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WITandWISDOM(tm) - October 14, 1999 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Don't let the world get you down, when you can pick the world up! - Kira Michelle Starling (E-zine: MOTIVATIONAL MAILER Mailto:overcomeunlimited-subscribe@listbot.com) ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: THE CAGED BIRDS A man was on the side of the road with a large birdcage. A boy noticed that the cage was full of birds of many kinds. Where did you get those birds?" he asked. "Oh, all over the place," the man replied. "I lure them with crumbs, pretend I'm their friend then when they are close, net them and shove them into my cage." "And what are you going to do with them now?" The man grinned, "I'm going to prod them with sticks, and get them really mad so they fight and kill each other. Those that survive, I will kill. None will escape." The boy looked steadily at the man. What made him do such things? He looked into the cruel, hard eyes. Then he looked at the birds, defenseless, without hope. "Can I buy those birds?" the boy asked. The man hid a smile, aware that he could be on to a good thing if he played his cards right. "Well, he said hesitantly, "The cage is pretty expensive, and I spent a lot of time collecting these birds. I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll let you have the lot, birds, cage and all for ten dollars and that jacket you're wearing." The boy paused, ten dollars was all he had, and the jacket was new and very special, in fact it was his prized possession. Slowly, he took out the ten dollars and handed it over, then even more slowly he took off his jacket, gave it one last look then handed that over too. And then he opened the door and let the birds go free. MORAL OF THE STORY The Enemy of the world, Satan, was on the side of life's road with a very large cage. The man coming towards him noticed that it was crammed full of people of every kind, young, old, from every race and nation. "Where did you get these people?" the man asked. "Oh, from all over the world, " Satan replied. "I lure them with drink, drugs, lust, lies, anger, hate, love of money and all manner of things. I pretend I'm their friend, out to give them a good time, then when I've hooked them, into the cage they go." "And what are you going to do with them now?" asked the man. Satan grinned. "I'm going to prod them, provoke them, get them to hate and destroy each other; I'll stir up racial hatred, defiance of law and order; I'll make people bored, lonely, dissatisfied, confused and restless. It's easy. People will always listen to what I offer them and (what's better) blame God for the outcome!" And then what?" the man asked. "Those who do not destroy themselves, I will destroy. None will escape me." The man stepped forward. "Can I buy these people from you," he asked. Satan snarled, "Yes, but it will cost you your life." "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (Deanna Cathcart via E-zine: MONDAY FODDER Mailto:dgaufaaa@iohk.com) ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: THE WORLD ACCORDING TO CRABBY ROAD By John Wagner Electric can openers are the perfect thing for people who want absolutely no arm muscles at all. Amusement parks are getting expensive. The other day, I was at one and saw a sign that said, "You must be this rich to ride." Isn't "catch and release" just another term for "pestering the fish"? Looks like I'll be traveling this summer - dragging my chair in front of the air conditioning unit. I haven't got a web site, but I do boast quite a few spider webs. Ought to count for something. The last motel I stayed at had a two-speed air conditioner - loud and deafening. Skiing is for people who can't just break their legs around the house. I say, why pay outrageous prices for ski trips when I can just stick my face in the freezer and fall down on the kitchen floor. It's National Salsa Month! Take a dip to lunch. If you find a four-leaf clover, it means you have entirely too much time on your hands. If you could pay for gas AND microwave a burrito at the pump - now THAT would be "convenient"! (E-zine: KEITH'S MOSTLY CLEAN HUMOR Mailto:maiser@mail.otherwhen.com?Subject=Subscribe&body=subscribe%20mchawlist %0d%0aexit) ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Elizabeth was surprised to receive ten dollars from her Aunt for her birthday. The Aunt asked how she was going to spend it. "I'm taking it to Sunday School and giving it to God", the little girl replied. "He'll be just as surprised as I was at not getting a dollar like usual." (E-zine: LAUGH-A-LOT! Mailto:LaughALot@ListFarm.com) ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: What's the highest a kite has ever flown? . . . The world record for kite height was set in 1919 by the German Weather Bureau, when a series of eight kites was lofted to an altitude of 31,955 feet (9740 meters). During the retrieval of the kites, the line broke when the tension reached 145 kilograms (319 pounds). The single-kite record is 12,471 feet (3801 meters) by the US Meteorological Service in 1896. In both cases, the kites were flown as part of weather observation programs. Kites were used for many years in meteorology, but today balloons, airplanes, and satellites have replaced them, and the kite altitude records still stand. Go fly a kite! http://www.sct.gu.edu.au/~anthony/kites/ http://www.aka.kite.org/ < BR>The history of kites in meteorology: http://www.total.net/~kite/meteor.html (E-zine: THE LEARNING KINGDOM http://www.tlk-lists.com/join/ ) |