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*Lost and Found* 10/24/01 ______________________________________ 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 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 ____________________________________________ 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/ To order your autographed copy at no extra charge, send a check or money order for $18 ($14.95 for the book and $3.05 for shipping and handling) made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send to: Michael T. Powers 1918 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 For two books add $4 for shipping and handling and for three books add $5 for shipping and handling. If you want four or more autographed copies of our book you only pay $5 for shipping and handling. 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. _________________________________________ Rubel Shelly gives us all a poignant reminder about treasuring the people and principles in our life that we hold dear in today's story, "Lost and Found." Thanks for the wake-up call Rubel! From my family to yours, Michael P.S. Look for an interview with Heart Touchers author Jennifer Oliver later today! _________________________________________ Lost and Found By Rubel Shelly There's always something special about getting back a personal item -- an heirloom, a keepsake, a treasured souvenir -- that has been lost. There is a sense of relief. There is the joy of having things restored to normalcy. Bill Murphy of Avon Park, Florida, had such an experience recently. It was his size 15 high school class ring that he lost 26 years ago during a camping trip. His wife, Jill, was able to give it back to him on their 21st wedding anniversary. The story begins with Ron and Terry Stewart of Oliver Springs, Tennessee. They purchased a campground a while back. Ron, who likes to tromp around with a metal detector, was indulging his hobby on their new property. Sweeping the ground one day, his metal detector signaled a find. As he dug around in the soil, he found a ring that had once belonged to an Avon Park Red Devil, Class of 1975. The ring bore the initials W.L.M. Ron and Terry set about to find its owner. A bit of research located the school, and they e-mailed the high school that is located about 65 miles south of Orlando. The person who received their inquiry checked the school yearbook for 1975, found a photo of William L. (Bill) Murphy, and consulted with another teacher about the possibility that the class ring just might belong to him. That other teacher was Jill Murphy. Bill's wife, you see, just happens to be the swim coach at Avon Park High School. She confirmed it. Bill had indeed lost his ring shortly after getting it. He had always known he lost it on a camping trip to Tennessee, but he had long ago given up any hope of ever seeing it again. With its owner identified, the Stewarts mailed the ring to Jill Murphy at the school. She kept everything a secret, however, until October 12, 2001. She gave her husband a very special surprise that day by putting the ring back on his hand. According to Jill, her husband was "stunned" when he opened the box and saw what was in it. Now there is a sense of relief, a sense of delight. While you and I smile at Bill Murphy's good fortune, perhaps we should reflect a bit on how uncommon it is to get back certain things we lose. Rather than seeing this story as a promise of so unlikely an outcome, maybe it should remind us to be extra careful with things we know to have great value -- personal integrity, a friend's trust, a child's respect, your family's love, your immortal soul. Guard such holy things. Once trifled with, they seldom can be retrieved. Rubel Shelly whcoc@edge.net Write Rubel and let him know what you thought of his story! (c) 2000 Rubel Shelly. Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See _____________________________ Rubel Shelly has preached for the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ in Nashville since 1978. During that time, he has also taught at David Lipscomb University and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is the author of more than 20 books, including several which have been translated into languages such as Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, French, and Russian. He is married to the former Myra Shappley, and they are the parents of three children: Mrs. David (Michelle) Arms, Tim, and Tom. _________________________________________ Reader Feedback! _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "Our grand business in life is no to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand." --Thomas Carlyle Verse for the Day: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Ecclesiastes 9:10 Kid's Thought For The Day: "One day a man covered another bus driver's run. He was standing at his seat, wearing his mirrored sunglasses, as the children boarded the bus. A fifth grade boy got on, took the first seat, and kept staring at him. Finally as he was about to sit down, the little boy asked, Are you blind? Parent's Thought For The Day: "I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it." - Harry S. Truman Coach's Thought For The Day: "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." -John Wooden Deep Thought For The Day: "My uncle had a rabbit's foot for thirty years. His other foot was quite normal." ___________________________________________ REQUESTS: ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ 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 Heart Touchers 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! Visit: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in Heart Touchers? 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 Heart Touchers 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 |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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