The Reading of the Poem

Bobbie, our employees had this poem engraved on a plaque that they gave us at our company Christmas Party.  I think Denise Harkless actually wrote it but I believe it went through several rewrites with other employees helping out.

We will get together at 12:00 if that is ok with everyone else?!? Don't forget everyone bring a dish and your white elephant gift on the 28th. Hope to see everyone then.

Where are you Christmas

Where are you Christmas? Why can't I find you?

Why have you gone away?  Where is the laughter you used to bring me?

Why can't I hear music play?  My world is changing I'm rearranging, Does that mean Christmas changes too?

where are you Christmas?  Do you remember, the one you used to know?

I'm not the same one, see what the times done, Is that why you have let me go?

Christmas is here, everywhere.  Christmas is here if you care.

If there is love in your heart and your mind you will feel like Christmas all the time.

I feel you Christmas, I know I've found you, you never fade away.

The joy of Christmas stays here inside us fills each and every heart with love.

Where are you Christmas, fill your heart with love!

 

It is no secret that I can't find my Christmas spirit.  At one point I thought I would be content not having IT.  I could still do my part and just get through Christmas!  But the more I see people that actually have IT, I realized I don't want to just get by!  I don't want to just get through Christmas!  I want to have that Christmas spirit.  I want to be that light at Christmas that someone else sees and they say, "Ooooh Oooooh I want THAT Christmas spirit that she has!"  As I struggle and search to find it I hear a song by Steven Curtis Chapman "Christmas is All in the Heart".  So I searched my heart.  And do you know what I found?!  I have Christmas there!  In my heart!  I just can't seem to get it out!  Everytime I try, it comes out like Christmas used to be.  And I don't want that Christmas-how it was!  So instead of making it different I just decided not to do it at all.  So thats where my Christmas spirit is.   I found it!  It's trapped inside my heart, held hostage!  And I don't know how to let it out!  Thats my dilemma now!  Not where is it?  But how do I get it out of there and out here!?  Out here in the world where it needs to be.  Jesus said to love one another.

John 13:34-35

A new command I give you, love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

 That's what's in my heart, that's my Christmas spirit.  Love.  How hard is that to give away?  Sounds easy, but not always received.  When love came down over 2000 years ago people weren't receiving then either, but He didn't give up.  That's my goal for this Christmas season.  To love and not to give up!  So many don't know love.  A simple kindness that costs you so llittle but yet can mean so much to someone!  That's the Christmas spirit longing to be released from my heart- its hideing place.  And I know in gods time it will happen.  I am not a patient person, but I am obedient.  So I wait.  God is good and He wants me to have that Christmas spirit that's in my heart, but what He really wants is for me to share it with you!  So brace yourself because when it hits me watch OUT!  Cause I know it will be explosive!  That's just how God is-explosive!  And when it finally hits me I will be the Christmas bomb I have wished for!

What love sees(Mac Powell)

Blessed are you as you weep on your knees

With perfume and tears washing over My feet

And blessed are you, beggar, hopeless and blind

Calling for mercy when I'm passing by

Blessed are you, shaking your head

At two tiny fish and some bread

And blessed are you as you tremble and wait

For the first stone thrown at your sinful disgrace

Tell Me your story, show Me your wounds

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you

Hand Me the pieces, broken and bruised

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you

Blessed are you, walking on waves

To find yourself sinking when you look away

Blessed are you, leper, standing alone

The fear on their faces is all that you've known

Blessed are you, lonely widow who gave

Your last shiny coin to Yahweh

Blessed are you with your silver and lies

Kissing the One who's saving your life

Tell Me your story, show Me your wounds

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love looks at you

Hand Me the pieces, broken and bruised

And I'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you

I see what I made in your mother's womb

And I see the day I fell in love with you

I see your tomorrows, nothing left to chance

I see My Father's fingerprints

I see your story, I see My name

Written on every beautiful page

You see the struggle, you see the shame

I see the reason I came

I came for your story, I came for your wounds

To show you what Love sees when I see you

That is soo nice!  So who exactly penned the poem?

From Cadle company employees

In Appreciation of

DAN and RUTH

It all began in 1986, Two people with a dream invested a little money & took a big risk.

Their business had been blessed, and in the basement on LaFrance, they ran out of space, as their success progressed.

So they moved to an office in front of Bliss place, and hired some town folk to share in their chase.

The Cadle business was booming in the Falls, more loans were purchased and debtors needed called, so they bought the old High School and hired more people to fill up its halls.

For many years lots of money was made,
And to their employees, “Thanks a Million”, “Acts of Random Kindness” and “Pay it Forward” were gifts they graciously gave.

Their generosity did not stop there, and in true Cadle fashion,
They created an ESOP and with their employees, they once again did share.

Then the economy sank,
And there was no help from the banks,
And if not for their personal sacrifices, we all could have been in the tank.

We fought a tough battle, we all stood together and we now declare, Our staff has grown stronger and smarter beyond compare.

Because of Dan and Ruth’s faith in us, hard work and much prayer, The Company has survived, and today is still here,
And we take pride when we say,
The Cadle Company is open for business today.

We now “Pay it Forward” and give them our thanks.

As we walk through the “Door of Knowledge” we pray for continued blessings on The Cadle Company and its families.

THANK YOU
From your extended family at 100 North Center Street

2013 

Freezing Rain

My morning yesterday was met with freezing rain and sleet, like most everyone on the east coast.  Precipitation in one form or another!  So my day that I had planned began to unravel.  No church, no play practice-which we desperately need-no evening church either.  So I was feeling pretty bummed.  Because without those services, I don’t see people.  It also means I don’t get my spiritual meal for the week.  If I get that meal, that one meal, I am pretty good all week with that little snack we get on Wednesday night.  So I began to dread the day which lay ahead of me; Stuck in my own home, with no people.  Well don’t you know God always has a plan?  My neighbor Tina Forren calls and says Randy is out getting gas at Sam Black for the generator, he will stop and pick you up for a cup of coffee.  So I jump at that!  After all Jacob is snuggled in front of the TV with the latest Xbox game, Call of Duty!  His idea of being snowed in and mine are totally different.  So I visit for a while.  Enjoy good company and good coffee.  Tina is putting up her Christmas tree.  I like that!  Not quite in the mood to put mine up.  But it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling just for a few minutes.  We even talk about Jesus and the Bible.  What God has planned for our lives.  Not as good as the spiritual meal I would get at church but a close second.  After I came home, Jacob of course is hungry.  He is always hungry!  Tanner is stuck on the road trying to get home from Wheeling.  I fix lunch and the mound of dishes in the kitchen is calling my name!  So I start all those little chores I had hoped to avoid today.  I don’t get a lot accomplished but I make a dent.  Then the power goes out.  As I set in the dark I thought about the day and how Gods plans interfered with mine.  But at the end of the day, it wasn’t what I had planned, but it was good.  I got to visit with friends, did a little cleaning I had put off for way too long.  I even enjoyed my kids, although brief.  God is like that with every aspect of my life.  I make plans and what I call interference is actually THE PLAN for my days.  It’s just I don’t check with Him first.  I try to remember to ask Him, what are we doing today?  Instead of saying this is what we are doing!  But sometimes I forget.  I start getting bogged down with life and I realize I am trying to do things my way, my time without asking God for direction.    And yes, sometimes it takes a freezing rain storm and a power outage for me to get it!

Are you like this?  Is life getting you down?  Or maybe things just aren’t going the way you planned them?  Or maybe you just don’t know which direction you are supposed to take?  Well I can tell you, I have been or actually I am at these very cross roads.  Things aren’t going the way I planned them because I planned them!  I don’t know which way to go, but God knows!  So yesterday I had plenty quiet time.  I asked!  And oh boy, He just doesn’t hesitate to tell me!  Just like the freezing rain came down all day on Sunday, so did Jesus!  He rained down on me all day long.

Hosea 6:3

He will come to us like the rain.

Sometimes in life we don’t slow down long enough to hear what He has to tell us.  We may pause long enough to pray, but do we wait around for the answer?  So yes, He sends us a storm to get the answer across to us!  And sometimes the storm is accompanied by a power outage.  He takes everything away from us so that we have no other choice but to hear.  So here I am in the dark with no distractions and I hear Him say this way!

 

Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart

So for those of you today who have prayed and haven’t heard back?  You haven’t received your answer?  Chances are He is trying to tell you but you are distracted or you are busy with work or even church.  Sometimes you schedule so much “stuff” that you can’t even enjoy the real true meaning of Christmas!  So here is what I suggest.  First of all slow down, life will still go on no matter what!  Even if you don’t get to that sale at the mall before Christmas!  Slow down and listen with all your senses, even your heart.  Most of all your heart!  You may have to power “down” not necessarily “power out” as I had to do!  I am a tough nut to crack sometimes, so He has to use drastic measures!   Just listen and you will hear Him!

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

What time are we meeting on the 28th Teresa?

Christmas/New Years

I know everyone is getting tired of this subject but we will be having our family get together on the 28th of December so bring your finger foods and white elephant gifts and join us in our celebration. I am so sorry that there are going to be some that can't join us and I hope no ones feelings are hurt but I had to make a decision and the majority of the family could come the 28th. We are going to really miss those who cannot come. I love you all and pray that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God Bless Everyone!!!