{Straight From the Heart} *All is Well With the World* 11/8/99
Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"
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While I am proud of all of my writing, I am particularly proud of this one!
Michael
ALL IS WELL WITH THE WORLD
A husband takes his wife's hand and whispers, "Honey, take some time for
yourself this evening. I started a bubble bath for you. Don't worry
about the kids. I'll take care of getting them to bed..."
A high school student hugs her mom and dad tightly and says, "Thanks for
making me do my homework this weekend instead of going out with my
friends... I know I have a shot at that scholarship now, and I owe it
all to both of you." She even offers to do the dishes before turning in
early for bed...
An elderly gentleman is returning home from his nightly walk when he is
approached by four tough looking teenagers. They walk slowly up behind
him, grab his arm and say, "Sir. We just wanted you to know that you dropped
your billfold a couple of blocks back. Here it is. Everything is still there.
We are just sorry we weren't able to get all the moisture off it before it started
to stain..... No, we don't deserve any reward, we were just glad we came along
when we did."
A lonely stray cat limps up to the dark house. He lifts his keen nose
and sifts the cold air currents. There is food up ahead. He hasn't eaten
in days and he is cold and growing weaker by the hour.... He has been
here before and knows the dog chained to the doghouse will not let him
near, but desperation drives him on. He draws closer to the appetizing
aroma coming from the food dish, all the while waiting for the deep
growling to begin. To his amazement he approaches the dish unchallenged
and begins to gulp huge amounts of food. The Doberman only watches....
When he is done eating and his hunger is satisfied, he hears the dog
whine. The abandoned stray walks slowly up to the canine and they sniff
noses. Soon they are fast asleep, sharing the warmth that only two can
provide. For one night, the ancient enmity between cat and dog have been
set aside......
A young single mom turns off the TV and walks slowly into the kitchen.
She looks longingly at the bottle of whiskey on the counter.... This is
part of her evening ritual. It's how she deals with her problems. It's
how she gets to sleep most nights. But for some reason tonight feels
different. The tall bottle doesn't call to her as strongly. She doesn't
feel the overwhelming urge to bring the container to her lips, to feel
the firery liquid burn down the back of her throat and make her
forget....
Instead she gracefully slides over to the kitchen sink and pours every
last drop down the drain. Not tonight she whispers to herself. Maybe not
ever again...
She makes her way down the hallway and looks in on her sleeping
children. She walks from bedside to bedside, bending down and gently
planting a loving kiss on each round chubby cheek.
She is in bed before midnight for the first time in a year. She just
might make it to work on time tomorrow. "Boy, won't my boss be
surprised," she thinks to herself.
Just as she is drifting off to sleep the stillness of the night is
broken by the sudden, jarring ring of the phone. "Hello," she says
sleepily. She can't believe what she is hearing. She doesn't want to
believe. She thinks she is just going to wake up from this dream and
none of it will be true. She reaches down and pinches her leg.... She
isn't dreaming. The voice on the other end of the phone belongs to her
husband who left her two years ago. "Honey, I'm coming home, if you'll
have me. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and leaving you and
the kids was the biggest....."
She sobs quietly into the mouth piece....
"Don't cry honey, everything is going to be all right from now on......."
After a long and grueling wait, and the very week that my hero, Walter Payton passes away,
THE CHICAGO BEARS DEFEAT THE GREEN BAY PACKERS!!
Yes, All Is Well With The World Today.........
Maybe all of these things didn't happen today. Maybe Michael Powers
just has an overactive imagination. Maybe.......
Nah! The Green Bay Slackers lose and all is well with the world!
May Walter Payton rest in peace!
Michael T. Powers
Thunder27@aol.com
Copyright © 1999 by Michael T. Powers, All rights reserved
Michael T. Powers resides in Wisconsin with his gorgeous and talented wife
Kristi, who is a Human Development Specialist. (In other words a Stay-at-Home-Mom!)
They have two boys: Caleb (4 years.) and Connor (15 months.) He owns a video
production business, coaches high school girl's basketball, and started writing
this year as a way of recording his children's lives. When his children get older,
he wants to pass along to them a collection of stories about their childhood, and
finds that through these stories, he learns more about himself and his priorities in life."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Will Always Be Here
Because of you
My day is bright
The time flew by
Like a flash of light
Even though you are
So far away
I felt your touch
And your sweet embrace
How can it be
That after all this time
You just come back
And you fill my mind
You are such a joy
To have around
Like a breath of fresh air
When I feel drowned
You are the sunshine
On a cloudy day
You are my rainbow
At the end of the rain
I hope you know
That I am here
For always and ever
And throughout the years.
So don't despair
You may come and go
As I await for you
With my heart aglow.
” October 3, 1999 by Miriam Campo
Be sure and let Miriam know what you thought of this poem by emailing her at:
Miry316@aol.com
http://www.heartwarmers4u.com/members/?miry316
REFLECTIONS by Miriam
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UPDATE AND A THANK YOU!
For those of you who remember Chris and the situation with her daughter, here is some
wonderful news!
From: Momcma@aol.com (Chris)
Dear Michael,
Thank you so much for all you've done. I even got a letter from a man in Iran who gets
your newsletter and offered prayer. There is a song that says, "It only takes a spark
to get a fire going" and it has truly been this way. Prayer and caring has traveled
the world over and made a difference. Praise God and all the wonderful people who took
time from busy lives to kneel down in prayer, believing that it would be answered.
Thank you for caring enough to be there for others.
Here is what she wanted to share with everyone who reads Straight From The Heart:
From My Heart to Yours
(Momcma@aol.com)
I speak to you this morning from a heart that is full and overflowing,
as tears flow freely down my face. God answers prayers, he answers them and
I know, yes I know that it is so. This isn't an illusion, it is reality and
it feels so good.
As many of you know our daughter has been incarcerated for 76 days as of
yesterday for something her husband did and the authorities thought she knew
about. He told the authorities she didn't know, as did she.
We took out our savings, hired an attorney, went to bat for her and asked
for prayer. We encouraged others to write to her and send cards and letters
for we feared for her life.
This morning at 6:30 a.m. we got the news that she is free, many
stipulations but she is out and with her children. Our lawyer tells us
that they've not had anything on her from the beginning. It isn't over
yet but she's out.
The illusive dream we were chasing has an end, we found it. I've
lost heart so many times in the last 76 days, for you see, I wanted instant
answers. God knew the final outcome, He was in control all the time.
To those of you who knew the story, who offered support to our family,
who prayed for Kari and for Bob, who sent cards, letters, stamps and even
money, we thank you.
You were a lifeline to Kari, one that saved her life and gave her hope.
All of you were not an illusion, you were the real thing. Thank you!
Thank You! Thank You! From my heart, to yours, Thank You!
"Time, whose tooth gnaws away everything else, is powerless against truth."
@--->---Chris---<---@
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What's the world coming to! Michael has his own weekly column on being a daddy!!
This week: Michael takes Caleb to his first swimming lessons!
Click on this link to go to ChildFun.com!
Daddy's View | Michael's Weekly Column
or type in the following in your browser:
http://www.childfun.com/dads/michael.shtml
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Thought For The Day:
"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies;
for the hardest victory is the victory over self."
(Aristotle)
Verse for the Day:
"But I keep under my body; and bring it into subjection."
I Corinthians 9:27
Kid's Thought for the day:
"Even babies like to grab for things just beyond their reach."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken
men."
Frederick Douglass (1817-1895)
Coach's Thought For The Day
"The mediocre coach tells; the good coach explains; the superior coach demonstrates;
the great coaches inspire."
(Unknown)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Today at the dentist's, I heard a tremendous high-pitched whine and thought he'd
hauled out the mother of all drills, but it was just Mariah Carey on the radio."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "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