Parent/Volunteer Pledge

          I will teach all children to play fair and do their best.

          I will positively support all managers, coaches and players.

          I will respect the decisions of the umpires.

          I will praise a good effort despite the outcome of the game.

Becoming a Little League Volunteer

Center for Sports Parenting

This is a web site where you the parent can send in questions by email and get a response."Darrell ...

What Every Parent Should Know About Pitching

If your son or daughter is a pitcher, you need to explore this site. This site can save ...

Pro-Vest

Check out this vest, it is for batters to wear to protect themselves.

Saturday, January 28
THINK ABOUT THESE!!!
                                                      
   *********************** WARNING !!!!*********************
   
      This "WARNING" is for anyone who is offended by the word
"God" because He is mentioned on this page. If you are offended I suggest
YOU "EXIT" this page now, that way you won't have to waste your time and mine
sending me an e-mail telling me how offended you are!!!

                   THANK YOU
                           STEVE MONNIN 1/28/2006

****************************************************************


**** Parents need to fill a child's bucket of self- esteem so high that the rest of the world can't poke enough holes in it to drain it dry!!!!!




THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS>
>
>A true story by Josh and Karen Zarandona
>
>Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go
>
>rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she
>
> >went with her group to a tremendous granite
>
> >cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the
>
> >gear, took hold of the rope, and started up
>
> >the face of that rock.
>
> >Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a
>
> >breather. As she was hanging on there, the
>
> >safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and
>
> >knocked out her contact lens.
>
> >Well, here she is, on a rock ledge, with
>
> >hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet
>
> >above her. Of course, she looked and looked
>
> >and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge,
>
> >but it just wasn't there.
>
> >Here she was, far from home, her sight now
>
> >blurry. She was desperate and began to get
>
> >upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to
>
> >find it.
>
> >When she got to the top, a friend examined her
>
> >eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was
>
> >no contact lens to be found. She sat down,
>
> >despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting
>
> >for the rest of them to make it up the face of
>
> >the cliff.
>
> >She looked out across range after range of
>
> >mountains, thinking of that verse that says, "The
>
> >eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the
>
> >whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see
>
> >all these mountains. You know every stone and
>
> >leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens
>
> >is Please help me."
>
> >Finally, they walked down the trail to the
>
> >bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of
>
> >climbers just starting up the face of the cliff.
>
> >One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody
>
> >lose a contact lens?"
>
> >Well, that would be startling enough, but you
>
> >know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving
>
> >slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it
>
> >on it's back.
>
> >Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist.
>
> >When she told him the incredible story of the
>
> >ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew

> >a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens
>
> >with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want
>
> >me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and
>
> >it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You
>
> >want me to do, I'll carry it for You"
>
> >I think it would probably do some of us good to
>
> >occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you
>
> >want me to carry this load. I can see no good
>
> >in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want
>
> >me to carry it, I will."
>
> >God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the
>
> >called. Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of
>
> >existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning
>
> >each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing,
>
> >but with Him...I can do all things through
>
> >Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)

This is a great story and it makes me think that way back
people were killed for exspressing there
beliefs and faith in God, How blessed am I!!!!
                                              Steve Monnin

      



IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,!
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will l always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn! 't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.

*****************************************************************

To A Child. . . Love Is Spelled T.I.M.E.
By Lance Wubbels

In the faint light of the attic, an old man, tall and stooped, bent his great frame and made his way to a stack of boxes that sat near one of the little half-windows.

Brushing aside a wisp of cobwebs, he tilted the top box toward the light and began to carefully lift out one old photograph album after another. Eyes once bright but now dim searched longingly for the source that had
drawn him here.

It began with the fond recollection of the love of his life, long gone, and somewhere in these albums was a photo of her he hoped to rediscover.

Silent as a mouse, he patiently opened the long-buried treasures and soon was lost in a sea of memories. Although his world had not stopped spinning when his wife left it, the past was more alive in his heart than his
present aloneness.

Setting aside one of the dusty albums, he pulled from the box what appeared to be a journal from his grown son’s childhood. He could not recall ever having seen it before, or that his son had ever kept a journal.
Why did Elizabeth always save the children’s old junk? he wondered, shaking his white head.

Opening the yellowed pages, he glanced over a short entry, and his lips curved in an unconscious smile. Even his eyes brightened as he read the words that spoke clear and sweet to his soul.

It was the voice of the little boy who had grown up far too fast in this very house, and whose voice had grown fainter and fainter over the years. In the utter silence of the attic, the words of a guileless six-year-old worked their
magic and carried the old man back to a time almost totally forgotten.

Entry after entry stirred a sentimental hunger in his heart like the longing a gardener feels in the winter for the fragrance of spring flowers. But it was accompanied by the painful memory that his son’s simple recollections of those days were far different from his own. But how different?

Reminded that he had kept a daily journal of his business activities over the years, he closed his son’s journal and turned to leave, having forgotten the cherished photo that originally triggered his search.

Hunched over to keep from bumping his head on the rafters, the old man stepped to the wooden stairway and made his descent, then headed down a carpeted stairway that led to the den.

Opening a glass cabinet door, he reached in and pulled out an old business journal. Turning, he sat down at his desk and placed the two journals beside each other.

His was leather bound and engraved neatly with his name in gold, while his son’s was tattered and the name “Jimmy” had been nearly scuffed from its surface. He ran a long skinny finger over the letters, as though he could
restore what had been worn away with time and use.

As he opened his journal, the old man’s eyes fell upon an inscription that stood out because it was so brief in comparison to other days. In his own neat handwriting were these words:

Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn’t catch a thing.

With a deep sigh and a shaking hand, he took Jimmy’s journal and found the boy’s entry for the same day, June 4. Large scrawling letters pressed deeply in the paper read:

Went fishing with my dad. Best day of my life.

You may have heard it before but it bears repeating. Someone once said, “I’ve never known anyone who, on their deathbed said…I wish I had spent more time at the office.” Our Dash is a fleeting moment in time, and what we do with it is up to us. The quote on the Priorities print from Successories says it all:

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but, the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”




Babs Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small

>>boy, delicate of bone and feature ,ragged but clean, hungrily
>>apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
>>
>>
>>I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh
>>green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.
>>Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation
>>between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>"Hello Barry, how are you today?"
>>
>>
>>"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them Peas. 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?"
>>
>>
>>"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."
>>
>>
>>"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
>>
>>
>>"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is Blue and I sort of

>>go for red. Do you have a red one Like this at home?"
>>
>>
>>"Not zackley. But almost."
>>
>>
>>"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you And n ext trip
>>this way let me look at that red marble."
>>
>>
>>"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, perhap s."
>>
>>
>>I left the stand 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.
>>
>>
>>Several years went by, each more rapid that the previous one. Just
>>recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho
>>community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.
They

>>were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to

>>go, I agreed to accomp any 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 mentioned

>>the story she had told me about the 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. Re sting underneath were three exquisitely shined red
>>marbles.
>>
>>
>>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.
>>
>>
>>Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles....A fresh pot of coffee

>>you didn't make yourself. An unexpected phone call from an old
friend.

>>Green stoplights on your way to work. The fastest line at the grocery

>>store. A good sing-along song on the radio. Your keys right where
you
left them.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Send this to the people you'll never forget. If you don't send it to

>>anyone, it means you are in too much of a hurry





> TO MEET SUCH A MAN

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant
just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company
were both especially good that day.
As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There,
walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his
worldly
goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, "I will

workfor food." My heart sank.

I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others

around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of
sadness and disbelief.

We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We
finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly
set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat

halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that
seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town and saw
nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my car.

Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back
to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square."
Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the
>
> square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store
> front > church, going through his sack.
>
> I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet
> wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign
> from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the
> town's newest visitor.
>
> "Looking for the pastor?" I asked.>
>
> "Not really," he replied, "just resting.">
>
> "Have you eaten today?"
>
> "Oh, I ate something early this morning."
>
> "Would you like to have lunch with me?">
>
> "Do you have some work I could do for you?">
>
> "No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city, but I
> would
> like to take you to lunch.">
>
> "Sure," he replied with a smile.
>
> As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions. Where
>
> you headed?">
>
> St. Louis .>
>
> "Where you from?">
>
> "Oh, all over; mostly Florida .>
>
> "How long you been walking?">
>
> "Fourteen years," came the reply.>
>
> I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the
>
> same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond
> his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and
>
> articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a
> bright red T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending Story.">
>
> Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in
>
> life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen
> years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the
> beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a
> large > tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought.>
>
> He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival
> services, > and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over
> to God
> "Nothing's been the same since," he said, "I felt the Lord telling me
> to
> keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now."
> "Ever think of stopping?" I asked.
> "Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me But God has given >
> me this calling. I give out Bibles . That's what's in my sack. I work
> to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads."
> I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission
> and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and
> then I asked: "What's it like?"
> "What?"
> "To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your>
> sign?">
> "Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments.
>
> Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that >
> certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize
> that God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other folks
> like me."
>
> My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his
>
> things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said,
> "Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For>
> when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a >
> stranger and you took me in."
>
> I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I
> asked. He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was
> not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. "I've read through it 14
> times," he said.
>
> "I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and >
> see">
> I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he
> seemed very grateful.

> "Where are you headed from here?" I asked.
> "Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park
> coupon."
> "Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?"
> "No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star>
> right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next."
> He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his>
> mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours>
> earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded
> his > things.>
>
> "Would you sign my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages>
> from folks I meet."
>
> I wrote in his little 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 from 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 smile and said, "See you in the New Jerusalem.">
>
> "I'll be there!" was my reply.>
>
> He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from
> his
> bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you see
>
> something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?">
>
> "You bet," I shouted back, "God bless.">
>
> "God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.>
>
> Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold
>
> front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As
> I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn
>
> brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked
> them
> up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm
> that
> night without them.
>
> Then I remembered his words: "If you see something that makes you think
> of me, will you pray for me?">
>
> Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the
>
> world
>
> and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours
>
> with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. "See you in the New
>
> Jerusalem," he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...
>
> If this story touched you, forward it to a friend!
>
>
>
> "I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or
> any
> kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this
> way
> again.">
>
> My instructions were to send this to four people that I wanted God to
>
> bless and I picked all of you.. Please pass this to four people you want to be
> blessed. Everyone of us needs "God" in our life! Yep, everyone of US !!

> This prayer is "powerful" and there is nothing attached. "Prayer" is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.

       God bless and have a nice day!
>
> "Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies
>
> reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy>
> Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment.

> Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is
> self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace, In Jesus' precious
> Name
>       Amen."
>
>
> GOD BLESS, YOU MY FRIENDS AND WSLL FAMILY!!!

STEVE MONNIN

*******************************************************************************
            


    It is time to change from REDNECK humor to TRUE AMERICAN Humor! Only I don't see it as Humor, but the correct way to LIVE YOUR LIFE! If you feel the same, pass this on to your True American friends. Ya'll know who ya' are...

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase, "One nation, under God."

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You've never protested about seeing the 10 Commandments posted in public places.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You still say "Christmas" instead of "Winter Festival."

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You bow your head when someone prays.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You treat Viet Nam vets with great respect, and always have.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You've never burned an American flag.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You respect your elders and expect your kids to do the same.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You'd give your last dollar to a friend.

If you got this email from me, it is because I believe that you, like me, have just enough TRUE AMERICAN in you to have the same beliefs as those talked about in this email.

God Bless the U S A !
                      Sent to me by Mike Hackett


   Subject: A GREAT STORY by Truck driver Mike Dowdy of Hartselle Alabama.

I had just returned from New Jersey. While en route there, I was stuck in traffic on Interstate 81, just below the Virginia state line, (Bristol, Tennessee), due to a traffic accident with a fatality involved. This accident involved a tanker truck hauling a hazardous material load that developed a leak, which meant that we weren't going anywhere for several hours.


After being told by the Tennessee state troopers that we would be sitting still until the clean up was completed, I set my brakes on the truck and got our to stretch my legs. Other truck drivers did the same, and at one point there were 5 of us standing there by my truck, complaining.

Sitting right beside me in the left lane, were two elderly people in a Silverado pick up truck, which was loaded quite well. The man, (Joe), lowered his window and asked what was going on regarding the traffic situation.

Soon we were all talking with this couple. I mentioned that if I had known about this, I would have bought something to drink, (water), for I was becoming thirsty. The lady, (Anna), said that they had plenty of water, and sodas in the cooler in the bed of the truck, and offered everyone present something. While she was back there, she said that she had plenty of tuna salad made up, and asked if we would be interested in a sandwich.

After some urging from Joe, we agreed to a sandwich. While Anna was making the sandwiches on the tailgate of the truck, she was singing like a songbird. To be close to 70, (I guess), she had a remarkable voice.

When she finished making the sandwiches, and putting everything up, Joe raised the tailgate of the truck to close it. I noticed a Mississippi license plate on it. I inquired as to what part of Mississippi they were from. Joe said Biloxi. Knowing that Biloxi had been ravaged also by hurricane Katrina, I asked if they sustained any damage. Joe said that they lost everything but what they had on and what was in the pickup. All of us drivers tried unsuccessfully to pay them for their drinks and the sandwiches. They would have nothing to do with it.

Joe said that their son was living around Harrisonburg, Virginia and that they were going there. He was in the real estate business and that there was a home that became open, and that they were going to start all over there. Staring over at their age would not be easy.

I will soon be 48 years old, and I have say that I have never eaten a tuna sandwich with side orders of reality and humility. These people lost everything except the pictures, important documents, and some clothes. Joe had managed to get their antique heirloom grandfathers clock into the bed of the truck and Anna got her china and silverware, but that was all. These wonderful people lost practically everything they owned and still would not accept any money for their food and drinks. Joe said that "it was better to give than it is to receive."

They sought refuge behind a block wall that he had built years ago, and they watched their belongings and their home dissappear in the winds of Hurricane Katrina. Joe said that during all this he had one hand holding onto Anna and the other holding on to God. Their truck and themselves came out of Katrina unscathed.

As I stated before, Anna was singing a song while making the sandwiched. The song is titled "I know who holds tomorrow," an old gospel song. She knew every word, and was quite a gifted singer of it. Have you ever heard it?

The chorus of this song is, " Many things, about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand. But I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand."

There is no doubt, in my mind, who was holding both their hands. I know there have been many, many email that have circulated over the years about things that will touch your heart, but this one I personally was involved in.

Forget all of the politics that the news is striving on, and think about people just like Joe and Anna. If you can, help out with the victims relief funds.

If you cannot, at least offer a prayer for everyone.

Do what you wish with this email, forward it, delete it, whatever.

I know that these two elderly people got to this old boy. I will always remember them. Joe and Anna, if by some strange way you, or someone you know gets this, and shows it to you, God Bless you!

Mike Dowdy Hartselle, Alabama





                **** Parents need to fill a child's bucket of self- esteem so high that the rest of the world can't poke enough holes in it to drain it dry!!!!!

   **** You are the only person on this earth who can use your ability!!!!




-Subject: A TEAR JERKER

This is SO worth reading!


As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.   It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? just "do it".

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it!

"Believe in Angels, then return the favor"

**************************************************************************

Subject: Keepers of the Big Waters

A profound assurance that beneath the visible messiness of current life there are deeper layers still at work...

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle on Thursday, Dec 14, 2005, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her -a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate----to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.

And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude




> >True Friend
> >A girl asked a guy if he thought she was pretty,
> >He said...no.
> >She asked him if he would want to be with her
> >forever....
> >and he said no.
> >She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry,
> >and once again he replied with a no.
> >She had heard enough.
> >As she walked away, tears streaming down her face
> >The boy grabbed her arm and said...
> >You're not pretty you're beautiful.
> >I don't want to be with you forever.
> >I NEED to be with you forever.
> >And I wouldn't cry if you walked away...I'd die...
> >SO NOW I WILL SAY:
> >I like you because of who you are to me...A true
> >friend and if I
> >don't get this back I'll take the hint.
> >Tonight at midnight your true love will realize they
> >like you.
> >Something good will happen to you at 1:00-4:00 PM
> >tomorrow. It could
> >be anywhere AOL, yahoo, outside of school, anywhere.
> >Get ready for the
> >biggest shock of your life.
> >
> >Remember:
> >"A good friend will not come bail you out of jail....
> >But a "true"
> >friend
> >will be sitting next to you saying ... WE screwed
> >up!
> >
> >Proud to be your Friend!
> >
> >Make sure you read all the way down to the last
> >sentence, and don't
> >skip ahead.
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer
> >it gets to the
> >end,
> >the faster it goes.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything
> >we ask for
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That money doesn't buy class.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That it's those small daily happenings that make life
> >so spectacular.
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants
> >to be
> >"appreciated"
> >and "loved".
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes
> >me think I can?
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That when you plan to get even with someone, you are
> >only letting that
> >person continue to hurt you.
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That love, not time, heals all wounds.
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to
> >surround myself
> >with people smarter than I am.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a
> >smile.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your
> >babies and
> >feeling their breath on your cheeks.
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That no one is perfect until you fall in love with
> >them.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That life is tough, but I'm tougher
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That opportunities are never lost; someone will take
> >the ones you
> >miss.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock
> >elsewhere.
> >
> >I've learned...
> >That I wish I could have told those I cared about
> >that I love them one
> >more time before they passed away.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That one should keep his words both soft and tender,
> >because tomorrow
> >he may have to eat them.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your
> >looks.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what
> >I do about it.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That when your newly born child holds your little
> >finger in his little
> >fist, that you're "hooked" for "life".
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain,
> >but all the
> >happiness, and growth occurs while you're climbing
> >it.
> >
> >I've learned....
> >That the less time I have to work, the more things I
> >get done.
> >
> >To all of you ... Make sure you read all the way down
> >to the last
> >sentence.
> >It's National Friendship Week. Show your friends how
> >much you care.
> >
> >HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!! YOU ARE MY FRIEND
> >AND I AM HONORED

    Sent To Me from A "specail LADY"
                               LISA CROUCH



** Worrying is like a rocking chair
it gives you something to do
but it doesn't get you anywhere.


*******A child does not question the wrongs of grown-ups,he suffers them! ~ Chief Dan George


**I can't do it" never yet accomplished anything: "I will try"
has accomplished wonders.



****Puppies for sale -



A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign
advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge
of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a
tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.
"Mister," he said, "I want to buy "one of your puppies."
"Well," said the farmer, as he
rubbed the sweat of the back of
his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of
money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his
pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.
"I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a
whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called. Out from the
doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by five little balls of
fur.
The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes
danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence,
the little boy noticed something else
stirring inside the doghouse.
Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down
the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup
began hobbling toward the others, doing
its best to catch up....
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer
knelt down at the boy's
side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to
run and play with you
like these other dogs would."
With that the little boy stepped back from the
fence, reached down, and began rolling up
one leg of his trousers.
In doing so he revealed a steel brace running
down both sides of his leg attaching
itself to a specially made shoe.
Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too
well myself, and he will need
someone who understands."
With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little
pup.
Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy.
"How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge,"
answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."
The world is full of people who need someone who understands.
It's National Friendship Week.
Show your friends how much you care.
send this to everyone you consider
a FRIEND.


***Different is not wrong,just "different"." ~ Unknown


                     George P. Burnham

***Ten things God won't ask on the day you die
1...God won't ask what kind of car you drove, He'll ask how many
people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2....God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how
many people you welcomed into your home.
3...God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask
how many you helped to clothe.
4...God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you
compromised your character to obtain it.
5...God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed
your job to the best of your ability.
6...God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people
to whom you were a friend.
7...God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you
treated your neighbors.
8...God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the
content of your character.
9...God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, He'll
lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of
Hell.
10...God won't have to ask how many people you forwarded this to, He
already knows whether or not you are ashamed to share this
information and who you love.
-Anon

You can never overdraw from your account with God;
He always replenishes it.               
–Rosie Cash

,,,,,,,,,,,,,



   *** IF THERE'S NO WIND, ROW...

****"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in "your life" you will have been all of these."
Author:George Washington Carver

   *** Only those who risk going to far will ever know how far they can go...

*****Six-year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor.

He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.

Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad.

He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove and he didn't know how the stove worked! Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.

And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.

Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process!

That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky, we insult a friend, we can't stand our job, or our health goes sour.

Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him.

But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to "make pancakes" for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried...

Please pass some of this love on to others... suppose one morning you were called to God; do all your friends know you love them?

I was thinking...and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that need rekindling or three words needing to be said, sometimes, "I love you" can heal & bless! Remind every one of your friends that you love them. Even if you think they don't love back, you would be amazed at what those three little words, a smile, and a reminder like this can do.

Just in case I haven't told you lately... I LOVE YA !!!

Send this to everyone you love, and send it back to the person who Sent it to you..

And never stop "making pancakes"!!!



         ******* THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS...

Happy Easter!

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas.
She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr.
Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite
patient was Edith Burns.

One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because
of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith
with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother
sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my
name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain
the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse,
Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood
pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe
in Easter?"

Beverly said, "Why yes I do."

Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?"

Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and
dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter,
and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite
yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting
room.

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when
she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad?
Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the
patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it
says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do
you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my
precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me
that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having
difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith
Burns is!"



Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office
was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did
not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said
she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will,
I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here
next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room
with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff
to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her
Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because
she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She
had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She
had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by
the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith
had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she
walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God
loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work.
I'm not interested."

Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go
home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never
happen," and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say,
"God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you."

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like
a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm
so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special
day."

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question,
"Do you believe in Easter but you have never asked me."

Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait
until you asked, and now that you have asked."
Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter
Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said,
"Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is
alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart,
and I do want Jesus in my life. "Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and
invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross
did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of
angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what
day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday."

Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter
Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did
some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some
Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some
Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.

When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black
Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet
smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she
realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's
house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come
again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be
also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor
crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have
passed away."

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face
toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy
Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a
table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is
Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"



If you believe in Easter, forward this on. God works in wonderful ways,
and to believe in his power is to truly be free. If Jesus had e-mail,
he'd do the same for you.















         ********* STEPS TO LIFE *******

               WATCH WHAT YOU THINK,
               IT BECOMES WHAT YOU SAY.
               WATCH WHAT YOU SAY,
               IT BECOMES WHAT YOU DO.
               WATCH WHAT YOU DO,
               IT BECOMES YOUR CHARACTER.
               WATCH YOUR CHARACTER,
               IT DETERMINES WHAT YOUR FUTURE
                   WILL BE LIKE


*******Subject: Fw: The Price of Children********

This is just too good not to pass on to all. Something absolutely positive
for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising
a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this
way. It's nice,

===================

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth
to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about
sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year,

* $741.38 a month, or

* $171.08 a week.

* That's a mere $24.24 a day!

* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if
you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140?

* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!

* Glimpses of God every day.

* Giggles under the covers every night.

* More love than your heart can hold.

* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.

* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.

* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.

* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites

* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how
your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,

* carve pumpkins,

* play hide-and-seek,

* catch lightning bugs, and

* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,

* watching Saturday morning cartoons,

* going to Disney movies, and

* wishing on stars.

* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets
and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in
clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero
just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,

* taking the training wheels off a bike,

* removing a splinter,

* filling a wading pool,

* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that
never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the:

* first step,

* first word,

* first bra,

* first date, and

* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree,
and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called
grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology,
nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no
college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under
God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters
under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them
forever, and love them without limits, So . . one day they will like you,
love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren and all the little ones in your
life!!!!!!!


*****   Aim at the sun and you may not reach it; but your
arrow will fly far higher than if you had aimed at an
object on a level with yourself.

                      F. Hawes

***There was once this guy who is very much in love with
his girl.
This romantic guy folded 1,000 pieces of paper cranes
as a gift to his girl.
Although, at that time he was just a small fry in his
company, his future doesn't seem too bright, they were very
happy together. Until one day, his girl told him she was
going to Paris and will never come back. She also told him that
she cannot visualize any future for the both of them, so
they went their own ways there and then...
Heartbroken, the guy agreed. But when he regained his
confidence, he worked hard day and night, slogging his
body and mind just to make something out of himself.
Finally with all the hard work and the help of
friends, this guy had set up his own company ...
You never "fail" until you "stop trying". One rainy day,
while this guy was driving, he saw an elderly couple sharing an
umbrella in the rain walking to some destination.
Even with the umbrella, they were still drenched. It
didn't take him long to realize they were his girl's parents.
With a heart in getting back at them, he drove slowly
beside the couple, wanting them to spot him in his luxury sedan.
He wanted them to know that he wasn't the same any more; he had
his own company, car, condo, etc. He made it! What he saw next
confused him, the couple was walking towards a cemetery, and so
he got out of his car and followed...and he saw his girl, a
photograph of her smiling sweetly as ever at him from her
tombstone and he saw his paper cranes right beside her...
Her parents saw him. He asked them why this had
happened. They explained, she did not leave for France at all. She
was ill with cancer. She had believed that he will make it someday,
but she did not want to be his obstacle... therefore she had
chosen to leave him. Just because someone doesn't love you the
way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with
all they have. She had wanted her parents to put his paper
cranes beside her, because, if the day comes when fate brings him to
her again...he can take some of those back with him...
Once you have loved, you will always love. For what's in your
mind may escape but what's in your "heart" will remain forever.
The guy just wept...The worst way to miss someone is
to be sitting right beside her knowing you can't have her,
see her or be with her ever again.........hope you understand.
Find time to realize that there is one person who
means so much to you, for you might wake up one morning losing that
person who you thought meant nothing to you.
little bit big but not "meaningless".

-Rosie Cash


**** A smile is contagious: be a carrier...



***To think bad thoughts is really the easiest
thing in the world. If you leave your mind
to itself it will spiral down into ever
increasing unhappiness. To think good
thoughts, however, requires "effort". This is
one of the things that "discipline - training"
- is about.

         James Clavell
            in his novel "Shogun


***One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than fifty
preaching it.


***Every situation is a lesson to be learned. From the most mundane
chores to the most complex projects, life is always ready to teach
you something.
Life is ready to teach when you are willing to learn. And the more
you learn from what life offers, the better life becomes.
The lessons are usually not all that obvious. Yet they are there if
you will think to take a look. The lessons are there in every moment,
in every dilemma, in every frustration and every joy. They are there
in every sadness, every victory, every discomfort and every pleasure.
Each lesson you learn paves the way for a new and even more valuable
one. Each lesson you ignore keeps coming back, again and again.
One way or another, life will teach you its lessons. When you're a
willing student, those lessons are pure gold
-Anon

                            (NEW)

>>> Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her
>>> mother, "Why is the bride dressed in white?" "Because white is the color
>>> of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life." The child
>>> thought about this for a moment, then said, "So why is the groom wearing
>>> black?"
>>>
>>>                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>
>>>
>>> A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she
>>> could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed,
>>> "Dear
>>> Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be
>>> late!" While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and
>>> fell,
>>> getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed
>>> herself off, and started r unning again! in. As she ran she once again
>>> began to pray, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late...But please
>>> don't
>>> shove me either!"
>>>
>>>                     

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