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WITandWISDOM(tm) - August 30, 1999 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "Balance. The Ultimate Goal." - Ricky Lankford (E- zine: INSPIRATION A DAY! Mailto:inspiration_a_day-subscribe@listbot.com) ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Years ago a hardened old slave was being sold at an auction. He was a powerful-looking fellow, and as values were, he was worth quite a sum. The bids were rising, but the old man, his hands rough, his back scarred, looked around savagely, calling out, "I won't work! I won't work!" In spite of his protests, however, the bids rose higher, and a last a kindly faced gentleman offered a price far above what was considered his value, and the old slave was sold. Driving away with his new master, he was sullen, but determined. At last they reached the homestead, and the master pointed across to the servant's quarters. But the only reply was, "I won't work. You can thrash me, but I won't work." Quietly the two stepped into a neatly arranged room. The master said, "Well, Sam, here's where you'll live." To which the old man made the same answer. "Well, we shall talk about that later," said the owner. "But you do know that I bought you, and I paid a high price for you, didn't I?" "Yes, but I won't work." "No, I know you won't, and you'll never have to. Sam, I bought you to set you free. You now have your liberty." Free! Liberty! The two men looked at each other, then all at once hot tears began to course down those rough black cheeks, and then, falling on his knees, the old man cried out, "Oh, sir, I am your slave forever." His freedom became the opportunity to prove his love for one who had done so much for him. We have all been slaves - slaves to self-will, to passion, to sin. But we have been redeemed, purchased by a price far greater than rubies. By R. Allan Anderson, Signs of the Times, January 7, 1941 (Dale Galusha ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: BUMPER STICKERS Boldly going nowhere. If you lived in your car, you'd be home by now. Hang up and drive. It's lonely at the top, but you eat better. In Braille: 'If you can read this, you're driving too close.' Seen on the back of a biker's jacket: 'If you can read this, my wife fell off.' I didn't retire - I surrendered! (Randy Walker via E-zine: THE FUNNIES Mailto:Andychap@aol.com) ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: In New York's Garment District, a little old man was hit by a car. While waiting for an ambulance, the policeman tucked a blanket under the guy's chin and asked, "Are you comfortable?" The man said, "I make a nice living." (E-zine: KITTY'S DAILY MEWS http://www.katscratch.com) ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Why is the famous London clock called Big Ben? . . . This popular misconception is a great trick question to stump any bothersome know-it-all. Few people realize that the name belongs not to the clock, but to the bell in the clock tower that's been ringing out the time of day since 1859. Its familiar sound began to gain international fame and familiarity when it was first broadcast on the radio in 1923. The bell is big, all right: seven and a half feet tall, nine feet in diameter, thirteen and a half tons. But that's not how it got its name. Its installation was supervised by the Commissioner of Public Works, Sir Benjamin Hall. Sir Benjamin's height and waistline were both substantial, earning him the nickname of "Big Ben." The press and members of Parliament affectionately gave that name to the new bell, and it stuck. Source: THE WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA http://mailbits.com/Trivia/Source/11.htm (E-zine: MAILBITS.COM http://www.MailBits.com/Trivia) |