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{Straight From the Heart} *Weeding My Thoughts* 9/1/00
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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! ******************************
We have changed the advertising info and rates on our website! If you are interested in reaching our readers with your product or service email us for the details at: Thunder27@aol.com or visit our website at: Straight From the Heart http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com ___________________________________________________ WEEDING MY THOUGHTS
By Al Batt
I was out in the garden, struggling to pull some unruly weeds. I had hoped to sneak up on them and surprise them, but they saw me coming and girded their roots. The mosquitoes were bad enough, but when combined with the heat and the humidity, they were nearly unbearable. More rain is on the way. More rain to add to an already much too wet of a garden. I yanked at the plants out of place, an exercise in futility for I knew full well that the weeds would grow back overnight or so it seemed. Yet, I didn't mind the task. I have discovered that weeding, like showering, helps me sort things out. The garden and the shower are fine places to make important decisions. I was contemplating making a great change in my life. I was thinking of giving up a career that I no longer enjoyed, but paid me very well for one that I knew I would love, but made no promises as far as an income. It was a remarkably difficult decision-after all, I had given a good share of my life to becoming what I was. I thought and thought as I fought with the reluctant weeds. I was doing one of those balance sheets in my mind. Reasons for changing careers were put on one side. Reasons for staying the current course were put on the other. It is at this point in my decision-making process that I often hear a voice inside my head. It is usually the voice of reason-sounding very much like that of my mother or my father. I was sure that if my parents were still alive, they would tell me to keep the money stream coming in. What was I doing, jeopardizing my financial future at my age! That's what I thought they would say, but I was wrong. As I tried to find the end of a quackgrass root, I remembered my father telling me long ago, "Find something you like to do and then find a way to make a living at it." While digging up a dandelion, I recalled my mother's advice, "Money can never make a man truly rich. A rich man is one who does what makes him happy." My parents taught me well. I made the change. My garden is still weedy. A man never knows when he will need to make a big decision.
Send Al an email and let him know what you thought of his writing!
Al lives on a farm in Minnesota with his wife, Gail. Al is a writer, a newspaper columnist, a radio personality, a speaker and a storyteller. He doesn't seem to be able to keep a real job. ___________________________________________________
REQUESTS:
From Michael:
Just wanted to thank the Lord for His protection over a special young lady who was in a car accident the other day. Brandica Brandl lost control of her vehicle and plunged off the road and fourty feet down an embankment. The car was totalled, she was knocked unconscious, but within a day she was released from the hospital to go home. She is battered and bruised, but very much alive and well. I happened to drive by the scene of the accident yesterday, saw the skid marks, and the drop-off that her car went over and was amazed that anyone could have even lived through it. My thanks that she is alive and well......... Michael **********
From: d. tinkham (dt@nowplastics.com) I have a special request for a friend who is struggling (financially)to get through medical school. He is looking to rent a room in the Bronx (NY) area from 10/1/00 - 5/30/01. We so urgently need to support this Christian medical student. If anyone can help, please e-mail him at jabel@uhs.edu. Thank you and may God bless.
___________________________________________________ Thought For The Day:
"We can be knowledgeable with another man's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with another man's wisdom."
(Michael de Montaigne) Verse for the Day:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
James 1:5 Kid's Thought For The Day:
"You will always spill juice when you are wearing your Sunday clothes."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater priveledge, than the raising of the next generationn."
(C. Everett Koop) Coach's Thought For The Day
"It's not so important who starts the game, but who finishes it."
(John Wooden) Deep Thought For The Day:
"Wow, I wonder how long I would be on hold if my call wasn't important
to them." _
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / THUNDER27@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 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 (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 Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? The Four Spiritual Laws http://www.ccci.org/laws/index.html Writer's guidelines for Straight From the Heart can be found here: Writer's Guidelines
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/ The copyrights to the stories that appear here are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. This email 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.
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