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WITandWISDOM(tm) - November 13, 2006 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. - J.F. Newton Source: Carol's Thought for Today, http://users.adelphia.net/~mrs.carol ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: After reading the lovely story of the lady feeding the house finch (W&W Trivia – 11-09-06) (a bird we don't have here in New Zealand), it reminded my of an incredible experience that happened just a year or so back. While visiting one of my Church members at the little seaside town of Picton (any of your readers who have visited New Zealand and travelled across Cook Straight from one island to the other will know that Picton is one of the Ferry terminals), I was walking up the drive way towards the house and noticed a goldfinch (an English or European bird introduced to New Zealand by our English pioneers in the nineteenth century) on the ground on the raised garden to my left. It did not fly away as I approached, so I slowed and said gently, "How are you doing, little buddy?". I stopped very close to it, and it still made no effort to fly away, despite the rest of the small flock having done so as I had approached. I bent over towards it, noticing that it appeared to be very healthy, with a bright, shiny black eye (I had thought its reluctance to fly away may have been caused by sickness). I slowly extended my right hand, and slightly bending my index finger, ran it slowly down the bird's chest and towards its legs, whereupon it climbed onto my finger. I lifted it up to eye level and marvelled at this beautiful little creation of God. I called to my wife, the Church member and her daughter who were standing about 10 yards away to notice this incredible experience. They witnessed it. As that pretty little bird sat confidently on my finger, I said to myself (I was talking to the bird while it was sitting on my finger) that this experience was something I had for a long time imagined would be our privilege on the new earth, but not now. I thanked God for such a privilege. Because we thought there may be some risk to the little creature, we decided that instead of putting it back on the ground, I would put it on the branch of the tree nearby. When I went to do so, it flew away - happy and healthy. I will never forget the experience. Paul Gredig, Pastor, New Zealand ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: A New York judge is ready to go through the day's business and he is very rushed. The first case up involves an elderly Jewish gentleman with a long beard, payos, the works. The judge, without asking a question, says to the clerk: "Quick...get me a translator." Translator shows up and the judge says: "Ask him what his name is, how old is he and where does he come from?" The translator says: "Die judge vilt vissen, vos is dein namen, vie alt bist du, and fun vie kumst du?" The old man smiles, looks at the judge and says in perfect English with a British accent: "Your Honour. My name is Sir Chaim Ginsbug. I shall be 82 next Thursday and I've come from England where I hold the chair of Hebrew Philosophy at Oxford University." The translator turns to the judge and says: "Ehr zukt, ehr is Sir Chaim Ginsburg, ehr is tzwei und achtzig yur alt, und ehr is, mit sach Yiddish philisoph, areingekummen fun Oxford." Source: Clean Laffs, http://www.cleanlaffs.com/ ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Smoky, our family cat, had gotten injured and needed to stay at the vet clinic for several days. Our three children were so concerned that several times a day, my wife and I had to reassure them that Smoky was safe and being cared for by the "animal doctor." Finally, we got the call that Smoky was ready to come home. Driving to the vet's, it became clear that our four-year-old son, Ryan, had been doing a lot of thinking about Smoky's absence when he asked, "Mom, what kind of animal is the doctor?" Source: Monday Fodder mailto:daveaufrance@gmail.com?Subject=Subscribe_Monday_Fodder http://www.fishermansnet.com/monday-fodder/ ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: In December 1948, a Washington radio station telephoned various ambassadors in the capital and asked what each would like for Christmas. Their replies were duly recorded and broadcast in a special program the following week: "Peace throughout the world," the French ambassador requested. "Freedom for all people enslaved by imperialism," his Russian counterpart intoned... Then came the voice of the British ambassador, Sir Oliver Franks: "Well, it's very kind of you to ask," he politely remarked. "I'd quite like a box of crystallized fruit." Submitted by Lorraine