_________________________________________  

{Straight From the Heart}   *Everything is Possible*  10/18/00
_________________________________________  

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!

Straight From the Heart
http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
___________________________________________________

$5 Magazine Subscriptions!  It's true!  Straight From the Heart has
recently partnered with Barnett & Associates (David Barnett, who runs
the "Daily Prayers" newsletter) to offer you some great deals on
magazine subscriptions!  There are over 100 titles for only $5 for a
full-year subscription, and hundreds more at great prices!  For a
complete list and ordering instructions, send a blank email to:

magazines-sfth@phenomenix.com

You will receive an automated reply which explains why they can be
offered at such low prices and the lists of the magazines you can order.
Michael
___________________________________________________

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

By Al Batt

  Everything is possible.  How many times had my mother told me that?  She could say that.  She had never tried to get a hit off Mongo that fireballing lefthander from Morristown or attempted to get a 100 on one of Mrs. Bach's spelling tests.  Mrs. Bach always put in a couple of tricky words that were actually spelled the way they sounded.
  We were sitting on the front steps of our old farmhouse one warm, summer night.  This is something my mother and I did a lot when the mosquitoes would allow it.  We had no air conditioning, so it was a little cooler on the steps and I guess we just sat there waiting for my father to build us a front porch-a place where we could sit and watch the world go by.  Dad never did get around to that, he was too busy milking cows.  The steps were a great place to talk.  We would listen to the birds getting in their final songs before darkness fell.  We would listen to the frogs and toads romancing their mates.  This particular night, we watched a large airplane fly overhead.  We wondered where the occupants were headed while we sat on our steps.
  "I sure would like to fly in one of those things someday," I said.
  "Everything is possible," my mother replied.
  Ha!  A lot she knew about it.  Neither my mother nor my father had ever set foot in a plane, let alone flown in one.  It was then that I saw the fireflies blinking along the edges of our yard.  The flashes of the lightning bugs demanded that they be watched.
  "Get the jar!" ordered my mother enthusiastically.
  I got the large jar from my upstairs bedroom.  It was a jar meant for collecting and
holding insects.  It was equipped with a lid with airholes poked into it in order to make the fireflies short stay as comfortable as possible. We would normally observe captives for only a brief time before releasing them unharmed. I presented the jar to my mother for her approval.
  "Let's catch some fireflies!" she said.
  We chased and we caught.  My mother was much better at chasing than she was at catching.  We laughed a lot.  The fireflies may have done some laughing, too.  Who knew?  After a bit, I had caught a number of the elusive fireflies.  I placed the jar of captured fireflies near the steps we sat on.  The jar glowed in the night.  Mom and I smiled.  We watched in silence until another airplane flew over, its lights blinking across the dark sky.
  "Yup," I said, "I'd sure like to fly in an airplane one day."
  "Everything is possible," my mother said once more.
  "Do you really think that's so?" I asked as I picked up the jar and prepared to release its luminescent prisoners.
  "How can someone holding a jar full of stars believe that anything is impossible?" asked my mother.
  I have managed to fly on a number of airplanes, but I still chase fireflies. 

Al Batt
SnoEowl@aol.com

Send Al an email and let him know what you thought of his story!

©Al Batt 2000
RR1 Box 56A
Hartland, MN 56042

  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.
___________________________________________________

UPDATE:

From: KJberly@aol.com  (Kim)

Hi Mike,
  just thought I'd share how this weekend went for us.
 
the musical was great.  it wasn't anything fancy, but it was a clear-cut, very understandable that flat out explained Christ and his love.  it was perfect for the crowd that was there and they all seemed to enjoy it.  i think it was a great eye-opener for the kids too cuz they have never seen anything like this, have never gotten to really interact with different cultures, and have never had anything to really truly stretch them.  I know some of them were nervous, but hopefully they will go home with their eyes opened and trying to see people through Christ's eyes instead of their own.

the survey was a blast.  we met tons of people we hadn't had the chance to yet.  they were all very willing to share opinions and give us important details to what's important to them and what they would like to see in a church.  most of them were excited to hear that a church was coming to the area, many wanted a bible as well as a visit from Scott, my brother and pastor.  I've only been here a week and it's a totally different life for me, and I had some fear.  God showed me that all is well and that he's here, helping us to reach these people, and he's keeping us safe. 

thank you so much for the prayers...God is so good and I'll keep you updated about the wonderful works he continues to do in the neighborhood of Baden in St. Louis, MO :)
hugs and smiles
Kim

REQUEST: 

From:  ASue78@aol.com  (Sue)
Dear Michael,
Would it be possible to put in a prayer request for me.  I've been in Korea now for about 3 weeks now.  I'm living in the Seoul area in a place called Haebongchong.  The more prayers I get from you guys the better it will be for me.

Sue

___________________________________________________

Thought For The Day:

"Vision is the art of seeing things invisible."
(Jonathan Swift)

Verse for the Day:

"By faith, he (Abraham) left Egypt, not fearing the King's anger; he persevered because he saw Him who was invisible."
Hebrews 11:27

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"Eat chocolate chip cookies while they are still warm."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"Did you ever wonder how someone who wasn't good enough for your daughter could sire grandchildren who were so brilliant and charming?"
(Bruce Lansky)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"Hard work is an accumulation of easy things you didn't do when you should have."

Deep Thought For The Day:

"I was at the airport, checking in at the gate, when the airport
 employee asked, "Has anyone put anything in your baggage
 without your knowledge?" I said,  "If it was without my knowledge,
 how would I know?"  He smiled and nodded knowingly,
 "That's why we ask."

  _
/_/\/\    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. 
Thanks!

UNSUBSCRIBE:
If you are receiving this e-mail and would like to be taken off the
list please send a blank email with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
You will be taken off as soon as possible.