============================================
{Straight From the Heart} *What a Spark Can Do* 3/6/01
============================================
If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to
spread the word to family and friends that we may bring
inspiration into the lives of many! If you are not on the list
and this has been passed along to you, join us by sending
a blank email to: Thunder27@aol.com
I appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism, so feel free to
write me (Michael T. Powers) and let me know what you think!
Just joined us and want to see all the past stories we've run?
Visit our inspirational website at:
http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
AOL Users click here: Straight From the Heart
==================================================
Important message from Michael:
How many times have you received an email asking you to "Please forward this to all of your friends." Did you send it along? Maybe it looked legitimate, or maybe it was from a trusted source such as a close friend. Did you check it out first, or did you just forward it to everyone in your address book?
It might be an email stating that Madalyn Murray O'Hair is trying to get religious broadcasting banned from radio and television. It might be an email about a little girl named Kelsey Brooke Jones who is supposedly missing. Or it might be one where attorney Janet Reno supposedly states on 60 Minutes that all Christians are members of cults...
David Barnett writes: "As Christians, it is our duty and responsibility to avoid spreading falsehoods and untruths, and to put a stop to their spread when we can. There are many
Internet stories and "urban legends" being circulated on the Internet, and they often sound very legitimate. Many times, they prey on the Christian's sense of duty, of wanting to do what's right, of wanting to help right a wrong. Oftentimes, they prey on our natural fears. Unfortunately, many of these are also false stories; sometimes they were never true in the first place; sometimes they were true at one time, but are now outdated; and sometimes they simply twist facts to suit the author's purpose."
In this article David Barnett explains just how dangerous and irresponsible forwarding these types of emails can be...
I greatly encourage every single one of us to read this article and then share it with
as many people as you can!
Check it out on our website at:
http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
==================================================
What a Spark Can Do
By Rubel Shelly
More than 1,000 firefighters were involved in battling a wildfire in
the Black Hills of South Dakota. The fire started on August 24 and was
not contained until September 8. In the meanwhile, 83,000 acres of
valuable timber were burned.
A 46-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of starting the
fire. Janice Stevenson faces a federal charge of setting timber on fire
on U.S. Forest Service property. If convicted on the charge, she faces
up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She also could be
billed for the cost of the blaze -- which authorities say could run
into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The woman must be a career arsonist, wouldn't you think? Anyone who
caused that much damage over so vast an area and made it necessary to
spend millions of dollars and thousands of man hours must be a member
of some militant anti-government conspiracy, right? And don't you
suspect she had accomplices?
Before letting our imaginations run wild, let me give you the facts as
reported by the Associated Press. Federal investigators who filed
charges against Ms. Stevenson say she admits stopping by a road on
August 24, lighting a cigarette, and tossing the still-burning match on
the ground. "Rather than putting out the fire," an affidavit said, "she
looked at it and decided to leave the area."
It sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? Garbled information started circulating
in the office about one of the people working there. At the end of a workday,
somebody who was tired and stressed out snapped at a spouse or made some
insensitive crack to one of the kids. Somebody at church thought the preacher
or Sunday School teacher was taking a cheap shot at him.
Rumors, half-truths, grumbling, sarcastic remarks, things said in the
heat of anger -- all these "burning matches" have the potential for
burning down acres of office morale, family peace, and church unity
that were cultivated over years.
Consider these lines from Holy Scripture: "It only takes a spark,
remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word
out of your mouth can do that" (James 3:5-6, The Message). All of us
know it is true.
Court documents claim that Ms. Stevenson saw her match ignite the fire,
but she chose to drive away when it still could have been put out. If
you've tossed any hot sparks lately, maybe it isn't too late to
extinguish them with an apology. Failing to do so may leave you liable
for a disaster you never intended to happen.
Rubel Shelly
whcoc@edge.net
Send Rubel an email and let him know what you thought about his story!
(c) 2000 Rubel Shelly. Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's
"FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See <http://www.faithmatters.com>
for previous issues of the "FAX of Life."
************
Rubel Shelly has preached for the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ in Nashville since 1978. During that time, he has also taught at David Lipscomb University and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is the author of more than 20 books, including several which have been translated into languages such as Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, French, and Russian. He is married to the former Myra Shappley, and they are the parents of three children: Mrs. David (Michelle) Arms, Tim, and Tom.
==================================================
REQUESTS:
==================================================
Thought For The Day:
"No worldly success can compensate for failure in the home."
Verse for the Day:
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right...And you, fathers, do not
provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of
the Lord." --Ephesians 6:1,4
Toddler's Thought For The Day:
"If it doesn't stay on my spoon, it must be dropped on the floor. If it is not food, it
must be tasted."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
"When mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"It doesn't take much to send a player home each night depressed, frustrated, and with no self-confidence. But to send her home believing in herself and with her
chin held high, that might take a little coaching." -- Michael T. Powers
Deep Thought For The Day:
"First lesson in Chemistry: Never lick the spoon!"
====================================================
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
====================================================
The copyrights to the stories that appear in SFTH are owned by the
authors and are used with their permission. This email may be forwarded
in its entirety, but please do not cut and paste the stories to be used
elsewhere unless you have contacted, and been given permission,
by the individual writer. Thanks!
====================================================
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business.)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave
them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was
crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we could
have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so
touched---they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the
video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli-- College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html
AOL Users click here: Video Imagery
==================================================
Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
http://www.ccci.org/laws/index.html
AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws
==================================================
Writer's guidelines for Straight From the Heart can be found here:
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/
AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines
==================================================
UNSUBSCRIBE:
"What? You want to leave us?"
All you have to do is send a BLANK EMAIL with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to:
Thunder27@aol.com
Give it a day or two to be processed... then try not to think of all the great stories
you will be missing!
==================================================
SUBSCRIBE:
"I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!"
To become a Straight From the Heart Member send a BLANK EMAIL to:
Thunder27@AOL.COM
Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best
stories on the Internet!
==================================================
