______________________________________________________
{Straight From the Heart} *My Snow Angel* 12/11/00
______________________________________________________
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 a blank email to:
Thunder27@aol.com
I appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism, so feel free to
write me (Michael T. Powers) and let me know what you think!
Just joined us and want to see all the past stories we've run?
Visit our inspirational website at:
Straight From the Heart
http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
Writer's guidelines for Straight From the Heart can be found here:
Writer's Guidelines
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/
___________________________________________________
I believe this is the first story we have run by Melanée Addison...and I couldn't think of a better one to use to introduce her to all of you! Give her a warm SFTH welcome by emailing her!
Michael
___________________________________________________
My Snow Angel
By Melanée Addison
I was five years old and had recently moved in with my family after living
with my great-aunt Edna from infancy. The arrangement began as a matter of
convenience when my mother started working full-time along with my father,
and my sister and brothers all were in school. After a few years my parents
decided that aunt Edna would continue to raise me, until while visiting them
one day, I threw such a crying fit when it was time to leave, my mom decided
it was best I stay.
Having been raised alone by aunt Edna who had no children, I was excited to
finally be part of a family structure where I'd have two brothers and a
sister to do all kinds of fun things with. However, as time passed, I saw
that my sudden arrival had caused quite an adjustment in the family routine.
For this reason, my sister and brothers welcomed my coming the least. As
teens with already established social agendas, they were convinced that
having to spend an afternoon watching their little sister was the true
meaning of capital punishment. For them, baby-sitting was hanging out
with friends at the local drive-in theater and hiding me underneath a
blanket while I watched horror movies that I wasn't supposed to and most
times wished I hadn't.
Nevertheless, I anxiously waited for the day that my brothers and sister
would play with me. Most times I was left alone in my room where I'd find
constructive things to do like melting crayons on top of light bulbs and
playing school with my imaginary friends secretly using the closet wall as a
blackboard. Sometimes I'd hear laughter and music coming from my brother's
room and excitedly skip inside only to be shooed away and have the door
closed in my face. Eventually I gave up my quest for sibling companionship
and learned to be content with my toys and imaginary friends.
One winter morning I awakened early to discover that it had been snowing
throughout the night. Even as I excitedly pressed my nose up against the
window, watching the big fluffy flakes cascade down and imagined myself
running freely through mounds of untouched snow, I knew from experience that I would most likely wind up staying in my room to discover yet another way
to do nothing. While pondering this daunting outlook, I became aware of
someone in the room with me. I turned from the window and saw my oldest
brother, Billy standing in the doorway smiling at me with a twinkle in his
eye. "Have you ever seen a snow angel before?" he asked with a secretive
smile. "A snow angel?" I wondered, and immediately thought of the angels in
the picture Bible Aunt Edna had given me. "No." , I answered. Billy
continued smiling and with a mischievous wink said, "Hurry, get dressed and
I'll show you one."
Jumping up, I got dressed with lightning speed and soon was experiencing
what seemed like a dream moments earlier. Billy and I ran wildly through
the snow laughing and screaming with delight, throwing snowballs at each
other and rolling around in the powdery fluff. After playing for a while,
Billy called me aside. "Watch this," he said, as he lay in the snow and
began flapping his arms and legs as if trying to take flight. As he got up,
I stared with wide-eyed amazement. It looked just like an angel in the
snow! Next, I made one and then we continued running all over the place
creating snow angels until we were exhausted.
Back home, as we sat in the window warming up with hot cocoa and surveying
our creations, I looked up adoringly at my big brother and realized that I
had seen a snow angel before, after all.
Melanée Addison
mel1297@hotmail.com
E-mail Melanée and let her know what you thought of her story!
**********
Melanée Addison is 31 years old and resides in New York City where she works in Internet sales. "My inspiration and desire in life is to glorify The Lord through the meditations of my heart, mind, by my actions and with the words from my mouth". If anything I write touches someone, then praise The Lord, "For it is God who works in us to will and act according to his good
purpose." (Phil. 1:13). Hallelujah!
___________________________________________________
FROM THE GUESTBOOK!
I enjoyed the pictures of your children. Thank you for sharing this intimate part of your lives. I love reading Straight From the Heart. I have written to some of your authors, and they have replied. I think that adds to the pleasure of the stories and makes your feel like friends.
Peggy Sue Heap
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am from Bloomington, Illinois, semiretired due to health problems, a father and grandfather. I will have to come back to your site several times to fully check it out but it is quite interesting, I am fairly new at the web part and web pages, hope to get my own up and running soon, it will be of a Christian nature with my family.
Jim Fleming
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just bookmarked YOU! I look forward to many contemplative mornings with your site! Thank for you doing it and making it available! God loves you!
Rita Ann Cera Tate LeDoux
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Really enjoyed finding Straight from the heart! It's so nice to find a place that Blesses one when searching the net. Keep up the good work--------folks need places to go like this.
JoAnne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I loved the story about your bath time with Caleb. Although I don't have a son, I did have a rambunctious second female child. I could envision her in Caleb place. I laughed at the image, and really enjoyed your story. Unfortunately, I missed many many special times with my older daughter because I was just "too busy" being a super mom, wife, employee...etc. BUT I am looking forward to grandchildren. Thanks for sharing!!
Lynn Capps
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I enjoy your stories so much especially since I was lost for sometime but I have now found my way back to the Lord and every day is a blessing. To blame God for taking your family away is so wrong and I learnt it the hard way. Thank you so much your daily inspiration. By the way I live in South Africa.
Betty Ellis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just started receiving your web site. After about a week of it, I think that it is one of the best that I have seen or read. I like all the stories that you have had in it so far. I am starting in the archives now. Keep up the great work and I will keep on reading it.
Paul E. Bragg
Jackson, Ohio
___________________________________________________
REQUESTS:
For those of you who have been praying for my friend Shelly, here is the latest update I received from her....
From: SHEL1201@AOL.COM
Well, Michael, I thought I would let you know I just got home today. I ended up having a total hysterectomy due to my uterus and ovaries being full of endometriosis so I will be fine and now it will just take time to heal. Thank you for all the prayers they definitely helped me get through this difficult time.
Thanks.
Shelly
___________________________________________________
Thought For The Day:
"Self-reform is the answer to world-reform" --Sebastian Miklas
Verse for the Day:
"Each of us will give an account of himself to God." --Romans 14:12
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"Getting lost teaches you how to read a map."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
"First you have to teach a child to talk, then you have to teach it to be quiet."
-- Prochnow
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." - John Wooden
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Why did you leave your last job?"
"Well, after they fired me, the tension in the office was unbearable."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@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
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 (RKaGe@aol.com) 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!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html
Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
The Four Spiritual Laws
http://www.ccci.org/laws/index.html
Writer's guidelines for Straight From the Heart can be found here:
Writer's Guidelines
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/
The copyrights to the stories that appear here are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. This email 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.
Thanks!
UNSUBSCRIBE:
If you are receiving this e-mail and would like to be taken off the
list please send a blank email with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
You will be taken off as soon as possible.
