Heart Touchers

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{Heart Touchers} *Leaf Dance on the Moon* 9/5/01

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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 the EBook,
order by credit card, or get your autographed copy!
You can also read some sample stories from
the book here!

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Have you been taking the time to be still lately?
Today Mary-Ellen Grisham shares with us about a
time one warm summer night when she took the time
to be still and reminisce... Something all of us could
do a little more of... Enjoy one of the most
relaxing stories I have read in a long, long time!
Michael
P.S. Thank you so much to all of you for the
outpouring of love you have sent our way about our
list, my new job, and our future teen web site.
Our computer has been oozing encouragement
every time we check our email. Thank you from
the bottom of our toes!

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Leaf Dance on the Moon

By Mary-Ellen Grisham

One warm June night I was rocking in our glider
on the front porch. There was a full moon; and
the trees, bushes, and lawns lay surreal with pale
light. The subdivision was very still, and most folks
were sleeping in dark homes. I happened to
look at the tree in the yard next door. One
branch sticking out further than the others had
a single leaf dangling alone at the end of the
branch. Because of the position of the moon,
the leaf appeared to be dancing at the center
of its bright surface. That black silhouette of
the supple swaying leaf caught a moment in
time for me. I knew that the moon was not
likely to be in that position behind that leaf ever
again--at least not when I would be there to
see it. It was a fleeting image of beauty soon
to disappear forever.

As I sat in the warm night, with the fragrant scent
of growing plants all around me, I began to
visualize other fleeting impressions of great
beauty. Because of the season, I began to
think of young lovers, reminiscing back through
my memories of love--the dances, the hayrides,
the picnics, the weeks at camp.

While the long ago shy glances and warm
handclasps of the very young were precious,
I found that the images of mature love more easily
came to mind. The way my mother looked at
my luncheon for all the women in the wedding
party was a striking memory. Her delicate,
sensitive face seemed to mirror every nuisance
from joy and pride to worry and hope. I also
remembered the surprise on my husband's face
when I picked up a small piece of wedding
cake and shoved the whole piece into his mouth
at once, forcing him to bite off more than he
could chew. The first glimpse of my
smooth-skinned, "pretty" son David was such
a shock because I had expected to see a red,
wrinkled "little old man."

Other memories from school days and teaching
began to surface too. I recalled being the Queen
of the May in kindergarten, with the bestowing of
the small basket of roses, spring garden flowers,
and greenery into my waiting arms. I remembered
the children dancing around the maypole and
had a fleeting recollection of singing and laughter
and of blonde girls whom I thought were far
prettier than I.

I began to remember other students and events:
the intense, dark eyes of Terry, the mischief of
Jerry and Nathan, and the friendliness of Gerald
who walked me home. School picnics,
old-fashioned amusement park rides, baseball
games, concerts, and music festival competitions
were important memories. I recalled the relieved
but angry look of our class leader, Arthur, when I
helped rescue him from under the trestle of the
streetcar track, and I remembered students of
my own: the never-to-be-forgotten boy who gave
hugs to his teachers just because he thought
they needed them, and the happiness of the
not-so-artistic student whose pictures I selected
to be put on display at the mall. The faces of
helpful co-workers from the present mixed with
the stern countenances of my teachers from long ago.

Soon I became overwhelmed with the impressions
filling my mind--images of fleeting beauty, never to
return, and I fell asleep rocking. Barking dogs and
twittering birds startled me awake, and drowsily I
noticed the bird taking flight from the tree next door.
I smiled, sure that many others could readily share
my recollections of beauty from their own storehouse
of memories. I stretched, watching the bird fly
toward my own backyard, very probably for its
morning soaking in the birdbath. I thought of the
Bluebird of Happiness, and I had a profound
sense of the goodness of God. Today, new stories
and new happiness would be born. New images
of fleeting beauty would texture my day and bring
joy to living. Even with stars winking out and the
night fading into day, I knew that I would not soon
forget the leaf dance on the moon.

Leaf Dance on the Moon

Softly swaying trees
Branches moving in the breeze,
Round moon in ivory white
Floating through the night,
Caught in place for time so brief
Dark leaf dangling in relief
On this silver night in June--
Leaf dancing on the moon.

Moments of beauty soon gone
As our days move gently on--
Images of love and joy,
Meanings time cannot destroy
Held within the heart and mind
Memories so dear and kind
Symbols sweet of God's great love--
Blessing radiance from above.

Mary-Ellen Grisham
fantasy@apci.net

Write Mary-Ellen and let her know what you thought
of her story and poem!

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Mary-Ellen Grisham is a Christian writer living in
Godfrey, Illinois, with her husband and son. Her
poetry and stories may be seen at many Internet
sites, among them Tears of Joy, Perspectives, and
Ripplemakers. She writes for the Eternal Ink
newsletter and contributes religious writings to
Upper Room, Lookout, Power, and "In His Hands."

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Reader Feedback!

Congratulations to you....so very happy that your prayers have been
answered...I know God has great plans for you and your family....you are
truly an inspiration to all and I cannot tell you how your stories hit home
with myself and my group which I forward them to.
Linda

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THANK YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT IN TO THESE PAGES. THEY HAVE MADE ME SMILE AND CRY. I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU ALL AND YOUR NEW JOB (BLESSING) YOU WILL BE IN MY PRAYERS
GOD BLESS
BARB

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Many blessings, Michael and Kristi, on the new direction for your life.
I'm so pleased for you. May your site for young people work out very
well, too. There's such a need for people to work with our young people.

Mary Emma Allen
Author/Speaker
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Thought For The Day:

"Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you,
and in the you are sure to succeed."
--Abraham Lincoln

Verse for the Day:

"The Lord Himself goes before you and will be
with you; He will never leave you nor forsake
you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
--Deuteronomy 31:8

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"If you stay clean you'll never have any fun."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"You feel completely comfortable entrusting your
baby to them for long periods, which is why most
grandparents flee to Florida at the earliest opportunity."
(Dave Berry)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"We first make our habits, then our habits make us."

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have
to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically,
it's made up of two separate words -- "mank"
and "ind". What do these words mean? It's
a mystery, and that's why so is mankind."

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REQUESTS:

Just wanted to ask a special prayer request of all of you...

This is in response to my husband's first wife....she was killed 4/14/95 in
a car accident and the man involved has not yet served the first
day.......we suspect a possible city police cover-up in this of a high-speed
chase causing him to wreck into her...of course he is pleading insanity.

This Thursday, we are supposed to have a meeting with the Dist. Atty's
office and those involved, hopefully, in the original investigation of
Jim's wife's death.....this is supposedly to be the meeting to decide when & if
anything can be done to bring Foster to justice as far as sentencing or
having another trial.....Jim has been torn up now for almost a week, he
Says not, but I can see it as each day draws closer to Thursday....last night
Was bad for him.....then Monday, Sept. 10, there is to be a final hearing to
either pass it or set date for new trial.

Please help me pray for some type of closure to this chapter of his
life....as long as it continues like this it will always hang over his
Head and constantly nag at him with the hatred & hostility he feels towards
This man, and the justice system in general.....
I would appreciate each of your prayers for us during this time.

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_
/_/\/\    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
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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! Check out the web page for Michael's
video production business! Visit:

http://wwwhearttouchers.com/video_imagery/

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