{Straight From the Heart} *Memories in the Bank* 3/1/00 __________________________________________ Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!" If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to forward it on to family and friends. If this has been passed along to you and you want to join the list, just send 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! __________________________________________ Memories in the Bank By: Terri McPherson I recently attended a funeral and saw the stark truth of how unimportant it is to have a stockpile of money in the bank. The service was for the wife of a friend who has been a successful lawyer for many years. He was sitting in my line of sight during prayers, and the big, solid man I had come to know and love looked as small and helpless as a wounded child. Somehow, he had lost his stature. His eyes never left his wife and his tears never stopped flowing. The accumulation of money and assets he had acquired over the years, no longer held any value. They were absolutely useless. Before the service, we talked about the legacy his wife had left behind, the imprint of kindness she left on the hearts of everyone she ever met. Once the pain of his loss begins to subside, the wealth of those memories will bring him the comfort he so richly deserves. © 2000 Terri McPherson tmcphers@mnsi.net Send Terri and email and let her know what you thought of her writing! Terri lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She has two wonderful children, a five-year-old grandangel and a terrific husband. She works for a local production company and teaches advanced clogging classes for the Border City Cloggers. Her writing has appeared in numerous online publications. Check out her website: WiseHearts... Weaving Small Wisdoms Through The Fabric Of Life WiseHearts http://www.mnsi.net/~tmcphers/index.htm ___________________________________________________ HAPPINESS By Mary Emma Allen Happiness is found around you In the simple and the plain; Do not search through halls of splendor Nor seek to reach the heights of fame. Look beneath the trembling leaf Fallen on grass sparked with dew; Let the soft breeze kiss your face While walking woods' paths trod by few. Listen to the chattering squirrels Nutting in the old oak tree; Hearken to the cowbird's call From the meadow, wild and free. Smell the scent of new mown hay Left to dry in shaven fields; See the long, green corn stalks bend With the cattle's winter meals. Sit beside the rippling brook; Drop pebbles in the crystal pool. In the green woods, find a nook, Hide in shadows, soft and cool. Watch the sunrise ride the sky And with bright arrows pierce the dark; See a whispy cloud of white From a bay of blue embark. Stand upon a hilltop high, Feel free and full of peace; Sense the presence of a Friend Whose love and care does never cease. Copyright Mary Emma Allen me.allen@juno.com Send Mary Emma an email and let her know what you thought of her poem! BIO - Mary Emma Allen is a columnist, children's writer, newsletter editor, book writer. Her books are: When We Become the Parent to Our Parents, Writing in Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont, Tales of Adventure & Discovery, and The Magic of Patchwork. Her E-mail is: me.allen@juno.com Web site: http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/jetent/mea/ ___________________________________________________ REQUESTS: From: cybercatz2@earthlink.net (Loyd & Janet Wood Jr.) Sorry to have kept you all awaiting an answer, in this case no news has been Good News! Sarah made it through the surgery and has been during good during this very critical post-surgery time. We were in Cleveland staying at the hospital from last Thursday night until we returned home last evening. Loyd and I were determined on being at that hospital until the 72 post-surgery time had expired. It was so nice to be in our own home but so hard to leave Sarah at the hospital, but we will start our evening visits again until she comes home. We had never been away from our other daughter, who will be three April 26, for so many days we missed her so much I swear her hair grew and she looked more beautiful if that's possible than when we left her. Tonight Emily gets to see Sarah for the first time, although we will have Sarah's chest covered with a blanket so it won't be so difficult for her. Trust me it is the hardest thing to see your child lying there totally dependant on the medical staff and being her parents we are totally helpless to her at this time. Well, at least we know God is in the midst and we have felt all of your prayers-Thank you. Well, we will try to keep you posted as she progresses, please continue pray for her. In Christ, Janet **** From: Stndupdble@aol.com Hi Michael, I have a prayer request: My 18 yrs old nephew has been struggling with heroin addiction for the last year and a half and our entire family, along with friends have been praying for Rudy III just as long. Over the past three months, the Lord has been working in Rudy's life. Through the work of our Lord, Rudy ends up in rehab and then Satan takes hold and Rudy leaves the rehab. Well, this time Rudy went to jail (for possession and theft) and the Lord came through again by opening the door for another rehab opportunity which was court ordered. Rudy walked out again just a couple of days ago and now Rudy has placed himself into a real serious situation. He may have to do jail time, since he walked out of a court ordered situation. So, I am asking for your prayers for Rudy III. He is a good young man, just that this addiction has taken a strong hold on him, as we see so many of our young children today in trouble in many ways. Please join my family in prayer that God will continue to work in Rudy's life and do what is best for him. I trust in the Lord!! Oh by the way, this last time that Rudy was in rehab., he was beginning to open his eyes to the Lord and pray/listen with his father (my brother) for guidance from our Lord. You know how Satan hates to lose someone to God. We know he is trying to pull my nephew away from our Lord, and my nephew is becoming aware of how Satan works. Pray that my nephew keep his focus on God and accept Him into his heart. I thank you so much for your prayers. Some good news I want to share with you also. I was informed by my sister that my nephew Richard (4 years old) accepted Jesus into his heart a couple of days ago. Praise the Lord!!! Because of Him, Angie ___________________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste." (Henry Ford) Verse for the Day: "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5 Kid's Thought For The day: "Why buy roses when daisies are free." Parent's Thought For The Day "Recall the aura, the ecstasy, the perfectness of your wedding day. The vows are meticulously and faultlessly repeated. A stimulating honeymoon reinforces the idealistic glow. Nothing could ever alter the thrill of this hallowed occasion. Then comes reality. The couple soon realizes marriage is not an ongoing celebration of celestial dimensions. It's a lifelong process of down-to-earth hard work -- worth every drop of sweat it produces." Coach's Thought For The Day "Those who coach must above all be able to coach themselves." Deep Thought For The Day: "I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers." _ /_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html /_/ \ "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 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 suprised 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 (RKaGe@aol.com) 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! Video Imagery http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html