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*The Leather Jacket*  11/27/01

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Before we get to today's inspiring story,
we wanted to let everyone know that for Christmas
we will be offering our book, Straight From the Heart
"A Celebration of Life" for only $13 (instead of the
regular price of $14.95), and best of all, we will
pay the shipping!  So if you have any interest in
purchasing an autographed copy of the book for
yourself, or as a gift for your loved ones, now is
the time to get it!  But if you want them in time for
Christmas, you need to act fast!
IMPORTANT!  This is only for those orders that come
directly to us and not the publisher and we can only
accept checks and money orders.
For those who still want to order the book by credit
card, you can still do so through the publisher at:

http://www.booklocker.com/bookpages/michaeltpowers01.html

but you will be paying full price and shipping.

To order your autographed copy send a check or
money order for $13 (We pay the shipping!) for each
book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to:

Michael T. Powers
1918 Liberty Lane
Janesville, WI 53545

Hurry!  Time is running out!

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Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life

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I have the pleasure of introducing a brand new writer
to Heart Touchers today!  Be sure to write to Marjeana
Martin and give her a warm Heart Touchers welcome!

From my family to yours,
Michael

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The Leather Jacket

By Marjeana Martin

 

The leather jacket, once the proud work of a
skillful artisan, now lay on a heap in a secondhand
store. Once stiff and full of gloss, it lays now limp
and tattered. Once able to wrap itself around the
handsomest of men and provide great glory, its life
is now at an end.   Depressed and alone, it could
only reminisce about the life it had.

It was first purchased by a rich man for quite a hefty
sum. Then passed down to a chauffeur, where it
graced the most wonderful cars imaginable. Then,
while it lay lazily across the seat at night in an
unlocked car, right in the middle of its life, it was
stolen. Now keeping company with a thief, it was
not as happy, as a matter of fact, it was ashamed.

It was horrified at the gun and stolen cash that had
been shoved in its ample pockets. That's when it
began to lose its shine. It did not get the proper
care and handling as before. It was the beginning
of the end. The jacket was thrown in corners and
walked on, almost never hung up. It grew bitter
and hard. Now with its pockets torn it still held
weapons and stolen property.

The leather jacket, never thinking much about its
people before now, for some unknown reason, began
to like its owner. It happened one night when its
companion was very cold. The owner grasped the
jacket and pulled it close around his body, as he
sat alone in the park.

The jacket realized no one loved the owner and
the jacket was all he had. For all his crimes he
never kept anything, it was all quickly gone. All
that stayed was the jacket, because in its condition,
it was not valuable to anyone else. The hardness and
the bitterness melted away. It now felt sorrow for the
person who clung to it so desperately.

One day, as weather permitted, it was taken off and
left behind. It was found by a woman and child and
placed in a paper bag, with other used items,
for the needy.

Now here it lay.

Finally hands picked it up, assessed its value and
hung it up, along with other garments. There were cloth
jackets, wool jackets, and corduroy but none were
leather like him. All were in better condition and all
with tales to tell. Some had been all over the world.
Some had graced the shoulders of famous people,
but none had stories quite as exquisite or experiences
quite as nasty as Leather. He listened quietly, never
revealing very much, so his companions had begun to
believe he'd had quite an unsavory life.

Some associated his color with bad, though it was
not possible for a color to influence abilities. He didn't
care what they thought and didn't care when they
considered themselves better. Leather could not help
where he had been and he could not help what he had done.

Many people came by and touched the jackets,
taking them out one by one, looking them over
and placing them back on the rack.   Leather
was quite startled when one such person flung
him across his arm. He recognized this person.
He had been in the park offering food to his previous
owner. He was a minister.

"Oh no, God don't let this person take me. I am
sure I would not be suitable for whatever he has
in mind. I have been in the worst of places and
done the most despicable things. I am not worthy,
let the man see my tears and tatters and place me back."

Now God looked down at the little jacket and moved
the man to lift Leather up and examine it again. As
the man's eyes fell on the rips and imperfections,
like magic, they were restored. Now the jacket
hung on the hanger like new. All the other jackets
were amazed and were placed back on the rack.

Leather spoke to God again. "What are you doing?
I am so unworthy."

"But," God explained, "you are exactly what I am
looking for. You will be used for the people you
loved the most, the people with the most need.
When you have been bad yourself, you can forgive
evil.  Because you have been down in the
gutter, you can you understand the people there.
You will know where the chill is most severe, where
the frost bites the hardest."

"You were not stolen by accident. You were being
prepared. And now, you are just what I need."

"One time I came down, to understand the people
and someone stole something that belonged to me,
something I wrapped in leather.  It was shamed
and taken to places it didn't want to go. He ripped
and bruised it, thinking he had surely destroyed its
purpose. Now I'm sure, he must realize, he only
filled my worst need."

Marjeana Martin
BlueAngelBabie@aol.com

Write Marjeana and let her know what you thought of her story!
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Marjeana Lives in Southern California. Her work appears
at several Internet sites. She works as a homecare
nurse but is taking time off to write a novel. Her
hobbies include horseback riding and taking care
of her animals. Catch her continuing series Falling
Leaves at:  http://www.gospelcom.net/gci/dw/

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Thought For The Day:

"You can't act like a skunk without someone
getting wind of it."

Verse for the Day:

"A good man out of the good treasure of the
heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man
out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."--Matthew 12:35

Kid's Thought For The Day:

A little girl was late coming home for supper when her
mother made the expected irate parent's demand to know
where she had been.

The little girl replied that she had stopped to help
Janie, whose bicycle was broken in a fall.

"But you don't know anything about fixing bicycles,"
her mother responded.

"I know that," the girl said. "I just stopped to help
her cry."

Parent's Thought For The Day:

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair
broken men."--Frederick Douglass

Coach's Thought For The Day:

"A good coach can humble you without humiliating
you and encourage you without flattering you." --Michael T. Powers

Deep Thought For The Day:

"How come professional athletes never ask to renegotiate
their contracts for LESS money after they have a bad season?"

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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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"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch
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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

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