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WITandWISDOM(tm) - November 3, 2004 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer; since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment ... Go some distance away because the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen. - Leonardo da Vinci Source: http://robertbayer.tripod.com/INSPIRATIONALIDEAS/id9.html Submitted by Pastor John L. Bechtel, http://www.tagnet.org/fremont/ ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Men, men . . ." My 17-month-old son, Christian, held out his tiny hand toward me, and repeated, "men, men." I had just put him in his high chair for lunch and served him my gourmet version (I add peas!) of the ubiquitous macaroni and cheese. I was just sitting down beside him with my plate similarly laden, when his sweet, anxious voice persisted with his "Men, men, men." His arm reached toward me, so I offered him a spoonful of my fare; maybe it just looked better from my china plate than it did from his plastic "Best Kid Ever" bowl. But no, he maintained his undifferentiated reaching, his hand held out. How about some pureed organic carrots and squash? (Really not bad stuff, if you don't want to chew.) Still, his blue eyes pleaded for something else, something different. For what? I got him some juice. No good. Still the "men, men." He didn't want my food, different food, my dish, or juice. What did he want? Exasperated, I just gave him my hand. He folded his little hand into my palm. Finally satisfied. "Men." "Ohhhh," I gasped. "I forgot to pray." Our family always holds hands during prayer. "Men" was Christian's version of "amen," what my husband and I chorus as we finish praying. He was asking to pray. I felt terrible. How could I forget to pray with my son? How could I get so busy and distracted that I forgot to thank God for that which sustains us? I also felt excited. I was overjoyed that my son, who as a child of God, in himself an answer to prayer, would be the one to stop me in my tracks, and point my eyes beyond the worries of world strife, human suffering, issues at work, socks to sort, telephone calls to make, papers to grade. He forced me to cease my frenzy, to look beyond. So I enfolded his hand within mine. And out loud I thanked God for our food. Christian repeated, "men," pulled his hand away, and dug into his macaroni and cheese while I silently finished my prayer. With that deep tug that only a parent's heart can know, I thanked God that He gave me this child who would lead me with his simple faith. By Cindee Bailey, Walla Walla, WA Source: Adventist Review, ISSN 0161-1119, (c) May 20, 2004, http://www.adventistreview.org/ Submitted by Mary Thayne ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: A "Washington Post" columnist runs a column each summer listing Interesting women's t-shirts observed at the Ocean City, Maryland beach. I childproofed my house, but they still get in. (On the front) 60 is not old. (On the back) if you're a tree. Darn right I'm still hot. It just comes in flashes. Buckle up. Makes it harder for aliens to snatch you from your car. My reality check just bounced. Life is short. Make fun of it. I'm not 50. I'm $49.95 plus tax. It's my cat's world. I'm just here to open cans. Keep staring. I may do a trick. Dangerously under-medicated. My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it's gone. Cats regard people as warm-blooded furniture. Live your life so that when you die, the preacher will not have to tell lies at your funeral. Source: Sermon Fodder, http://www.sermonfodder.com ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Our nephew was getting married to a doctor's daughter. At the wedding reception, the father of the bride stood to read his toast, which he had scribbled on a piece of scrap paper. Several times during his speech, he halted, overcome with what I assumed was a moment of deep emotion. But after a particularly long pause, he explained, "I'm sorry. I can't seem to make out what I've written down." Looking out into the audience, he asked, "Is there a pharmacist in the house?" Contributed to "All In a Day's Work" by Tony Belmonte, Reader's Digest CyberSmiles Source: DailyInBox Presents, http://dailyinbox.com ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: One termite queen may have 10 million children! On a single tree 20 million plant lice may be found. About as many insects live in a square mile of the earth's surface as people in the world. A female housefly becomes an adult in two weeks. Usually she lays two batches of 125 eggs each. Ten generations can develop in a summer. If all eggs hatched and multiplied at the usual rate and none were destroyed, by the end of the summer 15 quintillion (15,000,000,000,000,000,000) flies would cover the earth four and a half feet deep. Source: Stop, Look and Listen by Eileen E. and Jay H. Lantry, Copyright(c)1976 by Review and Herald Publishing Association, LCCN 75-32229 |