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WIT & WISDOM - August 19, 1998 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Do each daily task the best we can; act as though the eye of opportunity were always upon us. - William Feather [1] ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night. "Could you possibly give us a room here?" the husband asked. The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. "All of our rooms are taken," the clerk said. "But I can't send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night." When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. "Don't worry about me; I'll make out just fine," the clerk told them. So the couple agreed. As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, "You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I'LL build one for you." The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn't easy. Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit. The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a palace of reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky. "That," said the older man, "is the hotel I have just built for you to manage." "You must be joking," the young man said. "I can assure you I am not," said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth. The older man's name was William Waldorf Astor, and the magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world's most glamorous hotels. The Bible says that we are not to turn our backs on those who are in need, for we might be entertaining angels. [2] ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT By Ali and Cindy Parente T'was the night before school started when all through the town The parents were cheering It was a riotous sound By eight the kids were washed and tucked into bed When memories of homework Filled them with dread New pencils, new folders, new notebooks, too New teachers, new friends-their anxiety grew The parents just giggled when they learned of this fright And shouted upstairs- GO TO BED-IT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT! [3] ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: A police recruit was asked during the exam, "What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?" He said, "Call for backup." [4] ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Ernest Digweed, a retired teacher from Portsmouth, England, left a rather strange will when he died in 1976. He left $44,000 for Jesus Christ "on the occasion of His return to this earth." Mr. Digweed wanted to be sure the money didn't go astray. So he specified that in order to claim it, Christ must return within the next 80 years. He must return specifically "to reign on earth." And He must prove His identity to the British government. Mr. Digweed's probate attorney said, "I certainly anticipate we are going to have a lot of trouble, particularly with cranks." And he asked anyone who might be listening, "Who can tell who is the real Jesus Christ? Different people think different things." - By George Vandeman, Signs of the Times, January 1993. [5] ~~~~~~~ CONTRIBUTORS: [1] (INSPIRE http://www.infoadvn.com/inspire/) [2] (R. Braxton Hagele) [3] (Sue Archer) [4] (Bill's Punch Line tcmrtalk@airmail.net) [5] (Dale Galusha http://www.pacificpress.com/signs) |