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WITandWISDOM(tm) - April 10, 2006 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty. - Henri Frédéric Amiel Source: Inspire, http://www.inspirelist.com/ ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Walter Wangerin has a wonderful story, called "Matthew, Seven, Eight, and Nine" about how he tried to stop his son Matthew from stealing comic books. He tried various uses of the law over several years and continued to fail. Finally, he resorted to something he rarely used: a spanking. He did it deliberately, almost ritualistically, and he was so upset when he finished that he left the room and wept. After pulling himself back together, he went in to Matthew and hugged him. A number of years later, Matthew and his mother were doing some general reminiscing, and Matthew happened to bring up the time when he kept stealing comic books. "And you know why I finally stopped?" he asked. "Sure," she said, "Because Dad finally spanked you." "No!" replied Matthew, "No, because Dad cried." Wangerin concludes with these words: Hereafter, let every accuser of my son reckon with the mercy of God, and fall into a heap, and fail. For love accomplished what the law could not, and tears more powerful than Sinai. Even the Prince of Accusers shall bring no charge against my son that the Final Judge shall not dismiss. Satan, you are defeated! My God has loved my Matthew. By Walter Wangerin, Jr., The Manger Is Empty, pp. 116-132., http://isbn.nu/0060692278 Source: http://girardianlectionary.net/year_b/lent5b.htm ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Late one afternoon, the Air Force guys out at Area 51 are surprised to see a Cessna landing at their "secret" base. They immediately impound the aircraft and haul the pilot into an interrogation room. The pilot's story is that he took off out of Las Vegas, got lost and found the base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force starts a full security check on the guy and hold him overnight. The next day they are finally convinced that the guy really was lost and is not a spy. They gas up his airplane; give him a terrifying "you did not see a base" briefing complete with threats of spending the rest of his life in prison. They set his heading and send him back to Vegas. The next day, here comes the Cessna again. Once again the MPs surround the plane, only this time there are two people in the plane. The same pilot jumps out and says: "Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night....." Submitted by B. B. ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: The new patient was sharing his woes with an understanding doctor: "After the first, I'm usually tired and winded, Doc. After the second, my chest aches and I start getting pains in my legs. After the third, I feel like fainting and it takes half-an-hour for my heart and respiration to return to normal." "Why don't you quit after the first?" inquired the doctor. "How can I do that, Doc?" said the patient. "I live on the third." Source: Nybble Bi-Weekly Newsletter, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nybble ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: How many committees worked on the translation of the Bible and Apocrypha? Answer this and other questions in the ten question King James Bible Quiz. (Richard had five correct.) http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/news/quiz/1176 Source: ArcaMax - Trivia, http://tinyurl.com/9kf44