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*Christmas Perspective* 12/11/01 _____________________________ 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 the thousands of HeartTouchers.com readers around the world 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 ____________________________________________ Happy Holidays from HeartTouchers.com 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! To preview the book by reading some of the stories visit: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/ AOL Users Click below: Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life _________________________________________ We added hundreds and hundreds of new subscribers yesterday and I wanted to take a moment to welcome all of you and let you know a little bit about this family we call HeartTouchers.com. Each day you will receive a heart touching story written by a real person whom you can actually contact via e-mail with your thoughts. "Author Unknown" does not exist on HeartTouchers! Following each story will be thoughts for the day, reader feedback, and prayer requests. When you take the time to e-mail our fantastic writers, consider sending your feedback to HeartTouchers@aol.com also, so that we may share your thoughts with the thousands of readers we have world-wide. HeartTouchers.com is made up of down-to-earth people like yourselves, who share a love for reading inspirational stories and who love making a difference in other people's lives... If you are that type of person, then you have come to the right place! If you haven't checked out our web site recently, be sure to do so. Lots of wonderful stories are stored in our archives and many incredibly inspiring graphics, quotes, and photos await you! From my family to yours, Author, Michael T. Powers _________________________________________ Christmas Perspective By D. Anne Jones Each Christmas, I advertise for my portrait business. I do custom portraits of people, pets, houses, boats, etc... This year, I got an unusual request. Many of my friends thought it a rather morbid request, but it had an altogether different effect on me. On a Tuesday, a lady named Tammy called and said she had seen my advertisement on the bulletin board at the local supermarket. She said that I might think she was nuts when she told me what she wanted, but it was something she had given a lot of thought to. Apparently, Tammy had a son a few years ago who was stillborn. She had two other children, and they had photos all over the house of their girls, but none of little Alexander, and he was still very much a part of her heart. I have drawn many portraits of loved ones who have passed away, and I understand the need for a reminder of those we love and don't wish to forget. Sometimes a portrait can even be therapeutic, because I can make an image of the person in their favorite shirt with a pet or friend, etc...It often removes the sadness of the family's last memories of a sickly or injured individual and replaces it with a smiling face -- happy and healthy. The problem that Tammy had with her son's photo was that even though he was a perfectly formed little child, his face had become discolored by the time the photo was taken -- terribly discolored. She wanted a simple line drawing of his tiny features. It was the only photo she had, and she explained through tears that many parents of stillborn children are filled with regrets after the shock has worn off -- regrets of actions that can never be taken now. She wished she had bathed his little body and dressed him, but she was too shocked and riddled with grief to do so at the time. Some parents never even hold the child, although Tammy did. I was deeply affected by this visit, and realized that our "slim pickins" Christmas was really nothing to be upset about. As the day wore on, I could not shake the grief that I felt for a family who will never celebrate Christmas with their son. I have been blessed with five beautiful and vivacious children who are intelligent (if not trying at times). What a fortune I have in them! What great wealth has been bestowed upon us to be able to celebrate holidays and birthdays with these we hold so dear! How many of those people who have great wealth would not give it ALL just to be able to hold a tiny baby in their arms and feel its warm breath and smell its clean skin? Though many of us struggle with financial difficulties at this time of year, Lord, let us keep in perspective the fact that you VOLUNTEERED your ONLY son for us, and didn't lose him at birth, but after he lived a lifetime of sinless existence only to be hung from a cross for people who would never appreciate Him. Help us to keep Christmas in perspective and know that our lives are what are important, not how many gifts are under that tree to be hastily opened and eventually discarded. Help us to cherish each moment that we have with our loved ones and never, never lose sight of how precious and valuable they are to us. I was eventually able to do a drawing of little Alexander in color. I made him look peaceful and pink, nestled in a cloudy blanket with angel's wings surrounding him. It is my hope and prayer that Tammy and her family will find comfort and strength this and every Christmas by looking at that portrait and knowing that Alexander is awaiting their arrival and knowing that they, like Our Heavenly Father and His Son, will spend all of eternity together! D. Anne Jones DAJSB@aol.com Write D. Anne and let her know what you thought about her story! _______________________________ How would you like a pastel portrait for a unique Christmas gift? D. Anne Jones will do one for you! Work done from photos, and completed in time for the holidays. Children, pets, homes, ancestors, etc... matted and shipped to purchaser free of charge. Check out her work at: http://communities.msn.com/JonesiesPix/annesportfolio.msnw _________________________________________ Reader Feedback! I just found your delightful Web site...the hand of God moves us gently in right directions...and I feel I've just been given another blessing. Ina L. Moore lucinda_75417@yahoo.com Enjoyed your camping stories. We camped many years with five children in a tent. we live in Co. but on the plains. Close to the mountains but not in them. Donna Menges mengesdg@rural-com.com You have touch my heart with your wonderful stories. Thank you and God Bless You Donna Morrison donna1089@juno.com I LOVE this site. Keep up the good work. Can I submit??? Is there a prayer list? Can we start one? W-O-W AWSOME site WOW! Scott Neth whereshadowsscream@lycos.com _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "No man knows his true character until he runs out of gas, purchased something on the installment plan, and raised an adolescent." --Lorene Workman Verse for the Day: "Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith, produces endurance." --James 1:2,3 Kid's Thought For The Day: "While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about six years old. Looking up end down at my uniform, she asked, "Are you a cop?" "Yes," I answered and continued writing the report." "My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?" "Yes, that's right," I told her. "Well, then," she said as she extended her foot toward me, "would you please tie my shoe?" Parent's Thought For The Day: ALBERT EINSTEIN'S MOTHER : "But it's your senior picture. Can't you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something...?" Coach's Thought For The Day: "When I did this three years ago, it was like death. When I did it last year, it was like near death. This year, it was just really hard." -- John Howie, wheelchair athlete, describing his Charlotte Observer 10k races from 1990 - 1993 Writer's Thought For The Day: "To write what is worth publishing, to find honest people to publish it, and get sensible people to read it, are the three great difficulties in being an author." --Charles Caleb Colton Deep Thought For The Day: "Just before someone gets nervous, do they experience cocoons in their stomach?" ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ 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 HeartTouchers.com 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 HeartTouchers.com? 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 HeartTouchers.com 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 AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws __________________________________________ |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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