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WITandWISDOM(tm) - November 23, 2005 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "I complained that I had no shoes until I met someone who had no feet." - Persian proverb Source: Weekend Encounter, by Dick Innes, Copyright (c) ACTS International, 2004, http://www.actsweb.org/subscribe.htm ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Martin Rinkert was a minister in the little town of Eilenburg in Germany some 350 years ago. He was the son of a poor coppersmith, but somehow, he managed to work his way through an education. Finally, in the year 1617, he was offered the post of Archdeacon in his hometown parish. A year later, what has come to be known as the Thirty-Years-War broke out. His town was caught right in the middle. In 1637, the massive plague that swept across the continent hit Eilenburg... people died at the rate of fifty a day and the man called upon to bury most of them was Martin Rinkert. In all, over 8,000 people died, including Martin's own wife. His labors finally came to an end about 11 years later, just one year after the conclusion of the war. His ministry spanned 32 years, all but the first and the last overwhelmed by the great conflict that engulfed his town. Tough circumstances in which to be thankful. But he managed. And he wrote these words: Now thank we all our God With heart and hands and voices; Who wondrous things hath done, In whom his world rejoices. It takes a magnificent spirit to come through such hardship and express gratitude. Here is a great lesson. Surrounded by tremendous adversity, thanksgiving will deliver you...with heart and hand and voices. Brett Blair, Nov. 2004 http://www.eSermons.com Source: Illustrations, http://www.cybersaltlists.org ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Groaners Aspirin goes a long way back. I read in the Bible the other day that Moses took two tablets. I bought a book about centipedes. It was mostly footnotes. Did I tell you about the Hollywood chicken? It crossed the road to see Gregory Peck. Then there was the seamstress who lost her cat. She let it out. Is a sleeping bag a nap sack? If you cross a chicken with a cow will you get roost beef? Finally, there was the clumsy bee who came down with a cold. As determined as ever, however, the bee gathered its pollen, only to drop it time and time again, so it had to visit quite a few flowers before it was able to hold on to the pollen. Sadly, though, it spread its illness to every single flower. That became known as the blight of the fumble bee. Submitted by B. B. ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Cooking tip: Wrap turkey leftovers in aluminum foil and throw them out. Source: Top Greetings ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: A Thanksgiving Greeting: http://tinyurl.com/cc5an