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*A Dose of Good Medicine* 4/23/02 ______________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________ Are you looking for the perfect gift to give for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Graduation? Then check out Michael's Video Production business: Video Imagery! You can transfer your photos over to videotape, or even DVD, all set to music that will make your images come alive! The cost is only $1 per photo, which means no matter what your budget is, you can give the most meaningful gift you have ever given because you determine how many photos you transfer, and therefore, how much you spend! Want to make Mom, Dad, or your favorite graduating senior cry happy tears? Then check out all Michael has to offer at the following web site: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery "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 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 _________________________________________ It is my pleasure to introduce another new writer to HeartTouchers today. Please give Karen DeLoach one of our patented HeartTouchers.com warm welcomes! From my family to yours, Michael _________________________________________ A Dose of Good Medicine By Karen Harper DeLoach It was a picture perfect Sunday morning -- bright sunshine, dew drops on green blades of grass, fresh cool air, puffy white clouds against a clear blue sky. I should have been humming "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it " Instead, as I walked into the foyer of my church, I absolutely dreaded the day. It was 9 a.m., time for Praise Team practice. Normally, I loved singing with the Praise Team. At 9:40, Sunday School. I relished preparing the lesson for my Young Adult Class each week. We were in the middle of a challenging Bible study based on Beth Moore's Breaking Free, Making Liberty in Christ a Reality in Life, and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching it to a wonderful group of students. Afterward, we could all look forward to worship and ministry in the Word with the rest of the church congregation. What's not to like? But that morning, I couldn't think past my pain. I was having "a bad spell," as grandma used to say. My crickety joints were giving me a fit! Rather than looking forward to singing praises to the Lord, I was dreading the pain of standing up through it. And the two steps up to the stage might as well have been fifty. Thankfully, I hadn't seen anybody since entering the church. I know they would have read "dread" all over my face. Not a good testimony! I took a drink from the water fountain and then stepped into the ladies restroom. Suddenly, deja vu all over again I remembered another Sunday morning many years earlier. I was heading to the ladies room when I saw my Sunday School teacher go in. As I waited my turn outside the door, I heard her retch and moan and throw up, murmuring, "Lord, help ... so sick ... so sick ... "in between retching. She was experiencing a mid-30's pregnancy and was suffering with morning sickness. I walked away, not wanting her to be embarrassed by stepping outside and finding someone standing there, listening to her dilemma. I went on to class. A few minutes later, she walked into the College and Career class with a big smile on her face and a lilt to her voice as she called out, "Good morning, everyone!" She made a funny comment and laughed. Then she began our Bible study, teaching with all her usual enthusiasm and insight. As a young woman barely out of my teens, that had an impact on me. My teacher could have called in sick that morning. Or she could have slumped into the classroom with a totally different demeanor which reflected how she really felt. Instead, she chose to put on a smile, obviously depending on the Lord to strengthen her for the task at hand. I wanted to be that kind of Christian. Now, thirty years later, I remembered her example. Lord, I don't want my demeanor to divert anyone's attention from You when I'm singing or teaching. Help me to walk in Your strength this morning. I couldn't do a whole lot about my limp, but I could definitely do something about my countenance. Before I walked out of the rest room that morning, I practiced my smile in the mirror. And as I headed toward the sanctuary, I softly sang, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it ..." The Word says "A merry heart does good, like medicine " (Proverbs 17:22). Thank God for a teacher who taught me how to take a dose, even on the worst of mornings. Karen Harper DeLoach, copyright 2002 kdeloach@frontiernet.net Write Karen and let her know your thoughts on her story! _______________________________ Karen is the author of "Thirty-one Years and a Stumble," a story that offers inspiration and hope in the testimony of God's healing of her marriage. She is scheduled to have her story "Remembering" published in God Allows U-Turns -- American Moments. She is the mother of three handsome sons and is her husband Bill's Girl-Friday at their business in Statesboro, Georgia. If you would like to read an excerpt from her book, as well as other inspirational writings, please check out her website at: http://karendeloach.tripod.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, Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, and in the upcoming books: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Story Collection and The Miracle of Boys. 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.) ____________________________________________ Reader Feedback! Thank you, Mr. Kiser for such a thought-provoking story. I, myself, have quite a collection of medals belonging to men who have served our country with dignity and honor. It has always saddened me to see these symbols of sacrifice casually discarded. You have given me a wonderful idea and a way to honor these soldiers. With Memorial Day just a month away, perhaps there may be others out there who may do the same, as well. God bless you. Please keep writing and inspiring! ~Chris Donovan-Hayden, PrettyGBC@cs.com I think what you did was wonderful "God Bless you!!!!!! ps513@webtv.net What a beautiful thing to do! I'm sure the owner of the medal watched from above and was graciously grateful! God bless you for honoring him/her that way! Love, Rita in Louisiana, Ractl@aol.com Hi Roger, You did it again!! This story went straight to my heart. I wonder who that medal belong too and why they decided to put it a good will store? I still have my Uncle's American Flag that they put on his coffin and I never thought about ever doing something like that. I hold that near and dear to my heart and my son-in-law even refolded it for me. Thanks again. Johanna Buckely, shd43@snet.net _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities; an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." --Reginald Mansell Verse for the Day: "If God is for us who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 Kid's Thought For The Day: "If the ponies you draw don't look like everyone else's, that's good." Parent's Thought For The Day "The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them." --Frank Clark Coach's Thought For The Day "If you have knowledge, let others light their candle at it" --Margaret Fuller Writer's Thought For the Day: "If you are a writer, you locate yourself behind a wall of silence and no matter what you are doing, driving a car or walking or doing housework, which I love, you can still be writing, because you have that space." --Joyce Carol Oates Deep Thought For The Day: "Did you ever try to get the trash men to take an old trash can away? Can't be done." ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ 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! ___________________________________________ 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/ |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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