Merry Christmas and God's Blessings to you and yours!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Isn't this a Great picture?
I just ran across this picture taken of Jake a couple of years ago and I just love this image of him. His hair, his tan and he had some "meat" on his bones. He had a cute grin and just looked Happy. What more can I say. No words.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Jake's Favorite Time of Year
Springtime..........
Jake truly loved spring and watching life sprout from the ground from which he'd dug and planted tiny seeds and dirty withered bulbs. Though he'd have liked nothing more, he knew he could not eek out a good living from doing just flower bed work but was so happy after designing his customers' beds to go to the garden section from You know The Store and select the plants, plant the beds and then tend them throughout the growing season. He even went back afterwards and as the last petal fell to it's death, cleaned out the beds for winter. No matter what else was going on in Jake's life or how slim and meager his pickins were he simply made time for his flower beds. And I'm reminded of the way he had set up his telephone answering machine at home to record, "Hell0, this is Jake and I'm sorry I'm not in now as I'm probably in someone's bed...uh Flower Bed that is so please be patient and I'll call you when I get in...Thank You and God Bless You". 
It simply came easy to Jake because as the old saying goes "find a job you truly love and you'll never have to work a day in your life". You see Jake had found the secret...He took time to smell the flowers! Happy Springtime my sweet boy. I can't even imagine the wonderful smell of the Flowers you tend today!
Then he commanded, "Let the earth produce all kinds of plants, those that bear grain and those that bear fruit".....and it was done.So the earth produced all kinds of plants, and God was pleased with what he saw.GENESIS 1:11-12
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Word Is ... HUMILITY
Have you ever began answering the questions to fill out a Social Network Profile and when you come upon the section that says "BOOKS" you have to think? I mean some people are just not Readers. And what if you're a Single guy or gal and you're filling out your profile for say a Single's Site for Dating and you're wanting to not "lie" but to for sure put your best foot forward in answering all the questions so you appear to be uh......for lack of a better word..."Knowledgable" or "Well Read". Right? So you think and you think until you come up with a few titles that might not necessarily impress but will................... oh heck yes, that will impress.
Are you with me here? You do know what I mean. Right? right?
Well that is what Jake was faced with each time he filled out his Profile whether it be for a dating website or for a social network such as Facebook. For gosh sakes, he sure didn't want his Mom filling out his profile for him and his typing was of the hunt and peck group so to say it took him awhile is an understatement. He really worked at this and when finished I'm real sure he breathed a huge sigh of relief to be finished and probably looked back over at his answers before hitting the Continue button. If he went public with his answers then he was pleased at his abilities and his answers.
I always got a big kick out of Jake's Profile on Facebook in several places but especially where it asks for the books he liked reading. There were four listed. And I am as sure as I can be that Jake did not have to ponder on the titles. He simply listed the four books he had read in his lifetime.
Jake was NOT a reader. He had terribly bad eyesight and from the time when he was four years old wore really thick glasses.
This little picture of Jake was when he was six years old.
Then when he suffered a closed head injury at the age of 20 his eyesight took a swan dive south and they became even worse. So to read was a major sacrafice as he had to hold the book so close and he was a slow reader to retain what he had read. If Jake read a complete book then you can be sure he GOT IT. And get it he did when he read...
And
These were the books he had read and these were the only books he'd admit to reading when faced with that question. Not bragging. Not trying to be anything. He was just humble and naive like that. He was NEVER a showoff, haughty Christian. He was as simple as he could be with his love for Jesus. It just was what it was.
Are you with me here? You do know what I mean. Right? right?
Well that is what Jake was faced with each time he filled out his Profile whether it be for a dating website or for a social network such as Facebook. For gosh sakes, he sure didn't want his Mom filling out his profile for him and his typing was of the hunt and peck group so to say it took him awhile is an understatement. He really worked at this and when finished I'm real sure he breathed a huge sigh of relief to be finished and probably looked back over at his answers before hitting the Continue button. If he went public with his answers then he was pleased at his abilities and his answers.
I always got a big kick out of Jake's Profile on Facebook in several places but especially where it asks for the books he liked reading. There were four listed. And I am as sure as I can be that Jake did not have to ponder on the titles. He simply listed the four books he had read in his lifetime.
Jake was NOT a reader. He had terribly bad eyesight and from the time when he was four years old wore really thick glasses.
This little picture of Jake was when he was six years old.
Then when he suffered a closed head injury at the age of 20 his eyesight took a swan dive south and they became even worse. So to read was a major sacrafice as he had to hold the book so close and he was a slow reader to retain what he had read. If Jake read a complete book then you can be sure he GOT IT. And get it he did when he read...
And
These were the books he had read and these were the only books he'd admit to reading when faced with that question. Not bragging. Not trying to be anything. He was just humble and naive like that. He was NEVER a showoff, haughty Christian. He was as simple as he could be with his love for Jesus. It just was what it was.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
My Boy
I thought of you today,
but that is nothing new.
I thought of you yesterday
And will tomorrow, too. I think of you in silence
And make no outward show
for what it meant to lose you
Only those who love you know. Remembering you is easy,
I do it everyday.
It's the heartache of losing
you that will never go away.
but that is nothing new.
I thought of you yesterday
And will tomorrow, too. I think of you in silence
And make no outward show
for what it meant to lose you
Only those who love you know. Remembering you is easy,
I do it everyday.
It's the heartache of losing
you that will never go away.
I Will Love You Always,
Momma
Monday, March 7, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
YOU'LL NEVER GO WRONG
WHEN YOU LIVE BY THE GOLDEN RULE
My good and sweet friend Peggy aka "Queenmothermamaw" posted this morning the most amazing little story. A couple of her readers stated that this had been around for at least 20 years but I had never read it and when I did, I asked Peggy if I could re-post it because it made me think so strongly of Jake.
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you." The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed.He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still
nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his youngexecutives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
Jake was like that. Many times life was just not fair to Jake and there were also times when having been treated poorly and the opportunity to get a little even presented itself he was tempted to strike back. But he was a thinker and you could see him pondering greatly and see the far away look in his eyes as he considered whether to go right or left. Then mind made up he'd shake his head and strongly say "Nah...........it wouldn't be right". I think Jake might be gathering some little SEEDS in heaven for the Gold Crown he might one day wear!
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Before Jake unpacked his dishes, he PLANTED in the front of his little trailer to show that it was his "home".
THE GOLDEN RULE...it will simply never fail you. Oh of course there will be many times when you've treated someone as you wish to be treated only to be slammed to the floor. We all know that doing the right thing will not guarantee that everyone will do the right thing in return. But we are guaranteed to please Our Father each and every time we do the right thing as long as we're not doing it for our own glory.
As Oprah says and I believe the quote came from her friend Mya Angelou "When You Know Better, You Do Better". I wish this were true in all cases don't you.
THE GOLDEN RULE...............just a downright good rule to live by.
My good and sweet friend Peggy aka "Queenmothermamaw" posted this morning the most amazing little story. A couple of her readers stated that this had been around for at least 20 years but I had never read it and when I did, I asked Peggy if I could re-post it because it made me think so strongly of Jake.
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you." The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed.He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still
nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his youngexecutives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
Jake was like that. Many times life was just not fair to Jake and there were also times when having been treated poorly and the opportunity to get a little even presented itself he was tempted to strike back. But he was a thinker and you could see him pondering greatly and see the far away look in his eyes as he considered whether to go right or left. Then mind made up he'd shake his head and strongly say "Nah...........it wouldn't be right". I think Jake might be gathering some little SEEDS in heaven for the Gold Crown he might one day wear!
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Before Jake unpacked his dishes, he PLANTED in the front of his little trailer to show that it was his "home".
THE GOLDEN RULE...it will simply never fail you. Oh of course there will be many times when you've treated someone as you wish to be treated only to be slammed to the floor. We all know that doing the right thing will not guarantee that everyone will do the right thing in return. But we are guaranteed to please Our Father each and every time we do the right thing as long as we're not doing it for our own glory.
As Oprah says and I believe the quote came from her friend Mya Angelou "When You Know Better, You Do Better". I wish this were true in all cases don't you.
THE GOLDEN RULE...............just a downright good rule to live by.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
ANOTHER FIRST.....HUNTING SEASON COMES AND GOES
Just can't get my mind off of you today Jake. How I miss you. Mike is in the woods for one of the few remaining weekends left of hunting season and he is not enjoying his hunting without you. 
This was your first deer and you got him at Buddy's one weekend last year. Buddy has not hunted this year but he may be able to go next year.
Here you were several years ago practicing your skills.
I love you so much Darlin
This was your first deer and you got him at Buddy's one weekend last year. Buddy has not hunted this year but he may be able to go next year.
Here you were several years ago practicing your skills.
I love you so much Darlin
Monday, January 3, 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE
Today we Celebrate Jake Gregory Wendling....
my youngest child...the baby of the family; born January 3, 1970 in Bossier City, LA. Jake was the only of my four children to arrive on his due date. He weighed in at 6 lb. 10 oz. and I believe he was about 20 inches long.
Jake was a good baby. He was the only baby I nursed and he seemed to be losing weight rather than gaining. What was up with this? We took him to his pediatrician and sure enough he had lost a considerable amount of weight for his tiny size and the diagnosis was "failure to thrive". I was devastated because I felt I was doing something wrong and it was all my fault. The doctor assured me that is was just something that happened and was not rare or my "fault". Once he began taking formula he thrived. Shortly after he was taken back to the hospital with a hernia and again I was assured this was quite common among baby boys (actually Buddy had had one too) and he had surgery as a tiny, tiny baby.
Jake was always satisfied. Never whining for more of anything and he was so easy to please. He played well by himself and with others and he always had a sweet smile on his face.
Now I know this sounds probably like such a biased mother and especially since Jake is no longer here on earth, but girls I am telling you the truth and his brother and sisters can vouch for me, he was a terrific kid and grew to be a terrific man. He was so admired by many and I know I can't say enough nice things about Jake. I mean I am his mother for goodness sake. But today is his 41st birthday and as it happens he is spending his first birthday in Heaven.
You know the first year after the death of a loved one, we're filled with so many "firsts" and I was so dreading the thought of Christmas without Jake but I just had a good talk with Jesus and I then spoke honestly to myself and realized I can dread all these firsts and be despondent and depressed because Jake is not here and he is so missed, or I can turn it around and realize that this is the first of all of those firsts that Jake is in his heavenly home and I can only imagine how marvelous and wonderful it is for him and I know this may not be comforting to everyone and we all deal with grief in our own way and in our own time and I surely respect that but I am choosing to think of it this way and it truly is making the day somehow more normal and bearable for me.
By Jake having his birthday so close to Christmas he kinda got the short end of the stick as far as gifts for his birthday as we were pretty much broke by then, and he was always still out of school for the holidays and a party wasn't easy to have. We usually celebrated his birthday with family and he always seemed to enjoy his celebrations. Nearly ever gift he ever received was a WOW with Jake.
Jake was a cheerful giver too. He once gave me a little wood stand with a standing mirror and an etched poem on the front with Roses. (I can't photograph it for you because of the glare) I'd like to share with you the poem.
WHAT MOM TOOK
"Most often when we think of Mom, We think of what she's given; The softness of a loving touch, A gentle guide for living; A nightly tip-toe in a room, An understanding look; But sometimes when I think of Mom I think of what she took.
She took a child and taught it how To live this life with pride She took those kindergarten tears, And kept them all inside. She took the hands that longed to hold Her child and not let go. Used them to push her child along The way, to thrive and grow. Took time to do some other things Like sew, and clean and cook, And never thought to ask for thanks For all the things she took. Thanks, Mom."
This is just one of the many gifts Jake gave me. He never forgot my birthday, Christmas or Mother's Day and he usually also remembered me on Easter with a plant. He never had much to spend but he took time in choosing his gifts and his cards; well I have some funny memories I'll share with you one day soon regarding Jake's method of choosing cards. I've always kept this little mirrored poem in my living room on a shelf which I keep solely for the gifts from my kids and I'd catch Jake reading this from time to time and getting a huge smile on his face when he finished. I treasure this gift and there is no amount of money that could make me give it up. I am grateful for every gift Jake ever gave me, but the gift I'm most grateful for is the Gift from God for giving Jake to us for 40 years.
So I must always try to remember and celebrate January 3 with Praise and Thanksgiving, not grief and sadness. For the past two or three years, Jake went to the woods with Mike (hubby) and I would send a plate of cupcakes or a small cake with them and they'd celebrate together or with whoever might be hunting that particular time. That was the special thing Mike did to celebrate Jake's birthday and they both enjoyed that.
So Jakey my boy, I miss you more than words can say and I long to hold you in a big hug and kiss your sweet cheek and hear you say, "I love you Momma" and smile that sweet big ole lopsided smile of yours. Your sisters and your brother long for you and miss you terribly. We live in such a paradox with broken hearts and also with hearts of Thanksgiving that you did not live to suffer each day of your life with a broken body and a heart of pain. But reality smacks us in the face and we know we have you in our hearts forever and one day we will all be together for eternity so we'll just say.............Happy Birthday Jake, we love you and miss you and hope your special day is awesome.
Memoriam published in The Shreveport Times 1/3/2011
All our love forever, Your family: Momma and Mike, Dad and Jill, devoted brother Buddy and Jess, "big sis"Lori and Marcus, your "little sis, Shari and Wes. Andy, Erika, Joe, Emily and Michael. Malcolm, Addison and Bella. Kane, Nayda, Ellie and Luke. Celebrating your birthday today will be your Home Depot Family and a host of friends and your precious family at North Shreve Baptist Church. Smile on us Jake and ask the Lord our God to grant us Peace as we go about our lives remembering the love you gave to all you met. Thank You Jake for the gifts you gave to us.
Read more of Jake's Birthday Here
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