Interesting Conversation
Monday, May 21, 2007
An atheist Professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, the Almighty. He asks one of his new Christian students to stand and.....
Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Professor: Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Professor: Is God all-powerful?
Student: Yes.
Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?(Student is silent.)
Professor: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Professor: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From God...
Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Professor: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Professor: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Professor: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it. (There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.... But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker,wouldn't you?
Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student: Is there anyone here who has eve r heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smeltit? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The Professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir. The link between man & God is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.
Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So you believe in God?
Student: Absolutely, sir.
Professor: Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Professor: Is God all-powerful?
Student: Yes.
Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?(Student is silent.)
Professor: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Professor: Where does Satan come from?
Student: From God...
Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Professor: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)
Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student: Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Professor: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Professor: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn't.
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it. (There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.... But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker,wouldn't you?
Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student: Is there anyone here who has eve r heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smeltit? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The Professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir. The link between man & God is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.
John 3:16
A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food," The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big fire hydrant as they flushed it out. The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big Bible.
She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" She asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it," She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16....don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food," The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big fire hydrant as they flushed it out. The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big Bible.
She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16?" She asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it," She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16....don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
A list to live by
The most destructive habit..............................Worry
The greatest Joy.......................................Giving
The greatest loss........................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work.......................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait.....................Selfishness
The most endangered species.................Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource.......................Our youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"..................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome.........................Fear T
he most effective sleeping pill................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease....................Excuses
The most powerful force in life..........................Love
The most dangerous pariah..........................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer................The brain
The worst thing to be without.... ...................... Hope
The deadliest weapon...............................The tongue
The two most power-filled words......................."I Can"
The greatest asset......................................Faith
The most worthless emotion..........................Self-pity
The most beautiful attire..............................SMILE!
The most prized possession......................... Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication.............Prayer
The most contagious spirit.........................Enthusiasm
See the bright side of things
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, donot attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.
If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people inthis world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness,ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them
Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you, you may have touched their life in ways you will never know!
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, donot attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.
If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people inthis world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness,ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them
Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you, you may have touched their life in ways you will never know!
The Yellow Shirt
(A good story & lesson even if you don't forward it to
anyone.)
The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four
extra-large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps
up the front. It was faded from years of wear, but
still in decent shape. I found it in 1963 when I was
home
from college on Christmas break, rummaging through
bags of clothes Mom intended to give away. "You're not
taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she
saw me packing the yellow shirt. "I wore that when I
was pregnant with your brother in 1954!"
"It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during
art class, Mom. Thanks!" I slipped it into my
suitcase before she could object.
The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe.
I loved it. After graduation, I wore the shirt the day
I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday mornings
when I cleaned.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I
wore the yellow shirt during big-belly days. I missed
Mom and the rest of my family, since we were in
Colorado and they were in Illinois. But that shirt
helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it
when she was pregnant, 15 years earlier. That
Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had
given me, I patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday
paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me
for her "real" gifts, she said the yellow shirt was
lovely. She never mentioned it again.
The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at
Mom and Dad's to pick up some furniture. Days later,
when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed
something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt!
And so the pattern was set.
On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt
under Mom and Dad's mattress. I don't know how long
it took for her to find it, but almost two years
passed before I discovered it under the base of our
living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just
what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The
walnut stains added character.
In 1975 my husband and I divorced. With my three
children, prepared to move back to Illinois. As I
packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if
I could make it on my own. I wondered if I would find
a job.
I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In
Ephesians, I read, "So use every piece of God's armor
to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it
is all over, you will be standing up."
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all
I saw was the stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned
on me. Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's
armor? My courage was renewed.
Unpacking in our new home, I knew I had to get the
shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I
tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer.
Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A
year later I discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a
rag bag in my cleaning closet. Something new had been
added. Embroidered in bright green across the breast
pocket were the words "I BELONG TO PAT."
Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery
materials and added an apostrophe and seven more
letters. Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG
TO PAT'S MOTHER." But I didn't stop there. I
zig-zagged all the frayed seams, then had a friend
mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington,
VA. We enclosed an official looking letter from "The
Institute for the Destitute," announcing that she was
the recipient of an award for good deeds. I would have
given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the
box. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our
wedding, Harold and I put our car in a friend's garage
to avoid practical jokers. After the wedding, while
my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite, I reached
for a pillow in the car to rest my head. It felt
lumpy. I unzipped the case and found, wrapped in
wedding paper, the yellow shirt. Inside a pocket was
a note: "Read John 14:27-29. I love you both, Mother."
That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room
and found the verses: "I am leaving you with a gift:
peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't
fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be
troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am
going away, but I will come back to you again. If you
really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now
I can go to the Father, Who is greater than I am. I
have told you these things before they happen so that
when they do, you will believe in me."
The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for
three months that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's
disease. Mother died the following year at age 57.
I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her
grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid
reminder of the love-filled game she and I played for
16 years. Besides, my older daughter is in college
now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a
baggy yellow shirt with big pockets.
ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it
cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you
get older, their conversational skills will be as
important as any other.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have
or sleep all you want.
FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in
the eye.
SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get
married.
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who
don't have dreams don't have much.
NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get
hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name
calling.
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives
TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't
want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to
know?"
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great
achievements involve great risk.
FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone
sneeze.
SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson
SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self;
Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great
friendship.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake,
take immediate steps to correct it.
TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone.
The caller will hear it in your voice.
TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.
anyone.)
The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four
extra-large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps
up the front. It was faded from years of wear, but
still in decent shape. I found it in 1963 when I was
home
from college on Christmas break, rummaging through
bags of clothes Mom intended to give away. "You're not
taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she
saw me packing the yellow shirt. "I wore that when I
was pregnant with your brother in 1954!"
"It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during
art class, Mom. Thanks!" I slipped it into my
suitcase before she could object.
The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe.
I loved it. After graduation, I wore the shirt the day
I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday mornings
when I cleaned.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I
wore the yellow shirt during big-belly days. I missed
Mom and the rest of my family, since we were in
Colorado and they were in Illinois. But that shirt
helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it
when she was pregnant, 15 years earlier. That
Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had
given me, I patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday
paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me
for her "real" gifts, she said the yellow shirt was
lovely. She never mentioned it again.
The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at
Mom and Dad's to pick up some furniture. Days later,
when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed
something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt!
And so the pattern was set.
On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt
under Mom and Dad's mattress. I don't know how long
it took for her to find it, but almost two years
passed before I discovered it under the base of our
living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just
what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The
walnut stains added character.
In 1975 my husband and I divorced. With my three
children, prepared to move back to Illinois. As I
packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if
I could make it on my own. I wondered if I would find
a job.
I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In
Ephesians, I read, "So use every piece of God's armor
to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it
is all over, you will be standing up."
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all
I saw was the stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned
on me. Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's
armor? My courage was renewed.
Unpacking in our new home, I knew I had to get the
shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I
tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer.
Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A
year later I discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a
rag bag in my cleaning closet. Something new had been
added. Embroidered in bright green across the breast
pocket were the words "I BELONG TO PAT."
Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery
materials and added an apostrophe and seven more
letters. Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG
TO PAT'S MOTHER." But I didn't stop there. I
zig-zagged all the frayed seams, then had a friend
mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington,
VA. We enclosed an official looking letter from "The
Institute for the Destitute," announcing that she was
the recipient of an award for good deeds. I would have
given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the
box. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our
wedding, Harold and I put our car in a friend's garage
to avoid practical jokers. After the wedding, while
my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite, I reached
for a pillow in the car to rest my head. It felt
lumpy. I unzipped the case and found, wrapped in
wedding paper, the yellow shirt. Inside a pocket was
a note: "Read John 14:27-29. I love you both, Mother."
That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room
and found the verses: "I am leaving you with a gift:
peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't
fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be
troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am
going away, but I will come back to you again. If you
really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now
I can go to the Father, Who is greater than I am. I
have told you these things before they happen so that
when they do, you will believe in me."
The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for
three months that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's
disease. Mother died the following year at age 57.
I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her
grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid
reminder of the love-filled game she and I played for
16 years. Besides, my older daughter is in college
now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a
baggy yellow shirt with big pockets.
ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it
cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you
get older, their conversational skills will be as
important as any other.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have
or sleep all you want.
FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in
the eye.
SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get
married.
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who
don't have dreams don't have much.
NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get
hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name
calling.
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives
TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't
want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to
know?"
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great
achievements involve great risk.
FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone
sneeze.
SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson
SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self;
Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great
friendship.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake,
take immediate steps to correct it.
TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone.
The caller will hear it in your voice.
TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.
Friends...it's great to have them
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible
sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna rea lly build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible
sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna rea lly build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.
To Realize
To realize
The value of a sister
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.
To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.
To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.
To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.
To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.
To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize
The value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.
To realizeThe value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realizeThe value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.
To realize
The value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the
Olympics.
To realize the value of a friend:
Lose one.
Time waits For no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
you can share it with someone special.
The value of a sister
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.
To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.
To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.
To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.
To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.
To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize
The value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.
To realizeThe value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realizeThe value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.
To realize
The value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the
Olympics.
To realize the value of a friend:
Lose one.
Time waits For no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
you can share it with someone special.
Love ?
Dear Misery,
It just came out into my mind and I can't
understand the reason why I had written it.
Some says, that you will feel complete, you feel
that you are in heaven, you feel that the world
stops and all you want to do is to be with your
love one.
But some says, that its better not to love when
in return, you'll just cry and be hurt or even
want to forget everything the two of you had
shared.
If you love, you just want to forget everything
that is happening around you but the truth is
that when you fall in love, you must accept the
other side of it, that is to be hurt, to cry, to
weep, to mourn, to curse.
Here it goes,
Some says, that when you fall in love
Some says, that when you fall in love
You feel complete, that the world had stopped,
That you are always happy,
That you are always in the state of bliss.
Some says, that when you fall in love,
Some says, that when you fall in love,
Its better not to love at all,
When in return, you'll just going to cry,
And want to forget everything,
Throw all memories behind,
And that you are always regretful of everything
And that you'll just going to suffer in the end.
Is this life should be, win and loose, be happy
Is this life should be, win and loose, be happy
and be sad,
Joy and sorrow, bliss and suffer, laugh and cry,
Love and Broken hearted, to love and not to be
love,
Why should there be -and-if-but- in life,
Why cant there be one word that would stand above
all and
The other one would be vanished and be erased for
good.
Some says its happiness,
Some says its happiness,
Some says its sadness,
But for me,
Love,
Love is to be hurt,
Love is to suffer,
Love is to cry for some one,
Love is to enjoy each companion,
Love is to cherish each moment
As if it would be the last moment,
Cause you don’t know when it last,
When its gonna start,
When its gonna start again,
When its gonna end,
When its gonna heal,
When its gonna permanently be over,
Love,
Love,
Love is such a word that
You can associate with everything,
Love is so mysterious
That you can't predict when you fall in love,
When you should be in love,
When you be in love,
Why you should be in love,
Why you be in love,
Who you be in love,
Or sometimes, you just gonna ask yourself
Why do you love him/her,
Or if you found out the answer,
You'll gonna ask again,
Do I really love her?
Are we really meant for each other?
Are we really meant to last forever?
You don’t know
You don’t know
When you'll ask that question,
It will just come uninvited in you door and knock.
But sometimes, it is so mysterious,
That you can't even distinguish
The truth between the wrong one,
You don’t know anymore,
Whom to believe,
Whom to trust,
Whom to love.
Those who are in love right know,
Those who are in love right know,
May think that its to obvious to know that
Or to corny to read/hear but mind you
Its TRUE!
People who are in love,
Don’t know anymore the meaning of true love, of
reality,
Where the love just keep on denying something,
That they don’t like to see,
That they don’t like to hear or even feel.
Lovers just want to live
Lovers just want to live
In the world of fantasies and
Forget reality and be with their love one
And don’t want to let him/her go,
Don’t want to say goodbye,
Don’t want to see him walk away from you,
That you keep on trying to heal
The division between the two of you.
Or other don’t want to be together all the time,
Or other don’t want to be together all the time,
Others want to have some space between them,
That there should be a gap between the two of
them,
That there should be a difference between them,
That there should be a time for everything,
Others, those who have perfect relationships,
Others, those who have perfect relationships,
Says that it's not bad at all to fall in love,
It pays though you get to be buttered,
Be kicked, be slapped,
Be left alone, or even the worst situation -to be
killed,
For others say its better to love than not to
For others say its better to love than not to
love at all,
Others say that first impression last,
Others say, that it is sweeter in the second time
around,
That to forgive and to forget,
But, is that really easy to do?
That you forgive the sin/s of the person that
have hurt your feelings,
Because you love him,
Does it mean to be blind of everything?
Be blind and accept everything for the reason
that you love him/her?
Others may not believe me,
But let me emphasize this few words of mine,
Be blind, reality, fantasy, love, be love, hurt,
sorrows, joy
Do these words sounds familiar to you?
Or are you deaf, blind?
Or are you deaf, blind?
Or on denial of something, everything?
Or just want to have some person to play with?
Or just to have a person to be with,
For you don’t have any?
Or want to have a companion?
A person to cry on?
A person, that will listen to you?
A person to fool?
A person to cherish?
A person to love?
Are you that kind of a person, that wants to
Are you that kind of a person, that wants to
accept reality?
Are you that kind of a person, who live in a
world of fantasy?
Are you that kind of a person, who don’t want to
sacrifice something?
Are you that kind of a person, who doesn't know
what to do?
Are you that kind of a person, who doesn't know
how to love?
Are you that kind of a person,
Who don’t know that if someone had loved
him/her?
Are you that kind of a person, who wants to
escape something?
Are you that kind of a person, who is curious of
something, everything?
Are you that kind of a person, who is seeking for
the perfect one?
Are you that kind of a person, who is looking for
the ideal one?
Are you that kind of a person, who is in need of
help?
Are you that kind of a person who has a lot of
questions in mind?
These are just some questions in your mind,
aren't they?
But I can't answer your questions, but partly I
do, does love ring a bell?
Let me conclude this with simple words,
Let me conclude this with simple words,
That can be understood by many…
Love is a simple word, yet its meaning is
undefined.
For there are so many kinds of love,
There is a love for one another - friendship,
There is a love of God,
There is a love of Country,
There is a love of Brother/Sister,
There is a love of a special person -
relationship,
There is a love of parent-child,
For there are so many trials,
For there are so many trials,
Problems, quests in order to find one that you
really need most.
There are so many trials in order to improve love
(in general).
Know where do you belong?
Know where do you belong?
What do you need?
Do you want some help?
Do you know what to do about it?
*Know for some lovers out there
*Know for some lovers out there
Love,
To love needs to sacrifice something,
To accept everything,
If you are not ready to shed tears for someone,
You are not ready to fall in love,
If you are ready to cry, to be hurt, to have joy,
To experience the unusual, to suffer,
To try to love truly, start in yourself first,
Don’t take for granted the daily things you are
doing,
Make the usual day unusual.
And lastly PRAY TO GOD ALWAYS.
Know take this moment to ponder of things around
you,
Reflect for a while,
Relax for a mean time,
Meditate for things that is deep down inside you,
Ask yourself,
Don’t be afraid to face your fears,
Don’t be afraid to sacrifice something, time and
alike
Don’t be afraid to face yourself,
Don’t be afraid to face yourself,
May this letter change some of your point of view
to life.
Yours truly,
Love,?
A Sad Goodbye
Sunday, November 26, 2006
“Mitch, come down. Dinner is ready. Your father is waiting at the table.” I heard my mother calling as I put on my high-heeled shoes. I grabbed my shoulder bag lying on my bed and hurried downstairs.
“Why are you dressed up?” My father who is suffering from rheumatic heart asked weakly. “I don’t remember you asking permission to go somewhere?” my mother said.
“Ah! I am going to a party. I just can’t say no to Alice. It’s her birthday today. But… did I not ask permission from you, Ma?”“Oh no, not yet.” she answered. I begged and begged and begged until she agreed.
“But why don’t you have dinner with us first? If I am not mistaken, this is you favorite food, tinola?” my father asked, coughing in between.“Oh Pa, you know that I don’t’ always like to be late. I’m afraid Charles and Yssa will come any minute now, and I don’t want them to see that I’m not yet ready.” I answered. “Besides, I think there are foods much better than tinola at the party!” I added thoughtlessly. I saw my father bowed his head and all of a sudden, I felt guilty because I should not have said that in the first place.
Loud honks of a car were heard outside. I kissed my father and my mother. But still my father did not show any emotion and I know that he was hurt by the things I have said to him. I waved goodbye to them and off we went.
When we reached the three-storey house of Alice, there were many visitors and food was served on long tables.
We danced and danced, Charles, Yssa and my friends. We ate delicious foods. Oh! What a wonderful night we had. At about ten o’clock in the evening, a wave of cool air passed in front of me. My hands trembled, my heart beat faster, and I felt cold.
Suddenly, I saw my father at the big gate as if waiting for someone – that was surely me because he was smiling at me. I looked at everyone but I think no one seemed to notice the presence of my father. I ran to where he stood and asked, “Why are you here Papa? Isn’t it bad for you to drive long distances?”
He just smiled at me and said, “I love you Mitch, my only child.”I ignored what he said. “Papa, please go home. I will follow you afterwards and I am sure that Mama is waiting for you already.”
“I will go ahead Mitch, goodbye and I love you.” He answered.
I turned back and looked for Charles and Yssa in the crowd for I felt a sudden urge to go home. When I found them, I told them that I wanted to go home and if we drove fast, we could catch up with Papa. We bade goodbye to Alice, then we went home. I was wondering why we never saw the car of Papa. I asked myself why. I knew he drives slowly and carefully.
When we reached home, no sound was heard; nobody was in the house. I shouted but nobody answered me. One of my neighbors came rushing. “Thank God, Mitch, you’re back. Your father was rushed to the hospital. He had a heart attack.
When I heard this, I hurried into the car and asked Charles to come with me to the hospital. When we reached the hospital, I saw my mother crying in a corner. When she saw me, we hugged each other. “Your father is gone. He was rushed here after supper.” She said.
We cried together. “Papa, why did you leave us? Why?”
I asked myself secretly why Papa came to the party, why no one noticed him, why he said he’ll go ahead, why did he say goodbye?
Questions! These are questions that need to be answered. But no one could answer them.
That was my father’s sad goodbye.
Thanksgiving
Friday, October 06, 2006
No matter what the current circumstances of your life, you undoubtedlyhave much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. If you take the time to think about how God has worked in your life lately - in both big andsmall ways - you'll likely discover many reasons for gratitude. And don't forget about the many aspects of God's character that make Him sowonderful. You can praise Him out of gratitude for who He is as well aswhat He does.
Here are some ways you can give thanks to God this Thanksgiving:
* Take some time to reflect on the blessings in your life and make alist of some of them. Praise God for each one, and for the fact that Heis a Father who loves to give good gifts to His children. Remember thatultimately it's because of God that you have anything at all - even lifeitself.
* Think about the various aspects of God's character that mean the mostto you. Thank God for specific ways that your life reflects thoseaspects of God's character.
* Thank God for His constant presence in His life and His willingnessto answer your prayers at all times.
* Thank God for the ultimate gift of salvation that He offers, and forthe sacrifices Christ made on the cross to make that possible.
* Tell others about ways God has shown mercy to you.
* Sing praises to God, using music as a tool to worship Him.
* Commit to serving God in your life as a way of expressing yourgratitude for all He has done for you.
Here are some ways you can give thanks to God this Thanksgiving:
* Take some time to reflect on the blessings in your life and make alist of some of them. Praise God for each one, and for the fact that Heis a Father who loves to give good gifts to His children. Remember thatultimately it's because of God that you have anything at all - even lifeitself.
* Think about the various aspects of God's character that mean the mostto you. Thank God for specific ways that your life reflects thoseaspects of God's character.
* Thank God for His constant presence in His life and His willingnessto answer your prayers at all times.
* Thank God for the ultimate gift of salvation that He offers, and forthe sacrifices Christ made on the cross to make that possible.
* Tell others about ways God has shown mercy to you.
* Sing praises to God, using music as a tool to worship Him.
* Commit to serving God in your life as a way of expressing yourgratitude for all He has done for you.
Am I a Fireman Yet??
Saturday, September 30, 2006
HOW BIG OUR GOD IS
Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is!
In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stareddown at her 6 year old son, who was dying ofterminal leukaemia.
Although her heart was filled with sadness,she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up &fulfil all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukaemia would see to that. But she stillwanted her son's dream to come true.
She took her son's hand and asked,"Billy, did you ever think about what you wantedto be once you grew up?
Did you ever dream and wish what you would do withyour life?"
Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."
Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we canmake your wish come true." Later that day she went to her local firedepartment in Phoenix, Arizona,where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as bigas Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish andasked if it might be possible to give her 6 yearold son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clockWednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day.
We can come down to the fire station, eat with us,go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!
And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy --one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Departmenton it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.
And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy --one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Departmenton it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.
They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, sowe can get them fast." Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy,dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waitinghook and ladder truck.
Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and helpsteer it back to the fire station.
He was in heaven.There were three fire calls in Phoenix that dayand Billy got to go out on all three calls.He rode in the different fire engines, theparamedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program.
Having his dream come true,with all the Love and attention that was lavishedupon him, so deeply touched Billy,that he lived three months longer than any doctorthought possible.
One night all of his vital signs began to dropdramatically and the head nurse, who believed
in the hospice concept - that no oneshould die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.
in the hospice concept - that no oneshould die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as afireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it wouldbe possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes.
Will you please do me a favour? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system, that there is not a fire? It's the department coming to see one of its finestmembers one more time. And will you open the window to his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truckarrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window--------16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room.
With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him
and told him how much they LOVED him.
and told him how much they LOVED him.
With his dying breath,Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,"Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief,Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said,"I know, He's been holding my hand all day, andthe angels have been singing.."
He closed his eyes one last time.
Don't Underestimate the power of prayer
Thursday, September 28, 2006
A young university student was home for the summer. She had gone to visit some friends one evening and time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year.
She ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone. She wasn't afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away.
As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked "God" to keep her safe from harm and danger.
When she reached the alley, which was a shortcut to her house, she decided to take it. However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her.
She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for "God's" protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped around her, she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.
The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there. Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep.
Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story.
The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him. She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed. The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her.
She asked if they would ask the man one question?
Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the policeman asked him, he answered, " Because she wasn't alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.
She ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone. She wasn't afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away.
As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked "God" to keep her safe from harm and danger.
When she reached the alley, which was a shortcut to her house, she decided to take it. However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her.
She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for "God's" protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped around her, she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.
The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there. Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep.
Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story.
The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him. She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed. The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her.
She asked if they would ask the man one question?
Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the policeman asked him, he answered, " Because she wasn't alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.
What if God... ?
Friday, September 22, 2006
What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we didn't follow Him today?
What if God couldn't take the time to bless us today because we couldn't take the time to thank Him yesterday?
What if we never saw another flower bloom because we grumbled when God sent the rain?
What if God didn't walk with us today because we failed to recognize it as His day?
What if, God took away the Bible tomorrow because we would not read it today?
What if, God took away His message because we failed to listen to the messenger?
.....THINK ABOUT THIS ONE.....
What if, God didn't send His only begotten Son because He wanted us to be prepared to pay the price for sin?
What if, the door of the church was closed because we did not open the door of our heart?
What if, God stopped loving and caring for us because we failed to love and care for others?
What if, God would not hear us today because we would not listen to Him?
What if, God answered our prayers the way we answer His call to service?
What if, God met our needs the way we give Him our lives???
New Version of "Footprints"
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.
But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.
For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently.
You and Jesus are walking as true friends!
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps.
Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.
This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.
Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.
This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints.
You are amazed and shocked.
Your dream ends. Now you pray:
"Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You."
"That is correct."
"And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely."
"Very good.. You have understood everything so far."
When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way."
"Precisely."
"So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first."
There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice.
But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.
For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently.
You and Jesus are walking as true friends!
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps.
Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.
This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.
Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one.
This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints.
You are amazed and shocked.
Your dream ends. Now you pray:
"Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You."
"That is correct."
"And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely."
"Very good.. You have understood everything so far."
When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way."
"Precisely."
"So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first."
There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice.
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4.
