Good Morning: It's Friday
April 13, 2001!
BIRTHDAYS: Thomas Jefferson, 1743; Eudora Welty,
1909; Howard Keel, 1919; 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 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 1976 the United States Mind reissued
the $2 bill with the likeness of Thomas Jefferson.
MEANINGLESS FACTS: You must be at least 35 years
old to be a candidate for the presidency of the United States... Eight
United State presidents have been born in Virginia... Thomas Jefferson
introduced America to ice cream.
TRIVIA: Jerry Lee Lewis, Liberace and Van Cliburn
no doubt practiced this exercise written by Arthur de Lulli in 1877.
What is it?
Finley Peter Dunne said, "Swearing
was invented as a compromise between running away and fighting."
A happy day to each of you!
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Thanks to GB: From A Child:
One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main
streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads
are wet and slick. Suddenly, my son Matthew spoke up from his relaxed
position in the back seat. "Mom, I'm thinking of something."
This announcement usually meant he had been pondering
some fact for a while and was now ready to expound all that his seven-year-old
mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.
"What are you thinking?" I asked.
"The rain," he began, "is like sin and the windshield
wipers are like God, wiping our sins away."
After the chill bumps raced up my arms, I was able to
respond. "That's really good, Matthew."
Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little
boy take this revelation?
So I asked..."Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming?
What does that tell you?"
Matthew didn't hesitate one moment with his answer: "We
keep on sinning and God just keeps on forgiving us."
Who can drive in the rain again without thinking of this
one???
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From a friend:
I HEARD A TRUE STORY ABOUT A YOUNG MAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA
WENT OFF TO THE SERVICE. HE CONTRACTED A TERMINAL VIRUS THAT COULD NOT
BE HEALED, AND WAS PLACED IN A HOSPITAL IN HATTIESBURG, MS.
HIS FARMER PARENTS RECEIVED A TELEGRAM TELLING OF THE
GRAVITY OF THE BOY'S CONDITION. WELL THE WIFE HAD OTHER CHILDREN AND THEY
WERE VERY POOR, SO ONLY THIS FARMER FATHER COULD GO TO BE WITH HIS SON.
THE MOTHER BEGAN TO GET THINGS READY FOR THE FATHER TO LEAVE. SHE MADE
THE BOY'S FAVORITE COOKIES AND GAVE THEM TO THE FATHER. AS HE WENT TO GET
ONTO THE WAGON TO GO TO TOWN TO CATCH THE TRAIN, SHE SAID, "NOW HONEY,I
WANT YOU TO PROMISE ME ONE THING. I WANT YOU TO PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL
STAY BY MY SON TO THE END." HE SAID, "HONEY,I CAN'T DO THAT. I'VE GOT A
FARM TO RUN. WE'VE GOT CROPS TO GET IN. WE'VE GOT MONEY TO MAKE. I CAN'T
LEAVE YOU HERE ALONE THAT LENGTH OF TIME." SHE SAID, "THEN I'LL GO." HE
SAID,"NO, NO, I’LL GO, I'LL GO." SHE SAID, "PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL STAY
BY MY SON UNTIL THE END." HE SAID, "I PROMISE."
HE MADE THAT LONG TRIP DOWN TO HATTIESBURG. HE GOT THERE
ABOUT 10:00 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND HIS SON WAS IN A COMA.ABOUT 2:00
O'CLOCK THAT AFTERNOON THE BOY'S EYES OPENED. HE SAID, "DAD, IS THAT YOU?"
HE SAID, "YES, JIMMY, IT'S ME." HE SAID, "SON, MOM HAS MADE SOME OF YOUR
FAVORITE COOKIES. WOULD YOU LIKE SOME? HE SAID, "NO SIR, I'M JUST TOO SICK."
HE THEN FELL BACK INTO HIS COMA.
ABOUT 8:00 O'CLOCK THE NURSE CAME IN AND SAID, "SIR,
YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE, VISITING HOURS ARE OVER." HE SAID, "I'M SORRY BUT
I WILL NOT LEAVE MY SON." SHE LEFT AND CAME BACK IN ABOUT 15 MIN. AND SAID,
"SIR, I’M SORRY. IT HAVE CHECKED WITH THE AUTHORITIES AND YOU WILL HAVE
TO LEAVE, VISITING HOURS ARE OVER." HE SAID, "I AM NOT LEAVING MY SON."
ABOUT 8:30 THE MILITARY POLICE CAME IN. TWO BIG HUSKY
FELLOWS WALKED IN AND SAID, "SIR, WE ARE SORRY BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE."
THE MAN STOOD UP TO HIS FULL HEIGHT AND SAID, "BOYS, I DON'T WANT ANY TROUBLE,
BUT I AM NOT LEAVING MY SON." THEY WENT OUTSIDE AND TALKED A FEW MOMENTS
AND CAME BACK AND SAID, "SIR, YOU MAY STAY WITH YOUR SON."
ABOUT 2:00 O'CLOCK THAT MORNING JIMMY DIED. THEY MADE
PREPARATIONS FOR HIS RETURN TO NORTH CAROLINA. THEY PUT HIM IN THE COFFIN,
DRAPED THE FLAG OVER THE COFFIN, AND THE FATHER SAT RIGHT BY THE SIDE OF
HIS SON ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE DEPOT. HE WENT RIGHT BESIDE HIS SON ALL
THE WAY TO THE FUNERAL HOME. THEN HE GOT IN HIS WAGON AND WENT HOME. THE
MOTHER HEARD THE WAGON COMING UP THE DRIVE. SHE WALKED OUT TO MEET HER
EXHAUSTED HUSBAND, KNOWING THAT HER SON HAD DIED. THE FATHER GOT OUT OF
THE WAGON, WALKED OVER TO THE MOTHER AND STARTED TO TELL THE MOTHER ALL
THE THINGS THE SON HAD SAID, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED. SHE
SAID, "I DON'T REALLY WANT TO HEAR ALL OF THAT RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANT TO
KNOW ONE THING." SHE SAID, "HONEY, DID YOU STAY BY MY SON TO THE END? HE
SAID, "YES DEAR, I DID." SHE SAID, "THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERED."
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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".
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From The Biblical Messenger, edited by Leroy Sedgwick
MY PURPOSE
To be a little kindlier
With the passing
of each day;
To leave but happy memories
As I go along
my way;
To use possessions that are mine
In service
full and free;
To sacrifice the trivial things
For larger
good to be;
To give of love in lavish way
That friendships
true may live;
To be less quick to criticize,
More ready
to forgive;
To use such talents as I have
That happiness
may grow;
To take the bitter with the sweet,
Assured ‘tis
better so;
To be quite free from self-intent
Whate’er the
task I do;
To help the world’s faith stronger grow
In all that’s
good and true;
To keep my faith in God and right
No matter
how things run;
To work and plan and pray and trust
Until the
journey’s done.
God grant to me the strength of heart
Of motive
and of will,
To do my part, and falter not,
This purpose
to fulfill.
(Author Unknown to me, ts).
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ANSWER: "Chopsticks".
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