THE OLD PHONE


THIS WAS ONE OF THE 'GOOD OLD DAYS' WHEN PEOPLE REALLY CARED ABOUT EACH OTHER
 
 
When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighbourhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it.

Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was 'Information Please' and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time.

My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my Mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible, but there seemed no point in crying
Because there was no one home to give sympathy.

I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the Parlor and dragged it to the landing climbing up; I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear.
'Information, please,' I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.

'Information.'

'I hurt my finger,' I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

'Isn't your mother home?' came the question.

'Nobody's home but me,' I blubbered.

'Are you bleeding?' the voice asked.

'No,' I replied. 'I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.'
'Can you open the icebox?' she asked.

I said I could.

'Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger,' said the voice.

After that, I called 'Information Please' for everything. I asked her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my maths. She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I called, 'Information Please,' and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, 'Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring Joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?'

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, ' Wayne , always remember that there are other worlds to sing in..'

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone, 'Information Please.'
'Information,' said in the now familiar voice.
'How do I spell fix?' I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest .
When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston . I missed my friend very much. 'Information Please' belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy..

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle , I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown Operator and said, 'Information Please.

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well. 'Information.'

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, 'Could you please tell me how to spell fix?'

There was a long pause.
Then came the soft spoken answer, 'I guess your finger must have healed by now.'

I laughed, 'So it's really you,' I said. 'I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?'

'I wonder,' she said, 'if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls.'

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

'Please do,' she said. 'Just ask for Sally.'

Three months later I was back in Seattle & a different voice answered:
Information.' I asked for Sally.

'Are you a friend?' she said..

'Yes, a very old friend,' I answered.

'I'm sorry to have to tell you this,' she said. 'Sally had been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago..'

Before I could hang up she said, 'Wait a minute, did you say your name was Wayne ?'
'Yes.' I answered.

'Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you.'
The note said, 'Tell him there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean.'

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.


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Stay Young My Good Friend 


We all need to read this one over and over until it becomes part of who we are !
 
;

HOW TO STAY YOUNG




1. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down.
(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)



2. Keep learning: 
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever... 
Never let the brain get idle. 'An
idle mind is the devil's workshop.' 
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

3. Enjoy the simple things.


4. Laugh often, long and loud.
Laugh until you gasp for breath. 
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, 
spend lots and lots of time with HIM or HER.



5. The tears happen: 
Endure, grieve, and move on. 
The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. 
LIVE while you are alive.



6. Surround yourself with what you love:
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.. 
Your home is your refuge. 



7. Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it. 
If it is unstable, improve it. 
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

8. Don't take guilt trips.. 
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, 
to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

9. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. 



10. Forgive now those who made you cry.


You might not get a second chance..


Do share this with someone! 



Remember! Lost time can never be found.

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.


Wine does not make you FAT .......

- it makes you LEAN ....
(Against tables, chairs, floors, walls and ugly people.)


 
 
 


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What Love means to a 4-8 year old . . ...
Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes.
 A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'
The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined See what you think:
 ________________________________

 'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
 So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'
 Rebecca- age 8 
________________________________
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
 You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
 Billy - age 4
________________________________
 'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
 Karl - age 5
 ________________________________
 'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
 Chrissy - age 6
 ________________________________
 'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
 Terri - age 4
 ________________________________
 'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
 Danny - age 7
 ________________________________
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
 My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'
 Emily - age 8
 ________________________________
 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'
 Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
 ________________________________
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'
Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
 ________________________________
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'
Noelle - age 7
________________________________
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
 ________________________________
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
 ________________________________
>
'My mommy loves me more than anybody
 You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
 Clare - age 6
 ________________________________
'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
 Elaine-age 5
 ________________________________
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'
 Chris - age 7
 ________________________________
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
 Mary Ann - age 4
 ________________________________
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
 Lauren - age 4
 ________________________________
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)
Karen - age 7
________________________________
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'
 Mark - a ge 6
 ________________________________
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
 Jessica - age 8
 ________________________________
And the final one
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
 Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.
 When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
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4 THINGS YOU PROBABLY NEVER KNEW YOUR MOBILE PHONE COULD DO VERY INTERESTING...

 There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST Emergency

The Emergency Number worldwide for   Mobile  is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialled even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.


SECOND Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to
drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

THIRD Hidden Battery Power

Imagine your mobile battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your mobile will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your mobile next time.

FOURTH How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

ATM - PIN Number Reversal - Good to Know

If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can notify the police by entering your PIN # in reverse. For example, if your pin number is 1234, then you would put in 4321. The ATM system recognizes that your PIN number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine. The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to the location. This information was recently broadcast on CTV by Crime Stoppers however it is seldom used because people just don't know about it. Please pass this along to everyone.

This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it on to your family and friends
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BIBLE HELPS SPACE SCIENTISTS
For all the scientists out there, and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true?  Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.   I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland. They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out, and they said,
'What's wrong?' Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time. They scratched their heads and tore their hair out. There was no answer. Finally a Christian man on the team said,
'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing still.'
While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us, ' He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense.' There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Thee.'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right... '  The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day!' (Joshua 10:12-13)
The astronauts and scientists said,
'There is the missing day!'
They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes ... Not a whole day. They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. 
Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.   The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story:
Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said
'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?'
Hezekiah said,
'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.'
Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD!
Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!  Isn't it amazing?  References: Joshua 10: 12,13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.

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YOU MAY SAY: BUT GOD SAYS
It’s impossible, All things are possible.  (Luke 18:27)
I’m too tired, I will give you rest.  (Matthew 11:28-30)
Nobody really loves me, I love you.  (John 3:16 & John 3:34)
I can’t go on, My grace is sufficient.  (2 Corinthians 12:9 & Psalms 91:15)
I can’t figure things out, I will direct your steps.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I can’t do it, You can do all things.  (Philippians 4:13)
I’m not able, I am able.  (2 Corinthians 9:8)
It’s not worth it, It will be worth it.  (Romans 8:28)
I can’t forgive myself, I forgive you.  (I John 1:9)
I can’t manage, I will supply all your need.  (Philippians 4:19)
I’m afraid, I have not given you a spirit of fear.  (2 Timothy 1:7)
I’m always worried and frustrated, Cast all your cares on ME.  (I Peter 5:7)
I’m not smart enough, I will give you wisdom.  (I Corinthians 1:30)
I feel all alone, I will never leave you or forsake you.  (Hebrews 13:5)
because I care…


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Can yuo raed tihs

Only great  minds can read this
It's weird, but interesting!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too
Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to
a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and
lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
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Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning - Ben Stein
 
  I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late ! !
 
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday  Morning  Commentary.

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.  I don't feel threatened.  I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me.  I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .  If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country.  I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?  I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different:  This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina)..  Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.  She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives  And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.  How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc.  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.  The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself.  And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide).  We said an expert should know what he's talking about.  And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.  Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.  Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.  Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.
 
If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did  But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.  

My Best Regards,  Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein


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THOUGHTS!
Isn't it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?
Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're at church, and how short they seem when you're watching a good movie?
Isn't it strange that you can't find a word to say when you're praying but…you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?
Isn't it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?
Isn't it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?
Isn't it strange how we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?
Isn't it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others; but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?
Isn't it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say but…we question the words in the Bible?
Isn't it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven but…they don't want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?
Isn't it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right away but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?
 
 Unknown 


WORTH A READ?

 
A few years after I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on. As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: mum taught me good from evil, and dad taught me to obey. But the stranger…. He was our story teller….. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking. But dad didn’t seem to mind. Sometimes, mum would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.) Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honour them. Profanity, example, was not allowed in our home.. not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our long-time visitor, however got away with four letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My dad didn’t permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of parents, yet he was seldom rebuked… and never asked to leave. More than 50 years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name?…... we just call him ‘TV.’
(He has a wife now… we call her ‘computer.’
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 Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our
Bible like we treat our cell phone?

 What if we carried  it around in our purses or pockets?
 What if we flipped  through it several times a day?
 What if we turned  back to go get it if we forgot it?
 What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
 What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
 What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
 What if we used it when we traveled?
 What if we used it in case of emergency?
 This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
 Oh, and one more  thing.  Unlike our cell  phone, we don't have to
worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the  bill.
 Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities'? And no dropped calls!

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 GOD VERSUS SCIENCE

"Let me explain the problem science
has with religion."
The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then
asks one of his new students to stand.
"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"
"Yes sir," the student says.
"So you believe in God?"
"Absolutely."
"Is God good?"
"Sure! God's good."
"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"
"Yes"
"Are you good or evil?"
"The Bible says I'm evil."
The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The
Bible!" He considers for a moment.
"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick
person over here and you can cure him.
You can do it.. Would you help him? Would you
try?"
"Yes sir, I would."
"So you're good....!"
"I wouldn't say that."
"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and
maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could.
But God doesn't."
The student does not answer, so the professor continues.
"He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of
cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this
Jesus good?  Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"
The student remains silent.
"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says.
He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give
the student time to relax.
"Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?"
"Er...yes," the student says.
"Is Satan good?"
The student doesn't hesitate on this one.
"No."
"Then where does Satan come from?"
The student falters. "From God"
"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son.
Is there evil in this world?"
"Yes, sir."
"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything
correct??"
"Yes"
"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created
everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to
the principle that our works define who weare, then God is evil."
Again, the student has no answer. "Is there sickness? Immorality?
Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this
world?"
The student squirms on his feet. "Yes."
"So who created them?"
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his
question.
"Who created them?" There is still no answer.
Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the
classroom.  The class is mesmerized.
"Tell me," he continues onto another student.
"Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"
The student's voice betrays him and cracks.
"Yes, professor, I do."
The old man stops pacing.. "Science says you have  five senses
you use to identify and observe the world around you.Have you
ever seen Jesus?"
"No sir. I've never seen Him."
"Then tell us if you've ever heard Jesus?"
"No, sir, I have not."
"Have you ever felt Jesus, tasted Jesus or smelled Jesus?
Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for
that matter?"
"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."
"Yet you still believe in him?"
"Yes"
"According to the rules of empirical,testable, demonstrable protocol,
science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"
"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."
"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science
 has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."
The student stands quietly for a moment,before asking a question of His
 own.
"Professor, is there such thing as heat?"
 " Yes."
 "And is there such a thing as cold?"
 "Yes, son, there's cold too."
 "No sir, there isn't."
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested.
The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.
"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat,
 unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have
 anything called "cold". We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which
 is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.
 There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder
 than the lowest -458 degrees."
Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits
 energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.
 Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold
 is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure
cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is
not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."
There is silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the
 classroom, sounding like a hammer.
"What about darkness, professor, is there such a thing
as darkness?"
 "Yes," the professor replies without hesitation.
"What is night if it isn't darkness?"
"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not
 something; it is the absence of something. You can have low
light, normal light, bright light,flashing light, but if you have
no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it?
That's the meaning we use to define the word."
"In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make
 darkness darker, wouldn't you?"
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will
 be a good semester.
"So what point are you making, young man?
"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to
 start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."
The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time.
"Flawed? Can you explain how?"
"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You
argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad
God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something
we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought."
 "It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully
understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be
ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.
"Now tell me, professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved
from a monkey?"
"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man,
yes, of course I do."
"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes
where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.
"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and
cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not
teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a
preacher?"
The class is in an uproar. The student remains silent until the
commotion has subsided.
"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student let
me give you an example of what I mean."
The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has
ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.
"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the
professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one
appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of
empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you
have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain,
how can we trust your lectures,sir?"
Now the room is silent..
The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.
Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess
you'll have to take them on faith.."
"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with
life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"
Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is.  We see it
everyday It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man.  It is
in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world.  These
manifestations are nothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does notexist sir, or at least it
does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is
just like darkness and cold, a word that  man has created to describe
the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what
happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's
like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that
comes when there is no light."
The professor sat down.
The student was  Albert Einstein.  
Albert Einstein did write a book entitled God vs. Science in 1921.

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HANDEL'S MUSIC AS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD IT!
Go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HkXmOIwpkQ

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STATEMENT AT A FOOTBALL GAME
(This is true.....see Snopes http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/prayer.htm)
 This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School , Kingston , Tennessee , by school Principal, Jody McLeod.

'It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country.'
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it 'an alternate lifestyle,' and if someone is offended, that's OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, 'safe sex.' If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a 'viable! means o f birth control.' If someone is offended, no problem...
I can designate a school day as 'Earth Day' and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess 'Mother Earth' and call it 'ecology.'
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as 'simple minded' and 'ignorant' and call it 'enlightenment.'
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and to ask Him to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated.
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except God and His Commandments.
Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall 'Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's,' and refrain from praying at this time.
However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God and ask Him,in the name of Jesus, to Bless this event, please feel free to do so As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet.'
One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.
They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of 'Justice' in the 'one nation, under God.'
Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee Remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom of Religion, not the Freedom from Religion. Praise God that His remnant remains!
Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of me before men, then I will be ashamed of you before my Father.'

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IF YOU LIKE MUSIC IN DIFFERENT STYLES...

Two guys went around the world getting street singers to sing and dubbed them together into one song.
Insert into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM&feature=email

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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE STORY-YEARS AGO
Insert into your browser
http://www.hall4bc04.org/Storm.htm

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BIRTHDAYS
Here is a programme which gives a Bible verse for everyone's birthday. Look up your verse by the day and month you were born. Insert the following into your browser
Http://www.birthverse.com/mybirthverse.cfm

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THE SEED
 
A successful business man was growing old and
knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,
he decided to do something different. He called all the young
executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO.
I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were
shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one
of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant
the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with
what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then
judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be
the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the
story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted
the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had
grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have
a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he
had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but
he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.
He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the
seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company
brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.
But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick
to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment
of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot
to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety
of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful --
in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and
many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young
executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees,
and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will
be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with
his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to
the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a
failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened
to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,
and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next
Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow
his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this
room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,
and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;
they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and
flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you
substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the
only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with
my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new
Chief Executive Officer!"

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
* If you plant faith, you will reap a harvest

So, be careful what you plant now;
it will determine what you will reap later.
"Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back"
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WINDOW THROUGH WHICH WE LOOK.

A young couple moves into a new neighbourhood.

The next morning while they are eating breakfast,
the young woman sees her neighbour hanging the wash outside.

"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly.

Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."
Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbour would hang her wash to dry,
the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life.  What we see when watching others
depends on the purity of the window through which we look.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE WICKER BASKET
The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky with his young Grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His Grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could.
One day the Grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?' The Grandfather
quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old
wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.'
 The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out be fore he could get back to the house. The Grandfather laughed and said, 'You will have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river withthe basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the oldwicker basket was empty before he returned home. out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water;
I want a basket of water. You can do this.. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his Grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Papa, it's useless!'
 'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.'
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean.
'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not
understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.'
 Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God's word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't retain a word.
  -------------------------------------------------------------------
THE KING AND HIS FOUR WIVES
Once upon a time there was a King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confident and was always kind,considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, "I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharpknife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Nowthat I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!" Hisheart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish inmaking it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul, often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.

Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOD’S CAKE

 

This is about the best thing I've ever read as an explanation.
 
Sometimes we wonder, 'What did I do to deserve this?' or 'Why did God have to do this to me?'
Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.'
 
'Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers.
'Yuck' says her daughter..
'How about a couple raw eggs?'
'Gross, Mom!'
'Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?'
'Mom, those are all yucky!'
To which the mother replies: ‘Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!'
 God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!
God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

When times are tough, remember the cake.
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WE NEED EACH OTHER!
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall
To see the farmer and his wife open a package.   
"What food might this contain?"  The mouse wondered.
He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard,
The mouse proclaimed this warning :
 "There is a mousetrap in the house!   
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The chicken clucked and scratched,   
Raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse,
I can tell this is a grave concern to you,
But it is of no consequence to me.   
I cannot be bothered by it."   
The mouse turned to the pig and told him,
"There is a mousetrap in the house!   
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said,
"I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse,
But there is nothing I can do about it
But pray.   
Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said,
"There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The cow said, 'Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you,
But it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house,
Head down and dejected,
To face the farmer's mousetrap
. . .... Alone. . ....
That very night
A sound was heard throughout the house
 -- the sound Of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.   
In the darkness, she did not see it.   
It was a venomous snake
Whose tail was caught in the trap.
The snake bit the farmer's wife...
The farmer rushed her to the hospital.    
When she returned home she still had a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever
With fresh chicken soup.
So the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard
For the soup's main ingredient:
But his wife's sickness continued.   
Friends and neighbors
Came to sit  with her
Around the clock.   
 To feed them,
The farmer butchered the pig.
But, alas,
The farmer's wife did not get well...   
She died.
So many people came for her funeral
That the farmer had the cow slaughtered
To provide enough meat for all of them.

And the mouse looked upon it all
From his crack in the wall
With great sadness.

So, the next time you hear
Someone is facing a problem
And you think it doesn't concern you,
Remember ---

When one of us is threatened,
We are all at risk.
We are all involved in this journey called life.
We must keep an eye out for one another
And make an extra effort
To encourage one another.

- REMEMBER -  
EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD
IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY.
OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER
FOR A REASON.
One of the best things to hold onto
In this world is a FRIEND.
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