Good Morning:  It's Thursday April 11, 2002!

Special Belated Birthday Wishes -- Willie Pearl Williams celebrated a birthday 04-05 and I inadvertently omitted it from our list -- we hope it was a good one!

Special Enon Birthday:  Today is Bobby Roney's special day -- it's his birthday!!!  We wish him the very best of times... well, as good a time as a man of his age can stand...

Special Birthday:  Today is my brother's birthday, Tony Smith!

BIRTHDAYS:  Edward Everett (American statesman and orator), 1794; Charles Evans Hughes, 1862; Dean Acheson, 1893; Oleg Cassini, 1913; Ethel Kennedy, 1928; Joel Grey, 1932; Louise Lasser, 1939.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

On this date in 1513 Spanish explorer Juan Ponce De Leon discovered Florida.
On this date in 1814 Napoleon Bonaparte was abdicated as Emperor of France and banished to the island of Elba.  A day later he tried to end his life but the poison he took created a terrible case of hiccups, which caused him to vomit, thereby foiling his suicide attempt.
On this date in 1900 the U.S. Navy bought its first submarine, the USS Holland.
On this date in 1906 Albert Einstein introduced his theory of relativity.
On this date in 1919 The League of Nations chose Geneva, Switzerland, as the site for its headquarters.
On this date in 1921 Iowa became the first state to impose a cigarette tax.
On this date in 1947 Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
On this date in 1951 President Harry S. Truman removed General Douglas MacArthur from command.
On this date in 1953 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare was established.  Oveta Culp Hobby became its first secretary.
On this date in 1954 "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haly and the Comets was recorded.
On this date in 1984 two astronauts from the space shuttle Challenger performed the first in-space repair of a satellite.
On this date in 1986 Washington state employees won a suit requiring the state to pay women as much as men for comparable work.

MEANINGLESS FACTS:  Thomas Jefferson suffered throughout his life with migraine or tension headache... The tongue of a giraffe measures about 18 inches... A man's heart beats eight or ten beats more each minute than a woman's.

TRIVIA:  What king (in the Bible) inherited a sun-clock from his father?

     "Revenge is a dish that should be eaten cold" (English proverb).

*******************************************************
From our Archive -- Thanks to GB:  The Memorial
Sunday morning, the preacher noticed that little Alex was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The little seven-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the preacher walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, "Good morning Alex." "Good morning preacher," replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. "Preacher, what is this?" Alex asked. "Well, Son, it's a Memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service." Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex's voice was barely audible when he asked.. "Which service, the 9:00 or the 11:00?"
*******************************************************
Thanks to M/M Riverrats -- Odd Cure
The owner of a drugstore comes to work to find a man leaning heavily against a wall. The owner goes inside and asks his clerk what's up.
"He wanted something for his cough, but I couldn't find the cough syrup," the clerk explains. "So I gave him a laxative and told him to take it all at once."
"Laxatives won't cure a cough, you idiot," said the owner. "Sure it will," says the clerk, pointing to the man leaning on the wall. "Look at him. He's afraid to cough."
*******************************************************
Thanks to M/M Riverrats -- (This one is familiar, but I couldn't find it in the archive) -- Ducks
Three men die together in an accident and go to heaven.
When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven... don't step on the ducks."
So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first man accidentally steps on one.
Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest woman he ever saw. St. Peter chains them together and says, "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly woman!"
The next day, the second man steps accidentally on a duck, and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing, and with him is another extremely ugly woman.
He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first man.
The third man has observed all this and, not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly woman, is very, VERY careful where he steps. He manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to him with the most beautiful woman he has ever laid eyes on... very shapely, tanned, beautiful face and gorgeous hair. St. Peter chains them together without saying a word.
The man remarks, with a very happy smile, and a slight tingle, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?"
The woman says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck."
*******************************************************
Thanks to LBS:   SOMETHING ABOUT ISRAEL
A Jewish father was concerned about his son who was about a year away from his Bar Mitzvah, but was sorely lacking in his knowledge of the Jewish faith. To remedy this, he sent his son to Israel to experience his heritage.
A year later the young man returned home. "Father, thank you for sending me to the land of our fathers," the son said. "It was wonderful and enlightening; however, I must confess that while in Israel I converted to Christianity.
"Oi vey," replied the father, "what have I done?" So, in the tradition of the patriarchs, he went to his best friend and sought his advice and solace.
"It is amazing that you should come to me," stated his friend. "I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian." So in the tradition of the patriarchs, they went to the Rabbi. "It is amazing that you should come to me," stated the Rabbi. "I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian. What is happening to our sons? Brothers, we must take this to the Lord."
They fell to their knees and began to wail and pour out their hearts to the Almighty. As they prayed, the clouds above opened and a mighty voice said, "Amazing that you should come to me. I, too, sent my Son to Israel...."
*******************************************************
ANSWER:  Hezekiah, from his father Ahaz, inherited a sun-clock -- II Kings 20:10-11 -- "And Hezekiah answered, ...let the shadow return backward ten degrees.  And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord:  and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz."  In the parallel account in Isaiah 38:8 it is called "the sun dial of Ahaz".
*******************************************************

Good Morning:  It's Friday April 12, 2002!


BIRTHDAYS:  Henry Clay, 1777; Frederick G. Melcher (founder of Children's Book Week), 1879; Hardie Gramatky (children's author), 1907; Barbara Corcoran (children's author), 1911; Lionel Hampton, 1913; Beverly Cleary (children's author), 1916; Herbert Buckingham Khaury (Tiny Tim), 1922; Ann Miller, 1923; Herbie Hancock, 1940; David Letterman, 1947; David Cassidy, 1950.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

On this date in 1606 Great Britain officially adopted the Union Jack as her flag.
On this date in 1859 Michael Phelan won the first U.S. Billiards championship.
On this date in 1861 Confederates fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, touching off the Civil War.
On this date in 1877 a catcher's mask was first used in a baseball game.
On this date in 1934 the highest-velocity natural wind ever recorded -- 231 mph -- occurred at Mt. Washington, N.N.
On this date in 1945 President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 63.
On this date in 1955 the Salk vaccine was declared safe and effective.
On this date in 1961 Yuri Gargarin became the first man to fly in space, orbit the earth, and make a safe landing.  He was a Soviet cosmonaut.
On this date in 1981 the first space shuttle, Columbia, was launched.
On this date in 1984 the crew of the space shuttle Challenger placed a satellite it had retrieved and repaired back into orbit.
On this date in 1985 Senator Jake Garn became the first U.S. senator to fly in space as he was a passenger on the space shuttle DISCOVERY.
On this date in 1988 Harvard University was granted the first animal life-form patent. 

Today is Space Shuttle Day!

Today is Cosmonaut Day!

MEANINGLESS FACTS:  The normal pulse of a bull if forty-six per minute while that of a cow is fifty-six... Two former presidents, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, died July 4, 1826...  The extended right arm of the Statue of Liberty is forty-two feet long.

TRIVIA:  In the Bible, what king's hand dried up?

     "All the while thou studiest revenge, thou art tearing thine own wound open" (Thomas Fuller, 1608 - 1661).

*******************************************************

Thanks to LBS:  THE BRIDGE
 
The bridge which spans the river of trials
Is the wonderful emotion called love.
It turns anxious moments to relieving smiles;
You pass o'er the rough waters on the bridge above.

If all those persons, about to be wed,
Could build this bridge, steady, unmoving,
Many harsh words would never be said.
The Lord, with His blessings, would be approving.

Too quick, too harsh, too angry the word,
Never considering the consequence.
Seldom is the apology heard,
Even though the accuser repents.

When, if ever, the apology is given,
It may be absolutely rejected.
By the heart, with sharp pain, riven,
The apology may never be inspected.

"I'm sorry", is much more difficult to say
Than the simple words, "I love you".
Think first, don't allow your tongue to stray
And speak the words which pierce the heart through.

Yes, build that bridge, life's trials to span.
Be quick with that emotion called love.
Be true to God's betrothal plan,
And He will bless you from above.
 
       By L. B. Strawn
    November 25, 1979

*******************************************************

Thanks to LBS:  The Will of God
 
 
 The will of God will never take you,
 Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
 Where the arms of God cannot support you,
 Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
 Where the power of God cannot endow you.

 The will of God will never take you,
 Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,
 Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
 Where the army of God cannot protect you,
 Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

 The will of God will never take you,
 Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
 Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
 Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
 Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

 The will of God will never take you,
 Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
 Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
 Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
 Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.
 
*******************************************************

Thanks to LBS:  "Kid Talk I"

A mother was telling her little girl what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from  a tree in our front yard.  We rode our pony.  We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten the know you sooner!"

*****

When asked what she wanted for her birthday, little Sarah said, "One of everything, please!"

*****

A little boy was roughhousing with his dog.  His mother  said to him, "Now, Peter, I know you love Granger, but you're loving him too much. How would you feel if someone huge picked you up and squeezed you so hard you couldn't breathe?" The boy thought a moment and then said, "I guess I'd feel like it was my birthday and Aunt Doreen was here!"

*****

A little girl was diligently pounding away on her father's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied.  "I can't read."

*****

I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her.  I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me, and always she was correct.  But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"

*******************************************************

From our archive -- Thanks to PW for these 3 --

RISE N' SHINE

Marge was telling her friend Grace how she gets her son out of bed in the morning.
"I just open his door and toss the cat on his bed. He sleeps with his dog."

MAKING MONEY

Three boys are in the school yard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50."
The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."
Little Johnny says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon, and it takes eight people to collect all the money!"

The Flea & The Elephant by Steve Higginbotham

The story is told of a flea and an elephant who walked side by side across a bridge.  After reaching the other side of the bridge, the flea proudly said to the elephant, "Man! we sure did shake that bridge, didn't we!"
This little story can be somewhat of a reflection of our attitudes and actions.  For instance, if your work in your local church were scrutinized, would you be more like the flea or the elephant?

*******************************************************

ANSWER:  Jeroboam's hand dried up -- I Kings 13:4 -- "And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him.  And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him."

*******************************************************


Good Morning:  It's Saturday April 13, 2002!

BIRTHDAYS:  Thomas Jefferson (Third U.S. President), 1743; Frank W. Woolworth (American merchant who originated the 5-and-10-cent store), 1852; Marguerite Henry (children's author), 1902; Eudora Welty, 1909; Howard Keel, 1919; Lee Bennett Hopkins (children's author and poetry anthologizer), 1938; Peabo Bryson, 1951; Bret Saberhagen, 1964.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

On this date in 1598 King Henry IV of France signed the Edict of Nantes, granting civil rights to the Protestant Hugenots -- a religious minority who had been persecuted by the Catholic majority for their beliefs.
On this date in 1742 Handel's MESSIAH premiered in Dublin, Ireland.
On this date in 1776 General George Washington arrived in New York to prepare the city's defenses during the American Revolution.
On this date in 1796 the first elephant in America arrived in New York City for exhibition.
On this date in 1870 the Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded.
On this date in 1923 the Illinois state legislature voted to allow women to serve on juries.
On this date in 1943 President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
On this date in 1950 Simon, the cat mascot of the HMS AMETHYST, was awarded a medal for his rat-catching exploits.
On this date in 1961 the UN General Assembly voted to condemn apartheid, South Africa's policy of racial segregation.
On this date in 1969 a white tiger cub was born in captivity for the first time, at the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C.
On this date in 1976 the United States Mind reissued the $2 bill with the likeness of Thomas Jefferson.

MEANINGLESS FACTS:  A five-foot pelican weighing twenty-five pounds has a skeleton that weighs only twenty-three ounces... The engagement ring is still worn on the fourth finger.  This custom originated because of the belief that the "vein of love" ran from this finger directly to the heart... A man whose normal weight is 150 pounds would weigh only about 50 pounds if all the water in his system were dried up -- of course, he would also be dead if that happened.

TRIVIA:  What king of Israel committed suicide by falling on his sword?

     "Relations between the sexes are so complicated that the only way you can tell if members of the set are "going together" is if they are married. Then, almost certainly, they are not" (Cleveland Amory).

*******************************************************
From our archive -- From a friend:
A southern minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great expression he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."  With even greater emphasis he said, "And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river."
And then finally, he said, "And if I had all the whiskey in the world I'd take it and pour it into the river."
Sermon complete, he then sat down. The song leader stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, "For our closing song, let us sing Hymn #365: "Shall We Gather at the River".
******************************************************
From GCFL (edited) -- Truth in Taxes
When Preacher Ovall picked up the phone, Special Agent Struzik from the IRS was on the line.
"Hello, Preacher Ovall?"
"Yes, this is."
"I'm calling to inquire about a member of your congregation, a Dr. Shipe.  Do you recognize the name?"
"Yes, he is a member of our congregation.  How can I be of service?"
"Well, on last year's tax return, the doctor claimed that he made a sizable tax-deductable contribution to your church?  Is it true?"
"Well, I'll have to have my bookkeeper verify this information for you.  How much did Dr. Shipe say he contributed?"
"Twenty five thousand dollars," answered Agent Struzik. "Can you tell me if that's true?"
There is a long pause.  "I'll tell you what," replied Preacher Ovall, "Call back tomorrow.  I'm sure it will be."
*******************************************************
Thanks to CRJ:  PRESIDENT GARFIELD’S RULES FOR SUCCESSFUL LIVING
One of the most illustrious careers found in the pages of American history is that of James Abram Garfield, 20th President of the United States. Before his election to this country’s highest office, he was a college president, state senator, major-general, U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator, a combination of honors without parallel in the national annals.
When Garfield was a young man, someone placed in his hand one day a slip of paper, which he carried with him all his life. Inscribed on this paper were the following lines:
    * Make few promises.
    * Always speak the truth.
    * Live within your income.
    * Never speak evil of anyone
    * Keep good company or none.
    * Never play games of chance.
    * Drink no intoxicating drinks.
    * Good character is above everything else.
    * Keep your own secrets if you have any.
    * Never borrow if you can possibly avoid it.
    * Do not marry until you are able to support a wife.
    * Keep yourself honest if you would be happy.
    * When you speak to a person, look into his eyes.
    * Make not haste to be rich, if you would prosper.
    * Save when you are young to spend when you are old.
    * Never run into debt, unless you see a way out again.
    * Good company and good conversation are the sinews of virtue.
    * Your character cannot be badly hurt except by your own vices.
    * If anybody speaks evil of you, let your life be so that no one will believe it.
    * Never be idle. If your hands cannot be employed usefully, attend to the culture of your mind.
As one thinks of this great and successful man, it is well to remember that he was devotedly religious. From his mother, Garfield learned the value of prayer and daily Bible reading. It was his practice through life to pause each evening at sunset and read the Scriptures. Because of his belief in prayer, he was often referred to as the "praying colonel" during his army career. Moreover, he always faithfully met with the church for worship. Garfield firmly believed "there is nothing that can make youth so shapeful, manhood so strong, and old age so beautiful as the religion of Jesus Christ.
While yet a teen-ager, he espoused the cause of Christ and took his stand with those calling for a complete return to the New Testament. A few months after preaching his first sermon, Garfield wrote to a friend: "I tell you, my dear brother, the cause in which we are engaged must take the world. It fills my soul when I reflect upon the light, joy and love of the ancient gospel."
Christ and His gospel can give real meaning and purpose for your life! Without Him, no life can be truly successful. Open your heart to Him today, for says He: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20).
--A.T. Pate via SUSQUEHANNA SENTINEL.

*******************************************************
ANSWER:  Saul -- I Chronicles 10:4 -- "...So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it."
*******************************************************

Good Morning:  It's Sunday April 14, 2002!

BIRTHDAYS:  Abraham Ortelius (Flemish geographer who published the first modern atlas), 1527; Arnold Toynbee, 1889; Sir John Gielgud, 1904; Rod Steiger, 1925; Robert Lopshire (children's author), 1927; Bradford Dillman, 1930; Tony Perkins, 1932; Loretta Lynn, 1935; Julie Christie, 1940; Pete Rose (baseball great who set the all-time career record for hits), 1941.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

On this date in 1536 King Henry VIII gave his consent to an Act of Parliament that officially established the union between the nations of Wales and England.  Wales became officially a part of England.
On this date in 1755 Benjamin Franklin and Philadelphia Quakers organized the first American Society for the abolition of Slavery.
On this date in 1828 the first edition of Noah Webster's AN AMERICAN DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE was published.
On this date in 1865 President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater.
On this date in 1890 the Pan-American Union was founded.
On this date in 1910 President William Howard Taft threw out the first ball to start the major league baseball season.
On this date in 1912 the passenger liner S.S. Titanic hit a North Atlantic iceberg.  It would sink a few hours later, and only 1,523 of the 2,200 on board would survive.
On this date in 1956 videotape was first demonstrated to the public.
On this date in 1981 the space shuttle Columbia ended its first test flight with a smooth landing in California.
On this date in 1990 the space shuttle Discovery was launched with a copy of the U.S. Constitution on board.

MEANINGLESS FACTS:  Amish men shave until they marry, then they grow a beard... Ninety-sever percent of all people offered a new pen to try, use it to write their own name... The sweat glands of a hog are confined largely to the snout.

TRIVIA:  What king of Judah began his reign at the age of seven years?

     "A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he is finished" (Zsa Zsa Gabor).

*******************************************************
Thanks to CRJ in SUSQUEHANNA SENTINEL:  BIBLE STUDY IN HOME MAKES WOMAN A LAWBREAKER  Couple sues Denver after zoning panel upholds ruling.
According to a recent newspaper article (Washington, D.C.), Diane Reiter became a lawbreaker because she had a regular Bible study group in her home and not a literary society meeting. The literary society meeting is legal, ongoing Bible studies are not.
The Denver zoning administration cracked down on her because she had a dozen of her friends into her home to examine the text of God’s word. That's a "no, no" in Denver. If there was ever a community that should encourage Bible study it is Denver, Colorado, home of the Littleton school shootings. Well, they would have allowed one such meeting a month, but Diane was conducting them weekly.
Mrs. Reiter is being represented by the American Center for Law and Justice. Her lawyer, Jam Sekulow, called the Denver zoning board’s action "an example of religious hostility at its worst."
The Denver authorities disagree that the action was taken because it was a Bible study being hosted. They argue that the ruling can be enforced against any kind of activity such as book clubs, poker games or "Monday Night Football" parties. However, these other activities are not cited in the regulation whereas Bible study groups are. That makes a difference.
A spokesman for the zoning board, Janice Tilden, director of the board told them in the course of her official business that if they were having a weekly "book club" in their home rather than a "prayer meeting" then it would most likely be "no problem."
Clearly the decision against the Reiters was based on the fact it was a religious gathering. Besides, the government has no right to decide that fifteen Bible students are forbidden while fifteen rowdy and noisy football fans are not. The governments of our nation are increasingly singling out religion as forbidden activities.
God's word addresses this kind of thinking when it says, Isa. 5:20, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
City governments permit rock concerts which promote illicit activities but crack down on Bible studies? What is wrong with such governments? --Floyd Chappelear via Stand.
*******************************************************
Granddad  A Poem by H.L. Gradowith in memory of Leland Gray, "Granddad", who passed several years ago. 

 
The fourteenth of April ev'ry year
Brings to my eye a bitter-sweet tear.
I think of my Granddad, who in life,
Showed me the way to master the strife.

He taught me to work and pull my weight,
He said this would keep food on my plate.
He taught me to love my family
And said it would pay, "Just wait and see."

He taught me to be a Christian true,
For loving favor in prayer to sue.
I miss him so, now that he is gone,
His race is run, the life-crown he won.
I have his pictures all on my wall,
And in my heart he stands ever tall,
To light the way when I do not know
Just how or when or where I should go.

I hope that when I've grown old and gray
And neared the end of life's weary way,
That I, like him, shall have lived while here
To know that my Lord is ling'ring near.

And though I miss him more ev'ry day,
I'm glad to know that he's free from the fray:
No more in pain will he suffer here,
He's home with Christ, Whom he loved so dear.
 
H. L. Gradowith
04-14-97
*******************************************************
Thanks to CRJ:  PILATE, THE ROMAN GOVERNOR
As Jesus stood before Pilate, the Roman governor, He clearly acknowledged that He was born to be King of the Jews, Matt. 27:11; John 18:36-37. While in the context of Matt. 27:11, we might take note of the insight this passage gives us into the character of Pontus Pilate. Were it not for the writings of the New Testament Scriptures, we would know almost nothing about this man.
We note that Pilate was well aware that the charges made against Jesus were unwarranted. The governor never received an appropriate answer to the question in Matt. 27:23, "What evil has He done?" And when he finally gave the order for Jesus’ crucifixion, Pilate symbolically washed his hands, and pronounced Jesus to be a just man, verse 24.
This passage also reveals that Pilate not only understood that Jesus was not guilty of any crime, but he had also come to realize the motive of those who cried out for Jesus’ destruction. "He knew that because of envy they had delivered Him," verse 18.
With the knowledge that Jesus was innocent, that His accusers were motivated by envy, Pilate’s conscience was stirred. His wife’s dream, which caused her to plead for him not to harm "that just Man," (vs. 19) must have added to his inner turmoil. Yet the enemies of Jesus had him "over a barrel." Jesus had indeed admitted to being a King, vs. 11. Pilate understood that Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world, thus He was not a political threat to the Roman Empire, John 18:36. But he also knew that Caesar might not understand that fact. And when the Jews argued, "If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend" (John 19:12), they had found Pilate’s weak point. He dreaded immensely to crucify a man he knew to be innocent -- but he feared even more for word to get back to Caesar that he had released a man who claimed to be a king.
Before giving in to the cries of the violent mob who sought to destroy Jesus, Pilate tried three tactics. First, when he learned that Jesus was from Galilee, Pilate sent Him to be tried by Herod Antipas, who was the tetrach of that region, Luke 23:6-12. Jesus made no defense, and Herod soon sent Him back to Pilate. Then Pilate hoped the mob who cried out for the blood of Jesus would accept His release in keeping with the tradition that one prisoner was to be released during the Passover season. They refused. Finally, Pilate had Jesus scourged and brought before the mob, hoping they would see His pain and anguish, and have mercy on Him, Luke 23:16; John 19:1-4. At this point, Jesus’ enemies knew they had won. If their pressure would persuade Pilate to scourge a man he knew to be innocent, a little more pressure and he would crucify that same innocent man. Let us not miss the point of the power for evil in the sin of compromise. We must not give in to sin.  --CRJ
*******************************************************
ANSWER:  Joash -- (sometimes called Jehoash) of Judah -- II Kings 11:21 -- "Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign."
*******************************************************


Good Morning:  It's Monday April 15, 2002!

Happy Birthday Jacob Suggs!

BIRTHDAYS:  Leonardo da Vinci (Italian artist, scientist, and inventor), 1452; Wilhelm Busch (German caricaturist considered the father of the modern comic strip), 1832; Roy Clark, 1933; Elizabeth Montgomery, 1933; Claudia Cardinale, 1938; Michael Cooper, 1956; Evelyn Ashford, 1957.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY:

On this date in 1621 the Mayflower sailed from Plymouth, Mass., on its first return voyage to England.
On this date in 1817 the first American school for the deaf was opened in Hartford, Conn., by Thomas Gallaudet.
On this date in 1865 President Abraham Lincoln died from wounds sustained at the Ford Theater where he was shot by John Wilkes Booth.
On this date in 1870 the Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in New York City.
On this date in 1895 Josephine Blatt lifted 3,564 pounds, a record that still stands.
On this date in 1912 the passenger liner S.S. Titanic sank.
On this date in 1912 Albert Einstein first spoke of time as the fourth dimension.
On this date in 1952 the Franklin National Bank of New York issued the first bank credit card.
On this date in 1955 Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's restaurant -- in Des Plaines, IL.  The slogan at the time was "G.S.C.V." (Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value).  Perhaps they should, in our area anyway, revisit the "C"...)
On this date in 1985 the world's largest marching band, 4,524 students, performed at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
On this date in 1989 the highest and fastest steel roller coaster, the "Great American Scream Machine" -- opened at Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J.

Today is Festival of the Sardine (Spain).

Today is Income Tax Day.

Today is National Griper's Day.

MEANINGLESS FACTS:  Irving Berlin received thirty-three cents for the first song that he wrote... Hot water does not freeze sooner than cold water... A horse always stands with his rear end to the wind on a cold, rainy day.

TRIVIA:  What king of Judah began his reign at eight years of age?

     "I belong to Bridegrooms Anonymous. Whenever I feel like getting married, they send over a lady in a housecoat and hair curlers to burn my toast for me" (Dick Martin).

*******************************************************
From our archive -- From a friend:  24 Things to Always Remember And One Thing Never to Forget
 1. Your presence is a present to the world.
 2. You're unique and one of a kind.
 3. Your life can be what you want it to be.
 4. Take the days just one at a time.
 5. Count your blessings, not your troubles.
 6. You'll make it through whatever comes along.
 7. Within you are so many answers.
 8. Understand, have courage, be strong.
 9. Don't put limits on yourself.
10. So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
11. Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
12. Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.
13. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
14. The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
15. Don't take things too seriously.
16. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.
17. Remember that a little love goes a long way.
18. Remember that a lot ... goes forever.
19. Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
20. Life's treasures are people ... together.
21. Realize that it's never to late.
22. Do ordinary things in extraordinary ways.
23. Have health and hope and happiness.
24. Take the time to wish upon a star.
 And don't ever forget ... For even a day ... How very special you are in the love of God....you are special to me and above all to God...
*******************************************************
Thanks to M/M Riverrats -- (It is a joke, in case anyone wonders...) THE CONVERSION
A Baptist man lived in a traditional Catholic neighborhood. Every Friday the Catholics, during Lent, were driven crazy because they were morosely eating fish, the Baptist was outside barbecuing & eating steaks.
The Catholic's worked on the Baptist, attempting to convert him to Catholicism.  Finally, after much pleading, the Catholics succeeded. They took the Baptist to a priest who sprinkled Holy Water on the man while saying, "Born a Baptist, Raised a Baptist, Now a Catholic!"
The Catholics were ecstatic but this was short lived, the next Friday of Lent, the scent of barbecue once again drifted though the neighborhood.
The Catholics all rushed to the ex-Baptist's home to remind him of his new diet.  They found him standing over the cooking steaks, sprinkling water on the meat saying, "Born a cow, Raised a cow, Now a fish!".
*******************************************************
From ANDYCHAPPS -- 'Words from the Heart' by Deborah Zook
1.  It is as absurd to pretend that a man cannot love the same woman always as to pretend that a good artist needs several violins to play a piece of music.
2.  Jesus did not say, "You will never have a rough passage, you will never be over-strained, you will never feel uncomfortable,"  but he did say, "You will never be overcome."
3.  The grinding that would wear away to nothing a lesser stone merely serves to give luster to a diamond.
4.  The person who does things that count ...doesn't usually stop to count them!
5.  Anytime is the right time to say "I love You!"
*******************************************************
From our archive -- Thanks to M/M Riverrats (and my apologies to Californians, all of whom I trust have a good sense of humor...)
YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IF:
You make over $250,000 a year and still can't afford a house.
It's sprinkling outside, so you leave for work an hour early to avoid all the weather-related accidents.
Your child's third grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is named Breeze.
You've been to a baby shower for an infant who has two mothers and a sperm donor.
You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown, and can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian.
You know which restaurant serves the freshest arugula.
A really great parking space can move you to tears.
The guy in line at Starbucks, wearing the baseball cap, sunglasses, and looks like George Clooney, IS George Clooney.
Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment.
Your hairdresser is straight, your plumber is gay, and your Mary Kay rep is a guy in drag.
It's sprinkling out, and there's a report on every news channel about "THE STORM!"
Over 85% of the cities, towns, and streets start with San, Los, El, La, Santa, De La, or De Los.
Two overcast days in a row drive you mad.
A family of four owns six vehicles.
Everyone who lives here knows that hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and snowstorms are way worse than earthquakes, which are, after all, over almost as soon as you realize what's happening.
Even if the store is across the street, you drive there.
And finally, a question:
Q. How many Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. Californians cannot afford to turn on the lights.
*******************************************************
ANSWER:  Josiah of Judah -- II Kings 22:1 - "Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign,..."
*******************************************************


Gradowiths Homepage


Daily Humor Archive
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1