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*The Last One Picked*  5/15/02

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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
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around the world by sending an e-mail with the word
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Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past
stories in our archives at:
http://www.HeartTouchers.com
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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 Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, and in
the upcoming books: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff Story
Collection, Chicken Soup for the Romantic Soul, Chicken
Soup for the Grieving Soul, 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.)
_________________________________________


The Last One Picked

by Pamela Jenkins, © 2002
ramblinrabbit@juno.com


I held the warm, fuzzy body in my arms during the two-hour
drive home, breathing in the sweet puppy scent.  As my
husband drove, the puppy watched the moving scenery
through the window.  Occasionally he would stretch up and
touch his moist nose to my cheek, as if wondering who
I was and where I was taking him.  As the miles passed,
I felt the aching in my heart ease a bit.

It had been seven months since we lost our elderly Schnauzer
to cancer. Being married to a veterinarian and working in an
animal hospital should have prepared me for the loss and grief
that would follow.  I help people deal with these difficult
situations every day.  In the end, however, I cried just as
hard as anyone else.  I missed my little buddy.  I didn't
think I'd find another dog I would ever love as much.

Time goes by, however, and the kids were asking for another
pet.  My son, especially, wanted a dog to teach tricks.  To an
eight-year-old boy, there could be nothing as cool as a dog
that would fetch and roll over on command.

I researched all the breeds I could think of that would fit our
family lifestyle, and finally decided on a Wire Fox Terrier.
They are popular in circus acts, so surely one could be taught
a few simple tricks.  We were able to locate a breeder in our
state.  I called to ask about her puppies.

"Yes, I have three males left," she said.  We talked for
several minutes about pedigrees and temperaments.  I began
to feel a small rush of excitement at the prospect of a new
puppy, and at the same time guilty. I would never be able to
replace my old dog.  I told the breeder that I would discuss it
with my husband and let her know.

The next day, I called again to set up a time to look at the
litter.  I began to feel a little anxious when she told me that
she now only had two puppies.

The day arrived for the visit to the breeder, and only one puppy
was left.  My husband and I were both apprehensive.  The litter
had been a large one.  Out of eight puppies, this was the only
one that hadn't been sold.

We were pleased to find that the puppy was healthy, bright
and alert.  We could find no faults in his physical conformation.
Even his spots were in all the right places.  It took less that a
minute to make our decision.  We would take him home.

As my husband drove, he turned to glance at the puppy I held
close to me. He said, "I know he got passed over seven times, but
I can't help but think that we may have gotten the best pup in
the litter.  I honestly can't see a thing wrong with him."

Our children were overjoyed when they saw the new arrival.
They named him William Tell, and he quickly adapted to his
new home.  My children enjoyed hearing the story about
getting the last puppy from the litter.

This morning, my son was throwing a stick in the yard.
Tell was dutifully bouncing after it and bringing it back gripped
tightly in his puppy teeth.

"Look, Mom!  His first trick!"

Then he dropped down on his knees and hugged Tell.  The
terrier wiggled with excitement at the attention, but my son
looked up at me with watery eyes.  I asked, "Honey, what's
wrong?"

"He was the last one picked," he said sadly.  "I hate to be the
last one picked!"

Suddenly, my mind went back in time.  I was once again a
gangly young girl with bad eyesight, clumsy at sports, holding
back tears because I was one of the last to be chosen for
gym teams.

"Oh, sweetie, I know Tell was the last one left, but look at
how wonderful his life has turned out!  He lives on a farm in
the country. He has a fenced yard to play in so he doesn't get
lost.  He has lots of barns to explore when he walks with us.
Your Daddy is a veterinarian, so he'll always have the best of
care."  I gave both son and puppy a hug as I added, "And the
best thing of all is that he has his own boy to play with every
day.  I think being the last one picked turned out pretty good
this time, didn't it?"

"Yeah, Mom, it did!" he answered.  I watched him throw
another stick across the yard.  In a flash, the spotted puppy
raced after it.

"Thanks, Mom," my son said.  "I'm glad he was last, because
you know what?  Now we've got the greatest dog EVER!"

I watched as William Tell pranced back to us, proudly holding
the stick in his mouth.  I wondered if what my son had said
would turn out to be true.  This puppy had some mighty big
paw prints to fill.  Then I noticed the look of joy on my little
boy's face.  I don't think I have anything to worry about now.

Tell may have been the last puppy, but he's off to a fine start
in our hearts.


Pamela Jenkins
ramblinrabbit@juno.com

Write Pamela and let her know your thoughts on her story!
______________________________

Pamela Jenkins lives on a farm in Oklahoma with Stanley, her
husband of twenty-one years, and their four children.  She is
the office manager of her husband's veterinary practice.  Pamela
has been published in Chocolate for a Woman's Dreams, Written
in Stone, and Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul.  

*********

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 it
is expressly prohibited to cut and paste the stories
from here 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!
_________________________________________

Are you looking for the perfect gift to give for Father's Day,
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means no matter what your budget is, you can give the most
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spend! Want to make Mom, Dad, or your favorite graduating
senior cry happy tears?  Then check out all we have to offer
at the following web site:

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AOL Users click here:   Video Imagery


"My whole family wants to thank you for the wonderful job you did on the video. Time went by so fast we never got a chance to call and let you know how happy we were. We had wrapped one and put the other in the VCR. We started it and they were so surprised. My dad was speechless, which is a rare thing, and it brought tears to my mom's eyes. They loved it!! We know it was really time consuming, and we wanted to thank you and your wife also. She was always so nice whenever we called with any questions. Thanks again and have a wonderful holiday season."
The Creighton Family..........Janesville, WI

____________________________

Thought For The Day:

"Render more service than that for which you are
paid and you will soon be paid for more than
you render.  This is the law of increasing returns."
--Napoleon Hill


Verse for the Day:

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will
also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously
will also reap generously." 2 Corinthians 9:6


Kid's Thought For The Day:

"Don't let the spaghetti sauce leak onto your green beans."


Parent's Thought For The Day

"The good news is that grandchildren keep
you young. The bad news is that after you
spend time with them you feel your age."
--Joan Holleman


Coach's Thought For The Day

Habit is most difficult to defeat.  If you delete the
first letter, it doesn't not change "a bit" Delete
another and you still have a "bit" left.  Take off
still another and the whole of it remains. But
if you take off another, it is wholly used up.
Goes to prove if you want to get rid of a habit,
you must throw it off altogether. --Mandel


Deep Thought For The Day:

"I am returning this otherwise good typing paper
to you because someone has printed gibberish
all over it and put your name at the top." 
--English Professor, Ohio University

___________________________________________

  _
/_/\/\    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?
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