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... "" But what can I do ?" I stammered." I've never known a child like this before" I felt so inadequate." Give her love ," she suggested," lots and lots of love. She's lost so much. There's prayer, too-and faith, faith that will make her a ... gently," and she's so quiet because she's afraid she'll be hurt again. You see, her mother just died, and there's no one else who loves her. You must be very patient and understanding. It may be a long time before she's ready to laugh and join in your games, but you can ... . It'll be a good way for her to get acquainted" This was my third year of teaching fourth-graders, but I was already aware how much they loved Valentine's Day (now just a week away ), and making these bright containers to tape to the fronts of their desks was a favorite activity. Mary would surely ...
... me. It was like pure joy shinned outward from his eyes that He was able to show Himself to me, and to allow me to feel the love that He had for me. I also felt that He received joy just by being in my presence. I felt no condemnation from Him at all as my ... because He is our savior, and we are his responsibility. I realized that would only be a shallow type of love. I now understand that He loves each one of us on a personal level. He loves us deeply and passionately, the same way we love Him. I had sought to know Him with ... had seen Him. I had felt Him. He had communicated with me. The thing I was left knowing, above everything else, was that He loved me more than anyone had ever loved me in my life! He wasn't to be compared with a normal man, because his knowledge goes far beyond anything we ...
... the contents of what is in their hearts. When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone does not always mean that the person will love you back. But don't turn your back on love, because when you find the right person, the joy that one person brings you will make up for ... love, and each act of love also teaches us a lesson. The woman's curiosity deepened. God, once again began to explain:" When someone loves us, it teaches us love, kindness, charity, honesty, humility, forgiveness, acceptance, and all of these can counteract all the evil in the ... have hurt us is often the most difficult and painful of life's experiences, but it is also the most courageous thing a person can do. When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting temptation is Man's greatest challenge. Be vigilant in your resistance against all temptations. By doing so, ...
... I wasn't about to break down in front of people I didn't know. I wasn't crying because I felt the presence of God or that I sensed his love for me. I fought tears because I was mad, so angry that I shook inside. How dare the preacher stand there and talk about the love of ... becoming? Two years later I stood in the little church. The pastor sang, strumming on the guitar as people knelt at the altar." He loves you ," he said." He has a plan for your life" Yeah, right. I pointed my chin at the sky, my eyes closed, ... 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 fragile. Like stained glass ...
... What I Did For Love Thursday, May 5, the National Day of Prayer, I drove across town to attend the noon gathering near the Kenner, Louisiana, City Hall. The lovely little park sports a pavilion large enough for a hundred people and we fairly filled it up. The temperature hovered in the ... and we walked across the street to the super market. She gave some of it to everyone who worked there. That's why they all knew her and loved her. I said, 'Mama, you can't afford to do this. You barely have enough money to take care of yourself. You shouldn't be doing this ... , not far from where she grew up. They never had children, so everyone around them adopted them as their own. Never was there a more loving, laughing, positive couple. I met them in the early 1960s when Margaret and I began making plans, and soon liked them so much, I would ...
... at Christmas time and every day of the year, it would be that knowledge that you are loved. You are loved and watched over by a greater love than you could ever imagine. You are loved by God who made you, who delights in you, and who wants you to be happy. In all ... . Near the end of the day I was summoned to the principal's office and asked to be the Santa who visited all the classrooms. Being a great lover of both children and Christmas I agreed. I can still remember going from classroom to classroom doing my best to sound both old and jolly at the same time ... . You are loved every second of everyday of your life with a glorious love that will never end. Know that you are loved. Know that God loves you always. Rejoice in this love with the joyous heart of a child. And then, like a jolly laughing Santa, go out and share it with ...
... to be and live the way that God meant for me to live. I want to become a wonderful part of the web of life and share only love and joy with others and the world. The glorious truth is that you, I, and everyone else in this world can do this too. God loves ... all so much and God gives us the strength and ability to become our highest selves. We can choose to be the person God meant for us to be. We can fill ourselves with love, joy, and light and then share them with the world. We can capture the angel within and allow the worst ... do in my own life. I want to catch only the good within myself. I want to capture only the highest, wisest, best, most loving, most giving, and most joyous part of myself and let the rest fade away. I want to become the person that God meant for me to be ...
... 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 ... , Mom. Thanks !" I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object. The yellow shirt be came 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 ... 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 ...
9. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Tomatoes. [Stories]
... flowers can. The flowers keep doing what they know how to do best. They came back again all on their own. Sure all those years of love and attention kept them strong so all my work paid off. It's like raising my children. I did all the work and now they will take over from ... because they need to be re-planted each year, are as much a part of my memory as the sunsets I watch for"" Oh, another sunset lover"" Yes, but the great part about sunsets is, you not only remember how beautiful the sunset was, you remember when and where you saw it ... or spend it on what new things I can do" Then backing up and turning her cart so she could face me she continued." Sure I loved gardening. Besides my vegetables I also planted many flowers. I learned all the tricks of the trade to make them bloom bigger and better each year. I ...
... Love a Little More" I love you !" The words just hung there in the air suspended for the moment, drifting, waiting for the echo" I love you, too !" I thought about it and wondered if there really needs be an echo, a reply of the same." Why do we ... wait for a deep sounding voice in reply." This is God .I love you, too !" Why? Because it is understood. We know He loves us not because we hear it, but because we experience it, feel it, and know it. Our true love for Him is not in the words ... hand on a shoulder, a gentle touch on a chin. If you are sitting near each other, play" footsies" gently bumping, nudging your loved one's foot. In this new society of keeping our distance, not invading one's space for fear of misunderstanding the gesture, the human spirit longs for touch. ...
11. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- I Saw Jesus. [Stories]
... , and his nose was a little different. I felt no condemnation from him at all. That greatly surprised me. Next I felt him sending me love that was full of sympathy and compassion. It was an overwhelming kind of love that I was sure human beings aren't capable of. I was in awe that ... I Saw Jesus I had not been to church for many years, though I was a believer in Jesus, and I loved him. Suddenly, I felt like he was calling me to know him better. I started reading other people's testimonies of him, also the near death experiences of people who had actually ... streaks of gray, and he was wearing a crown of thorns. I just gazed up at him, and he was smiling at me with the most loving smile I had ever seen in my life! The first thing I thought was, he looks a little different than he does in his pictures, but only ...
... The Powers Of Love By all accounts, the Powers ' household was like any other in the Mt. Greenwood community. With five daughters close in age, and a son, there was, no doubt, never a dull moment for their patient parents. And I thought having two daughters less than two years ... 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, ... is a gift of inspiration to us all and a true testament to their parents, Marilyn and Gene Powers, who can be so proud of raising such loving, caring and compassionate daughters. There is no denying the Powers of sisterly love.~Kathy Whirity~Kathy says," I wrote this in hopes that ...
... sought after was its emerald green wings which housed two small heart shapes, one on each wing, thus its coined name," the elusive butterfly of love" It was said that the person who finds the elusive butterfly would live happily ever after, thus, it is no wonder the maiden searched ardently for the ... , clearly evident he was at the end of his life. Upon the butterfly's final breath, the maiden shed many tears, tears which flowed over her loving companions frail body. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a glimmer of light came from out of her hand." What is this ?" the maiden ... . The ragged wings of her beloved companion seemed to reveal under them something more lovely. Carefully, and tenderly, the maiden peeled away the tattered, old shell which encased her winged friends body, to reveal beautiful wings of emerald green, a small pink heart on each side. Both tears and joy filled the ...
... Jesus Really Does Love You Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the Pastor and his 11-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, ... and glorify your Father in heaven" For those that have not been" saved ," or don't know about Christ's love: Be encouraged and know that Jesus Loves You, no matter what sin or past mistakes you have made. He will forgive you and receive you unto Himself-simply ask Him. He died on ... please read the following scripture and allow God's Word to get deep into your heart and soul. John 3: 16 (NKJ)" For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" [Author Unknown-from Dwayne Savaya ...
15. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Gifts From God. [Stories]
... Heavenly sight reminded me once again that God's gifts come to us every second of everyday of our lives and that His blessings for us never end. His love for us is endless and unconditional and flows from everything in this life. We can see the gifts of this love in the setting sun, the shining stars ... hear these gifts in the songs of a thousand birds and in the wind whistling through the trees. We can feel these gifts in the hugs of our loved ones and in the smiles of strangers. We can even share these gifts ourselves by choosing to give our own soul's love, joy, laughter, delight, ... was just sitting down after a fantastic dinner that my wife had made today. I was feeling warm, content, and very thankful to God for my loving family and for my wife's delicious cooking. I was feeling blessed to have been given so much to enjoy, rejoice in, and share in my life. ...
16. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Asking God. [Stories]
... ? No. I know that's not true. I know I'm reaching. My heart tells me God is not a cruel or vengeful God. He is love. He is love. My breathing quiets for a moment. I've created this situation. I've made the choices. I've landed in a spot that feels like ... upon my feet. Happy. I just want to be happy. Was I put on this earth to fight to be myself? When will I feel loved? When will being me be enough? I want to go back, I cry inside. I want to start all over again and be a child. ... 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 ...
17. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Sunday Stranger [Stories]
... disheveled stranger spoke haltingly at first, in a low, clear voice. Unbuttoning and removing his top layer of clothing, he described Jesus, and the love He has for all people." Jesus possesses a sensitivity and love that far surpasses what any of us deserves" Stepping out of the baggy old trousers, ... stranger went on to describe a forgiveness that is available to each and every one of us. without strings attached. Unconditionally He loves us. Unconditionally He gave his very life for us. Unconditionally and forever, we can have the peace and assurance that no matter who we are, where we ve come from ... like an electrical current. The stranger tugged at his knotted gray beard, and removed it." I m here to tell you that we are loved with a Love far beyond human understanding, a Love that enables us to accept and love others in return" Then tenderly he added," Let s ...
... : Here we find our noble dead, Their spirits soar'd to him above, Rest they now about his throne, For God is mercy, God is love. Then let us pray that we may live, As pure and good as they have been, That dying we may ask of him, To open the ... dedication reads: To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead and the hymn reads:" Kneel Where Our Loves Are Sleeping Words by G.W.R. Music by Mrs. L. Nella Sweet Kneel where our loves are sleeping, Dear ones days gone by, Here we ... bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; ...
... The Doll and a White Rose (Love and Sadness) I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a ... my Mamma a white rose, but I didn't ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Mamma. She loves white roses so very, very much" In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about ... even play with them. I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little ...
20. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Pearls. [Stories]
... from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said," Jenny, do you love me ?"" Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you ," the little girl said." Well, then, give me your pearls"" ... day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday. Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls. How Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere-to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands. The only time she didn't wear them was ... the shower-her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green! Now Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said," Jenny, do ...
21. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Secret Day. [Stories]
... washed down her cheeks, Mom said," You are loved and that's no secret !"" Happy Secret Day, Mommy !" We are all called to love one another, to do things for others and not boast of them. I hereby declare tomorrow," Secret Day" and ask that you find ways to ... their daily routine. Reaching in to start the shower, Mom came across a note taped on the wall. Opening it she read," You are loved !" printed in mixed colorful crayon. Dad came walking in just then." I found this in my sock drawer ," he said. They exchanged notes. ... of her notes." Happy Secret Day !" Beep" Just then Heather came walking in." I am so very proud of you. What a lovely thing you did for everyone," Mom said. The young girl paused for a moment and said," But Mommy, it's supposed to be a secret ...
... Love, Laugh and Enjoy As people age so many become cynical, suspicious, grumpy and a bit critical. They tend to look at the world and all that surrounds them through skeptical, judgmental lenses. They become cantankerous and cease to enjoy the world around them. How sad. Age should cause us to ... settle the argument between innocence and rebuke? Our fault-finding and criticism replaces admiration and respect and we often become what we detest. Our granddaughter, Hanna, loves to go with her mother to yard sales. She proudly states that's where she acquired a cute little outfit I complimented her on. Many adults would hide the ... messy van. We adults often find irrational reasons for judging, and complicated reasons for liking things or people. Children don't need complex reasons for enjoying or loving. We adults seem to have to seek reasons to love and to appreciate. Children just do. Maturity should bring with it lessons learned, but often wisdom ...
23. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Memory Lane. [Stories]
... Memory Lane By Kristi Powers (From the book: Heart Touchers" Life-Changing Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter ") One morning, when I was twenty-two years old, I jumped out of bed and ran to the window to gaze out over" The Lane ," as I called it. I loved everything ... Teen's Heart Vol. 2, God's Way for Teens, and God's Way for Fathers. Kristi has been writing stories since she was a little girl and loves to share from her heart about God. She has been involved in youth ministry for the past nineteen years and is home-schooling her three young boys. Kristi and ... was twenty-two years old, I jumped out of bed and ran to the window to gaze out over" The Lane ," as I called it. I loved everything about my walks down this special path, for my journeys were full of beauty, solitude, and communion with my Maker. This particular morning, as ...
... her whole being. She was kind and she taught me to be appreciative and affectionate and considerate. She was smart, and she taught me how to love reading and writing and she made me believe that it was important to let people know when things were right as well as when things were wrong. She gave ... Carroll~< mndlvme at msn.com >Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved Karen lives in Central New Jersey with her 3 daughters, 2 dogs and a cat who loves to cuddle and then take a nip of your arm. She says," Family life is hectic and wonderful and memories of my parents who are long gone ... my middles school as an aide. She was well liked by the children and the staff and she did special things all the time to make you feel loved and cared for. She was a great cook and an incredible baker. She took cake decorating courses to make cakes that would bring a smile to your face ...
... closed her eyes and felt herself being propelled backward. She toppled over and landed on her back in the grass. Helena fought, but the feeling of love and peace that now surrounded her stopped her struggles. It took a few moments before Helena opened her eyes. She was covered from head to foot in a ... Though it was thin and there was now quite a strong wind coming from the black hole in the sky, Helena felt warm and comfortable. She felt loved and happy and safe. Helena smiled and looked up at the sky. Softly she called up," I don't understand what just happened" Then there came ... the times she had found joy beneath a blue sky. She remembered smiles and sun. Helena began to stroke the patch on her skirt. It felt lovely and soft. Before she knew what was happening, she had a little smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. But because this was not the kind ...
26. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Fallen Angel [Stories]
... be maybe 1 of every 15, today I am getting over half to be lukewarm. It is just awesome how I can cause them to lose their love, that love that would get them to die even for an enemy if it would save them"" We are winning, Satan, because even though they ... I can get them fighting over all kinds of different beliefs and idea's. I have many, many people walking around with hate in their hearts who once loved"" It is really easy, I can get them angry over money, positions, knowledge. It is almost like they are ready to get upset over ... that would get them to die even for an enemy if it would save them"" We are winning, Satan, because even though they talk about loving one another, they don't live it !"" I am amazed at how God thinks these people would care about others like the first church did-those people ...
... am sure you would have done the same for me. I'm just sorry that I was so selfish in the beginning. I know God wants us to love others as we love ourselves, and I was not being loving towards you. Please forgive me." Of course I forgive you, Casper" All's well ... ends well. Mother invited Casper's family to the barbecue and both families are having a great time. The two friends have eaten far too much as usual. I have learned a lesson today, Bobby, says Casper, I have learned that I enjoy sharing much more than what I enjoy being selfish." And ... baking the dry Kalahari desert sand. After walking for a while the two friends decide to stop for a drink of water from their canteens. What a lovely day it is, Casper. I like hot weather, don't you? Bobby asks. Casper says he does too, but that he wouldn't like to be ...
28. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Making A Life. [Stories]
... . Take time to be silly. God loves the child in us, not just the children. Making a life means living fully. Laughing often. Love. Take time to love unconditionally. Our faith tells us to love one another not just a select few. Not just those who are like us. All ... we do the right thing when it doesn't take much effort. Making a life means being faithful. Have fun. Take time to be silly. God loves the child in us, not just the children. Making a life means living fully. Laughing often. Love. Take time to love unconditionally. Our faith ... us to love one another not just a select few. Not just those who are like us. All people. Making a life means loving the life in others. Finally, sacrifice. Stop asking for what you can get, ask what you can give, what you can do. Making a life means giving ...
... We can't fold it and place it over our eyes, luxuriating in its soft, smooth texture as John does. But the ageless Security Blanket of God's love wraps itself around our fragile shoulders, tucked firmly in and around the chambers of our trembling hearts, warming us against the piercing winter gales and the blinding rains ... 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 soft, smooth texture as ... 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 ...
... her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Each day on her own ... know He is present. We may not be able to see His face, but He is there nonetheless. Be blessed in this thought:" God Loves You-even when you are not looking" Addendum-Matthew 28: 20 (NKJ)". I am with you always, even to the end ... day was an exercise in frustration and exhaustion. And all she had to cling to was her husband Mark. Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all of his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength ...
... . Maddie loved to swing on the swings and go down the slide. She was a very good hearted little child and she always amazed me at the love she felt for other people. She had such goodness in her little heart. Both of her parents were the same way-- they always had such a ... the cross. Every time I see someone like that being made fun of I always go to them and give them a hug and tell them that Jesus loves them. It always makes them feel better !" Here I stood-a 20 year old college student-supposed to be so smart! And here was this ... I was out of college for the summer and it was the perfect summer job! Maddie and I would walk to the park everyday after lunch. Maddie loved to swing on the swings and go down the slide. She was a very good hearted little child and she always amazed me at the love she felt for ...
... ? I: me, an individual, a committee of one. PLEDGE: dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity. ALLEGIANCE: my love and my devotion. TO THE FLAG: our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect because your loyalty has given ... Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet and in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write ... believe in God, family, and country. As long as I have breath in me, I will strive to serve God first in my life, loving Him, my family, and yes, my country. Although things don't look very good sometimes, God is still in control of the universe, including countries ...
... as much as possible, other days were hard for her. I kept in contact with Karen, praying for this little gal we all had come to love so much. Our daughter was graduating that spring, and although baseball resumed its place in our lives, we had an open house for our graduating senior, ... she had been playing softball with the girls ' team in the nine-year-old division, and they were pretty bad, but she did her best and loved the game. She wanted to play fast pitch when she got older. I told her she was making a good start playing, even if they didn't always ... stand near the coach's corner, ready to give him advice if need be, a friendship began between Karen and I. Tracy was so sweet and a loving child toward her family. I commented on this to Karen, and then she told me Tracy had leukemia and was in remission. She wanted more than anything ...
... . I don't want you to be alone at this special time of year"" You know ," the silver haired lady smiled happily." I would love it if you and your family would be my guest and come over and have dinner with me on Thursday. When my husband was alive we used to have ... going to Mrs. Mitchell's for Thanksgiving dinner, they were all happy. Our oldest son said she had a great hill for sledding, and our daughter loved her big old house and Mrs. Mitchell was like a grandmother, she said. I thought about our small home, but always happy to share with anyone ... door bell of the old Victorian house on Main Street. Mrs. Mitchell had been widowed for over ten years, and yet she was a sweet and loving lady, always ready to help out when she could." Hello dear , a smile appeared on the kindly wrinkled older face. What on earth are ...
... paths forged by others only to find disaster at every bend in the road. Only God has given me the answers that I have sought. Peace. Love. Fulfillment. The change in my life is not a complicated one. It s not about how good I am or how I pray or how often ... ? With all of my flaws and character defects He wanted me to believe in Him, and He gave me the grace to believe in myself. God loves me with a fire that can never be quenched. I am special to him, even if I am not special to anyone else, including myself. I ... , the plants and creeping things, He chose the color of my hair. Before He created the animals and before He created the first man, He loved me. He placed within Adam s body all of the DNA of every human being who would ever walk the earth, and within him he placed the ...
... I entertained angels? Of one thing I am certain-it was no coincidence. My two" angels" were sent by God with a message of love and comfort when I desperately needed it. [by: Janet Seever Copyright 2002 (jseever1 @shaw.ca)-submitted by: Janet Seever] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net ... your family ," Pastor Lim replied with certainty." Your husband will be all right" For the next hour Pastor Lim turned around in his seat and lovingly shared Scripture and God's comfort with me. Then he prayed with me. God's peace, which had been eluding me, flooded over me. I felt His ... God wants me to trust Him, but I'm afraid my husband might die ," I said, wiping tears from my eyes with a tissue." God loves you very much and is watching over your family ," Pastor Lim replied with certainty." Your husband will be all right" For the next hour Pastor Lim ...
37. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Burdens [Stories]
... Me. I bought it"" How ?"" With My blood"" But why, Lord ?"" Because I have loved you with and everlasting love. Give it to Me" I placed the filthy brick into His wounded palm. It contained all the dirt and evil of my life: my pride, ... brick. It belongs to Me. I bought it"" How ?"" With My blood"" But why, Lord ?"" Because I have loved you with and everlasting love. Give it to Me" I placed the filthy brick into His wounded palm. It contained all the dirt and evil of my ... His brow were ragged scars-as though someone had pressed thorns into His flesh." Lord ," I whispered." What happened to You ?" His loving eyes reached into my soul." My child, hand Me the brick. It belongs to Me. I bought it"" How ?"" With My ...
38. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- God In A Rose. [Stories]
... ; and my heartfelt plea and my bended knee make me beautiful to Him. May you recall these things the next time you see a rose: God's love for you in your uniqueness, The transformation of being dressed in His righteousness, The fragrance of Jesus from knowing Him well, and the hidden message in the ... and deeply, savoring the heavenly aroma. Did you know that you can have the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ in your life? The Bible says Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God in payment for our sin. God the Father was pleased with Jesus as He ... There was no hint of beauty in the crown of thorns He wore, as His sacred head was bleeding and the crowd cried out for more; No loveliness in Jesus as He hung on Calvary's tree, but the cross He bore and the thorns He wore make Him beautiful to me. Now, listen and learn ...
39. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Hands. [Stories]
... mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life. They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and ... won't care about where these hands have been or what they have done. What He will care about is to whom these hands belong and how much He loves these hands. And with these hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ. No doubt ... . They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. Yet, they ...
40. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- What Happened? [Stories]
... at andromeda.rutgers.edu >Frank says," I am married to the most decent, loving, honest woman on this earth. My inspiration stems from her unconditional love for me" [by: Frank P. Cotter, Copyright 2008 (fcotter at andromeda.rutgers.edu)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights ... and thanks used to be a special day to share with family and friends. We would spend the entire day eating, relaxing and enjoying the ones we loved. We would never have wasted a precious minute worrying about dragging our kids away from their warm houses to play a game (in the cold) three towns ... and a lot more fun.~Frank P. Cotter~< fcotter at andromeda.rutgers.edu >Frank says," I am married to the most decent, loving, honest woman on this earth. My inspiration stems from her unconditional love for me" [by: Frank P. Cotter, Copyright 2008 (fcotter at ...
41. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The PEARL [Stories]
... this chance. In Him we enjoy eternal life, and much more! Our God has communicated with us in pictures so we comprehend the richness of His Love. The Pearl to me is just one more analogy of how God can take an irritant (sin) and turn it into something beautiful-if we let ... book of Pearls. God can turn irritants (sin) into pearls-if you let Him. Addendum-John 3: 16" For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" [Author Unknown-Ed: Anonymous ... secreted from it's own body. The object that came into the life of the oyster as an irritant, instead of being cast out is turned into something lovely within the oyster." We are all an irritant (through our sin) to God, but he accepts us, in spite of our sin. He ...
... Love and the Joy of Hurting" Do you like what you do ?" she asked me." I write about happy things ," I said." Wait a minute. I've read your work. You made me cry sometimes ," she said." That makes me happy ," I replied." Well, that's sick ," she said smiling." I don't make people cry by hurting them. They often cry from the hurt they have already. When I first ... much we love. The same can be said about happiness. How much happiness there is in our lives depends on how much love we have not only for those around us, but for life itself. Like the death of a loved one. Such loss is a pain we all endure many times in our lives. Why? Because we love. But the great thing about love is, it never ceases, even after the final goodbye. Love continues. It does ...
43. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- God's Love Story [Stories]
... God's Love Story One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah, the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me. He asked me," Do you love me ?" I answered," Of course, God! You are my Lord and Saviour !" Then He asked," If you were physically handicapped ... said," If you were blind, would you still love my creation ?" How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation. So I answered," Its hard to think of it, but I would still love you" The Lord then asked me," If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word ?" How ...
44. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- My Child. [Stories]
... 13 And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71: 6 I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. John 8: 41-44 I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4: 16 And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3: 1 Simply because you are my child and I am your father. 1 John 3: 1 I offer you more than ... . 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19 Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19 His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4: 10 I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8: 31-32 If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2: 23 And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. Romans 8: 38-39 ...
... . And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love. One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed ... Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, ...
46. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- If Love. [Stories]
... If Love I had forgotten all about it. It was more than a decade ago that I bought it. Like most things nostalgic, we get swept up in the moment and once again it fades into our memory. Such was the case of the old Underwood typewriter I found while traveling in the southern part of my state. I was passing through a town known for small antique shops. It's not that I collect antiques, but I do love to re-discover things ... He had my attention because none of it made any sense to me." It is said that he couldn't write any more after he lost his wife to another. Knowing that what he lost was greater than what he thought he loved about life, he removed the keys" L, O, V, E, I and F" Because without LOVE he had no LIFE ," he said. I stood there looking down at the keys. Over and over I scanned ...
... it s toll, brave Nicklaus stood up to fight for God and right and all. He told all that would listen that Jesus was truly God. He would not budge an inch you see when he stood for his First Love. Another Bishop would not bend, he would not listen to his friend. Nicklaus after all the words, four months of talk went on, used his fists instead! And then he still fought on and won! A poor family ... " Is there a Santa? Is he really real ?" I must reply," He is my dear, so let your heart be still. You see I know he did exist, a man of flesh and bone, he loved the Lord and felt the call to protect the faith and the ones the Lord calls His own. He lived in small town in what is now Turkey. He was a Bishop of a small town, called Myra. It was so ...
... She was hurt, lonely and afraid. It wasn't supposed to be this way. But the fact was he knew how she felt. There was an obvious pain in his heart, too. So the one thing that strengthened their love for each other was heartache, the most sorrowful kind. Their eyes locked. He smiled and she responded. He had a special way of bringing a smile to her face. It was the little things he would do that would touch ... All She Had Was A Broken Heart She walked into the room and his eyes lit up. She didn't have to say a word, her being there was proof enough that she loved him. They had both lost someone they loved. So this day of all days was a difficult one. She wanted to make this work. She was hurt, lonely and afraid. It wasn't supposed to be this way. But the fact was he knew how she felt. ...
... " Remember, yours, mine and hours" You can read all about them. You see them on television daily. But what about those who love them? Soldiers. I have forced myself to watch news reports of units being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. I say" forced" because it always pains me. You know I hate goodbyes. I run to the television when I hear about a returning soldier or unit. You couldn't stop me from smiling if ... hit me with a baseball bat. I love happy endings. Until last weekend though, I had never been up close, face to face with anyone who had served over there or whose loved one was presently deployed there. I was about to speak to nearly one hundred family members of the New Jersey National Guard. Their loved ones just left a few days before. What could I say that would make a difference?" I could only imagine" No, I ...
... as far as the eye can see,-But God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments That seem to defy our endurance and comprehension-and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap And stomachs churn Invariably strengthen our faith And grant measures of wisdom and joy We would not experience otherwise. 'You Have Been Called. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. ... fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet, A loved one holds your hand at the side. 'It's cancer, ' the healer announces. The natural reaction is to turn to God And ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. 'Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler ' But another voice whispers: 'You have been called ' Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, Closer to those you love, ...
51. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Because of Me. [Stories]
... , and smiled at me every time I happened to come across him. My mother encouraged me to accept his offer of a meal. So, at last I did. It was then he told me that he had fallen in love with me. He asked me if I would like to see him on a regular basis. But I found him most obnoxious, and tried my best to ignore him." On one particular day I was especially rude to him, ... you stand to look at him ?" persisted Nancy. Rosella smiled." I don't see his scarred face. I see the face of the man he was before he became scarred. And I see the face of the one who loved me enough to risk his life for me. I see the face of the man who loved me long before I loved him. I see the face of God, because that is what Jesus did became scarred because of me" ...
... and tide him through difficult times. Now, the merchant's first wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her. One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and ... Parable Of The Merchant And His Wives Once upon a time there was a rich merchant who had four wives. He loved the fourth wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the third wife very much. He was very proud of her and always wanted to show her off to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear ...
... " Once" and it is little known, but critically acclaimed. In essence, the story is about two complete strangers, one Irish and one Czech, who meet on a Dublin street and forge a bond because of their mutual love of and commitment to music. Throughout the movie, an odd mix of characters come together, bond and blend their talents through the universal language of music. It was one of those movies that makes you feel strangely good about having seen ... And somewhere along the way, it made me thing that religion is supposed to do the same thing. The moral core that is our essence is also the essence of most religions throughout the world. Our understanding of a just and loving God transcends the depth of our human understanding and calls us to unite in our love for one another. That call is not the singular call of Christianity. Virtually every religion in the world is based on that single premise-that our ...
... thing I wish that I had gotten from him was some of his daring He never would back down from things that were scary or dangerous. He never lacked the courage to do the seemingly impossible. My father taught me love. I never once doubted my father s love. He would have died for any one of his children, if the need had arisen. Personal comforts were not in his vocabulary. He sacrificed in order to send us ... Dad would sometimes punish first and ask questions later. For that I never held a grudge. We talked about it after I became an adult, and he admitted that he was sometimes too harsh. But I am thankful that Dad loved us enough to discipline us. Whenever punishment was administered, it was done in love. Then he would always pray with us afterwards. My father was generous to a fault. I used to think that he was too generous to other ...
... . On the other hand, I didn't want to be a quitter. I knew my older co-workers were watching to see if my actions matched my words. The answer to my prayer caught me completely by surprise-I needed to love Rose. Love her? No way! Tolerate, yes, but loving her was impossible." Lord, I can't love Rose. You'll have to do it through me" Working with Rose the next morning, I ignored the barbs ... in my direction and did things Rose's way as much as possible to avoid friction. As I worked, I silently began to surround Rose with a warm blanket of prayers." Lord, help me love Rose. Lord, bless Rose" Over the next few days an amazing thing began to happen. As I prayed for this irritating woman, my focus shifted from what she was doing to me, and I started seeing Rose as the hurting person she was. The ...
... Love And Recognition A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in high school by telling them the difference they each made. Using a process developed by Helice Bridges of Del Mar, California, she called each student to the front of the class, one at a time. First she told them how the student made a difference to her and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters which read, ... to sob and sob, and he couldn't stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his father and said through his tears," I was planning on committing suicide tomorrow, Dad, because I didn't think you loved me. Now I don't need to" Addendum-John 13: 34 (NLT)" So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" ...
... her as she'd sleep, her legs twitching as she dreamed of days gone by, when she'd run like a champion stallion for miles and miles along the beach. After she died, Gracie blessed my life. I never thought I'd love another dog as much as I loved my first, but I have. Yet seemingly in a heartbeat, Gracie is now my old dog, soon to be no longer by my side. The song" Mr. Bojangles" has haunted ... ever since I lost my first love. He spoke with tears of fifteen years how his dog and him just traveled about. His dog up and died. He up and died. After twenty years he still grieves. Today, I said to my wise reverend friend Connie," Gracie won't be on this earth much longer" I barely got the words out." Do you think that having her is worth the pain of losing her ?" Connie said," Oh ...
58. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Holding Hands. [Stories]
... that one of these holes caught my oldest boy unawares. He stumbled and almost fell but thankfully was able to reach out and take my hand. I steadied him and we walked on for awhile holding hands and feeling connected in our love for each other. I think that sometimes the troubles we face in our journey through life are a lot like those holes in the ground. They are always there causing us to stumble and sometimes even to fall. It is good to ... and steady us. He is always ready for us to take His hand and walk on with Him connected in love forever. The next time you stumble and fall on your journey through life then reach out and take God s loving hand. And after you take it never let it go again. Walk on with God forever, choosing love and sharing joy with each step you take. Always remember too that with God s loving hand steadying your walk you can ...
59. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Silver what? [Stories]
... realize I wasn't playing fair either because I hadn't reached into myself to give him the part of me that needed nurturing. The poor man was walking in the dark. He didn't have a clue. I think we both wondered if love was enough. We were at a family reunion and someone asked where he was. I gleefully told them he was working overtime! Someone said," Poor Leonard" It's become a family joke to say" Poor Leonard" because it ... recliner! This same man wouldn't miss a day of work unless he was half dead and he hands over his check every payday. He would drive day and night to pick up either of our girls if they needed him. He loves my mom and Granny almost as much as I do. If you called him and said," I'm Sue's friend, we've never met and my car won't start" he would be out of the door in a flash to help you ...
... What will you take?" Time, faith and the love of my family and friends ," he said. How wonderful. Somehow, from the moment we met, I knew we would connect. His response was perfect. His answer was mine. It is that time of year when we reflect back on accomplishments and failures. It is a wrapping up and an unfolding all in one. The sentimental fool that I am keeps me deep in thought filling my days ... the years when I struggled, lost, failed and retreated into the darkness of that final night of the old year. Job loss, car repossession, debt, divorce, a failed business, cancer in my family, death of loved ones, depression, all made life nearly unbearable. Still, the light of the new day, the new year, always seemed to be brighter than any other. It was in falling down that I learned how to climb. It ...
... take turns serenading the old man as he opens the box marked" Christmas"" It's not the same, but it is the best it can be considering"" Considering what ?" I ask." Considering the fact that my love is not with me ," he says quietly." Have yourself a merry little Christmas" he sings above the scratchy sounds of Perry Como. If records are well before your time you would not appreciate this. But there are many who ... was gone." With all her strength she could not manage to wind the clock completely. It stopped just minutes short of midnight on Christmas day ," he said. Then turning toward where I was standing he said," She loved me until the end of time, her time. I have never wound that clock again. It holds Christmas, our last Christmas inside" We sat together until the last record dropped. How appropriate it was." I'm dreamin ' ...
62. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Gentle Beast. [Stories]
... a sudden pushed his face into my chest. This huge wild animal could have trampled me if he wanted to, half Days that followed became more and more awesome between Lightning and myself and we developed a bond, a respect and love for each other. Then, one day, the couple who owned Lightning happened to step out on the porch as I was stroking his neck. Lightning heard their door close and his head snapped back and his nostrils flared. The gentle ... sing with us bringing peace to our souls, minds, and to our hearts. We need that special someone to reach out with a gentle hand of trust and reassurance, to understand that each individual is created differently, and to lovingly stand by us. As time went on Lightning became uncontrollable towards the owners and they eventually sold him. I remember the day I said good-bye to him, there I stood face to face with this gentle beast. I felt his hunger ...
63. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Mitten [Stories]
... halo of a street lamp. And on her knees she cried out to the one person she had heard truly loved her. Her simple prayer" Jesus I cannot find my mitten. I cannot go in without it. If You love me, please help me find it .please" must have melted the Father's heart of God. But for her, it seemed even He was silent, no one cared, and she had been cast aside once again. In the hush ... searched and searched. But the mitten could not be found. With little hope and no one's help she knelt in the halo of a street lamp. And on her knees she cried out to the one person she had heard truly loved her. Her simple prayer" Jesus I cannot find my mitten. I cannot go in without it. If You love me, please help me find it .please" must have melted the Father's heart of God. But for her, ...
64. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Daddy Hands. [Stories]
... to use touch, his soft blankie, sight, the feel of our voices, and most importantly, the use of sign language to communicate emotions and a sense of comfort to him. My husband made the sign for" I love you" with his hand and I saw a tear roll down his cheek as he placed Noah's tiny, weak hand on top of his. We had taken Noah to the doctor more times than I can remember. It had been a ... 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 ...
65. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- My Daddy. [Stories]
... life. Although mom was young and beautiful and certainly desirable, she was more interested in her girls and making sure our life was as comfortable as possible. We had a nice home, plenty of what we needed and all the love you could ask for, but we sure missed our father. Mom was lonely too, so just about every evening we would go to our grandparent's house for a visit. My grandmother, Nanny as we called her, had begun working ... were his girls from day one. My mother was a queen and we were princesses. Daddy soon left Kentucky Fried Chicken and became a banker, which he did for 28 years before retiring in November 2003. He was a very loved and respected member of our community, a deacon at our church and a man that we were so proud to call our Daddy. He was passionate about his relationship with God, his love for his family and was an avid golfer. ...
... with, smiled at, and sung about my forever confidante making it the focus of many a lonely night. I've walked the shores of distant lands with its familiar face looking after me. I cried and laughed a hundred times over love lost and gained. I searched along the mountain side eagerly looking for a better, clearer view of its coming and going. Seeing it unexpectedly fuller, brighter and in more detail, I'd always rush to a phone to share it with ... my feet washing away my cares. When I cried because young love was ripping my heart out He lifted my spirits by reminding me love will forever be a part of my life. When I swooned at the very thought of someone loving me in return, He gently said," I told you so" And even when I cursed the night and wished the moon away He always seemed to make things right by giving me the day. The sun will shine, the ...
... , trees and animals. Leaf stretched to catch every sight and sound. It was a new leaf at the top of a very old tree. Leaf adored all the elements-wind, sun and rain. But it was in love with the wind. Wind gave it the freedom of motion. Without the breeze it would never have seen the world below or from side to side. Wind rocked Leaf to sleep and shook it awake. Wind made Leaf dance. Wind ... said softly," You can Hear Life's voice in me" Whenever it blew past, be it a breeze or gale, the little green leaf waved a joyful greeting to Wind-like the hand of a happy child to a loved one." I will love you for all time ," Leaf whispered to the moving air around it." I could not be happier" Hearing this promise Tree itself shook and emitted a deep chuckle." I am glad you are ...
... to each other for more than a third of his life. Are you saddened by this? Me, too. Is there someone you need to call right now? Someone you haven't spoken to for many years? Someone who would love to know you cared enough to forgive, ask for forgiveness, forget, move on, begin again, start over, love anyway? Me, too. Imagine being that man who had no one," that is except for six ... sun, but far from cool. The only other time I was ever in a funeral home by myself was when my Gramps died. The director always let me arrive early so I could spend some private time with him. I loved my Gramps so much. This time, however, I didn't even know the man and I was about to participate in his funeral. A man walked in and thanked me for being there." We have him ready. There will ...
69. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- In my world.... [Stories]
... In my world. I live in a fantasy world. I come outside once in a while, look around and hurry back to the comfort of my imagination. I love stand up and cheer stories on the big screen that warm your heart, make you sigh and shed tears of joy. I love come-from-behind moments just when the bad guys are about to win and the" do-the-right-thing" guy crosses the finish line first. Even when you know it's going to happen ... greatly disappointed." I can't believe it. But I made a promise to Jake to stay out so he could play" What would he do? The story up to this point was told to me by Johnny's mom. I loved it! I was so excited to discover a young boy who would care that much for a friend. It was playing right before my eyes and I couldn't wait to hear how it ended. It wouldn't be until the next day that ...
70. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- "Mrs. Waterford". [Stories]
... it was such a nice hectic. I only had the one sister, so seeing so many siblings in the one house was like a new and different world. The best thing about the Waterford family was you could almost see the love in that house. You could certainly sense it. Until then, I thought families that really cared for each other only existed in American sitcoms. Here was the proof that they actually existed. But their obvious love for each other didn't ... in High School. It's as compulsory as taking maths. Well, my best friend was Alicia Waterford. We did the usual best-friend things: sat around talking about boys, learning to blow smoke-rings, visiting each other's houses. I loved visiting Alica. Alicia was the eldest of ten children. You would think that would make her house rather hectic. Well, it was. But it was such a nice hectic. I only had the one sister, so seeing so ...
... could kiss you I would," she said. The butterfly, appearing to respond, slowly opened its wings, to reveal its beautiful designand colors. Now open fully, the child brought it closer and gave an angel's kiss of love. Just off in the distance watching this precious moment, her grandmother walked toward them." Oh, you have found it ," she said." I was waiting for it and wondered where it was" The child looked a bit ... to ," she said." It is simple. Be yourself. People believe only what they see. Like the flowers and butterflies. But God makes people beautiful inside. It is up to us to bring that beauty out by loving each other, helping each other and when we find someone who has fallen, just like that butterfly, it is up to us to pick them up, carress them and care for them. For one day it may very well be ...
... have to share them at all. I had a great big smile on my face as I took the box from the shelf and confidently walked to the cash register, satisfied in my gift selecting expertise. My mom was going to love this. Christmas morning came, and my mother, the most kind-hearted person in the world, loved the tissues. Aren't moms just the best? That satisfied feeling I had in the drug store returned again when I saw her happiness. ... joy we felt couldn't have been any greater, even if it had been a necklace of gold. Sadly, I believe it was her only gift. That year, I learned how to give a gift to someone special by selecting it with painstaking consideration and thoughtfulness, and wrapping it with ribbons of love. Today, as I looked at that tissue on top of the folded towels, I remembered what I had learned. I realized just how far I've come in life ...
73. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Dear Mom [Stories]
... , Mom, but I figured the sooner we got married the better it would be for her, and me, and the baby." Mary, even if our friends don't come, at least you and I can pledge our love before God" I paused." I think my Mom will be there. And maybe your friend Rebecca would come if her dad will let her. How about your parents ?" I could feel Mary's tiny frame shuddering as she sobbed quietly ... little Jesus. There were lots of things I couldn't tell you about last summer. You wouldn't have believed me then, but maybe I can tell you now. I hope you can understand. You know, Mom, I've always loved Mary. You and dad used to tease me about her when she was still a girl. She and her brothers used to play on our street. Our families got together for supper. But the hardest day of my life came scarcely ...
... , and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all. unconditional love. The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, ... them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog, and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried," Nothing will ever be lovelier than this" Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said ...
... giving more attention to her older brothers than to her, maybe she was feeling insecure about our relationship, or maybe she was just being the loving little girl that blessed my life everyday. Bottom line is this: I took her love for granted. As the teen years rolled around, I looked upon my budding blossom, with her modest attire, her quiet reserve, her many academic achievements, and her compliant behavior; and I could not imagine that she and I ... reason. I often wondered if she was trying to tell me something. Maybe I was giving more attention to her older brothers than to her, maybe she was feeling insecure about our relationship, or maybe she was just being the loving little girl that blessed my life everyday. Bottom line is this: I took her love for granted. As the teen years rolled around, I looked upon my budding blossom, with her modest attire, her quiet reserve, her many ...
... constantly" He said," My Sunday school teacher told me to walk in Jesus ' footsteps but I can't see him so I'm walking in yours" The greatest way we can teach our children about and show our loved ones the love of Jesus is through the example of how we live, and how we model his love in our everyday life. As another has said," We raise not the children we want but the children that we the parents are" Suggested ... was following me constantly" He said," My Sunday school teacher told me to walk in Jesus ' footsteps but I can't see him so I'm walking in yours" The greatest way we can teach our children about and show our loved ones the love of Jesus is through the example of how we live, and how we model his love in our everyday life. As another has said," We raise not the children we want but the children that we the parents ...
... , my friend ?" I asked." I haven't gone far but I've been there and back ," he replied with a smile. It just didn't seem right. He was always happy and upbeat. He walked like a man in love with the world. Today he dragged himself across the room as if he were now angry at it." So, how long has it been, five, ten years since we last spoke ?" I asked. He shook his head ... cuffs. It was one of the hottest days of the summer and yet, he appeared unaffected by the heat. Something told me not to ask him, but it would not be right if I didn't." How is your lovely wife, Abbey ?" Without lifting his head, his eyes peered over the top of his dirty, finger printed glasses." She's waiting for the hummingbird ," he said. My brow now raised with an odd look of surprise and confusion ...
... Are you ready to accept me ?"" What do you mean ?" asked Soul. Redemption said," Well, when you accepted Jesus and decided to walk with Him, then you chose to accept the things of Him and His love. I am a part of Jesus ' love. I help you feel forgiven. You will never have to deal with Condemnation again. Temptation may come around, but I have someone I would like for you to meet who can help ... strong ," said Faith. Soul began to cry. When he began to cry Redemption said," This is what we were here for. Jesus redeemed you, saved you by Grace through Faith and gives you his Mercy. Jesus loves you Soul" Soul said," I love you, Jesus" [Author Unknown-from 'E-Mail Ministry ' (EMailMinistry @yahoogroups.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... picked by Carol. Bill and I walk through our green, peaceful valley and talk together. I patiently listen to Amy's diet talk. Cindy and Sue come for lunch and share the problems of their working world with me. I love them. I pray for them. How could they manage if I died? But I had to believe that God is sufficient for their many needs, even without my assistance. If He wanted me to go home to heaven, I ... , my Lord would help each one through it. Indeed, He'd help them throughout their lives, because He loves them even more than I do." I will fear no evil" But of all the six verses, one became my very special, precious verse; one phrase my shield against all fear." Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies" Who are my enemies? I wondered. The answer came swiftly to mind" My ...
... Is The Moment I've heard it said that there comes a moment in life when everything makes sense. When all that you've done, all that you failed to do, melds into one remarkable moment. One of the songs that I love to sing is called," This is the Moment" from Jekyle and Hyde. It is indeed very powerful. It supports that idea with these words:" This is the moment, this is the day. This the moment when ... simple joys and the acknowledgement that waking up, facing the sun, doing something for a stranger, laughing, and even crying are remarkable moments in anyone's life. Even grief is a privileged gift. It is an acknowledgement of having loved and been loved by someone whose passing leaves you mournful and empty. For me, this day was the arrival of my book," I Wish You Enough !" It is nearly impossible to describe the feeling. It came late in the ...
... see this great light, we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness. Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love Christ showed for us. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection. He then pulled from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF. Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we ... immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood that He shed for us. Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said," Teach the children that God so loved the world that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life" (John 3: 16) Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the Holy Babe and presented Him with gold, ...
... spirit" The boy, looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes, and asked" which one wins Grandfather ?" The Grandfather, smiled and said," The one I feed"" A new commandment I Give unto you, That ye Love one another; as I Have Loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My Disciples, if ye have Love one to another" (John 13: 34-35) [Author Unknown ... from chaplain777 @yahoogroups.com] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
83. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Lady's Hug. [Stories]
... " The Christmas Spirit is Love" The Lady's Hug The traffic in town crawled. Shoppers walked faster than the bumper-to-bumper cars could move." Just a few more blocks ," I muttered. There was so much to do and the heavy traffic was wasting precious time. Mapes was one-of-a-kind store that sold hardware, sewing notions, corny greeting cards and household goods. It'd been a fixture in town for decades. The kids loved the toy aisle, which was stocked with ... games, puzzles and" must-have" items like silly putty, jump ropes and slinkys. This visit to Mapes had special significance because Christmas was just weeks away. Frankie, Sarah and Caitlin took the opportunity to verbally add things to their Christmas list as they went along. A school yard sage had informed them that Santa had super-duper ears and that writing letters to the North Pole was old-fashioned. After shopping we walked back to the car. A station wagon was double parked ...
... Know Bailey's Jesus? God recently allowed me to see Jesus through the eyes of someone seeing Him for the first time. Having the advantage of knowing how the story ends, we can easily forget the cost of our redemption and the love of our Savior. Every year we attend a local church pageant at Christmas time, which tells the story of Jesus from His birth through His resurrection. It is a spectacular event, with live animals and hundreds of cast members in realistic ... 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 ...
... year's Relief Society lesson manual-not much, but something for her to open. I was touched when at church on the day before Christmas, she had given me this small package, saying it was just a token of her love and appreciation. As I took off the bow, I remembered my friendship with her and was filled with gratitude for knowing her and for her kindness and sacrifice in this giving me a gift. But as the paper fell away, I ... find Him in the small and simple acts of love, friendship and service that we give to each other. This Christmas I want to feel again the joy of knowing that Christ is in our home. I want to focus on loving and serving. More than that, I want to open my heart to Him all year that I may see Him again." She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he ...
... see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness" Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree." Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection" He then pulled from his bag an ornament of himself." Teach the children that I, Santa Clause symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month ... holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him" Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said," Teach the children that God so loved the world that HE gave HIS begotten SON"" Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift." Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the Holy BABE and presented HIM with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always ...
... Love And The Cabbie I was in New York the other day and rode with a friend in a taxi. When we got out, my friend said to the driver," Thank you for the ride. You did a superb job of driving" The taxi driver was stunned for a second. Then he said," Are you a wise guy or something ?"" No, my dear man, and I'm not putting you on. I admire the way you ... class will be in for a fantastic day"-Art Buchwald-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~" Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves" James Matthew Barrie [By Art Buchwald-from 'Love Quotes ' (LoveQuotes-owner @yahoogroups.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
88. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Diploma. [Stories]
... and, with the brightest smile on her face, waved and grinned at us like a little girl getting on the school bus for the first time. I glanced at my wife, and saw the tear-drops roll gently down as the love she had for her sister manifested itself on her face. You see, Kim is not your ordinary college graduate. She is thirty-eight years old, and has stuck with her goal of graduating from college for the past twenty years ... moves up on her face as the tears begin to fall. She was a good distance away from us, but to me it was as if she were standing in front of me. That simple act of looking up at those loved ones who had come to watch her graduate, and gently rubbing the tears of joy, accomplishment, and pride out of her eyes really got through to me. The selfishness in me melted away, and I realized why I was there ...
... . Perhaps you have even seen her. If you haven't you should. Above all the roar and thunder. Above all the praise and cheering. Far above all else, there is a message here for all of us. I love happy endings. I love when the under dog wins against all odds. The David and Goliath stories take my heart and squeezes it until I can no longer restrain myself. I will jump up and cheer. I will shout to roof ... cure for cancer. But you must, I repeat, you MUST, live up to your full potential. Perhaps as a wife, mother, husband, father, teacher, mechanic, singer, dancer, painter, friend, lover, janitor, plumber or anything you believe is your gift to the world. For as the ugly duckling became the graceful swan, you will develop into the perfection only you can be. The greatest, shining example of YOU! Now ...
90. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Spelling Lessons. [Stories]
... 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 is evaluated in light of the effect it has or might have on the child. For our family this way of ... She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has ...
... my destiny. When I arrived at my home airport of Detroit, MI, my three sons and my mother were all lined up waiting for me and each one holding a red rose. They were there to show me their enduring love and support for a woman (their mother and daughter) who took the biggest risk of her life to pursue her dream (at 50 ), who believed in herself strong enough to try and to see her in uniform for the first time ... it depicted the everyday happenings of Southwest Airlines travelers. They profiled a Flight Attendant (not Stewardess anymore) that was a 50 year old widow, living alone since all her children were grown and had left home. She said she loved working with people and needed to get out of the house, her name was Billy. She said she had seen an advertisement for a Southwest Airline open house for flight attendants. She decided to attend and see what the position entailed. ...
92. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Run With Intent. [Stories]
... . Be clear and live with intent. You may have heard of Fred Lebow. Fred complained to his doctor that he lacked energy. His doctor advised him to take up running in order to increase his stamina. He fell in love with it! He was 39 years old when he entered his first race-and did horribly. He beat only one other contestant
a 72-year-old man. But he loved it! Fred decided what he really wanted to do-and ... did it in his spare time. He joined the New York Road Runners Club and organized New York City's first marathon race. But what Fred truly wanted to do, even more than run, was to bring people together. And that is what he did. He believe that anybody should be able to run-people of all ages, any background, professional or amateur, and of any country. Today, more than 28, 000 people of all backgrounds and nationalities ...
93. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Three Cows. [Stories]
... ," Of course not, but what your face and heart said on that day spoke much louder than what came out of your mouth. I knew then that you loved the Thai people, and it was then I became to love you like a son" WOW! Aren't I a lucky man? Paw Phim was the last stop on my circuit of" good byes" It was the most difficult. I didn't usually bring food when I went to visit him because ... and footlockers, get on a train which would take us to an airplane, and just leave! But we did! However, before we left, we spent several weeks traveling all over the country saying good bye to those we loved so much. It was a difficult assignment, but God provided the grace we all needed. I remember one particular good bye that will stay with me forever, or I hope it does. His name was Paw Phim. Paw in ...
... stretched their bodies and churned and turned in their little world. They explored it and found the life cord which gave them life from their mother's blood. They were grateful for this new discovery and sang," How great is the love of our mother-that she shares all she has with us !" Weeks passed into months and with the advent of each new month, they noticed a change in each other and in themselves." We are changing ," one said. ... the dry air. And when they were sure they had been born, they opened their eyes-seeing life after birth for the very first time. What they saw was the beautiful eyes of their mother, as they were cradled lovingly in her arms. They were home." No eye has seen, no ear had heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2: 9). [By: Wayne ...
... into the recesses of my memory waiting for the right moment to emerge? Whether the geranium scent was real or imagined, it spoke volumes to me. Grammie's physical presence may be missing from my life, but the essence of her love, like perfume from a beautiful rose, would remain in my heart forever.~Kay Seefeldt~[ by: Kay Seefeldt, Copyright 2005, (birdnest @megalink.net)-submitted by: Kay Seefeldt] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights ... , playing Monopoly with Uncle Reggie, or exploring the magical upstairs of Grammie's sea captain type house and marveling over the beautiful hand pieced quilts and crocheted bedspreads, the oak dresser with oval mirror, and bath tub with feet. I loved looking from the alcove window in Grammie's downstairs bedroom to watch fishermen as they came to sell their lobsters at my uncle's wharf. I loved sitting at the window seat in the dining room and looking out at the ever changing ocean as sea ...
96. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Look Closer. [Stories]
... see the skaters twirl around the pond and the police car passing by." Merry Christmas !" I shouted and they all returned the greeting. As I always do, I responded to the urgency of sharing this moment with those I love. I called my son and left a message on his phone." This is some fatherly Christmas advice. Take time today and everyday to look closer. Get down and play with your train display. Stand before your tree and really ... aspect of your life. Make a list of all the labels you place on who you are and ask yourself if you really" see" yourself and others. If you are in search of love, look closer. You are loved. If you are in search of friendship, look closer and see those who consider you one. If you are in search of a better relationship with those in your family, look closer and see how really important they are. If ...
... the propane tank. I took care of him until he had feathers and was old enough to fly. Now he flies wherever he wants and usually soars in for a landing on my outstretched hand whenever I call his name. He loves to splash in the homemade birdbath that I contrived from an old platter and some stones. Jack has pretty much learned to make his own way in life now and manages to find food that is generously provided to him by our heavenly Father ... I had left my tea and toast on the table next to the bench that I had brought out for breakfast. Care for some toast, Jack ? I asked as I offered to share with him. I knew that Jack loved almost any kind of bread and he did not hesitate to join me. He seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to knowing when I was having a bite to eat. At any rate, once Jack finished his bread he ...
... and with the brightest smile on her face, waved and grinned at us like a little girl getting on the school bus for the first time. I glanced at my wife, and saw the salty drops roll gently down as the love she had for her sister manifested itself on her face. You see, Kim is not your ordinary college graduate. She is 38 years old, and has stuck with her goal of graduating from college for the past twenty years. It's ... moves up on her face as the tears begin to fall. She was a good distance away from us, but to me it was as if she was standing in front of me. That simple act of looking up at those loved ones who had come to watch her graduate, and gently rubbing the tears of joy, accomplishment, and pride out of her eyes really got through to me. The selfishness in me melted away and I realized why I was there and ...
... take it away ," Jimmy said. Dad watched from a distance as he saw Jimmy draw a great big circle-like figure in the sand. Then after a few minutes Jimmy yelled to him." Daddy, How do you spell" Loves ?"" L-o-v-e-s !" Finally, out of curiosity, Dad got up and stood nearby. There in the sand was a huge heart-like circle with these words" God Lovs Yo" Not wanting to spoil the moment, Dad didn't bother to ... his spelling." That's beautiful, Jimmy !"" Oh, wait a minute ," Jimmy said. He rushed over and placed his hand in the lower right corner and pushed down." There, I'm waving to God and Mr. Johnson. There's my hand impression, Daddy" The two of them stood there for a moment admiring his handiwork." Daddy, I wanted everyone to know that God loves them. Do you think God will leave this one alone ?" ...
100. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Football Player. [Stories]
... The Football Player Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart. Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played. This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship ... Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it !" Like the athlete's father, God is always there cheering for us. Our loving God is always reminding us to go on, offering us a hand, knowing what is best, giving us what we need and not simply what we want. God has never missed a single game. What a joy to know that ...
101. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Flag Waving Cowboys. [Stories]
... the thousands who died September 11. I was so greatly touched that I began to cry. I thought about all those lives ending so abruptly. And yet, I cried too because I was so touched by the warm act of love demonstrated by a single farmer. This Canadian farmer was flying the American flag sending out his message of respect and love to his American neighbors to the south. The farmer erected the American flag to pay tribute and say with his actions what ... Flag Waving Cowboys September 11, 2001 (Tuesday)-For all victims of the terrorism tragedy in the United States of America, and the loved ones left behind. On a Wednesday in September, I traveled south to a funeral. It was a day of sadness, yet one of rejoicing for the wonderful human being we had the opportunity of knowing. It was also a time of great adversity and sorrow for all North Americans. It had only been days since ...
102. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Cowboys and Indians. [Stories]
... that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" No matter what Satan throws at you, it will never be enough to make you fall. Remember, he can shoot all he wants, and even scream" Bang !" until ... Cowboys and Indians During my childhood, the beautiful Appalachian mountains of Southern West Virginia served as the playground of my friends and me. We were rugged outdoor kids who simply loved adventure. We didn't sit indoors like most kids today, playing video games and surfing the Net; we were too busy out playing ball, swinging on grapevines, catching crawdads and minnows, hiking, swimming or fishing at the old pond, camping, or anything else that would get us out ...
103. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Echo. [Stories]
... for asking !" 2008 is like a canyon. You stand on the edge on new years eve and what you put into it will come back to you. The more you put in, the more will come back. If you love more, you will get more love back. If you fear more, fear will come back. So, this new years eve when you find yourself reflecting on 2007 remember, it has nothing at all to do with memories. It's ... for me. The turkey taking center stage, the cranberries and sweet potatoes all make me think of mom. The first Christmas bell, carol, or even laughter I hear, readies my mind for a long journey home and the loving sounds only family can provide. But, oh how a whiff of chocolate, peanut butter cookies or pumpkin pie can set my soul a dancin ' down memory lane! It's easy for me to venture back to things I hold close to ...
104. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Letter From Jesus. [Stories]
... looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter: Dear Ruth, I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I would like to visit. Love Always, Jesus Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table." Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer" With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty ... mailbox." That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day" She took the envelope out of the box and opened it. Dear Ruth, It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat. Love Always, Jesus The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed. [Author Unknown-from Thomas W. Lasater] Inspirational ...
105. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- "Hug Me!". [Stories]
... living room scared out of my mind. Marianne had just found out she had breast cancer and 2005 was frightening. Now look how far we've come. The year I feared turned out to be a year of hope, faith and love. Hope for the future, strengthened by faith and encouraged by the love of thousands of friends I've never met. You. I can also remember all too many new years when I saw nothing but emptiness ahead. I was hopeless and ... . I thought there was no music left in me. But God knew better. He always sent someone into my life who sensed that need to connect. Pausing for a moment on their own journey, their kind words, loving concern and gentle touch brought me to life. They brought out the music in my soul. It was as though I had a sign on me that said" Hug me" I am a hugger, you know. I believe that there ...
106. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Proudly Displayed. [Stories]
... recipe holder, made me feel loved-something that showed me I had made it! I was really accepted! I was in! And isn't that what kid art always is? Kids bestow their gifts upon us to show their love and affection. They don't fake it. Every piece of kid art ever handed to us is a seal of approval, a medal of honor. Don't take it lightly! If you get kid art, you know that in the eyes ... glance at it occasionally, a reminder of a little girl who stole my heart and made my life complete. One who every now and then, with a butter dish family portrait or a detergent cap recipe holder, made me feel loved-something that showed me I had made it! I was really accepted! I was in! And isn't that what kid art always is? Kids bestow their gifts upon us to show their love and affection. They don't fake it ...
107. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- LUCY. [Stories]
... her round little face into Lucy's flat, painted-on-face, gave her a final kiss, then laid her gently on top of the other toys." Oh, Honey ," I said." You don't have to give Lucy. You love her so much" Meghan nodded solemnly, eyes glistening with held-back tears." Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she'll make that other little girl happy, too" Swallowing hard, I stared at Meghan for a long moment, ... this ," I said. The boys placed the toys they had chosen to donate into one of the boxes while I filled the third box with clothes. Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, faded, frazzled, much-loved rag doll hugged tightly to her chest. She paused in front of the box that held the toys, pressed her round little face into Lucy's flat, painted-on-face, gave her a final kiss, then laid her gently on top of the ...
... on the cold concrete picnic table, and poured her a streaming cup of coffee from the Thermos. Then he watched her as she ate. Although it was very cold in the park, he felt warm inside. The God of love was clearly at work within him. He loved his tradition and he intended to continue it-and more-for the rest of his life. When the woman had finished, he cleared the table and put the dishes into a pile ... He poured another cup of coffee into her Styrofoam cup and closed the Thermos. Then he reached into his wallet and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. He thrust the money into her gnarled hand. Then he reached over and kissed her lightly on the forehead." May God richly bless you, ma'am ," he said softly." And thank you for giving me the honor of sharing my Thanksgiving dinner with you" With that, Jimmy picked up his dishes and returned ...
109. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- "I'll be seeing you!" [Stories]
... I'll be seeing you !" I missed him. That's why I went. Otherwise I go from day to day just remembering. Unless you are very young or very fortunate, by now you must have experienced the death of someone you love. As years pass by the pain seems to lessen more and more. But depending how on connected you were to them, there are times when you wish you had one more chance to see them. I went to visit my Dad ... . Depending on the season, you can see part of the lake if you wander up the hill. Sometimes I'll just sit in my car and watch as visitors come and go. You can tell which ones have recently lost their loved ones. They stand, kneel and sob their hearts out. They tend to spend more time there fussing around the grave. Others will get out of their cars and sit. Yes, I've even seen some people lay down on top ...
110. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Lessons From a Child. [Stories]
... . I called for her to return, but she had travelling on her mind and although she paused to acknowledge hearing me, she chose to ignore my commands and headed off for a day of frolic. (One day I would love to attach a mini cam just to see what she gets into, on a full day run) Despite my best efforts at calm and peacefulness, having a dog disobey me, (the supposed master ), did not contribute to my positive ... Lessons From a Child Two of the greatest teachers in my life are my children. There is no doubt in my mind that parenting has taught me more than any other life experience. My lovely daughter offered a lesson today on the way home from school. Every conscious man who has ever raised a daughter can testify to a special bond between himself and" daddy's girl". This idol status can be amusing, but one has to be careful when they know they ...
... assured that He has some special plans. I think Grandpa knew that this may have been his last Thanksgiving, and wanted to make sure that year was special. He passed away the following spring. Grandma sold the old house we loved so much and moved to live with her daughter in Florida. A number of Thanksgiving years run through my mind as I recall my youth, yet whenever I see a Christmas card with a sleigh on the cover, it brings back a ... was seated around the dining room table where fellowship and good eating took place. The day before Thanksgiving always demanded a lot of time and energy, as the preparations for a large group and meal was always made into a fun and loving time. How I enjoyed learning to fix fresh pie pumpkins, cooking them until tender, and mixing the pumpkin with eggs, sweet milk and spices, while someone else made the crusts. We could bake three pies at one time in ...
112. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Loving Life Again. [Stories]
... so are the greatest men" Maybe it's time to make a decision for greatness; a decision for simplicity. Maybe it's time to let go of that which weighs you down and walk with a lighter step. Maybe it's time to love life again.~Steve Goodier~[ by: Steve Goodier Copyright 2008 (LifeSupport @yahoogroups.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ... Loving Life Again Dave was struggling through a bus station with two huge and obviously heavy suitcases when a stranger walked up to him and asked," Have you got the time ?" Dave sighed, put down the large and cumbersome suitcases and spoke to his wristwatch." Time please"" The time is five thirty ," came a voice somewhere in the timepiece." Wow! What a watch !" exclaimed the stranger. Dave brightened a little." Yeah, it's ...
113. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- I Saw God Today. [Stories]
... time in a grand way. Thank you God for the awesome gift of grandchildren. Thank you for this second chance to welcome another generation where new life is born to our family-re-birthing all of us to the miracle of your love.~Kathy Whirity~Kathy is a newspaper columnist who shares her sentimental musings on family life. She is also a contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. She and her husband, Bill, live in Chicago. ... in that hospital room that afternoon as weeping for joy became a family affair. Words cannot begin to describe the feeling of holding the tiny hand of your granddaughter only minutes old. Or seeing the brand new daddy, the man who loves your daughter with all his heart, cradle his infant baby while sharing the precious moment with his beaming wife. A fitting song kept playing through my mind-a song that Bill and I have been listening to for months." I ...
114. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Jesus In The House. [Stories]
... in to live with me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best room in my house and everything. What more can I do ?"" My precious child ," Jesus spoke so softly." I do love and care for you. I protect all that you have released into my care. But, when you invited me to come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room and you shut the door to the rest of your ... . I am Lord of this room but I am not Master of this house. I have protected this room and no demon may enter here"" Oh, Lord, please forgive me. Take all of my house-it is yours. I am so sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to have control of everything" With this he flung open the bedroom door and knelt at Jesus ' feet." Please forgive me Lord ...
115. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Keeper Of The Spring. [Stories]
... Keeper Of The Spring The late Peter Marshall, an eloquent speaker and for several years the chaplain of the United States Senate, used to love to tell the story of" The keeper of the spring ," a quiet forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slopes of the Alps. The old gentleman had been hired many years ago by a young town council to clear away the debris from the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed ... lovely spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent regularity, he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and branches, and wiped away the silt that would otherwise choke and contaminate the fresh flow of water. By and by, the village became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the crystal clear spring, the millwheels of various businesses located near the water turned day and night, farmlands were naturally irrigated, in the view from restaurants was picturesque beyond ...
116. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Junior and Sammy. [Stories]
... , proceeded to wash the puppy s face, and clean her up all over. He washed her tummy to stimulate her natural functions , and then cleaned her up after she did what she was supposed to do. He loved her, showed her the food bowl, (she still likes cat food ), and the water bowl, and pretty much stood guard over her like a loving parent. This is why we call Sammie, Junior s daughter. She ... her mama too soon, but he adopted her. He still, to this day (Sammie will be eight in August, and Junior will be ten ), Junior tenderly cleans Sammie s eye area, as with a lot of Pomeranians, she has drippy eyes. In reciprocation, Sammie cleans Junior s ears for him. What a pair! Junior was nearly frantic when Sammie was hospitalized both times, and when he came home, it was a sweet reunion to ...
117. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Wedding Dress. [Stories]
... this a lesson in learning to let go, slowly and gracefully as the sound of wedding bells ring out in her not so distant future.~Kathy Whirity~Bio: Kathy Whirity lives in Chicago where she shares her life and love with her husband of 28 years, Bill, their two daughters Jaime and Katie, and two rambunctious retrievers Holly and Hannah. Kathy is a family life columnist for two area newspapers. [By: Kathy Whirity Copyright 2005-submitted by ... . 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 ...
118. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Pappy. [Stories]
... small hand on the door. She wiggled the door gently to ring the bell. Pappy's face seemed to glow as he saw her smiling with excitement." This is just right ," the little girl bubbled." Momma says grandpa loves music" Just then, Pappy's expression changed. Fearful of breaking the little girl's heart, he told her," I'm sorry, missy. That's not for sale. Maybe your grandpa would like this little radio" The little girl looked ... the rest of the family was all gone now, except for his estranged daughter whom he had not seen in nearly a decade. Why not, he thought. Why not pass it on to someone who will share it with a loved one? God only knows where it will end up anyway." Wait. little lady" Pappy spoke just as the little girl was going out the door-just as he was hearing his bell ring for the last time." ...
119. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Paid In Full [Stories]
... had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he shouted ... his father and said" with all your money, you give me a Bible ?" and stormed out of the house. Many years passed and the young man had become very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father now was getting old, and thought perhaps he should go see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed ...
120. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Dime [Stories]
... seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran the house hold in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it ... The shop owner and his wife hugged each other tightly, and as they stepped out into the bitter cold air, they somehow didn't feel cold at all. May this story instill the spirit of Christmas in you enough to pass this loving act along. Have a Joyous and Peace-filled season. [Author Unknown-from Douglas B. Boebinger] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... been relocated to heaven's halls! He's the heavenly Carpenter who puts things together, who fixes what's wrong, who makes it brand new .who can take the broken things of your life, reassemble and restore all the pieces, and bring love and joy back to your life. AND like all good carpenters, He knows how to" hit the nail on the head" .whatever you need, whatever repair is in order, you can open His Word and find the precise word ... upside down by the news that his betrothed was with child -not his! The child was the Son of God, promised by prophets of old, and Joseph was about to become the early caregiver of the Lord Jesus Christ. And loving caregiver, I can imagine, this carpenter was -can you see him making wooden toys for Little Boy Jesus? Can you see him patiently showing Young Teen Jesus the" tricks of the trade ," so He too, could become a GOOD ...
122. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Sunrise Service. [Stories]
... This Easter I will again attend sunrise service. As the sun rises in the sky, I will once more be reminded, He is risen ! It is an awesome thought to know that the same God who created the sunrise loves us and wants to live in our hearts. May the SON rise in your heart this Easter.~Pamela Perry Blaine~March 12, 2008 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She ... " Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you ...
123. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Number 111. [Stories]
... spurned, Till my guilty soul imploring turned To Calvary. Now I ve giv n to Jesus everything, Now I gladly own Him as my King, Now my raptured soul can only sing Of Calvary! Oh, the love that drew salvation s plan! Oh, the grace that bro t it down to man! Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary! Words and Music by William R Newell 1868-1956 and Daniel B Towner 1850-1919 ... She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has ...
124. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Flat Tire. [Stories]
... I began emptying my trunk so that I could get at the tire and tools needed to get the job done. I carry a large plastic container filled with what I call" just-in-case-stuff" When I am training or speaking, I love to have props with me. I hate leaving anything home so I bring everything .just in case. Cars buzz by me. A few beep sarcastically. I hear the horn saying" ha ha !" I say," You'll get yours ... the uncomfortable feeling that I had insulted someone. He was right. What he wore on the outside was a reflection of the world as he saw it. What he wore on the inside was the spirit of giving, caring and loving the world he wanted to see. The rain stopped and Jeff and I changed the tire. I tried to offer him money and of course he refused it. As we shook hands I began to apologize for my stupidity. He said ...
125. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Wemmicks Parable. [Stories]
... Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them"" What ?"" The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers"" I'm not sure I understand"" You will, but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let ... I don't make mistakes" Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought," I think he really means it" And when he did, a dot fell to the ground. Remember that YOU ARE SPECIAL and YOU ARE LOVED, because YOU are God's most important and special creation! [By: Max Lucado-from Carolyn] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
126. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Little boy lost. [Stories]
... me now. I wander because I want to watch and meet people. I often times can't go ten minutes without having a conversation with someone. I try not to intrude, so I start off by complimenting them." I love that tie !" or" Your child is beautiful !" I don't just make it up, I mean it. It was while wandering that I saw him. The store was packed with parents and children because, believe it or not, ... smiled with great satisfaction and heard a woman nearby say to me," That was kind of you to help him" I felt relieved and oddly validated as being one of the good guys in this world. Here is what I loved the most. I have seen parents and children reunited in similar situations. Most parents scream and yell at the child for having wandered off. This man held and comforted his son. Chills rushed over my body. My eyes filled with ...
127. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Red Geranium. [Stories]
... mind what to give her .She was living in a nursing home and couldn't have a lot of personal things with her. I finally called my sister to see what she thought .She told me that she'd heard our mother say she would love a red geranium but she hadn't seen any that were big enough for a lovely gift. As I drove home from work that afternoon I whispered a short prayer" Lord, I need some-thing extra special for my Mom's birthday. ... cheerful, that I can afford. Something that will last awhile" My purse was pretty flat .The greenhouse was on my way home so I pulled in and parked. I trudged wearily up the slight incline and pushed the door open and went in. Facing me, sat the prettiest red geranium I had ever seen! It had four large clusters in full bloom, and, on closer inspection, I saw four more clusters just budding out. I breathed my," ...
128. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Night Before Christmas (An African Christimas Story). [Stories]
... . Christmas is always within us all. Christmas came even to our village that night. Addendum-2 Timothy 1: 7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. [By: Rev. P. E. Adotey Addo-from Peter & Linda Addo (addox @attglobal.net)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ... 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 beautiful paper ornaments. The children and all the young people loved to make and decorate their homes and schools with colorful crepe paper. All of us looked forward to the Christmas Eve Service at our church. After the service there would be a joyous possession through the streets. Everyone would be in a ...
129. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Middle Wife. [Stories]
... 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 for nine months through an umbrella cord" She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and ... I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second-grade classroom a few years back. When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that ...
... Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said:" There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce ... or size. they came to pay their debt." We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world ," she confided," but, right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho" With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three, magnificently shiny, red marbles. Moral: We will not be remembered by our words-but by our deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths ...
131. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Memory Tree. [Stories]
... on a swing, even Santa in his sleigh. I remember when my Georgia and I had bought them. It was our first Christmas as a married couple. We hung them on the tree and dreamed how our future children would love them. I picked up a ceramic Santa. My aunt gave it to me when I was four. He holds a tiny box in his hands. There's a tear in its wrapper-a tear caused by a boy who couldn't contain ... from my eye. Good things may pass, but their memories hang on. Last year, I hung a new ornament on our tree. It was one I got for my new wife, Ginny. It's a penguin. She loves penguins. This year, I have one she gave me to hang. It's a glazed ball with a penguin dressed in an Ohio State football colors, my favorite team. New pages have been added to my album. I hang my ...
132. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Hoo Hoo Fraks. [Stories]
... hoohoo's" and" fraks ," without a clue as to how he was affecting the other passengers. It was impossible not to smile. They all watched this little train fanatic enjoy his first ride on a train. His pure innocent love for this ride was a beautiful thing to witness. I rode that train many times and hardly ever saw a smiling face. People usually sat quietly, waiting to get to their destination. They read or stared straight ahead, ignoring their ... a train passed. We got on the front car of our train and walked to the front to stare out the window. I explained to the gentleman setting there," This was my grandson Josh. It's his birthday. He loves trains, and this ride is my birthday gift to him" The gentleman saw Josh's excitement and gave us his seat by the front window. The train began to roll along. It made several stops underground, and then the part I ...
... you would be very proud! So, if you're celebrating Father's Day in Heaven, I hope there's something extra special up there for you. Cause, if there ever was a," special Daddy ", it was you! I love you and miss you and till we meet again, keep that smile in your heart and a song on your lips. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!~Barbara J. Ervin-Weymouth~All Rights Reserved [by Barbara J. Ervin-Weymouth 2004 ... Whenever I was in need, you were always there for me! And as I grew into womanhood, you were there still. When I gave birth to my son, you were there to drive me to the hospital, you lovingly kissed my cheek and said," Honey, I can't help you with this one" but you did more than you will ever know. And when my husband left us without even a goodbye, you became Grandpa and Daddy to my ...
134. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Cave Babies. [Stories]
... She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has ... satisfaction or pleasure, yet it often falls short. Are we like cave babies, not understanding God s purpose for what He has given us? Sometimes we ask for something, even demand it, from God. Like a loving father, he sometimes allows us to have what we think we want, perhaps to show us that we aren t ready for it or that it is not what we wanted at all but we have to learn the hard way. ...
135. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Healing Waters. [Stories]
... that impossible flip turn.~Stefanie Wass~< swass @adelphia.net >Stefanie lives in Hudson, Ohio, with her husband and two girls. She is a member of the International Women's Writers Guild. Her essay" Legacy Of Love" will be published in Chicken Soup For The New Mom's Soul this April. Her writing will also appear in Chicken Soup For The Beach Lover's Soul, due in bookstores this May. [By: Stefanie Wass, Copyright 2007 (swass ... adelphia.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... your dirty laundry, I want all of it, even the underwear" That's when I broke. That mountain of laundry now represented the mountain of pride in my life. Who was I to look disdainfully on a gift offered in love? As I picked up the phone my eyes were filling with tears and when I heard sweet little Betty's voice on the other end, my own voice shook as I said," Betty, do you still want to help me with ... quickly turned to laughter at her ready response of," Bring it on over, Honey, bring it on over !" Our clothes were never cleaner, brighter, or less wrinkled than during the almost two years that Betty faithfully and lovingly did our laundry. Then when our little foster daughters were placed in their" forever home" through adoption, we both knew it was time for me to resume the task, and although she no longer does our laundry, our friendship ...
137. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Faith Is Everything. [Stories]
... Faith Is Everything Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. He even has scripture memorized! When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply," If I were any better, I would have already been raptured !" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the ... the angels, skill of his doctors and also because of his determination and amazing faith. I learned from him that every day we have the choice how we live. Faith, after all, is everything!" He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my deliverer. He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in him" Psalm 144: 2a (NLT) [Author Unknown-from Denial Bahney] Inspirational Stories ...
... . Both grandmothers have since passed away, but I will always remember that evening when I was honored to" Dance With My Stars" I believe it was their last dance. As I looked to the heavens, I smiled and lovingly said," Thank you. First, for the dance, but more importantly, for teaching me so much about life"~Michael Segal~msegalhope at aol.com Shot in the head during a robbery, Michael Jordan Segal defied all odds ... Dancing With My Stars Everyone loves to dance! Well, it appears that most people either enjoy dancing or watching dancing. I would imagine that the television network, ABC, gambled on their show Dancing with the Stars. It was a gamble that hit the jackpot. Don't let ABC know this, but I don't get it. Perhaps it's because I've always had two left feet. Couple that with the fact that I was almost killed in an injury when I was ...
139. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Old Fisherman [Stories]
... have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman." He won't mind starting in this small body" This all happened a long time ago-and now, in God's garden, how" tall" this lovely soul must stand. Lets ALL see the contents, not the container. Addendum-1 Samuel 16: 7 (NLT)" People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person's thoughts and intentions" [Author Unknown ... all; a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself," If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had !" My friend changed my mind." I ran short of pots ," she explained," and knowing how beautiful this flower would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for ...
140. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Father's Promise [Stories]
... in danger. Go home !" Finally, the police came and said," You're angry, distraught, but it's over. Go home" But this father had made a promise, and he was going to keep it! The love this father had in his heart for his son kept him digging for eight... 12... 24... 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his sons ' ... people's worlds were shaken and lives crushed. In spite of the devastation, such tragedies often bring out the best in people-at least it provides a window to peak at the contents of each heart. Let me show you the loving heart of one father. In the midst of chaos and destruction, he rushed to his son's school. But instead of a school, he found a shapeless heap of rubble. Imagine what went through his mind. What would have gone ...
... God Knows Where You Are Do you believe that God not only loves you, but knows where you are and what you're doing every minute of the day? I certainly do after an amazing experience I had several years ago. At the time I was driving on 1-75 near Dayton, Ohio, with my wife and children. We turned off the highway for a rest and refreshment stop. My wife Barbara and children went into the restaurant. I suddenly felt the need ... stretch my legs, so waved them off ahead saying I'd join them later. I bought a soft drink, and as I walked toward a Dairy Queen, feelings of self-pity enshrouded my mind. I loved the Lord, but I felt drained, burdened. My cup was empty. Suddenly the impatient ringing of a telephone nearby jarred me out of my doldrums. It was coming from a phone booth at a service station on the corner. Wasn't anyone going to answer the ...
... afternoon" While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of a corollary," And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her ?" As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say," Amen ?" I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything ... dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked:" Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her ?" That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one ...
143. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- He Can Heal the Hurt. [Stories]
... the corpse of the one you have hated. Will you now be free? The writer of the following letter thought she would be. She thought her revenge would bring release. But she learned otherwise. I caught my husband making love to another woman. He swore it would never happen again. He begged me to forgive him, but I could not would not. I was so bitter and so incapable of swallowing my pride that I could think of nothing but ... two years to win me back. I refused to have anything to do with him. He had struck first; now I was striking back. All I wanted was to make him pay. Finally he gave up and married a lovely young widow with a couple of small children. He began rebuilding his life without me. I see them occasionally, and he looks so happy. They all do. And here I am a lonely, old, miserable woman ...
144. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Christmas Presence. [Stories]
... be home on Christmas. Although I knew I would someday be working on Christmas, I never expected to feel this lonely. Secluded in my room, I yearned for the mouth-watering aromas of mom's freshly baked cookies, hot chocolate and love. The absence of the usual giggling, slamming doors and ringing telephones made the dormitory seem cold and empty. The unappetizing smell of disinfectant replaced my visions of cookies and cocoa. Standing in front of the mirror, I conversed with my ... a burning question." Who is this George fellow? And why is he here on Christmas Day ?"" About ten years ago, George's wife became seriously ill. He spent almost every waking moment by her side. Those two lovebirds were so devoted to one another. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her" Andrea stopped for a few moments, sipping her coffee in silence, before continuing." George started to visit other patients while his wife was sleeping or ...
... The Beach Lover's Soul, and Chicken Soup For The New Mom's Soul. Additionally, her stories have appeared in newspapers nationwide as part of Chicken Soup's syndicated column. Look for two of Stefanie's stories in the upcoming anthology Chicken Soup: Love Stories, due to be published in February 2008. [By: Stefanie Wass, Copyright 2007 (swass @adelphia.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ... swass @adelphia.net >Stefanie writes from her home in Hudson, Ohio. A member of the International Women's Writing Guild, Stefanie's essays have been published in The Christian Science Monitor, The Akron Beacon Journal, Chicken Soup For The Beach Lover's Soul, and Chicken Soup For The New Mom's Soul. Additionally, her stories have appeared in newspapers nationwide as part of Chicken Soup's syndicated column. Look for two of Stefanie's stories in the upcoming anthology Chicken Soup: Love Stories, due ...
146. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Dear God: What Now? [Stories]
... exactly what You have in store for me. Help me to trust and know that it is good, and that it is Your will. Help me to know that just around the corner waits the perfect" job" that demands love and dedication. Help me to know that whatever you have for me next will provide the joy and fulfillment that goes with the full-time position of mothering little ones. I'm scared, God. I want others to see the value of my ... , I find that I have so much extra time on my hands. So much time that I am checking my watch by the end of the day impatiently waiting for the kids to get off of the school bus! I have loved, hugged, bathed, doctored, diapered, played, tied, baked, volunteered, and taxied -all sorts of things! None of which would gleam on any resume! I'm scared, God. What do I do now that they ...
147. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Love Story. [Stories]
... A" Love" Story Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all prepared their boats and left. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said," Richness, can you take me with you ?" Richness answered," No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you" Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel," Vanity, please help me !"" I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat" Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so ...
148. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Language Of Love. [Stories]
... The Language Of Love In honor of cupid's big day it's only fitting to direct our attention towards this hearts and flowers kind of holiday with renewed interest in fueling the flames of passion. I know what you're probably thinking-romance is the last thing on your mind after a hectic day at the office, and an even more exhaustive evening of dealing with dinner, homework, bath and bedtimes. By the time your weary head hits the pillow the luxury of sleep is all that's on your mind. When it comes to brain power, muscle power, and how efficiently we use our time, the theory that, 'If you don't use it you'll lose it ' often comes into play. The theory also applies to the power of love. Once Cupid's arrow has struck it's not as difficult as you think to keep the desire for one another lively and amusing. Miscommunication is perhaps the biggest reason why women seem to suffer headaches on a regular ...
149. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Keep Singing [Stories]
... sister !" Karen tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings:" You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray" Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady. Keep on singing, Michael." You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don't take my sunshine away" The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr. Keep on singing, Michael." The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms" Michael's little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her. Keep on singing, Michael." You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take my sunshine away" Tears ...
... they asked." No ," she said." He's out"" Then we cannot come in ," they replied. In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. He said," Go tell them I am home and invite them in" The woman went out and invited the men to come in." We rarely go into a house together ," they replied. One of the old men explained: My name is" Love ," his name is" Wealth" (pointing to one man ), and his name is" Success" (pointing to the other man). Then he added," Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home" The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed." How wonderful ," he said!." Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him ...
151. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Choice. [Stories]
... The Choice He placed one scoop of clay upon another until a form lay lifeless on the ground. All of the Garden's inhabitants paused to witness the event. Hawks hovered. Giraffes stretched. Trees bowed. Butterflies paused on petals and watched." You will love me, nature ," God said." I made you that way. You will obey me, universe. For you were designed to do so. You will reflect my glory, skies, for that is how you were created. But this one will be like me. This one will be able to choose" All were silent as the Creator reached into himself and removed something yet unseen. A seed." It's called 'choice ' The seed of choice" Creation stood in silence and gazed upon the lifeless form. An angel spoke," But what if he"" What if he chooses not to love ?" the Creator finished." Come, I will show ...
... First Until One Day My Co-Workers Said They Depended On Me To Be That Way. It Seems A Lot Of People Did"" So, What Happened ?" I Asked Not Expecting A Straight Answer. It Really Wasn't Any Of My Business." My Husband's Business All But Collapsed. He Made Some Poor Choices And Everything We Had Seemed To Vanish" She Said As She Walked Closer To Me." Forgive Me For Asking Such A Personal Question. But Was Your Love For Each Other A Part Of The Business ?"" What Do You Mean ?" She Asked." This Road To Self Destruction That You Seem To Be On Leads Me To Believe That You've Forgotten That Your Love For Each Other Is Far More Valuable Than The Business Or Mistakes Made. It Appears To Me That, Like This Lake, Everything Was Smooth And Wonderful Until It Rained" I Said." You Can Either Look At The Business Failure As Something That Has Taken ...
153. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Christmas Love. [Stories]
... Christmas Love Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. But once again, despite my plans, chaos prevailed. I had cut back on nonessential obligations-extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and yes, even the all American pastime, overspending. Yet, still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and, of course, the true meaning of Christmas. My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old filled with hopes, dreams and laughter. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's" Winter Pageant" I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome ...
154. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Dearest Dad. [Stories]
... Dearest Dad (A tribute to my Father) Dearest Dad, I am truly blessed for having you as my father. You left a godly legacy that provided a good foundation for my own journey in life. Growing up with eight siblings of different personalities and idiosyncrasies can be chaotic at times. But I remember what you would always tell us- love one another We learned not to let our differences keep us apart. You also showed us how to love sacrificially. Supporting a big family is not an easy task. You worked very hard to provide for our needs, to put food on the table and to send us to school. You always reminded us that though you and Mom may not be able to give us material wealth as inheritance, you would give us something better-an education. And you did. You would always give us what we needed, even if it meant having to do without yourself. In ...
155. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Faith and Deeds [Stories]
... walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said," That is why God gave you to me honey. to give me hope" We held hands for moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace of God that we had been given, that we were able to give. We are not church goers but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in" my project" and the instructor read it. then she looked up at me and said," may I share this ?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read, and that is when I knew that we, as human beings and being part of God, share the need to help people and be ...
... his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed." You must be joking ," he said." Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears"" Yes ," said the old man," Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love-I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty ...
157. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Three Candles. [Stories]
... The Three Candles When I began this journey, I was presented with the most precious gift, three candles. These were the candles of Faith, Hope, and Love. Everywhere on my path of life I went, they were a light to my path. I enjoyed their warmth and basked in the glow of their light. As I traveled on this path of life, I faced many obstacles. There were mountains to climb: Sometimes I would run to the top of the mountain and rejoice in the glorious view. Then it was back to the valleys. In the valleys, I met many challenges, but I also had companions who walked with me, step by step, through every obstacle. And all along the way the candles Faith, Hope, and Love guided me. Recently on a cool, clear, summer day, I encountered a raging whirlwind. It was upon me before I could react. It ...
158. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- I Know You By Heart. [Stories]
... I Know You By Heart I recently heard someone say," What you do for others you do also for yourself" I was confused at first, because it almost made me feel selfish. I mean, I love doing things for other people, but my wife told me recently that I always put others first. She was saying that was one of my faults. I needed a little more" me" in my efforts to change the world. I visit people in nursing homes, retirement and senior centers. I love to spend time with older folks. It's like mining for gold. They have been down the road ahead of me and I want to know what they have learned so that I make the right choices. A speaker at a conference I attended many years ago asked," Where do you think the most value real estate is in the world. Hands went up and offered big city names, resorts in development ...
159. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- "SHMILY". [Stories]
... hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows." Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents ' house as the furniture. It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents ' game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love-one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents ' relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience. Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared ...
160. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Lips Of God. [Stories]
... whom she looked forward to working with. (It is significant that Professor Librescu was killed on Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is a reminder, to me, that holocaust is not far from any of us, at any time) By the time that Helen entered her third semester, it was obvious that she was unhappy. She was under terrible stress. She was making all A's, but very unhappily. And I believe that we should not only do what we love, but we should also love what we do. It would have been easy for us to say," Stick it out. Go forward and don't let anything stop you. Stay at Virginia Tech and conquer your fears" However, in my many visits with Helen, I began to feel an intense pressure of unease. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I quench a burning desire to bring her home? I began to ask Helen what she really wanted out ...
161. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Thanks For The Thorns [Stories]
... in a box ?" Jenny asked. Sandra watched for Barbara's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems and no flowers! She waited for laughter, for someone to notice the absence of flowers atop the thorny stems, but neither woman did." Yes, please. It's exquisite ," said Barbara." You'd think after three years of getting the special, I'd not be so moved by its significance, but it's happening again. My family will love this one. Thanks" Sandra stared." Why so normal a conversation about so strange an arrangement ?" she wondered." Ah.." said Sandra, pointing." That lady just left with, ah.."" Yes ?"" Well, she had no flowers !"" Right, I cut off the flowers"" Off ?"" Off. Yep. That's the Special. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet"" But, why do people ...
... I couldn't face him, and didn't know what to do. Early that afternoon, the sun high and hot, I grabbed my fishing pole and walked down the tracks to the reservoir, wishing my stomach would quit aching, and praying nobody would see me crying. Sometimes we have sinned in our own eyes so deeply that we don't know how to return to God. Our sin seems so big we simply can't face Him. It isn't so much that we don't love God. In fact, it is largely because we do that we cannot figure out how to tell Him about what we did. Our betrayal of His love, our utter failure where we promised devotion, makes us feel unworthy of Him. Well, of course we are unworthy whatever we do, we know that doctrinally, but now we feel it, and just can't lift our faces to His. We go away. We go fishing maybe like I did, like ...
... service I had been on an emotional roller coaster. My shirt had a hefty salt deposit in it from the tears I had shed, but I left the service encouraged, excited and ready to share the" untold" stories with anyone I could. We all climbed back in our van and headed back to White House {Church}. We were going to be just in time for Sunday night services. I kept thinking on the way back how much I would love to share with the congregation that night just a tiny bit of what we had experienced at Two Rivers that afternoon. I was a bit discouraged because I didn't know how long it would be before I was in the pulpit again and had a chance to share. As I walked in the door, two minutes before services were to begin, one of our elders pulled me aside and asked," Has anyone said anything to you about speaking tonight ?"" No ," I ...
... A Special Child and The Truck-Stop Grab a Kleenex, and enjoy a nice story about one of God's" special children" It'll help you see what Jesus meant when He said-" Love one another" Trying not to be biased, I was hiring a handicapped person. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. I had never had a mentally handicapped employee, and I wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy, and had the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down Syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers, because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids travelling to school; the yuppie snobs that secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear ...
... Pull It Back Before It Lands I don't know if you have ever been fly-fishing. I'm no purist, but I do love to throw a hair popper or two. When you find that perfect hole for a fish, you feel the pressure to make a perfect cast; you want to gently drop the fly right into that perfect spot without noise and commotion! You work your line out a time or two, and then you let it race out toward the target. Sometimes, as your fly nears its destination, you realize that you've messed up the cast. But this is fly fishing! With a quick flick of the wrist, the rod silently snaps the fly back from the surface of the water before it lands. You make a couple of" false casts ," and then gently drop the fly into your intended destination. No harm done because the bad cast never landed; the fish wasn't spooked and the perfect spot wasn't spoiled ...
166. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- God How Can You Use Me In The Condition I'm In? [Stories]
... of course and wished things were different. I've mourned for the way things use to be, but I've gone on the best that I could, doing most of the things that I wanted using first one aide and then another. I've been down and depressed at times, I can't deny that. I've been scared to death of what tomorrow might hold and I still have those fears to this day. My biggest fear is that I may become a burden to my love ones. I fear to some extent I already have. Being a very independent person before my illness, dependence on another has always been my biggest concern. Through the years I have had some bad times; I've seen more and more of my abilities wane from me. MS has tried to suck the very essences of who I am. I have lived with numbness for years; I have experienced blurred and double vision. Pain has been a part of my persona and ...
167. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- It was in the cards! [Stories]
... You write and sell greeting cards, Bob !" You are right. I guess it's just that I personally always have a hard time finding just the right card for the right person, at the right time. Like mushy cards about going fishing and an" always understanding father" They didn't create one for my Dad. Oh, he had his moments, but I always tended to buy" Thanks for all you have done for me" generic cards. My wife loves greeting cards. She even has a membership card to the big card shop chain. But, yesterday I saw them in a different light. Through the eyes of a child. I needed a card for a friend. I had already been standing in the card aisle for at least twenty minutes, when I noticed the young girl." Okay, I need one for Granny and one for my best friend, Jackie. Oh, and one for Mommy and Daddy" ...
168. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Little Bell. [Stories]
... one of the big hands handed Little Bell to one of the small hands that had grown." This is yours. Take Little Bell with you" The next Christmas, Bell was placed in the front of the tree. Her brass was tarnished, but her ring was pure. She made the hand thing smile. She was happy. A few Christmas ' later, new small hands were putting" Little Bell" on the tree. They played the game bell loved. Bell waited for the little hands to find her. They moved her around the tree. Little Bell loved the game. She was the center of attention again. The other ornaments hung brightly on the tree, but Little Bell, who was hidden, was the one the hands reached for. Those new little hands grew bigger, and Little Bell was once again placed on the tree, her surface dull and tarnished from years of use. She was placed deep in ...
169. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Miracle Of Miracles: Realizing An Impossible Dream. [Stories]
... said." Oh no ," I moaned. Bob dubbed it" The One-Woman Dynamo Power Bike"" Sweetheart? You know I can't bike on my own" He laughed sweetly." I know. And you can't walk either. Then why does the pedometer I bought you have 74 miles on it ?" And so, I made a now often repeated declaration that I am praying others will say to themselves as well." Yes. I can" Think I love my bike? You bet. Think I love Bob? Of course. Think I love life again after cloistering myself in a self imposed no-can-do closet? Goodness! You have to ask? How do we find hope when hope seems impossible? Do we simply believe in our hearts, our minds and our very souls that we can beat the odds? Yes. Christopher Reeve said," When we have hope, we discover powers within ourselves we may have never known. ...
170. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- They Wont Let Me In [Stories]
... Usher looked at him turning up his nose at the old man and said," Uh, I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid we can't let you in. You will distract the congregation and we don't allow anyone to disrupt our service. I'm afraid you'll have to leave" The old man looked down at himself and with a puzzled look on his face, he placed his old brown hat back upon his head and turned to leave. He was sad as he loved to hear the choir sing praises to the Lord. He loved to watch the little children get up in front of the church to sing their little songs. He carried in his pocket a small worn out Bible and loved to see if the minister preached a passage from the Bible that he had underlined. But he was respectful, and didn't want to cause any commotion, so he hung down his head and walked back down the steps of the big brick church. He ...
171. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- I'm proud of you! [Stories]
... more? When I heard it the other day, it caught my attention. It was like hearing something oddly familiar but distant and faint in my memory. You know, like things your grandmother used to say. I needed to understand why. I mean, it just doesn't seem right that a phrase so powerful would not be heard and used regularly." I'm proud of you !" When was the last time you said that to someone? Not just someone you love, but a neighbor, friend, or co-worker. To a neighbor." You make a difference in the world in everything you do. I watch the people around you, how they react whenever you're there. They smile, laugh often and feel better for having had you in their day, even if ever so briefly. I'm proud of you !" To a Friend." You take on the challenges of life and never give in. You might not always win ...
... concrete bridge at one point where the creek crossed the highway. Under the bridge, the water was the deepest and that was our swimming hole, as we called it back in the late thirties and early forties. When I was just a small child and not allowed 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 ...
173. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Planting Happiness. [Stories]
... something grow! I thought about how growing flowers are much like growing happiness. Our lives are sometimes like the empty pot. Our days are filled with worldly tasks and possessions. But because worldly things are of such little importance, we lack a feeling of completeness. We sense there is something missing. The missing ingredients in my flower pot were the things that created life itself-seeds. The things that we may be missing in life are seeds of hope, love, faith, and determination. When we accept the fact that our life gardens will produce exactly what we plant, we become more concerned as to what we plant. I planted a variety of flower seeds that day. I understand that the zinnia seeds will produce zinnias. The morning glory seeds will produce morning glories. Likewise, if I plant happiness in my daily life, low and behold, I will find joy in everything I do. If I plant negative thoughts ...
... was mad, and he started to yell: 'You'll have to go find you a new place if you don't soon pay up your full bill '" So I thought, that for my mamma's birthday that I'd like to go look for my dad. I know it would be the best present that my mamma ever has had. She said she don't want him to come back, but she must, cause she's always so sad. I'll tell him that we really love him, and we need him, so awfully bad" The lady, whose name was Amelia, said," Take me now, son, to your home. Do you have any brothers or sisters, or are you and she there all alone ?"" Just Mama and me ," was his answer," since my daddy took off for to roam. My mama said that's just what happened. And she told me she's glad that he's gone" Amelia smiled down ...
175. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Day Lisa Lost [Stories]
... The Day Lisa Lost I love sports. Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about the many professional athletes of today who have developed a me-first attitude, after being raised in a win-at-all-cost generation. A generation where role models are severely lacking, and most of the headlines that capture our attention are of those athletes who are in trouble. No, I am talking about high school sports, where lessons of life are still being learned, and where athletes still compete for the love of the game and their teammates. I know some of you are thinking," The high school athletes of today are just as bad !" And you would be partially right. The me-first attitude is trickling down into the high school and junior high athletes. But in the midst of all of this is a young lady from Wisconsin. I first met Lisa Kincaid on the volleyball court as she played for a rival high school in the conference I coach in ...
176. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Feathered Fidelity. [Stories]
... Feathered Fidelity It's a sad reality. All relationships start with love and promise, but all too often we see them weaken, crumble and finally fail. It's too bad all relationships don't go to the birds. I know that sounds strange, but read on. Many years ago, when I was just a young boy, a small yellow bird hit our front door. When I looked outside, I saw its tiny, unmoving body on our deck. I opened the door to see if it was just stunned, or worse, dead. I was kneeling over it when my mom joined me." Michael, I think it may be dead. I heard the bang on the glass. It hit pretty hard"" Mom, should we bury it ?"" I'm not sure, Michael. When I first looked out I saw another bird land beside it. It looked like it was trying to pick this one up. I ...
177. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Pumpkin Patch. [Stories]
... parents and their now grown daughters. These days we purchase our pumpkins at the local grocery store. Lately we have resorted to painting on smiling faces in stead of carving them. They are quite smaller than the gargantuan gourds our children use to choose. Autumn is a special time of caring and sharing. It's a time to be thankful for the harvest that we reap, both nutritional and spiritual. In the harvest of our lives I am grateful for the bounty of love and memories that are mine to forever cherish.~Kathy Whirity~Bio: Kathy Whirity lives in Chicago where she shares her life and love with her husband of 29 years, Bill, their two daughters, Jaime and Katie, and two rambunctious retrievers, Holly and Hannah. Kathy is a newspaper columnist who shares her sentimental musings on family life. For more of Kathy's writings you may visit her web page: [by: Kathy Whirity Copyright 2005-submitted by: ...
178. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Request For Transfer. [Stories]
... battle against the enemy. Even the Book of Regulations I was issued has been torn and tattered from endless use. The words are now smeared. You have promised You would be with me throughout, but when the noise of the battle is so loud and the confusion is so great, I can neither see nor hear You. I feel so alone. I'm tired. I'm discouraged. I have Battle Fatigue. I would never ask You for a discharge. I love being in Your service. But I humbly request a demotion and transfer. I'll file papers or clean latrines. Just get me out of the battle-please, Sir. Your Faithful, but tired, Warrior. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TO: Faithful, but tired, Soldier, Spiritual Armed Forces LOCATION: The Battlefield SUBJECT: Transfer Dear Soldier: Your request for transfer has been denied. I herewith present My reasons: You are needed in this battle. I have selected you ...
179. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Quilt Of Holes. [Stories]
... ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and Empty, like binding air. Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the Light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, And nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly Fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been Trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my World, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with The temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and Begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and Guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ...
180. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Quilt. [Stories]
... ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air. Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My Angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness and death, and false accusations that took from me my world as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I had spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule ...
181. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Porch Sittin [Stories]
... front porch for an extra room. I hated to see the porch closed in but I was glad when my parents simply moved the old porch swing and hung it from the huge old maple tree where the family still gathered. Daddy and my brother would often sit out there under that tree and play their guitars, usually with a dog or two stretched out beneath their feet as they played one more chorus of Just A Closer Walk With Thee I have always loved porch swings. After I was grown and married, the one thing that sold me on the house that we bought was the swing on the back porch that overlooked a pond. I m glad to see that some houses being built today are going back to adding porches. Yet, it isn t the porches, it s the people that make the difference. As I drive through neighborhoods these days I sometimes wonder, Where are all the people? ...
... I teach your children all that I know so that one day they may leave your house and make a success in the world. And when they do, I hope that you will grant me my freedom. In the meantime, you give me a wage for what I do" Again, the master nodded. Then he turned to a lowly slave who was standing nearby, and asked," And what do you do for me ?"" You know that I love you, my lord, and my only wish is to do whatever you ask ," the slave answered without hesitation." You bought me and I know that I will be a slave for life, therefore I earn no wage. But you are kind and merciful to me, and do not beat me as other masters beat their slaves. You are wise and just and kind and that is why I love you" The master of the house smiled." Then you ...
183. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Last Steps. [Stories]
... " How long have you done this ?" I asked." Since I was old enough to pick up a hammer ," he said proudly." But today .today these are my last steps"" Is there something wrong? You look like there's a few more miles left on you ," I said." It's time for me to stop. Sometimes you just have to tell yourself," Stop Already !" That's what I did this morning. My wife, God love her, got up early like she did for near 40 years to make me breakfast, hot coffee and a little inspiration. I looked in the mirror and said," That's it" She said are you sure? I said sure enough !"" You said she made you a little inspiration. How does she do that ?"" She takes the Bible and flops it on the table in front of me. Wherever it opens, she runs her finger down the page ...
184. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Joy of Shopping. [Stories]
... full? She said," My husband s going to be so mad that I ve shopped all day" The clerk replied," I m sure he ll understand when you tell him about all the bargains you found" The woman said," Well, normally that s true; but this morning he broke his arm, and he s waiting in the car for me to take him to the hospital emergency room" People who love to shop enjoy that story and can relate to it. Shopaholics like me lose all track of time when they re sniffing out sales in search of that illusive ultimate bargain. But yesterday, I had a first time experience. I went to Walmart, bought the two items on my list, and was back in my car within ten minutes. It was an unfamiliar and eerie feeling to shop without a cart, spend less than ten dollars, and leave the store ...
185. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- That's God Talk. [Stories]
... of tomorrow looking back at yesterday ," I replied. I've been asked so many times about my writing. To the point of embarrassment I read warm, generous comments about my work and deal with them one word at a time. It's the only way I can accept it. But she wanted to be there where I go to find the words. I couldn't take her there. I could only describe it from the outside looking in." I have fallen in love with words ," I told her." Not that I have any right to, but I have been courting them long enough that we've become one. Like a marriage, I treat words with respect and select from my limited vocabulary the ones that best tell the story as I see it"" So where do you find the stories ?" she asked." They find me. They come falling down around me like a gentle rain on a summer's evening when you are ...
... years, I had always felt a connection and empathy toward the children living with cancer who were being treated there. What a truly magnificent place, especially knowing that no patient was ever turned away regardless of ability to pay. The hospital exuded living, and that is what I was all about. As my 20-year anniversary of being a cancer survivor approached, I wanted to do something special and unforgettable. I organized a fund raiser, calling it" A Mission of Love ," and thanks to my generous family and friends, raised $4, 000 for St. Jude's, planning to deliver it myself. Three quarters of the money would be given as a monetary donation to the hospital, and what was left would go toward purchasing toys for the children. I also had arranged with the hospital a t-shirt painting activity for any child who felt well enough to participate. Thanksgiving Day seemed the most appropriate day of the year for the mission, ...
187. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Auction [Stories]
... . His estate was worth millions. He owned houses, land antiques and cattle. But though on the outside he had it all, he was very unhappy on the inside. His wife was growing old, and the couple was childless. He had always wanted a little boy to carry on the family legacy. Miraculously, his wife became pregnant in her later years, and she gave birth to a little boy. The boy was severely handicapped, but the man loved him with his whole heart. When the boy was five, his mom died. The dad drew closer to his special son. At age 13, the boy's birth defects cost him his life and the father died soon after from a broken heart. The estate was auctioned before hundreds of bidders. The first item offered was a painting of the boy. No one bid. They waited like vultures for the riches. Finally, the poor housemaid, who helped raise the ...
... of the scourging by whips Jesus received. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross where He died to pay for our sins so that all who trust in Him could have eternal life. Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane, a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who" have eyes to see and ears to hear". I am sure that the candy maker would love to have this symbol again be used to remind people of the wonder of Jesus and His GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas and remains the ultimate force in the universe today. [Author Unknown-from Randy Walker] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
189. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Christmas Crayons. [Stories]
... Christmas Crayons My childhood was filled with laughter, love, and happy memories-especially during the holidays, but the yuletide that stands out most is the year of the Christmas Crayons. I was nine that December, little sis Diane was eight and big brother Dennis was 10. Since all of us were sophisticated non-believers in the man in the big red suit, Mom thought she'd be straight with us." Money's tight so you're each getting one small gift so I can get your dad the dresser he needs ," Mom warned. Dennis made a grumpy face, but Diane and I weren't too upset. After all, we had plenty of Barbies and board games to occupy our free time. One day, about a week before Christmas, Dad was at work so Mom brought out a huge box and a gigantic roll of red wrapping paper." I need you kids to help wrap but remember, Dad's dresser is our secret ," Mom ...
... had heard and watched Night yawning with no cares, assured of eternal existence." Soon your happy time will be over and all things will be mine to conquer. There will be no more sunny times for you as I will use all to be somber like I am" Even those that were awake at night and liked that time grew worried, for they knew that their existence depended on the Light, and even they began to hate the time they used to love with the forever-scorning dark. One day, as Night rolled its way along, consuming a particularly nice spot from the leaving Day, Night continued its torment, commenting on how many had died and succumbed to its cold fortress of contempt during its ritual time. This time, Day had a thought. Day paid no attention to the jeering Night, but told of a smaller ball of fire that had once been and now is no more." The moon is now my ...
... and a twinkle in his eye. Yet another, of a little boy with curly blonde hair just like hers and a smile as big and as warm as the summer sun. She rolls over on her stomach and stares at the pictures and they seem to stare back. She begins to talk to them in a soft voice, almost a whisper..." Where are you ?", she says aloud." Mama and I miss you very much! And we love you, too !" She grabs the snub nosed pencil she brought with her and the pad of paper and begins to write; something she does a lot these days in spite of her young age. She begins to write a little poem:" One little angel, sitting on a star One little angel, out there oh so far-Every night I see you, every night I pray Come home to Mama and me, Come home to us this day. Two ...
192. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Surviving the 81st Floor of World Trade Tower Two. [Stories]
... superintendent Stanley Praimnath of Elmont, Long Island. He got up early, took a shower, prayed, got ready and headed for work. The drive was uneventful. The train ride was the same. Yet, this day he would see the hand of God spare his life." For some particular reason, I gave the Lord a little extra of myself that morning {during prayer }," Stanley said." I said, 'Lord, cover me and all my loved ones under your precious blood ' And even though I said that and believed it, I said it over and over and over" When Stanley arrived at World Trade Center Tower Two, he took the elevator up to his office on the 81st floor." I work for the Fuji Bank Limited ," he said." I'm an assistant vice president in the loans operations department. The company is located on the 79th through 82nd floors" Stanley greeted Delise, a woman who ...
193. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Lassie Dog. [Stories]
... !" He'd look forward to each episode as Lassie would save the day on each and every airing of this show. His mother had memorized Kevin's question as it was sure to follow at the end of every episode of" Lassie" Per usual, he quickly spun around while sitting 'Indian Style ' on the floor and asked," Mom ?, Can I have a Lassie dog? Please mom !?" As she gazed into his eager eyes she replied," Honey, I'd love to give you a dog like Lassie, but I've said it before -dogs like Lassie like to be outside and run" Desperately trying to convince him she added," Kevin, I have told you over and over again that our yard is too small for a Lassie dog !" Kevin appeared pensive for a moment and then excitingly exclaimed," I have an idea mom! I'll teach the Lassie dog to stay by me all of the time so she won't get lost or ...
194. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Enough For Now. [Stories]
... had a plan and a purpose in his situation. And I complain about one year of trials that I don't understand. I whine because my husband doesn't have a steady job
forgetting that God has never let us go hungry and has always provided the money we need at the exact moment we need it. I wonder why we had to endure a house fire
forgetting the profound lesson I learned as I pulled my adopted son from a burning closet-it's only through God's love in us that mothers are capable of such love. I stress about unpaid bills
forgetting that God is slowly but surely teaching me how to trust Him with my every need. I cry at the pain I've had to watch my son endure .forgetting that God spared his life. My questions to God seem a little out of place in the scheme of things now. Yes .I still struggle. I still ask why. I still wish I could see the ultimate plan and ...
195. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Saved At Sea. [Stories]
... He continued," Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life. to which boy would he throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by even the torrent of waves." As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son! ' he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His son's body was never recovered" By this time, the two teenagers were listening very attentively, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth." The father ," he continued," knew his son would step into eternity with ...
... six million viewers. One might ask themselves:" Why ?" However, that answer is simple. If it could help even one person suffering from cancer to face the next day, that was worth Marnie's uneasiness. Not only did she succeed in helping that one person but she succeeded in helping thousands and millions; not merely people dealing with cancer, but also those dealing with ordinary life. Marnie taught us so much. She taught us the importance of a family's love. She taught us the definition of courage and bravery. She taught us the importance of living for the day and making the most of each day. She taught us the meaning of dignity. She taught and showed so much in those six weeks that the film was shown throughout the nation. Her heart and spirit captured the love of all those whose lives she touched. Marnie told me that I was her inspiration; however, in reality, she was my inspiration. ...
... Blessed by Simplicity This is a simple little story, with a simple meaning-but it has a very powerful message. I recently started working part-time at a discount store. I have had the opportunity to observe customers from all walks of life. Even though the store is a" discount" store, shoppers range from well-to-do to the plain and simple whose economic needs probably necessitate their shopping at discount stores. Of course I already knew that having a bright loving persona isn t by any means related to how affluent a person is, and that is what this little story is about. This week a special blessing was sent my way! Three very special customers came in together-three young ladies-or maybe I should label them angels in disguise! I was standing behind the counter as they entered and realized that one of the ladies was the caregiver and that she had brought the other two" mentally challenged" ladies in to ...
... I seemed to have been adopted into their family-her people became my people, as it was put so beautifully in the old biblical story of Ruth. I happily accepted the offer. As I vacated the daughter's bedroom, I thought it might be nice to have a little sister to look after. But when I later met my new sister, I realized that this idea of looking after her might be more interesting than I first imagined. We eventually fell in love, married, and have looked after one another for many years. There have been times that life turned out to be more challenging than either of us could have known. But we have always been able to go forward largely because we knew that somebody deeply cared. It isn't about marriage. it's about love. It's about mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers and special friends who are as close as family. It's about anybody who can say," I'll be around ...
199. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Dreams As Special. [Stories]
... Sherry worked hard to keep her little family together, and try not to fall apart. However, there were, on occasion, little signs around her, events that told her she was not alone." Once my four-year-old told me that she often saw two bright angels that followed me everywhere ," Sherry says." And sometimes I simply felt a presence around me" Often she prayed that God had not forgotten her, and would bring her a good man to love and appreciate her. Several years passed, and then Sherry met Chris, a wonderful man and an answer to her prayers. Soon they were married." Chris is a caring husband, and a wonderful stepfather to our daughters ," Sherry says." And he never once mentioned his regret at not having a child of his own" But Sherry knew how he felt. And when she consulted her physician, he believed that there was a chance Sherry could become pregnant again ...
200. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Little Messenger. [Stories]
... for this baby. I believed it was meant for us to raise this child, not another family, and that God would provide and He did. There was a huge baby shower thrown at work for me as the Grandmother. Baby clothes, high chair, bed, stroller, bottles, everything you could possibly need to get started and more were received. We decided to come up with a name for this baby girl and struggled with several names. I've always loved the name Gabrielle. It is a derivative of Gabriel which means" messenger of God". My daughter wanted the name, Destini. She said," Because she is destined to be" I thought about the full meaning," Destined to be a messenger of God" and loved it. And so, Destini Gabrielle was born in January 2000. Two years have passed and Destini was two years old this month. In the short time she has been with us ...
... fish in there you need to be careful. Adding fertilizer for the plants won't necessarily be good for the fish ," he said." Are the plants spreading like they should ?"" Yes, in fact they spread too much. I actually have to remove some leaves"" How big is this pond ?"" Oh, about five feet by three"" That's not a pond, it a bird bath !" he said joking." I know. But we love it anyway"" What else do you have growing in it?" Some tall plant this year that supposed to grow a gladiola-like flower on it"" Is that growing ?"" Yes, it just keeps growing these big leaves. I thought at first I bought a palm tree. I bet if I bought one more I could tie a hammock in-between. Okay, it's not that big ," I said." But every time a new shoot comes up we think ...
... 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, watching and following us in secret. One day, like a shadow on a cloudy day, she disappeared, perhaps ...
203. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- His Name Is Daniel [Stories]
... book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse of scripture, in Jeremiah," I know the plans I have for you ," declared the Lord," plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope"" Thanks, man ," he said." I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you"" I know ," I said," I love you, too"" The Lord is good"" Yes. He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you ?" I asked." A long time ," he replied. And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning ...
... pie and applesauce are undeniably the best. And Mom gives all the credit to her 'Early June ' apple tree. My mother modestly says," The reason my pies are so good is because of 'Early Junes ' apples, without her apples my pies would just be average". For over forty years heavy winds, ice storms, lightening hits, insects, and tree diseases have ravaged Mom's orchard. Mom has tended to her damaged fruit trees as if they were loving members of the family. Giving them the best care possible. Even with her constant loving effort, she still has lost most of her trees. She now has only two trees remaining in her orchard, her 'Washington Red, and her 'Early June. Last year during the winter, Mom's beloved apple tree 'Early June ' was knocked to its side by the strong winds. As the entire family was called and gathered to come see the sad condition of 'Early June, it ...
... ," Auntie Clare" Some folks, who normally sat with a blank expression on their faces, literally came alive when they saw us coming down the hall with Jasper. We often took our cat. Honey, too." Auntie Clare" called Honey" her" cat. But it was Jasper that the other residents at the home looked forward to seeing. His visit was a special treat. But I'll let Jasper tell his own story. I love to visit the nursing home, and down the halls I love to roam. But first I check the nurses out to see if I may walk about. They always say," We're glad you've come. The folks all here call you their chum" I've come to see a special friend. I know she'll be there in the end. But first I'll greet some other folk, my head they'll pat, my back they'll stroke. So onward down the hall I ...
206. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- 2B Together. [Stories]
... will take at least a minute and a half just to get into hyper swing. Well, deep in his heart he knew that was two minutes in" adult time". Mom will say that at least two more times before she really means two minutes. I walked over to a nearby bench and took out my pen and paper. The real reason I run away to places like this is so I can write. I get inspired by watching people. I love to hear the sounds of life. I love to watch the interaction of people, plants, and animals. In a park, life as you know it is suspended temporarily. It's the way life is meant to be. We mess it all up by jamming everything together and sticking a tree, a rose bush and a potted vegetable garden on the deck." Oh, the great outdoors !" we trick ourselves into believing. Here, I forget the phone calls and ...
... . I don't want to whine about it any more. It all came to a head in the parking lot of a store I was about to enter. I called my wife and told her how overwhelmed I was but just couldn't explain why. I've been here before, but I have developed thinking skills, mixed them with a strong faith and have always learned to rise above it all. I have to. I have a job to do, a life I love and since I believe I chose to be overwhelmed with life, I can also choose to put it all in perspective. I headed home. As I was preparing dinner it started to rain. I had just started the charcoal grill and I could easily have added this silly little coincidence to my collection of problems for the day. But I simply accepted it. No thunder and lightening, just rain gushing down on my plans. I went about preparing the rest of the ...
208. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- White Rose Wreath. [Stories]
... White Rose Wreath Vernal rebirth to our small coastal island seemed to come much later than any where else in the state of Maine. By Memorial Day, April showers had not yet kept its promise of May flowers. Due to this annual shortage, ingenious island women made up this deficit by spending days with scissors in hand, crafting miles of crepe paper into floral facsimiles fit to grace cemetery lots of their deceased loved ones. Grammie was master of this art form. She would cut stacks of pink, red, yellow, and white petal shapes. With her nimble fingers, she pulled and puffed them into lush fullness. With a rolling motion of the scissors, she fluted the petals ' tips. By attaching and overlapping those petals to green paper wrapped wire stems, roses magically burst into full bloom. Or sometimes, small buds. My favorites though were the single petaled white flowers with the long yellow stamen. Grammie told me they ...
209. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Heaven and Hell [Stories]
... same long-handled spoons. But here everyone was happy and well nourished." I don't understand" said the man." Why is everyone happy here and miserable in the other room? Everything is the same"" Here, said the Lord, they have learned to SERVE each other" Addendum-Galatians 5: 13-14 (NKJ)" For you brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love SERVE one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself" [Author Unknown] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake just for me, and I knew that little things are special things. When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I believed there is a God I could always talk to. When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be. When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked. and wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking. Do they see Christ (in your ...
211. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Hank, The Rescue Pup. [Stories]
... 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 ...
212. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Box Of Kisses [Stories]
... The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said ," Oh, Daddy, it is not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy" The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us as humans have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, family and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold. [Author Unknown-from Denial Bahney] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
213. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Dog In The Road. [Stories]
... that I was able to steer the car back towards the ditch and away from the edge of the mountain curve. I only needed a tow instead of a trip to the hospital or mortuary. I guess God wasn t quite ready for me to leave this life yet. Albert Einstein said," God doesn t play dice" This is true for the world and for our lives. As I look back upon that day I can see God s loving handiwork in it. I think He still had more for me to learn and do in this life. I just pray that I don t waste a moment of it. I pray that I make everyday I have left a loving gift to my Heavenly Father who made me. May you do the same.~Joseph J. Mazzella~[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright 2008 (joecool @wirefire.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net ...
214. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Lucky The Dog. [Stories]
... and she dozed. When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure. Remember... live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget. the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with ...
... the long hard winter. Thirteen years later on our 50th wedding anniversary, the doctor confirmed that I did indeed have a battle ahead of me this time the treatment would be chemotherapy. I had once again come through a long, hard winter, battling cancer again. This time the battle was Lymphoma and once again I had reached for the warmth and strained for the light. Light that only God could give. As He gently guided and I often resisted, His love continued. Everywhere I look this morning I see what is truly a gift from God. I will never again take life for granted. God is in His Heaven and that can make all right with the world. Yes, each day brings its own priceless miracle-the renewal of life and a promise of tomorrow.~Dorothy Casper~Copyright 2007 blueprint4living @netzero.com Many years ago my favorite teacher stressed the importance of each of us students to recognize that we should each ...
216. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- This Is Good [Stories]
... I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this"" No ," his friend replied," This is good !"" What do you mean ,'This is good? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year ?"" If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you"" And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8: 28) Situations may not always seem pleasant while we are in them, but the promise of God is clear. If we love Him and live our lives according to His precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will be turned by God for His glory and our benefit. Hold on, God is faithful! May God bless you this week as you seek ...
... time you giggled over the simple things in life? If it's been too long, won't you be determined to see life once again through the eyes of a child? The Bible says," Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" Are there some things a child could teach you today? Hannah and Katie taught me some great truths this past weekend. It is not always about what we do with the ones we love, but the attitude in which we do it. We can have fun rocking and singing. Breakfast is much more enjoyable on the back porch. And even taking the garbage to the dumpster is enjoyable when you do it with the people you love.~Nancy B. Gibbs~Daiseydood @aol.com Nancy is an author, weekly newspaper columnist and inspirational speaker. She has been published in numerous books, magazines and devotional guides including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Guideposts and ...
218. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- I Hugged Life Today. [Stories]
... life again here. It was the only sensible name that came to mind ," she said." I had been raised in the big city and really hated it. Then we moved to the country. Kinda running away from it all. I think my parents called it a mid-life crisis ," she said laughing." Boy, I can relate to that. I've been in one since birth ," I said." It was on the farm that I learned to love life again. I was there when" Life" was born. It was so exciting. My whole outlook on the world changed. So I named her" Life" Now I can say I really love" Life ," she said." How incredible. You know I write stories and I am always trying to get people to embrace life. To wake up each day expecting the best from it. But they all too often go to bed with so much bad ...
219. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- My Quilt. [Stories]
... ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air. Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and death, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ...
... My Christmas Landscape Yes, I did it. I went shopping with my wife on." da da da daaaaa .Black Friday" Did you like the dramatic intro? I have done it for years. I don't normally shop, I just escort and I love it! I get to watch people. On this day I see them at their best, buying for others and at their worst, fighting with others. Still it is part of what I call the landscape of Christmas. There really is more good than bad to be found if one chooses to see it. That's like life itself. I recently started exploring the gift of painting. Although I haven't done much of it, I have been reading about it. In the latest copy of" The Artist's Magazine ," I happen to come across a quote that I fell in love with. It explains more about how I see life in general than it does in how to ...
... ," That's so sad "! Well, there was a time when I felt that way too. Finding out in my 20's that I couldn't have children was devastating. I immediately left the child care field and went to work building cables for the B-1 Bomber! The physical, repetitive labor was very good for me. Towards the end of the three years, I found that I was just borrowing my co-workers ' children to do things with. My first and only love was the children. I had a lot of time to think about all of the things I had been cheated out of. I would never hold a new born baby in my arms. I would never rock my baby to sleep. I would never get to sing lullabyes. I would never get to watch my child leave for their first day of school. I would never get to be the tooth fairy! I would never get to talk about boys, or proms ...
222. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- No Jacket Required. [Stories]
... couldn't believe what I heard! A grin broke out on my face and I said," Yes, of course !" He lead me to a table and, sure enough, there was a placard with my name written on it in a deep, dark red. As I browsed over a menu, I saw many delightful items listed. There were things like," peace ,"" joy ,"" blessings ,"" confidence ,"" assurance ,"" hope ,"" love ,"" faith ," and" mercy" I realized that this was no ordinary restaurant! I flipped the menu back to the front in order to see where I was at." God's Grace ," was the name of this place! The man returned and said," I recommend the 'Special of the Day. With it, you are entitled to heaping portions of everything on this menu" You've got to be kidding! I thought to myself. You mean, I ...
... would hold the loyalty of our employees and customers? Would the charities we supported through the years fit into the largest trucks in our fleet? How big of an auditorium would I need to gather the families of our coworkers who have benefited from our generous pay and health plan? Where would I place the local companies we have committed to deal with so that the community we live in stays strong? Finally, father, the most valuable possessions I personally hold are the love of you and mother, family values, your wisdom, compassion and love of God. Look again inside that box. They are not there. The result of all of that is here standing before you" It was clear what decision was made that day. There will come a time when each of us will be asked by our Father to share what we value most. I hope your box is empty." I wish you enough !" J~Bob Perks~ ...
224. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Bound To Forgive. [Stories]
... In 1984, Fr. Jenco traveled to Beirut, dedicated to help the poorest of the poor. On January 8, 1985, he was kidnapped by Shiite Muslim extremists and held hostage for 564 days. He endured imprisonment, beatings, illness and heartbreaking periods of sorrow and loneliness. Several years after his release, he wrote a book (BOUND TO FORGIVE, Ave Maria Press, 1995) about his experiences in captivity and, more importantly, about the power of love and forgiveness. Fr. Jenco tells about being taped like a mummy from his ankles to the top of his head each time he was transported from one place to another. He described being forced to breathe only from his nose as his mouth was stuffed with a cloth and taped shut. He tells of times when his captors said they were going to kill him and he waited for the bullet to go through his head. Other times he was dressed up and told he ...
225. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Your Turn. [Stories]
... like pressing a reset button in my life. The scenery is so beautiful. While driving, I got the urge to stop in a small town to go a dollar store to buy some colored writing tablets. These tablets inspire me and the colors seem to be able to pull the words out of me. I got off at the Lexington exit and saw a Dollar Tree Store. I had never shopped there and didn't know if I would find the tablets that I love there. I almost decided to keep driving and go to the next exit, but instead, stopped for lunch and then went to the store. I did find some pretty writing tablets and was eager to get back on the road to get to The Homestead. When I went to pay for them, I realized I had left my cash at home and only had $8 on me. I had credit cards thankfully and my purchase came to $7.28. That was ...
226. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Amen Crackers. [Stories]
... in your life? In everything give thanks for this is the will of Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians. 5: 18) Amen,~Pamela Perry Blaine~June 23, 2008 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
227. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- What can I do? [Stories]
... 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 shut off. I lost everything" The computer failed and shut down. She nervously looked around for help. She asked the woman next to her, and she called for the manager while trying desperately not to look ...
228. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Wanna Borrow A Jack? [Stories]
... I was caught in the heavy weekend traffic and she'll say," Why didn't you phone me before you left town ?" Then I'll say," What difference does it make anyway, I'm here !" And she'll say," Yes, and I'm here, too, and I've been here all day waiting to hear from you !" And I'll say," I suppose I haven't anything else to do but call you up every hour on the hour and make like a lovebird !" And she'll say," You mean like a wolf, but you wouldn't be calling me !" By this time I am turning into the drive and I am plenty steamed up. As I jumped out and slammed the car door, my wife flung open the window upstairs." All right !" I shouted up to her," Say it !"" I will ," she cooed softly." Wanna borrow a jack ?" [by: J.P. McEvoy-from 'Mountain ...
229. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- You Are Not Alone. [Stories]
... the circumstances of my work. Later, we moved again and then again. Life wouldn't allow us to stay in one place. Years later, my wife passed away due to illness. I always seemed to be in a maze, alone, struggling to find my way. In every case, I thought I was the only one, but I was wrong. There were other kids who used an outhouse, other people who moved, and other spouses who lost loved ones. We feel like we are facing unique problems, but in reality, we're not. No matter what we face or how lonely we feel, there are always others suffering the same. I thought I was the only balloon. I was wrong.~Michael T. Smith~< mtsmith at cableone.net >Michael lives in Fort Lee New Jersey with his wonderful wife Ginny. He works as a project manager in the telecommunications industry during the day. In his spare ...
230. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Welcome Home. [Stories]
... Pamela Perry Blaine~pamyblaine @blaines.us Send Pam an e-mail and let her know what you thought of her story!*Link to a site for more information on ways to support our troops: www.americasupportsyou.mil / americasupportsyou / index.aspx About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
... along with all the bedding, their clothes out of the opened drawers, and about twenty-five pairs of high-heeled shoes that I had stored in their closets. At that point, I don t even think I realized it was raining outside and the mess I had waiting for me out there. I only knew the one I had in front of me. The room was unrecognizable. My two little boys sat there looking at me like I lost my mind. They loved their new room and were having a ball sliding down the new shoot. Very inventive but I didn t think of that either. How in the world did they lift those huge closet doors off the track and onto the bed? But I wasn t impressed with that either, at least not then. My husband was just as stunned and speechless as I was. All we could do is take it all in and try to keep our shock and horror in ...
232. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Brother Like That. [Stories]
... . Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels." I wish ," the boy went on," that I could be a brother like that" Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added," Would you like to take a ride in my automobile ?"" Oh yes, I'd love that" After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said," Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house ?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again." Will you stop where those two steps are ?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a ...
233. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Bridge Keeper [Stories]
... Son to bridge the gap between us and eternal life. Is it any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His Son died? How do you think God feels as we speed along thru life, without giving a thought to what He did for us by sending His son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins-so WE could have eternal life? Addendum-John 3: 16 (NIV)" For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" [Unknown source-Ed: Anon.] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... woke up, I marveled at my blessings." People aren't supposed to be this happy when they grow up, are they ?" It all started one hot August night when a skydiving buddy invited me to try trapeze at a local YMCA. The first time that I stood high above the floor on a small wooden pedestal, wrapped my fingers around a freshly taped" fly-bar" and swung out over a giant net, I was hooked! This led to a five-year love affair with the circus. Occasionally, a sight or sound or smell catapults me back to the days when my husband, Gary, and I trooped with the circus. Last night, while rummaging through some papers, I unearthed an old photo of us. Grinning like crazy, we stood side by side wearing matching burgundy costumes. My thoughts immediately swung back to the first time I wore this outfit in performance. It was opening night at my first Shrine Circus. While ...
... " Walter & Helen, come back !" My wife held up the small wooden box and said," Look, Love notes !" On closer examination I discovered the box was really for notes from visitors." Leave a note" it said. We were at the local library auction. We never participate in the auction, we go to browse through all the junk no one would waste their time bidding on .like that box. I don't know if you remember such things, but I have memories of seeing small wooden boxes, signs, napkin holders and silly little things made from cedar, I believe. They could be found at any number of vacation gift shops where we all bought gifts for family back home. The name of the town was printed in black letters across the front. They were really tacky but expected by friends and family left behind that year That's what this small box from the auction was to most everyone who had ...
236. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Gift. [Stories]
... ," that this is the only way down the mountain of loss .when I remember that Laura Lou was a gift, pure and simple, something I neither earned nor deserved nor had a right to. And when I remember that the appropriate response to a gift, even when it is taken away, is gratitude, then I am better able to try and thank God that I was ever given her in the first place" His daughter was given to him to love and nurture. She never belonged to him, but he had the awesome privilege of sharing her life for a while. When he realized that simple fact, everything changed. He could now begin healing from the tragedy of her loss by focusing instead on the wonder of her life. He started to see Laura Lou as a marvelous gift that he was fortunate enough to enjoy for a time. He felt grateful. He found strength and healing. He finally knew he could ...
237. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Family Strength. [Stories]
... The Family Strength I saw my future in-laws on rare occasions. The 760 miles between Montreal and Halifax prevented us from being together more than twice a year. Our meetings were few, but it was clear to see-I would have no use for mother-in-law jokes-she was pure gold. I loved her instantly. My father-in-law was more of a challenge. Behind his serious manner, he attempted to hide a soft heart. Few grew close enough to see his tenderness. I like to think I was one of those who did. They'd been through a lot in their lives. They immigrated to Canada during the Hungarian revolution. With two young girls in tow, they crossed the heavily guarded border into Austria and immigrated to a country they knew little about. They sought peace and found it in Canada. My mother-in-law suffered with cancer for many years, and although it was in remission, we knew her time was short. During ...
238. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Carl. [Stories]
... me now ?" The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at ease." I learned something from you ," he said." I ran with that gang and hurt people like you. We picked you because you were old and we knew we could do it. But every time we came and did something to you instead of yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink. You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing love against our hate" He stopped for a moment." I couldn't sleep after we stole your stuff, so here it is back" He paused for another awkward moment, not knowing what more there was to say." That bag's my way of saying thanks for straightening me out, I guess" And with that, he walked off down the street. Carl looked down at the sack in his hands and gingerly opened it. He took out his retirement watch and ...
... meal that our family had shared together that day. Then I realized that miracles happen when we step out in faith and in steps God. For with us, some things are impossible. But with God, all things are possible.~Nancy B. Gibbs~Daiseydood @aol.com Nancy is an author, a religion columnist, and an inspirational speaker. She speaks at many women and senior events. Nancy's newest book, Under the Mistletoe, consists of 25 Christmas Love Stories-one to read every day from December 1st to December 25th. You can learn about it at Nancy's website here: http :// www.nancybgibbs.com / [by: Nancy B. Gibbs Copyright 2006 (Daiseydood @aol.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
240. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Great Lesson. [Stories]
... was mesmerized. That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear," Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life. Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. [Author Unknown-from Dee] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
241. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Cat Angel [Stories]
... challenges for all of us over the years, but finally two years ago my son underwent brain surgery that would change his life forever. Tony has not had a seizure these past two years. In fact as of this writing, October 3rd, we are finally allowed to use the word" cured" As if my dear guardian angel knew his work here was done, last night he slept his final sleep. We held him as he died and told him we loved him, would miss him and that one day we would all be together in heaven. I woke up this morning realizing that we had actually experienced two miracles in our lives, Tony being cured of epilepsy, and the miracle of our little guardian angel who watched over him all those years. He was a true friend and we will miss him. Addendum-Luke 4: 10 (GNB)" For the scripture says, 'God will order His angels to take good ...
... down and just cried. A young man happened to be coming down the path at that very moment. He was carrying a sack over his shoulder and whistling a happy tune. He saw the little boy and stopped." What's wrong, young man? Why are you so sad ?" he asked." Sir, I've been walking for several days just to see the King, but the gate-keeper wont let me in. I just wanted to tell the King how lovely everything is and see all the neat things in his castle. If only I could tell the King that I just wanted to see him !" wailed the little boy." Whoa! Slow down a little. Sounds like you've had a rough time today" With that, the man set down His sack and began to rummage through it." Would you like to have a fresh apple ?" asked the Man." Yes, thanks, said the little boy. I ...
243. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Whopeee! A Snow Day! [Stories]
... window and waved a soggy mitten at me." His face and warm smile an invitation for me to" Come have a look! See what we built !!" This was an offer I just couldn't pass up. I donned my warmest jacket, hat and mittens. I pulled on my Canadian Sorrels and headed for the back door. The proud proprietors of this icy establishment invited me to" crawl on in !"" Come on Mom, it's so cool !" You'll love it ", they all chimed! I crawled into this nether world of boys, dogs and long forgotten memories. We all snuggled together. Their faces, sweaty from hard work, noses running from the cold, the smell of wet wool, combined with a panting 80-pound dog humbled me. This was the world of children. And I was invited in. There was no other place on earth that I would rather have been. I felt like the luckiest Mother in the ...
244. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- C O D. [Stories]
... rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also Matthew 6: 19-21~Pamela Perry Blaine~January 2008 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
... 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 me 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 ...
... smiled. The day before their first game, Coach Randy gave each player a bright red jersey. Kevin was number 12. He scrambled himself into the sleeves and wore that jersey almost every day. Everywhere. One Sunday morning the church worship service was interrupted by Kevin's excited voice." Look, Coach !" He lifted his gray wool sweater to reveal the red jersey underneath with number 12 on the front. Nobody there minded the interruption; the congregation knew Kevin and loved him. I'd like to be able to tell you that the team did well. But the truth is.they never won a game that season-except for the night it snowed and the opposing team never showed up. At the end of the season, the boys played in the church league's tournament. As the last-place team, they drew the unfortunate spot of playing against the best team-boys who had never lost a game all year. Game day arrived. Both teams ...
... I mean, if ever I decided to take up knitting, I would need to know" The most important thing" But what she said triggered an entirely different response in me. Ready?" Everything begins with a knot !" she said. Then holding both her index fingers up she added," Two soldiers !" The student ran off. I quickly turned away when she glanced at me. I was having six grade flashbacks. Still, I smiled. I loved what I heard. It registered in my mind like this." Everything begins with a" NOT" Everything I want to change has to begin with a" not"" I'm NOT going to quit !"" I'm NOT going to complain, I'm going to do something about it"" I'm not going to win if I don't lose once in awhile"" I'm not going to succeed unless I keep trying"" I'm not going to lose weight until I gain ...
248. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The way you are. [Stories]
... living room just to hear him say it." I did, Charlie! I did !" I shouted. When the darkness of night came blanketing my bedroom, lying there I tried to figure out why this one particular day was so incredible. It was because Ann Marie said," that's just the way you are" I realized that she saw me as one who would do such things just because. That I was caring enough to do something, or show love to someone because I wanted to. I have been that way all of my life. I was always the kid who shared whatever money I had, candy I bought, or time I had available with people who needed it more than I did. But no one ever recognized that. No one. The only other time I heard it was when, while going through my divorce, my first wife told my son Keith," That the way your father is, ...
... could feel the excitement as music began to build to the refrain." Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine !" By this time there was never a dry eye. After the service the man would blend into the crowd and exit the rear door. The tradition lived on until a month before Christmas that year. He had joined his love, his reason to sing." What will they do ?" one of the elders asked." Who could take his place ?" No one. No one would dare attempt to fill his spot. It would be difficult indeed to come close to that long treasured moment." We will do the song in his memory" the choir director declared." But who among us will sing his part ?"" God had blessed us with his voice and His earthly choir is ...
... the stone for that path. I made it so that you can always come back to me" I know one day one of us will walk ahead and the other will be left behind. That path is one way. The promise is, I understand, eventually we will meet again and never have to leave. I like that idea. So, my friend, on your journey through life may every road you take always lead you back to the ones you love." I believe in You !" J~Bob Perks~[ by: Bob Perks Copyright 2009 (2believe @comcast.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
251. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Winner. [Stories]
... you. I want you to go back out there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can't. And, son, you're going to get scored on again, but it doesn't matter. Go on, now" It made a difference-I could tell it did. When you're all alone, and you're getting scored on-and you can't stop them-it means a lot to know that it doesn't matter to those who love you. The little guy ran back on to the field-and they scored two more times-but it was okay. I get scored on every day. I try so hard. I recklessly throw my body in every direction. I fume and rage. I struggle with temptation and sin with every ounce of my being-and Satan laughs. And he scores again, and the tears come, and I go to my knees-sinful, convicted, helpless. ...
252. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Mother's Crown. [Stories]
... For all the nights by their bedside, You stayed till the fever went down, For nursing every little wound, I add this emerald to your crown"" A ruby, I'll place by the emerald, For leading your child in the right way, For if you hadn't taught them about me, They wouldn't be here with you today. For always being right there, Thru all life's important events, I give you a sapphire stone, For the time and love you spent"" For untying the strings that held them, When they grew up and left home, I give you this one for courage" Then the Lord added an amethyst stone." I'll place a stone of garnet ," He said," For all the times you spent on your knees, When you asked me to take care of your children, And them for having faith in me"" I have a pearl for every little sacrifice, That you made ...
... the second screw quietly asked." I learned not to judge others because I have my own sins to deal with"" Then ," the second screw said," I forgive you"" Thank you, my friend. And rest assured, my vanity will remain forever at the bottom of that dirty puddle of oil"" Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered" (Psalm 32: 1 NIV) [by Ed Price (The Loving Heart)-from Wes] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... fix my eyes on my Father who had also been watching over me all the time. There can be a lot to see in the view from my kitchen window.~Pamela Perry Blaine~December 2005 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
255. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Story To Live By. [Stories]
... done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with-someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write-one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is. a gift from God. [by: Ann Wells, Los Angeles Times-from 'The Inspired Buffalo ' (the-inspired-buffalo @yahoogroups.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars! Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You ' Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little. after all, these were courageous souls who are writing a blank check made payable to their country, for any amount 'up to and including my life. [Author Unknown-from 'Nancy Cantafio ' (the-inspired-buffalo @yahoogroups.com ...
... years we have tried to create a backyard garden which expresses that natural balance. We grow flowers throughout and have a small fenced in section where we attempt to grow vegetables. The key word being" attempt" Right outside our back door we have a small pond with ten gold fish and at least one frog. At the far end of the property now sits our" H.O.P.E. House" our converted shed, where we can let go of life and express our love of it through art and music. Sounds pretty snooty doesn't it? Okay, we have paint and colored pencils along with XM radio, a hand drum and a ukulele. Balance. It is the area of the pond that has given me much stress. Our frog disappeared. This has happened before. One day we had a frog, another day we had four. Then none. This year we only had one and it took off. My real fear was that ...
258. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Working Holiday. [Stories]
... never left." He's had it pretty easy these last six months ," she explained," While he's been resting on his laurels and shootin ' the breeze, I've continued to work my way through the days. Look at me right now, trudging through the grocery store looking for pork" Another round of laughter ensued." Fair's fair. I'm putting Jack to work over the Christmas holidays" We found the pork, eventually, and parted company. So much love, life and laughter in one little lady-the memory of our encounter will stay with me always. I thought of her husband as I stood in the check-out line, and stifled a sudden urge to laugh." I hope you're getting plenty of rest Jack. You're definitely working this Christmas" [Terri McPherson, 2000, Windsor, Ontario, Canada (tmcphers @mnsi.net)-from Aiken Drum] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... stranger would pass by Gramp s shack, he d rush out to greet him, and he d call him on back. He d holler," Come in friend, set and chat fer a spell" Then he d serve up some tea, and his stories he d tell. His yarns were of the" old times ", when first he" came here ;" how he d brought his new bride-oh, he loved her so dear. His eyes filled with tears as he talked of" dear Bell" He buried her there-and a wee babe, as well. With him in his shack on the side of a hill, lived a mangy old cat, and a dog he called" Bill" He existed on tea and boiled up dried beans, and the odd time he d stew up some dandelion greens. He d say," Let s go huntin ...
260. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Stuffing! [Stories]
... ask me," What does it need ?" It was a special time. Not only for Thanksgiving but a special time for my mom and me. I am thankful to her for allowing me to help make the stuffing. It was a time I'll always remember. A time I will always hold dear to my heart.~Lori Andalee Hinderer~Lori says," I'm 47 years 'young! ' I have a rare form of muscular dystrophy since birth. I love to read books on tape, writing short stories, starting my book and writing in my journal. Writing I have found is rewarding. Due to the warm weather in Arizona, I moved here twelve years ago. I dedicate my story to my Mother" You can email Lori at: sliceoflife2 at cox.net. [by: Lori Andalee Hinderer, Copyright 2008 (sliceoflife2 at cox.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
261. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Becoming "Dad". [Stories]
... lip curled defiantly, but I retreated. In my mind he was successful. In her soul she knew she had married the right guy. But it is not in her nature to acknowledge that so early on. 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 ...
... animals talk. Over 2, 000 years ago, Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. This was no abandoned place, but was a working stable, filled with animals of all kinds. Into these humble surroundings, encircled by the innocent creatures of God, the Savior of man came into the world. Now according to legend, at least, Christ's birth occurred at exactly midnight. Inside the stable, the animals watched in wonder as the new-born babe was lovingly wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. Suddenly, God gave voice to the animals and immediately they began to praise God for the miracle they had just seen. This went on for several minutes and, just before the entrance of the shepherds-who had hurried to the stable because angels had told them the Christ had been born there-the animals again fell silent. The only humans who had heard them were Mary, Joseph and, of course, the ...
... to save just the rich and the powerful. He came to offer salvation to all. Could the lowliest of people have accepted Him had He been born into splendor and hobnobbed only with the rich? The mistake of many people today, as it was then, is to expect God to conform to their expectations. The Jews expected a king, a great sword-wielding warrior who would be their salvation from the pagans of Rome. Instead, they got a gentle man of love and peace who taught that the way to salvation was repentance of sin and trust in God. What they got was totally unexpected, and Jesus went largely unrecognized by the powerful Jewish rulers except as a clear and present danger to their authority. It was mainly the lowly and the humble who followed Him, who listened to His words and were ultimately saved. The powerful Jews of the Temple, with few exceptions, considered Jesus a dangerous, itinerate preacher from Nazareth who uttered ...
... new coat. And He did-and a finer coat than I ever imagined" The mother kissed her daughter on the cheek. The little girl could feel the warm wetness of her mother's tears against her dry, cool skin." You know ," the little ragged girl said as she hugged her mother," I really am so very rich to have a mother like you"" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8: 28 NIV) [By Ed Price-from 'Themestream '] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... her years of experience as a wife, a mother, and a lady. There s the father showing his son how to hold a baseball bat and how to stand at the plate. An older mechanic patiently explains the strange noise under the hood to the new guy. An experienced teacher illustrates her technique of classroom discipline to the recent graduate. The long-time student of the Word explains a text to his disciple. Jesus when he asked Peter," Do you love me ?" People taking time to share their wisdom, explain their success, and reveal their failures. Both benefit from the experience. Many others will reap the fruit of their time together. A little later I saw the two pelicans on their way back down the coastline (I m not absolutely sure it was the same two pelicans, but they looked like them) This time they have switched places. I heard the older one say," Okay, son. ...
266. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Living Tree. [Stories]
... the living room, now darkened except for the lights of the tree, was a breathless, magical moment. Tears rolled down my cheeks, as I thanked God, for giving me back my Christmas. We went a little wild, carefully placing every childhood token, every home-made gift, and every bauble and bead, that we had packed so long ago, only to be forgotten. But not this Christmas. Our little living tree became filled with a lifetime of love and sharing. Christmas came and went, all too fast. We carefully removed each ornament, the lights, and the garland. Tenderly, we moved our potted tree down into the chilled basement, right in front of the patio door. I would frequently slip downstairs and visit the little tree. Then standing before her, I would whisper," Stay alive, little tree. Please stay alive. I need you to live" From January until early spring I made ...
... their portion once more. Each time these difficult periods came 'round again, the music ceased and tension, fear, and strife shoved aside the joy and began to rule. Christiana and her peers lived only for the times of joy, pouting and resisting those that kept them from their fun. At one particularly dark and trying hour, Celeste and Chaucer, who had been on this flight much longer and had learned to take things more in stride, hovered near their lovely and delicate daughter." How do you manage to remain so calm when our enemies are near ?" Christiana asked." My dear ", said her father," When we began this journey, before you were born, the father of snowflakes, the one who formed us, spoke a promise for us to hold close to our hearts along the way"" Long ago ," he said," because the snowflake journey is fraught with enemies, I sent my perfect snowflake ...
... " It's a church, honey. That's the house of God. People go there to pray ," I say, trying to avoid a lengthy religious question and answer session-it didn't work." What do they pray for ?"" Well, they ask Gods ' forgiveness for sins and ask God to help people who are less fortunate." What is less fortunate ?"" A person who is less fortunate is someone who may not have a home, food, love or a job-not being fortunate can mean many things, Adam"" How does God help them? Does he give them food ?"" I guess he could give them food but God tends to use other people to help hungry people. God once said, 'What you do for the least of them, you do for me"" What does that mean, daddy ?"" It means that when you help the poorest of people, you are actually helping God ...
269. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Child's Angel. [Stories]
... me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless? Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you. But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy. Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy. And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don't know the language that people talk? Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak. And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you? Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to ...
... , he said to Sandra," I highly recommend the Special !"" I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life" Sandra said." It's all too .fresh"" Well ," the clerk replied carefully," my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns" Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment." I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please ," she managed to choke out." I hoped you would ," said the clerk gently." I'll have them ready in a minute"" Thank you. What do I owe you ?"" Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first ...
... agencies that he thought would be better suited to this particular need. After searching from dusk until after dark, the Samaritan finally relocated the body of the mortally wounded man, laying in a ditch beside the highway. Chasing away stray dogs which had come to lick the bleeding wounds, the Samaritan stood quietly beside the now lifeless corpse. Prolonged exposure to the elements had been more than his beaten body could bear. Bending down beside the bruised and broken body, the loving Samaritan put out His nail-scarred hand and gently closed the dead man's eyes... while tenderly caressing the man's battered face-Jesus wept. [Author unknown-story up-date: Anonymous] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... seven; The hillside's dew-pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn; God's in His heaven-All's right with the world!~Robert Browning~Pamela Perry Blaine~March 2007 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
273. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Light Bulb Moment. [Stories]
... needed bottle of youth-the blond hair dye. There is comfort in time gone by; comfort in accepting the fact that, for most of us getting older means getting better. Even if it does take us a little longer to reach our goals, we succeed with patience, wisdom and stamina. And that's a light bulb moment that shines bright for those who believe.~Kathy Whirity~Bio: Kathy Whirity lives in Chicago where she shares her life and love with her husband of 29 years, Bill, their two daughters, Jaime and Katie, and two rambunctious retrievers, Holly and Hannah. Kathy is a newspaper columnist who shares her sentimental musings on family life. [by: Kathy Whirity Copyright 2005-submitted by: Kathy Whirity (kathywhirity @yahoo.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... tell that Mike's appetite was outweighing his fancy for basted eggs, as he looked up and said," This is fine, it's just the way I like them !"~Pamela Perry Blaine~August 2006 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
... where he always was, smiling at me as he always did. And somehow that helped-just knowing he was there-and I came back to my senses in time to give a sweatier-than-usual hug to Heidi. For the next 35 years that was always the case-not the" sweaty hug" part, but the" Dad was there" part. Through good times and bad, Dad was always there to smile, to encourage, to support and to love. I came to depend on that, even toward the end of his life when smiling was about all that he could do. It helped to know that, no matter what, Dad was there. And now I'm the one who is in my 50s struggling to keep pace with a teenage basketball player in my family. I think about Dad on Father's Day or whenever I'm tempted to NOT be there for my children. To be honest, I'm not as good at ...
276. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Missing Jesus [Stories]
... When the furnace went out, that number kept going ' through my mind. 777-8152, 777-8152." Said on the box that if a person was missin ' Jesus, they should call you. That's how I knew you were good Christian people, willin ' to help folks. I figured that maybe you would help me, too. So stopped at the grocery store tonight and I called your missus. I'm not missin ' Jesus, mister, because I sure love the Lord. But I am missin ' heat. I have no money to fix that furnace. Okay, Okay said father. You've come to the right place. Now lets see. You've got a little oil burner over there in the dining room. Shouldn't be too hard to fix. Probably just a clogged flue. I'll look it over, see what it needs" Mother came into the living room carrying a plate of cookies and warm milk. As she set ...
277. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- A Late Bloomer. [Stories]
... it mounted its course. A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail." What worthy deed can I do ?" the cactus called." You ?" the lizard laughed, pausing a moment." Worthy deed? Why, you can't do anything! The hawks circle way overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire. The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our ways home to our loved ones. Even I, the lowly lizard, have something to do. I decorate the sands with these beautiful brushstrokes as I pull my tail along. Buy you? You do nothing but get uglier every day" And so it went on, year after year. At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short." Oh, Lord ," it cried out," I've wondered so long, and I've tried so hard. Forgive me if ...
278. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Miriam Parable. [Stories]
... and it is in His grace that we find that we are given the right to be His children. Like Miriam, the only way grace can be ours is to accept the gift of Jesus Christ that is offered to us by God Himself. God did not have to forgive us (show mercy ), nor did he have to allow us to become members of His family (extending grace). But both mercy and grace are necessary to show the depth of His love for us. [by Glenn A. Hascall (cmi @prairieweb.com)-submitted by: Glenn A. Hascall] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
279. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Blue Rose. [Stories]
... be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a 'Blue Rose ' and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God. She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, 'Who are you? ' Without thinking I said, 'Oh, I'm probably just a 'daffodil or maybe even a dandelion, ' but I sure love living in God's garden. [Author Unknown-from Bill Rayborn (bill @billrayborn.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... in an effort to show Jesus in my life or hope that others would see it anyway? By the way, the conversation I had with my editor when we talked about faith was this." Bob, would you have a problem with having God in your stories ?" I was stunned. I was quiet for moment." I would like to add a bible quote here and there throughout the book ," she added. I then immediately replied," I would love that !" When I hung up the phone I headed to my story files and ran a search for the word" God" I wasn't surpised when I found I actually mention God in most of my work. The rest I reflect faith based principles. Oh, yes. One more question. If you ran a search of God in your life, how many times would you find him? J" I believe in You !"~Bob Perks~[ by: Bob ...
281. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- March to the Sea. [Stories]
... March to the Sea Grammie Rose s beautiful, two story, white house with a verandah on the back proudly sat facing the sea on our small island of the coast of Maine. The Shelter Woods, a windbreak of evergreens, lovingly protected the houses at Barney s Cove from the strong prevailing winds. One bright spring day, when all danger of frost was over and the salty sea air held the promise of summer, Grammie called to me to help her drag a burlap sack out of her basement. Being just a slip of a kid, I probably wasn t much help. But once the sack rested on the lawn, she promptly emptied the dry clumps of dahlia tubers onto the grass. Wrinkled and gnarled like witches fingers and dirty ones at that, the tubers didn t look like they d be flowers some day to me. But the dahlias knew. Purplish sprouts along the top of the shriveled ...
282. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Me. [Stories]
... had been disappointed in myself lately because I usually listen to that inner voice the first time without hesitation. It wasn't until today that I realized I was supposed to wait. I needed this guy more than he needed me. There is conflict in my life right now. It is a battle not only going on in my mind, but in my heart. I have tried to understand, make excuses for, forgive someone, but am failing desperately. Because I love people so much, when I can't resolve a relationship, I see it as a fault of my own. My thinking goes to" maybe you aren't doing your job. Maybe you aren't trying hard enough" I question" me" I did until today. There he was again. Waiting at the corner. This time the voice said," Help him !" I pulled off, got out of my car, and rushed to his side." My friend, ...
283. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Mears Family Store. [Stories]
... He had few customers and did not make them feel welcome. Bernie wandered about the store, dusting a bit and sweeping the floor. His inventory remained almost the same, as nothing much was sold. After awhile, he stopped sweeping and dusting. The grocery part still had canned foods but little else. Bernie was loosing weight and not eating much once his fresh meats and cheeses were depleted. A deep depression set in. He had lost Marie, his true love, and now his business seemed lost as well. Why did he want to live? A few houses down the street lived a family who had also fallen on hard times. They seldom had three square meals a day. Julie, the youngest girl was fourteen. Julie worried about Mr. Mears getting so thin. At meal time, she would take a portion of their meager meal to Bernie. She would stay and talk to him, dusting and cleaning. After ...
... ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment. The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are-and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life-can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. [From Big Al, via 'The Inspired Buffalo ' (the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe @yahoogroups.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... , who retired from farming in 1995." I didn't dream anything like this would happen" What happened is a Christmas tale to touch the hardest of Scrooges. After buying 40 new bicycles and placing a classified ad seeking used ones, word quickly circulated. Donations of bikes started pouring in to his farm three miles north of town. To date he has given away nearly 200 and has 100 more in his workshop. Each carries a license plate reading," Jesus Loves You" But he didn't stop with free bikes. Riddick gave the children his heart. Although he had built a 1.5-acre playground on his farm for his grandchildren, three of the five now live out of state. After getting acquainted with youngsters in the community, he invited them out to the homemade attraction. It includes a cable ride the length of a football field, with capacity for four riders; a 50-foot-high tree swing and a 61-foot slide. The latter is more ...
286. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Freedom's Price. [Stories]
... observance of the Memorial Day so they will know the price that has been paid for their freedom. It only takes one generation of neglect to forget valuable teachings of the past.~Pamela Perry Blaine~pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
287. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- God Is Under My Bed. [Stories]
... some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions. It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap-I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances-they all become disabilities when I do not submit them to Christ. Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the Goodness and Love of The Lord. And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed. Kevin won't be surprised at all. [Author Unknown-from Barry and Delphine Bowman, via Chaplain777-owner @yahoogroups.com] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
288. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Gift of Life [Stories]
... in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice," Will I start to die right away ?" Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give her all his blood. Addendum-John 15: 13 (NIV)" Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" [Unknown source-from Chuck K.] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
289. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Free Hugs. [Stories]
... Do you want a hug ?" the young man asked Ginny. He held a sign in his hand-Free Hugs. I looked around. There were other people with him. They held their handmade signs high. The message was the same on all of them-Free Hugs!" Sure !" Ginny smiled and walked up to him. She reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him down to her level, and hugged him with all the love she had in her heart." WOW !" he exclaimed." That was the best hug I've had all day !"" I'm a hugger ," Ginny smiled at him. He looked at me." How about a hug ?"" You got it !" I walked into his open arms. We held briefly and parted. A young lady walked up and hugged Ginny. She turned to me, opened her arms, and hugged me too. Ginny and I stepped back ...
... " told by writing it chapter by chapter until our final days But I have discovered that we are all musicians. The melody of our lives was created with our first whimper or scream at birth. Through the years we have learned to play our part as the master of our fine tuned instrument. As a child we made noise and discovered that doing so brought us the attention we needed so badly. It was a piece unknowingly written to the beat of those who loved and guided us. As teenagers we" marched to the beat of a different drum". Some of us discovered that we didn't like the instrument we were and would have gladly exchanged it for another. We struggled then to like ourselves for what and who we were. In those early years our music was influenced by the world around us, our peers, our teachers and often times changed from day to day. We were writing a piece, that when played, ...
291. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Message In A Bottle. [Stories]
... found what the map had promised -gold, and precious diamonds and jewels that would make him secure for the rest of his life. ** A relationship with Jesus Christ is a similar treasure hunt. People hear the same message, but the way they receive it will determine the reward they might find. Eternal life is waiting for all those who are willing to take that risk to follow Jesus all the way to the" X" (the Cross ), where we find love, forgiveness and life everlasting. for eternity. [Author Unknown-submitted by: Steve Wong (sw4jc @hotmail.com)-Ed: Anon.] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
292. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Midlife Crisis. [Stories]
... take His assignments gladly. I want to do so willingly. Rather than looking back at the way things were, I want to look ahead to the way things could be. I want the heart of a child and the maturity of a wise man. I want to greet each day with a willingness to pursue the adventure called life. I won't do it by acting like someone half my age-I will do it with the help of an ageless God who loves me and understands that I am but dust. I will associate with younger people-I will need to know what they think and how they see their world. I will surround myself with older people-I will need the wisdom they can offer. And I will not contribute one dime to the widening of the generation gap. The me in the mirror is not what I once was. The me in the mirror is not the final word on who I will become ...
... them. They were inexpensive and would last forever. So we picked a gorgeous one with only a few baffles in it so we would still feel it was a waterbed. It had a large headboard, with mirrors and cupboards. How practical this bed would be. We even purchased drawers for under the bed. What a great idea we had for buying this bed. We also purchased beautiful blue satin sheets and pillow cases to match. My husband picked out a lovely satin blue and white bedspread to compliment our gorgeous bed. We were ecstatic. We could hardly wait to get it home and put it together. We put it against our back wall which was directly along side a large fine-looking window. It was a perfect place and it fit like it was made for that spot. Filling it took forever because it was a king size mattress but finally it was full and ready to put our beautiful bedding on it. I felt like ...
294. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Never Growing Old. [Stories]
... the" Pump" as we called it, I saw my dad in the backyard, the contents of a kiddie pool strewn about the lawn. Patience was not a virtue that my dad possessed, which is why our pool was the only pool in the neighborhood whose liner was clamped down with clothes pins. When filled to the rim the shallow water reached right below my knees. But it didn't stop us from splish-splashing away many hot summer days. My dad also loved having barbecues, though he was far from a genius at the grill. He'd make a grand production but the result would always yield the same result-hamburgers the size and consistency of charcoal and hot dogs that ended up resembling beef jerky. I do remember his milk shakes being the best. He'd dump a half gallon of ice cream in the big green mixing bowl and add milk and chocolate syrup. Then he'd mix it all with the hand mixer and ladle it into ...
... have. Sharing a porch swing on a summer evening with your grandchild. Seeing her face in the glow of the candle. Putting your arm into your husband's as you stroll through the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air. Listening to your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma. Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living. Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession and the future is nothing to fear. The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it. Put your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to cut it short. Don't interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity. You are, in a very special way, on holy ground.~Max Lucado, © 2005~With more than 28 million books in print, Max Lucado has ...
296. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Finding A Voice. [Stories]
... asked," Well, do you have fifty cents ?" I handed him the two quarters he'd given me moments earlier." Okay then !" Frankie walked over to the refrigerator, pulled out a homemade banana split on a Tupperware plate and handed it to me. Mounds of vanilla ice cream were covered in chocolate sauce, Cool Whip and peanuts. Underneath it all was a banana, split in two. My eyes stung with tears as I held the banana split Frankie lovingly made to right an ancient wrong. I hugged Frankie hard and kissed the top of his head, still sweaty from all the effort." Now you finally got to pop a balloon for a Banana Split, Mom" Frankie beamed. I hugged him again, and then hugged Sarah, who stood back and marveled at her brother. We took turns popping the rest of the balloons and laughed when I finally got the one-cent balloon. It was a long time coming, ...
297. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- My Special Valentine. [Stories]
... because of how much less he had than the others. And the three little ones saved the day. In unison they said," Let's have the cake now" Relieved that the crisis was over. I gave David a big hug, and told him that he could pass out the valentines we all had made for each other. And David was equal again. He was amongst his friends and his family, where there was no prejudice, just a lot of love. ** NOTE: This story happened in the sixties. The attitude toward Native Indians (or First Nations, as they have chosen to be called now ), has changed in the past 30 years. Also, now there is a much more ethnical mixture in the present-day schools, than there was when this took place.~Helen Dowd~[ by Helen Dowd Copyright 2004, (helendowd @shaw.ca)-submitted by: Helen Dowd] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved ...
298. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Forgiveness [Stories]
... , was coming across, his hand outstretched." You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done" The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder." No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you ," said the older brother." I'd love to stay on ," the carpenter said," but, I have many more bridges to build" [Author Unknown-from: Chuck Crenshaw, via Bill Champion] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... and nice, and whenever I hear the song MOTHER , memories come alive of a little white church where we enjoyed so many banquets together in celebration of Mother s Day.~M O T H E R~M is for the million things she gave me, O means only that she s growing old. T is for the tears she shed to save me, H is for her heart of purest gold. E is for her eyes of love-light shining, R is right and right she ll always be! Put them all together they spell Mother, the word that means the world to me. By: Howard Johnson, 1915~Diane Dean White~Thelamb212 @aol.com Diane is a columnist, freelance writer and author of two books. She is married to Stephen and they reside on the Carolina Coast. They are the parents of three grown children and three grand gals. You may visit Diane s website ...
... know how to read nothin ?" Slowly, the old man lowered his eyes to the ground and hung his head. He folded his hands in front of his body and he just stood there, not saying a word." I'm sorry if I said something wrong ," I mumbled. Raising the card, I began to read the large print," CARL, GLAD YOU MADE IT TO AMERICA. I KNOW YOU WILL BE A SUCCESS IN SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE. LOVE MINI"" Who's Mini ?" I asked the man." She's my sister. She lives in Paris"" I know where that is. It's over the ocean" Shaking his head back and forth, I watched as tears slowly rolled down the old man's dirty cheeks." Thank you for the beans mister. It sure was good of you to share ," I said, as I held the post card out toward him. Reaching out, he took the dirty ...
... latest version of the USA Basketball Dream Team and their upcoming quest for Olympic gold. Sure, I wish them well. I'll be watching, no doubt. But I'm talking about the five men who are, or who will one day be, the fathers of my grandchildren-my two sons, my two sons-in-law and a young man who, unless I miss my guess, appears destined to be my future son-in-law. These are five terrific young men, and I love each one of them for the goodness of their souls. They all deserve my full and undivided attention-especially today. But today is a big day for all of them simultaneously, and so my thoughts and prayers and positive thoughts are being sent out in five different directions. And I've got to tell you, I'm feeling fragmented. This is spiritual and metaphysical multi-tasking of the first order. And since I have a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time ...
... pastor's car they started for the city. And as Christmas Day was born, this man and his wife, who had been separated through so many saddened Yule tides, were reunited. To all who hear this story, the joyful purpose of the storm that had knocked a hole in the wall of the church was now quite clear. Of course, people said it was a miracle, but I think you will agree it was the season for it! HIS true love seems to find a way. [by Howard C. Schade-from 'Bills-Punch-Line '] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
303. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Gone In A Flash. [Stories]
... because you weren't paying attention ?" I had no answer to the question, for if I knew, then I wouldn't have missed them. How many times have I come home from work too wrapped in my own thoughts and missed those" daddy's home" smiles of my children? Those little smiles are lost forever, as I walked right by them. How many opportunities did I miss to praise my wife or my children? How many chances to say," I love you" to my wife did I miss? I made a pledge that night to pay more attention to those around me. When I arrive home from work, work stays at work and my attention is on my family, because those opportunities-those streaks of light-don't last long. They're gone in a flash.~Michael T. Smith~< heartsandhumor at gmail.com >Michael lives in Ohio with his wife Ginny and his stepdaughter's family. You can see a ...
... 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. Today, builders are more aware and willing to give about 40 %of the money spent on each child in the creche on their site Eventually they love to come here. The older ones are not burdened with sibling care and the younger ones are not neglected , says Nirmala Hiremath who has been with Tara Mobile Creches for over 17 years and is now in charge of it. When we started almost 30 years ago in Pune, we considered ourselves lucky if builders spared us a bit of parking space with some sack partitions around it. There was no running water and things like toilets for staff were unheard of in the ...
305. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Jeremy's Egg [Stories]
... or write. Why waste any more time trying? As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her." Oh God ," she said aloud," here I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared with that poor family! Please help me to be more patient with Jeremy" From that day on, she tried to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank stares. Then one day he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind him." I love you, Miss Miller ," he exclaimed loudly enough for the whole class to hear. The other children snickered, and Doris's face turned red. She stammered," Wh-Why, that's very nice, Jeremy. Now please take your seat" Spring came, and the chidden talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them of the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg ...
306. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Hitting The Top. [Stories]
... . We had both been casual acquaintances but both of us hung around in different circles. He, however, had a reputation as being an all-around nice guy. He came up to me where I had shied away on the sidelines trying to become the invisible man." Jimmy ," he began, (my name was Jimmy, too )," How about I show you how to climb those ropes with ease ?"" Yes ," I said," Sure, I'd love it but my arms just aren't strong enough" In my mind I could hear Charles Atlas rolling over in his grave except at that time he wasn't even dead yet." Never you mind ," he said," I'm gonna show you how and you won't even be using your arms, except to guide you up the rope" I looked at him bewildered-fully knowing that his intent was sincere but not understanding how he would manage to get me up one of those ...
... understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe" The lady then said:" You know, I have to confess I don't I understand it either; how God would be willing to send His own Son to die for you and me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand it either, but it sure does make life worth living" Addendum-John 3: 16 (NLT)" For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" [Author Unknown-submitted by: Alfred H. Dill-Ed: Anon.] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
308. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Hopping Freights. [Stories]
... and that I didn t want anymore of hopping freights ! Millard Blaine s Hopping Freights is his story as he told it to me.~Pamela Perry Blaine~February 9, 2007 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
... feed the family of eleven hungry children. At the start of the school year, we would each get a new pair of shoes, one pair of pants, and one shirt, and the girls would get one dress, and the frilly things to go with it. This would have to last us all through the school year, unless someone would give us clothing, which seldom happened, because most families were as bad off as we were. But we had love and we worked together doing all the chores, raising the garden for food. Sometimes but not very often someone would give us a pig to raise and we would be very grateful for that, because that would mean meat on the table in the fall. When it came to Thanksgiving we would have chicken for dinner, for we raised chickens. Once a year we were thankful for our free thanksgiving lunch at school, for that is the only time we had a hot ...
310. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- In His Care. [Stories]
... see my mother. She had since moved from her home to an assisted care facility. When I walked in, her eyes danced with delight. Although she couldn t remember my name, she knew who I was. I gave her the book and together we looked at it for hours. She slowly began to read the first sentences, frequently stumbling over the words, and then I would continue reading for her. Following every word, I could tell she loved Lumby, the quirkiness of its residents, and the humorous benign mayhem that unfolds. I m glad you included the monks they re close to God , she said. Yes, they are. As we are , I replied. As we are , she repeated. We then talked about the courage, strength and solace we found in God as we faced the heart wrenching consequences of her disease. That was the last coherent conversation I had ...
... lived in near-poverty and spent her time wiping dirt and various body fluids from half-dead cancer and leprosy victims-and appeared to be blissfully happy." Is that a put-on" she was asked? She replied," Oh no, not at all. Nothing makes you happier than when you really reach out in mercy to someone who is badly hurt" She would agree that happiness does not come from acquiring, but is a by-product of giving: time, money, love. Do you want a life of joy? Start by giving.~Steve Goodier~[ by: Steve Goodier (LifeSupport @yahoogroups.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
312. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- How Rich Are We? [Stories]
... middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden; they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard; they have a whole horizon" When the little boy was finished, his father was speechless. His son added," Thanks, Dad, for showing me how 'poor ' we are !" Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life-you've got everything! You can't buy any of these things. You may have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc; but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing! Addendum-1 Timothy 6: 17 (GNB)" Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope ...
313. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- I Just Get Started. [Stories]
... the less disciplined students to work through the book. Not Paul and I. We worked like dogs and finished two and one half math books that first year. It was a turning point in my life. Mr. Stevens made me realized I was good at math and also able to reach the top of any class I attended. In our small elementary school, I studied under his guidance for two years. Mr. Stevens was a strange man, but I loved him. Monty Python's Flying Circus was a popular television show back then. The actors brought the best and most warped of British humor into our Canadian lives. Mr. Stevens would often act out one of their skits in front of the class. He mimicked John Cleese walking the German goose step and often recited line-for-line a skit for the latest show. Some thought he was strange, and I guess he was, but he knew how to make a math lesson interesting. ...
314. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Judgement (Wisdom). [Stories]
... Judgement (Wisdom) Judgement means a stale state of mind. And the mind always wants judgement, because to be in an unknown process is always hazardous and uncomfortable. Be very, very courageous, don't stop growing; live in the moment, simply stay in the flow of life. This story happened in the days of Lao Tzu in China, and Lao Tzu loved it very much: There was an old man in a village, very poor, but even kings were jealous of him because he had a beautiful white horse. Kings offered fabulous prizes for the horse, but the man would say," This horse is not a horse to me, he is a person. And how can you sell a person, a friend ?" The man was poor, but he never sold the horse. One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. The whole village gathered and said," You foolish old man ...
315. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Just One More Time. [Stories]
... floor. It was routine to discover my Grandmother standing over me in the middle of the night. Her thoughts and mental health often caused her to get up several times during the night. She carried a flashlight as she wandered through the cottage. Early on in my childhood I would awaken frightened and shaking under the covers each time I saw this" ghost" wandering around. As years went by, I would wake up and say" Hello, Grandma! I love you !" I think it gave her pleasure and somewhat of a reality check to know she was somewhere she belonged. Our days were spent at Sandy Beach and some of the most satisfying, delicious meals shared on old weather-worn picnic tables nestled under the pines. I floated for hours on end in the lake. I had no fancy blown up vinyl rafts, just a simple inner tube from an old tire. My Dad was a mechanic. A few times a week we ...
... for any occasion. They don't need an expensive car to make a statement. They need a car to get them to work. How they live speaks volumes. They may not come from a story book family or have a perfect marriage, but they see them as a mosaic portrait of God's plan for their life. They remember the joy of playing with an old rag doll or stick of wood for hours because their parents could not afford better. They have witnessed love in the eyes of the elderly because they stopped to say hello and share their time. They have fallen down but their faith has never let them down. Although at times, happiness may be short lived, the door they exit always leads them to another and another, for when God opens one door .oh, you know the rest. You find happiness there, too, right?" I believe in You !" J~Bob Perks~[ by: Bob Perks ...
... pleats of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe.As it hit the ground, it just rolled away," unbroken" The professors jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked at the young Christian man, and then ran out of the room. The young man who had stood-up walked to the front of the room, and then shared his faith in Jesus the next half-hour. The 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them through Jesus." Yet to all who received HIM, to those who believed in HIS name, HE gave the right to become children of God-children not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbands will, but born of GOD" Addendum-Job 23: 10" HE knows the way that I take. When HE has tested me, I will come forth as gold" [Author Unknown] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
318. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Grandma's Hands. [Stories]
... in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war." They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse." They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand." They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else ...
... play with and their relief and appreciation when another student comforted them after a spill" The response was magnificent and participation of the students increased weekly. Subsequently the load of volunteer work for this one parent, increased in leaps and bounds. In one week alone, sixty reports of kindness had been filed by students." It became a challenge ," said Laurie," to fit everything on the bulletin board and to keep it sparkling and colorful. I think the kids loved the glitter of the displays the most !" Laurie devoted well over a hundred and seventy hours working both at home and at the school to prepare materials and build weekly displays to keep the children challenged. The elementary school took on a conspicuous change. Kids were sharing lunches and opening doors for one another. Kindness thrived! Even the crossing guard at the cross walk was reported for her acts of kindness." The wonderful thing about this ," commented Laurie," was that ...
320. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Leo's World. [Stories]
... , he had thousands of kids, most of whom returned home. When he finally retired, Leo was asked to run for Mayor. And, with his personal following, he probably would have won. But he declined. He had enough of politics just dealing with the Parks Commissioner. While savoring his retirement, Leo still spent a lot of time at the department's greenhouses. And he volunteered to update the reverence roll like only he could-neatly and with great love, talent and affection. When our hometown paper interviewed him, Leo was asked why he still tended the civic honor roll." It keeps me in touch my kids. I know them by name-all of them" [Ron Gold (Outthinkresumes @aol.com)-from 'Heartwarmers '] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... Legend of the Poinsettia The legend of 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 ...
322. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Kneading The Bread. [Stories]
... Kneading The Bread Last Christmas, Ginny gave me something I ve always wanted, a bread maker. It takes ten minutes to put the ingredients into the machine and turn it on. Four hours later, I have a wonderful loaf of bread. As much as I love my new machine, when I have time, I like to make bread the old way. The dough squeezing through my fingers is somehow comforting. At first it s a bit messy, but after it has risen the first time, I knead it again. This time the dough is soft and smooth. I get lost in thought, as I turn the dough over and over. The repetitive motion is relaxing, almost hypnotizing. I let the dough rise again, pop it in the oven, and soon the house is full of it s heavenly aroma. When it s done, I wait for it to cool enough to cut that ...
... problems" The man picked up his brown derby and walked away. It was at that time that the circus owner looked carefully at the signature on the paper he held in his hand-the note absolving the circus of responsibility in the case he was injured inside the elephant's cage. The statement was signed by Rudyard Kipling. People also become frustrated and angry when they are not understood. But great relationships are formed by parents who learn to speak their children's language; lovers who speak each other's language; professionals who speak the language of their staff and clients. When people understand that YOU understand, that you empathize with their heartaches and understand their problems, then you are speaking their language! It is the beginning of true communication.~Steve Goodier~[ by: Steve Goodier (LifeSupport @yahoogroups.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... goose probably won't live until the flock returns in the fall. The story of the goose is true and it brings the following thoughts to mind: Will you be" left behind" when Jesus calls the sheep of His flock to fly away and meet Him in the sky? Your chance of survival on earth during the tribulation days are less that of the goose in the above story. Will you be left behind to fend for yourself when your" born again" loved-ones, friends, and acquaintances fly away to be with their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, forever? Now is the accepted time of salvation. The rapture is imminent. All born-again Christians, living and deceased, will leave earth in the" twinkling of an eye" when the trumpet sounds and Jesus calls. Don't take the chance of being" left behind" Get saved, then baptized. Fly away with family and friends when Jesus calls. Sample Prayer: Dear ...
325. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- On the Shore. [Stories]
... ID badges, I don't want to represent anyone, I just want to use the talent that God has given me to bring music into the lives of those who need it" I paused trying to think of what to say." I have been a nurse, RN, for more than 20 years. Music is my life now and I do it for nothing. I don't want all the things attached every time I want to share my gift"" I love your spirit ," I said." May I keep your name and number ?"" Yes" This got me to thinking about the world today. I understand the need for all the rules, I just don't want to accept that the world is such that we need to investigate, probe, test and train someone who wants to play music for someone who is dying. But we do. The way the world is today, we need to protect those who are at ...
326. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Our Greatest Gift. [Stories]
... twin brother to speak to, she finally said," Don't you feel these squeezes every once in a while? They're quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful"" Yes ," he answered." What's special about that ?"" Well ," the sister said, I think that these squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face. Don't you think that's exciting ?"" How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" 1 John 3: 1-2 ( ...
... . I believe I have some nice pink ribbon that should fade very nicely. Well, good-bye for now and
Don t forget to write !~Pamela Perry Blaine~April 25, 2007 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
... dependent they were on God's Providence. They had learned to thank God in the midst of the bitterness of winter past. And they were quick to thank Him during abundant blessing, too. We teach our children to say" please" and" thank you" as the rudiments of courtesy, yet it is so easy to be rude and unthinking toward God. How often we forget to gratefully acknowledge His goodness towards us. This Thanksgiving let your prayers and expressions of love rise toward your Heavenly Father." What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord" (Psalm 116: 12-13) [by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
329. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- That's Everything! [Stories]
... is, as they had discovered, there really isn't anything different from one day to the next, one year to the next, accept for your attitude toward it and what you choose to do with it. Everything, including change, is there waiting to be discovered. So everything is old until you see it for the first time. There is only one thing constant, never changing and sure. That's what those three words were on that paper." God Loves You !" As the woman said to me," That's not just it, that's everything" Happy New Year!" I wish you enough !" J~Bob Perks~Good news-Bob Perks ' first book," I Wish You Enough ," Embracing Life's Most Valuable Moments. is now available for ordering. Here's the" Link" to get your copy of Bob's book: I Wish You Enough from Amazon.com. [by: Bob Perks Copyright 2009 (2believe @ ...
330. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Angel Penny. [Stories]
... , many people believe you shouldn't ask for signs but I've never had a problem asking and I never will. God has shown me many things through this. Moving on. the weekend of our event arrived. Over 60 candidates were scheduled to attend-many of them for the first time. This begins on a Friday evening around 7 and closes late Sunday afternoon. We stayed in a former catholic church convent. The setting is perfect, and you can feel God's love all about. On Saturday morning, Patti was giving a talk on Ideals. She correlated Ideals with reaching for goals. And with this she associated reaching for goals like being able to reach toward the stars in heaven. As she closed her speech she asked that someone from each group of round tables open a cloth bag in the center of each table. The gal to my right opened ours and passed it along to her right. There were 6-8 people sitting at each ...
... Strengthened By Our Wounds Po Bronson, in his book WHY DO I LOVE THESE PEOPLE? (Random House, 2005 ), tells a true story about a magnificent elm tree. The tree was planted in the first half of the 20th Century on a farm near Beulah, Michigan (USA). It grew to be a magnificent tree. In the 1950s, the family that owned the farm kept a bull chained to the elm. The bull paced around the tree, dragging a heavy iron chain with him, which scraped a trench in the bark about three feet off ground. The trench deepened over the years, though for whatever reason, did not kill the tree. After some years, the family sold the farm and took their bull. They cut the chain, leaving the loop around the tree and one link hanging down. Over the years, bark slowly covered the rusting chain. Then one year, agricultural catastrophe struck Michigan in ...
... ~~~Who decides how you are going to act? Is it your circumstances or the difficult people in your life that determine your responses? When we allow our conflicts to control us, we behave as though getting rid of our predicaments is our only priority. Therefore, it doesn't really matter how we treat one another. For example, we say," This person is causing me distress right now so I don't care about exercising patience, self-control, and loving kindness. Instead, I want to let them to know how angry I am because of their actions" We forget our trials will eventually subside. But the way we handle conflicts will influence our lives for a long time. Will you only respond to the momentary crisis or will you be more concerned about the enduring value of what kind of person you are becoming? Who decides how you will act when the pressure is on? [Author Unknown-from 'Nancy Cantafio ' ...
... . He said," Yes sir. I would like it if you are just going to throw it away" The little boy said," Sir, I'm going to give it to my granny. My mother and father got divorced last year. I was living with my mother, but I could not stay, so she sent me to live with my grandmother. She has been so good to me that I want to give that pretty flower to her for loving me" When the little boy finished I could hardly speak. My eyes filled with tears and I knew I had been touched in the depths of my soul. I reached up and unpinned my flower. With the flower in my hand, I looked at the boy and said," Son, that is the nicest thing I have ever heard, but you can't have this flower because it's not enough. If you'll look in front of the pulpit, you'll see a ...
334. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Sometimes. [Stories]
... he was remembering some particular conversations, he continued." It is how I was raised. Now that I look back I see how limiting that was and wonder how much more I could have accomplished ," he said." Give me an example ," I asked." We were poor. If I asked him if poor people ever get rich, he'd say sometimes. If I asked if I was smart enough, he'd say sometimes. If I asked if he loved me, he'd say sometimes" The sunlight that warmed the day suddenly sparkled in the corner of his eye. That last thought brought a tear." So, hearing your friend say," Sometimes you win ," made you think about that ?"" Yes ," he said in a whisper." So, what's stopping you now ?" I asked. He looked surprised." Men our age don't get second chances ," his friend said." Sometimes ," I said. ...
335. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Some Huge Gifts. [Stories]
... the gift of life and for each new day. How do thank someone for such a gift? The joys and experiences of life that I have experienced these years have all been a gift from someone who was ready to rescue a stranger who was completely helpless and doomed. This was not the first time that I have been rescued! Colossians 1: 13 states for he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves At another time in my life I was riding alone and far from God. I needed to be rescued from my own sinful self-centered ways. I was doomed to eternal death. Jesus was the one who meet me at the road-side and rescued me from certain eternal death in hell. I prayed a simple prayer of faith that went like this; Dear God, Forgive me, I m a sinner. I place my faith in you to be my Lord and Savior. ...
... problems" The man picked up his brown derby and walked away. It was at that time that the circus owner looked carefully at the signature on the paper he held in his hand-the note absolving the circus of responsibility in the case he was injured inside the elephant's cage. The statement was signed by Rudyard Kipling. People also become frustrated and angry when they are not understood. But great relationships are formed by parents who learn to speak their children's language; lovers who speak each other's language; professionals who speak the language of their staff and clients. When people understand that YOU understand, that you empathize with their heartaches and understand their problems, then you are speaking their language! It is the beginning of true communication.~Steve Goodier~[ by: Steve Goodier Copyright 2007 (LifeSupport @yahoogroups.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
337. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Angel Project. [Stories]
... Angel Project" in this way. It was four days before Christmas and today marked the climax of the Angel Project. This was the day that families in need could pick up food hampers and toys. Everything was donated through the generosity of strangers. Finally it was our turn at the table and I found it difficult to speak past the lump in my throat. I was overwhelmed by all that was happening around me. Every box in that massive room represented the love of others. Every toy had been carefully selected, to be given away, yet the receiver and the sender would never meet. Instead of Christmas shopping or cleaning, instead of baking cookies or decorating a tree, these people had dropped everything to sort, label and number boxes, and to hand out delivery addresses to volunteers to drop off boxes for those who had no transportation. I could feel something extraordinary there in that building. It wasn't tangible nor quite definable but ...
338. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Autograph. [Stories]
... we had no similar points of reference, except Atlanta. His voice was mesmerizing. It was so familiar. Strong and evenly tempered. Where had I heard that voice? All of a sudden, I knew him! I was sitting across from a very famous man. Charlton Heston! I couldn t believe it, and we were talking like we were old friends! Should I tell him that I recognized him? What could I say ?!" I just loved you in The Ten Commandments ?!" How stupid would that sound? Tell him that he was the famous Charlton Heston? I don t think so. I was pretty certain that he knew exactly who he was. I didn t think that he needed me to inform him. And breaking into his privacy, to ask for an autograph, was simply not going to happen. So, I never said a word. He was charming and kind. He held my ...
... gift. Back then, nobody noticed the little girl who didn't receive a gift because she was very small, and very shy. That little girl was my Mama.~Pamela Perry Blaine~December 2007 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
340. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Christmas Scout. [Stories]
... , son ?" asked his father as Frank entered the house. Frank answered," I gave them away"" The airplane from Aunt Susan? Your coat from Grandma? Your flashlight? We thought you were happy with your gifts"" I was-very happy ," the boy answered quietly." But Frank, how could you be so impulsive ?" his mother asked." How will we explain to the relatives who spent so much time and gave so much love shopping for you ?" His father was firm." You made your choice, Frank. We cannot afford any more presents" With his brother gone, and his family disappointed in him, Frank suddenly felt dreadfully alone. He had not expected a reward for his generosity, for he knew that a good deed always should be its own reward. It would be tarnished otherwise. So he did not want his gifts back; however he wondered if he would ever again truly ...
... beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you" Red could stand it no longer he shouted out:" I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood-life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy" Purple rose up to his full height: He was very tall and spoke with great pomp:" I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey" Indigo spoke, more quietly than others, but with determination:" Think of me. I am the ...
... do with this church, why not begin today to change the people of your church. A good place to start is with the first person in your church who reads this story. Then forward it on to the person in your church who needs to change the least. They will be more likely to read it, apply it, and forward it on to the next person. Addendum-Matthew 5: 44 (NKJ)" But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" [Steve Demaree-from FHSerkland @aol.com via William H. Rayborn (HeartWarming)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... for Jesus. And that may be the issue for you this Christmas. What will you do with this Son of God who came to earth to find you? Jesus is the One who trades a throne room for a stable, and the praise of angels for human mockery. This is the Creator who gives Himself on a cross! The Bible gives us the only appropriate response:" The life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2: 20) You look at what Jesus did to pay for your sin on that cross, and you say those life-changing words-" For me" Jesus is at YOUR door this Christmas. Maybe He's been knocking for a long time. Maybe He won't keep knocking much longer. All your life-even the events of the last few months-have been to prepare you for this crossroads moment with Jesus your ...
344. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Creating Fathers [Stories]
... . 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. Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said," Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother ?" The angel shutteth up. This originally appeared in a newspaper column by Erma Bombeck. She was a well-known humorist and author. She died April 22, 1996 in San Francisco, California. [Author: Erma Bombeck-from Bill Champion, 'Tidbits Daily Devotional ' (champ @midsouth.rr.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
345. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Cruiser Bruiser. [Stories]
... and the Cruiser was even fully intact. It was the PT Cruiser version of The Little Engine that Could, which now gives new meaning to the term Cruiser Bruiser!~Pamela Perry Blaine~August 2008 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well as in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By ...
... will stay in the meadow and do the same" The bear turned toward the woods. He had come spoiling for a fight-to prove which one was the strongest. But he had learned an important lesson from a very wise bull. In peace, there are no losers. Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. (Proverbs 17: 14 NIV) [by Ed Price, 2001-from 'The Loving Heart '] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
347. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Cab Ride. [Stories]
... in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and weep. But none touched me more than a woman I picked up late one August night. I was responding to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some partyers, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory for the industrial part of town. When I arrived at 2: 30 a.m, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under such circumstances, many drivers just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I ...
... " At 13 months, he was a sponge, joyfully soaking up new words, becoming more communicative every day. At 13 years, the hormones surging through his body have cut a swath through the speech center in his brain; his mouth, when it speaks at all, produces mere shrunken shreds of complete sentences apparently understood only by other members of his species." S'up" is a perfectly acceptable, all-purpose phrase in an adolescent's world." Mom, I love you ," on the other hand, would burn his monosyllabic lips like acid and permanently corrupt his coolness. Communication with this high-tech yet illiterate generation is fraught with frustration. My son, who can't seem to utter two intelligible sentences to me, airs his gripes through text messaging. Just the other day, a message flashed 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. ...
349. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Easy as 1, 2, 3. [Stories]
... and stupid. Why would I think that at this time? He's dying and I'm upset because they chose to tell him he had three months. Why not four? Five or six are good numbers, too. I realized afterwards that three was perfection to me. Everything about that number meant happy things in my life. Nobody should make three a bad number. The truth is it is just a number. There is power in one. There is friendship and love in two. In the Bible, the number three often times reflects divine perfection. Okay, he could have it. Divine perfection. The sum of all he was, all I ever knew him to be as a friend, a husband and a father could be described as divinely perfect. I spoke to Jim two more times before he died. Yes, three in all. He died on the third of the month just three days shy of his three month prognosis ...
350. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Promise? [Stories]
... twinkle in her left eye, not the sparkly fairy-like twinkle of youth, but one that told me there was something wrong with it. I snapped back into the moment and struggled to play the next song for them. Then I introduced her." Michelle wants to sing for us," I said. The group cheered. Then the music started. She was an angel. Her voice pure and her presence soft and gentle on the eye." Some say love it is a river" I stood across the room mesmerized. When she finished I cheered. I ran over to thank her, praise her and hug her for what she had given us. Later she asked if she could sing again. Without hesitation I said," Absolutely! Pick out another song"" I want to sing one I wrote. There's no music ," she said. My body sank into a peacefulness that warmed my heart just knowing she was so ...
351. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Faithful Friends. [Stories]
... Faithful Friends Brownie and Spotty were neighbor dogs who met every day to play together. Like pairs of dogs you can find in most any neighborhood, these two loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their respective houses. One evening, Brownie's family noticed that Brownie hadn't returned home. They went looking for him with no success. Brownie didn't show up the next day, and, despite their efforts to find him, by the next week he was still missing. Curiously, Spotty showed up at Brownie's house alone, barking, whining, and generally pestering Brownie's human family. Busy with their own lives, they just ignored the nervous little neighbor dog. Finally, one morning Spotty refused to take" no" for an answer. Ted, Brownie's owner, was steadily harassed by the furious, adamant little dog. Spotty followed Ted about, barking insistently, then darting ...
352. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Puzzled. [Stories]
... hearing God calling," Go ahead, Bob. You're finished" Here is what I believe. Life is like a puzzle and God provides all the pieces. Although we struggle sometimes trying to find them, He places most of them right in front of us. The only one's that might be hidden are those pieces shaped like people. The" people pieces" are the important ones. He makes us work for them. We are taught from the beginning to love one another. In order to do that we must be more open to sharing, caring and working beside those who may be different than we are, but may very well be an essential part of our own happiness and success. Without them we feel incomplete. Some people think that" things" are all they need to be happy. They surround themselves with stuff but still feel empty. That's because things can never take the place of people. When we accept that ...
... a head start on the season. Just like you should in life"" Go on ," I urged him." About five years ago, my wife died. One never plans for that. How could you? In life there is a season for that and we hadn't even come near that time. Using the same comparison, our two children were in their growing season. Like in gardening we tended to their needs with nourishment, special care and lots of love. The saddest thing is we never got to the best season of all ," he said as he shook his head." Harvest time ?" I asked." Yes, the harvest of our lives. The season after you have worked life's garden, planted for the future, and pulled all the weeds. The time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor never came. At least not together. Our children are growing and they bring much life into my ...
354. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Fast Food Faith. [Stories]
... . The internal peace I experienced would have been enough of an answer, even if nothing changed. But a day later I went down the stairs and across the street to my mailbox and pulled out a letter from another friend of mine. Why would she write to me, instead of call? I wondered as I tore open the envelope and pulled out the note inside." Dear Anne ," it began," Thanks so much for doing my hair-I love it! And thanks for waiting for the money-sorry it took me so long to get it to you. Patti" Inside was a check-twenty dollars that I'd forgotten all about my friend owing me. In a heartbeat, every detail around me seemed to shift to a brighter focus, the edges of the grass, the trees, everything-took on a sudden sharpness and clarity. Not a coincidental occurrence to me, but providential, I stood silent in ...
355. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Parent Talk. [Stories]
... 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 settled down, both parents turned to look at me. I felt at that very moment they understood. Maybe, one day in the future they, too will find themselves watching another family, remembering the days when they were young, the children small and life filled to the max with love. I then reached down and in an effort to assure them I could relate, I held my own little child. Yes, this past Father's day I was given a new addition to my family. His name is Phil. Who is Phil? A Chihuahua mix now just 12 weeks old given to me by my wife. Yes, we now have three dogs. Ricky, Lucy and Phil. Oh, and the family I spoke of? House Wrens nested in ...
356. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Our Time. [Stories]
... did you hear me ?"" Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago ," Jack said." Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence ' as he put it ," Mom told him." I loved that old house he lived in ," Jack said." You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life ," she said." He's the one who taught me carpentry ," he said." I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important .Mom, I'll be there for the funeral ," Jack said ...
357. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Pain In The Neck. [Stories]
... . The stretching will appear to cause more discomfort, but doing so will eventually relieve the pain and strengthen the muscles. Your discomfort in life right now, no matter how painful, can only be relieved when you stretch beyond your present circumstances, causing temporary discomfort, but eventually strengthening your stance. I need to stick out my neck in order to relieve the pressure and pain. I will never find relief without creating more discomfort. One more thing. I really love MY" pain in the neck !"" I believe in You !"~Bob Perks~" Reflect upon your present blessings-of which every man has many-not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some"-Added by Editor: SkyWriting.Net [by: Bob Perks Copyright 2009 (2believe @comcast.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
358. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Pampers to the Cross [Stories]
... mature? NO! Was he all that God wanted him to be? NO! Soon he reached thirty years of age and was called into his time of ministry. Well, what would have happened if Jesus weren't mature enough to obey that call? What if He hadn't submitted to those waters of baptism that signaled the beginning of His ministry? Jesus ' life, His perfection, would have been wasted. For three years, Jesus taught and healed and restored and loved and rebuked. For three years he lived His life constantly reflecting the glory of God. During this time, He was always in perfect obedience to the Father's will. But then it came time for the cross. In the garden came the greatest battle of His life. He cried out to God and said," Take this cup from me" Jesus declared: I don't want to do this, I don't want to go to the cross, I don't want to ...
359. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Quite a Character. [Stories]
... to the way you see it, the way I see it and the way it is. In regard to reputation, how do we define" the way it is ?" Simply by using some standard, some level of basic expectations in regard to morals and ethics. Character. Be of good character and worry not what others think. For if anyone should think ill of a person of good standing and character, the fault lies with their judgment. Still, I love being a charmer and quite a character sometimes. It is the sunshine after the rain for someone who may be hurting or lonely. It is the smile after the pain for someone who knows only sadness. By the way. you look wonderful today!~Bob Perks~2believe @comcast.net [by: Bob Perks Copyright 2007 (2believe @comcast.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
360. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Face Value. [Stories]
... . We can establish our attitude each morning when we start our day. In fact, we do just that whether we realize it or not" And that's the point, isn't it? If I realize that I am already choosing my attitudes every day, I can make better choices. If I realize that I am already choosing my face, I can put on different face. If I face the day with a little more hope and confidence, more generosity and love, I'll be happier for it. And who knows? Maybe a modern day Lincoln will say he likes my face.~Steve Goodier~[ by: Steve Goodier Copyright 2008 (LifeSupport @yahoogroups.com)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... Everybody Knows Everybody PROLOG (SkyWriting.Net ): The following is a true story. No editing was done, so you could experience the overall tone of the story about a Father and the unconditional love of his young son. Enjoy... Today was a special day, the type of day which restores a faith of sorts. And in that faith I found a lesson, taught to me by my 6-year-old son, Brandon. I watched him at the kitchen table carefully packing his lunch-bag. I was going to take him along with me to work. As he put it," I'm going to be a worker-man" Carefully laid out before him was a arrangement of everything he required to get him through the day-a small coloring book, crayons, small box of smarties, blueberry muffin, egg-salad" samich" (as he called it) and 3 small Easter eggs. To know Brandon is to understand that time has no meaning ...
362. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Escaping The Storm. [Stories]
... quickly checked in. The minute they shut the door behind them, the storm struck with fury. Raging winds threw tree limbs across the road. The storm was so strong that the electricity went out for 2-1 / 2 hours. Escaping the storm's fury seemed like a miracle. Looking back, Dean believes the woman who warned them and then disappeared must have been an angel.~Grace Housholder~< graceh at kpcnews.net >Grace is the editor of Kidwarmers. She loves collecting short stories about the funny things kids say. Her main Web sites are: kpcnews.com. fwfamily.com. funnykids.com Please take a minute to let Grace know what you think of her story:? subject = SkyWriting.Net-Escaping The Storm "> Grace Housholder [by: Grace Housholder Copyright 2009 (graceh at kpcnews.net)-{ used with permission}] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
... her eyes, and knew she wanted his blessing, but also that she was going to do it anyway." Hun ?"" Yes ?" He smiled." Give her the hundred. She needs it more than we do" She reached up and held him. Warmth spread through his body. A glow like none other. He held her and realized there really is a Santa Clause; he'd married her. Note: That woman is Ginny, my wonderful, loving and caring bride.~Michael T. Smith~< heartsandhumor @gmail.com >Michael lives in Ohio with his wife Ginny and his stepdaughter's family. You can see a list of Mike's stories here: http :// tinyurl.com / moud8u And you can get his stories emailed to you by signing up here: http :// tinyurl.com / ldjruh Please let Michael know what you think of his story: Michael T. Smith [by: Michael T. Smith Copyright 2009, (heartsandhumor @ ...
... summer are definitely different from the days that I remember. But, there are similarities-like the laughter of children enjoying the summers of their childhoods that can spark in our youthful hearts, our own mid summer's memories. Good bye summer till next time, when the beautiful rays of sunshine will once again warm our happy hearts while leading us to the bliss of new beginnings.~Kathy Whirity~Bio: Kathy Whirity lives in Chicago where she shares her life and love with her husband of 28 years, Bill, their two daughters Jaime and Katie, and two rambunctious retrievers Holly and Hannah. Kathy is a newspaper columnist who writes sentimental musings on family life. [By: Kathy Whirity Copyright 2005-submitted by: Kathy Whirity (kathywhirity @yahoo.com)] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...
365. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Room At The Table. [Stories]
... holiday dinners two ways if you're single: 1) Bring someone you don't particularly care for; 2) Hear the awful words" pull up an extra seat ," a euphemism for either a collapsible chair or one that is too high or too low for the table. Either strategy leaves you uncomfortable. At Thanksgiving two years ago, while my calves cramped from straddling the leg of my brother's dining room table, Aunt Nell took the opportunity to ask for details about my love life, which was seriously lacking at the time. The event was excruciating. Though I enjoy singlehood in the main, there have been times when I've worked myself into a mad frenzy looking for someone to fill a void I thought I couldn't satisfy on my own. Someone, anyone with a pulse would do. Over the years, I dated quite a few guys I liked-I was even engaged once but" till death do we part" seemed a very long time. ...
... evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed into foster care, I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy and I thought to myself how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. No, I've never had a prodigy but that night I became a prodigy. of Robby's. He was the teacher and I was the pupil. For it was he that taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in yourself and maybe even taking a chance on someone and you don't know why. This is especially meaningful to me since after serving in Desert Storm Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995, where he was reportedly. playing the piano. We can all make a difference. We have thousands of opportunities a day to help realize God's plan. So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people ...
367. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Riding Tandem. [Stories]
... His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace -A hymn by Helen H. Lemmel-1922~Pamela Perry Blaine~September 20, 2009 pamyblaine @blaines.us About Pamela: She enjoys writing, music, and country living. She writes" Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet and in several books. Pam says," I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten" She has a CD entitled" I'll Walk You Home". It's available by freewill donation. More info, and a clip from the CD, is on her website at: http :// blaines.us / PamyPlace.htm [By: Pamela Perry Blaine Copyright 2009 ...
368. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- Ring The Bell. [Stories]
... Possibly the cowboys on the ranch were trying to borrow some psychology with Pavlov's behavioral therapy techniques. I don't know, but I just wanted to have the bells ring one time for me. I was beginning to thoroughly enjoy the ranch, as well as the slow, peaceful, beauty of the Don K. When we were not riding, we were relaxing, reading in hammocks while the children were busy playing with each other in the fields. I was beginning to love the Don K. Each morning after breakfast the entire group of guests would break up into four divisions for our morning ride. One group was for the superior riders, a second group was for good riders, a third group was for the beginners. The fourth group-well, that was for me and my personal cowboy, Cowboy Dan, known as C.D. At first C.D. made sure I had the correct gear, including a helmet. Then, he had ...
369. Inspirational and Christian STORIES -- The Road Of Life [Stories]
... like madness. He said:" Pedal !" And by faith I did, although I worried and was anxious." Where are you taking me ?" He laughed, but no answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. When I'd say," I'm scared ," He'd lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people that had gifts that I needed. Gifts of healing, acceptance, love, and joy. So many priceless gifts to take on my journey-my Lord's and mine. Then we were off again. He said," Give the gifts away-they're extra baggage now-there'll be more gifts to come" So I did, I gave them to people we met, and found that in giving I also received, and my burden was lighter. I didn't trust him at first to be in control of my life. I thought He'd ...
... mountain top. Still, just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world. This unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time-often just one baby-step at a time-and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world." It makes me sad in a way ," I admitted to Carolyn." What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time ' through all those years ...
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