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WITandWISDOM(tm) - June 29, 2004 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "If you wait until you are sure you will never take off the training wheels." Source: Heart Touchers, http://www.hearttouchers.com ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: I was 13 years old. My family had moved to Southern California from North Florida a year before. I hit adolescence with a vengeance. I was angry and rebellious, with little regard for anything my parents had to say, particularly if it had to do with me. Like so many teenagers, I struggled to escape from anything that didn't agree with my picture of the world. A "brilliant without need of guidance" kid, I rejected any overt offering of love. In fact, I got angry at the mention of the word love. One night, after a particularly difficult day, I stormed into my room, shut the door and got into bed. As I lay down in the privacy of my bed, my hands slipped under my pillow. There was an envelope. I pulled it out and on the envelope it said, "To read when you're alone." Since I was alone, no one would know whether I read it or not, so I opened it. It said "Mike, I know life is hard right now, I know you are frustrated and I know we don't do everything right. I also know that I love you completely and nothing you do or say will ever change that. I am here for you if you ever need to talk, and if you don't, that's okay. Just know that no matter where you go or what you do in your life, I will always love you and be proud that you are my son. I'm here for you and I love you - that will never change. Love, Mom." That was the first of several "To read when you're alone" letters. They were never mentioned until I was an adult. I thank God that my mom knew what I, an angry teenager, needed. Today when the seas of life get stormy, I know that just under my pillow there is that calm assurance that love - consistent, abiding, unconditional love - changes lives. To Read When You're Alone by Mike Staver Source: The Funnies, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/andychaps_the-funnies ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: While I was stationed on a destroyer in Long Beach, Calif., my wife's parents came to visit us. We had arranged to take them to a waterfront restaurant for dinner right after I returned from an official Navy function. I was still dressed in my crisp white uniform, complete with colorful rows of ribbons on my chest and black shoulder boards displaying gold stripes. While we were waiting for our table, I stood outside by the main entrance with my father-in-law, a World War II veteran, and began explaining the responsibilities of a Navy officer. Just then, an attractive woman got out of her car and walked toward us. "Here," she said, handing me her car keys, "and be careful not to scratch my car when you park it." Contributed to "Humor In Uniform" by Lt. Gary R. Malcolmson Provided courtesy of Reader's Digest http://www.rd.com DailyInBox: America in Uniform, http://dailyinbox.com/aiu/ind.shtml ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: I love boxing. Where else do two grown men prance around in satin underwear fighting over a belt? The one who wins gets a purse. They do it in gloves. It's the accessory connection I love. - John McGover Source: Heart Touchers, http://www.hearttouchers.com ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Woodrow Wilson’s father was a minister. Rather tall and thin, Wilson Sr. made quite a contrast to his horse, which was well-built. One day with horse and buggy and young Woodrow along, the minister was asked by a parishioner, “Reverend, how is it that you’re so thin and gaunt while your horse is so fat and sleek?” Before he could reply, young Woodrow exclaimed, “Probably because my father feeds the horse and the congregation feeds my father!” From: Serve Him With Mirth by Leslie B Flynn This is a free e-book download. http://www.gospelcom.net/guide/resources/mirth.php |