... Pampers to the Cross People fall into one of two categories. Some are baby people, some aren't. If you're not a baby person, you look at a new born and say," Call me when the baby starts to walk !" I'm from the call me camp! My philosophy about babies is summed up with this statement:" A baby is a digestive apparatus with a loud noise at one end and no responsibility at the other !" Well, there's a ... between babies and the Christian life. God's Word equates new Christians with babies. Peter, says in 1 Peter 2: 2," Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" Like newborn babies starting out in life, new Christians mess up and need special care and attention, even though they show a great deal of promise and potential. There is nothing wrong with that. We all go through the ...

... Africa, told this as it happened to her in Africa." One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator. (We had no electricity to run an incubator) We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator ... nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates." And it is our last hot water bottle !" she exclaimed. As in the West it is ...

... Joseph wiped the tears from Mary's cheeks and shut the door behind them." It'll be okay ," he told her, as he cinched up their belongings on the donkey." Joseph, can't we wait a few days? The baby could come any time" She didn't want to leave home. Not now." We've waited for the baby as long as we dare" He was ready to get on the road." We have to leave today or I'll be ... the small stable where they were staying on the outskirts of crowded Bethlehem. Mary's time would be soon now. He was careful to keep his lamp from igniting the old straw. He finally settled on an ancient stone manger for the baby's bed, cut from the wall of the limestone cave which housed the animals. He reached in to scoop the last gritty bits of straw from the manger's dank bottom." That'll have to do ," he muttered. He filled the trough ...

... 40 Things SkyWriting.Net editior: A must read for women that didn't get to have their own baby. Cory Hyde thought she would never receive a Mother's Day card. But she got herself a special job and now has some treasures she will keep for a lifetime. Hopefully, you'll benifit from her experience and enjoy her perspective in this Gem of a story. I'll be turning 40 soon! I am so excited by this prospect that I'm planning this big theme party! ... when I realized that I had more children than any mother could possibly ever have! And, that's the answer I gave to my friend. Smiling, I explained that as long as I work in the nursery, I will have babies to rock and sing to. As long as I am a Head Start teacher, I will have first days of school. Working with the youth will give me plenty of experience with teenagers. Carissa lost her first tooth at my house ...

... The Missing Jesus About a week before Christmas the family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus." Someone must have packed this wrong ," the mother said, counting out the figures." We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store ... missing a Baby Jesus because we have 2"" You two run back down to the store and tell the manager that we have an extra Jesus. Tell him to put a sign on the remaining boxes saying that if a set is missing a Baby Jesus, call 777-8152." Put on your warm coats, it's freezing cold out there" The manager of the store copied down mother's message and the next time they were in the store they saw the cardboard sign that ...

... that I would be a grandma. Then the reality hit-first we had to endure the 9 month waiting game. As each month went by and our daughter's belly grew, so did our excitement. The fun of shopping for baby clothes and planning the shower took up some of the time. Then, when her due date came and went, I found myself asking hopefully if every ache and pain was a contraction. Big mistake! They say a watched pot never ... in the crook of her mother's neck the same way Katie use to cuddle in mine. Safe and secure, no worries or fears. What a blessing we can raise our own little ones and then, when they are grown with babies of their own, we have the opportunity to cherish those days as we experience them once again, this time in a grand way. Thank you God for the awesome gift of grandchildren. Thank you for this second chance to welcome another ...

... miraculous feeling. She swam away and the captain steered the boat toward other whales we could see in the distance. Then the guide yelled again that two were coming close to the boat. There was my new found friend with her baby. It was unbelievable to see how she nudged her baby toward our boat. She was bringing her baby to meet me! Before long, I was within 5 feet of the most beautiful baby whale you can imagine. The mother swam ... with a heavy heart is an understatement. I booked a hotel on the Baja choosing one of the less populated areas for tourists. It was in late February which also happens to be when the grey whales swim down to have their babies. I decided that I may as well do something other than sit in the sun and feel sorry for myself so I booked a day trip to see the whales. I was not prepared for what happened. On arrival at the marina ...

... Cave Babies My son told me how his daughter, little one-year-old, Tessa, was demanding to have the remote control for the television. He said she reminded him of a cave man, or perhaps a cave baby in this case, because of the way she was acting. She kept reaching and screaming for the remote. On a whim, my son decided to give it to her and see just what she would do with it. Upon finally receiving the prized ... Cave Babies My son told me how his daughter, little one-year-old, Tessa, was demanding to have the remote control for the television. He said she reminded him of a cave man, or perhaps a cave baby in this case, because of the way she was acting. She kept reaching and screaming for the remote. On a whim, my son decided to give it to her and see just what she would do with it. Upon finally receiving the prized ...

... him." You seem down in the dumps, today, Luther ," he said." I can't see what could be botherin ' you. You came through the war without a scratch, you got a beautiful wife and a baby on the way, you got a good job, what's the problem ?"" Jenny's mother is in bad shape ," said Luther." We're going to have to take her in, and with the baby coming we don't have the room ... work" Fred appeared every evening with a load of lumber, and the two men worked until it was too dark to see. Sometimes Maggie came too, and the women sat in the house listening to the radio or talking about babies or Jenny's ailing mother, their sentences punctuated by the sound of the hammers outside. Over the next few weeks the new room took shape and was finished and roofed." Where did you get the shingles ?" asked Luther." Same ...

... . I remember a lot of visiting, discussions, and even problems solved while snapping green beans. Women learned from one another and often offered help for whatever need that was mentioned. “ Try using a little corn starch on that baby ’ s diaper rash ,” a young mother might learn from an older neighbor lady, “ And next time you need to work out in the garden, just bring that little one over here and I ’ ll watch him, I kind ... miss having a baby around ,” the neighbor might say. Those were good times when porches were used for many things. Women did needle work or rocked babies, men whittled or fixed things, and children played “ pretend ”. Sometimes the porch was used to just get off alone for a time and read, meditate, or just do some thinking …“ woolgathering ” Momma used to call it. Even if the sun wasn ’ t shining, there was nothing quite like ...

... as the sunshine brought about the colorful flowers and sounds of the new Season. A few days later, I was again working at my computer and my hubby and I heard another sound. We heard little peeps and the sounds of baby birds! I was amazed to think that this decorative birdhouse was actually being used, for that purpose. I tried to get a good picture of the mother at feeding time, but the hole into the house was no bigger than my ... than the feathers. Last Sunday afternoon we heard a number of little birds calling for their dinner. My husband stood at the front door, with camera in hand and through the glass inside was able to capture the Mother guarding her babies. I ’ m going to be watching for the day that the Mother bird takes her continued role, and pushes them out to learn to fly, in order to allow them to go on their own. As the sounds of Spring ...

... Hatching Life You should have seen my Shayna holding that egg and hearing it PEEP! I had no idea that they could peep even before they hatch! The mother hen had sat on the nest for 21 days. Her first baby hatched and as soon as it was fluff dried, decided to jump down to see what all the clucking was about. Mama Hen had to go protect her first born, so we got the job of egg-sitting! She held a little ... egg and felt the chick bumping around inside. She's 3 years old and everything is exciting for her, especially new babies! The thumping in that egg reminds me so much of the wonderful thumping going on while carrying Shayna 3 years ago! We put the eggs in a box with a light to try to keep it warm enough. We were careful to not jostle them around and marked the top of each one with a heart. But this one got a heart with ...

... as he thought Carl would have kept it. One day he approached the new minister and told him that he couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy and happy smile," My wife just had a baby boy last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday." Well, congratulations !" said the minister, as he was handed the garden shed keys." That's wonderful! What's the baby's name ?"" Carl ," he replied. ... Author Unknown-from 'Mountian Wings ' (www.mountainwings.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...

... , a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant." This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday. First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate ... ." She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh! Now the kid's doing this hysterical duck walk, holding her back and groaning." My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man"" They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this" Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall." And then, pop! ...

... The Little Messenger With tears flowing down her cheeks, my youngest daughter said," Mom, I'm pregnant" My first reaction was silence. My second was immobility. My third was crying and my last reaction was screaming," I can't believe you did this !" I was raised in a Christian family and had morals and values that despised the words spoken from my daughter's lips. She was 15 years old. How was she ever going to take care of a baby? What about school? Her whole future was headed downhill as far as I was concerned. Quickly my mind flooded with thoughts of ways to rid her and our family of the situation she brought upon us. A single mom of two daughters, I struggled for 10 long years after my divorce." How could you ?" I asked her. For the first several days, I was in shock. I then contacted my church and one of the pastors had a meeting ...

... ?"" Yes. Come with us. We will all go to see this child" Bethlehem, basking in the silvery light of the bright star overhead, was even more crowded than Aram had imagined. Travelers were sleeping in every available space, their cloaks pulled up over their chins to ward off the biting air. The shepherds had to walk carefully lest they accidentally step on someone. They asked a few people if they knew of a woman who had a new baby that night. Aram had been to Bethlehem once or twice in the past year. He knew that shepherds were held in low regard by the people. Shepherds were nomadic and had no roots. Furthermore, most of them were as dirty as their sheep. So most of his father's questions were answered by curt replies. One man, sitting outside a crowded hostel, began cursing when Aram's father asked about the child." Get away from me you filthy pigs ," he ...

... the past few months I had grown a great deal. Before this year, I thought Christmas in my village came with many things. Christmas had always been for me one of the joyous religious festivals. It was the time for beautiful Christmas music on the streets, on radio, television, and every where. Christmas had always been a religious celebration and the church started preparing way back in November. We really felt that we were preparing for the birth of the baby Jesus. Christmas was the time when relatives and friends visited each other so there were always people traveling and visiting with great joy from all the different tribes. I always thought that was all Christmas was. Oh, how I wished I had some of the traditional food consumed at the Christmas Eve dinner and the Christmas Day dinner, I knew I could not taste the rice, chicken, goat, lamb, and fruits of various kinds. The houses were always decorated with ...

... for my cigarettes. Christmas was upon me. I was flat broke and very depressed. Fortunately, one of the local churches sponsored families for Christmas and we were picked, so my children would have a Christmas after all. I was grateful. However, I was not in a very festive mood so we didn't take part in the usual Advent preparations that my children were used to that year. On Christmas morning my little boy asked me what I was giving the Baby Jesus for His birthday and I was crushed because I had nothing. I hadn't even baked the birthday cake for baby Jesus and we hadn't saved any good deeds to fill the manger with straw, like in other years. Yes, I was crushed but the look on his face told me he was even more crushed. The next thing out of my mouth was not at all what was on my mind. I said" I know. I am giving the Baby Jesus ...

... Keep Singing Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy. The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every five minutes. every minute. But complications arise during delivery. After hours of labor a C-section is required. Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee. The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the ...

... excitedly for the next night's surprise and only then, with the gift of a matching shepherd, did we realize that the lamb was part of a nativity set. Each night we grew more excited to see what piece we would receive. Each was exquisitely beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch the givers as we slowly built the scene at the manger and began to focus on Christ's birth. On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, all but the Baby Jesus. My 12-year-old son really wanted to catch our benefactors and began to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate dinner in the minivan, watching and waiting, but no one came. Finally, we called him in to go through our family's Christmas Eve traditions. But before the kids went to bed, we checked the front step-- no Baby Jesus! We began to worry that my son had scared them off. My husband suggested that maybe ...

... He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep." What is it ?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk." Here, I brought this to you ," he said nervously. The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying," We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk" His wife in the kitchen yelled out," I ask Him to send an Angel with some milk. Are you ...

... The Autograph It was June of 1968, and I was fleeing for my life, carrying my two-month-old, baby daughter. My brother had managed to scrape together enough money for a first class ticket on an airplane traveling from Atlanta to Detroit. My first marriage had become too dangerous, and as I flew home to be with my family, I felt very agitated. Anything, God, I silently prayed. Anything to break the monotony of my own tortured thoughts. At that moment, my baby bobbed over toward a smoker, a bit of drool dripping from her chin. As she studied him with wide-eyed wonder, she let out an enormous belch, right in his face! It was all I could do to keep from laughing! The man gave a disgusted grunt, and stepping over us, he retreated down the isle into the back of the plane. I never saw him again. Behind me, across the isle, I ...

... , as I worried about her going too far, possibly hurting herself. When my husband and I were planning on moving to a new city, my daughter, who was now in college, informed us that she would not be going with us, but would be moving out on her own … with a friend. It was hard enough when my two sons ventured out into the world, but it was devastating for me to think about our little girl, our baby, doing the same. I wasn't ready for her to go; I wasn't ready for the “ empty nest ;” There was so much more to teach her, to give her, to prepare her, I thought. I cried to her father, “ Why doesn't she need us anymore ?” “ How are we going to protect her ?” The day we packed up her belongings and set her up in her own apartment was a painful phase for me. I must have ...

... this summer would be excitedly different than last. This time last year we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first grandchild. For the soon to be grandpa and I, the countdown began the moment we found out our youngest daughter, Katie, was expecting. Needless to say the pregnancy seemed to drag on forever. Now, looking back, we can't believe how fast the time has flown since her birth. Our bouncing bundle of joy has blossomed into a beautiful baby girl. Just the sight of her causes old gramps and me to giggle with glee. It's also the reason that this summer season found us on the hunt for a baby carrier for the back of my bike. I discovered, in my quest for the best, that there are many styles of these bike seats to choose from. There are some with springs for a cushier cruise, some with extra padding for added comfort. We chose the one that seemed to offer ...

... the source, the sound was coming from somewhere high in the branches of the Oak of Hope (an ancient oak here on the grounds of First Christian Church) Mind you, this was not the usual soothing sound of birdsong that I've become accustomed to as I walk up the sidewalk each morning. Instead, this was a call of distress and it didn't take long for me to discover what all the excitement was about. As I glanced around, I noticed a baby bird sitting statue-still on the ground beneath the grand old oak that graces the grounds here at the church. Apparently, this baby was out on its first solo flight and had run into some difficulty. (Sorry, my imagination sometimes tends to run away with me) and now it became my turn to be alarmed. I quickly scanned the grounds for signs of predators (an occasional cat is known to prowl these premises. Assuring myself that no enemy was about, I ...

... perfect !" I said. In reality, my friend just lost her job and has been pretty upset about it. I couldn't find the right words. But that was the problem. I needed to find the right picture." Thank you for helping me. She loves puppies. By the way. What card did you pick out for your Granny ?" I asked. She handed me the card she had chosen. On the front was a picture of a beautiful baby all wrapped up in blankets. Inside it said," Congratulations! We celebrate the birth of your child and all the joy that will fill your life" I looked at her mother, she shrugged her shoulders and said," Granny will be surprised"" I bet she will be ," I said smiling." The baby looks like me. Granny says I make her happy"" Well, I'm glad I met you today, young lady, you made me ...

... The mother I am about to share with you is the not the mom I have now. You see, she had an encounter with God, and he brought her out of the darkness of emotional pain and healed her. In order to share my story, I have to share a little bit of hers as well. My mom left home at 16 years old, pregnant and newly married to a boy who thought he was a man. She lost her first baby to cystic fibrosis when the toddler was less than two years old. She had her second child at 18 and left her husband at the age of 21. He came to visit her one night and forced her to have sex. She discovered two weeks later she was pregnant. I was that baby. Mom married a good man who loved her and the two little kids that came as a package deal. But in spite of this turn of events, my mom was ...

... . This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were ...

... the Poinsettia comes from Mexico. It tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing. One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course other children teased them when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and ...

... that day, don't you? The trouble started after we were betrothed and signed the marriage agreement at our engagement. That same spring Mary had left abruptly to visit her old cousin Elizabeth in Judea. She was gone three whole months. After she got back, people started wondering out loud if she were pregnant. It was cloudy the day when I finally confronted her with the gossip." Mary ," I asked at last," are you going to have a baby ?" Her clear brown eyes met mine. She nodded. I didn't know what to say." Who ?" I finally stammered. Mom, Mary and I had never acted improperly-even after we were betrothed. Mary looked down." Joseph ," she said." There's no way I can explain. you couldn't understand. But I want you to know I've never cared for anyone but you" She got up, gently took my hands in hers, kissed each ...

... Then it all came rushing back to me. I watched as he walked down to the shore line. He turned to look at them several times. He stood there now a father, in earlier times perhaps they walked this beach hand in hand as lovers. Now, as a new family, those precious moments have given way to reality. They have responsibilities for each other and for their child. He walks along looking lonely and lost. She lays nearby the baby torn between what once was and what is now. They take turns as she now heads down to the waters edge alone and longing for what was and what is. Having been there myself, my mind fast forwards seeing them both in future times. The scene as I see it: They have returned to this beautiful resort by the sea every year now. It has become a part of the family tradition. Dad now has made his mark and successfully played the role ...

... Batting My Eyelashes A baby camel asked his mother," Why do we have such large hoofs on our feet ?" She turned to him." God made us that way for a very special reason ," and she began her explanation." The big hoofs are to keep us from sinking into the sand"" Oh! So why do we have long eyelashes ?"" It's to protect our eyes from the sand"" Why the big humps ?"" That is to store fat and have enough energy to go long distances in the hot desert !"" I see !" the baby camel stretched his neck and looked up at his mother," The big hoofs are to keep from sinking into the sand, the long eyelashes are to keep the sand out of our eyes, and the humps are to store energy to travel long distances-then what are we doing in this cage in the middle of a zoo ?" Like the camel, ...

... Eagle Story-Freedom and Jeff Freedom and I have been together 10 years this summer. She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken wings. Her left wing doesn't open all the way even after surgery, it was broken in 4 places. She's my baby. When Freedom came in she could not stand. Both wings were broken, her left wing in 4 places. She was emaciated and covered in lice. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I took her to the vets office. From then on, I was always around her. We had her in a huge dog carrier with the top off, and it was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lay in. I used to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she would lay there looking at me with those big brown eyes. We also had to tube feed her for ...

... many different kinds of letters. They spanned many years and even generations. There were letters written by my great-grandmother and other relatives who had died before I was born. It is a strange feeling to read the words written so long ago. It was much like taking a trip through time and visiting someone from the past. A lot of the letters just carried information about daily activities, recent visitors, weather information, and who had gotten married or had a new baby. It is interesting to read them and see what took place in the days that were before my time. As I read them, I could visualize the activities and the people mentioned. I could sometimes follow months of letters written back and forth between people, making me almost feel like I was there. For years, the main mode of communication was through letter writing. It was expected that anyone in the family that traveled, visited, or lived away from home ...

... years old. “ It was September of 1936 ,” he said as he leaned back in his chair and began to recall that period of time in his life. “ After the banks failed back in ’ 29 we were in the depression and nobody had money to pay anyone so jobs were hard to find. My brother, Carl, decided to go look for work with me. Carl ’ s wife had died with pneumonia fever not long before and he had a baby to care for and like the rest of us, he had no money either. As much as he hated to, he left his little two-year-old, Betty Jean, with our Mom so we could go look for work. We thought we could go out west and make enough money to help support the family because otherwise, we were just extra mouths to feed for our folks who were also struggling like everyone else to make ends meet during the depression. So, one ...

... their job to go find the bantie eggs. But one day two of the boys got a surprise. They found a nest of six eggs, hidden from view by some tall grass. Half on, and half off the nest, lay a dead hen. All excited, the boys came running to me, asking if they could bring the eggs in and try to incubate them. They were both in the fifth grade at school, and had learned about how baby chickies were hatched -not born, like kittens. James, a few months older than Don, explained that he was sure that the mother hen had just died, because she was still warm. I went with them to where the eggs were, examining them. I became as excited as the boys. Yes! I thought to myself. This would make a great summer project, even if no chickies resulted. But I wanted to make sure that it would not be ...

... come back and get him. Mother hen had no time for an offspring who couldn ’ t keep up, so she ignored him. The peeping grew louder. Leaving her kitten in the safety of its box, Shadow trotted off in the direction of the distressed chick. Picking him up in her mouth, as gently as she would have, had he been her kitten, she carried him back to the house, depositing him in the box beside her own sightless baby, then nestled in beside them. For two days, until it died, she showered on that chick all the love and devotion she had reserved for her own dead offspring. Every time she tried to wash him, he wobbled and tumbled over onto his back, peeping his protest, unresponsive to her love. Try as she may she could not make a kitten out of that fluffy yellow chick. A devoted mother to an ungrateful chick, Shadow remained aloof and distant ...

... her pelvis and spine, while Annie's breast cancer had also returned. Through the demands of dealing with cancer and undergoing the rigorous chemo regimens to treat it, a story of pure love and hope is born amid the medical challenges. For Annie the desire to become a mother never faded though it seemed unlikely. Medications and cancer treatments would prevent her from becoming pregnant. And then, the" Powers of love" shone brightly on a promising situation. Annie wanted a baby of her own but wouldn't be able to carry one. But, her sister Mary could. So Mary became a surrogate mother for Annie-an unselfish act of love that not many women would be able to commit to. Little Mary Elise was born July 2, 2006, lovingly named after the aunt who carried her, allowing her to grow right below her heart. To her mom, Mary is a wee angel of pure love, an answered prayer from God above ...

... to learn that dark times are important. I have always enjoyed the 'flowers ' of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others" Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her." I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God" Just then someone else walked in the shop." Hey, Phil !" shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man." My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving Special .12 thorny, long-stemmed stems !" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator." Those are for your wife ?" asked Sandra incredulously." Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that ?"" No ...

... Daddy Hands I awoke in the night to find my husband, Marty, gently rocking our baby son, Noah. I stood for a moment in the doorway, watching this amazing man with whom I was so blessed to share my life, lovingly stroke Noah's fat pink cheeks in an effort to comfort him. I felt in my heart that something was seriously wrong with Noah. This was one of several nights Noah had been up, burning with a high fever. Tears filled my eyes as I watched my beautiful husband move Noah's little cheek up against his own chest, so that Noah could feel the vibrations of his voice. Noah is deaf. Learning to comfort him has brought on a whole new way of thinking for us. We relied on our voices, a soothing lullaby, audio toys, and music to comfort our other children. But with Noah, we need to use touch, his soft blankie, sight, the feel ...

... and said," A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus" God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer." That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests ?" And God smiled and said," They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Banbury Cross or scare off mice at the summer cabin or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill" God worked on, giving the father few words but a firm, authoritive voice and eyes that saw everything but remained calm and tolerant. ...

... The Story of Soul There once was a man named Soul who was walking in a garden. He was whistling a real sweet tune for he was saved and had the joy of the Lord, but he was a baby Christian. As Soul was walking, a beautiful and seductive woman came out from behind a tree. Soul was very startled. He said," Hello, I'm Soul, what is your name ?" She replied," I am Temptation, I have what you want"" What do I want ?" replied Soul." You want to do all things which are of the flesh ," said Temptation. Soul replied," O.K, lead me" So he and Temptation went off and fulfilled the desires of the flesh. When Soul returned to the garden, he met a man named Condemnation. Condemnation said," Hey, I see you have met my friend, Temptation" Soul said," Yes, who ...

... the we ddingplanning. No sooner had she slipped into this creative vision of splendor and we both knew this was thee dress for her. There was my little girl, standing there in a white wedding gown; a white wedding veil with tiny sparkles of crystal and bugle beads trimming the edges that softly caressed her shoulders. The sight brought tears to my eyes. The message hit home as I watched her gracefully step in front of the long triple wide mirrors. My baby girl is getting married! There is no turning back only going forward, toward a new life with the man she loves. Time is flying by so fast! We've reserved the church, we have the reception hall, the DJ has been booked and the photographer has been hired. And as the date draws ever near I know the hardest part for me will be accepting that my little girl will be leaving home to make her own home and family with the man she ...

... car coming to get us! See, I knew Jesus would send someone to get us !" I heard the old pickup stop right beside us and I had to kick the frozen car door open to make him hear me as the window would not roll down. The man said" My Lord Lady do you have children in there with you ?" I answered" Yes! I have two boys-three and four years old and a year old little girl and my baby who is only six weeks old" He began throwing his Christmas gifts and groceries in the back of the old pickup and helped me carry the children to put in the cab. He scooped and scooped again. We met my husband walking toward us about a mile ahead. He had called everyone he knew to come get us and they had all told him they would after the storm let up. Our truck that he had gone to get was parked in another little town ...

... , for the very first time my entire worthiness and reason for existence, I would not have known. I wouldn't have known the need to surrender, because I would not have felt the need to surrender. Surrender my life to God. I sat in a crumpled heap on the floor and felt the loving arms of the Father surrounding me. I felt the loving hands of Christ soothing away my hurts, pains, guilt and battle wounds. I cried like a baby in the arms of God, and He never turned away, never let go, never stopped loving me. It was then I knew what God wanted from me-because I'd just done it.-Ellen M. DuBois-[ by Ellen M. DuBois Copyright 2003-submitted by: Ellen M. DuBois] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...

... ? You might be worth a lot to your family, but zip to the neighbor across the street who doesn't like the dandelion count on your lawn. You may be worth lots to a car salesman until you sign on the dotted line. Then... You may have been worth something to your employer, but then in this day of cutbacks and downsizing:" I'm sorry, I'm afraid your position has been deemed obsolete. In this crazy world that values baby seals more than human lives, there's nothing that can guarantee our desirability or worth. But in God's Kingdom, things are different. 1 Corinthians 6: 20 says," you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" We were bought at a price. What price? The price of God's own Son. The price of blood shed on a cross. Let's face it. You and I were on display at the cosmic yard sale, gathering ...

... black Friday when Marianne and I went shopping, we stopped for breakfast about half way through. As expected, the restaurant was packed, the service a bit slow and checkout slower. I had just gotten in line when my phone rang. It was Keith. His voice still reflecting the pain of the news the day before, he said," It's official. We just got back from the doctor's office and the test confirmed that we will not be having a baby" Although the news already took its toll on me, hearing it again, hearing him again, made it fresh and cutting." Okay, buddy. We'll see you later ," I said." I love you !" Now, try and convince me that God didn't plan this. Just then I stepped up to the register and the clerk began to ring up our check and a few other items we wanted." Oh, no !" she said." It ...

... nephew, nieces. Nearly twenty in all. On this Christmas-past, I am a sponge. I soak in all that I see and hear. My daughter is just a few months old and we all agreed to meet in Colorado for Christmas. One family has an air mattress and sleeping bags in the basement. A hide-a-bed couch serves to accommodate another family; spare bedrooms are filled to capacity. One sister, in full joy, proclaims that she has the cutest baby on planet earth, while another exacts a proclamation of equal conviction with general disagreement on all sides while I quietly gaze at my own daughter, who is without question the cutest child by far. I turn and look near the fireplace, the rest of the guys are working on a jig saw puzzle (well over a million pieces if memory serves). Our children perform grand and glorious firsts-moments worthy of a TV movie of the week and our wives are chanting ...

... . Nine months later, he sent airline tickets for my mom, my brother and me. Decades later, as an American citizen, I look back at what he'd shown me. He taught me the determination to move forward when facing adversity. He set an example proving that humility is crucial to success. He demonstrated the commitment to family and the importance of setting priorities. His journey taught me valuable lessons for my own path in the darkness. Much like a baby takes its first steps holding tight to his father's hand, my dad held onto God as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land. I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. Holding onto God's hand, I gained confidence and learned the language of gratitude. With profound appreciation for my father's example, I learned how he had applied a powerful blend of faith and tenacity-the same blend ...

... A Dog In The Road I remember when I first graduated college. I was already married with a baby son. I had an education degree but full time teaching jobs where I lived were scarce. For a few years then I did my best to make ends meet by substituting as much as possible. I would get up early each morning and hope for the phone to ring. A call meant work and every penny counted. On one particularly cold morning I got a call to work at a grade school 15 miles away. Only a light snow coated the roads so I wasn ’ t worried about the trip. What I didn ’ t realize, though, was that water from the previous day ’ s rain had frozen on a patch of the road before the snow covered it. This was on a part of the road that curved around the edge of a mountain. Going off on one side of the road would land you ...

... my chronic sleep disorder requires it, that basic compassion demands he surrender it to me. He remains unmoved. Unarguably, the most popular security blanket of modern times belonged to a cartoon character. Ever since Linus was introduced on September 19, 1952 into my favorite cartoon series, Peanuts, I have loved Linus. He has the quiet philosophical wisdom of a grownup while tenaciously holding onto a beloved remnant of his childhood. Entire college courses have been fashioned around that now-famous baby blanket. If the blanket had been real and not a figment of writer Charles Schultz's vivid imagination, millions of Peanuts fans would have bid exorbitant prices at auction for just one square inch of it. It's that symbolic and valuable in the eyes of the world. Isn't it nice that we have a far greater Security Blanket? We can't lovingly rub it against our cheeks for comfort as Linus did. We can't fold it and place it over our eyes, luxuriating in its ...

... construction sites any longer ,” he states. There are many such people today who have been able to carve out a future for themselves, credit for which must go to Meera Mahadevan who first conceptualised the idea of mobile creches in 1969. Now, 40 years down the line, Tara Mobile Creches has taken roots in many cities across India. In Pune, it has 15 centres and caters to the needs of 1, 300 children. It was the sight of a baby lying unattended at a construction site in the hot sun that galvanised Mahadevan into starting a creche for them. Today, for any big construction project that comes up, Tara Mobile Creches (TMC) comes in as the care provider. The builders arrange for a place on the site, and TMC provides well-trained, committed staff. From the age of two months onwards, children have to be left with the creche workers. Initially the staff has to sometimes round up the children ...

... man by the name of Bill Havens. As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill's wife would give birth to their first child about the time that the U.S. team would be competing in the Paris games. In 1924 there were no jet airliners from Paris to the United States, only slow ocean going ships. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife's side when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain with his family? Bill's wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the Olympics was the culmination of a life long dream. But Bill felt conflicted and, after much soul searching, decided to withdraw from the competition and remain home, where he could support his wife when the child arrived. He considered being at her side his highest priority, even higher than going to Paris to ...

... I, only a year older, slipped out of bed. We grabbed our coats and put on our shoes. Without heat in our old home, wearing coats inside was as normal as the Spanish we spoke. But this morning was different; it was Christmas. We dashed off to the small living room where we had left our old pair of shoes the night before. No Christmas tree, no decorations or frills in our home. But, following tradition, Baby Jesus promised to leave one present atop the shoes. Some years, we ’ d find nothing but new underwear, other years we ’ d find new socks. The gift itself wasn ’ t our focus, but the fact the one, solitary item was brand new made us squeal with joy. And then one Christmas, one special Christmas, I lifted the package lying on my shoes. As always, it was wrapped in newspaper. I tore through it, held ...

... he was playing for the Buffalo Bills football team. He was hurt-hurt very badly trying to make a tackle on a kickoff. The blow injured his spinal column causing a paralysis. He could not give the" thumbs up" to the crowd, no matter how hard he tried. Meanwhile, back home in a small town near Houston, Kevin's mother was watching the game in a sport's bar. Very few things in life are worse than watching your" baby" on television not being able to move. His fiancee was also near Houston washing her car. Soon she would find out the horrible news. Soon, everyone would find out the horrible news as the doctor reported in a TV news broadcast that Kevin was in critical condition-his life was at risk, never mind the fact that he possibly might never again be able to walk. Luckily, Kevin's doctor who was in the ambulance with him, tried a new procedure ...

... I felt Daddy's warm hand leading me down the hall and out the back door to our backyard. As I stood in the pouring rain, his hand let go of mine and he was gone. Frightened, I turned back to the house. There was Mom calling my name," Macy! Macy !"" Out here ," I said. She ran out to me, and together we went around to the front, where we found Daddy with Kent, the baby, and my three-year-old sister, Amy." You're safe, Macy ," he said, sighing with relief. Daddy told me that he had tried to get to me, but couldn't cross the flames. He had not guided me down the hall. He had not unlocked the dead bolt on the back door. That was twelve years ago, and all these years I've never forgotten the warmth of the Hand that led me then, and leads me now, through the ...

... to go there without someone with me, I had a very special friend who was in her late teens and she always came and got me to go swimming. Her name was Ellen Ruth and I loved her so much. I thought she was so beautiful and so kind and I think she really loved me too. When I had a loose tooth, I wouldn ’ t let anyone but Ellen Ruth pull it for me. She pulled quite a few of my baby teeth. She tied a string around the tooth and tied the other end to the door knob, making a game of it and then slammed the door. Out came my tooth and then she fixed some warm salt water for me to rinse my mouth. I trusted her completely and I loved all the attention she gave me and thought I was very special for someone her age to" Hang around" with someone as young as me. She did have a lot of ...

... Hank, The Rescue Pup At nine weeks of age, Hank was already a pup waiting to be rescued. His was not a case of neglect, but a set of convoluted circumstances that had befallen a tiny, baby boy. Like all puppies, he was precious and it was love at first sight for me and my husband. Nevertheless, we had no idea what a remarkable role he would play in our lives. Shiloh, our older Schnauzer, all but danced on her hind paws when that little, snow-white fellow arrived on the scene. Time to become acquainted wasn ’ t necessary, for within minutes they were doing laps ‘ round the couch. Hank ’ s stamina and determination showed immediately as his little legs dug into the carpet trying to keep up with a full-grown dog. With oodles of extra love and attention, Shiloh had coped with the loss of her lifetime pal, Josey, fairly well. Still, she was ...

... time I allowed my kids to decorate the tree. They hung all the balls on one branch. When they turned for another, I quickly moved the one before it to a better spot. I laughed when they told Grandma they decorated all by themselves. Near the bottom of the box, I found a brass plaque. It brought back a special memory. It has my son's name and birth date on it. Justin was supposed to be a New Year's Eve baby, but he decided he wasn't going to miss Christmas. Justin was three weeks old, when we took him to the Christmas Eve service at our church. That night, our minister explained to us the real meaning of Christmas. As she spoke, she wandered down the aisle and stopped beside us. She reached down and asked," May I ?" I nodded and handed him to her. She lifted him into her arms. She was quiet as she walked back ...

... I should have said something, but I am not sure they would have understood or even trusted me more. Besides, I didn't speak their language. In these times when it comes to our children, we should never let our guard down. Our eyes connected. I smiled. They went on about their business. I wanted nothing more than to watch them safely from a distance. They were young and fussing over a set of new born. We haven't had babies in our lives for many years so all of this brought back memories. Their kids were hungry and I guess I must have finally given them both a sense that I meant no harm. One parent left for a moment, perhaps to get something for the kids. I looked away periodically so as not to make them feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, dad returned with some special treats and the kids went wild. I can remember spoiling my own children, too. As they ...

... on my cell phone in fractured syntax designed to torture my English-major soul." i no u h8 me. i try so hard 2 b good. y r u mad @me ?" Cave men scribbling on walls were more eloquent. Then there's the alteration in appearance. While I'm desperately trying to avoid bags and sags, this long-haired Neanderthal living in my house embraces them as fashion. Wearing gravity-defying pants slung low across his scrawny backside, he looks just like a baby with an overly full diaper. When I helpfully pointed this out, I got another overwrought electronic missive that ended with the text message equivalent of a scream. This modern means of communication does keep the house quiet. Adolescent males seem to lose all capacity for living like civilized human beings. This means that my boy constantly raids the refrigerator but can't manage to close a door, that he can take 30-minute showers but never hang up a wet towel, that he stuffs freshly ...

... My mouth dropped. He said," I'll just write up the slip. You don't like what you see? We'll tear it up. Got a deal ?" He reached his hand out to both of us. I took his hand with both of mine and shook wholeheartedly," You've got a deal !" Bob groaned. Jim looked at me." Want 'em mounted ?"" Mounted ?"" Yes, ma'am. We'll mount them on the rims and put those babies right on your truck for you"" Wow !"" Is that extra ?" Bob said." Only fifty dollars" I said," You don't have to put them on. Could you just wrap them up? We'll have them to go" By the time Jim was through typing, he had added $350 in charges. Bob looked at one of the charges." Your ad says 'Free Alignment"" Actually it says 'Free Front Wheel Alignment ' This charge ...

... eat, actually begged for bread after only two days. Bread is often a" gateway" food item, leading the user to harder items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter and even cold cuts. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person. Newborn babies can choke on bread. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute. Most American bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling. In light of these frightening statistics, we propose the following bread restrictions: No sale of bread to minors. No advertising of bread within 1000 feet of a school. A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to ...

... steps in pomp and majesty. Roman soldiers look huge and menacing in their costumes and makeup. Of all the years we have attended, one stands out indelibly in my heart. It was the year we took our then three-year-old granddaughter, Bailey, who loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire play, not just watching, but involved as if she were a player. She watches as Joseph and Mary travel to the Inn and is thrilled when she sees the baby Jesus in His mother's arms. When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was ecstatic. As he neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down, screaming," Jesus, Jesus! There's Jesus !" Not just saying the words but exclaiming them with every fiber of her being. She alternated between screaming his name and hugging us." It's Jesus. Look !" I ...

... did I ever ask! It took time to learn that dark times are important. I always enjoyed the 'flowers ' of life but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others" Sandra gasped." A friend read that passage to me and I was furious! I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God" She started to ask Jenny to" go on" when the door's bell diverted their attention." Hey, Phil !" shouted Jenny as a balding, rotund man entered the shop. She softly touched Sandra's arm and moved to welcome him. He tucked her under his arm at his side for a warm hug." I'm here for twelve thorny long-stemmed stems !" Phil laughed, heartily." I figured as much ," said Jenny." ...

... is when did this metamorphosis occur? What happened to the little boy who used to terrorize his older sisters without firing off a single spelled word? How often did I hear one of his sisters say, “ Mom, He called me an idiot again !” It ’ s really not so difficult to figure out this mysterious change. It began when Jeremy married his college sweetheart, Katie, and then a couple of years later I watched as my son carried his new baby girl, Tessa, out of the delivery room When Tessa came into the world, at that moment everything changed. It is beautiful to behold the transformation in another person, especially our own children. As Jeremy ’ s mother, it was a little like a flashback to the time when he was born. The change happens because of an overwhelming love that wants to protect such a precious little one from the evils in the world. Suddenly, everything we say or do ...

... through fields ripe with the colors of the rainbow. Red tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow squash, blueberries, green beans and purple eggplant, all so fragrant and flavorful. Sights fill our eyes with color and our nostrils with the smells of anticipation. They are filling us with yearnings for tempting treats to tease our palates with every taste. Another mile, another miracle. A cow and her calf, a ewe and her lamb and a mare with her colt. Babies struggling to stand on new wobbly legs, stretching up to nurse. Some are older and stronger so they play chasing butterflies and each other through fields filled with daises, buttercups and buzzing bees. Over a hill there is surprising, eye-catching splendor of an orchard. The tree limbs bent low heavy with the tart, tangy apples ready to be picked to pucker and please our lips waiting in anticipation. Peaches sweet and succulent ready to fill a pie makers dream.Can you visualize leaves ...

... the boys the lesson she had just taught me. For I suddenly realized that anyone can give their cast-offs away. True generosity is giving that which you cherish most. Honest benevolence is a three-year-old offering a treasured, albeit shabby doll to a little girl she doesn't know with the hope that it will bring this child as much pleasure as it brought her. I, who had wanted to teach, had been taught. The boys had watched, open-mouthed, as their baby sister placed her favorite doll in the box. Without a word, Brad rose and went to his room. He came back carrying one of his favorite action figures. He hesitated briefly, clutching the toy, then looked over at Meghan and placed it in the box next to Lucy. A slow smile spread across Brett's face, then he jumped up, eyes twinkling as he ran to retrieve some of his prized Matchbox cars. Amazed, I realized that the boys had ...