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WITandWISDOM(tm) - October 20, 2003 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: To know how to refuse is as important as to know how to consent. - Baltasar Gracian ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: My family and I stayed at a cottage one summer where the garbage man was the best I'd ever seen--on time every morning, efficient, neat, and quiet in consideration of people who were sleeping during his early morning rounds. I got up one morning at half-past six to thank him for the great job he was doing…he smiled and said, "In 12 years of hauling garbage, no one has ever told me they appreciated what I was doing." Source: Chapnotes, http://www.chaplainsnotes.org/ ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: One day in September, 1955, a pelican, tired and exhausted from its migration journey, made an unscheduled stop on the Greek island of Mykonos in the Aegean Sea. The visit changed the recent history of that tiny island. The great white bird was unable to fish for itself, so the local fishermen, taking pity on it, took the bird to Theodores. Now Theodores was a giant of a man, a hero of World War II, and he loved wild creatures of all kinds. The pelican was added to the menagerie of Theodores, which included several other birds and a baby seal. Theodores named the pelican Peter, after another Mykonian war hero. Soon Peter became the island's mascot. Everyone petted him and gave him fish, or turned on the faucet for him to get a drink. The Mykonians began to say that maybe Peter was a good omen sent to bring them prosperity. Peter grew strong and had the run of the island. One spring day Peter vanished. The islanders immediately went into mourning. Then word came that Peter had been found on the nearby island of Tenos. There was instant jubilation. But the men of Tenos would not give Peter back to Mykonos. There was instant indignation. "How dare they claim our pelican," stormed the Mykonians. "Peter has deserted Mykonos and selected our island now," retorted the men of Tenos. The affair was called the Pelicanesian War. Finally the regional governor settled the question by ordering that Peter be returned to Mykonos. All 3,600 Mykonians were at the dock to meet the pelican's return. The church bells rang as Peter walked solemnly down the gangplank. Source: Glimpses of God's Love by James A. Tucker and Priscilla Tucker, Copyright (c) 1983 by Review and Herald Publishing Association, http://isbn.nu/0828002169 Submitted by Nancy Simpson ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: A group of guys I know took a trip to France and decided to attend Mass in a small town, even though none of them understood French. They managed to stand, kneel and sit when the rest of the congregation did, so it wouldn't be obvious they were tourists. At one point, the priest spoke and the man sitting next to them stood up, so they got up too. The entire congregation broke into hearty laughter. After the service they approached the priest, who spoke English, and asked him what had been so funny. The priest said he had announced a birth in the parish and asked the father to stand up. Contributed by Jeff Powell Source: Reader's Digest, Copyright (c) September 2000, http://www.readersdigest.com/ ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: The headline told it all - almost: "Before Faith Fills the Air, Air Fills the Cathedral"; or, in this case, a 47-foot-high inflatable "church" invented in Britain to allow couples to "marry where [they] want," while retaining the "church setting" that so many mothers and grandmothers fondly remember. The $35,000 structure is the brainchild of entrepreneur Michael Gill, who garnered a fair amount of media attention at, what else, a Christian product fair near London. Some 50 reporters and photographers crowded into the structure as an Anglican pastor, Michael Elfred, led prayers, according to the Reuters news service. There's an inflatable organ, simulated stained glass, and seating for 12. The rest have to stand, but high heels aren't a problem, since the structure has a wood floor. For obvious reasons, however, smoking is prohibited. Inflatable Church: http://inflatablechurch.com/ Source: Adventist Review, ISSN 0161-1119, (c) June 26, 2003, http://www.adventistreview.org/ Submitted by Nancy Simpson |