Heart Touchers

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{SFTH} *Going Gently & Morning Moments* 6/20/01

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Michael's long awaited book Straight From the Heart: "A Celebration of
Life," is finally here! Close to 200 pages of true short stories filled
with love and laughter await you! Visit our web site to order your copy!
You can also read some sample stories from the book here!

http://storiesfrommyheart.com/michael_t__powers/

To order your autographed copy at no extra charge, send a check or
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To:

Michael T. Powers
1918 Liberty Lane
Janesville, WI 53545

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Be sure to let us know who you would like it autographed for and then allow about two weeks for us to sign it and send it on its way to you.

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We have two wonderful pieces by Mary-Ellen Grisham today. Be sure to
e-mail her and let her know how her writing affected you today!

For those of you who have ordered autographed copies of our book recently...
We have a second shipment of books coming in by the end of this week and all
orders will be sent on their way to you early next week! If you have already
received your copy, please let us know what you think!
Have a great week!
Michael

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Going Gently

By Mary-Ellen Grisham

We sat eating supper at the restaurant overlooking the juncture of Missouri
streams. The old mill was still, the waters were low, but inside the fellowship
with the country folks and my husband's sister was wonderful. The food was
good, and we shared reminiscences and dreams. Karen had a rich spiritual
life, and she related her spiritual journey over the years.

I was remembering her little house in Ginger Blue with its tidy garden of herbs
and her tasty home cooking. When Lowell and I were first engaged, we went
to visit with Karen, and her welcome into the family for me was friendly
and sincere.

Lowell and our son David may have been remembering their sojourn out west
when they stopped to see Karen on their return trip home. Then she was
living at a small country estate close to Noel, Missouri. The house, pond,
paths, and gardens were lovely, and Karen had her own pet peacock who
went with the home. Her hospitality could not have been more welcoming
or kind.

Through the years, Karen had visited us at our various homes, and the
talk, the humor, the sharing had always been memorable. Lowell's family
get-togethers had been close and joyous when Karen was there. She
had a wonderful way of enhancing the family times together.

Now we were visiting her for the last time. As we left the restaurant at
the juncture of waters, we returned to her home on the hill in Bella Vista,
Arkansas. She had recently acquired a player piano and played rolls for
us, singing along in her beautiful soprano voice. Her small dog, Sambo,
danced around the bench, and even stooped as she was with the pain
of ovarian cancer, she held Sambo's forefeet and danced with him. That
evening we also met Clarence and Sandy, Karen's husband's step-daughter
and her husband. This couple were to be her final caregivers, as she had
been her husband David's caregiver for the last five years.

When we returned to the Ozark area she so loved for her funeral, we found
that it was a celebration of life. The memorial service was a tribute to her
life and work and to her faith. In hymn, comments, and music the mood
was one of victory because Karen had passed over with gentleness and
joy. She sang the Lord's prayer, on tape, for her own memorial service,
and the closing poem, Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar" ended
the service with reverence and hope.

As we lined the hall from the sanctuary, her dearest friends and neighbors
filed past, each with a bright memory or a story of Karen's final days. I
shared warm hugs with her therapist, her "escape lunches" friend, and her
Hospice counselor. They assured me that Karen had passed with no pain
and with great faith. My eyes filled with thankful tears because I had been
frequently in prayer for Karen over the past months, and one of my prayers
had been that she would go gently and with no great suffering.

Mary-Ellen Grisham
fantasy@apci.net

Send Mary-Ellen an e-mail and let her know what you thought of her story!
Copyright (c) 2001 All rights reserved.

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Morning Moments

By Mary-Ellen Grisham

I will rise on the wings of dawn
Through creamy mists of amber and moonbeam
Like a giant monarch with slowly undulating wings
Scattering colors of golden orange and scarlet-wine,
Lifting from the earth, as the sun raises its golden head,
Slowly slipping up from the horizon.

I will fly free on shimmering clouds of coral fleece
Beyond the reach of the sun's burnished scepter
Through mounded clouds of soft pearl gray,
My gloriously recreated body winging by the morning star
The last beams of scarlet sun-glow
Replaced by the golden light of day.

(from a line in Psalm 139)

Send Mary-Ellen an e-mail and let her know what you thought of her poem!

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Mary-Ellen Grisham is a writer and teacher who lives in Godfrey, Illinois,
with her husband, Lowell, and her son, David. She is published at various
Internet sites and in several poetry and prose anthologies such as "Stories
for a Dad's Heart," "In His Hands," and "Pieces of the Heart."

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From the E-mail Box!
Comments on Yesterday's Story...

ROGER,
THIS WAS THE CUTEST STORY! IT MADE ME GIGGLE. I SAW YOU WERE FROM BRUNSWICK GA. I LIVED THERE FOR 8 YEARS BEFORE I MOVED BACK HOME. I HAVE a lot OF GOOD STORIES INVOLVING BRUNSWICK, GA. I STILL HAVE a lot OF FRIENDS THERE THAT I MISS ALSO. THANKS FOR THE STORY.

SINCERELY, DELORIS PEVEY
honeybear254@aol.com

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Thought For The Day:

"Sandwich every bit of criticism between two layers of praise."
(Mary Kay Ash)

Verse for the Day:

"...correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction."
2 Timothy 4:2

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"When it's your shovel, you are in charge of the sand castle."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"Between the ages of twelve and seventeen a parent can age thirty years."
(Sam Levenson)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior
takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything either
a blessing or a curse." (Castenale)

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Always remember to proofread carefully to see if you any words out."

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REQUESTS:

Dear Michael and SFTH members

I wish to put my mother again on the prayer list.   one month ago she had
her backbone operated and our Lord is merciful to her and the doctor has
fixed metal plate and screws to support her backbone. DO please continue
to pray that our Lord heal her surgery opening which is not healing well as
she is diabetics and hypertension patient. She is still in the hospital.
I KNOW that our Lord is taking care of her. Please continue to pray for
her recovery. "Lord, I know you hear us, praise the Lord, Amen"
Ma Nar
lhling@pc.jaring.my
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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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graciously share their stories with us!
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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!
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http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html

AOL Users click here: Video Imagery
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Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm

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