeling bonded in community giving of themselves and receiving tenfold back.

Live in the freedom God provides and enjoy those around you. Reach out and take a chance -- you might just be surprised!

Goose the enemy today!

Be a goose!

The Goose Story

Next fall, (or maybe they are still passing over us now)whenyou see geese heading South for the Winter, flying along in V formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way:as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

When the Head Goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshots and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly, or until it dies. Only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.

For years I facilitated a small group bible study for women through my church. Some years it was held at the church and others at my home and usually there were groups of 6-10. At the beginning of each year I handed out The Goose Story. I love the way we can learn great lessons of encouragement, love, sacrifice, fellowship and love from the geese. Most often it wasn't long before we were living the analogy.

No one was felled by gunshot but as life hit us round the head from time to time or for a season, our bond was close enough that we stood by each other, prayed for one another, listened, and encouraged as best we could.

I remember my friend Patti's daughter who had a new baby that ended up in the icu for newborns. We were there for her in prayer and in person. That baby is now 14 and healthy and happy. Patti's mother died this past week and I was so upset that my car was broken and I couldn't get down to the Bay Area to be with her while her mom was in the hospital. I knew her brothers and sisters had all come to be together, but I really wanted to be with her too. I prayed and sent emails to let her know I was there in spirit.

We all have our struggles and our victories and need to share life with each other at deep levels.

Reach out and be a goose! ;)

* PSALM 85 *

"O God, You have indeed been good to us. You have prospered our land.

You have opened your heart to us in love. You have forgiven our sins and adopted us as Your sons.

But now our country is in turmoil. We no longer have the confidence in our leaders. Our citizens are in revolt. Our young men are spilling their blood in foreign wars. People are turning away from You and are being enslaved by strange doctrines and godless philosophies.

We know that You have not turned away from us. You touch us with joy and peace the hearts that are open to you. You stand ready to show Your salvation to all who will trust in You. As we speak to You in faith, You respond in loving concern. You will give us what is good and will prosper us with gifts from Your hand.

You are holy and just. You love your children and will guide them in Your course for their lives.

Renew our faith, O God.

Forgive us our many failures and infidelities

May our land continue to be a place where we can be free to love and serve You."

The Shack

I have now read The Shack. I usually buy these best-sellers immediately but had to wait this time. Someone bought me a copy and I was so excited to read it. All I had heard were positive remarks and many people saying, "It's a must read."

The endorsements were incredible...one even said it was the Pilgrim's Progress for a new generation. People were saying it changed their walk, their perceived thoughts of God Himself and even that it brought them a peace after the tragedy of losing a child. These remarks really work up a desire to see and experience God in a new way. I had read nothing negative about the book before I picked it up and put it down.

If you have not read the book, and plan on doing so, you may want to stop reading the blog now. This could be considered a 'spoiler.'
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I had not heard about the author, William P. Young, or his experiences in life before I read the book. I learned most of what I now know through the forward which was written by his long-time friend. I was brought in emotionally early on as I read of the pain and suffering the author had to endure from his alcoholic preacher father to the devastating kidnapping and murder of his dear daughter.

While I had the best dad ever, I never called him "Papa" and "Daddy" was something left behind as a term of endearment before I was 12. When taught that Abba means Daddy, I could not address God as Daddy. It just isn't 'me.' God as Poppa hit me the same way. That aside, I was anxious to see what awaited for Mack at The Shack!

Nothing could have prepared me, I do admit. Our all-powerful, all-knowing, I AM that I AM showing up to sit and chat in bodily form over coffee and bisquits threw me a curve and it would have even if not as a big black woman. Appearing in any human form would have resulted in me having a hard time imagining God who is Spirit arriving as anyone else. (Yes, I know God has revealed himself in a burning bush and I don't limit Him in anyway; but this just surprised me.) Then in pops Jesus as the Asian part-two of the trinity and by the time Tinkerbell as the Holy Spirit breezed by (truly, that's where my mind went--Tinkerbell) ... well, I really have no words for how I felt about what I was reading. It was all too chummy for me. Jesus kissing God on the lips--not a visual I took in well either.

It was all too contrived, representing the Trinity in 'living color", representing minitorities & Disneyish for the Holy Spirit. Those who know me well know I have no prejudice re color, women, cartoons, (well I prefer the newspaper funnies to animated children's movies, but you get my point. I don't want to be misunderstood so I felt that needed to be put forth in case someone reads this blog who does not know me well.) I just could not wrap my head around the visuals for the Trinity and becoming very discouraged, I almost put it aside. Jesus later appears as a clone of my brother Buzz in the late 60s with long hair in a braid and hiking boots. At any rate, I forged ahead wondering why people liked this book so much.

Let me say that I feel I understand the author's reasons for presenting The Trinity in such form. Moving past preset conditioning about God, His Son and the Holy Spirit, he probably helped a lot of people see each in a new light. For most of my life I was conditioned to think of God as one who watched my every move and one who was punishing me for some sin if I stubbed my toe (that's what my mother told me anyway). To this day I swear to you that whenever I do stub my toe I think, 'Yikes, what did I do now?"

When God was presented to me in my early 30's as a Loving Father who was in fact FOR me and not AGAINST me, that TRUTH worked my spirit to become more responsive to His call on my life. Receiving GRACE because of the sacrifice of His Son poured holy white pureness into me. At that point I knew there was NOTHING I could do to make God love me more and NOTHING I could do to make Him love me less. That's not cheap grace I am talking about either..it's PURE grace and I was set free to live as Beloved of God.

Someone on line in a chat room was sharing about this book with another and said, "Please read past page 120." So forging ahead I continued. Nothing changed as far as I how had felt about the interaction between The Trinity with one another and with Mack -- it just hit me as so odd. Since I have known and interacted with the Lord for over 44 years now, I would just say it certainly matched nothing I have experienced. Too much chumminess for a Holy and Almighty God who I know loves me and yet who is God...Awesome God. Yes, I know it is a novel and I know my imagination is lacking, but it just didn't work for me.

What did speak to my spirit is one of the more central messages - the one of love and forgiveness. When Christ teaches us to Love One Another it is by the Holy Spirit that we can even want to do so. When Christ teaches us to forgive, it is by the Holy Spirit working in us to enable us to do so. When the Word of God takes hold in our spirit, it is by the Holy Spirit within us.

Some of the examples of how Mack was called to love and forgive hit my heart at a level that made me cry...that made me want to become more like Jesus in sacrificial giving of myself - putting others ahead of my own selfish self. I've had opportunity to do so many times since then. I think that while Mack had significant and deep issues that most of us have never faced or will ever have to face, we still have opportunities every single day to forgive and love in ways that the Holy Spirit moves us. Let us have the wisdom and the softened, vulnerable heart to follow God in order that people see Christ in us and in order to live in true freedom.

-oOo-

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;

as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Matthew 18:21 & 22

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive

my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.