Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"

If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to forward it on to family and friends. If this has been passed along to you and you want to join the list, just send 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!

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!
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We have some exciting things in store for this list! (At least they are exciting for Kristi and I!)I have purchased a domain name or two and am hard at work with coming up with a new website! Stay tuned for more details...

From time to time, we get emails that ask us specific questions about our family, our writing, and our lives. So we wanted to offer the following: If you have a question about us, our writing, or anything else you might possibly want to know, send it to me at: Thunder27@aol.com. We will try to answer them once a week, and then send the questions and answers out on the email list. Obviously, with the amount of mail that we receive, we won't answer all the questions via the email list, but will promise to answer them personally if nothing else.
So if you have been dying to know how Kristi puts up with me, how we started writing, how we met, what books we like to read, how this whole list got started, or what brand of toothpaste we use, just write to us and ask! Just make sure you are comfortable with your questions being printed for all to see. And if it is too personal just let us know that you don't want it shown on the daily emails.

More exciting things ahead, so stay tuned!

Michael and Kristi

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After you read today's poems, make sure you take a moment to write to the authors if you are touched in some way.

The following poem was written by 15 year old Sara Larsen. Let's encourage her, especially, to continue writing from her heart...
Michael


He Never Thought...
By: Sara Larsen


He gazed down upon her pale face
Closing his eyes, he remember that familiar smile of hers
The way she touched his face and whispered in his ear
They were going to be married
An old fashion wedding in an old fashion chapel
On her hand she wore a glamorous engagement ring
The whole town knew they were meant to be
But fate would tear their love apart
He never thought he'd lose her this way
He mumbled he's sorry
Then he slipped his ring off her fingers
Tears rolled down his cheek as his hands trembled
He cringed as a chill ran down his spine
The room drew silent as he kissed her cheek one last night
He walked to the back of the room and turned for one last glance
He shook his head and cast his eyes towards the sky
He kissed the ring and held it high
A love lost in one horrid night
He looked towards her bitter casket then fell to his knees
He begged and prayed for this to be a dream
He blamed himself
The night kept flashing before his eyes
He was drunk and was driving her home
She begged him to slow down
He laughed and sped up
He thought she liked the feeling of panic
He lost control of the car and smashed into a wall
It happened in an instant and when he woke up he lay in a strange place
Unfamiliar faces leaned over him talking amongst themselves in a whisper
He asked them what happened to her
They all grew silent as the eldest spoke
He kept repeating she's in a better place
Though they wouldn't answer straightly
He knew the truth
He was responsible for her death
He rose from his knees and with one last breath
Dropped the ring and fell to his death.

Be Smart Don't Drink And Drive.

(The truth today is, thousands of teens lose their lives to drinking and driving or because of a drunk driver. Take a stand for what's right. Pass this on to anyone you know show them you care. Let our generation make a difference.)

Sara Larsen
MysticCookiez@aol.com

Send young Sara an email and let her know what you thought of her poem!

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A little bit about Sara:

Sara's full name is Sara Diane Larsen and she is fifteen years old. She lives in Holly Hill Florida and has been writing since she was a little girl.
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COMPENSATIONS

By: Pat Sowards


You see them striding
side by side,
hurrying to feed the ducks.
Midsummer sun smiles
impartially
on golden locks,
gray, thinning hair.
No need for artificial beam
to light their path,
but his small hand
holds lantern steady
just as he did in dusk of early spring.

On Father's Day, he said to his mother,
"I wish Dad were still alive
so I could give him presents."
He paused, added pensively,
"It's O.K., though, Mom,
I've still got Grandpa."

Pat Sowards
songbird@zoomnet.net

Send Pat an email and let her know what you thought of her writing!
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This poem is about our grandson Jason and his grandfather, my husband. Jason was about three when this happened, he is now 16. It won a third place in a category about families in an annual Kentucky State Poetry Contest. It was published in one of my poetry books called BRIARSONGS.
Most important about me, I am a believer in Christ Jesus, my Lord. I am a retired teacher. The last 16 years of my career, I taught Special Education. I am a member of a poetry group called Phoenix Writers, and am involved in desktop publishing poetry chapbooks for my friends and myself.

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Thought For The Day:

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."
(Albert Einstein)


Verse for the Day:

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
Romans 12:2


Kid's Thought For The Day:

"If it hurts, stop doing it."


Parent's Thought For The Day

"Ask a child what he wants for dinner only if he is buying."
(Fran Lebowitz)


Coach's Thought For The Day

"You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more you have of getting somewhere."
(Charles F. Kettering)


Deep Thought For The Day:

Ever notice that when you pull in front of someone it is "merging," but when someone else does it it's called "cutting off?"


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


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