| Author |
Message |
Gale Hawkins (Gale)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2000 - 1:25 am: | |
O-be-one you are on to the secret of life perhaps. If the truth is not being bent to the fit the shapes we image I would be surprised. When the finite decides to explain the infinite I bet the outcome will always be kind of catty wampus. Most likely when we finally meet the whole truth we will have a hard time recognizing it because it does not fit our pea brain picture. |
olderthendirt
| | Posted on Monday, October 23, 2000 - 11:48 pm: | |
And that's the hole truth and nothing but |
O-be-one
| | Posted on Monday, October 23, 2000 - 11:47 pm: | |
Its hard to find whats in our heart,aint it Gale?
I wonder are we searching for the truth or are we makin it fit r situation.Oh well come out of a hole when you arrive in this world. Fight to keep going back in the hole all your life.Then they put you back n a hole at the end. I guess we fight the hole all our "HOLE" life huh? Lets dont make it complicated.May the farce be with you! |
Roy Cupps (Admin)
| | Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2000 - 8:39 am: | |
This is a test. If you see this them the forum is now back online, please list any problems in the "Support Forum" |
Gale Hawkins (Gale)
| | Posted on Saturday, October 21, 2000 - 12:48 am: | |
Workingstiff you are welcome. As I posted in the thread that Jim Flynt started on prayer, there is a grave danger that one can turn off someone when talking about a subject they know little or nothing about or just do not what to hear about it, especially if it is religion. This post got long and is just one guy’s views and experiences so please feel free to skip it.
JT’s actions illustrate the battle that all Christians find ourselves fighting. This is why it is not an easy thing to live the life so that a Christian is the witness he or she wants be. JT did illustrate the Christian attitude in his reply to you.
He did what any Christian that is serious about serving Christ will do. He held himself accountable for his action and I expect he meant it when he said he was sorry. If when confronted he had denied or said he could not remember his statement then a ton of adjusters would have written him off as a con but now most Christians sense that he is serious about wanting to honor Jesus but just slipped when reading your reply.
The term “Christian” I find to be used very loosely and I think that adds to the confusion of both Christians and non-Christians alike. Also I think there is a totally misunderstanding of what it means to be a Christian even by some that are called Christians.
From my understanding, one’s day-to-day actions does not determine where he or she is a Christian but it depends upon where the person has personally accepted the fact that Christ is the only Son of God and that God so loved us that he gave Christ as the Supreme Sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (past, present and future). The person needs to realize they need the forgiveness that can be found just for the asking and when one does ask believing, then their sins will be forgiven.
If non-Christians realized that the nature to do that which is wrong still exist in the Christian perhaps they would be a better understanding why Christians are often found doing things like lying, stealing (even if it is from Uncle Sam), sleeping with the neighbor’s spouse, being unkind to their spouse and the dog, not providing for the needs of the kids, cutting corners on writing up an estimate, speeding, getting a drill at Wal-Mart to put up the curtains in their new house and then taking it back because they did not like the color of the drill.
Surely you get the point that true born-again Christians can fall into temptation and act like non-Christians or even doing acts most non-Christians would not do but this is not pleasing to God. The world if full of good moral people who would never plan to harm another person in anyway but they have never confessed their sins to God and asked Jesus to forgive their sins and come into their hearts to live.
According to my understanding God does not force us to acknowledge that Christ is the Son of God and to ask Him to forgive our sins against him. We are independent it the fact that we can choose what we want to believe about everything.
This is why I think it is so important those that have accepted Christ as our only source for eternal hope, not to try and cram our belief system down the throats of others but we have been charged with the responsible to tell others about Jesus and what He as done for us. Nagging one into falsely professing Christ so others will shut up is a dangerous thing. One can only come to except Christ if he or she feels a desire to know the peace that passes all understanding according the way I believe.
I was an eight-year-old boy in church one Sunday when I realized the impact of what Christ had done for me by becoming the Supreme Sacrifice many years before and that I had done things that was against God’s will and that I needed to ask Him to forgive me if I were to spend eternity with God in Heaven.
Within a few hours after I realized this I told my father and he helped me to understand that all I had to do was to pray to God and tell Him that I realized I had sinned and that I accepted the death of His Son Jesus for the forgiveness of my sins.
My parents were far from perfect parents and did have a lot of things going for them early on. My father made it through the 6th grade and my mother through the 7th grade and never had many worldly processions but they did expose me to the teachings of Jesus and for that I am very grateful and one day will see them again in Heaven because of what Christ freely offers to all that will ask.
If God created mankind in His own image as a free person as I believe is the case, then no Christian has the right to step on the freedom of choice that others have when it comes to personally accepting Jesus Christ or rejecting him as their Savior. Personally I have never had any regrets of trusting Christ as my Savior and I know one day my aches and pains will be no more and I will spend the rest of eternity in the presences of God and his Holy Son Jesus Christ.
I hope this may somehow help some to understand that, as a Christian one is still a sinner until death. As a Christian I see the positive side of death but my human side also sees the pain associated with death so I try to avoid it. I want to be with my family and friends just like everyone does but I know death comes at some point to everyone. Knowing Heaven will be my home gives me peace and helps me understand where I have little or much possessions at death it makes no difference and all good things come from God who has proved his love to me by sending his only Son to die so that I may live forever in His presences.
If anyone finds himself wanting to know more about what some of us are talking about when we say were are Christians please ask someone to share their personal experience with Christ. I am a sorry Christian since the term actually means, “to be Christ-like” but I will be glad to personally and privately tell you what my father told me as an eight-year-old boy. gale@hawkinsresearch.com
Up front I will tell you becoming a Christian can the hardest thing you will ever do but it need not be. The hard part is it is something we have to trust Jesus to do for us by just acknowledging we have sinned and that we need the forgiveness that only He though His death can offer.
Grown men and women have a hard time facing up to the fact that there is anything we have to depend upon another to do for us. The easy part is when we do let go of our pride and ask in the name of Jesus, believing God will forgive us of all the times we have broke his laws and that He will take us to Heaven when we die, it is instantaneous upon asking.
There is a tendency to poke fun at people that express what they feel that God has done and is doing for them. This has been the case since recorded history so it is not going to change until time as we know it ends I am sure.
Some say that accepting Jesus as one’s Savior is just an emotional thing where one’s mind plays tricks on the person. Others say there is no God and that Jesus was just a guy that got himself in trouble with his mouth about 2000 years ago and got killed. What if that is the case and Jesus was just another man? At least beleiving in Christianity makes life easier to cope with for me. What if Jesus is the Son of God and the source of eternal life an one rejects Him?
Perhaps there was a big bang a long time ago and one day we crawled out of a swamp. As a software developer that has studied the DNA molecule as well, I find the “Big Bang” is much harder to buy into than a Supreme Creator with a program for all forms of life. Folks the DNA molecule is some classy programming like no human as yet to achieve. In fact scientists are just in the process of decompiling that programmer’s code.
Think about it but please remember you are free to think and do as you please. One thing I think that makes this the greatest country is that our forefathers tried to work the freedoms that God provided mankind into our Constitution. Just think about what life would be like if certain people were the god in charge of the Universe. |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2000 - 12:03 am: | |
Workingstiff Gale is right. I stand corrected I am sorry and I needed the rebuke. I hope that God will bless you as He has blessed me. I'm very sorry for not Doing what Jesus would do-Sincerely |
Workingstiff
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2000 - 8:09 am: | |
Thanks for your comments Gale. BTW, JT, for me Workingstiff means that I am a working body. Meaning that I am working, right now, as an independent. I came up with the name when someone, in a thread here months ago, was complaining about what was required while working certain files for a certain company. I was making the point that, at least, we WERE working. This has been a rough year for independents. |
olderthendirt
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2000 - 8:59 pm: | |
You are neither obligated nor forced to read any post or thread. This is the place for this discusion and if their was no interest in our community there would be only one person posting. |
Gale Hawkins (Gale)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2000 - 9:01 pm: | |
Ghostbuster it seems there needs to be a room for each one that post. JT what were you thinking about (or not thinking about) when you let workingstiff jerk your chain. He has the right to post his view on any post. Under this thread about anything should fit the subject.
Not all people are comfortable around others that talk to God, especially if God talks back to them. This is a fact that one should accept. Christians that are not consistent in their talk causes many to turn away from Christianity. Since all fall short from time to time (daily) this will happen even when one is trying hard. Paul spoke on that subject.
JT from what I can remember reading Christ did not typically become offended by a less than positive remark from a stranger. Workingstiff words were kind compared to what you will hear if you continue to follow your calling.
Please evaluate your maturity as you consider your calling because if you are not willing to let Christ stay in control of your words on a public forum after stating what you have stated you have a serious problem and are creating one for God in my personal opinion.
JT please remember name calling is childish behavior and there comes a time to put away childish behavior. Going public with a call to the ministry would be a good time in my personal opinion.
There will be setbacks along your journey. Most will be created by yourself but that is just a fact of life. Failing to learn from our mistakes is true failure. JT you will be just fine if you keep looking to the only perfect One.
Just remember in a public forum less than positive remarks may be thrown at you and it is your place to let the world see Christ in you through how you handle the situation. Yes the world is watching, especially after one openly announces his calling but you already know that.
Keep the faith and say Hello to Jimmy Carter for me. He may not remember me but I did vote for him. That was the last time I ever voted for that party in a Presidential race. Clinton and Gore may be Baptists but I think I could get more out of a Sunday School lesson taught by Jimmy. |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2000 - 5:24 pm: | |
Has anyone asked anyone for a penny? I dont think so. Man I'd guess your not just workingstiff your livingstiff (or maybe that's dyingstiff) too. |
Ghostbuster (Ghostbuster)
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2000 - 6:08 pm: | |
Uhhh, let's see now,
A CADO Christian room, a CAT adjuster union room, we already got a Computer Estimate program room for Gale and Simsol and Xactimate, just how many different rooms do we need in this mansion? |
workingstiff
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2000 - 11:02 am: | |
Maybe Roy should set up a CADO Christian room. That would be more appropriate for discussion of this nature. Some of our readers and contributors may be of different faiths and do not care to be solicited for money for someone's "calling". |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2000 - 11:40 am: | |
This is so cool, People-thank you for the time you all spent responding. O-be-one I like your daddy's (Texas Much?) quote; that is good news isn't it?..And Gale I appreciate your demeanor and the postings you have added to this forum. By the way I am also currently working with your guys program. It's pretty impressive. I've made a good connection with your boy Brian He's been incredibly helpful and friendly. Thanks Gale for the encouragement..."At least you have proven you are willing to tell others about your commission, which is a good start. There is a church I pass each day and currently one side of their billboard reads, “We Conquer By Continuing”." I especially need Barnabas types to share in this vision. I am currently working with Habitat For Humanity as our local chapters "construction manager" while God reveals and unfolds more of this before me. I want others to catch the vision most "normal" that is to say 9to5 types look at me like where the heck are you gonna get the people to fill these positions that need filled. I look at them like "ya ever heard of Independent Cat Adjusters?." Anyway again I invite anyone to EMAIL me if your interested in "THE PLAN". I really do believe that it could be an effective ministry to many communities as well as to Carrier Corps. as well as to adjusters, among many others. It's not my plan whatever He wants to do with it -it's His! Anyway, You guys are great I really do appreciate you! I'm out... |
Rj (Rj)
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 11:22 pm: | |
O-be-one:
I grew up around people from all walks of life. I have no problem understanding your posts. As a matter of fact I kinda enjoy readin your writin if you know what I mean. You have a style all your own. Keep on keepin on. |
Vince Tabor
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 8:30 pm: | |
Most adjusters feel the hit when the work is slow.
Last year we had a big Christmas...this year we'll
have a "little" Christmas.
I read a quote today and hope it helps my fellow
adjusters......
"Growing old is like a bad habit which a busy man
has no time to form."
Andre Mauris |
Gale Hawkins (Gale)
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 9:20 pm: | |
JT I think wonderingwhat makes an accurate observation in the first sentence. Also most I know that are following a calling are already very involved. Marketing your ministry will without question be the largest test of your faith in your commission I expect. No business is successful without proper marketing.
If you start competing for ministry dollars expect to see some strong turf protecting to take place. Now is the right time of the year but Dateline, 20/20 and the likes will start running holiday scam stories soon, which will make it hard on a start-up ministry for a couple months.
At least you have proven you are willing to tell others about your commission, which is a good start. There is a church I pass each day and currently one side of their billboard reads, “We Conquer By Continuing”.
Perhaps some would find theological problems with the statement but that basically was what my father said when at the age of eleven I complained that I never could get the one-acre of grass cut with a 21-inch power push mower. |
O-be-one
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 6:07 pm: | |
A while back I asked the question or excuse me I made the statement what kind of people are we praying (cane dance) for a hurricaine.well jt I neither know or will not guess the makers will. I never meant to insult or demean anyone.What I meant was dont pray for disaster it comes soon enough for one or many (sometimes in our own back door). Times do getlean and Lesson being when its tough it makes you more of a human being. you etheir become tougher,smarter for the next round of life or more callus and blinder and dont give a s**T in the hunt.If everything in life was black and white then we could all either be yes men or no men, but life sure is complicated(gray area) thats why we have joy and sadness.Things will get better, not because i said so or because it will be according to...bt because thats the way the good lord does things. Sometimes you are up and sometimes you you are down. Thats life. My daddy said "The sun dont shine in in the same dogs ass All time " God Bless All! Oh by the way RJ dnt bother about my grammer,this is an expression not a english writing class. |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 11:29 am: | |
wonderingwhat
Thank You for your response. I needed it. I believe He has commisioned me to begin a disaster relief ministry I guess in essence it would be an American Red Cross combined with Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army. Is this about money? Partly, It's about using the world's money to support other ministries and advance God's Kingdom. If anyone wants to talk about this and not bother those who aren't interested please E-mail me I'll send you "THE PLAN" |
wonderingwhat
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 10:51 am: | |
jtcoopman:
Maybe members are ignoring you, but just haven't been talked to perhaps the way you have yet. You stated "God has commissioned me to begin an international ministry", and you need help starting this "monster of a calling". Unless you tell us what this monster is, I do not think you will get much response. What is it you want, what is it HE wants, and who are you ministering to? How does this "commission" work? Is this just a feeling you have or did HE talk directly to you? Are you for real or is this just another religious scheme to get support in the form of the almighty dollar?
What is it you are talking about? |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 3:57 pm: | |
I'm here, just listening. I'm just interested if anyone is remotely interested in what I posted...If not that's OK too. I don't dork around with the way I communicate with people I'm serious about what I posted and dont play games with people. That doesn't mean that I'm some type of tight lame a__ but I just dont really appreciate those who aren't straight up with each other. I care about people and wonder if any of you feel called to anything higher than filling out PPIF's for SF...Anyone??? |
I aint afraid of no ghost! (Ghostbuster)
| | Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 11:02 pm: | |
OK, but with my empty pockets, how much lighter can I get? I'm prit' near floating as is... |
Tom Joyce (Tomj)
| | Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 8:03 pm: | |
jtcoop, formally of Columbas OH?, Ghostbuster, lightnen up |
I aint afraid of no ghost! (Ghostbuster)
| | Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 5:11 pm: | |
Yeah, I'm for real.
The connection is that you are indeed welcome here with regard to the original topic of this thread; our concerns, fears, plans, and hopes. I am pointing out our place in the greater scheme of things from an estoteric standpoint, one that makes sense to me. I.E., I have realized where I fit in with the Deity's plan.
I am also pointing out the reality of being needed by the industry on a as-need-basis.
I understood what you wrote, now is it any clearer what I wrote? |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 11:13 am: | |
Hey Ghostbuster-Are you for real? What the heck are you talking about? Did you read what I posted? I dont see the connection?. |
I aint afraid of no ghost! (Ghostbuster)
| | Posted on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 10:27 am: | |
Naahh! You're in the right place. When it comes to classic philosophic ramblings and whining, nothing can compare to a group of adjusters sitting around. Why, we're worse than a bunch of blue hairs in the nursing home, when it comes to chronic complaining!
Now, as to your Cosmic Connection with the Deity of your choice, we storm troopers are, in effect, Gods cleanup squad. We're the guys who are first in after HE/SHE/IT has a fit and puts the smackdown on those poor Insureds. We do our best to put their lives back together via an insurance contract. Just consider yourself like one of the guys with a shovel and a pushbroom that follows along behind the elephant parade.
In return for doing the dirty work, we are SUPPOSED to be rewarded with many sheckels and be honored for our prowess, charm, and good looks from the rest of the industry and public alike.
So, what happened? I am reminded of the poem by Rudyard Kipling, 'Tommy'. To paraphrase;
It's memo this, and phone call that,
then shove him out, the Brute!
But, he's the savior of the company,
when the winds begin to Hoot! |
jtcoopman
| | Posted on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 10:19 pm: | |
I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this comment maybe the webmaster can take and place it in the appropriate line or whatever these lines of conversation are called. For myself, like many of the rest of you guys/gals working in this industry it has been more than trying the past couple of years, lack of work, corporate (you know what & Who), etc. This is a crazy, crazy way to make a living-but that's just one man's humble opinion. I love adjusting I love it and when we're all working it's great, But... I hate to hear everyone so down because work has been so few and far between. I mean if you think Your alone in this I want you to know that I know one guy who many consider the "Best of the Best" in our industry and he's even been out of work the past six months. Well I've returned to paying my bills providing for my family, as a general contractor. I also just returned from Little Canada, MN. Where I was going to join a roofing company selling roofing while I was there, I ran into some good friends who I worked with while I was working up there for SF who have been steadily working as IA's for almost 2 years straight now. They are trying with all their might to hold onto their jobs so they don't have to return home to unemployment like the rest of us. According to them rumor has it that only twenty IA's are currently working for the vendor that we mutually work for (and you know half of them have the same last name-don't ya'll) OK, NOW, I've been a fairly quiet part of this wonderful resource CADO for about 4 years now. I know that many of you will think I'm nut's but I've been especially interested in the posting's that deal with how God fits in all this. This may not be for everyone and it may be that we "Jesus Freak, Bible banger" types start an entirely new chat room where we can share our lives with each other. Also, I believe that God has commissioned me to begin an international ministry that would require many of the CADO Christian types of people and want to form a team to tackle this monster of a calling ASAP. God bless everyone of you. CADO Christians I believe God has HUGE plans to use many of you far more than You would could ever dream. I believe that God needs you on this team. |
john rambert
| | Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2000 - 1:32 pm: | |
When I'm on assignment, and a call from home comes in, I ask my wife how many files I have to work to replace that furnace, hot water heater or whatever. Each week on assignment I work that extra file or 4 or 5 which is put aside. I watch the weather channel and about 5 weather sites to monitor activity in the U.S. My children tell their freinds, that daddy is doing his homework.
As Jim Flynt says, continue to prepare yourself for the next assignment, get your equipment in order and read insurance policies, literature, books, etc. |
Tom Joyce (Tomj)
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 5:21 pm: | |
Try to remember that as a group we are independent contractors, subject to the whims of nature and the industry. It is better to keep a perspective on the job, and realize the fickle nature of the business.
Good luck to all
Tom |
Chuck Deaton
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 9:37 am: | |
You have only made a mistake if you think you have made a mistake.
Use this down time to get those certifications and to get your equipment in order. Go to flood school and get flood certified.
The down time, free time, is one of the best parts of this job. |
Kiley Anderson
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2000 - 8:55 pm: | |
Well, I got into adjusting after I saw a friend of mine making lots of money and traveling and I thought it would be great. I took some classes, got certified, invested in equipment and quit my $40,000/yr sales job on Sept. 24th, 1999 When I got the call for Hurricane Floyd. I worked for a couple of months, then came home and found a temp job to hold me over until spring. Spring arrived and the phone didn't ring. It was almost June when I got the call. Finally I thought, all of this is going to work out. I went to Indiana for a hail storm, worked 6 weeks and came home with the war chest full, waiting for the hurricanes. You know the rest of the story. Money's getting tight, and no work on the horizon. Did I make a mistake? I don't know. I would like to hear what the rest of you have to say. In the mean time I need to hit the street and find a way to pay the rent hopefully until spring. |
Jim Flynt
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 10, 2000 - 1:32 pm: | |
This has been a very slow year for many if not most catastrophe adjusters.
Many cat adjusters have not even been out on a single assignment all year, and those who have may have worked for less than a month or two at best.
Hurricane season is fast drawing to a close with no prospects for work assignments on this year's horizon.
From listening to other cat adjusters, reading the "temperature" here on the CADO Pages, and from reading emails from adjusters around the country, I know that the feeling many have is one of despair, depression, hopelessness, concern and resignation.
Rather than suffer alone in your thoughts, it seems to me that a new topic thread needed to be posted to allow all of you to explore the future of cat adjusting as well as what prospects individuals may be looking at to deal with such a slow period as this year.
And by the way, 1999 was not all that wonderful either for many adjusters; which only made this year all the more worse for many.
Please use this thread to express your concerns, fears, plans, and hopes for the future.
Just remember, we are all in this together, and no one is suffering alone.
And remember: it is always darkest just before dawn. |
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