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{Straight From the Heart} *This is Love* 7/12/00
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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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There is some more info regarding baby Zachary, including a
chance for everyone to be involved in a paper chain of love.
It follows today's poem....
Michael
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THIS IS LOVE
By Michael Collins
Bearing the "unbearable" no matter what, when, where, how long,
Showing kindness to the one who may always do you wrong;
Not craving for another's things and wishing it were yours,
Not making boast of what one has; for envy that's a cause.
Not being haughty or high-minded, of others thinking low,
Not causing hurt by word or deed, others’ feelings to ignore;
Not being caught up with oneself and playing the "Me-Me" game;
Not getting cross at the drop of a hat or the sound of another's name.
Not maintaining a record book of wrongs that others do,
Not deriving joy in wickedness but rather in the truth;
Always seeking to protect another from all danger,
Always trusting, no matter who, friend or foe or stranger.
Always hoping for the best in relationships to turn out,
Always striving, pressing on - not letting the flame burn out;
Never giving up on one, but remaining till the end,
That's the kind of love God has for each of us my friend.
MICHAEL COLLINS
cbnwrcch@md3.vsnl.net.in
Send Michael an email and let him know what you thought of his poem!
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A little bit about Michael:
My wife Esther and I work in Christian Broadcasting Network here in
Chennai. We have been blessed with a baby girl Susanna Grace last year.
I came to know the Lord personally in 1993 after a prolonged period of
trying on my own to be righteous before God. The precipitating factors
which led me to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus was the trying
times we went through as a family, dad having left home when I was
little and Mum having to bring us up single-handed. Life became one
endless road of turmoil and emptiness and finally lost all meaning.
At this time Mum passed away and I found the Lord or rather the Lord
found me. All glory to God for all that He has been doing in my life
since then.
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Zachary's visitation will be on Wednesday, July 12, 2000, from
6 - 8 pm at Rosman, Uehling, Kinzer Funeral Home (next to Beloit
Floral) 1125 Cranston Rd., Beloit, WI.
364-4477
there will be a private burial on Thursday morning.
At the visitation (and after) we are making a paper chain of love
for Jessica and Steve to have in memory of little Zachary. He has
linked friends, family, community, nurses, Dr.'s and loving people
together. We will have strips of paper available at the funeral home
to add to the paper chain. For those of you who will be unable to
attend Zachary's visitation we are asking that if you wish to add
to the paper chain of love send a strip of paper 8 1/2 inches long
by 1 inch wide with a note, a picture, a prayer, whatever you want
to say to either Jessica, Steve or Zachary. Please put your name on
the strip if you would like. Send the strip of paper for Zachary's
paper chain of love to:
Jessica Beals
705 High St.
Clinton, WI.
53525-9770
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In Loving Memory of
Zachary Stephen Harrison
born:January 31, 2000
died: July 10, 2000
Since Zachary Stephen Harrison's birth on
January 31, 2000
He touched many hearts so deep.
On July 10, 2000
our little buddy went to sleep.
His presence will be so deeply missed,
many tears we all will cry
His little smile and memories of him will
fill the big blue sky.
We may not be able to hold him in our arms
but he will always be in our hearts.
Life does not end with death
A brand new life will start
We Love You Zach
our little buddy
written with love, Grandpa Mark Beals
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Some weeks ago I ran a story called the Bed of Life. It was about
the importance of being an organ donor. I received a ton of email
from a readers and wanted to share two of them with all of you. If
you haven't signed the back of your license yet, please take a moment
to do so now.
Thanks!
Michael
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That story made a HUGE impression on me. It really
touched my heart, and I shamefully "robbed" from your
email...but did show it as an excerpt from your email.
I sent a copy of it to EVERYONE in my address book,
never dreaming that it would be an issue in anyone's
life soon. I was just thinking that maybe SOMEDAY in
the far distant future they would think of it and be
influenced to do organ donation. Well sadly, my best
friend's husband, Phineas, died 2 or 3 days later.
Partly because of the email I sent, they elected not
to do an autopsy, and to make sure ALL possible parts
of his body were donated. I totally forgot about
sending that story to people, until the day of the
funeral - when someone sent me a reply to it, and
included the story in the body of the reply. I copied
the story again, brought it to her house, and when
people came to the reception afterward, it was there
along with the other pictures, hobby stuff, music,
etc., that was displayed in the "Phineas room" that my
friend made to honor his memory. I have no way to
prove this, but I feel sure that there must have been
a reason God laid it on my heart to send this story to
her. Maybe someone - or several someones - who needed
an organ was praying God would provide. His timing is
so amazing and unbelievable! I know that it was at
least a small comfort to my friend to know that
Phineas' body would be helping others.
Holly
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Twenty years ago a teenager died from to much fun and an automobile. That
was not the end of this boys life, you see his parents made the decision
to give his organs to people in need. They would never know where their
sons organs would
go or even if they made a difference. I can tell them how precious of a
gift they gave, If I knew who they were! When I was ten my mother went
into complete kidney failure. There was no one in our family healthy
enough or in my brothers or my case old enough to give her one of our
kidneys. We spent 10 years with our mother connected to a dialysis
machine. I thank God for giving man the knowledge to fabricate the
device, but its not the same you lose your quality of life. We are a close
family and learned to do the dialysis at home. We tried to make the best
of a bad situation and adjusted her dialysis
sessions around normal day to day activities. We even loaded that big
ole' machine and all the sterile medical supplies
needed for a week into a camper and had several family vacations. The
dialysis that they use now is much more user friendly. People can perform
their own dialysis while going about their daily routine. Some even work.
I learned a lot about
life during those 10 years and it did make me a better person, but It was
hard on mom. Her health was suffering from the
dialysis taking away the good vitamins and minerals along with the
impurities normal kidneys discard. We waited for years watching her
slowly fade praying all the time that someone would have the nerve to
donate a kidney that would match her. Back then organ donation was not as
common and most thought it was doctors playing God. We knew that God was
the one giving the knowledge and skill to perform that procedure. Then the
call came on a Sunday afternoon.
we had finished our traditional Sunday dinner after Sunday school and
church. I can still see my mom laying on the sofa
when the phone rang. You should have seen the emotions that played across
her face when they told her to grab the
suitcase that always stayed packed in the closet waiting for this big
day! Dad dropped the paper he was reading. We
were packing his suitcase before she finished the call. Fifteen minutes
they were on the road for the five hour drive to the
university of Kentucky med center. Our life changed that day and thanks to
a teenage boy in Florida and his family I have my
mother. She got to see my brother and then me graduate. Then she sat and
watched as we both got married. She's been
there for the births of her grand children. She's still here watching them
grow. The most important thing is I still have my best friend, that
taught me to love and trust God for everything. Oh by the way IM AN
ORGAN DONOR .
Thanks Michael for this story it was just what I needed. My prayers are
that others will realize the importance of the last
gift they can make and just how much they can help another family
somewhere postpone the pain of losing a loved one
by their Gift of life.
Rita Marinelli
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REQUESTS:
From: Songboy1@aol.com (Erik)
Hi, my name is Erik Lasater. I am going to be a sophomore at the
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha this fall.
I attended Cameron University in Lawton in the fall of 1999, while
there I made a really good friend named Ryan. Ryan lives in Dallas
with his dad and step mom. I just got done talking to Ryan and he
and his dad are staying at a hotel because of problems at the house.
I know a big part of this is that this family really needs Jesus
Christ. I am really bummed about this because Ryan is such a good
friend. Another reason is Ryan and I were planning a trip to Colorado
this coming Saturday and now chances of him getting to go are looking
slim to none. I know that seems selfish but I was going to use this
trip to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Ryan. I now know it is
something I should have done a long time ago, but never really "had
the guts to" but now I know that nothing is not worth not sharing the
gospel with friends. If you could pass this request along I know it
would be greatly appreciated.
Love in Christ Jesus our risen Lord and Savior.
Erik Lasater
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From: bubbanna@alltel.net
Please pray for my niece who is having very serious emotional
instability and depression right now. She and her family are
strong Christians, but Satan is really making an attack against
her and her family. Thank you.
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Thought For The Day:
"Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines
of others are stiffened."
(Billy Graham)
Verse for the Day:
"...stand firm in the faith; be men of courage, be strong."
1 Corinthians 16:13
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"Seashells should always be found, not bought."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"God in his infinite wisdom gives us twelve years to develop a love
for our children before turning them into teenagers."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."
(General George S. Patton)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"What if someone had a huge tattoo that said, ‘I hate tattoos.’
Man, that would be confusing."
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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