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WITandWISDOM(tm) - August 6, 2002 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: It's a mistake to think we listen only with our ears. It's much more important to listen with the mind, the eyes, the body, and the heart. Unless you truly want to understand the other person, you'll never be able to listen. - Mark Herndon, Writer Source: The Funnies, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/andychaps_the-funnies ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Recently, I had a cool experience while helping with our "chicken" ministry. On Friday nights we go to a rough area to give out hotdogs, chicken and donated burgers while we share the Good Word, pray with people and find out what their needs are. One block from the housing projects where we minister is a run down convenience store that attracts drug pushers and the like. Typically about 50 people hang out there on any given Friday night. I always make it a point to end up there. This Friday night when I reached the spot, I saw a man lying on the ground with a bunch of people milling around. The man was obviously drunk. When the others saw me they begin yelling, "Here comes the chicken truck." To give out my food I usually roll a food cart around the neighborhood. As I approached, people started hollering, "Give me one of them hot dogs!" At one point a lady came over and said the man on the ground wanted a hot dog. So I asked him what he wanted on his hot dog. He propped himself up, looked at me and said, "Just lots of love, honey, Just lots of love". That may have pushed me away at one time, but God has helped me look beyond the many innuendos and comments I often get. I can now look into the eyes of the of the wounded soul and realize what's really going on. So I made him a hot dog, walked over to him, took his hand and helped him sit up. I gave him a hug and said, "Here's your hot dog, with lots of love". He looked at me in disbelief and began to cry. He said that was the nicest thing that had happened to him in a long time. Then the neatest thing happened. Everyone began gathering around us. I asked "gilbert" if I could pray with him. He said yes. I began to pray as the circle tightened, With all kinds of hands and arms around my shoulders I heard amens and hallelujahs. When I finished praying and opened my eyes, I saw a remarkable sight. The group who had been milling around (most of them drunk, stoned and barely able to stand) had their arms linked in unison for an electric moment of contact with God. I was so moved It brought me to tears. I rarely have anyone tell me I cannot pray with them. They usually say, "Everyone can use a prayer." So each night I go, I pray with as many people as possible. Sometimes I pray with those who are "altered" by a lit Joint or bottle. Still, It is a moment when I am able to link God with one of His hurting children. I seek as many opportunities as possible because one never knows what God has in store! "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). On nights it seems I am out there alone, I cling to this promise. By Rhonda Durham, Director of Outreach Ministries for the Mt. Dora Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mt. Dora, Florida. mailto:rdu5792445@aol.com Su bmitted by Nancy Simpson ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Have you heard of the Mississippi squirrel? Well last night (we have choir practice at 5 p.m. before church) (and then we have it after church at 7 p.m. - are we that bad?), anyway about 5:15 we are all gathered in the choir and suddenly I saw the Choir Director Randy, fall to the floor. Now we really weren't singing anything, so I knew we weren't that bad, and I wasn't singing at all right then, so I knew I couldn't have done it ... and I have never seen anyone -- what they call "slain in the spirit" but I knew from reports they don't get right back up and start moving around ... and I heard a lot of noise from the choir (nothing that unusual) and there it was ... not the Mississippi squirrel, but a West Virginia bat. They had reported a bat had escaped (from its belfry?) but had been trapped in the men's side of the baptistery. Well that bat found it's way out into the main sanctuary and had taken up residence in one of the two green plastic tree's we have on either side of the choir pews. Butch being the brave soul he is left and returned with a dust pan as well as a broom to swat at the poor little thing. I still haven't figured what he needed the dust pan for unless he was going to long arm attack with the broom and use the little plastic pan for close in fighting if attacked. Any way it did cause some commotion and for the first time I obtained an understanding of the story about the excitement and movement of the congregation in the Mississippi Squirrel song. Only Laurie and Lindsey were in the congregational pews and since Lindsey was asleep Laurie watched and provided somewhat of a play by play. She also pleaded with Butch not to hurt the little thing with the broom. She was wasting her time because at age 64 Butch only managed to swing after it had gone by and actually acted as a "booster rocket" to move it on faster. I began to enjoy the action and the excitement in church, but knew in my heart few would sit in a church and pay attention to a pastor who was preaching while a bat flew overhead, back and forth, back and forth. When Butch was swinging and the choir was heavy into the oh-h-h-h's and ah-h-h-h-h's of the antics of both him and the bat. Finally Randy came out with a sheet and he and I went toward the bat. I mentioned to Randy that they use a sonar like feature to find out where things are, and suddenly I was left holding the sheet by my self ... and Butch had the broom, somewhere ... and finally the little fellow grew too tired to fly and landed on the ushers pew in the back of the church to rest. I walked up and laid the sheet over him, I think more for his protection than mine, (because Butch had just arrived with the broom), and I carried him outside and let him go. I'm almost sorry he had to leave, because he was providing some real entertainment, but I knew we had to practice and in about 45 minutes the rest of the congregation would not appreciate the antics of one small winged creature as did I. I can only imagine how God looked down on us last night and surely we must have made Him laugh. Larry, Randy, & Butch (or was it Larry, Moe and Curley) all chasing one little bat while the choir sang on... By Larry Reed Submitted by Larry Reed ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: My friend's husband always teases her about her lack of interest in household chores. One day he came home with a gag gift, a refrigerator magnet that read: "Martha Stewart doesn't live here." The next day he came home to find the magnet holding up a slip of paper. The note read, "Neither does Bob Vila." Source: Absolute Humor, http://AbsoluteRobeo.com ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: How big is the North Pole's penguin population? There are no penguins at the North Pole. In fact, there are no penguins anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere (outside of zoos). All 17 varieties of the bird are found below the equator, primarily in Antarctica. Source: ArcaMax Trivia, http://www.arcamax.com |