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WITandWISDOM(tm) - October 30, 2006 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Peace is not the absence of conflict, it's the absence of inner conflict. Source: Carol's Thought for Today, http://users.adelphia.net/~mrs.carol ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: A church on a West Indian island felt that the people around them were hard, cold, and prejudiced. So they sent a message to headquarters requesting an evangelist. But it contained the caution, "Don't send us any ordinary evangelist. He must be a specialist. For no ordinary preacher can ever reach these prejudiced people." Did you ever feel that way? Often I hear folks talk that way about their friends and neighbors. They think they are most prejudiced and very hard. In that church was an illiterate man. While at headquarters a search was being made for the "specialist," this illiterate man went to the elder of the church with the request: "Here's my Bible. Would you kindly underscore all the great doctrines of the Bible, each one in a different color?" We will say he was to underscore all the texts on the second coming of Christ in red; everything on the nature of man and the state of the dead in green, and so on. Well, that was a two weeks' job for the elder. And he wanted to put the poor ignorant man off. But the man kept insisting, until finally the elder acceded to his wishes and marked his Bible for him in the manner he requested. In the meantime this illiterate man had learned from someone the titles and numbers of many songs in one of the evangelistic songbooks. Finally, with his marked Bible in his hand, and a stack of songbooks under his arm, he made his way to the city. He stationed himself on a street corner, and began to sing. As he sang, somehow the loveliness of Jesus must have shown out through his countenance and voice, for a goodly number of people gathered around him. He passed out the songbooks. "We are singing No. I, 'More About Jesus,' " he said smilingly. He had his songbook open. But the people did not know that he could not read a word. And they joined in the singing. After they had enjoyed a good song service he turned to a gentleman standing beside him, a stranger, and said, "Take this Bible and read everything underscored in red, beginning with Genesis." The man read a text, and then this illiterate man, though he could not read or write, explained the text. The friend read the next text marked in the same color. And the illiterate man explained it also. And thus they continued until they had finished the lesson for the night. Then he announced when he would return. In this manner he completed a series of meetings. While the church was looking, longing, and waiting for the "specialist," this illiterate man had doubled the membership of the church. He learned the lesson that all must learn - that of himself he could not win souls to the Master. So he looked to God for help, through Jesus; while others who were wiser, better educated, and probably more dignified did practically nothing. Source: Path to the Heart, Glenn A Coon, © 1958 by Review and Herald Publishing Association ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: A guy is driving around and he sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog For Sale." He rings the bell, and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there. "You talk?" he asks. "Yep," the lab replies. "So, what's your story?" The lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running.” "But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger, so I wanted to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security work, mostly wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired." The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog. "Ten dollars." The guy says, "This dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?" "Because he's a liar. He didn't do any of that stuff!" Source: Chapnotes, mailto:xanmansa@chapnotes.org?Subject=Subscribe ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: During a flood in the Kentucky lowlands, one family sent its little boy to stay with an uncle in another part of the state, accompanied by a letter explaining the reason for the nephew's sudden and unexpected visit. Two days later the parents received a telegram: "Am returning boy. Send the flood." Submitted by Miss Kitty ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: A student has turned her 80-year-old grandmother into an art exhibit. Janis Rafailidous put Athena in a mocked up kitchen in an art gallery in Leeds, reports the Mirror. Visitors can watch her tidying up, preparing food or even doing a spot of knitting. Janis, 22, is using Athena as a "living sculpture" for her Leeds University art graduation show. She wanted a display that captured her home life in Greece so flew her gran in from Athens. Janis said: "When I suggested it to her it was almost a joke but she said: "Yes, I'd love to"." Athena added: "In Greece we would do anything for our children. So doing this doesn't bother me at all." Source: Ananova http://www.ananova.com