"Christian Voices" (1-22-04)

July 29, 2010

HUMOR

The story is told that a national magazine assigned a photographer to take pictures of a forest fire. They told him a small plane would be waiting at the airport to fly him over the fire.

The photographer arrived at the airstrip just an hour before sundown. Sure enough, a small Cessna airplane stood waiting. He jumped in with his equipment and shouted, "Let's go!" The pilot, a tense-looking man, turned the plane into the wind, and soon they were in the air, though flying erratically.

"Fly over the north side of the fire," said the photographer, "and make several low-level passes."

"Why?" asked the nervous pilot.

"Because I'm going to take pictures!" yelled the photographer. "I'm a photographer, and photographers take pictures."

The pilot replied, "You mean you're not the flight instructor?"

.....Chaplain's Notes (ChapnotesMail@aol.com) (http://www.chapnotes.org) (t.airportchaplain@verizon.net) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

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THOUGHT PROVOKING – INSPIRATIONAL

Here are just a few simple thoughts I had this morning.

Since I have just read many scriptures, there is a powerfully good and loving feeling inside of me!

In the scriptures we read: "I can do all things through Him who strengthen me." I am constantly having to remind myself that He who strengthens me can work in me and assist me greater when all of me is open and ready.

I am reminded of the time that God showed me the darkness of my own personal anger when it was within me. When anger was within me there was less room for light, for the good things of God. So when I agreed with God to forgive and let go of the anger, He allowed me to see the darkness within. Then when He took it out of me. He also allowed me know, in its stead, there was now light.

I pray for my fellow brothers and sisters this day, that for any who are harbouring anger against another, to forgive and let it go, that "all of them", that is to say that every fibre of their being may be focused on things of love, good, joy and happiness, that is to say things of God.

The day this event took place - of releasing the anger - I was immediately filled with joy and I was relieved to let go of the anger. All of me felt lighter and more in harmony! Oh I pray I can keep this lesson always!

May you feel this day, the harmony, the contentment and gladness of being in sync with God, our Heavenly Father.

.....Ellie Braun-Haley (ellie@evrcanada.com) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

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A letter of faith, hope and love ---

I've been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I have tumors in my spine, in my lower left abdomen, in my right breast, and in my left lung.

As I approach the day when I will meet my Master, I am at peace. Please pray that my family and friends might reach the same level of acceptance of God's will for all our lives.

I've had a wonderful life. I've been rich and I've been poor. I have seen so many wondrous things. My heart transplant 18-1/2 years ago allowed me not only to see grandchildren, but to watch many of them grow up and enter college.

God calls us all home when we have completed our work here on earth. Passing through the Valley of Death, as our Savior did, is the only way out of this life and into the next.

It's like being born all over again. In the womb we were comfortable, all our needs were met, and we were content. But the day came when we were forcibly ejected from that place of comfort into a new world. The new world then turns out to be a better place.

And I think that's what dying is like, right down to that "tunnel of light" people have talked about. We are called into a brighter world.

There we are ageless, and we will bask forevermore in the Light of the Master.

I do not know the specifics of what it will be like, but I know we Christians are all going there. Family and friends can't do it for us. We die alone, and yet we are not alone because Christ walks with us even through that dark place, onward toward the light.

When my mother died a few years ago, my sister said just before she went, her expression changed to one of delighted amazement. And someday soon I, too, will see what she saw that pleased her so.

God is good all the time. All the time God is good.

.....as written by Carl Phillips to Mary-Ellen Grisham (meginrose@gmail.com) at Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) by way of by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

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