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*The Genius* 4/19/02 __________________________ 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 the thousands of HeartTouchers.com readers around the world by sending an e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past stories in our archives at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com ____________________________________________ Are you looking for the perfect gift to give for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Graduation? Then check out Michael's Video Production business: Video Imagery! You can transfer your photos over to videotape, or even DVD, all set to music that will make your images come alive! The cost is only $1 per photo, which means no matter what your budget is, you can give the most meaningful gift you have ever given because you determine how many photos you transfer, and therefore, how much you spend! Want to make Mom, Dad, or your favorite graduating senior cry happy tears? Then check out all Michael has to offer at the following web site: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery "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 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 _________________________________________ The Genius By Al Batt My favorite bird in the whole wide world is the Black-capped Chickadee. He is like the Dale Carnegie or the Zig Ziglar of the avian world. The chickadee has a positive attitude. Just like Mr. Carnegie, the chickadee makes friends and influences people. This tiny bird's "chick-a-dee-dee" call is among the best motivational speeches I have ever heard. It begins singing "Spring's here" when our long winter's back is about to break. It is amazing the power housed in my feathered friend. The chickadee sings and I feel wonderful. My admiration for the chickadee has been a lifelong one. When I was a boy, a teacher told me that chickadees could be fed by hand. Such information was instant inspiration for me. I immediately came up with a plan. We had a number of birdfeeders hanging from the various lilac bushes in our yard. I stacked a couple of straw bales near one of the feeder laden lilacs. I procured a pitchfork with a broken handle and impaled the tines into one of the straw bales so that it protruded from the straw at an angle perpendicular to the ground. On the end of this pitchfork handle, I secured a Handy Andy work glove with baling twine. We didn't have any duct tape on the farm, but we had an abundance of baling twine. The yellow glove was situated like a man's hand asking for a handout. Into this glove, I placed some of the chickadee's favorite food-black oil sunflower seeds. This job done, I retreated to the kitchen of our old farmhouse and waited. I took up sentry duty by the window over our kitchen sink. I didn't have to wait long. The chickadees are a curious and a hungry bunch-just like my in-laws. The chickadees were the first to discover this new odd feeder. They visited often and regularly. Blue Jays and nuthatches also became regular customers. For two weeks I kept the gloved feeder filled. Then and only then was it time for my big experiment. I would go outside and remove the straw bales. Then I would put the yellow Handy Andy glove on my grimy little hand. I would stand as still as possible, perfecting the ability that most men have of being able to do things without the necessity of having to think about anything. This comes in handy when our wives ask us what we are thinking about and we are truthfully able to reply, "Nothing." I would stand for as long as it took. Sooner or later, the chickadees would come to feed from my gloved hand. They would come one at a time according to a determined pecking order. Occasionally, even a nuthatch would stop by for a snack. The chickadees were great to work with. My mother would have me perform my little trick whenever relatives would come by for a visit. I'd stand outside until the chickadees arrived while my relatives would gather around the kitchen window and watch in amazement. My mother and my relatives were in agreement -- I was a genius. That was the general consensus. That is, until my next report card arrived. Al Batt SnoEowl@aol.com Write Al and let him know your thoughts on his story! _______________________________ Al Batt lives on a farm near Hartland, Minnesota. Besides being a husband to Gail, father and grandfather; Al is a newspaper columnist, a radio and TV personality, a storyteller, a tour leader and an avid birder. Be sure to check out the interview we did with Al in case you missed it: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Al_Batt AOL Users Click Here: Al Batt _________________________________________ Can't get enough inspirational stories in your life? Would you like to send a unique gift to your friends and family? Then order a personalized autographed copy of the inspirational book: Straight From the Heart "A Celebration of Life" by Michael T. Powers for only $13.95. And best of all, we'll pay the shipping! Michael is an award winning writer whose stories have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines around the world and in the following books: Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan's Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul, Stories For the Extreme Teen's Heart, Stories For the Extreme Teen's Heart 2, Stories for the Teen's Heart 2, Heartwarmers, God Allows U-Turns Volumes 1, 3, and 4, Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, and in the upcoming books: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Story Collection and The Miracle of Boys. He has signed several contracts for future Chicken Soup and other inspirational books. Still not convinced? You can preview his book by visiting: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_powers AOL Users click here! To order your autographed copy have a check or money order for $13.95 for each book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to: Michael T. Powers 1918 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 (Please allow about 2 weeks for delivery.) ________________________________________ Reader Feedback! Michael ~ Thank you for your "site". I have been on your email list for a few months now, thanks to a friend who "passed it on". Your daily inspirations have touched my heart time and time again. Last night, I had an experience that I believe will touch your heart, as well. Sincerely, Tara Stieber jtghtitans@email.msn.com My 2-yr-old son, Harrison, and I were walking from the children's department at church to the choir room. We had just climbed the stairs and were walking, hand in hand, across the large, empty foyer. Harrison looked all around ~ and then looked up. As though looking in His face, he said, "Hi, Jesus! Hi, Jesus!" I smiled and asked rhetorically, "Are you saying "hi" to Jesus?" "Des!" (yes!) Then he abruptly stopped, dropped my hand and folded his, and said, "Pray!" Following his lead, I stopped, and asked, "Do you want to pray?" "Des. Pray!" So I folded my hands and prompted, "Dear Jesus..." Needing no prompting, Harrison simply prayed, "Jesus, I wuv you... I wuv you, Jesus!" Now that's what I call WORSHIP! _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "A great leader never sets himself above his followers except in carrying responsibilities." --Jules Ormont Verse for the Day: "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:8 Kid's Thought For The Day: "A kid who can't catch the ball says his glove doesn't fit right." Parent's Thought For The Day "Parents are not interested in justice, they are interested in quiet." (Bill Cosby) Coach's Thought For The Day "You must do the things you think you cannot do." (Eleanor Roosevelt) Writer's Thought For The Day: "It's important that a novel be approached with some urgency. Spend too long on it, or have great gaps between writing sessions, and the unity of the work tends to be lost." --Anthony Burgess Deep Thought For The Day: "I looked up my family tree and found out I was the sap." ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / HeartTouchers@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 HeartTouchers.com are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story. We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown." (All of which violates Copyright Law and the rights of the authors.) This e-mail 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. Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who graciously share their stories with us! ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in HeartTouchers.com? Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/guidelines/ AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines ___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: "I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!" To become a HeartTouchers.com Member send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@AOL.COM Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best stories on the Internet! __________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: All you have to do is send an e-mail with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Give it a day or two to be processed... __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws __________________________________________ |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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