Heart Touchers

============================

{SFTH} *No Time For Tears* 5/7/01

============================

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

============================================

We make it a habit to pray at the dinner table, holding hands, and
allowing each person to pray before we eat. Connor, our 2-year-old
always says, "Me first!" This particular day, Connor prayed:

"Dear Lard, thank you for my mommy, and my daddy, and my brudder.
The End!"

We may be reading him too many books before bed time...

Hope everyone has a great week!
Michael

============================================

NO TIME FOR TEARS

By Christine McClimans

Today had been the day my mother and I had waited for. We packed and
we planned every detail carefully for weeks. For my mother and I it was the
beginning of a journey that we would take together and the return date was
undecided.

When I arrived the Atrium was lush with tropical plants and the soothing
colors attempted to control the anxiety. Patio chairs and tables with
umbrellas gave the appearance of a festive destination. It was a strange land I had journeyed to. Couples held each other close as they shared laughter or tears. Small faces questioned without words while family members sat in silent prayer. Some prayed with heads bowed and others turned heavenward. People paced, pages of magazines flipped, coins clinked in vending machines and the big clock on the wall measured time that seemed to stand still.

Volunteers clad in turquoise smocks silenced the ringing telephones and
delivered information to the tourists stranded on this strange island. She
would approach us one by one.

"Are you the family of_________?" her voice would methodically question.

Those five words started a chain of events that would change my life forever.

"Yes, that's my mother," I heard myself reply, "but, there must be some mistake. She was just taken to heart surgery twenty minutes ago."

"Please, follow me, the doctor needs to see you immediately" she stated with no emotion or expression.

As a family we were ushered into a small room to wait. A figure appeared filling the doorway with the news that "something had gone terribly wrong."

A cold rush of blood filtered through my veins as I heard words but couldn't comprehend their meaning.

"She had lung spasms as the breathing tube was insertedheart stoppedrestarted after eight minutesbreathing machinesI'm sorry."

Silent screams tore through me as I felt my children's eyes on me looking for comfort. I had to be strong for my children yet the child in me needed to know, "Is she dead?" I choked the words out.

"No, she is alive but she was without oxygen to the brain too long and she has severe brain damage. She is in a coma, she is in a vegetative state, she will not recover, she is brain dead."

"She, she, she," the doctor had said.

"SHE" is my MOTHER!" my heart cried. "How can she leave me now when I need her! If she leaves me, I'll be alone like she was when dad died. He never recovered from his death and I know I'll never recover from hers."

Now, I was the lost soul.

Mom was the queen, our matriarch.

As I entered her kingdom I knelt beside her and placed a kiss on her majesty's hand. Even in this frail lifeless existence she was still the queen.
She had reigned over my kingdom for nearly fifty years.

Her elegant purple robe was replaced by the flimsy blue-gray drab hospital gown, a terry cloth towel replaced her golden crown, her jewels of diamonds and rubies were now molded plastic and rubber.

Nearly thirty days the queen was held against her will. Her soul locked in a prison of flesh and bone. We knew it was just a matter of time before the kingdom came crashing down and we were helpless to defend her throne.

Mom's heart rate grew slower and fainter. She could not speak but her eyes conveyed the message.

"No, Mom, no! Don't you dare leave me! I'm not ready to assume this responsibility. I don't want to wear your robe. You are so wise and all the others come to you for strength and guidance!"

Her eyes locked onto mine one final time and I knew she was handing me the keys to her kingdom.

The solid foundation of my childhood had been shaken and I felt it crumbling beneath my feet.

A small stream of tears escaped her eyes and I knew I had become queen.
"Mom!" I cried out.

The fortress had become silent and ready or not the kingdom was mine.

It has been two years since the crown was passed to me. There have been many times I proved unworthy of the honor. My children turned to me for wisdom and guidance and I found myself looking for the queen. But, I was the queen now, the decisions were mine to make. How I hated this job! I wasn't good at it and I didn't want it. I felt alone and that made me afraid.

I fought hard to carry on. I looked for a book that would instruct me, there were none. Memories of her would rush in and sweep me away. I would cry in the darkness when there was no one to see. I was their queen and I had no time for tears.

When I thought I could endure no more a friend brought to mind that each of us are given challenges and we need to reach deep within to find our strengths. My mother had been the strong one not me. I was reminded that I 'was my mother's daughter.'

"What was that supposed to mean?" I had wondered.

Time and time again I was asked to assume the responsibilities and time and time again they became easier. Finally I realized what they had meant. I WAS my mother's daughter. I had learned from the queen and now it was my turn to teach. A parent's life is spent teaching our children how to exist without us. Each day she was instilling in me the survival skills I would someday need. She did her job well.

Perhaps, one day, when I hand the jeweled crown over to my daughter she will draw from my strengths and will have learned from my teachings. She will struggle for awhile but in the long run she will become a strong and responsible queen. She will gain strengths from her weaknesses as I did.
She will face the world brave and tearless because in this kingdom there is no time for tears.

Christine McClimans
corky5@urec.net

Email Christine and let her know what you thought of her story!

    I am a freelance writer/photographer residing in a small country setting
in rural NW Ohio. I enjoy writing travel articles, fiction and nonfiction,
children's stories, poetry and inspirational material.
    My credits include Hope Magazine, Over the Back Fence, Tulsa Woman
Magazine, Drag Racing Review, The Small Street Journal, Motivating Moments,
various newspapers, travel brochures, and online e-zines.
   I am published in several anthologies and I have several nonfiction
stories scheduled for publication Spring 2001. I am currently active writing
my first novel.
Visit Christine's website called DreamEscapes at:
http://fictionwriter.tripod.com/McClimans.html

============================================

Thought For The Day:

"Call on God, but row away from the rocks." --Indian Proverb

Verse for the Day:

"Wisdom and good judgment live together, for wisdom knows where to
discover knowledge and understanding." --Proverbs 8:12

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some
are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors...but they
all have to learn to live in the same box."

Parent's Thought For The Day:

"Those who do too much for their children will soon find they can do nothing
with their children. So many children have been so much done for they are
almost done in." --Neal A. Maxwell

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"Enter the game with class and leave the same way."

Deep Thought For The Day:

E=mc2 -- "Very nice, Albert. Next time show your work..."
--Albert Einstein's Chemistry teacher

=============================================
REQUESTS:

Michael,
I have a prayer request. I have marks on my skin and need prayers for recovery from this skin problem. I believe that I am well, I have faith and I know that God will heal me like He will anyone who prays and believs that they'll be healed.
Judy
addoch@yebo.co.za

=============================================
_
/_/\/\    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. 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!
====================================================
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
==================================================
Would you like to see your story in Straight From the Heart?
Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here:
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/

AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines
==================================================
SUBSCRIBE:

"I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!"

To become a Straight From the Heart Member send a BLANK E-MAIL
or an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to:
Thunder27@AOL.COM

Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best
stories on the Internet!
==================================================
UNSUBSCRIBE:
"What? You want to leave us?"
All you have to do is send a BLANK E-MAIL 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!
==================================================
Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm