Several short thoughts:

** The oldest trees often bear the sweetest fruit.
--German Proverb

** As we grow old, the beauty steals inward.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

** One kind word can warm three winter months.
--Japanese Proverb

** Kind words can be short and easy to speak,
but their echoes are truly endless.
--Mother Teresa

** A good example is like a bell that calls many to
church.
--Danish Proverb

** Example is not the main thing in influencing others.
It is the only thing.
--Albert Schweitzer

This is something that Jack Burt forwarded to me awhile ago.

The title is simply "WISDOM":

It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am, when an elderly
gentleman, in his 80's, presented to have sutures (stitches) removed from his thumb.
He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his

vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before

someone would to able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient,

I would evaluate his wound. On exam it was well healed,
so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove

his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation.

I asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning, as he was

in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to

the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there
for awhile and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease.As we talked,

and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be
worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who
he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him. "And you still going every morning,
even though she doesn't know who you are?"

He smiled as he patted my hand and said..

"She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm,

and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an
acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

Several months ago my friends Leon and Mariel celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary by having a reception in our church basement. Along with refreshments and lively conversations, they decided to renew their marriage vows.

Our minister Tim said, among other things, that marriage is a covenant between two people "who trust each other". He contrasted that by saying a contract is between two people "who don't trust each other". In 45 years, Leon and Mariel's covenant is still in place. By renewing the vows, they were saying "nothing has changed".

God hasn't made any contracts with us. He only uses covenants. He trusts us! I haven't got a clue why!

He says that He loves us. He says that He will never leave us or forsake us. He says He will always take care of us. He says that we are so valuable that He knows the number of hairs on each person's head. And He says a whole lot of other stuff, too...........

Our part? He asks us to enter into a covenant relationship with Him. He wants us to trust Him and to believe Him and to believe what it is He tells us.

Dear Father in Heaven: Thank You so much for who You are and for caring for each one of us. We don't know why You have chosen to love us and to take care of us, but You have. Thanks for loving us and for trusting us. In return, we are placing of our trust, love, and hope in You. Forgive us, Father, because some time today something will probably happen that will make us feel like changing our minds. Help us to remember You. Help us to love You more. Help us to trust You more. In a world that sometimes feels like it is out of control, You are the only One, the only Thing, we can count on for forever. In Jesus' Name we say these things. Amen

I received this "pass along" email last week from Jessica Fletcher, Tim & Shelley's daughter-in-law - Maureen and Vern Elston's granddaughter-in-law. I am sure that I have read it before, but it is good and the message is appropriate for the season:

A woman was asked by a co-worker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"

The co-worker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

This a Chicken Soup for the Soul daily email I received nearly a year ago which was written by Chicken Soup guru Jack Canfield. I really liked it and hope that you do too:

Remember, We're Raising Children, Not Flowers!
By Jack Canfield

I recently heard a story from Stephen Glenn about a
famous research scientist who had made several very
important medical breakthroughs. He was being interviewed
by a newspaper reporter who asked him why he thought he was
able to be so much more creative than the average person.

What set him so far apart from others?

He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an
experience with his mother that occurred when he was about
two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of
milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the
slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over
the kitchen floor - a veritable sea of milk!

When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of
yelling at him, giving him a lecture or punishing him, she
said, "Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have
made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk.
Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to
get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we
clean it up?"

Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said,
"You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this,
eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything
to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that?
We could use a sponge, a towel or a mop. Which do you
prefer?" He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up
the spilled milk.

His mother then said, "You know, what we have here is
a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk
bottle with two tiny hands. Let's go out in the back yard
and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover
a way to carry it without dropping it." The little boy
learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the
lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it.

What a wonderful lesson!

This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at
that moment that he knew he didn't need to be afraid to
make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just
opportunities for learning something new, which is, after
all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if
the experiment "doesn't work," we usually learn something
valuable from it.

Wouldn't it be great if all parents would respond the
way Robert's mother responded to him?

Continuing on with my little book titled "LETTERS from HEAVEN: Reassuring Words of God's Love" by J. Jay Sanders. It has 26 pages in this tiny book.......each one centered around a letter of the alphabet.

We have done the letters of A,B,C,D,E,F. Here are G,H, and I. These are personal notes to each one of us from God:

I'm your Father and I....

Give the Holy Spirit to assist you with your prayers.

~~

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weaknesses:

For we do not know how to pray as we should,

But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us

With groanings too deep for words.

ROMANS 8:26

~~

When we pray

It is a duet, not a solo.

*****

I'm your Father and I.....

Have no intentions of leaving or rejecting you..

~~

I will not fail you or forsake you.

JOSHUA 1:5

~~

And none shall pluck us from that hand.

Eternally we are secure.

Though heaven and earth shall pass away,

His words forever shall endure.

- MRS. M. E. Rae

*****

I'm your Father, and I...

Invite you to let Me into your heart.

.~~

Behold, I stand at the door and knock;

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and dine with him,

And he with Me.

REVELATION 3:20

~~

This place is occupied.

-         Dr. F.W. Boreham

This is a cute story which I received this week from Jim's sister, Melvene:

THIS IS SO PRECIOUS & CUTE!

A Sunday school teacher asked her class, "What was Jesus' mother's name?"

Little Suzy answered, "Mary."

The teacher then asked, "Who knows what Jesus' father's name was?"

Little Johnny said, "Verge."

Confused, the teacher asked, "Where did you get that?"

And Johnny answered, "Well, you know, they are always talking about

Verge n' Mary."

Aren't kids cute? They tell you what they know and what they think they know.

I thought as I read it, "I wonder if God ever has to chuckle because of what we think or tell others that is so far off of what is true. But we are repeating what we think we know, read, or heard."

Dear Father in Heaven: Thank you for making us your little children. Thank you for all the things we know, for all the things that we think we know, and all the things we are learning. Thanks for laughing with us and not at us. Thank you for always teaching us, guiding us, understanding us, and loving us. In the name of Jesus who loves us enough to die for us so that we can live, love, and laugh forever. Amen

This is a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" which I received about three months ago in an email.

How often does something happen to us that we think we won't like, nearly speak up (or worse do say what we are thinking), only to have the outcome be different than we first anticipated?

The Wedding Gift
By Carol Sturgulewski

I had picked out the flowers in my wedding bouquet
carefully, with thought for the meaning of each one. There
was blue iris, my fiance's favorite flower; white roses,
symbolizing purity; and strands of green ivy, to represent
faithfulness.

Midway through our wedding reception, I found myself
breathless and happy, chatting with friends and juggling a
full champagne glass and my flowers. Suddenly, I felt a
hand on my shoulder. I turned to see a woman I had met
only briefly, a friend of my new mother-in-law. In her
hand, she held a tendril of ivy.

"This fell out of your bouquet when you were on the
dance floor," she said. I thanked her and began to reach
for it, when she added, "Do you mind if I keep it?"

I was startled at first. I hadn't even tossed my
bouquet yet. And I barely knew this woman. What did she
want with my ivy?

But then practicality kicked in. I was leaving on my
honeymoon in the morning and certainly wouldn't take the
bouquet along. I had no plans for preserving it. And I'd
been given so much today.

"Go ahead. Keep it," I said with a smile, and
congratulated myself for being gracious in the face of a
rather odd request. Then the music started up, and I
danced off in the crowd.

A few months later, the bell rang at our new home. I
opened the door to find that same stranger on my porch.
This time, I couldn't hide my surprise. I hadn't seen her
since the wedding. What was this all about?

"I have a wedding gift for you," she said, and held
out a small planter crowded with foliage. Suddenly, I
knew. "It's the ivy you dropped at your wedding," she
explained. "I took it home and made a cutting and planted
it for you."

Years ago, at her own wedding, someone had done the
same for her. "It's still growing, and I remember my
wedding day every time I see it," she said. "Now, I try to
plant some for other brides when I can."

I was speechless. All the quirky thoughts I'd had,
and what a beautiful gift I'd received!

My wedding ivy has thrived for many years, outliving
any other effort I made at indoor gardening. As the giver
predicted, a glance at the glossy green leaves brings back
memories of white lace and wedding vows. I treasure the
ivy's story and have shared it many times.

Now, nearly twenty years later, I'm the mother of
three growing sons. Someday they'll be married, I know.
And although I don't want to be an interfering in-law,
surely the mother of the groom can suggest that the bride's
bouquet contain a bit of ivy?

I know just the plant to cut it from.

It is harvest time in Iowa! Media sources, and the farmers themselves, are telling about outstanding corn yields; bean yields that aren't so good! So are we happy or are we sad here in Iowa and in the midwest? Does everything have to go "our way" for us to be happy?

This is what the writer of Psalms says in Chapter 4, verse 7:

"Yes, the gladness You have given me is far greater than their joys at harvest time, as they gaze at their bountiful crops."

Commentary on that verse:

"Two kinds of joy are contrasted here--inward joy that comes from knowing and trusting God, and the happiness that comes as a result of pleasant circumstances. Inward joy is steady as long as we trust God; happiness is unpredictable. Inward joy defeats discouragement; happiness covers it up. Inward joy is lasting; happiness is temporary."

May you experience God's joy today, whether or not you have something to be happy about!!

Something I received about a month ago from Shelley Fletcher:

The Four Candles

The Four Candles burned slowly.
Their Ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak...

The first candle said, "I am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to
keep me lit."
Then Peace's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second candle says, "I am Faith, but these days, I am no longer
indispensable."
Then Faith's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.

Sadly, the third candle spoke, "I am Love and I haven't the strength
to stay lit any longer."
"People put me aside and don't understand my importance.

They even forget to love those who are nearest to them."
And waiting no longer, Love goes out completely.

Suddenly...

A child enters the room and sees the three candles no longer
burning.
The child begins to cry, "Why are you not burning? You are
supposed to stay lit until the end."

Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, "Don't be
afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we can re-light the other
candles."
With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the
other three candles.

Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life.

With Hope, no matter how bad things look and are...

Continuing on with my little book titled "LETTERS from HEAVEN: Reassuring Words of God's Love" by J. Jay Sanders. It has 26 pages in this tiny book.......each one centered around a letter of the alphabet.  We have done some of the first letters of the alphabet. Here are "J, K, and L", of what God thinks about us. These are personal notes to each one of us from Him:

I'm your Father and I....

Just want you to know that I love you.

~~

The Lord your God is in your midst.

A victorious warrier.

He will exult over you with joy,

He will be quiet in His love,

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

ZEPHANIAH 3:37

~~

Love bore our sins away;

Love gave us life anew;

Love opened wide the gates of heaven;

Love gave us work to do.

-         Ruth A. Atwell

*****

I'm your Father and I.....

Keep a protective eye on you.

~~

For he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.

ZECHARIAH 2:8

~~

Jehovah – Sabaoth encamps around His children.

*****

I'm your Father, and I...

Love you.

One can never say those words enough.

~~

Walk in love,

Just as Christ also loved you

And gave Himself up for us.

EPHESIANS 5:2

~~

Lord, help me over life’s rough road

To share my brother’s heavy load.

Since Christ bore mine for me.

-         S. E. Burrow

Our Karen's Korner today is something that I wrote last week. I shared it last night at our church's What's for Supper? and when devotional booklet #5 comes into being, it will probably be in it:

Being Dealt a New Hand

October 8, 2003

This morning I decided to play a computer card game of "Hearts". It sure wasn’t my day!

The first hand I couldn’t get out of the lead. Because I had the Queen of Spades and hearts hadn’t been "broken", I had to lead the queen. Naturally, I took the trick – 13 points. My hearts weren’t big enough so that I could take them all. I got a lot of points.

The second hand I had really good cards. But my computer, card-playing partner to my right had quite a run of higher cards. She took them all. Now I had all kinds of points. Didn’t look like I could win the "lowest point" scoring contest. So I did when any good competitive player would do, I reached up and pushed cancel to start a new game. No sense of playing something I couldn’t win!

When I pushed the "X" button in the top right-hand corner, I thought, "This is what Jesus did when He came to live and die in our place to save us!" He looked at you and at me and said, "You are playing the game of life and the scoring points are totaling up and you aren’t going to win. If you believe me, trust me, love me, and give your live to me, we will push the "X" button of the life you have now and you can start over!"

And that is what He promises to each one of us. Only this time, He tells us to hang on to His Hand and to listen to His Voice. The difference this time: He promises that we WILL win. What a promise!

When we play the card game of life, we have two choices: play the hand we were dealt. Or ask God to deal us a new hand! Doesn’t seem like too tough a choice to me!!

Some quotations shared with me by Don Lloyd. Hope you enjoy them, like I have:

* "I never lost a game. I just ran out of time."

- Bobby Layne (former Detroit Lions football player)

* "If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves."

- Thomas Edison

* The late golf champion Babe Didrikson Zaharias once disqualified herself from a golf tournament for having hit the wrong ball out of the rough. "But nobody would have known," a friend told her. "I would have known," Babe replied.

* "If you think you are leading, and no one is following, you're just taking a walk."

- Chinese proverb

* "You cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

* "There are many good players out there. Getting them to play together, that's the hardest part."

- Casey Stengel

* "How we treat people will be the clearest signal to them of what God is like."

- Becky Pippert

* "Christianity is always only one generation away from extinction! If the church fails, in any given generation, to capture the imagination of its children, the church will become a religious dinosaur."

- Robert D. Dale

* "....the Church has taken on the general tone of a convalescent hospital instead of the camp of a victorious army..."

- A. W. Tozer

This is an email that I received from our daughter, Jamie, four years ago this month. She had gotten it from a daily email that she was receiving at that time: "Mr. Mom". It was significant in our lives because her sister had been killed in a car accident less than three months earlier:

I REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED

I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here's the reason why...

I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.

My God knows all that's happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten
to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.

And when my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,

He soothes my heart and soul.

The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,

as through this life I trod.

I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;

My prayers have reached
the heart of God,
I'm resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory is mine;
He'll help me win the race.

(Author Unknown)

This is something which I received several months ago. I shared it with the Marys and Marthas (M & Ms) a group of Christian gals to which I belong a while back. If your church group isn't represented, you probably belong to one that is similar to one named. This is an opportunity to laugh at ourselves:

CHRISTIANS CHANGING LIGHTBULBS!

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb?

Charismatics: Only one. Hands already in the air.

Pentecostals: Ten. One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the
spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians: None. Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic and Orthodox: None. Candles only.

Baptists: At least 15. One to change the light bulb, and three committees
to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad.

Episcopalians: Eight. One to call the electrician, and seven to say how
much they liked the old one better.

Mormons: Five. One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how
to do it.

Unitarians: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or
against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you
have found light bulbs work for you, that is fine. You are invited to
write a poem or compose a modern dance about your personal relationship
with your light bulb, and present it next month at our annual light bulb
Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb
traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and
tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

Methodists: Undetermined. Whether your light is bright, dull, or
completely out, you are loved -- you can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or
tulip bulb. Churchwide lighting service is planned for Sunday, August 19.
Bring bulb of your choice and a covered dish.

Nazarene: Six. One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church
lighting policy.

Lutheran: None. Lutherans don't believe in change.

Amish: What's a light bulb?

Some short proverbs:

* Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.
--African Proverb

* When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.
--Ethiopian Proverb

* The heart that loves is always young.
--Greek Proverb

* Age does not protect you from love. But love,
to some extent, protects you from age.
--Jeanne Moreau

Something that Vicky Boyington heard in a Baptist Church recently, which she liked:

* Justice is when we GET what we deserve.

* Mercy is when we DON'T get what we deserve.

* Grace is when we GET what we DON'T deserve!

Continuing on with my little book titled "LETTERS from HEAVEN: Reassuring Words of God's Love" by J. Jay Sanders. It has 26 pages in this tiny book.......each one centered around a letter of the alphabet.

We have done three letters of the alphabet at a time. This is the fifth installment with the letters of "M, N, O," of what God thinks about us. These are personal notes to each one of us from Him:

I'm your Father and I....

Marvel at how you have grown and changed.

~~

Grow in the grace and knowledge

of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 PETER 3:18

~~

Though I am not what I ought to be,

nor what I wish to be,

nor yet hope to be,

I can truly say I am not what I once was,

a slave to sin and satan.

-         John Newton

*****

I'm your Father and I.....

Never ignore your Advocate.

~~

My little children,

I am writing these things to you

So that you may not sin.

And if anyone sins,

We have an Advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous.

I JOHN 2:1

~~

Christ’s work as advocate

comes into operation as soon as we sin…..

we have a lovely word in Africa

used to express this idea.

An advocate or comforter is sometimes called a

"kasendo mukwashi."

The first word, "Kasendo", means

"A blood brother,"

one with whom a solemn covenant

sealed in blood has been made.

The second word, "mukwashi", means

"One who helps by laying hold."

The lord is both to us.

- T. Ernest Wilson

*****

I'm your Father, and I...

Offered My son so

That we could be

Together forever.

~~

For God so loved the world,

That He gave His only begotten Son,

That whoever believes in Him

Shall not perish,

But have eternal life.

JOHN 3:16

~~

Enough said.

I had something else in mind for Karen's Korner #160 until I got this "pass around email" from George Mechem a day or two ago. Included in the note were these words "makes me think of Make a Difference Day (MADD) in Clarion". For those of you outside of the Clarion community, we are organizing as many volunteers as we can to do many various tasks from helping a neighbor to making our town a little more beautiful. MADD is an annual national event and last year attracted nearly 2.5 million volunteers, always held the last Saturday of October.

Breakfast at McDonald's ..

This is a good story and is true:

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called "Smile."

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Something I received via email. I usually try to acknowledge who I have received these types of notes from. This one I can't recall. If it is from you, thanks!

** Ten Little Christians **

Ten Little Christians came to church all the time;
One fell out with the preacher, then there were nine.

Nine Little Christians stayed up late;
One overslept on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight Little Christians on their way to Heaven;
One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven Little Christians, chirping like chicks;
One didn't like the singing, then there were six.

Six Little Christians seemed very much alive;
One took a vacation, then there were five.

Five Little Christians pulling for Heaven's shore;
One stopped to take a rest, then there were four.

Four Little Christians each as busy as a bee;
One had his feelings hurt, then there were three.

Three Little Christians couldn't decide what to do;
One couldn't have his way, then there were two.

Two Little Christians each won one more;
Now don't you see, two plus two equals four.

Four Little Christians worked early and late;
Each brought one, now there were eight.

Eight Little Christians if they double as before;
In just seven Sundays, we have one thousand twenty four.

In this jingle there is a lesson true;
You belong either to the building, or to the wrecking crew.

-Author Unknown

This is a Chicken Soup for the Soul daily email that I received several months ago. I am sharing it as we put baseball to bed for another year, following the recent end of the World Series.

Opening Day in Heaven
By Mike Bergen

Opening Day - two words that conjure up memories of
seasons long past and of lazy days passed by fathers and
sons at ballparks all over America. It's a marvelous,
cathartic day, when everyone is young again, spring is in
the air, and everything is fresh and new.

I'm not sure Opening Day will ever be the same for me
again.

Last September, my wife and I stared in disbelief as
doctors told us that our son Mikey was suffering from a
rare form of brain cancer called pontine glioma and had a
few short weeks to live.

It couldn't happen to him. He was so healthy, strong
and full of life; it had to be something else that was
causing his sudden awkwardness and loss of balance. There
was no chance that a normal kid could have no symptoms one
day and be terminal the next.

In just five short weeks, we found out we were wrong.
Our five-year-old son died on October 16, 1999.

At the time of his death, baseball was just starting
to have some significance in his life, and the memory of
his last game has forever changed my perspective on the
sport I fell in love with more than thirty-five years ago.
Mikey had seen the Yankees when they came to town, and
Mark McGwire, too, but it was the Phillie Phanatic mascot
that held his fascination.

He listened to me retell countless stories of my late
father seeing Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the 1920s and the
time he introduced me to Mickey Mantle for my tenth
birthday. I told him about a magical October night when
Reggie Jackson blasted three pitches out of Yankee Stadium
in game six of the 1977 World Series. But Mikey really
wanted to meet the Phanatic.

A local bank arranged for our family to be their guest
in the firm's luxury box for the last game of the season.
I contacted the Philadelphia Phillies, and within an hour
Mikey had a date with the chubby green mascot.

In the fifth inning of a meaningless game, Mikey got
his wish.

The visit lasted only a few minutes, but he was as
excited and animated as I've ever seen him. I couldn't
help but think that I must have had the same look on my
face when I met Mickey Mantle.

For a few minutes, we almost forgot what inevitably
lay ahead.

We settled back down to watch the rest of the game.

After innumerable sodas and soft pretzels, I took the lad
to the men's room. As I helped him tuck in his shirt, he
said to me in a world-weary voice, "Dad, this is my last
game."

"Don't say that, Mikey," I replied. "There will be
plenty of other games. You'll see."

"No, Dad . . ." his voice trailed off. Then suddenly,
young again, "Is there baseball in heaven?"

"Of course there is, pal," I said as I tried to keep
my composure. "And all the great players are there. It
must be something to see."

"Do you think Grandpop will take me to a game?" he
asked.

Forgive me today if I skip the box scores in
tomorrow's edition - because the game I'm interested in
won't get much coverage. It's Opening Day in heaven.
I hope the Babe and Mickey hit a couple of home runs
for the little boy with the big hot pretzel sitting in the
box seats next to my father.

Continuing on with my little book titled "LETTERS from HEAVEN: Reassuring Words of God's Love" by J. Jay Sanders. It has 26 pages in this tiny book.......each one centered around a letter of the alphabet.

We have done three letters of the alphabet at a time. This is the sixth installment with two letters of "P and Q," of what God thinks about us. These are personal notes to each one of us from Him:

I'm your Father and I....

Praise your achievements both small and great.

~~

Let another praise you,

And not your own mouth.

PROVERBS 27:2

~~

Surpassing all other honors

Is the king’s,

"well done!"

-         Dr. Northcote Deck

****

I'm your Father and I.....

Quickly run to your aid

Anytime, anywhere.

~~

In the town of Woeden in Germany,

On the tower of a fine church building

Is the carved figure of a lamb.

It was placed there to

Commemorate the remarkable escape

From death of a workman who fell

From the high scaffolding when

The tower was being built.

At the moment of his fall a flock of

Sheep was being driven by,

And he had fallen on one of the lambs,

Which was crushed to death.

The carved figure of the lamb

Was placed there to commemorate the

Incident, and also to remind all

Who came that way of the Lamb

Of God who died to save sinners.

 - A. NASMITH.

Sometimes I find a Bible verse or two which are "nuggets" of good thoughts, plus the commentary at the bottom of the page in my Bible expands on what I read. These are four verses in Psalms, which I liked and shared with people at What's for Supper? last night:

Psalms 19: 7 – 11:  "God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light. God’s laws are pure, eternal, and just. They are more desirable than gold. They are sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. For they warn us away from harm and give success to those who obey him.

Commentary: "When we think of the Law, we often think of something that keeps us from having fun. But here we see the opposite – laws that free us, protect us, make us wise, and bring joy and light. That’s because God’s laws are guidelines and lights on our path, rather than chains on our hands and feet. They point at harm and warn us, then point at success and guide us."

Happy Halloween! Today's Karen's Korner is a half dozen quotes, sayings, proverbs. Enjoy!

* Write injuries in sand, kindnesses in marble.
--French Proverb

* You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never
know how soon it will be too late.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

* The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying
away small stones.
--Chinese Proverb

* Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short
races one after another.
--Walter Elliott

* Life is for one generation; a good name is forever.
--Japanese Proverb

* What lies behind us and what lies before us are
small matters compared to what lies within us.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson