Heart Touchers

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*This Little Light* 10/22/01

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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, or
to order by credit card! You can also read some
sample stories from the book here!

http://HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/

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Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life

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Michael T. Powers
1918 Liberty Lane
Janesville, WI 53545

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Be sure to let us know who you would like it
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How have you been dealing with life since the tragedy
that hit the United States on September 11? LaRose
Karr has some insight on just how she has been
dealing with things in today's story. A great start
to our week!

From my family to yours,
Michael

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This Little Light

By LaRose Karr

Since Sept. 11, 2001, I admit to looking for
healing. Two weeks ago I found healing places
on a trip to the Rocky Mountains where
I saw elk in the wild, birds that would take
crackers from my hand and scenery so
beautiful it took my breath away.

This week I attended a concert by the African
Children's Choir. This is the second time I've seen
their choir perform. Three years ago we hosted a
couple of the African Children in our home
for a couple nights when a different choir was
in town.

Our two girls were Regina and Susan. War had
ravaged their countries in Africa. These children
were orphans. Most likely these little ones had
witnessed their parents death.

They shared my daughter's bedroom and the
cutest thing they did was to take her stuffed
monkey collection and place them in the
branches of the umbrella tree in our living room.
I tried to prepare foods they would like, chicken,
rice, fruits etc. I also had a saucer full of lemon
slices for tea. They ate the entire saucer of lemon
slices! I asked if they had lemons in Africa.
They said, "No." Perhaps they do but these
girls had never tasted them.

They said they have mosquitoes in Africa. Susan
said, "They are so big! They come in through
holes in your walls and suck you up!"

One morning as I was taking them to the
church for their tutoring, we were stopped at
an intersection. Across the road sat a simple
white frame house, obviously a farm house
that had been built in the early 1900's, probably
only two bedroom. So old that an outhouse still
exists in the backyard. Regina left an impression
forever in my heart that morning. In her simple
child's way, she exclaimed with emotion, "That
is a nice house. A nice house!"

We go about our way in every day life. We face
triumphs and tragedies and no matter what
happens we carry on.

Three years have passed since I last saw
the African Children's Choir. They were just
as energetic and precious as before. Dressed
in their beautifully colored traditional African
clothing, dancing and singing in their native
tongue, as well as in English.

A wonderful evening with the African children
continued to heal my soul. The most touching
time of the evening for me came when they
mentioned the tragedy of September 11. They
thanked America for sending them food. I must
tell you that I'm sure that sentiments of this kind
have been given to us before, although it's not a
part of our nightly news. But for me, an
American, it was the first time anyone has ever
spoken those words to me. "Thank you
for sending us food."

Well, my eyes became misty and then those
sweet and precious children began to sing
"God Bless America" in their native tongue.
Another first for me! I've never heard God
Bless America sung in anything but English.

As the evening closed, the pastor of the church
where the concert was held asked them a
few questions. He said, "I heard there was
a child in the choir who prayed for snow."
One boy raised his hand. "How many of you
have seen snow before?" he asked. Three
children raised their hands. A simple prayer
from a child, and yes, we did have the first
snow of the season on the morning after his prayer.

They sang a little song that I remember from
my childhood:

This Little Light

This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine.
Oh, this little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine

As we watched the films and heard stories
of how these children were selected from slums
and the streets, we heard stories of triumph at
how some have gone home to Africa to become
professional people, and no matter what they
choose to do, making an impact in their world.
The "Auntie" who traveled with them had
been in the very first children's choir in 1984.
The "Uncle" traveling with them proclaimed
that she was an old woman and she replied that
he is an old man, both of course, being only
in their twenties!

The healing these children have helped to bring
to me comes back in the form of Regina's words
about the house we saw at the intersection.
When the children thanked America for sending
them food, I think of our country. Americans
invite people of all nations into their house and it
becomes their home. "It is a nice house.
A nice house!"

Write LaRose and let her know what you thought of her story!

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LaRose Karr lives in Sterling, Colorado with her
husband and four children. She is a contributing
writer to the new Christian inspirational series,
"God Allows U-Turns." She will also have a
devotional published in "The Upper Room"
magazine, Sept. - Oct. 2002 edition. She
is the editor of a weekly Christian inspirational
digest, "Moonflower Ministry." Send a blank
email to LaRoseStories@yahoogroups.com to
subscribe! You will receive only one email each
week on Friday.

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Thought For The Day:

"The power of a person's virtue should not be
measured by his special efforts, but by his
ordinary doing."

Verse for the Day:

"Live such good lives among the pagans that,
though they accuse you of doing wrong, they
may see your good deeds and glorify God." I Peter 2:12

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"Even if your Dad tells you to be a big boy,
sometimes you have to scream on the way down."

Parent's Thought For The Day:

"Children are supposed to help hold a marriage
together. They do this in a number of ways.
For instance, they demand so much attention
that a husband and wife, concentrating on their
children, fail to notice each other's faults." -- Richard Armour

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its
success. You may have the greatest bunch of
individual stars in the world, but if they don't play
together, the club won't be worth a dime." --Babe Ruth

Deep Thought For The Day:

If they ever come up with a swashbuckling
School, I think one of the courses should be
'Laughing, Then Jumping Off Something'. --Jack Handy

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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://www.hearttouchers.com/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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