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Thread: Ask For It!

  1. #12
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    A BEAUTIFUL HEART

    One grandfather quipped about his grandchildren: "My grandkids are
    four and six. The Pulitzer Prize winner is four and the brain surgeon
    is six."

    Parents and grandparents are understandably proud of the quick minds
    and impressive talents of their little ones. But let me tell you about
    another quality, perhaps even more important, found in a little girl
    named Skylar.

    I received a letter recently from a grandmother who told me about her
    four-year-old granddaughter Skylar. Ever since Skylar learned of
    Disneyland from TV, she saved her nickels and dimes in a piggy bank in
    hopes of visiting there someday. Her parents surprised her with a trip
    when she was four, however, and didn't even require her to use her own
    money!

    When Skylar returned it was Christmastime. She decided to buy presents
    with her savings. But she also learned from announcements on TV about
    a local homeless shelter called "The Road House." She repeatedly asked
    her mother what "homeless" meant and why those children needed coats
    and warm clothes. She couldn't seem to get the homeless off her mind.
    (Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone had
    that problem?)

    Her mother took her to the store to buy presents. Instead of buying
    for herself or her family, however, she decided to purchase a warm
    coat, socks, gloves and crayons for a little girl in the shelter. She
    also wanted to buy a doll (a "baby," as she called it), but when she
    discovered she didn't have enough money, she left the doll behind.

    When Skylar got home, she lined up her own much-loved "babies" and
    chose one she thought another child could also love. The baby went
    into a box with the other items she bought that day.

    She was so excited waiting for Christmas! Skylar was not thinking
    about Santa Claus or the presents she would be getting. She was
    thinking about going to the shelter and giving her carefully selected
    gifts to a homeless child.

    On Christmas Eve she and her family drove to the shelter where Skylar
    presented her Christmas box to a grateful little girl. She was so
    filled with joy at truly helping someone else, that her family has
    decided to make the journey to the homeless shelter an annual
    tradition.

    "Perhaps it's good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift
    is to have a beautiful heart," says Nobel Laureate John Nash ("A
    Beautiful Mind"). A beautiful heart is that gift...that leads
    us...into the beauty of giving.




    By Steve Goodier © 2004
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    THE WORK OF THE HEART

    For several years I have saved a touching piece written by teacher, Beth Nelson. She reminds us of the satisfaction gained by doing the "work of our hearts."

    Let me give children the healing knowledge
    That there is a better way, a more beautiful way
    To live each day of their lives.
    A physician I am not, but healing is part of my profession.

    Let me give some child hope for eternity,
    Peace in this life, confidence in what will come.
    I am not a member of the clergy, but faith is part of my profession.

    Let me give children a feeling of justice,
    A sensitivity for right and wrong;
    A love of truth and abhorrence of evil.
    A legal advisor I am not, but justice is part of my profession.

    Let me bring children relief from pain of disappointment and disillusionment;
    A remedy for dissolving personality;
    An escape from the ravages of self-pity;
    A psychologist I am not, but the healthy mind is part of my profession.

    Let me give children a balance between an appreciation of their cultural heritage,
    And an enthusiastic participation in the human family,
    And anticipation for the world of tomorrow.
    For I am a teacher.

    To some, teaching may be a job; to others, a means to a greater end. One person may think he merely lays bricks; another understands that he is helping to build a hospital. Who among us cannot find a higher purpose in our work?

    Michael Bridge beautifully says, "When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open, and love steps forth to heal everything in sight."


    __________




    This reading is found in Steve Goodier's popular book : A LIFE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE : 60-second readings that truly matter
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    LAUGH ABOUT IT!



    I recently read of a motorist who was caught in an automated speed trap. His speed was measured by a radar machine and his car was automatically photographed. In a few days he re_ceived a ticket for $40 in the mail along with a picture of his auto_mobile. As payment, he sent the police department a snapshot of $40. Several days later, he received a letter from the police. It con_tained another picture -- of handcuffs!

    Humor is an important part of a healthy life. Though often under-used, humor is also an essential prob_lem-solving tool, particularly in conflict. It goes a long way toward building bridges over divisive waters. What might happen if you use humor to get at that aggravating prob_lem you are facing today?

    __________



    This reading is found in Steve Goodier's popular book : ONE MINUTE CAN CHANGE A LIFE : 60-second readings of hope and encouragement.
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    PASSION MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

    Are you too young or too old, too incapacitated or too disadvantaged to make a difference?

    Let me tell you about Mattie Stepanek, who will be fourteen this year. Mattie has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. Three of his siblings have died of the disease. His mother is also afflicted. Mattie breathes through a tube in his neck and needs a wheelchair to get around.

    Mattie was asked a few years ago what he might wish for. He named three things. He said he wanted to meet Oprah Winfrey, he wanted to meet President Jimmy Carter, and he wanted to publish a book of his poetry. (Mattie had been writing poetry since he was three.)

    His wishes were all granted. He not only met Oprah, but also has appeared on her show. He visited with President Jimmy Carter and spoke with him about one of Mattie's favorite topics - world peace. After talking to Carter, Mattie said that he thought he was on the right track. He also had a book of his poetry published in 2000, when he was only eleven! By January of 2001, it had soared to the top of the New York Times best-seller list!

    "Prayer for a Journey" was written when Mattie was just eight.


    Thank You, God,
    Not just for life,
    But for our journey through life.
    Life is a miracle,
    And a journey through life
    Is so full of so many more miracles
    If we travel with our Heartsongs.
    Thank You, God,
    For blessing me with the
    Gift of Heartsongs,
    So that I can enjoy my miracles.
    April 1998
    From "Journey Through Heartsongs" (Hyperion Books, 2001) www.mattieonline.com .

    If you were to ask Mattie what his purpose in life is he would answer, "My life mission is to spread peace to the world." But isn't fourteen too young to spread peace to the world? Isn't it too young to make a real difference?

    G. W. F. Hegel said, "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." Maybe it's not about age, or physical health or any of the things we usually associate with people who are changing their own worlds and making a difference. If Hegel is right - it's about passion. And passion is something Mattie Stepanek has plenty of !






    By Steve Goodier © 2004
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    THE TABLECLOTH

    The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

    They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc. and on Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On Dec 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm - hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

    The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall.

    He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered
    up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?"

    The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the tablecloth.

    The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job..

    What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving.

    The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike? He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.

    The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

    True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid -- Who says God does work in mysterious ways ?
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    A HERO FOR OUR TIME


    You may be acquainted with a real-life hero!

    An American tourist in Tel Aviv was about to enter the impressive Mann Auditorium to take in a concert by the Israel Philharmonic. He was admiring the unique architecture, the sweeping lines of the entrance, and the modern decor throughout the building.

    Finally he turned to his escort and asked if the building was named for Thomas Mann, the world famous author. "No," his friend said, "it's named for Fredric Mann, from Philadelphia."

    "Really? I never heard of him. What did he write?"

    "A check."




    There are many kinds of heroes, and Fredric Mann is a hero to many concert goers. But you don't have to be famous (or wealthy) to be a hero. That honor may go to just about anyone -- perhaps you. You may have never considered yourself much of a hero, but you could be wrong. The fact is, most people's heroes and role models include those closest to them -- family and friends.

    Harold W. Bernard said, "There are unrecognized heroes among our ordinary neighbors." And Kenneth E. Clark, former president of the American Psychological Association, once said this about heroes: "Heroes stand for what is right. If someone is our hero, it's because that person does what you would like to see accomplished."

    Maybe they rise above adversity with dignity.

    Maybe they exemplify perseverance.

    Maybe they show unusual courage in terrifying situations.

    Maybe they love the unlovable and live with quiet grace.

    Real heroes are not always famous. But they DO make a difference.

    So, this is for you -- the unrecognized and quiet heroes of everyday life. Thanks...for being you!




    © 2001 Steve Goodier
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    Q: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

    A: Psalms 117


    Q: What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

    A: Psalms 119


    Q: Which chapter is in the center of the Bible?

    A: Psalms 118


    Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

    Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118

    Add these numbers up and you get 1188.


    Q: What is the center verse in the Bible?

    A: Psalms 118:8


    Q: Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?

    The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!


    Psalms 118:8
    "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
    Now isn't that odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)?
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    DRIVING AWAY THE SHADOWS

    When Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865, he was carrying two pairs of spectacles and a lens polisher, a pocketknife, a watch fob, a linen handkerchief, and a brown leather wallet containing a five-dollar Confederate note and several newspaper clippings on the Lincoln presidency.

    Why did he keep the newspaper clippings? Some of them extol his achievements as president of the United States. In one, Henry Ward Beecher is quoted in a speech as saying, "Abraham Lincoln may be a great deal less testy and wilful (sic) than Andrew Jackson, but in the long race, I do not know that he will be equal to him." The reporter then writes, "The storm of applause that followed this seemed as if it would never cease."

    Why would he carry such a clipping? If we know anything about Lincoln, we know that humility was one of his most attractive virtues. I can't imagine that he read from the article during political discussions or entertained dinner guests with its keen insight.

    I do not know the answer to these questions. But I am aware that Abraham Lincoln suffered from bouts of serious depression. Could it be that in those "dark nights of the soul," when despair settled over his mind like a cold and heavy snow, that he could reach into his pocket and find hope? Could it be that these words reminded him of what he had dedicated his life to, the good he had tried to do and the lives he had affected?

    Francis of Assisi once said, "A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." For some, that sunbeam is no more than words on a leaf of paper...a letter of appreciation from a friend, a supervisor's
    simple commendation or recognition for a job well done, a letter of heart-felt love from a parent, spouse or child.

    Blessed are they who have such a sunbeam to drive away the shadows.

    May they use it often.

    Blessed are they who give sunbeams to others.

    They will never be without ample light.





    By Steve Goodier © 2003
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    What Price A Miricale ?


    Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew.

    All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the money for the doctor's bills and the house. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, "Only a miracle can save him now."

    Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all 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 you 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 kind of miracle you need."



    That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without 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.




    A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law...... (A TRUE STORY)
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY

    A little boy wanted a taste of molasses from the large barrel by the door of an old-fashioned country store. He slid a box beside the barrel, stepped up on it and leaned over the rim as far as possible, stretching out his finger to_ward the sweet goo below. He stretched and strained and toppled headfirst into the barrel.

    Dripping with molas_ses, he stood up, lifted his eyes heavenward and was heard to utter, "Lord, help me to make the most of this fantastic oppor_tunity!"




    A quality that some people possess is the ability to take whatever life gives them and turn it into an opportunity. David Boren must be such a man. The Oklahoma politician learned from pro_fessional pollsters that he would most likely lose his gubernatorial bid, and lose it big. The profes_sional polling agency he hired reported his strength to be about two percent of the population.

    His first reaction was to quit. But he finally decided to turn his bad news into an opportunity. He told his listeners, "I had a professional poll taken and it shows I've got great potential for in_creasing my support!"

    That sounded a whole lot better than it was! But he eventually won the election and served as governor of the state of Oklahoma.

    Will you accept the creative challenge to take what life gives you and turn it into an oppor_tunity? If so, watch out! Something exciting just might happen!


    __________



    This reading can be found in Steve Goodier's book: RICHES OF THE HEART : Sixty-Second Readings that Make a Difference
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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    People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
    When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.



    When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend, and they are.

    They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

    Sometimes they die.

    Sometimes they walk away.

    Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.

    What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.



    When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

    Believe it! It is real!

    But, only for a season.



    LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

    Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.



    It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
    Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

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