Laughter, Hugs, Giving to Others, Gifts My Friend Andrew Shared Even in Rough Times

She sat in the big vacant building alone, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her friend Andrew had just left and had told her the bad news that he didn’t have much longer to live, that he had cancer.

She knew better than to ask the Lord why. She trusted the Lord and knew that he always worked all things out for the good of all his children that loved Him even though it didn’t always appear that way. At least there was a tinge of peace because she knew Andrew felt the same way she did.

Andrew was a big man with a gentle spirit. He had a wonderful warm smile and hugs for all. I guess if you knew him you would just have to call him a cuddly bear. When someone was in pain he would tell them to give it to Jesus and then send them off to help someone else, which was exactly what he would do when he was hurting and in pain, in fact he was on his way to help someone now.

The reason he had come to talk to me that morning is because he was struggling about telling his son about the cancer.  They had just gotten back together after years of separation due to alcohol and drug abuse by both Andrew and his ex wife. Andrew and I prayed together and he knew he had to tell his son because he didn’t know how many days he had left and we concluded they should have as much quality time as possible.

Andrew and his son were both hit hard at the news of the cancer, but Andrew was grateful that he was sober and was able to see that his son was placed in a good home that was not drug filled but had a spiritual environment.  They both spent Andrew’s last days living them to the fullest, doing things they wanted to do, playing, laughing a lot but mostly they were on the front lines helping others because that brought them both the most peace and joy.

When Andrew went home to be with his Father the church was packed with people. Andrew was just one of God’s street people that did his very best to serve the Lord to the fullest in his recovery. He touched so many lives people were amazed. I am sure if Andrew would have known how many lives he had touched, he would have said it was not me but it was the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise Him.

Andrew, you are loved and you are missed. 

How To Consummate A Relationship With God—Easier, Softer Way to Sobriety

Are you one of those dysfunctional people trying to live a new way of life i.e., alcoholic, druggie, etc. Are you in a twelve step program because you’ve tried everything else and now you’re at the bottom of the barrel? You go to this meeting and this really big person tells you that you got to not drink for one day and you’ve got to turn your life over to God. The end of the line folks, nothing left, either a spiritual way of life or go on living they way you are living now.

Do you struggle with trusting God? Are you afraid to turn your will and your life over to Him? Why? I’ll tell you what I was told. You damn well better turn your will and your life over to the care of God because no one else wants the will and the life of a drunk.

What is the real problem? It is not that we can’t turn our will and life over to the care of God, it’s because we are so full of fear that we don’t know how to consummate a relationship with God and we don’t know how to trust him.

How many times do we hear people say I don’t know how to consummate a relationship? Well I’ll tell you what I was told. You know how to consummate a relationship with a man, no problem there so it shouldn’t be too hard to consummate one with God. Put Him first and put all other things aside. Go back through your life and write down all the things you went through and survived that was not humanly possible, things that you know only God could have brought you through.

I’ll guarantee you when do that, you will start realizing how much God loves you; you can’t help but fall in love with Him. It will be so easy to turn your will and your life over to God you will begin to wonder what you were afraid of.

Lack of knowledge always keeps us bound. Don’t ever give up on your spiritual growth. Have strong mentors around you that know have been successful in their own lives so that they can give you healthy spiritual and moral direction.

Don’t try to do these things alone because you will create and vacuum and God abhors a vacuum. There is strength in numbers.

May God Bless and keep you on your journey. I’ve been on a journey with the Lord in sobriety for thirty four continuous years and I have a wonderful life that I never would have dreamed of. All things are possible with Him.

My Friend Taught Me Every Day is a Day to Celebrate Life

This poem is a tribute to my friend Maxine.

Today you are holding God’s hand,

You no longer are tied to this land.

I know you walked through heaven’s gates,

Because when it comes to the way people rate

You were no doubt a perfect ten,

You were a gift from God for me my friend.

I was blessed to know Maxine because she was one of the most beautiful people I have known both inside and out. She loved living life to the fullest. She loved her family and friends as much as any one person I know.

I first met Maxine when she moved back to her hometown of Prineville to care for her Mom who had dementia. Maxine took care of her Mom till the day she died. She thanked God for the opportunity to be able to be there for her Mom and to be able to give to her just a little of what she had given to Maxine.

Gratitude was what Maxine’s life was all about. She had a thankful heart even when she first contracted cancer. She believed that her attitude and God’s grace is what gave her an extra five years to live after she first contracted cancer.

She didn’t take time out to dwell on her problems; she was always too busy doing for others. Taking her friends shopping, to church or the doctors or whatever they needed that she could do for them. She loved to take them shopping at the thrift stores because that was one of her favorite things.

She and I spent hours walking and talking, sipping tea at her kitchen table. She shared much of her life story with me and one more time God blessed me with another great friendship. Thank you Maxine for reminding me that it is in God that we live, move, breathe and have our being and that every day is a day to celebrate life. Because of you I shall remember to give flowers before people pass away.

Her theme in life was Celebrate life and now in her passing that is still her theme. She wants us to celebrate her life because she believes she is in a far better place and I believe she is too.

Maxine my friend, you are missed.

May we all learn to celebrate life every day and learn of the joy it can bring.

Unconditional Love, A Possibility or Is It Fiction?

The visitor yells from the other room for help because her friend has seemingly fallen asleep. Her husband swiftly comes into the room and gently picks her up and puts her in the wheelchair, takes her to the bedroom, tests her vital signs and finds they are okay. He lovingly dresses her in her nightclothes, puts  her to bed and quietly slips out of the room hoping she will be able to get a good night’s rest. Her health is fragile at best. He spends many long hours at the hospital encouraging the love of his life to never give up. He goes about his life in such a quite manner that most people never know all that he does. He spends time trying to prepare sermons, counseling with parishioners, helping to guide a stepchild to take the right paths for his life and lovingly giving his wife the best care he can.  In his free time he tends to his plants and writes articles on Wordcasters.

The preceding incident took place when I was visiting my daughter and son in law last year. It had such a profound effect on me that it comes to my mind on many occasions. It showed me about a great love and that it is possible for human beings to love unconditionally.

The spiritual journey they chose to walk gave them the opportunity to help enhance many others lives along the way. The bond of their love had been tried and re tried many times and yet, it only made them grow stronger in their faith in the Lord and continually renewed their strength in their journey.

When I think of their lives together I think of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, verses 4-7.

Dear Marc,

Because of your love and care Michelle knew some of the happiest times in her life. I just wanted to say thank you for all the love and care you gave to my daughter I know she would want you to continue your journey of giving to others and continue to grow in your faith in the Lord.  She would want you to live your life to the fullest and never give up. If she taught us anything it would be to live life as large as you can and don’t quit.

You are a very special man and I am glad that you are part of our family.

Linda

How to Defeat A Hearing Deficit Disorder as It Relates to Addictions

• Posted by Linda DeWitt on January 20, 2012 at 11:49pm
• View Blog

Have you ever heard of hearing deficit disorder? Well it took me a long time to realize that I suffered from it and now I know the problem exist with many people today, not just young people. A hearing deficit disorder is a problem that goes like this, what a person tells you, you are sure that you heard and understood them,  but what they actually said is not what you heard.

The reason I bring this up is because many people who suffer from addictions are ego driven, they will act like they know what you said, rather than ask you what you meant. Sometimes they actually believe they knew what you meant and don’t feel a need to ask, yet their interpretation is entirely wrong, this is a hearing deficit disorder. 

It is at this point in our lives that we begin to have problems, our lives start going astray, the harder we try to look good, the more we fail. This type of thinking only draws us further into a deep, dark hole into which we are sliding and don’t even realize it or choose to deny it. Many of us live our lives under false pretense believing no one will know.

We increase our intake of drugs, alcohol or anything to make ourselves feel better about ourselves because we know that we are no longer okay and Mr. /Ms Ego can no longer convince us. We fall deeper into the hole. One day we wake up, we face our demons, and our choices are to climb out of the pit and find a better way to live, or continue to go deeper into the pit and get sicker.

Many of us were raised to believe that if we followed the entire directions mommy & daddy taught us about living life, then everything would be wonderful. We would wind up living in the perfect world. Now I don’t know who sold that bill of goods but he/she was one heck of a salesperson.

I’ve watched many people hit the wall when they were faced with making the choice of recovery or going back to where they came from. I’ve seen many choose to go back to where they came from and the end results have never been pretty. Many of them die an ugly, slow, painful, alcoholic death, but a few do live long enough to come back to recovery and learn to live a sober, fulfilling life.  That is always so heartwarming to see.

Overcoming a lifetime of wrong thinking and being close minded is not an easy matter to overcome but it is possible, if you really want to. It requires surrender, willingness, open mindedness and honesty to the very core of their being.

This is a course that must not be taken alone if you want success. I know from experience that anyone can find a wonderful happy and healthy life if they stay on course and take time to share it with others. 

If you’re feeling lost and want help contact a church, or a 12 step program, mission, salvation army, hospital, or treatment program listed in phone book. Any or all of these programs should be able to lead you in the right direction. 

Seek God and He will show you the way.

Read John Chapter 8 verse 12.

Tags: Addiction, God, deaf, egotism,surrender, treatment, willingness