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*Celebrate the Gift* 3/28/02 ______________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________ Can't get enough inspirational stories in your life? Would you like to send a unique gift to your friends and family? Then order a personalized autographed copy of the inspirational book: Straight From the Heart "A Celebration of Life" by Michael T. Powers for only $13.95. And best of all, we'll pay the shipping! Michael is an award winning writer whose stories have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines around the world and in the following books: Chicken Soup for the Sports Fan's Soul, Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul, Stories For the Extreme Teen's Heart, Stories For the Extreme Teen's Heart 2, Stories for the Teen's Heart 2, Heartwarmers, God Allows U-Turns Volumes 1, 3, and 4, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, and Creating Emotionally Safe Schools. He has signed several contracts for future Chicken Soup and other inspirational books. Still not convinced? You can preview his book by visiting: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_powers AOL Users click here! To order your autographed copy have a check or money order for $13.95 for each book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to: Michael T. Powers 1918 Liberty Lane Janesville, WI 53545 (Please allow about 2 weeks for delivery.) _________________________________________ It is my pleasure to welcome another new writer to HeartTouchers.com today. Be sure to give Eunice Loecher a warm welcome as she shares from her heart today about the loss of her husband... From my family to yours, Michael _________________________________________ Celebrate the Gift By Eunice Loecher My husband had been dead less than two weeks. Each time a wave of grief washed over me, the words, "Celebrate The Gift," came with it. This continued for three days. I felt as though God was shouting those words over and over again in my ear, victoriously, triumphantly. "Celebrate The Gift!" Immediately, my mind would be flooded with wonderful memories, memories that replaced the numbing sorrow. My husband had truly been God's gift to me. Over thirty years of incredible memories. "Celebrate The Gift!" This happened the week before Easter. I began to realize, God had a deeper message for my heart. The questions came. Had I ever really mourned the suffering and death of Christ? Have I grieved for His lost days, weeks and years? Time that could have been filled with miracles and great teachings. My answer, "No." Each Easter I simply celebrated the Gift, God's promise of eternal life, a promise of resurrection. These are the gifts that bring peace to my pain and hope to my heart, gifts that I cling to. I continue each day to celebrate the many gifts God brings into my life. The wonderful relationship evolving between my eighty-nine year old mother and myself. We spend time together each
day, first as mother and daughter and now as friends. We share the common experience of widowhood. All these parts bind us together in a unique way. The gift of time with my mother has allowed me to learn many new things about her family. I treasure the stories and share them with my grandchildren. My grandmother lived past her hundred and first birthday. As a young woman she sang opera. The stories of Mom's love for dancing. A cherished family history. The gifts that come with tragedy bind our hearts together. My youngest daughter took a leave of absence from her job while her father was ill. She came willingly to help me care for him at home during his final weeks. Emotionally and physically it would have been beyond my strength to care for him alone. A bond of understanding exists because of what we endured together. We are able to celebrate this special gift of love we shared for a husband and father. My gifts come quietly in sunrises and sunsets. Occasionally they are a mixture of joy and sadness as with my grandson's first birthday. My husband and father lived to celebrate his birth but neither of them lived to celebrate his first birthday. The gifts surprise with the joy they bring as I witness my grandson's first steps, or the day my granddaughter lost her first tooth. Most precious of all, the whispered promise, "Celebrate the Gift." Now, one day at a time, I'm learning to do just that. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." Romans 6:23 (KJV) © Eunice Loecher crafty2@newnorth.net Write Eunice and let her know your thoughts on her story! __________________________ Eunice Loecher lives in Woodruff, Wisconsin. Her husband died in 1998. She is the full time caregiver for her two grandchildren and her eight-nine year old mother. Eunice enjoys writing and celebrating the gifts the Lord brings into her life each day. Her stories currently appear in volumes one and two of God Allows U-Turns. Note from Michael: Exactly four years ago this morning, Eunice's husband passed away. Be sure to write to Eunice and let her know your thoughts and feelings as you read her story... _________________________________________ Reader Feedback! I was sent the story of Father McKeever. What a wonderful story. I was like Nancy when I was growing up little self esteem, developing faster than the rest of girls in my class, and very low vision, if I couldn't see the snickers, etc., I could hear them, but Praise God He has always been my strength. Thank you, Karen _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "The man who sings his own praises always gets the wrong pitch." Verse for the Day: "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." --Proverbs 27:2 Kid's Thought For The Day: "Squeeze the tube slowly, because once the toothpaste is out it's hard to get it back in." Parent's Thought For The Day "No need to worry about your teenagers when they're not at home. A national survey revealed that they all go to the same place --'out'-- and they all do the same thing -'nothing'." --Bruce Lansky Coach's Thought For The Day Too often we forget it is the players who do the competing. You never heard the word "I" so much as when coaches get together. Our challenge is to keep the focus off ourselves and work towards developing a cohesive team. We're all important to the overall effort, but none of us is irreplaceable. --Denny Raarup Writer's Thought For The Day: "Forget the room of one's own -- write in the kitchen, lock yourself up in the bathroom. Write on the bus or the welfare line, on the job or during meals, between sleeping or waking. While you wash the floor or clothes listen to the words chanting in your body." --Gloria Anzaldua Deep Thought For The Day: If it's such a "beautiful day in the neighborhood," then why is Mr. Rogers always wearing a sweater? ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ 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 photos! Check out my video production business by visiting: 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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