Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 14 – No. 1912 May 12, 2012
Thought for the week: "Wisdom is knowing what to do; virtue is doing it." – David Jordan
"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth: persistent, persuasive and realistic." – John F. Kennedy
"Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene." – Arthur Christopher Benson
"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open." – Alexander Graham Bell
"Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision." – Ayn Rand, Novelist
"The man or woman who wakes up a success has not been asleep all night." – Unknown
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." – George Santayana
2. On the Lighter Side ... Angels Explained by Children
"I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold." – Gregory, age 5
"Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it." – Olive, age 9
"It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes." – Matthew, age 9
"Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else." – Mitchell, age 7
"My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science." – Henry, age 8
"Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead." – Daniel, age 9
"When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there's a tornado." – Reagan, age 10
"Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter." – Sara, age 6
"Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter." – Jared, age 8
"All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it." – Antonio, age 9
"My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth." – Ashley, age 9
"What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them." – Sarah, age 7
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down;
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short;
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask, "How are you?"
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down;
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short;
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
"We'll do it tomorrow"?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say, "Hi."
You'd better slow down;
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short;
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race,
Do take it slower,
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
"America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: Its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within."
I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
"Hello Barry, how are you today?"
"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good."
"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"
"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."
"Good. Anything I can help you with?''
"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller.
'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'
"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"
"All I got's my prize marble here."
"Is that right? Let me see it," said Miller.
"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
"I can see that. Hmmm, only thing is this one is blue, and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store owner asked.
"Not zackley, but almost."
"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way, let me look at that red marble," Mr. Miller told the boy.
"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."
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 for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store."
I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later, I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.
Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community, and while I was there, I learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening, and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary, we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts ... all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.
Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.
"Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color 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 exquisitely shiny red marbles.
The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.
There's a parable about a new mother who discovered a butterfly struggling mightily to escape its cocoon through a tiny opening at the top. She became concerned when the creature seemed to give up after making no progress. Certain that the butterfly just wouldn't make it out without help, she enlarged the hole slightly.
On its next try, the butterfly wriggled out easily. But the young women's joy turned to horror as she saw its wings were shriveled and useless. Her well-intentioned intervention turned out badly because it interrupted a natural process. You see, forcing the butterfly to squeeze though a small opening is nature's way of assuring that blood from the creature's body is pushed into the wings. By making it easier, she deprived the butterfly of strong wings.
Childhood, too, is a sort of cocoon. If a healthy adult is to emerge, parents must allow, even encourage, their children to struggle, to make mistakes and learn from them, and to pay a price for their own bad judgments and conduct.
Of course, good parents should be ready to protect their children from serious harm. But being overprotective can itself cause serious harm. Adversity is not always an enemy. It's often a teacher that helps young people develop wings strengthened by self-confidence and self-reliance.
Helen Keller once said, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
Jesus said, "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."1
"During my idealistic youth," Michael Josephson of Character Counts wrote, "I attended an event in a large stadium. Everyone was given an unlit candle. A speaker talked about the power of one person with an enlightened message. He lit his candle, walked over to two people in the stands and lit theirs with his candle. He asked them to light two others. Within a few minutes, everyone's candle was lit and the entire stadium glowed.
"It's the most powerful visual metaphor I've ever experienced. A single tiny flame had lit thousands of candles. What's more, as it was passed on and on, each glimmer continued to burn with undiminished light. The speed with which the sparkle and warmth of that single flame spread across the stadium was awe-inspiring."2
Today's ever darkening world with never-ending acts of terror, the growing threat of Iran with developing nuclear weapons, the rapid growth of Islam with endless numbers of radical Muslims who hate Jews, the West, and Christians—and are determined to overrun and kill us—all of this needs to be a wake up call for every Christian.
Add to this the accelerating moral decline, plus the numerous secular-progressive radicals, judges, politicians, and leaders, etc., etc., with their increasing anti-God, anti-Christian, pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion philosophy and actions.
Thus, there is an urgent need for every Christian to let our light shine for Jesus and reach out to people everywhere with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ—the Light of the World and the only hope of our sin-sick world.
Let us together renew our resolve to be a candlelight for Jesus. Let our good deeds and kind words be a living testimony to the saving power of Jesus. And may we always stand up for what is right, and by our example show others the way. And, above all, resolve to keep on sharing the gospel with all we can while we can—and encourage other Christians we know to do likewise.
Remember the chorus we sang as kids in Sunday School: "See this little light of mine / I'm going to let it shine ... Don't let Satan poof it out / I'm going to let it shine ... Let is shine 'till Jesus comes / I'm going to let it shine / let it shine / let it shine.
For helps to "let your light shine" and reach others for Christ see: "Tips on how to be an effective People Power for Jesus Partner to help change the world—one person at a time" at www.actsweb.org/people_power/tips.php.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I resolve to do everything I can to let my light shine for Jesus. Please use me to be a lesser light to point others to Jesus, the Light of the World, and in so doing may many accept him as their personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
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