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{SFTH} *What a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood* 4/23/01
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What a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood
By Roger Dean Kiser, Sr.
"O say can you see" sang the young girl standing on the small stage,
located at the Glynn County Fairgrounds. I removed my hat and placed it
over my heart until she had finished singing The Star Spangled Banner.
I lowered my head and accepted the bronze medallion which I was now
receiving.
The large crowd of three or four hundred began to slowly shuffle forward
as the music began to play and the ceremony began. I followed along,
most of the time looking down at the ground. Once in a while I would
look up and see the faces of thousands, upon thousands of people who
lined the mile long, oval shaped track that we were now starting to
walk.
Suddenly everything became quiet (to me) as if I were now someplace else
and everything appeared to now move in a slow, and hazy motion.
The five to six thousand people watching us began clapping and waiving
their hands. Thousands cheered at the top of their voices for all of us
who wore the "bronze medallion."
As we slowly walked past them I raised my eyes up from the ground and I
looked directly into their faces as I passed. Their hands stretched
outward towards us as if they wanted to hug us. I looked back at the
ground and I silently wondered if any of those people really knew how we
really felt inside. Or why they should really care about us, one way or
the other.
They continued to cheer, on and on, as red, white and black balloons
were being released into the heavens, and the bagpipes played at the
front of the procession. It was if we had become champions of something
special and were now being cheered on by thousands of Romans who lined
the streets of Rome itself.
From out of nowhere came this wonderful, overpowering feeling which I
cannot describe in written word. It was something that I have never
known as a human being. My jaw began to quiver and my eyes began to
water.
The crowd continued to yell and cheer as loud as they could. Now and
then, I would look up into the eyes of the massive crowd and see
thousands of white, black, brown and yellow smiling faces. Smile after
smile. Clap, after clap. Cheer after cheer. It never seemed to end.
Twelve thousand clapping hands. Clapping more loudly than I have ever
heard in my entire lifetime. Smiles, laughter and sounds of joy like I
have never known. I felt as if we had just given the performance of our
lives and were for some reason were being congratulated for a job well
done.
For twenty-five minutes we walked before we reached the end of the mile
long track. Still the crowd kept cheering and clapping and they would
not stop. By now I could take no more. The tears began to stream
down my cheeks and I felt so proud. I looked to my right and I
smiled, just a little smile, at the young six-year-old girl who had
no hair. I looked to my left and looked into the face of my friend,
Sharen, who less than a year ago had her breast removed. I cried
when I thought back to the time when I was told that I had cancer,
and that I had less than six months to live.
Once again, I looked up into the cheering faces and closed my eyes to
force out the tears, and listened to the thousands upon thousands of
clapping hands, cheering us on.
The 21,416 candles, in white, and gold, paper bags, which lined the
track, were now all lit, and glowing in the darkness. Burning as a
memorial to those of us who survived. As well as those who were not able
to be there to walk the American Cancer Societies "Relay For Life", with
all of us. "The survivors of cancer."
Roger Dean Kiser, Sr.
trampolineone@webtv.net
Send Roger an e-mail and let him know what you thought of his story!
____________________
Roger Dean Kiser, Sr. and his wife Judy live in Brunswick, Georgia and are two
of our favorite writers! Roger has contributed many stories that deal with his
experiences growing up in an orphanage, and he is the author of the powerful
book "ORPHAN", which hit bookstores in December.
You can purchase Roger's book, "ORPHAN"
in major book stores or order from Amazon.com at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580624480/o/qid=975333679/sr=8-1/straighfromthe0a/107-5931457-7011735
Or click here: Orphan
If you want to read more of his stories, check out our archives at:
http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
Or click here: Straight From the Heart
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From the E-mail Box!
Dear Precious One In Christ,
I am so grateful for your daily articles and thoughts for the day. It is
the thing, and thanking my Savior, that starts a happy day each morn.
With cup of coffee in hand and logging in to your message is first
priority for the day, I am so grateful for you and your efforts to touch
millions. Being a Senior, Senior and moving to a retirement home in the
next few weeks, will interrupt my routine for a few days, but connecting
the web hold first place. Until Then God Bless.
Lorene
loreneFromCo@webtv.net
*********
I like your web page. It is so good to see things that are Christian and good. Keep up the good work. Two daring little boys you have, just keep being good Christian parents to them and you will never regret it.
Thanks for sharing your e-mails with me.
Love In Christ
Rose Bolinger
roseb@idir.net
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Thought For The Day:
"A good laugh is sunshine in a house." --Thackeray
Verse for the Day:
"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives
health to the bones." -- Proverbs 15:30
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"Never, ever, ever get too full before you're served dessert."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
Parents must get across the idea that "I love you always, but sometimes
I do not love your behavior." -- Amy Vanderbilt
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"Success is measured in what the team accomplished, not how YOU look."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Man is a peculiar creature. He spends a fortune making his home insect-proof
and air-conditioned, and then eats in the yard."
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REQUESTS:
Michael,
Could you please pass on this Praise report.
The Dr. Says he was not too concerned about the lump on her head. He did say however that it could get bigger. He says it is probably just a mass of fatty tissue and cells. If it does get bigger then it needed to be removed. He is concerned about her tonsils though. He said they were quite large. Her parents have given thanks to everyone who has said prayers. God Bless You All.
Sharon
Iluvjc2000@aol.com
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_
/_/\/\ 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
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Kelli-- College Station, TX
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