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WITandWISDOM(tm) - May 19, 2006 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: The art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it all care and worry is probably one of the secrets of our great men. - Captain J.A. Hatfield Source: Inspire, http://www.inspirelist.com/ ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Bob Russell is retiring after 40 years as senior pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, and Dave Stone (his long-time preaching associate) has assumed the role of senior pastor. In a recent interview with Bob and Dave, they talked about the challenges preachers face today. . . . "There's a couple you may have just passed in the hallway; I was just talking with them. They came forward a few years ago; they'd been going to a mega church in Florida. They moved up here. They fell in love with the church, have three kids and came forward to become members here at Southeast, and they were living together. Our counselor said to them, 'You know, sorry we can't welcome you in as members because you are living together and we'd like for you to consider praying about separating.' They got a letter from our new member minister -- they still have it; in fact they framed it. And it has one line in there that just lovingly said, 'If Jesus were standing beside you and living in your home, would He be pleased or would He be dishonored by what is taking place?' "What I would have thought would have seemed like a rather abrupt statement melted their hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit and they separated the day they got that letter. They contacted a pastor who married them on that Saturday four days later, and on Sunday night I preached at our Vine service and they came up to me afterward and said we'd like to talk with you. They said, 'We got married yesterday. Is it OK if we belong to your church now?' And I said, 'Yeah, it sure is!' "I guess what I'm saying is: when the gospel is preached, and when you don't back down from it, the Holy Spirit can do the best work. And it was a good reminder that even when you take that firm stand, yeah there will be some people who say, 'Well, this church isn't for me then. You'll make me feel like I'm some terrible sinner.' But the Holy Spirit can still do His work. He did in that couple. I'm going to renew their vows Saturday." Source: Preaching Now, http://www.preaching.com/newsletter/subscribe.html ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Things My Mother Taught Me My mother taught me about the food groups: "If you put one foot outside that door, you're not getting any homemade bread." My mother taught me contortions: "Have you seen the dirt on the back of your neck?" My mother taught me to stand firm: "You'll sit there till all that spinach is finished." My mother taught me about weather: "Looks as if a tornado swept through your room." My mother taught me about hypocrisy: "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times—Don't exaggerate!" My mother taught me the circle of life: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out." My mother taught me about behavior programming: "Stop acting like your father!" My mother taught me about envy: "There are millions of less fortunate children who don't have parents like yours!" Compiled by LaughALot@editors.crosswalk.com Source: Today’s Christian, http://tinyurl.com/oqyrc ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Woman at a supermarket checkout: "What's the sense of all these instant foods if we have to stand in line twenty minutes?" Submitted by Betsy ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: "Cyprus was one of the world's important mining centers in ancient times, but for reasons still unknown the Romans halted operations there and sealed the tunnels. Many of the tunnels were found and reopened in the 20th century, thanks to clever detective work by an American mining engineer, D. A. Gunther. In the New York Public Library (NYPL), he had happened to find an ancient account of the mines. Years of ingenious search in Cyprus led him to the tunnels, which he found complete with usable support timbers and oil lamps. Cyprus became an important mining center once again." [Trivia: In order to save space, the millions of books, pamphlets, magazines, and other items housed in the NYPL Research Libraries are arranged in the stacks not by author, title, or subject, but by height.] Gunther, D. A. (?- ) American mining engineer From: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts Source: http://anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=2776