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*Just Sing*  12/18/01

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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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Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past
stories in our archives at:
http://www.HeartTouchers.com
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Happy Holidays from HeartTouchers.com

We wanted to let everyone know that for from now on
we will be offering our book, Straight From the Heart
"A Celebration of Life" for only $13 (instead of the
regular price of $14.95), and best of all, we will
pay the shipping!  So if you have any interest in
purchasing an autographed copy of the book for
yourself, or as a gift for your loved ones, now is
the time to get it!  But if you want them in time for
Christmas, you need to act fast!
IMPORTANT!  This is only for those orders that come
directly to us and not the publisher and we can only
accept checks and money orders.
For those who still want to order the book by credit
card, you can still do so through the publisher at:

http://www.booklocker.com/bookpages/michaeltpowers01.html

but you will be paying full price and shipping.

To order your autographed copy send a check or
money order for $13 (We pay the shipping!) for each
book made out to Michael T. Powers, and then send it to:

Michael T. Powers
1918 Liberty Lane
Janesville, WI 53545

Hurry!  Time is running out!

To preview the book by reading some of the stories visit:

http://www.HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/

AOL Users Click below:
Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life

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We have a wonderful story today from friend and
best-selling author Joan Wester Anderson: one
of my favorite people in the whole world! May her
story touch your heart this holiday season...

From my family to yours,
Michael

P.S.  Be sure to visit Joan's brand new web site and
e-mail list about Angels and sign up to receive a
new angel story each week!
Visit:   http://www.JoanWAnderson.com
_________________________________________

Just Sing

Excerpt from the book
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
by Joan Wester Anderson


She should never have waited so long to tackle
the Christmas shopping, Kimberley Little reminded
herself as she shifted her bundles from one aching
arm to the other. She hated shopping, hated having
to brave the crowds, and sift through endless piles
of merchandise. But there was only so much holiday
gift-buying one could do through catalogues, and, of
course, the children needed their annual photo taken
with Santa Claus. So here she was, imprisoned in a
slow-moving "Visit Santa" line, wondering if she might
spend the entire holidays in this Albuquerque mall.

Of course, she had to admit she was never "up" at this
time of year, no matter how smoothly things went. Her
father had died tragically in a plane crash just a few
days before Christmas when Kimberley was fourteen,
and although many years had passed, she never faced
December without feeling echoes of that familiar shock,
sorrow and loneliness. As her faith matured, Kimberley
had gotten involved in her church, singing in the choir,
and teaching her young sons to pray. She didn't doubt
that her father was in heaven with Jesus, and she would
see him again. But every year as Christmas approached,
the same nagging question emerged: "This is all
supposed to be so wonderful. So why isn't it?"

Kimberley shifted packages again, and looked at her
three young sons. Their moods seemed no cheerier
than hers. One was demanding a ride on the train further
down the mall. Another was hungry. "I hate Christmas!"
muttered the eldest, his lip thrust out in frustration.

Kimberley felt guilty. "Moms have so much influence
on the spirit of the family," she says. "If we're just a
little bit cranky, everyone picks up on it." She didn't
want to spoil this season for the children. They
shouldn't carry the same vague sadness that she did.

And yet… She glanced around at the other families
in line. They were all like hers, she realized, the kids
were irritable, tired, fighting with one another, the
parents grimly Determined to Endure.

Why are we like this? Kimberley wondered. Where
was the real Christmas, the spirit of love and peace,
the joyful awareness that a Savior had come into the
world? How did one cut through the confusion, the
fatigue, the pressure, yes, even the sorrowful
memories, to find it?

Suddenly, God nudged her. "It couldn't have been
anything else," Kimberley says, "because all at once
I felt a little tingle, as if something new was happening.
And I realized that if I wanted to feel better about
myself, I had to take the first step. I had to be
brave." But how?

Sing a carol… The suggestion was already in her heart.
She had recently performed a solo in church. She knew
how to sing. But this noisy shopping center was not
church. "Oh, no, God, not me," she told Him silently.
"You remember how shy I am ... People will stare."

Bring Christmas to the mall. Sing.

Kimberley sighed. It was no use. She knew that
Voice. And hadn't she asked Him where Christmas was?

Softly she began to sing. "Silent night, holy night ..."
The couple in front of her, who had been filling out a
photography order form, paused and turned around.

"All is calm, all is bright ..." Kimberley reached for
her youngest son and picked him up. What if they
threw her out of the mall, for disturbing the peace?

You're bringing the peace, the answer came. Sing.

The children behind her had stopped arguing. "Listen,"
one whispered to the other. "That lady's singing."

The tips of Kimberley's ears turned red. "Round yon
virgin, mother and child ..." she went on. Her sons
would never speak to her again.

But…Was it her imagination, or did she hear another
voice? And another? Yes, the couple in front of her
was singing, their order form forgotten. Now the
children behind her, and their parents, and the
family next to them. Dazed, Kimberley realized
that the entire section of the Santa Claus line had
joined her. Even her own offspring.

It was true! Little risks could lead to wonderful things.
And she was feeling better, her spirit soothed, her
mind quieted. Maybe Christmas, and its eternal
message, was simply as close as anyone allowed
it to be.

Voices faded as the song ended. "Let's do 'Angels
We Have Heard on High'" Kimberley suggested to
the people around her. It was her eldest's favorite
carol, and her dad had always liked it too.

It was going to be a wonderful Christmas.

Joan Wester Anderson
angelwak@earthlink.net

Write Joan and let her know what you thought of her story!

***
This little gold-and-white book makes a sweet stocking-stuffer for someone you love. Get yours personally autographed by ordering directly from me (address below). ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH (Ballantine Books, hardcover), Check or money order for $13 plus $4 shipping and handling.  Illinois residents add 7% tax. Tell me to whom it should be autographed, and if there's a special event going on (birthday, Christmas, etc.)  I'll get it out to you right away.
Or order direct from Amazon.com.

Joan Wester Anderson
P.O. Box 127, Prospect Heights, IL 60070 US
______________________________________

Author and lecturer Joan Wester Anderson was born in Evanston, Illinois. She began her writing career in 1973 with a series of family humor articles for local newspapers and parenting magazines. She was a monthly columnist for two national magazines during the 1980's, and has published more than one thousand articles and short stories in a variety of publications, including Woman's Day, Modern Bride, Virtue, Reader's Digest, and the New York Times Syndicate.

Her 14 books include WHERE ANGELS WALK, TRUE STORIES OF HEAVENLY VISITORS, which was on the New York Times best-seller list for over a year, has sold almost two million copies and been translated into fourteen languages.

Her most recent book, FOREVER YOUNG, the life story of actress Loretta Young, was published by Thomas More Publishers in November, 2000. The actress had read the angel series, and requested Anderson as her biographer.

Anderson has appeared on national television programs including "Good Morning America," "Oprah," "20/20," and "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw".

Anderson is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and a former adjunct professor at Harper Junior College in Palatine, Illinois. She and her husband live in suburban Chicago, and have five grown children and two grandchildren.

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Reader Feedback!

Dear Mr. Powers,
    I sent for six of your books.  I had three sent to me
and three to be sent directly to the persons on my list.  My books came
today, and I want to tell you thank you for the inscriptions.  I know
everyone receiving the book will be delighted. 
I do so like your website and am looking forward to sitting down and
reading my book.  Thank you so much for your inspirationals.  May God
continually bless your ministry.  And your little guys are adorable.  Thank you again for sending the books.
Martha Schusler
hongrambo@juno.com

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Thought For The Day:

"Hope is brightest when it dawns from fears."


Verse for the Day:

"He has delivered us from such deadly peril, and he
will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that
he will continue to deliver us." --2 Corinthians 1:10


Toddler's Thought For The Day:

"If it is not trash, it must be thrown away. If it is in the
trash, it must be removed, inspected, and thrown on the floor."


Parent's Thought For The Day:

"Mothers of teens know why animals eat their young."


Coach's Thought For The Day:

"A good coach will make his players see what they
can be rather than what they are."


Writer's Thought For The Day:

"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as
you do not stop." --Confucius


Deep Thought For The Day:

"The Miss Universe pageant is fixed.  All the winners are from Earth."

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  _
/_/\/\    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
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honoring the rights of those writers who graciously
share their stories with us!

__________________________________________

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!"
K
elli-- 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!  Visit:

http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/

AOL Users click here:   Video Imagery
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AOL Users click here:  The Four Spiritual Laws
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