Star Witness
by Dave Herrin

The Mage mapped and marveled at the stars,
Their questions probed beyond the earthly sphere.
grown too big for Persian ways, their minds,
nurtured by the stars, soared to find
a stellar path to worship a worthy God.

It must have been a brilliant star
that rose that night – a star more bright
than all the rest, that made them stare
and check their well-worn astral maps,
no magi had ever witness such a sight.

Surely Herod must have marveled when
they asked where the King of Jews was born –
they said no common king deserved their gold.
So subtly Herod hid his jealous rage
and vainly asked them to return.

But on the road to Bethlehem when the sun
laid down to rest, the star arose
to escort them with its graceful light,
then slowed an stopped to cast a glow
upon the house where Mary rocked the Child.

And when the caravan arrived
and camels laid their weary heads to rest,
and Magi opened and arrayed their gifts,
how did this little face reflect that light,
what made them bow their heads with joy?

I wonder if that star possessed a special shape,
I wonder if it formed a cross that beamed
two rays: one to God and one to all
mankind – a silent witness like the one
at the end, they nailed him and his sign:
‘This is the King of the Jews.’
This is the King of kings.

I’M COMING FOR A VISIT WITH YOU!

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer." With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. "Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner." She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. She had only five dollars and forty cents. “Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. She bought a loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm. "Hey lady, can you help us, Lady?"

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans that she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags. "Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya’ know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda’ hungry, and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!"

The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag.
"Thank, you Lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering. "You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders.

Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. "Thank you, Lady! Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. "That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."

Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always,
Jesus

The King will answer (the righteous) and say to them, “Truly, I say to you, to the extent you did it (give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, et.al.), even the least of them, you did it to Me.” – Matthew 25:40

Written 3 years ago ~ still just as true today as it was the day he wrote this:

WHO NEEDS ISRAEL ANYWAY?
by Pat Boone

The above question, either in word or implication, is being voiced by way too many these days, as people and governments cast about desperately for lasting solutions in the Middle East. Many Western and European political leaders, having heard the deprecations and the determination to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, from the likes of Palestinian Yasser Arafat, Saudi Arabian Osama bin Laden, Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and so many other power brokers in the region, have come dangerously close to deciding that little Israel is the "thorn in the side" of world order.

The next logical thought is: "Who needs Israel? Let her be erased, her people dispersed (or whatever), and the Middle East can settle comfortably into a harmonious Islamic community of states. Problem solved!" What folly. What suicidal blindness.

I just returned from a momentous event in our nation's capital. An organization called Christians United for Israel, or CUFI, convened 4,000 people from all 50 states in several days of briefings and strategy sessions, culminating in an exhilarating, rousing rally in the DC. The next day, several thousand participants fanned out over Washington and Capitol Hill, lobbying virtually every representative and senator on behalf of Israel and its sovereignty. Why? Couldn't we all see this is an exercise in futility, an unnecessary bother that we'd all be better off if Israel didn't exist?

No, we all see clearly that the world needs Israel ~ The Whole World! What do I mean? Consider: Israel, the 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1000th of the world's population, can make claim to an astounding number of society's advances in almost every direction!

Intel's new multi-core processor was completely developed at facilities in Israel. And our ubiquitous cell phone was developed in Israel by Motorola, which has its largest development center in the little land. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology was pioneered in Israel. AirTrain JFK, the 8.1-mile light rail labyrinth that connects JFK Airport to NYC's mass transit is protected by the Israeli-developed Nextiva surveillance system.

Bill Gates calls Israel "a major player in the high-tech world"; most of Windows NT operating system was developed by Microsoft-Israel; the Pentium MMX Chip technology was designed in Israel at Intel; both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R&D facilities outside the United States in Israel; and, with more than 3,000 high-tech companies and start-ups, Israel has the highest concentration of high-tech companies in the world apart from the Silicon Valley.

Get this: Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the United States, over 70 in Japan, and less than 60 in Germany.

With over 25% of its workforce employed in technical professions, Israel places first in this category as well! It goes on and on. The Weizmann Institute of Science has been voted "the best university in the world for life scientists to conduct research." Israeli researchers have:

- discovered the molecular trigger that causes psoriasis;
- developed the Ex-Press shunt to provide relief for glaucoma sufferers;
- unveiled a blood test that diagnoses heart attacks…by telephone!;
- found a combination of electrical stimulation and chemotherapy that makes cancerous

metastases disappear and developed the first fully computerized, no-radiation, diagnostic

instrumentation for breast cancer!;
- designed the first flight system to protect passenger and freighter aircraft against missile

attack;
- developed the first ingestible video camera so small it fits inside a pill used to view the small

intestine from the inside, enabling doctors to diagnose cancer and digestive disorders!; and
- perfected a new device that directly helps the heart pump blood, an innovation with the

potential to save lives among those with congestive heart failure, synchronizing the heart's

mechanical operations through a sophisticated system of sensors.

These are only a few of Israel's recent contributions to the welfare of the world. There are just too many to list here. Water shortage, global warming, space travel, anti-virus, anti-smallpox, blood pressure, solar power, paralysis, diabetes, data storage, these and hundreds more are being addressed by Israel's scientists. They're pioneering in DNA research, using tiny strands to create human transistors that can literally build themselves and playing an important role in identifying a defective gene that causes a rare and usually fatal disease in Arab infants!

Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation by a large margin; it has the largest number of start-up companies globally, second only to the United States; it is No. 2 in the world for venture capital funds, financing all these advances; its US $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined; and Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East. And while it maintains, by far, the highest average living standards and per capita income, exceeding even those of the United Kingdom, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth, relative to its population. It is truly an unparalleled marvel of our time.

So what's the point of all this? Simply that the very idea of eradicating or even displacing Israel from its historic home is suicidal to the rest of the world, not just her Arab neighbors. Though there are ominous biblical consequences pronounced on those who "curse Israel," there are also wonderful blessings promised those who "bless" her, and we're seeing those real, practical, humanitarian blessings proliferate around the world, blessing all humanity. Stop just for a second and imagine a world today that never knew Israel. And then go further: Given their living standards, ideologies, and attitudes toward all who dare to disagree with them, imagine what our world would be like if Israel's enemies held sway. Would you rather live in an Iran, Iraq, Syria, or Afghanistan? ~ Or in Israel? Who needs Israel? Let's be honest. We all do!

(By Pat Boone, United Christian Broadcasters, November 5, 2007)

True Story of Rudolph

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer. Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.


Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined a make one - a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind, and he told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was.

The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.

But the story doesn't end there. The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing. Now you know!

THE UNEMPLOYED MAN

An unemployed man is desperate to support his family of a wife and three kids. He applies for a janitor's job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test. The human resources manager tells him, 'You will be hired at minimum wage of $5.35 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day. Taken back, the man protests that he is poor and has neither a computer nor an e-mail address. To this the manager replies, 'You must understand that to a company like ours that means that you virtually do not exist. Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high-tech firm. Good day.'

Stunned, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers' market and sees a stand selling 25 lb. Crates of beautiful red tomatoes. He buys a crate, carries it to a busy corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than 2 hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit. Repeating the process several times more that day, he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of groceries for his family.

During the night he decides to repeat the tomato business the next day. By the end of the week he is getting up early every day and working into the night. He multiplies his profits quickly.
Early in the second week he acquires a cart to transport several boxes of tomatoes at a time, but before a month is up he sells the cart to buy a broken-down pickup truck. At the end of a year he owns three old trucks. His two sons have left their neighborhood gangs to help him with the tomato business, his wife is buying the tomatoes, and his daughter is taking night courses at the community college so she can keep books for him.

By the end of the second year he has a dozen very nice used trucks and employs fifteen previously unemployed people, all selling tomatoes. He continues to work hard. Time passes and at the end of the fifth year he owns a fleet of nice trucks and a warehouse that his wife supervises, plus two tomato farms that the boys manage. The tomato company's payroll has put hundreds of homeless and jobless people to work.

His daughter reports that the business grossed over one million dollars. Planning for the future, he decides to buy some life insurance. Consulting with an insurance adviser, he picks an insurance plan to fit his new circumstances. Then the adviser asks him for his e-mail
address in order to send the final documents electronically. When the man replies that he doesn't have time to mess with a computer and has no e-mail address, the insurance man is stunned, 'What, you don't have e-mail? No computer? No internet? Just think where you would be today if you'd had all of that five years ago!'

'Ha' snorts the man. 'If I'd had e-mail five years ago I would be sweeping floors at Microsoft and making $5.35 an hour.'

Which brings us to the moral of the story: Since you got this story by e-mail, you're probably closer to being a janitor than a millionaire. Sadly, I received it, too!!!

TO BUY A MIRACLE!

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question. "Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick...and I want to buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist. "His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little. "Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?" "I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up.! I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money."

"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago. "One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need."

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neurosurgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place. "That surgery," her Mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child. In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need. A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law.

“Father, help us to retain and to walk in a ‘child-like’ Faith that knows no limits.”

Wherever you celebrate, here's reason for GREAT praise. When we think of the finished work of Christ, we think of forgiveness of sins, but it is so much more. Take a look at the list below to see what the finished work of Christ has accomplished for you. Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise Him enough! ~ 2Cor. 9:15 (But we can certainly try! )

The Finished Work of Christ
What has the finished work of Christ done for you? It is a perfect and complete work done just for you. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (Heb. 10:14)

1. All your sins are forgiven (Eph. 4:32, Col. 2:13, 1 John 2:12).
2. Satan has been disarmed and defeated (Col. 2:15).
3. The record of charges against you has been canceled and nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14).
4. The old sin-loving sinner you were has been crucified, dead and buried and gone (Rom. 6:4).
5. The old you no longer lives, but Christ lives in you and you now live by the faith of the Son of
God who loved you and gave Himself for you (Gal. 2:20).
6. You are dead to sin and alive to God (Rom. 6:11).
7. You have been washed, justified and sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11).
8. You are the temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in you (1 Cor. 3:16).
9. Christ is your very life (Col. 3:4).
10. You are a new creation in Christ – the old has passed away, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).
11. There is no more condemnation, shame and punishment (Rom. 8:1).
12. The world has been crucified to you and you have been crucified to the world ( Gal. 6:14).
13. You are born again and overcome the world (1 John 5:4).
14. Christ in you is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).
15. You are complete in Christ and He is the head of all rule and authority (Col. 2:10).
16. Jesus is in the Father and you are in Jesus and Jesus is in you (John 14:20).
17. You have died to the law and have been released from it. (Rom 7:6).
18. Sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14).
19. You are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
20. Christ in you is your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).
21. You have been sanctified and made perfect forever (Heb. 10:14).
22. Christ has set you free and you are free indeed (John 8:36).
23. You have an anointing from God and you know the truth (1 John 2:20).
24. God is for you and will give you all things (Rom. 8:31, 32)
25. You have been given the victory (1 Cor. 15:57).
26. You are born of God and Jesus keeps you safe, the evil one cannot touch you (1 John 5:18)
27. You are from God and overcome evil spirits because greater is He who is in you than He who
is in the world (1 John 4:4).
28. You have been called, justified, sanctified and glorified (Rom. 8:30).
29. Jesus is praying for you (Rom. 8:34)
30. You have been given everything you need for life and godliness through Christ (2 Pet. 1:3).
31. You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
32. Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ- not hardship, persecution, famine, danger,
death, demons, Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell
can’t keep God’s love away. Nothing in all creation will be able to separate you from the love
of God in Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:35-39).

LAS VEGAS CHURCHES

This may come as a surprise to those of you not living in Las Vegas, but there are more Catholic Churches than Casinos! Not surprisingly, some worshippers at Sunday Services will give Casino chips rather than cash when the offering basket is passed. Since they get chips from many different Casinos, the Churches have devised a method to collect the offerings.

The Churches all send their collected chips to a nearby Franciscan Monastery for sorting, and then the chips are taken to the Casinos of origin and cashed in. And, of course, this is all done by – Chip Monks!

[Editor’s Note: My response to this is to tell those folks who sent this to me to: “Get Thee to a Punnery!" :-)]


LIFE IN THE 1500'S

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. – Hence, the rhyme, “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lea d poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Now, whoever said History was boring?


GOOD NEW / BAD NEWS

Two 90-year-old women, Rose and Barb, had been friends all of their lives. When it was clear that Rose was dying, Barb visited her every day. One day Barb said, "Rose, we both loved playing women's softball all our lives, and we played all through High School. Please do me one favor: when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's women's soft-ball there." Rose looked up at Barb from her deathbed and said, "Barb, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you." Shortly after that, Rose passed on.
At midnight a few nights later, Barb was awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to her, "Barb, Barb." "Who is it?" asked Barb, sitting up suddenly. "Who is it?""Barb -- it's me, Rose."

"You're not Rose. Rose just died." "I'm telling you, it's me, Rose," insisted the voice. – "In Heaven," replied Rose. "I have some really good news and a little bad news."

"Tell me the good news first," said Barb. "The good news," Rose said, "is that there's Softball in Heaven. Better yet, all of our old buddies who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we're all young again. Better still, it's always springtime, and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play softball all we want, and we never get tired."

"That's fantastic," said Barb. "It's beyond my wildest dreams! So what's the bad news?"

"You're pitching Tuesday."

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." ~ Cherokee Proverb ~



WOMEN DRIVERS!

I tell you, women drivers are a hazard to traffic. Driving to work this morning on the freeway, I looked over to my left and there was a woman in a Mustang doing 65 miles per hour with her face up next to her rear view mirror putting on her eyeliner!

I looked away for a couple seconds and when I looked back she was halfway over in my lane. It scared me so bad I dropped my electric shaver in my coffee, and it spilled all over my cell phone!


THE TAVERN VS. THE BAPTIST CHURCH

In a small conservative town, a new tavern started a building to open up their business. The local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and prayers. Work progressed, however right up until the week before opening, when a lightning strike hit the bar and it burned to the ground.

The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was
ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means. The church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the buildings demise in its reply to the court.

As the case made it's way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork at the hearing and commented, "I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner that believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that doesn't!"

Hmmm!

POSITIONED TO PRAY

We were the first ones to come upon the accident. My quick thinking husband, always good in an emergency, calmly took charge while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. I watched as a little boy was lifted from the wreckage.

Feeling helpless and with a knot in my stomach I did the only thing I could do at that moment. I prayed for that little boy. I asked God to intervene in that young life and to spare him and heal him.
Several years later I had my own two boys at swimming lessons. I chatted with one of the moms as she marveled out loud that her son was able to be in swimming lessons. She told me about the terrible accident he had been in and the extent of his injuries. As we talked I realized this was the little boy I had prayed for as I stood on the side of the road.

I told the mom I had been there... that my husband was the one who had helped her husband from the wreckage. I told her that I had been there praying and was so excited to see how God had been at work. She too believed in God and was thankful for the miracle of healing in her son's life.

God positions His children in places where prayer is needed. Have you ever wondered why you came upon a desperate situation? Or found yourself alongside someone at work who is going through great hardship? Or discovered a neighbor is battling a difficult circumstance in health, relationship or finances?

God positions His children to pray. He knows the ups and downs of every life. He knows when there is little or no influence of God in a life or a situation. He works on this earth through the prayers of His people so He puts His people where prayer is needed.

Look around with fresh eyes today. Take note of the situations that come onto your radar screen as you walk through your day. Pray for those needs you become aware of. Even dare to tell someone you will be praying for them. Ask God for courage to offer a prayer out loud with someone when He presents the opportunity. It may be the very reason you are in that very place today.

<><< <><< <><< <><<

Librarian Abigail Goldberg says that sometimes there are requests for books she just cannot help her patrons with. Two examples to ponder:
A book on Cleopatra – must have photos.
The play Romeo and Juliet – the edition with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Hmmmmmmm!

More from "Life in the Middle Ages"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained, it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. – Hence, the saying, “It's raining cats and dogs.”

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. – Hence, the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. – Hence, the term, “a thresh hold.

Now, whoever said History was boring? 

\\\\////\\\\////\\\\////\\\\////

THE NAIL

The congregation built a new church building and people came from far and wide to see it... They admired its beauty. Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure -- except the nail. No one even knew he was there, and he became angry and jealous. "If I am that insignificant, nobody will miss me if I quit!" So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud.

That night it rained and rained. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away, and the roof began to leak. The water streaked the walls and the beautiful murals. The plaster began to fall, the carpet was stained, and the pulpit Bible was ruined by water. All this because a little nail decided to quit! But, what of the nail? While holding the shingle, it was obscure but it was also useful. Buried in the mud it was just as obscure, but now it was useless and would soon be eaten up by rust!

Food for Thought: Every member is important to the church. You may, like the nail, feel obscure at times, but just like the nail, your absence is felt. When you are not present for worship, in some way the body of Christ hurts. We are all a part of the Lord''s building.

J.O.Y. = Jesus First, Others Second, Yourself Last! So True!

AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM?

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."
*******************************************************************

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"
Eager to answer her question, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
********************************************************************

The children had all been photographed and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture: "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, he's a doctor.'
A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead."
*********************************************************************

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face."
"Yes," the class said. "Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the usual position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"
A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty."
**********************************************************************

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch and at the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."
Moving farther along in the lunch line, the children found a large pile of chocolate chip cookies, on which a child had posted his own note: "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

Daily Prayers

Lord, help me to meditate on Your Word, and then direct me in ways to use Your Word to help others. Your Word is Life itself, and I sincerely long to speak blessings to others. Place a watch care over my thoughts and my attitudes so that what I say will be Spirit-led in order to edify, encourage and comfort those around me as I strive to speak the Truth in love.

Father, increase my passion for helping others to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. You have freely given us love, forgiveness and eternal life. Stir my heart with more of a desire to share this precious gift with others.

O Jesus, please help me to surrender my desires and thoughts to You. I want my total focus throughout the day to be on You; protect me from the distractions of my flesh, the world and the wiles of the enemy.

Holy Spirit, assist me today to focus my mind and heart on the many blessings I have been given. All good things in my life have come from Your hand. I desire to have a heart-attitude of true gratitude and thanksgiving.

“. . . 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. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
~ Paul’s exhortation to the Christians at Philippi (4:8)


><><><><><><><><><><>< LIFE IN THE 1500'S

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500's:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. –

Hence, the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children, and last of all the babies.

By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water.” Now, whoever said History was boring?  <><< Now, whoever said History was boring? 8-)

A riddle for you ~
Eighty percent of Kindergartners solved this riddle,
but only 5% of Stanford graduates figured it out!


Can you answer the following questions in one word?

1. The word has seven letters....
2. Preceded God...
3. Greater than God...
4. More Evil than the devil...
5. All poor people have it...
6. Wealthy people need it....
7. If you eat it, you will die.

Did you get it?

Scroll down . . . .









NOTHING!

SIMPLE TRUTHS

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem; it's me.
3. Growing old is inevitable ... growing UP is optional.
4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
5. Silence is often misinterpreted...but never misquoted.
6. Do the math... count your blessings.
7. Faith is the ability to not panic.
8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
9. If you worry, you didn't pray. ?If you pray, don't worry.
10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day.
11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
12. The most important things in your house are the people.
13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still -
God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

P. J. O’Rourke says: “A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money.
Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.”


When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
(Ouch! - Get Thee to a Punnery!)


Pillsbury spokes-man Pop N. Fresh died yesterday at 71.

In attendance at the funeral were Mrs. Butterworth, the California Raisins, Hungry Jack. Betty Crocker and the Hostess Twinkies.

Fresh rose quickly in show business, but his career was filled with many turnovers. He was not considered a smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Still, even as a crusty old man, he was a roll model for millions. Fresh is survived by his second wife.

They have two children and one in the oven. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

~~~~~~~```

Be a Berean!
“The Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians. They eagerly received the message and searched the Scriptures diligently every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
– Acts 17:11

May the LORD richly bless you and yours! ~ Bob Preston

FIVE IMPORTANT LESSONS TO HELP US THINK
ABOUT HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE


1. First Important Lesson – the Cleaning Lady –

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely, this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall,
dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned that her name was Dorothy.



2. Second Important Lesson – a Pickup in the Rain –

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an elderly African-American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 60’s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.

It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
~ Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.


3. Third Important Lesson – Always Remember Those Who Serve –

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.
"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.


4. Fourth Important Lesson. – The obstacle in Our Path –

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the
peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand:
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.


5. Fifth Important Lesson – Giving When it Counts –

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her. Is that an act of courage and unselfish love or what?! 

THE PARABLE OF THE FLUTE


The craftsman fingered the flute he had just made. “My child, you’re newly born, but already pregnant. You’re pregnant with wedding songs and funeral dirges and the lyrical tunes of the traveling bards. The music of the world lies in your heart, and the songs of the ages sleep in your soul.”

And the flute was silent in reply to all his words.

“Ah, how could I expect you to answer me?” he laughed. “You’re empty and haven’t yet learned to sing. But now, the waiting is over.” He lifeted the flute to his lips and added, “It’s time to give birth to a song!”

And he began to play.

And as his breath gave life to the song, the flute finally replied to her maker. And her song as sweet and the melody was alive and she brought tears to the eyes of the old man, even though he was the one who played the music and he already knew the song.

Still, she made him cry.

Just as he had designed her to do.

The party has started. I can hear the music floating out the window. The invitation has been offered, and I’m standing on the porch, staring at the open door. I see his hadn outstretched toward me. Will I join the dance?

I moments like these, I feel the craftsman lifting me to his lips again. I want to play the music he designed me for, but I can only do so when his breath finally fills my soul.

Only then, when his lips kiss new music into me, am I truly and most deeply found.


– by Steve James,
Sailing Between the Stars,
Musings on the Mysteries of Faith,
Revell, Grand Rapids, © 2006,
p. 175

FOOD FOR THOUGHT


“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone.”
– Reba McEntyre
~~~~~~~```

Bubba went to a Texas tent revival and listened to the sermon the Evangelist was preaching. After a while, the preacher asked that anyone with needs come forward to be prayed over.

Bubba got in line and when it was his turn the preacher said, "Bubba, what do you want me to pray about?"

Bubba said, "Preacher, I need you to pray for my hearing."

So the preacher put one finger in Bubba's ear and the other hand on top of Bubba's head and prayed for a while.

After a few minutes, he removed his hands and said, "Bubba, how's your hearing now?"

Bubba replied, "I don't know preacher, it ain't until next Wednesday."

Hmm!

God wants to use YOU!

The next time you feel as though GOD can't use you, just remember:

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt

Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was... (well, you know)
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer

. . . AND

Lazarus was dead!

Now!!! No more excuses!!!

God can use you to your full potential.
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger! Have a great day!!!
The SON is shining and He can certainly use you!

And one more thing ~ Share this with a friend or two, ok? :0)

THE FOUR BOYFRIENDS

Once upon a time, there was this girl who had four boyfriends. She loved the 4th boyfriend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the 3rd boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her 2nd boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girl’s 1st boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him.

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.'

Thus, she asked the 4th boyfriend, “I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!” replied the 4th boyfriend, and he walked away without another word. His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the 3rd boyfriend, “I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!” replied the 3rd boyfriend. “Life is too good!. When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!” Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the 2nd boyfriend, “I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time,” replied the 2nd boyfriend. “At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.” His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: “I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.” The girl looked up, and there was her 1st boyfriend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!

~ ~ ~ In truth, you have 4 boyfriends in your lives:

Your 4th boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your 3rd boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others.

Your 2nd boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your 1st boyfriend is your Soul which is often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, your Soul is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity!

FOUND BY LOVE
by Robert E. Preston

Yearning deeply, sighs of despair fill my emptiness within.
Chattel all my life for men who use and abuse,
Words of love spoken, so deeply longed for, cause me again
To hope within for true love to find me.

Silently screaming in the caverns of my soul tear at the edges of sanity.
Hooked by the nose and led by subtle lies,
Promises made of meaning and power,
Words spoken, so earnestly hoped for, cause me again
To dream within that true strength would be mine.

Betrayed by a father who whispered to me in the dark,
Whipped by a husband, abased for his ego to stand upon,
Daring vainly to trust once more words of love spoken with honeyed lips,
Betrayed yet again, this time by his denial, when discovered.

Beaten by a father, named the source of his shame.
Beaten by those whose bully courage grew from my small frame,
Praying vainly to believe the words of promise they whispered in my mind,
Betrayed, yet again, this time by chains and whips within, unable to escape.

So many men, so many beds, and now –so many men with rocks in hand.
It ends here. No more tears remain. Let them bring an end to it all.
Then the Rabbi stoops and writes in the sand.
What? Will no on cast the first stone? Where are they all going?
Head still bowed, despair incarnate, I feel His Touch!
He lifts my chin, and looking into His eyes,
I realize I have been found by Love!

So many lies, so many screams, and now – insane rage consumes me.
It ends here. No more light remains. Let them bring an end to it all.
Then the Rabbi speaks and asks my name.
What? Will they reveal themselves to Him? Where are they all going?
Open wounds still bleeding, insanity incarnate, I hear His Word!
He lifts my chin, and looking into His eyes,
I realize I have been found by Love!

11 September 2010

THE PURPOSE OF A DOG – From a Six Year Old Boy’s Point of View

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn stuff like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Some Thoughts About Love


In Matthew 14:27 Jesus came walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee amidst a storm that buffeted the boat in which His disciples were attempting to traverse the Sea. When the disciples saw Jesus, they were terrified, because they thought they were seeing a ghost! Jesus calmly called out to them, “Be of good cheer . . .” (KJV) . . . or, “Take courage . . . “ (NIV), and then Jesus said, “It is I,” and then encouraged His followers to not be afraid. The “It is I” more correctly should be translated, “I AM.” In the presence of the great I AM, the Almighty Creator who is all we ever need, the One who promises that He will never leave us and will never forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), is the same One who casts all fear from our hearts and lives!

The Apostle John encourages us with these words: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts, or drives, out fear, because fear has to do with torment, or punishment. The man (person) who fears is not made perfect in love.” Jesus, Who is Perfect Love, is He who gave us this New Commandment, “Love one another! As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Let us renew this commitment to one another, Saints of the Living God! Let us ask Him to fill us so full of His Love for one another that we may experience the reality of fear being driven out of our lives! Have fear, anxiety, stress, concerns about life ~ call a Brother or Sister in Christ, and let us pray for one another and speak the words of the Love of the Master into the ear-gate and into the heart of our brother, our sister, our Love One in Christ Jesus and experience the Joy of God’s Peace and Contentment fill up the space in the heart left vacant by the fear that has fled. Amen!

Some Thoughts About Love

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for sin.” – 1 John 4:10

God demonstrated H is love! Love is demonstrated, not a matter for words alone. Love comes to Life when it shares itself, in faith and faithfully, as a Living Sacrifice. It does not wait until things are “just right.” It does not wait until It is reassured and the way is made “safe” or easy. Love leaps to Life to redeem the Beloved and jumps into the middle of the Beloved’s situation to Rescue and Redeem.

As we strive to be conformed to His image, let us remember that “God is Love,” (1 John 4:8), but also that Love, and God Himself, is defined by what He does and by what He gives, . . . . and so are we!

Chocolate Calories (Cool Math!)

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy two servings per night, and a few more on weekends, I consume 3,500 calories of chocolate in a week, which equals one pound of weight per week. Therefore, in the last 3 1/2 years, I have had a chocolate calorie
intake of about 180 pounds. I weigh only 165 pounds, so without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about three months ago!

I owe my life to chocolate!!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

THE U IN JESUS

Before U were thought of or time had begun, God stuck U in the name of His Son. And each time U pray, you'll see it's true. You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.
You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name. For U, He was born; that's why He came.
And His great love for U is the reason He died.

It even takes U to spell crucified!

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand that He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?
<><< <><< <><< <><<


Hmmm ~ Think about it!

I got a call from the library. “The two items you requested are not available,” the librarian informed me. “The book on speed reading is overdue, and the person who took out the CD on getting organized has misplaced it.”



JUST P.U.S.H.

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to “Push” against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did so, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might! Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into his weary mind: (He will do it every time)!

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."

At first, that's what the weary man planned to do, but then he decided to make it a matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to The Lord. "Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your job was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?

Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back is shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure; your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.

True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That, you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock!"

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the Faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God Who moves The Mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong...............................................................just P.U.S.H.

When the job gets you down............................................................................just P.U.S.H.

When people don't do as you think they should...............................................just P.U.S.H.

When your money is "gone" and the bills are due............................................just P.U.S.H.

When people just don't understand you............................................................just P.U.S.H.

P = Pray U = Until S = Something H = Happens!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The Best Mathematical Equation Ever ~

1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given

~~~~~~~```

SAYING GOODBYE TO MOTHER

We were dressed and ready to go out for the New Years Eve Party. We turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered our pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard. We phoned the local cab company and requested a taxi. The taxi arrived and we opened the front door to leave the house. The cat we put out in the back yard, scooted back into the front door.

We didn't want the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird. My wife goes out to the taxi, while I went inside to get the cat. The cat runs upstairs, with me in hot pursuit. Waiting in the cab, my wife doesn't want the driver to know that the house will be empty for the night. So, she explains to the taxi driver that I will be out soon, “He's just going upstairs to say Good bye to my mother.”

A few minutes later, I get into the cab. ‘Sorry I took so long,” I said, as we drove away. 'That stupid witch was hiding under the bed. I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out! She tried to take off, so I grabbed her by the neck. Then, I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep her from scratching me. But it worked! I hauled her downstairs and threw her out into the back yard!”

The cab driver hit a parked car.

The Necklace

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh mommy please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. "A dollar, ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She's my very favorite."

"That's okay, Honey, daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you."
And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, daddy; this is for you." With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure. So it is, with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.

God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

For such a time as this (Mordecai to Esther (Esther 4:14)” – preparing our hearts for the 4th of July: On May 17, 1776, prior to the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the war that was to follow, the Continental Congress called for a “Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer.” John Witherspoon, President of the College of New Jersey (later to be known as Princeton) said, “While we give praise to God, the supreme disposer of all events, for His interposition on our behalf, let us guard against the dangerous error of trusting in, or boasting of, an arm of flesh.”

On July 4, 1776 on two men signed the newly composed and written Declaration: John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the others added their signatures on August 5th, but the final signature was not secured until one year later!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2010 WHEN . . . .

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12 You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

For such a time as this (Mordecai to Esther (Esther 4:14)” – preparing our hearts for the 4th of July: Samuel Adams was cousin to John Adams (2nd President of the U.S.A.) and was called “the Father of the American Revolution.” In 1772 he wrote “The Rights of the Colonies.” In this piece he stated: “The rights of the colonists as Christians . . . may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutions of the Great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament.”

CHANGE YOUR SIGN!

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective? Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have.. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Just think: God is Near! God Bless you and your family. From a friend to a friend ~The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling, And even more beautiful is knowing that you are the reason behind it!

For such a time as this (Mordecai to Esther (Esther 4:14)”

– preparing our hearts for the 4th of July: John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. He wrote his name in very large letters so that King George could read it without his spectacles! When things were not going well during the Revolutionary War he said, “In circumstances dark as these, it becomes us, as men and Christians, to reflect that, while every prudent measure should be taken to ward off the impending judgments, all confidence must be withheld from the means we use; and reposed only on that God who rules in the Armies of Heaven and without whose blessing the best human counsels are but foolishness, and all created power.”

“For such a time as this (Mordecai to Esther (Esther 4:14)” –
Preparing our hearts for the 4th of July: there was a point when the Constitutional Convention was ready to dissolve due to sharp disagreements amongst and harsh words spoken by the delegates. Benjamin Franklin called the delegates to a time or prayer. He said, “I have lived a long time, Sir, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men, and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire caon rise without His aid?”

KEEPER

I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away.

I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things.. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy ~ all that re-fixing, eating, renewing. I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So, while we have it, it's best we love it. . . and care for it. . . and fix it when it's broken. . . and heal it when it's sick. This is true ~ for one’s marriage . . . and old cars . . . and children with bad report cards . . . and dogs with bad hips . . . and aging parents . . . and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep ~like a best friend that moved away, or a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special ~like you, and so, we keep them close!

Food for Thought
Something for fun, and something, oh so beautiful!

Blessing the Horses

Mitch, a hard-shell Southern Baptist, loved to sneak away to the race track. One day he was there betting on the ponies and nearly losing his shirt when he noticed this priest who stepped out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race. Lo and behold, this horse - a very long shot - won the race.

Mitch was most interested to see what the priest did the next race. Sure enough, he watched the priest step out onto the track as the 5th race horses lined up, and placed this blessing on the forehead of one of the horses. Mitch made a beeline for the window and placed a small bet on the horse. Again, even though another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race. Mitch collected his winning and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest bestowed his blessing on for the 6th race.

The priest showed, blessed a horse, Mitch bet on it, and it won! Mitch was elated! As the day went on, the priest continued blessing one of the horses, and it always came in first. Mitch began to pull in some serious money, and by the last race, he knew his wildest dreams were going to come true. He made a quick stop at the ATM, withdrew big money and awaited the priest's blessing that would tell him which horse to bet on.

True to his pattern, the priest stepped out onto the track before the last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears and hooves of one of the horses. Mitchell be every cent, and watched the horse come in dead last. Mitchell was dumbfounded. He made his way to the track and when he found the priest, he demanded, "What happened, Father? All day you blessed horses and they won. The last race, you blessed a horse and he lost. Now I've lost my savings, thanks to you!!"

The priest nodded wisely and said, "That's the problem with you Protestants... you can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and the last Rites."


God is ONE

There are two words in Hebrew for our English word, “one.” The word transliterated “Iachid” means “an absolute oneness” as in Genesis 22:2, “Take now your son, your only (one) son Isaac, whom you love . . .” The other word, “Echad” represents a composed oneness as in the literal Hebrew for Genesis 1:5, “It was evening and it was morning one day.” God is never called iachid in the Hebrew bible, but always echad, a composed unity.

The literal translation of Deuteronomy 6:4 the keynote of the Jewish faith is: “Listen, Israel, Jehovah, you gods (plural) is Jehovah of composed unity [echad].” Irenaeus said, “There are always present to Him the Word, and Wisdom, the Son and the Spirit through whom and in whom He made all thins freely and spontaneously.” The three entities are One; this oneness is echad, a composed oneness between entities who also retain their distinctions.

Therefore, Jesus could truly say, “Who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:6). Bless His Holy Name!

(excerpted from: Richard Wurmbrand, 100 Prison Meditations, Living Sacrifice Books, Bartlesville, OK, © 1982, pp. 63-64

The Origin of Father's Day

A FATHER’S DAY HISTORY

AOL News had a story today:
“A Father’s Day History: Celebrating Dad for 100 Years”

Sonora Smart was the eldest of six children, born to William Jackson Smart and his wife who died while giving birth to their sixth child. Sonora was the only girl, and her father, after her mother’s death, was left to raise his children alone on a remote farm near Spokane, Washington. In 1909 Sonora (now married – Sonora Smart Dodd) heard a sermon honoring mothers on Mother’s Day, and she decided that fathers deserved to have the same type of recognition.

Working with her pastor, the Rev. Conrad Bluhm, with the Spokane YMCA and with the Spokane Ministerial Alliance, Mrs. Dodd was successful in promoting Father’s Day on Sunday, June 19, 1910 to the point where most pastors of the churches in Spokane preached sermons themed around the importance of fatherhood.

May I interject here and share with you that last Sunday that Mary Jane and I were privileged to share the Word of God at White Chapel in Carmel, Indiana, and this congregation in preparation for Father’s Day today noted that it was reported that 63% of teens committing suicide grow up in homes where the father is absent. That speaks dramatically to the father’s importance in the home, just as the LORD God ordained it should be!

The AOL News story goes on to note that by 1924 Father’s Day had gained some national prominence, and that year President Calvin Coolidge recognized Father’s Day and made it known that he wanted more states to get involved in its celebration. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an order in 1966 proclaiming the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day, and this became its permanent official date when in 1972 President Richard Nixon signed an official proclamation to that effect.

Today, Father’s Day is celebrated in over 50 countries around the world on various days. The AOL News article begins its conclusion thusly: “All because a young girl who appreciated her dad’s love and wanted to see his efforts acknowledged. William Jackson Smart died in 1919, so he got to celebrate 10 Father’s Day with his grateful daughter.

POISON IN THE HEART


A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married & went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all.

Mr. Huang thought for awhile, and finally said, 'Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.' Li-Li said, 'Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do.' Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, 'You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body.

Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspect you, when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. 'Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen.'
Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law. Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.

After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again She said, 'Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law. She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her.'

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. 'Li-Li, there's nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her.'

Have you realized that how you treat others is exactly how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: 'The person who loves others will also be loved in return.' God might be trying to work in another person's life through you. Send this to your friends and spread the POWER OF LOVE.

WET PANTS

Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat." He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap. The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good. Remember – Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car. Each and everyone one of us is going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith!




Hmmmm! Think About It!

The Delta Casket Company of Knoxville, Tennessee bought a used truck, painted it and placed their name and logo on their “new” truck. Unfortunately, the paint they used was rather “thin.” Under their company name one can still read the website of the business that had previously owned this vehicle – www.publicstorage.com.

A REAL Tribute to Mothers on Mother's Day

THE BEST JOB EVER! ~ JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. “What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “'do you have a job or are you just a . . . ?” “Of course I have a job,” snapped the woman. “I'm a Mom.”

“We don't list ‘Mom’ as an occupation. Housewife' covers it,” said the recorder emphatically. I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, ‘Official Interrogator’ or ‘Town Registrar.’ “What is your occupation?” she probed. What made me say it I do not know. The words simply popped out. “I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?” Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters).

Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) And I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it), but the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers, and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.

Motherhood! What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door. Does this make grandmothers Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations and great grandmothers Executive Senior Research Associates? I think so!!! I also think it makes Aunts Associate Research Assistants.

Count Down to Mother's Day #4

I OWE MY MOTHER . . .

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me." (?)

THANKS, MOM!

Count Down to Mother's Day #3

I OWE MY MOTHER . . .

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15 My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents
like you do!"

"THANKS, MOM.