From: sherrys_inspirational+noreply@googlegroups.com
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:54:19 +0000
Subject: Digest for sherrys_inspirational@googlegroups.com - 2
Messages in 2 Topics
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Today's Topic Summary
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Group: sherrys_inspirational@googlegroups.com
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/topics
- Inspirational 07/22/10 John [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/t/c6ac43b6c458810d
- Inspirational 07/21/10 The Cold Within [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/t/e30eb3046c8d1160
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Topic: Inspirational 07/22/10 John
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/t/c6ac43b6c458810d
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From: "Sherry's Inspirational List" <sherrysinspirationallist@hotmail.com>
Date: Jul 21 08:44PM -0400
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/msg/eade7d37d9aa520
Sherry's Inspirational list
MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to be the channel, not the source, through
which we pray God's blessings may flow to others. Our ministry is not to
provide counseling, advice, or doctrinal interpretation. For this we refer
you to local spiritual leaders who may know and deal with your needs more
personally. It is our prayer that God may truly bless your day through the
inspiration we seek to channel your way. In Him, Sherry and Jim Heard
When forwarding / copying, please include the entire message.
John
Author: Sharon Bryant
As Christmas time nears, we who have lost a child only have our memories to
carry us through. My mind has been reeling with memories of years past. But
there was one that I will always remember.......
It was a cold snowy December that year in 1976. Frigid temperatures had me
piling more and more wood into our wood burner in the living room. Andy
wanted to go outside and build a snowman. I told him no, it was too cold. He
then wanted to go over to "John's" trailer and visit. I said no.
John lived on the adjoining property. An elderly man who never had any
children of his own, he took a shining to my son. Every time Andy was
outside playing, I could hear his giggles over at John's house as they
planted a garden outside in summer, or Andy "helped" John work on some
project he was doing. John didn't have much. His trailer was old and ragged
looking. Andy didn't see the "old" trailer. He only saw a man who loved kids
and a man who could bring a smile on a child's face daily. Andy didn't
notice the tattered clothes John wore. But I did. Andy didn't notice the
hands that were calloused from years of hard work, only I did. And yet, I
still didn't want Andy to go over to John's house. Maybe I was afraid he'd
pick up germs. Maybe I was afraid John's shabbiness would rub off onto Andy.
How wrong I was. How blind I as an adult was that cold snowy winter.
It was Christmas Eve Day when the knock came at the door. I was baking
cookies so Andy went to the door. I heard his squeal of "JOHN" as he opened
the door. John had never been to my house before and I wondered why he was
there standing with his hat in his hand, head bowed in a blinding snow
storm. I went to the door as the old gray eyes looked up at me and his voice
said, "I've made something for Andy for Christmas." Behind him, in the snow,
sat the most beautiful wood crafted toy box on wheels that I'd ever seen.
Andy jumped out the door and hugged John's neck. I helped John bring the toy
chest into the house. I noticed how smooth the corners were sanded. I
noticed how much work was put into making the box being a wood crafter
myself. I knew John had spent hours making the toy chest.
The three of us sat down as I offered John a piece of cake and a glass of
milk. I saw the old gray eyes lovingly look at Andy, and I saw the love and
admiration in Andy's eyes as he looked up at John. It was Andy, after John
left to go back home, that went into his room and dug out a piece of wood
he'd painted and told me he wanted to give it to John for Christmas. I
watched as my little boy trucked through the snow to John's trailer to share
the true meaning of Christmas with his friend.
It was a month later on January 22 when another knock came at the door. Andy
opened the door to see John standing there holding a cake he'd made with
crooked letters on it saying, "Happy Birthday Andy and Andy's mom." I
offered to have him come in and we'd share the cake, but he declined. He
handed Andy a paper sack and hugged him before he left. I will always
remember Andy reaching in the bag and pulling out the finest crafted little
car I'd ever seen.
It was two months before Christmas in 1977 as I sat in a funeral home, my
heart broken, as my little boy lay in the casket. Oblivious to who was near
me, only knowing I could not go on without my son, I didn't look up when I
felt hands rest on my shoulder. And yet they stayed there. I remember
turning my head to see John standing there, those gray eyes filled with
tears as he looked at me. John lost his little friend that day. I had once
been blinded by the love between a little boy and an old man. And yet, that
little boy taught me to look beyond tattered clothes and old shabby
trailers. He taught me to see real beauty, in an old man's eyes. For on that
day, I saw love, genuine love from the heart from an old man who loved my
son. John joined Andy in heaven the following winter.
God Bless you John. Take care of my little boy for me until I get there.
Love,
Andy's mom Sharon Bryant 1946@bellsouth.net
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye
have done it unto me." –Matthew 25:40
"En die Koning sal antwoord en vir hulle sê: Voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, vir
sover julle dit gedoen het aan een van die geringstes van hierdie broeders
van My, het julle dit aan My gedoen." –Matthew 25:40
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In His Service, <>< Sherry and Jim Heard
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Topic: Inspirational 07/21/10 The Cold Within
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/t/e30eb3046c8d1160
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From: "Sherry's Inspirational List" <sherrysinspirationallist@hotmail.com>
Date: Jul 21 12:36AM -0400
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/sherrys_inspirational/msg/6c9492ade6d5ebda
Sherry's Inspirational list
MISSION STATEMENT: Our mission is to be the channel, not the source, through
which we pray God's blessings may flow to others. Our ministry is not to
provide counseling, advice, or doctrinal interpretation. For this we refer
you to local spiritual leaders who may know and deal with your needs more
personally. It is our prayer that God may truly bless your day through the
inspiration we seek to channel your way. In Him, Sherry and Jim Heard
When forwarding / copying, please include the entire message.
The Cold Within
By: Douglas C. Corlett C 1987
Six humans trapped by happenstance
In dark and bitter cold
Each one possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story's told.
Their dying fire in need of logs,
The first woman held hers back.
For on the faces around the fire,
She noticed one was black.
The next man looking cross the way,
Saw one not of his church,
And couldn't bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
The third one sat in tattered clothes,
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use,
To warm the idle rich?
The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store.
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.
The black man's face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.
The last man of this forlorn group
Did naught except for gain
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game.
The logs held tight in death's still hands
Was proof of human sin.
They didn't die from the cold without,
They died from ---THE COLD WITHIN.
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with
the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." -
Luke 6:38
"Gee, en aan julle sal gegee word. 'n Goeie maat wat ingedruk en geskud en
oorlopend is, sal hulle in jul skoot gee, want met dieselfde maat waarmee
julle meet, sal weer vir julle gemeet word." - Luke 6:38
*******************************************************************
In His Service, <>< Sherry and Jim Heard
To subscribe please send an email to:
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To unsubscribe please send an email to:
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We invite you to visit our website at:
http://groups.google.com/group/Sherrys_Inspirational
<http://groups.google.com/group/Sherrys_Inspirational>
Our mailing address is:
Sherry's Inspirational List, 950 Eagles Landing Parkway #186, Stockbridge GA
30281, USA
Donations can be made online at www.paypal.com <http://www.paypal.com/> ;
address payments to
sherrysinspirationallist <mailto:sherrysinspirationallist@hotmail.com> @
hotmail.com.
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