{Straight From the Heart} *Only Glimpses* 12/17/99
Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"
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me (Michael T. Powers) and let me know what you think!
It is with great pleasure that I introduce one of the the nation's most beloved
authors and speakers! Alice Gray is the creator and compiler of the bestselling
book series STORIES FOR THE HEART (more than three million copies in print). She
is also an inspirational conference speaker and leader in women's ministries. Her
and her husband, Al, live in Oregon's high desert country. The following two
stories are written by her and appear
in her bestselling books. The first you most likely have not read before, while
the second has been one of the Internet's most heartwarming stories. However,
since people have a tendency to take the author info off the end of stories
before passing them on, most people don't know the second story is by her.
For those of you who are still looking for Christmas presents, Alice's new
book "Christmas Stories For The Heart," is in bookstores now or can be ordered
through Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.
I am very grateful that Alice is sharing her stories with us here on
Straight From the Heart. So without further delay, I present to you: Alice Gray!
ONLY GLIMPSES
Laurel knew she was dying. Over the weeks, we often talked about heaven-what
it would look like and how it would be to live there. It seemed we always
ended up crying and then holding each other tight in gentle hugs of hope.
The hardest part was trying to imagine something we had never seen, something
about which we knew only a little.
And then I remembered this story-
The young girl with the blond hair and the deep blue eyes had been blind
since birth. When she was twelve, the doctors were able to perform a new
type of surgery that, if successful, would give her the gift of sight. The
outcome would not be known for several days. After the bandages were removed,
her eyes had to be protected from the light. So she sat in darkness, waiting.
The mother spent long hours answering her daughter's questions about what
things looked like and what she should expect. They were both so excited
about the possibility of being able to see that neither of them slept
much. Over and over, even in the darkness, they talked about every lovely
thing they could imagine-colors, shapes, beauty of every kind.
Finally the moment came when the young girl's eyes could endure enough
light for her to look out the window. She stood there for a long time
without saying a word. Outside, the spring day was ideal¾bright and
warm with fluffy white clouds decorating the blue sky. Lacy blossoms
sprinkled to the ground like pink snow as soft breezes stirred the cherry
trees. Yellow crocuses proudly lined the brick walkway that wound across
the grass.
When the girl turned back to her mother, tears were streaming down her
cheeks. "Oh, Mother. Why didn't you tell me it would be so beautiful?"
I shared this story with my friend, tears filling my own eyes: "Laurel,
right now we're sitting in the darkness, but before long you will be
asking God the same question."
Alice Gray
From More Stories for the Heart
Multnomah Publishers, Inc.
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THE TREASURE
The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with
her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening
white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then
looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2. If you really want them, I'll
think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough
money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you
might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17
pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she
went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions
for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar
bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She
wore them everywhere-Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only
time she took them off is when she went swimming or had a bubble bath.
Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed,
he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story.
One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh, yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess-the white horse
from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The
one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her
cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again,
"Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand
new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have
the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you."
And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed
with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her
chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"
Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy.
And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a
little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out
with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand
he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a
strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all
the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff
so he could give her genuine treasure.
So like our heavenly Father.
Alice Gray
From More Stories for the Heart
Multnomah Publishers, Inc.
(Alice doesn't want her email given out, but if you have comments on either
of her stories, email them to me and I will pass them along to her.)
Right now Alice is gathering stories for two new books...one is Stories for
Teens and the other is Stories for the Kindred Heart. She says, "If any of your
readers want specific guidelines or wish to submit a story, they should
email it to Jennifer Gates at jgates@multnomahpubl.com. They can also fax
Jennifer at 541-549-0432.
These conditions apply: Submit no more than 3 stories a week.
Because of the volume, stories cannot be acknowledged unless they
are chosen for the semi-final stage of selections for an individual
book. No story will be used without contacting the author. Please
include contact information for the author including daytime phone
number."
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UPDATE:
From: jdh@ipa.net (Becky Holloway)
Wonderful news....my brother has been released from the hospital. They
must continue to live in the RV near the hospital for another 3 months.
Nurses come twice a day to hook up an IV, but eventually they'll teach
my sister-in-law to do that. Thanks so much for all the prayers...please
continue as the months following a transplant are very critical.
Happy Holidays, Becky
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Thought For The Day:
"Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make
history. Give me a man without a goal and I will give you a stock clerk."
(J.C. Penney)
Verse for the Day:
"...fixing our eyes on Jesus...who for the joy set before Him endured the
cross...and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:2
Kid's Thought For The day:
"If you are going to fight, use pillows."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Give your troubles to God; He will be up all night anyway."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"You could take all the joy out of life by always wanting something to be better."
(Christin Cooper, after her Olympic skiing silver medal in 1984.)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Why are wrong numbers NEVER busy?"
_
/_/\/\ 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