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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 6:46:58 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
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As a young minister in North Carolina, James was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service for a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a new cemetery way back in the country, and this man would be the first to be buried there. James was not familiar with the backwoods area, and he soon became lost.
Being a typical man, James did not stop to ask for directions. He finally arrived an hour late. He saw the backhoe and the open grave, but the hearse was nowhere in sight. The digging crew was eating lunch so James apologized to the workers for his tardiness, and he stepped to the side of the open grave.
There James saw the vault lid already in place. He assured the workers he would not hold them up for long, as he told them that this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around the grave and stood silently, as James began to pour out his heart and soul.
As James preached about 'looking forward to a brighter tomorrow' and 'the glory that is to come,' the workers began to say 'Amen,' 'Praise the Lord,' and 'Glory!' The fervor of these men truly inspired James. So, he preached and preached like he had never preached before, all the way from Genesis to Revelations.
James finally closed the lengthy service with a prayer, thanked the men, and walked to his car.
As James was opening the door and taking off his coat, he heard one of the workers say to another, 'I ain't NEVER seen nothin' like that before, and I been puttin' in septic tanks for thirty years!'
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
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"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 6:49:12 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
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Sure thought of you when I first read it.
Hope your son is feeling better soon.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 7:50:24 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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(Big Hanky Alert)
The Pastor and his son
Every Saturday morning at 10:30, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts.
This particular Saturday, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I'm ready.'
His Pastor dad asked, 'Ready for what?'
'Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out.'
Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain.'
The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?'
Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.'
Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go? Please?'
His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son.'
'Thanks Dad!'
And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract.
After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted.
Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered.
He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.
Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him.
Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch!
He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.
Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, 'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said,
'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that *JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU* and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE.'
With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.
She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'
Well, Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit.
As the service began, he asked, 'Does anybody have testimony or want to say anything?'
Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet.
As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face,
'No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before.
You see, before yesterday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Yesterday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.
So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.'
I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly.
I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.
When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you!
The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.' Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand.
As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract.. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more.
You see---I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell.'
There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honor to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated.
He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for his son... Except for One.
Our Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world.
He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of heaven shouted praises and honor to The King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 8:11:29 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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"Words You Never Hear in Church"
Hey! It's MY turn to sit on the front pew!
I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon went over time 25 minutes.
Personally, I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf.
I've decided to give our church the $500.00 a month I used to send to TV evangelists.
I volunteer to be the permanent teacher for the Junior High Sunday School class.
Forget the denominational minimum salary: let's pay our pastor so she/he can live like we do.
I love it when we sing hymns I've never heard before!
Since we're all here, let's start the worship service early!
Pastor, we'd like to send you to this Bible seminar in the Bahamas
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 8:26:17 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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WHAT IS A FRIEND?
Your Heart is your Love,
Your love is your Family,
Your family is your Future,
Your future is your Destiny,
Your destiny is your Ambition,
Your ambition is your Aspiration,
Your aspiration is your Motivation,
Your motivation is your Belief,
Your belief is your Peace,
Your peace is your Target,
Your target is Heaven,
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 9:27:16 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Received from a friend:
While watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I
watched a Church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors. He was
92 at that time and I wondered why the Church asked the old gentleman
to preach at that age. After a warm welcome, introduction of this
speaker, and as the applause quieted down he rose from his high back
chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gait to the
podium.
Without a note or written paper of any kind he placed both hands on the
pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to
speak.... "When I was asked to come here today, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 years of
preaching".
I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing
that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all
my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears,
heartbreak, pain, fear and sorrow paralyzed me... the only thing that
would comfort was this verse........
"Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
we are weak but He is strong.....
Yes, Jesus loves me...
The Bible tells me so."
When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his
foot steps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will
ever forget it.
A pastor once stated, "I always noticed that it was the adults who
chose the children's hymn 'Jesus Loves Me' (for the children of course)
during a hymn sing, and it was the adults who sang the loudest because
I could see they knew it the best."
"Senior version of Jesus Loves Me"
Here is a new version just for us who have white hair or no hair at
all. For us over middle age (or even those almost there) and all you
others check out this newest version of Jesus Loves Me.
JESUS LOVES ME
Jesus loves me, this I know,
Though my hair is white as snow
Though my sight is growing dim,
Still He bids me trust in Him.
(CHORUS)
YES, JESUS LOVES ME.. YES, JESUS LOVES ME..
YES, JESUS LOVES ME FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.
Though my steps are oh, so slow,
With my hand in His I'll go
On through life, let come what may,
He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)
When my work on earth is done,
And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above,
Then I'll understand His love
(CHORUS)
I love Jesus, does He know?
Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say,
That I love Him every day.
(CHORUS)
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/6/2008 10:28:17 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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You are welcome.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/7/2008 8:37:14 AM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Thanks Sam. I appreciate the kind words.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/7/2008 2:31:47 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Handling Stress:
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience,raised a glass of water and asked
'How heavy is this glass of water?'
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier itbecomes.'
He continued,
'And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,
as the burden becomes increasingly heavy,
we won't be able to carry on. '
'As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.'
'So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.
Don't carry it home.
You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now,
let them down for a moment if you can.'
So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.
Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon,
and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet,
just in case you have to eat them.
* Always read stuff that will make you look good
if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be
recalled by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again,
it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time,
because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Just get up and dance.
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
* The second mouse gets the cheese.
* When everything's coming your way,
you're in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you.
The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world,
but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today..I did.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/10/2008 1:35:25 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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I am going to post this in this thread and the "Geezers" thread. I don't want anyone to miss this one. Tears run down my cheek as I type this. God Bless all Mama's.
Roses For Mama (Box of Kleenex needed)
Click on link below:
http://www.alighthouse.com/mday20.htm
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/10/2008 1:49:12 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Well, I got another one. This is for the Grandma's. You see my Grandma raised me from when I was a toddler. So Grandma's are very special also. She has been with Jesus several years. And today would have been her Birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma!
To My Grandma
http://www.alighthouse.com/mday34.htm
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/13/2008 1:26:29 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Old Age, I decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging behind . And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things..
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when s omebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is ;easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)
MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!
MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART FOREVER AND EVER!
FRIENDS FOREVER!
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/13/2008 1:41:06 PM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Wash Day...........
Monday Wash Day
Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve you with perfect humility through the week ahead.
Tuesday Ironing Day
Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles
of prejudice I have collected through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.
Wednesday Mending Day
O God, help me mend my ways so I will not
set a bad example for others.
Thursday Cleaning Day
Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in the secret corners of my heart.
Friday Shopping Day
O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal happiness for myself and all others in need of love.
Saturday Cooking Day
Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with clean, sweet bread of human kindness.
Sunday The Lord's Day
O God, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/13/2008 6:18:29 PM
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GVfan
Posts: 16558
Joined: 3/28/2006
From: The Peach State
Status: offline
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Good one, Santa!!!!
_____________________________
Donna Hefner
Acworth, Ga.
<--- Greater Vision and me at the 2008 NQC
Come visit at http://www.myspace.com/donnashappenings
And my BLOG, Keepin' An Eye on Greater Vision
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/14/2008 8:40:50 AM
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Smokymtnsanta
Posts: 13720
Joined: 6/13/2006
From: The North
Status: offline
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Two Interesting Questions:
Question 1:
If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who
were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had
syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?
Read the next question before looking at the response for this one.
Question 2:
It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts.
Here are the facts about the three candidates. Who would you vote for?
Candidate A
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologist
He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate B
He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in
college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.
Candidate C
He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an
occasional beer and never cheated on his wife.
Which of these candidates would be our choice?
Decide first... no peeking, then scroll down for the response.
Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.
And, by the way, on your answer to the abortion question:
If you said YES, you just killed Beethoven.
Pretty interesting isn't it? Makes a person think before judging someone.
Wait till you see the end of this note! Keep reading..
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember:
Amateurs...built the ark.
Professionals...built the Titanic
And Finally, can you imagine working for a company that has a little more
than 500 employees and has the following statistics:
* 29 have been accused of spousal abuse
* 7 have been arrested for fraud
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks
* 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
* 3 have done time for assault
* 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting
* 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
* 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year...
Can you guess which organization this is?
Give up yet?
It's the 535 members of the United States Congress.
The same group that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to
keep the rest of us in line.
_____________________________
Visit www.smokymountainsanta.com
The place to be in the Smokies:
www.hiddenmountain.com
"Jesus Is The Reason For All Seasons"
One thing I can give and still keep....is my word
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RE: Inspirations From Santa - 5/14/2008 8:47:56 AM
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GVfan
Posts: 16558
Joined: 3/28/2006
From: The Peach State
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Smokymtnsanta
And Finally, can you imagine working for a company that has a little more
than 500 employees and has the following statistics:
* 29 have been accused of spousal abuse
* 7 have been arrested for fraud
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks
* 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
* 3 have done time for assault
* 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting
* 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
* 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year...
Can you guess which organization this is?
It's the 535 members of the United States Congress.
The same group that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to
keep the rest of us in line.
Makes me want to vomit! We citizens should do a better job of electing our representatives!!!!
_____________________________
Donna Hefner
Acworth, Ga.
<--- Greater Vision and me at the 2008 NQC
Come visit at http://www.myspace.com/donnashappenings
And my BLOG, Keepin' An Eye on Greater Vision
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