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THE NEW BIBLESome years ago there lived in one of the poorer sections of London a man
who professed to be an infidel. Several of his Christian friends labored
to bring him to have faith in the Bible and Christ, but all their
efforts proved fruitless. As the years passed, he grew hardened and
cynical. In time the weight of years lay heavily upon him, and one day
he went to his bed for the last time. One of his Christian neighbors,
who had faithfully endeavored to lead him to Christ, took his Bible and
climbed the dark, dirty stairs to the garret where the sick man lay. He
knocked on the warped door, and a weak voice invited him in.
As soon as he entered, the dying man looked up and rasped, "So it's
YOU with that Book again! Take your old Bible from here. I want
nothing to do with it!"
Sorrowfully the would-be friend returned home, where he related his
experience to his wife.
All unnoticed by him, his small daughter had been listening. When he was
finished, she went to her room and took from a drawer her most precious
possession, the new Bible her daddy had given her at Christmas. With it
tucked under her arm, she walked down the street to the infidel's home
and up the same stairs her father had descended a short while before.
Knocking on the door, she heard the old man's voice inviting her in.
"And what do you want, little girl?"
"Daddy said you didn't want his OLD Bible, so maybe you will take my NEW
one." Bursting into tears she laid it quickly on the table beside the
bed and ran from the dingy room.
Soon afterward the old man died. When the social workers went to remove
his body, they found under his pillow the little girl's Bible and a
piece of soiled paper, stained with the marks of many tears, on which
these words were written:
I've tried in vain a thousand ways
My fears to quell, my hopes to raise;
But what I need, the Bible says,
Is ever, only Jesus.
My soul is night, my heart is steel,
I cannot see, I cannot feel;
For light, for life, I must appeal
In simple faith to Jesus.
He died, He lives, He reigns, He pleads;
There's love in all His words and deeds;
There's all a guilty sinner needs
For evermore in Jesus.
Though some should sneer, and some should blame,
I'll go with all my guilt and shame;
I'll go to Him because His name,
Above all names, is Jesus
~author unknown~
<===================================THE SPECIAL OLYMPICSA few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back. Every one of them.
One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said:"This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.
Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.
==================================A SPECIAL ANGELOnce upon a time there was a child ready to be born. The child asked God,
"They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to
live there being so small and helpless?" God replied, "Among the many
angels, I chose one for you. Your angel will be waiting for you and will
take care of you." The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven
I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy." God said, "Your
angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will
feel your angel's love and be very happy." Again the child asked, "And how
am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know
the language?" God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and
sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel
will teach you how to speak." "And what am I going to do when I want to talk
to you?" God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach
you how to pray." "I've heard that on Earth there are bad men. Who will
protect me?" God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking
its life." "But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the
way to come back to me, even though I will always
be next to you." At that moment there was much peace in heaven, but voices
from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to
leave now, please tell me my angel's name." "Her name is not important. You
will simply call her Mom."
(author unknown)
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