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*The Scars of Motherhood* 5/7/02 ________________________ 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 ____________________________________________ Before we get to today's great story by Phil Ware, I have a very special announcement to make: Brittnia Brandl is going to get hitched! Yes, our beloved Brittnia Brandl got engaged this past month and Kristi and I couldn't be happier! Many of you remember that Brittnia is our world famous baby-sitter, friend for life, former basketball player, and one of the most special young people to ever live. If you would like to read more about this special young lady you can read a story from our book called, "And Then Some" which can be found in our archives at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/022002 You may also remember Brittnia because of the missions trip she is taking to Africa this summer as part of the Jesus Film project. Kristi and I wanted to thank all of the HeartTouchers.com members who graciously sponsored her and her trip. Brittnia has received close to $500 dollars from all of you and is now about half way to the $3500 she needs to raise in order to go. Kristi and I are so thankful to all of you for touching this special young lady in our life with your donations. Brittina will be giving us an update before she goes and then I have asked if she will give us an update when she comes back so that all of you will know how your gift touched the lives of those in Africa through Brittnia. You can read all about her trip by visiting: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/jesus_film Although she still needs to raise money in order to go, what she covets most is our prayers. Keep her in mind when you pray... From my family to yours, Michael P.S. For those of you who don't have Internet access you can sponsor her by sending a check or money order made payable to: "The Macedonian Project" or "Brittnia Brandl". Please send it to: Brittnia Brandl, P.O. Box 393 Clinton, WI 53525. _________________________________________ The Scars of Motherhood By Phil Ware, (c) 2002 phil@heartlight.org I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am completing what remains of Christ's sufferings. I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. (Colossians 1:24; Galatians 6:17) Easter weekend 2001 was supposed to be a great time in the Warehouse. Our son Zach was driving home from college with his fiancée Mandy, along with my mother and stepfather. Donna was preparing a big meal. We were all excited. Then we received the call. "Dad, we've had a slight delay because of an accident problem!" Zach informed me. "That's okay," I said trying to understand. "Is it an accident you are stuck behind or an accident you are in?" "An accident we were in. I'm calling from the patrol car, but I'm okay." "Is everybody else okay?" "Yes, everybody is okay, except for MiMi, she's having some trouble breathing. They've taken everybody to the emergency room..." It was a head on collision at high speed. Thankfully, everyone survived in amazingly good shape. The only one really hurt was my mother... Seems like that is how it has always been. No matter what has happened in our lives, the one who has born the brunt of the pain has been my mother. Whether it was our misbehaviors as boys, our wounds and slights in school, our broken hearts with girlfriends, our sports injuries, and especially our dads long illness and death -- the one who bore the pain was our mother. My mother cared for her mother-in-law through her death. She stood by my stepfather during one of his hours of greatest pain, both of them handling an unthinkable situation with dignity and faith. Her dad passed away when he 51. So did her husband (my dad). Her mother battled cancer for over two decades, and was in my mother's care when she passed away. My mother has felt the pain of squabbles and imperfections in her children and stepchildren. She has enjoyed the laughter and endured the messes of her 24 grandchildren. Through all the ups and downs of life, she has maintained and passed on her faith to her children's children. And she has born the hurt so, as much as is possible, we wouldn't have to. The wounds are mostly mended from the wreck from over a year ago. Some things, however, will never be quite the same again. My mom will have another reminder in her body of her desire to be with and to love her children and her grandchildren. "I am the Lord's servant," Mary had said to the angel when told of Jesus' miraculous conception. So is every mother who has committed herself to rear her children in the Lord and carry them as offerings to the King of Kings. In their hearts, and quite often in their bodies, they carry the marks of that service. Unfortunately, no one can fully appreciate those marks... except the Holy One carried in Mary's womb and who has born the marks of our healing. He will not forget their works of grace, sacrifices of love, and scars of pain. Mothers are tough. Mothers are precious. And in Jesus, thank God, Mothers are forever. Thanks, Mom for bearing the marks in your body of your love for us. They have not been forgotten. They will not be wasted. You have helped give us all a forever family. Phil Ware, (c) 2002 phil@heartlight.org Write Phil and let him know your thoughts on his story! ________________________ Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin, Texas. For the past five years, he has also been coeditor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. Check out Heartlight Magazine at the following link: http://www.heartlight.org ****** 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 it is expressly prohibited to cut and paste the stories from here 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! _________________________________________ 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 "My whole family wants to thank you for the wonderful job you did on the video. Time went by so fast we never got a chance to call and let you know how happy we were. We had wrapped one and put the other in the VCR. We started it and they were so surprised. My dad was speechless, which is a rare thing, and it brought tears to my mom's eyes. They loved it!! We know it was really time consuming, and we wanted to thank you and your wife also. She was always so nice whenever we called with any questions. Thanks again and have a wonderful holiday season." The Creighton Family..........Janesville, WI ____________________________________________ 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 and 4, Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, and in the upcoming books: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Story Collection, Chicken Soup for the Romantic Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul, 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! Beautiful site ... much needed to keep the heart and soul alive in this materialistic rat race life... where we forget to feel... to share... to celebrate life.. Suchi from India suchjo@hotmail.com _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "Don't be 'consistent' but be simply true." --Oliver Wendell Holmes Verse for the Day: "Simply let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no'. Anything beyond this comes from the evil one." --Matthew 5:37 Kid's Thought For The Day: "It doesn't count if your swing is going the highest if you are getting pushed." Parent's Thought For The Day "There is no finer investment for any community than putting milk into babies." --Winston Churchill Coach's Thought For The Day "Correction does much, but encouragement does more. Encouragement after censure is as the sun after a shower." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Writer's Thought For the Day: "The bad novelist constructs his characters; he directs them and makes them speak. The true novelist listens to them and watches them act; he hears their voices even before he knows them." --Andre Gide Deep Thought For The Day: "He was a man of rare gifts. He rarely gave any." ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ 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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