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{Straight From the Heart} *Special Effects* 3/23/00
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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!
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My thanks to everyone for all the wonderful email I received about
my involvement with the new Heartwarmers book. It should be hitting
all the major book stores by this weekend, although most say not until
April 1.
I am trying to catch up on my email since I was gone, so be patient
with me on my responses. Kristi and the boys are still in Florida
with Grandma and Grandpa, while I am back to normal everyday life!
There might be a story or two to write about our trip, but won't
promise anything. I have written before about my "love" (Heavy
Sarcasm!) for traveling, as things always seem to go wrong for me.
And my trip back from the airport late Tuesday night was no exception.
Here are the highlights of my trip back home:
Car won't start. Car finally starts after 30 minutes. Alternator
goes out on car after leaving airport. Michael walks to gas station
and calls tow truck at 12:30 am. Michael spends almost all of cash on
tow truck, can't find a ride home, doesn't have credit card, and
spends the next 12 hours at a 24 hour Arby's restaurant in Racine,
WI, afraid to fall asleep for fear that he might be kicked out.
(Longest night of my life...) And I scare two of my sister-in-laws
to death! Then Aunt Janet saves the day the next morning and Michael
goes home to sleep for the first time in 32 hours. Sleeps for six
hours then goes to 3rd shift job at Post Office....
And those were just the highlights!
There is definitely a story to be written there, but I am too
tired to even think about it....
And now you know why I love going on vacation, but hate the intervals
in between the home and the destination.
Hope everyone is having a good week!
Michael
On to today's story!
Pamela Blaine gives us all a great reminder on what we need to be
looking for in life.
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Special Effects
By Pamela R. Blaine
My son-in-law, Barney has always had a great interest in film making.
Once when our family went to see a move with Barney, as the movie
ended, I began to get my coat and get ready to leave. I noticed that
Barney was still sitting in his seat, not making a move to leave but
still sitting transfixed before the movie screen, watching the credits
roll. I asked, "Are you ready to go?" Barney said, "Not yet, I want
to see who did the special effects."
I wonder, how many times do I get caught up in the *special effects*
of the thunder and lightning around me instead of asking myself as
Barney did, "Who did the special effects.....Who caused it all to
happen?"
One of my favorite poems is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning:
"Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees takes off his shoes,
The rest sit around it and pluck blackberries."
God used a bush to get the attention of Moses in Exodus, chapter 3.
Moses looked at the bush and saw that it was on fire yet it was not
consumed by the fire. Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see
this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." Moses was
paying attention and said, "I must see." He was looking for the
cause of this "special effect". When he looked for the cause, it
was then that God spoke to him, telling him to remove his sandals,
"For the place you are standing is holy ground." God identified
Himself to Moses then and said, "I am the God of your father, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
The question is, will we look only at the "special effects" or will
we look to Him, the Creator of the special effects. Will we enter in,
take off our shoes, and stand on holy ground or will we choose to sit
around it plucking blackberries.
I believe, like Moses, God wants us to "turn aside now and see".....to
look for Him and not just look for another "special effect" to sit
around while we obliviously nibble our popcorn.
The next time you see "special effects", remember to look for the
Creator.
"The picture perfect sunset,
The rolling prairie sod,
The gift of love, the baby child
All signed by the Hand of God"
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His
eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being
understood through what has been made so that they are without
excuse." Romans 1:20
By Pamela R. Blaine
Pamyblaine@aol.com
Send Pam an email and let her know what you thought of her story!
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A little bit about Pam:
I've been married to Michael for 33 years and we have 4 children:
Julie, Jeanna, Jeremy, and Justin (we got stuck on the letter J).
I have loved music ever since I can remember and I play piano at our
church where Mike is worship leader. I like to write stories and
poems but I especially like writing songs. We also do music programs
for other churches. I am also an avid reader. My husband calls me
"The Email Queen" because I enjoy writing and reading other good
writings such as the things Michael Powers writes. One of my goals
is to be able to write things that encourage and help other people.
You can see some things I have written on my webpage: PamyPlace
http://members.aol.com/mblaine/pamy/PamyPlace.html
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Thought For The Day:
"It's easy to identify people who can't count to ten. They're in
front of you in the supermarket express lane."
(June Henderson)
Verse for the Day:
"...Be patient with everyone."
1 Thessalonians 5:14
Kid's Thought For The day:
"Smile at the bus driver."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Dear God, I pray for patience. And I want it right now."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."
(Elmer G. Leterman)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Avoid parking tickets by leaving your windshield wipers
turned to fast wipe whenever you leave your car parked illegally."
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/_/\/\ 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
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 suprised 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