May 1st

The Garage of Fear


There was a hummingbird trying to get out of my garage through a closed window. This bird was going berserk trying to get out. It was so tired, yet this little bird continued doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. I left for awhile and came back. The bird kept trying to get out every way he could. Finally, he collapsed on the side of the garage. I gently picked him up and took him outside where he flew away.

I think this story illustrates exactly what we go through with anxiety and panic attacks. We are trapped in this "garage" of terror and torment. We desperately peck at every ray of hope, trying to escape these fearful thoughts.

So many times, we do the same old thing, over and over, trying in vain to deal with our condition. We push, strive, avoid, cope, adjust, numb, run, scream, plead -- anything to stop the onslaught of fear. But, we labor in vain, it seems.

I think the only way to real peace is in the hands of our Father. You can work hard in your own strength and efforts, much like the bird, where you become totally exhausted. Or, you can surrender all to God and trust His loving hands to carry you to His place of freedom.

I believe with all of my heart that God desires to pick you up in your "garage of fear" and take you to a place where there is no fear -- to a place of total peace and freedom. With the help of God, all things are possible.

"Blessed be the Lord, who did not let their teeth tear us apart! We escaped like a bird from a hunter's trap. The trap is broken, and we are free! Our help is from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth." (Psalm 124:6-8)

April 30, 2007

LUNCH WITH GOD
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God." And before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen."

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and asked, "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." And before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally.

Pick of the week.....

Gas Prices vs ?

People have been complaining about the rising price of gasoline recently, but I have always thought that gas was a good value. Obviously others need a little convincing. What if you were to buy a gallon of ..

10. Diet Mt Dew 20 oz for $1.19 = $9.52 per gallon

9. Ocean Spray 16 oz for $1.25 = $10.00 per gallon

8. Gatorade 20 oz for $1.59 = $10.17 per gallon

7. Diet Snapple 16 oz for $1.29 = $10.32 per gallon

6. Evian (water) 9 oz for $1.49 = $21.19 per gallon

5. STP Brake Fluid 12 oz for $3.15 = $33.60 per gallon

4. Scope 1.5 oz for $0.99 = $84.84 per gallon

3. Pepto Bismol 4 oz for $3.85 = $123.20 per gallon

2. Vicks Nyquil 6 oz for $8.35 = $178.13 per gallon

And how many gallons of Whiteout do you want?
Whiteout 7 oz for $1.39 = $254.17 per gallon.

All of a sudden $2.85 a gallon doesn't sound too bad....

April 16, 2007

How is your Attitude?

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

April 12, 2007

Lessons from an Oyster
Author Unknown


There once was an oyster
Whose story I tell,
Who found that some sand
Had got into his shell.

It was only a grain,
but it gave him great pain.
For oysters have feelings
Although they're so plain.

Now, did he berate
the harsh workings of fate
That had brought him
To such a deplorable state?

Did he curse at the government,
Cry for election,
And claim that the sea should
Have given him protection?

'No,' he said to himself
As he lay on a shell,
Since I cannot remove it,
I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around,
As the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate
Destiny ­ stew.

And the small grain of sand
That had bothered him so
Was a beautiful pearl
All richly aglow.

Now the tale has a moral,
for isn't it grand
What an oyster can do
With a morsel of sand?

What couldn't we do
If we'd only begin
With some of the things
That get under our skin.

April 11, 2007

A Child's Prayer

Dear God, are You still awake?
Have You got a minute or two?

You're pretty good at understanding,
And I really need to talk to You.

You see, Mommy came to tuck me in,
Like she does every night.
I was trying to play a trick on her,
Since she can't see without the light.

I was going to close my eyes
And pretend to be asleep.
But when I heard her crying,
I didn't dare let out a peep.

She started talking to you, God.
Did You hear the things she said?
Could You hear what she was saying
As she stood beside my bed?

Why would Mommy be so sad?
I wondered just what I had done,
And then I began to remember
it all As she named them one by one...

This morning we worked in the garden,
But, honest, I really didn't know
That if I picked all those little yellow blooms
The tomatoes wouldn't grow!

Charlie and I were trying to be helpers,
'Cause I know that's what Mommy needs,
But I don't think she was too happy with us
when we pulled up carrots instead of weeds.

Mommy said we should stop for the day,
she decided we had helped quite enough.
I sure had worked up an appetite...
I didn't know gardening was so tough!

we had peanut-butter and jelly for lunch
and I shared too much, I guess...
But I didn't realize until I was done
that Charlie had made such a mess.

Mommy said she needed a nap,
she had one of her headaches today.
She told me to keep an eye on my sister
and find something quiet to play.

Well, God, do You remember all those curls
you gave my little sister Jenny?
We played barber shop...very quietly...
and now, well, she doesn't have any.

Boy, was Mommy mad at me...
I had to go sit on my bed.
She said never to cut "people hair" again.
I guess I'll practice on Charlie instead.

We sat and watched poor old Albert,
I just knew he must be so bored
Going round and round
in the same place all day,
Wouldn't You think so, Lord?

I didn't think it would hurt
to let him out for a while.
I mean, mice need exercise, too.
By the way, have You seen Albert lately?
He's been sort of missing since two.

Mommy sent us outside for the rest of the day.
She said we needed fresh air.
But when Daddy came home she told him
he was trying to get something out of her hair.

We thought Mommy needed cheering up,
so we decided to brighten her day.
But, God, did You see the look on her face
When we gave her that pretty bouquet?

We had gotten a little bit dirty,
so Mommy said to get in the tub.
"Use soap this time," she reminded,
"and please don't forget to scrub."

Charlie didn't like the water too much,
but I lathered up real good.
I knew Mommy would be so proud of me
For cleaning up like I should.

I went downstairs to the table,
but during dinner it started to rain...
I'd forgotten to turn off the water, it seems,
and I hadn't unplugged the drain!

I decided right then it was just about time
to start getting ready for bed,
When Mommy said, "It's sure been a long day,
" And her face began turning all red.

I lay there listening to Mommy
as she told You about our day.
I thought about all of the things I had done
and I wondered what I should say.

I was just about to tell her
that I'd been awake all along,
And ask her to please forgive me
for all of those thing I'd done wrong.

When suddenly, I heard her whisper,
"God, forgive me for today...
For not being more understanding
when those problems came my way...

For not handling situations in the way
You wanted me to...for getting angry
and losing my temper,
Things I know You don't want me to do.

And, God, please give me more patience,
Help me make it through another day,
I'll do better tomorrow, I promise..
. In Jesus' name I pray."

Wiping her eyes, she kissed me
and knelt here beside my bed.
She stroked my hair for a little while..."
I love you, precious," Mommy said.

She left the room without ever knowing
That I'd been awake all the time.
And God, could we make it our little secret?
You know, just Yours and mine?

I'm sorry I was so much trouble today,
I really didn't mean to be...
Daddy says it's tough being a kid sometimes,
but I think it's harder on Mommy than me.

Well, goodnight, God. Thanks for listening.
It's sure nice to know You're there.
I feel so much better when I talk to You
'cause You always hear my prayer.

And I'll do better tomorrow, I promise...
Just You wait and see!
I'll try not to be so much trouble again,
But, God,
please give more patience to Mommy
......Just in case! Amen.

April 9, 2007

In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca Recording company. The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians,

one executive said, "We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out."

The group was called The Beatles.

In 1944, Emmeline Snively, director of the Blue Book Modeling Agency, told modeling hopeful Norma Jean Baker,

"You'd better learn secretarial work or else get married." She went on and became Marilyn Monroe.

In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry fired a singer after one performance.

He told him,

"You ain't goin' nowhere son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck." He went on to become the most popular singer in America, named Elvis Presley.

When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said,

"That's an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"

When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times.

He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2000-step process."

In the 1940's, another young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947 - after seven long years of rejections! He finally got a tiny company in Rochester, New York, the Haloid Company, to purchase the rights to his invention, an electrostatic paper-copying process. Haloid became Xerox Corporation we know today.

Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contacted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralyzed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last. For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl, who was told she would never walk again, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

The moral of the above Stories: Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.

You gain strength, experience and confidence by every experience where you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do. And remember, the finest steel gets sent through the hottest furnace. A winner is not one who never fails, but one who NEVER QUITS!

April 4, 2007


The Bee Sting


A vacationing family drives along in their car, windows rolled down, enjoying the warm summer breeze of the sunny day. All of a sudden a big black bee darts in the window and starts buzzing around inside the car. A little girl, highly allergic to bee stings, cringes in the back seat.

If she is stung, she could die within an hour.

"Oh, Daddy, " she squeals in terror, "it's a bee! It's going to sting me!"

The father pulls the car over to a stop, and reaches back to try to catch the bee. Buzzing towards him, the bee bumps against the front windshield where the father traps it in his fist. Holding it in his closed hand, the father waits for the inevitable sting. The bee stings the father's hand and in pain, the father lets go of the bee.

The bee is loose in the car again. The little girl again panics, "Daddy, it's going to sting me!"

The father gently says, "No honey, he's not going to sting you now. Look at my hand."

The bee's stinger is there in his hand.

1 Cor. 15:55--"Where, O grave, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

Jesus says to us, "Look at my hands."

He has Satan's sting,
the sting of death,
the sting of sin,
the sting of deceit,
the sting of feeling worthless.

Jesus has all of those stingers in His hands.

When you see that nail-scarred hand, realize that, on your behalf, Jesus took all the pain that Satan could throw at Him. He reduced Satan to a big black bee that has lost its stinger--all Satan can do.........is buzz.

April 3, 2007

OPENING DAY
By Dave Burchette

Yesterday was opening day in major league baseball.

In my mind there is no more special day in sports than opening day in baseball. The smell of freshly cut emerald green grass delights the senses. The base lines are painstakingly and perfectly defined by a grounds crew that is committed to perfection on this day. Red, white, and blue bunting gives the ball park a festive World Series look. The players today act like little boys. This is the one day that these privileged athletes seem to forget they are millionaires and actually appear grateful that they are paid to play a little boy's and girl's game. Kids skip school and parents do not care because memories are being made for both of them. The hot dogs taste like gourmet food. Tacky souvenirs are treasures to be kept. The atmosphere is magic. It is opening day and every team has hope. Each fan has dreams and they are hopefully or, perhaps hopelessly, optimistic. Last year's disappointments are gone and the hope of a new season dawns for fifty thousand fans in the park and thousands more across the city. The mood is upbeat and the expectations high. This is a new day and a new season. Old mistakes are forgotten. Past errors no longer important. Today is the annual renewal of the incredible marathon that is big league baseball.

I longed for such a defining moment in my walk with Jesus. God's Word tells us that every day can be like opening day (Dave's paraphrase). There can be new hope. Yesterday's sins can be forgotten if you accept the gift of Jesus on the cross. Every morning that I awake and see the magic of a new sunrise I have a new chance to be renewed and optimistic about tomorrow. I don't have to wait a year to have a chance for renewal.

I am grateful that in my spiritual journey God that has given me a chance for "opening day" renewal every day. There have been times when my walk with Jesus has felt more like a team that is thirty games out in August. I have wondered if I can make it to the end of the season, pack my bags, and just go home. I haven't really enjoyed my teammates. I wonder if I would be happier on another team.

But today under picture perfect blue skies I realized that every day with Jesus can be like opening day. I can be transformed and new. There can be freshness in the journey and joy. I can realize that I am a child of God and be grateful that I can call Him Father. I can rejoice that old sins are forgotten. I can believe that hope for the future is real. I can understand that I must be a better teammate and not expect my team to be perfect. The magic of a fresh start happens once a year in baseball. It can happen every day for a follower of Jesus.

April 2, 2007

RESURRECTION ROLLS

INGREDIENTS..... CRESCENT DINNER ROLLS

MELTED BUTTER / SOFT MARGARINE

CINNAMON / SUGAR MIXTURE

LARGE MARSHMALLOWS


PREHEAT OVEN ACCORDING TO DINNER ROLLS.

TAKE INDIVIDUAL DINNER ROLLS (THEY REPRESENT JESUS’ TOMB)

THEN SPREAD THE MELTED BUTTER / MARGARINE (REPRESENTING THE ANOINTING OIL) ON ROLLS.

NEXT, PLACE MARSHMALLOW (REPRESENTING JESUS) IN THE ROLL.
SPRINKLE WITH THE CINNAMON / SUGAR MIXTURE. (REPRESENTING THE ANOINTING SPICES USED IN BURIAL)

WRAP MARSHMALLOW TIGHTLY IN THE ROLL. (REPRESENTING WRAPPING JESUS IN THE TOMB)
MAKE SURE TO LEAVE NO CRACKS OPEN.....SO HE CAN’T ESCAPE!

BAKE ACCORDING TO CRESCENT ROLL DIRECTIONS.

THE TOMBS WILL BE OPEN AND EMPTY AS THE MARSHMALLOW MELTS, CREATING A DELICIOUS TREAT!

THIS REALLY WORKS! WE MADE THEM AS A FAMILY RECENTLY AND THE CHILDREN ENJOYED MAKING THEM!

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL VISUAL STORY AS MUCH AS WE DID.

SINCERELY,
THE STEVENS FAMILY

March 29, 2007

Cure for Sorrow



There is an old Chinese tale about a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she went to the holy man and said, "What prayers, what magical incantations do you have to bring my son back to life?"

Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her, "Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow. We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life." The woman went off at once in search of that magical mustard seed.

She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door, and said, "I am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a place? It is very important to me."

They told her, "You've certainly come to the wrong place," and began to describe all the tragic things that recently had befallen them.

The woman said to herself, "Who is better able to help these poor, unfortunate people that I, who have had misfortune of my my own?" Shestayed to comfort them, then went on in search of a home that had never known sorrow. But wherever she turned, in hovels and in other places, she found one tale after another of sadness and misfortune. She became so involved in ministering to other people's grief that ultimately she forgot about her quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that it had, in fact, driven the sorrow out of her life.

March 27, 2007

It's been said that there are 2 things in life that are certain....Death & Taxes. Well, I'l like to add one more but say that it only applies to parents. There will be moments that challenge your sanity, but you must be able to........

Capture The Moments!

The baby is teething, the children are fighting, and my husband just called and said to eat dinner without him. Okay, one of these days you'll shout, "Why don't you grow up and act your age?" ….. and they will.

Or, "You guys get outside and find yourself something to do and don't slam the door."

….. and they won't.

You'll straighten up their bedrooms all neat and tidy with bumper stickers discarded, bed-spread tucked and smoothed, toys all displayed on the shelves, hangers in the closets, animals caged, and you'll say out loud, "Now I want you to stay this way!"

…. and they will.

Then you'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death, a cake with no finger traces through the frosting, and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for company."

…. but you'll eat it alone.

And you'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone! No dancing around, no pantomimes, no demolition crews! Silence! Do you hear me?"

…. and you'll have it.

No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti, no more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent, no more dandelion bouquets, no more iron-on patches, no more wet-knotted shoe strings, no more tight boots, or rubber bands on pony tails.

Now, imagine your lipstick with a point. No baby sitter on New Year's Eve. Washing clothes only once a week. No PTA meetings, no car pools, no blaring radios, having your own roll of tape, no more Christmas presents made out of toothpicks and paste, no more wet-oatmeal kisses, no tooth fairy, no giggles in the dark, no knees to Band-aid.

Only a memory of a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up?"

And in the silence will come the echo, "I did."

March 26, 2007

The House of 1000 Mirrors



Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."

In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."

All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?

March 19, 2007

Seven World Wonders

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes: 1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."

The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are:
1. To See
2. To Hear
3. To Touch
4. To Taste
5. To Feel
6. To Laugh
7. And to Love."

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous!

A gentle reminder:
The most precious things in life AREN”T THINGS!

March 15, 2007

The Fishermen


There was a group called 'The Fisherman's Fellowship'. They were surrounded by streams and lakes full of hungry fish. They met regularly to discuss the call to fish, and the thrill of catching fish. They got excited about fishing!!

Someone suggested that they needed a philosophy of fishing, so they carefully defined and redefined fishing, and the purpose of fishing. They developed fishing strategies and tactics. Then they realized that they had been going at it backwards. They had approached fishing from the point of view of the fisherman, and not from the point of view of the fish. How do fish view the world? How does the fisherman appear to the fish? What do fish eat, and when? These are all good things to know. So they began research studies, and attended conferences on fishing. Some traveled to far away places to study different kinds of fish, with different habits. Some got PhD's in fishology. But no one had yet gone fishing.

So a committee was formed to send out fishermen. As prospective fishing places outnumbered fishermen, the committee needed to determine priorities.

A priority list of fishing places was posted on bulletin boards in all of the fellowship halls. But still, no one was fishing. A survey was launched, to find out why… Most did not answer the survey, but from those that did, it was discovered that some felt called to study fish, a few to furnish fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging the fisherman.

What with meetings, conferences, and seminars, they just simply didn't have time to fish.

Now, Jake was a newcomer to the Fisherman's Fellowship. After one stirring meeting of the Fellowship, Jake went fishing. He tried a few things, got the hang of it, and caught a choice fish. At the next meeting, he told his story, and he was honored for his catch, and then scheduled to speak at all the Fellowship chapters and tell how he did it. Now, because of all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman's Fellowship, Jake no longer has time to go fishing.

But soon he began to feel restless and empty. He longed to feel the tug on the line once again. So he cut the speaking, he resigned from the board, and he said to a friend, "Let's go fishing." They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish.

The members of the Fisherman's Fellowship were many, the fish were plentiful, but the fishers were few.

March 13, 2007

It's the Sizzle that Sells!



Everyone likes excitement. When people bubble with personal energy, others enjoy being around them. Business firms like to hire a staff that brings zest to the establishment. Some national restaurant chains, for example, train their staff to form an impromptu ensemble and sing "Happy Birthday: or "Happy Anniversary" to their customers on special occasions. It produces more than noise. People keep coming back.

One restaurant, knowing how people respond to excitement, devised a special plan. When a customer ordered a steak dinner, the chef placed the meal on a hot steel plate. Then, just before the waiter left the kitchen, he would drop an ice cube on the platter.

The waiter was instructed, "Walk slowly to the table. We want everyone to hear the sound of that hot platter." It wasn't the steak that was sizzling, but the ice. The plan worked like instant advertising. If customers were in the process of ordering, they'd hear that sound and choose a steak. The sizzle produced the sale.

Today, think creatively. Ask yourself, "How can I add some excitement to what I plan to deliver?"

March 7, 2007

Excerpt from More Random Acts of Kindness

77 cents


I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and some homeless people in the downtown/University area frequent the stoplights. I used to give a lot of money to the homeless, feeling sorry for their misfortune. But as time passed, I fell victim to many of the circumstances of a homeless person. I became a single mom with no home, a huge debt, and hardly any income. As a result, I stopped giving to the people on the side of the road and became very bitter.

Things started to change for me. I became responsible enough to have a home, a backyard for my daughter, and plenty of food, and I started to pull myself out of debt. One day we saw a homeless person with the sign, "Will work for food." I passed by. My daughter commented, "Mommy, you used to always give to those people in need." I replied, "Honey, they just use that money for alcohol or other bad things." She didn't respond. But when I said that, it didn't feel right.

Three days later, I was driving to pick up my daughter from school. A man was standing on the corner, and something deep inside me said, "Just help the guy." So I rolled down my window, and he ran over with enthusiasm. He said, "God bless you, I only need 77 cents." I reached into my ashtray and oddly enough, there sat three quarters and two pennies.

My skin was prickling as I saw this. I scooped it up and gave it to him. He burst out with joy and tears in his eyes, "Wow, you just made it possible for me to see my mom for Christmas! Thank you so much; the bus that had this great sale is leaving in 20 minutes!" It was a moment I'll never forget. I think that man won't forget it either, but I was the one who got the best gift in life - GIVING. It also reminds me that nothing is a coincidence, and everything has meaning.

February 6, 2007

Attitude
by: Rev. Charles Swindoll


The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, then circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say, or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.

February 20, 2007

Enjoy your Coffee!

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: 'If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that has been provided us.'

God brews the coffee, not the cups. 'The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.'

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Enjoy your coffee!

February 21, 2007

Lesson from a Terrapin



There was a boy who found a terrapin, more commonly known as a turtle.

He started to examine it but the turtle pulled in its head and closed its shell like a vice. The boy was upset and he picked up a stick to try to pry it open.

The boy's uncle saw all this and remarked, "No, that's not the way! In fact, you may kill the turtle but you'll not get it to open up with a stick."

The uncle took the terrapin into the house and set it near the fireplace. It wasn't but a few minutes until it began to get warm. Then the turtle pushed out its head, then stretched out its legs and began to crawl. "Turtles are like that," said the uncle, "and people, too. You can't force them into anything.

But if you first warm them up with some real kindness, more than likely, they will do what you want them to do."

February 19, 2007

Are You Real?



I assume that you have heard of the story the Velveteen Rabbit. If you have not, it is the story of a little stuffed bunny rabbit who dreams of being Real. To his owner, a small boy, the rabbit is perceived to be Real, because the Boy loves him so much. He gets older and shabbier but is content with knowing the Boy believes he is a Real rabbit. When the boy falls ill with scarlet fever and the velveteen rabbit must be thrown away, a fairy comes and tells him that because of the boy's love for him, he could now be turned into a physically real rabbit.

Why I mention this tale I explain now: I am a junior in high - school, and one day during my semester exams I was rather tired and depressed. It had been a long, wearying week and I needed to talk with someone, anyone... just to get my mind off of the tests, which I was sure I had done poorly on.

So, after school, I walked down to the student personnel services office, and sat down with one of the counselors. He was a real blast to hang out with, and every student liked him. When we began to talk, I realized my heart really wasn't in the conversation. My mind wandered back to the exams... to a doctors appointment I had the week before -- anything but the cheerful subject we were speaking of.

He paused in conversation and looked at me. We began talking now of more serious subjects: a few health problems that I have, a fight I had with my mother the day before -- things that were bothering me. After a few minutes of this, he asked me a very strange question.

"Do you think you are real?"

I was taken aback. What could he possibly meant by that? I pressed him for an explanation, and what he said was basically, he was hearing all of the things that had an impact on me, but really didn't hear about things that I was taking part in or making a difference in. He likened it to the story of the Velveteen Rabbit: did i think that I was real to the people around me, and most importantly to myself.

To my surprise, I found it very hard to answer his question instantly or honestly. A few months later, and I am still thinking about it. It made me wonder that, if I couldn't tell if I was "real" or not, what other people believed about me.

It makes you think: Do you have enough of an effect on the world around you as you would like to?

February 16, 2007


Psssst....I've got a secret too
by Dave Burchett visit
www.daveburchett.com

I picked up USA Today today (that drives the grammar check crazy) and found a story about The Secret. What is The Secret? It is a controversial self-help book and DVD that claims to know the secret to happiness. Author Rhonda Byrne says the secret is the law of attraction. If you think positively you become a magnet that pulls everything you want toward you. Whether you want a new job, a million dollars, or a gorgeous girlfriend. I was intrigued. Especially when I discovered that The Secret carries this centuries’ version of the Good Housekeeping Seal…an endorsement from Oprah. Like she needs another million or a new job.

Byrne is an Australian reality-TV producer who discovered “the secret” to obtaining everything you want through studying religious and philosophical texts.
“Everyone has to have their own experience to believe,” says Byrne, 55. “People start with little things like deciding a cup of coffee will come to you or that you’ll see a feather. There’s no difference between attracting a feather and anything else you want. It’s as easy to attract one dollar as it is $10,000.”

I have to admit that as I was writing this post on a flight from Memphis a cup of coffee came to me. The flight attendant on this American Airlines flight pulled a little cart right up to my seat and asked if I wanted something to drink. Amazing. I have to confess that the exact same thing happened yesterday before I knew about the secret. Perhaps I am just gifted at this.

I decided to skip the whole weird feather thing and go right to bigger things. I am going to think positively that you will click on this link right now and buy 5 copies of my books.

I’m waiting.

While I was waiting I found some more dog hairs on my pants. Obviously the polarity has not switched. There are, of course, skeptics of The Secret. Professor Robert Thompson of Syracuse University calls it “at best, silliness” and “good old-American snake oil salesmanship.” Advocates of The Secret tout the law of attraction for everything from finding good parking spots to curing disease. That is a concern. No one dies from getting a bad parking spot. Not surprisingly, the always bizarre celebrity set has jumped on board the phenomenon.

The whole thing just makes me sad. People are so desperate to find something, anything, to give them hope and a little happiness. Like the old country song, I believe they are lookin’ for love in all the wrong places. So I decided to share my secret with you. I have gleaned this from my study of ancient texts and from personal experience. I cannot promise you good parking spots. I cannot promise you a million dollars. I can’t promise you a gorgeous girlfriend or boyfriend. My blog is not endorsed by Oprah.

If you are still interested let me tell you what my secret will give you.

Joy
Purpose
Significance
Strength in times of trouble
Power to forgive

My secret is not a law or rule. My secret is actually The Gift. The Gift is grace. The Gift is given by God. Jesus said that He came that you may have life and have it more abundantly. That verse has been so misapplied by those who claim “Beemers and Baubles” as a sign of God’s blessings. That is not what Jesus said in this text. The abundant life is simple. By living a grace filled life I can forgive the hurt and forget the grip of my past. I can live confidently without fear of the future. And I can live content in the moment. That is a prescription for happiness. When I autopsy what makes me unhappy it fits into one or more of those categories. Regrets from the past, fear of the future, or discontent with the present. The Gift can free from you those joy robbers even you have to go get your own coffee.

That’s my secret. You don’t have to buy my book (but feel free if you want to) to share my secret of The Gift. For further research read the Gospel of John.

February 15, 2007

Only One Childhood
by: Author Unknown

I stopped to watch my little girl busy playing in her room. In one hand was a plastic phone; in the other a toy broom. I listened as she was speaking to her make believe little friend And I'll never forget the words she said, even though it was pretend.

She said, "Suzie's in the corner cuz she's not been very good. She didn't listen to a word I said or do the things she should." In the corner I saw her baby doll all dressed in lace and pink. It was obvious she'd been put there to sit alone and think.

My daughter continued her "conversation," as I sat down on the floor. She said, "I'm all fed up, I just don't know what to do with her anymore? She whines whenever I have to work and wants to play games, too. She never lets me do the things that I just have to do?

She tries to help me with the dishes, but her arms just cannot reach... And she doesn't know how to fold towels. I don't have the time to teach. I have a lot of work to do and a big house to keep clean. I don't have the time to sit and play -- don't you know what I mean?"

And that day I thought a lot about making some changes in my life; As I listened to her innocent words that cut me like a knife. I hadn't been paying enough attention to what I hold most dear. I'd been caught up in responsibilities that increased throughout the year.

But now my attitude has changed, because, in my heart, I realize... I've seen the world in a different light through my little darling's eyes. So, let the cobwebs have the corners and the dustbunnies rule the floor, I'm not going to worry about keeping up with them anymore.

I'm going to fill the house with memories of a child and her mother... For we are granted only one childhood, and we will never get another.

February 14, 2007

Valentine for Grandma, A
by: Joseph Walker, Heartwarmers4u


It was just a harmless prank, that's all it was.

And it wasn't as if Old Lady Hayes didn't deserve it. The way she used to scream at us for "borrowing" a few of her precious raspberries each summer, like we were stealing gold out of Fort Knox... well, she had it coming.

At least, that's the way we saw it as George finished tying the string to the red, heart-shaped box. We giggled as Ron added the final touch: two plastic red roses, glued to the lid. "I wonder what will surprise her most," I asked as George practiced jerking the box out of reach by yanking on the string. "Seeing a box of candy on her step, or watching it fly away when she tries to pick it up?"

We laughed as we watched George make Albert chase the box around the garage. For a chubby 10-year-old, Albert did a good imitation of Mrs. Hayes's hunched hobble and her seemingly permanent scowl. And we howled when he picked up a broom and pretended to ride it through the midwinter air while shouting, "I'm Old Lady Hayes, the driedest-up old prune in the West!"

Ron was first to notice my dad in the doorway. Within seconds, Ron's anxiety was shared by all but Albert, who continued to swoop around the garage until he came face-to-belt-buckle with our silent observer. For a moment the only movement in the room came from the little puffs of steam escaping our mouths. Dad broke the stillness by walking slowly to the empty candy box lying on the floor. He picked it up and dangled it by the string, watching it swing back and forth. Then he looked into the eyes of the frightened boys. And, as was his custom, he looked into their hearts as well.

"It doesn't seem so long ago that I was pulling Valentine's Day pranks," he said as he laid the box on a workbench. "One year my cousins and I decided to pull one on our Grandma Walker even though we loved her -- she was the sweetest grandma a boy could have. We were just feeling devilish and decided to have some fun at her expense.

"Early in the evening we snuck up to her doorstep with a can of red paint. Grandma was hard of hearing, so we didn't have to worry about being very quiet. Which was a good thing, because every time we thought about how funny it was going to be to see Grandma try to pick up a valentine that was just painted on her doorstep, we couldn't keep from laughing.

"It didn't take long, and it wasn't very artistic. But for an old woman with bad eyes, it would do. We kicked the door and hid behind bushes. When Grandma finally appeared she stood in the doorway, her gray hair pulled back tightly into her usual bun, wiping her hands on her usual apron. She must have heard the commotion in the bushes because she looked in our direction and spoke loudly enough for us to hear: 'Who could be knocking at my door?' Then she looked down. Even from 15 feet away we could see the joy in her eyes when she spotted a splash of red at her feet.

"'A valentine for Grandma!' she exclaimed. 'And I thought I'd be forgotten again this year!'

"She tried to retrieve her prize. This was the moment we had been waiting for, but somehow it wasn't as much fun as we expected. Grandma groped at the fresh paint for a moment. Slowly, she figured out our prank. She tried to smile. Then, with as much dignity as she could muster, she turned and walked back into her house, absently wiping red paint on her clean, white apron."

Dad paused, and for the first time I noticed that his eyes were moist. He took a deep breath. "Grandma died later that year," he said. "I never had another chance to give her a real valentine."

He took the box from the bench and handed it to me. Then he turned and left the garage.

Later that night a red, heart-shaped box with two plastic roses on it was placed on Mrs. Hayes's front doorstep by six giggling boys. We hid behind snow-covered bushes to see how she would react to receiving a full pound of candy and nuts.

With no strings attached.

February 13, 2007

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

February 9, 2007

Today's ponder is from Dave Burchett's Daily Blog. www.daveburchett.com

Nice guys finish....first

Leo Durocher allegedly said that “nice guys finish last”. When you look at the most successful coaches of recent years you would not generally use “nice” as the first descriptive word.

Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy is one of the nicest, most admired men in professional sports. He has the respect of his team and those who follow the sport. One year ago he dealt with the tragic death of his son James with dignity and strength. Last Sunday he coached his team to a win in the Super Bowl. And now he has created controversy with this statement made to CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz after the game.

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports: This is one of those moments, Tony, where there is also social significance in this victory, and to have your hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Tell me what this means to you right now.
Tony Dungy: I'll tell you what. I'm proud to be representing African-American coaches, to be the first African-American to win this. It means an awful lot to our country. But again, more than anything, I've said it before, Lovie Smith and I, not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches showing that you can win doing it the Lord's way. And we're more proud of that.

The blogosphere lit up with analysis of Dungy’s comments. LA Daily News Columnist Kevin Modesti wrote a piece that praised Dungy’s character while still asking a few questions…

Does Dungy really think "showing that you can win doing it the Lord's way" has more social significance than breaking the Al Campanis generation's stereotypes about blacks in sports management positions?

No. I think he was saying that the individual viewer and the country would decide the social significance. Nance asked him what the accomplishment meant to him. Tony Dungy was speaking for himself and for his good friend Lovie Smith. They believed that winning while living by their faith and principles meant more to them than the race issue. Dungy answered the question honestly


Should other winning football coaches take offense from the implication that they've been doing it the morally corrupt way?

No. But I suspect that at least a couple of coaches are looking to adopt the “Lord’s Game Plan” before training camp starts. West Coast offense. 3– 4 defense. Lord’s way. Whatever it takes to win.

Should believers of other religions take offense from any or all of this?

Why should they? Tony Dungy has earned the platform to speak by consistently living his faith through adversity and heart wrenching tragedy. Dungy was saying that he had stayed true to his values and that he was successful with those values. Dungy doesn’t curse. He never raises his voice. He doesn’t demean his opponents or his players.

Are those exclusively Christian values?

Of course not. An agnostic could be just as nice and soft spoken and civil. But for Tony Dungy it was his faith in Christ that was the foundation for his values and approach. Christianity worked for him. He earned the right to speak and he spoke. Good for him. And I have to tell you it is really nice to see a nice guy finish first.

February 8, 2007

The Coal Basket

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn out Bible.

His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water"

The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house.

The grandfather laughed and said, "You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home.

Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was "impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can
do this. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got very far. The boy scooped the water and ran hard,
but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, "See Papa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was clean.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out."

That is the work of God in our lives. It will change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the image of His son.

Take time to read a portion of God's word each day.



"Live Simply, Love Generously,
Care Deeply, Speak Kindly,
Leave The Rest To God"

February 5, 2007

Control, fear, doubt and anger; these are the real deadly killers of the human race. We hurt ourselves by feeling these emotions and we hurt others by directing these emotions at them.

But what if we could direct unconditional love to whomever we meet? What then? Could we help the world be a better place? Maybe, maybe not but we'd certainly help ourselves. Why do we let other people hurt us? Because we put expectations on them, expectations that we ourselves have failed to live up to with others.

If you love someone you feel it and that feeling is yours. Look at children. We still love our children when they disappoint us why not our workmates, teachers, friends and most of all partners? It's because we put conditions on what we give out.

Who hasn't bought a present or done a job around the house expecting something in return - why? If you want to help someone or give something you choose to do it because you want to, not for "Brownie Points". No other reason than just because you want to - that is showing love.

You can help an old lady with her groceries and it feels good so why not with everything else?

When you learn that giving love without expectation is the purest of all faith, then and only then, will you be on the road to really knowing yourself.

February 1, 2007

Getting to the Core of the matter…

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples.
Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE !!!
He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.
He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in midst, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.

January 30, 2007

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 are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.

January 24, 2007

New Pair of Shoes
Author Unknown

When I got sober my sponsor told me that I had to be willing to change everything about my life -- everything. So, I wore bluejeans and switched to slacks. I wore western shirts and switched to T-shirts. But the one thing I just couldn't give up was my cowboy boots.
I went to my sponsor and said, "Surely I won't get drunk over a silly pair of cowboy boots. I'm willing to change a lot of things, and if needed I could even give up those boots, but it seems so silly." My sponsor said, "I don't know how silly it is, or if you'll get drunk over those cowboy boots, but I can tell that you are not 'entirely' willing, though."

"Okay, okay," I said. "I'll prove it to you. I'll give up the boots for 30 days just to demonstrate my willingness to God." So, I bought a pair of tennis shoes, and after 30 days of not wearing my cowboy boots, wearing tennis shoes instead, the strangest thing happened -- my feet stopped hurting. That's how it was getting sober and giving up the high life. I never stopped to think that the boots were causing my feet to hurt, or the booze was causing my life to hurt. I got willing to give up the stuff, one day at a time, for 30 days, then 60 days, then 90 days ... and my life stopped hurting.

And everyday I do something different, some change in some small way. Maybe I just put my socks on different, or drive to work a new way. Everyday, I try to do Little Things in a Big Way so that when Big Things happen I can handle them in a Little Way.

January 22, 2007

The American Dollar Bill
Author Unknown

Take out an old one dollar bill and look at it. The old dollar bills, before the redesign in the late 90s, first came off the presses in 1957. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with minute red and blue silk fibers running through it. It is actually a fabric material. We've all washed one without it falling apart. A special blend of ink is used, the contents of which we will never know. It's overprinted with symbols and then it is starched to make it water resistant and pressed to give it that nice crisp look and feel.

Look on the front of the old dollar bill. You will see the United States Treasury Seal. On the top you will see the scales for the balance - a balanced budget. In the center there's a carpenter's T-square, a tool used for an even cut (not to mention for Masonic emblems, such as the all-seeing eye). Underneath is the Key to the United States Treasury. That's all pretty easy to figure out, but what is on the back of the old dollar bill is something we should all know. If you turn the bill over, you will see two circles. Both circles, together, comprise the Great Seal of the United States. The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved.

If you look at the left hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the West or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the capstone you have the all-seeing eye, and ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything.

"IN GOD WE TRUST" is on this currency because our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, wanted it that way. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means "God has favored our undertaking." The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means "a new order has begun." At the base of the pyramid is the Roman Numeral for 1776. If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida, National Cemetery and is the centerpiece of most hero's monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet no one knows what the symbols mean.

The bald eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: first, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong and smart enough to soar above it. Second, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice that the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. The white bar at the top of the shield signifies congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM", meaning "one nation from many people." Above the eagle you have thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice what the eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows.

There is a superstition that the number 13 is unlucky. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually not see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 plumes of feathers on each span of the agle's wing, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. And for minorities: the 13th Amendment.

I always ask people, "Why don't you know this?" Your children don't know this and their history teachers don't know it, either. Too many Americans have given up too much to ever let the meaning fade. Many veterans remember coming home to an America that didn't care. Too many veterans never came home at all. Tell everyone you know what is on the back of the one dollar bill and what it stands for, because nobody else will. It is valuable information, for all Americans, to better understand and appreciate the vision and ideals of our forefathers. Help keep their vision and memory alive.

January 18, 2007


The Mountain Climber
Author Unknown

They tell the story of a mountain climber who, desperate to conquer the Aconcagua, initiated his climb after years of preparation. But he wanted the glory to himself, therefore, he went up alone. He started climbing and it was becoming later, and later. He did not prepare for camping, but decided to keep on going. Soon it got dark. Night fell with heaviness at a very high altitude. Visibility was zero. Everything was black. There was no moon, and the stars were covered by clouds.As he was climbing a ridge at about 100 meters from the top, he slipped and fell.

Falling rapidly he could only see blotches of darkness that passed. He felt a terrible sensation of being sucked in by gravity. He kept falling... and in those anguishing moments good and bad memories passed through his mind. He thought certainly he would die.But then he felt a jolt that almost tore him in half. Yes! Like any good mountain climber he had staked himself with a long rope tied to his waist. In those moments of stillness, suspended in the air he had no other choice but to shout: "HELP ME GOD. HELP ME!"

All of a sudden he heard a deep voice from heaven... "What do you want me to do?" "SAVE ME.""Do you REALLY think that I can save you?" "OF COURSE, MY GOD.""Then cut the rope that is holding you up."There was another moment of silence and stillness. The man just held tighter to the rope. The rescue team says that the next day they found a frozen mountain climber hanging strongly to a rope... TWO FEET OFF THE GROUND. ------------

How about you? How trusting are you in that rope? Why don't you let it go? I tell you, God has great and marvelous things planned for you.

CUT THE ROPE AND SIMPLY TRUST IN HIM.

January 17, 2007

KEEPERS
Author Unknown

I grew up in the 40s/50s 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, mowing the lawn or checking the oil in the car -- Mom, in a house dress, with a child's spelling list in one hand and a cooking spoon 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 kept.It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating leftovers, reusing, 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 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... and so, we keep them close!

January 15, 2007

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised aglass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.It depends on how long you try to hold it.If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."He continued, "

And that's the way it is with stress management.If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,as the burden becomes increasingly heavy,we won't be able to carry on.""As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.""

So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.Don 't carry it home.You can pick it up tomorrow.Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.Relax; pick them up later after you've rested.

Life is short. Enjoy it!"

January 9, 2007

Don't Worry--
Author Unknown

Years ago, I was enthralled as I listened to a pastor who for several years had faithfully served the church. His executive responsibilities had taken him all over this country. As he concluded his message, he told of one of the most frightening, yet thought-provoking, experiences of his life.He had been on a long flight from one place to another. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten your seat belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."Then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him.

He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and every thing within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity,when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid."

The minister could hardly believe his eyes.It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark,our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.The child replied, "'Cause my Daddy's the pilot, and he's taking me home."

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us:• Physical,• Mental,• Financial,• Domestic, and...Many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.Let us remember... Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and taking us home... so Don't Worry.

January 8, 2007

The Brick
Author Unknown

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar.He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"The young boy was apologetic."Please, mister... please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop... " With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car."It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts.A quick look told him everything was going to be okay."Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger.Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar.The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message."Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!"God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts.

Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

January 5, 2007

The geneticist and his clone

A geneticist and his assistant had been working on 30 years on a cloning project. Finally the day come when the assistant said, "It's been great, but I think it's time for me to retire." The geneticist told him, "But we're almost finished with this experiment, could you wait another year?""No sir, my mind's made up. It's been good working with you," came the reply, as the assistant began packing his things.

The geneticst grew frantic. "But I can't complete my work without you! Could you at least stay until I have made a clone of you?"The assistant pondered on this for a few moments, and then agreed. It wasn't very long before the geneticst was able to successfully create an identical clone of the assistant. His assistant left as scheduled, and the clone took over the duties.

All was good, except for one minor flaw: the clone swore worse than a drunken sailor. Time and time again, the geneticst tried to reprimand the clone on his behavior, but it was no use. The more reprimands the clone recieved, the more foul his language would become.Finally, the geneticst got an idea. "Come with me...we'll go out to my cabin in the woods, and we can spend a weekend to just get away from it all."

A few days later, they set off on their trip, with no sign of civilization for miles around.The geneticst had hoped to use the peace and beauty of nature to snap the clone out of his language problems. But the plan failed. On one of their hikes, as they were nearing the mountain top, the clone started to spew forth insults so severe that even the most weathered sailor would have blushed. The geneticst had enough and yelled at the clone, "What am I going to do with you?! You can't go on like this, with your constant flow of insults! Stop it NOW!"

The clone was startled, because in all this time, the geneticst had never once raised his voice. So startled, in fact, that he lost his grip and fell down...down...down the mountainside.The geneticst felt badly, and started the climb down the slope, hoping that things wouldn't be too bad. But it was worse than he feared. Several rangers had seen the man fall, and there was no hope for the clone. He had suffered fatal injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The geneticst was eventually found guilty of making an obscene clone fall.

Pick of the Week - Failure List of the Famous


Einstein was 4 years old before he could speak.

Iassc Newton did poorly in grade school and was considered "unpromising."

When Thomas Edison was a youngster, his teacher told him he was too stupid to learn anything. He was counseled to go into a field where he might succeed by virtue of his pleasant personality.

F.W. Woolworth got a job in a dry goods store when he was 21, but his boss would not permit him to wait on customers because he "didn't have enough sense to close a sale."

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Bob Cousy suffered the same fate, but he too is a Hall of Famer.

A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he "lacked imagination and had no original ideas."

Winston Churchill failed the 6th grade and had to repeat it because he did not complete the tests that were required for promotion.

Babe Ruth struck out 1,300 times, a major league record.

A person may make mistakes, but is not a failure until he or she starts blaming someone else. We must believe in ourselves, and somewhere along the road of life we will meet someone who sees greatness in us and lets us know it.

January 4, 2007

In God We Trust-- Lincoln Speaks to America

By Hong Min Zou

My fellow countrymen, what has happened to our great nation since my death? My heart is heavy over what I see. What has happened to the presence of God, to the sanctity of life, the family, equality of man, the values that our fellow countrymen died for so gloriously on the field of battle? America, you have turned your back on God the Almighty, the Creator. The nation has replaced their dependence upon God and His holy principles with an independent spirit that portrays man as sufficient unto himself. Any nation that is not Godly is by nature ungodly and shall be punished. You have become a nation that does not obey the voice of the Lord. The nation has become like faithless Israel in the days of the prophet Jeremiah.

The last Congressional act I signed was to have the words "In God We Trust" inscribed on all of our national currency to remind our fellow countrymen of the blessing the merciful Father has showered upon this nation. More than 10,000 books have been written about me. I understand that I am the most quoted American in history and that I used more scriptural references in my speeches than any other U.S. President. Yet, I was but a humble instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father, as we all are, trying to work out His great purposes. I have desired that all my works and acts be done according to His will. It is fitting and proper that you now heed my word.

Much debate and volumes of material have been written about my religious convictions. I considered myself a Godly man. I read the Bible and lived by the Ten Commandments. Although I did all those things, I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ until November 19, 1863, after my Gettysburg Address. I once was asked, " Do you love Jesus?" by a minister from Illinois just a few short months before my death. I solemnly replied, "When I left Springfield, I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But, when I went to Gettysburg, and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated my life to Christ. Yes, I do love Jesus."

I recall another conversation I had at the White house with a lady who was a member of the Christian Commission. I asked her to give me, in brief, her idea of what constitutes a true religious experience. The lady stated that, in her judgement, "it consisted of a conviction of one's own sinfulness and weakness, and a personal need of the Saviour for strength and support; a feeling of the need of divine help, and a seeking of the aid of the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance; that these were a satisfactory evidence of having been born again." I was silent and thoughtful. After a few moments, I said, very earnestly: "If what you have told me is really a correct view of this great subject, I think I can say with sincerity that I hope I am a Christian. I had lived until my boy, Willie, died without realizing fully these things. That blow overwhelmed me. It showed me my weakness as I had never felt it before, and if I can take what you have stated as a test, I think I can safely say that I know something of that change of which you speak; and I will further add, that it has been my intention for some time, at a suitable opportunity, to make a public religious profession."

Do you understand, America, that "In God We Trust" was so important to me as your Country's leader, I declared July 7, 1864 to be a National Day of Prayer. You see, "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom and that of those all around me seemed insufficient for that day."I trusted the Lord to answer my prayers and those of my countrymen. He mercifully did! So, on October 20, 1864, I declared that the last Thursday in November be a National Day of Thanksgiving. "It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God... and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proved by all history, that those nations only are blest whose God is the Lord."

I am reminded in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says: "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."My fellow countrymen, the "judgements of the Lord are true and righteous." We should obey and not oppose God's will. Let us as a nation humble ourselves in the dust, and ask forgiveness for the sinful ways of this once great nation. Ask Jesus the Saviour for wisdom and repent, for we have nowhere else to go. Let us again place our trust in God.

December 20, 2006

Here's the poem you heard from Bryan Duncan on the morning show today.......

Here’s a little note to leave for your someone special, along with some marshmallows……


We’ve heard that you’ve been naughty
So listen, here’s the scoop.
We’re running short on coal this year,
So you get Snowman Poop!

From
Santa

December 19, 2006

Dear Children, It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although, I do appreciate being remembered anytime. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town. Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the Story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember me"
I LOVE YOU,
JESUS

December 13, 2006 - Story of Rudolph


On a December night in Chicago, a little girl climbed onto her father's lap and asked a question. It was a simple question, asked in children's curiosity, yet it had a heart-rending effect on Robert May. "Daddy," four-year old Barbara asked, "Why isn't my Mommy just like everybody else's mommy?" Bob May stole a glance across his shabby two room apartment. On a couch lay his young wife, Evelyn, racked with cancer. For two years she had been bedridden; for two years, all Bob's income and smaller savings had gone to pay for treatments and medicines.
The terrible ordeal already had shattered two adult lives. Now Bob suddenly realized the happiness of his growing daughter was also in jeopardy.

As he ran his fingers through Barbara's hair, he prayed for some satisfactory answer to her question. Bob May knew only too well what it meant to be "different." As a child he had been weak and delicate. With the innocent cruelty of children, his playmates had continually goaded the stunted, skinny lad to tears. Later at Dartmouth, from which he was graduated in 1926, Bob May was so small that he was always being mistaken for someone's little brother.
Nor was his adult life much happier. Unlike many of his classmates who floated from college into plush jobs, Bob became a lowly copy writer for Montgomery Ward, the big Chicago mail order house. Now at 33, Bob was deep in debt, depressed and sad.

Although Bob did not know it at the time, the answer he gave the tousled haired child on his lap was to bring him to fame and fortune. It was also to bring joy to countless thousands of children like his own Barbara. On that December night in the shabby Chicago apartment, Bob cradled his little girl's head against his shoulder and began to tell a story.

"Once upon a time there was a reindeer named Rudolph, the only reindeer in the world that had a big red nose. Naturally people called him Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." As Bob went on to tell about Rudolph, he tried desperately to communicate to Barbara the knowledge that, even though some creatures of God are strange and different, they often enjoy the miraculous power to make others happy. Rudolph, Bob explained, was terribly embarrassed by his unique nose. Other reindeer laughed at him; his mother and father and sister were mortified too.
Even Rudolph wallowed in self pity.

"Well," continued Bob, "one Christmas Eve, Santa Claus got his team of husky reindeer -Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixon ready for their yearly trip around the world. The entire reindeer community assembled to cheer these great heroes on their way. But a terrible fog engulfed the earth that evening, and Santa knew that the mist was so thick he wouldn't be able to find any chimney. Suddenly Rudolph appeared, his red nose glowing brighter than ever. Santa sensed at once that here was the answer to his perplexing problem. He led Rudolph to the front of the sleigh, fastened the harness and climbed in.

They were off! Rudolph guided Santa safely to every chimney that night. Rain and fog, snow and sleet; nothing bothered Rudolph, for his bright nose penetrated the mist like a beacon.
And so it was that Rudolph became the most famous and beloved of all the reindeer. The huge red nose he once hid in shame was now the envy of every buck and doe in the reindeer world. Santa Claus told everyone that Rudolph had saved the day and from that Christmas, Rudolph has been living serenely and happy."

Little Barbara laughed with glee when her father finished. Every night she begged him to repeat the tale until finally Bob could rattle it off in his sleep. Then, at Christmas time he decided to make the story into a poem like "The Night Before Christmas" and prepare it in bookish form illustrated with pictures, for Barbara's personal gift. Night after night, Bob worked on the verses after Barbara had gone to bed for he was determined his daughter should have a worthwhile gift, even though he could not afford to buy one...
Then as Bob was about to put the finishing touches on Rudolph, tragedy struck.

Evelyn May died. Bob, his hopes crushed, turned to Barbara as chief comfort. Yet, despite his grief, he sat at his desk in the quiet, now lonely apartment, and worked on "Rudolph" with tears in his eyes. Shortly after Barbara had cried with joy over his handmade gift on Christmas morning, Bob was asked to an employee's holiday party at Montgomery Wards. He didn't want to go, but his office associates insisted. When Bob finally agreed, he took with him the poem and read it to the crowd. First the noisy throng listened in laughter and gaiety. Then they became silent, and at the end, broke into spontaneous applause.

That was in 1938.

By Christmas of 1947, some 6 million copies of the booklet had been given away or sold, making Rudolph one of the most widely distributed books in the world. The demand for Rudolph sponsored products, increased so much in variety and number that educators and historians predicted Rudolph would come to occupy a permanent place in the Christmas legend.

December 11, 2006 - The White Envelope

It's just a small white envelope stuck among the branches of ourChristmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It haspeeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas -- oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it -- the overspending, the frantic running around at the last minute to get atie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma -- the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties, and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son Kevin,who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended. Shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters,dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys intheir spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team waswrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford.

Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weightclass. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have alot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them." Mike loved kids -- all kids -- and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball, and lacrosse.

That's when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition -- one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on. The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning, and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure.

The story doesn't end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning it was joined by three more.Each of our children, unbeknown to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us. May we all remember Christ, who is the reason for the season, and the true Christmas spirit this year and always. God Bless! -- and may you find a white envelope on your tree this year!