Stewardship is Lordship

Stewardship is Lordship Proverbs 3:5-10 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones. Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase: So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine. Normally when we think of stewardship, we consider it merely as a matter of our giving of money to God through the church. While the giving of tithes and offerings is an important aspect of stewardship, it is secondary. “Stewardship is the way we handle those things in our life that God has given us…The Management of our God-given resources for His glory & for the good of others…” Stewardship is a reflection of our relationship to our God and Savior. As we observe the truths contained in Proverbs 3, we see a pattern for stewardship that asserts loudly and clearly “Stewardship is Lordship!” At the heart of every true act of stewardship, every work of ministry, every acceptable act of worship is the heart, a heart close to God. John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘if anyone loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him’. "A French soldier who had served ably in Napoleon’s army lay dying of a wound received in battle. As they probed his shattered ribs to find the fatal bullet he said, "Dig a little deeper and you will find the emperor." If we dug deeply enough, would we find Christ in our hearts? I know that Christ lives in us but would we find that we are living a life that reflects Christ living in us? That’s a question we all must ask ourselves." As Sir Walter Raleigh was about to be executed, he was asked which way he preferred to lay his head on the block. He replied, "So the heart be right, it is no matter which way the head lies." Sir Walter Raleigh was one of the grand scalawags of the Elizabethan Age. He made a name for himself fighting the Irish at Munster; later he was introduced at court and became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. Raleigh was not a favorite of Elizabeth's successor, James I, who kept Sir Walter imprisoned in the Tower of London for years and finally had him beheaded in 1618. Sir Walter was born in 1552. Proverbs 23:26 "My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. In the musical Les Miserables the song “Do You Hear the People Sing?” there is a stanza that says, “When the beating of your heart, Echoes the beating of the drums – There is a life about to start”. May I say that when the beating of your heart, echoes the beating of Christ’s heart – There is a life of credible stewardship about to start. Oswald Chambers (1874-1917, “Christian thinking is a rare and difficult thing; so many seem unaware that the first great commandment according to our Lord is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God . . . with all thy mind." Oswald Chambers was born in Scotland in 1874 and was educated at London's Royal College of Art and the University of Edinburgh. Although gifted in the arts, he felt at the age of 22, that God was calling him to become a minister. After studying and later teaching in a small theological college in Dunoon, he moved into a preaching ministry that spanned Britain, America and Japan. Oswald died of complications following an operation to remove his appendix in 1917. Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 2 Corinthians 10:5 "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; Stewardship involves allowing God to work in us. To do his gracious work God must have the intelligent cooperation of his people. If we would think God’s thoughts, we must learn to think continually of God. I Corinthians 2:16 "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Is the direction of our lives consistent with the direction that God wants for our lives? Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." God instructed King David as recorded in 1 Kings 2:4 "That …if David’s children would take heed to their way; to walk before God in truth with all their heart and with all their soul; that he would not fail have one of his descendants perpetually on the throne of Israel." (Paraphrased) Psalms 128:1 "A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that fears the LORD; that walks in his ways. There is peace, prosperity, and safety in being in the center of God’s will and walking in His ways. David Livingstone told how he was chased up a small tree and besieged by lions. He said the tree was so small that he was barely out of reach of the lions. He said they would stand on their back feet and roar and shake the little tree, and that he could feel the hot breath of the lions as they sought him. "But," he stated, "I had a good night and felt happier and safer in that little tree besieged by lions, in the jungles of Africa, in the will of God, than I would have been out of the will of God in England." There is one safe and happy place, and that is in the will of God. At age 27 Livingstone sailed from Scotland to South Africa as a Christian missionary. He spent much of the next 33 years travelling in the African interior, eventually becoming as famous for his explorations as for his missionary work. Perhaps his most famous act was reaching and naming Victoria Falls in 1855 . Haggai 1:5-7 "Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, ‘Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink. Ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.’ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, ‘Consider your ways.’" I can be doing everything in my power to make it & if I am not Considering my ways then I am just putting everything in bags with holes. Proverbs 16:7 "When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him
(Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.) Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Purity in the heart produces power in the life – power to properly live for and serve God. 2 Timothy 2:19-21 "Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. God uses clean vessels.
The essence of true holiness is conformity to the nature and will of God. (Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase)Adolphe Monod (1800-1856) “There is no portion of our time that is our time, and the rest God’s; there is no portion of money that is our money, and the rest God’s money. It is all his; he made it all, gives it all, and he has simply trusted it to us for his service. A servant has two purses, the master’s and his own, but we have only one. We are to use everything as if it belongs to God. The truth is it does! You and I are merely his stewards. As John Wesley said, “When the Possessor of heaven and earth brought you into being and placed you in this world, He placed you here not as an owner but as a steward. As such He entrusted you for a season with goods of various kinds--but the sole property of these still rests in Him, nor can ever be alienated from Him. As you are not your own but His, such is likewise all you enjoy. Malachi 3:7-10 "Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. “A handful of people went on a mission trip to Eastern Europe. Upon returning, they said that they were really impressed with the dedication of the Christians in Eastern Europe. Christians there don’t have very much, but they believe they should tithe. They think that’s God’s standard. But the government of the country they were in is repressive, and they are allowed to give only 2.5 percent of their income to charitable organizations. They’re trying to minimize the opportunity for any anti-government organization. So the Christians in that country are searching for loopholes in the law, so that they’ll be able to give 10 percent. These believers have less, and they’re looking for a way to give 10 percent. We have more, and we’re free to give as we please. In fact, we get a tax break by doing so, and we’re looking for loopholes in the Scripture to avoid doing it. What an indictment. Some get upset when pastors talk about money. Jesus talked much about money. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deals directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions.H. Luke 12:34 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."I. Some say, dedicate the heart and the money will follow; but our Lord put it the other way around. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." If your treasure is dedicated, your heart will be dedicated. If your treasure is not, your heart simply is not. It is as plain as that. 1 Corinthians 4:2 declares, "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." Every one of us will give an accounting to Christ for our stewardship of those things, which He has entrusted to us. If your heart his heart? Is your mind His mind? Are your ways His way? Is your cleanliness His cleanliness? Are your possessions His possessions? On that accounting day will Christ say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:23)

McDonald's Discloses

McDonald's Corporation announced today that it will begin listing nutrition information on all its food items. Going forward McDonald's customers will simply need to look at the wrapper to obtain the food's fat and calorie count. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit health advocacy group, called the move "a useful step in providing customers more, and more readable, nutrition information" and recommended the following nutrition label. Click for label

"Voice of Truth"

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
on to the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"


But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes
to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone

Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!"
"You'll never win!"


But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
On top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me


But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe-

I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth



(Casting Crowns Lyrics)

Bombs target Smurfs in new UNICEF ads

Bombs target Smurfs in new UNICEF ads

By Helena Spongenberg

The Associated Press

BRUSSELS, Belgium — Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurfs' village is carpet-bombed by warplanes — a horrific scene and imagery not normally associated with the lovable, blue-skinned cartoon characters.

These are the scenes being shown as part of a new UNICEF ad campaign on Belgian television.

"It's working. We are getting a lot of reactions and people are logging on to our Web site," said UNICEF Belgium spokesman Philippe Henon.

The Belgian office of the U.N. children's fund said it has decided to use the creations of late Belgian artist Peyo to shock a complacent public into backing its fund-raising efforts to help former child soldiers in Africa.

The 20-second video clip now airing on Belgian TV aims to show that war can happen in the most innocent of places, Henon said.

"We get reactions from all over the place," he said. "People are shocked and want to know the reasons behind this cartoon image."

The appeal is meant to raise money for UNICEF projects in Burundi, Congo and Sudan, Henon said. However, due to its graphic and disturbing scenes, the cartoon is not for everyone. It is aimed at an adult audience and is shown only after 9 p.m., to avoid upsetting young Smurf fans.

The video is peacefully introduced by birds, butterflies and happy Smurfs playing and singing their theme song when suddenly bombs rain down onto their forest village, scattering Papa Smurf and the rest as their houses are set ablaze.

The bombs kill Smurfette, leaving Baby Smurf orphaned and crying at the edge of a crater in the last scene of the video, which ends with the text "Don't let war destroy the children's world."

It calls on viewers to donate.




UNICEF traditionally uses real-life images of playing and laughing children but decided to change its approach for something that would shock people, Henon said.

"We felt that in comparison to previous campaigns, the public is not easily motivated to do things for humanitarian causes and certainly not when it involved Africa or children in war," he said.

The UNICEF campaign was launched this month and will last until April.

"We see so many images that we don't really react anymore," said Julie Lamoureux, account director at Publicis, an advertising agency that drew up the campaign for UNICEF Belgium.

"We wanted to show adults how awful war is by reaching them within their memories of childhood."

The Smurf ad will be followed by a similar ad in November to promote UNICEF's "let children live in peace" campaign.
(The Seattle Times Company)

Bulletproof

The American Indian chief looked scornfully at the soldiers on the field before him. How foolish it was to fight as they did, forming their perfect battle lines out in the open, standing shoulder to shoulder in their bright red uniforms. The British soldiers—trained for European war—did not break rank, even when braves fired at them from under the safe cover of the forest. The slaughter continued for two hours. By then 1,000 of 1,459 British soldiers were killed or wounded, while only 30 of the French and Indian warriors firing at them were injured.
Not only were the soldiers foolish, but their officers were just as bad. Riding on horseback, fully exposed above the men on the ground, they made perfect targets. One by one, the chief’s marksmen shot the mounted British officers until only one remained.
“Quick, let your aim be certain and he dies,” the chief commanded. The warriors leveled their rifles at the last officer on horseback. Round after round was aimed at this one man. Twice the officer’s horse was shot out from under him. Twice he grabbed a horse left idle when a fellow officer had been shot down. Ten, twelve, thirteen rounds were fired by the sharpshooters. Still, the officer remained unhurt.
The native warriors stared at him in disbelief. Their rifles seldom missed their mark. The chief suddenly realized that a mighty power must be shielding this man. “Stop firing!” he commanded. “This one is under the special protection of the Great Spirit.” A brave standing nearby added, “I had seventeen clear shots at him…and after all could not bring him to the ground. This man was not born to be killed by a bullet.”
As the firing slowed, the lieutenant colonel gathered the remaining troops and led the retreat to safety. That evening, as the last of the wounded were being cared for, the officer noticed an odd tear in his coat. It was a bullet hole! He rolled up his sleeve and looked at his arm directly under the hole. There was no mark on his skin. Amazed, he took off his coat and found three more holes where bullets had passed through his coat but stopped before they reached his body.
Nine days after the battle, having heard a rumor of his own death, the young lieutenant colonel wrote his brother to confirm that he was still very much alive.
As I have heard since my arrival at this place, a circumstantial account of my death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity of contradicting the first and of assuring you that I have not as yet composed the latter. But by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!
This battle, part of the French and Indian War, was fought on July 9, 1755, near Fort Duquesne, now the city of Pittsburgh. The twenty-three-year-old officer went on to become the commander in chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States. In all the years that followed in his long career, this man, George Washington, was never once wounded in battle.
Fifteen years later, in 1770, George Washington returned to the same Pennsylvania woods. A respected Indian chief, having heard that Washington was in the area, traveled a long way to meet with him.
He sat down with Washington, and face-to-face over a council fire, the chief told Washington the following:
I am a chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the great lakes and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on the day when the white man’s blood mixed with the streams of our forests that I first beheld this chief [Washington].
I called to my young men and said, “Mark yon tall and daring warrior? He is not of the red-coat tribe—he hath an Indian’s wisdom and his warriors fight as we do—himself alone exposed. Quick, let your aim be certain, and he dies.”
Our rifles were leveled, rifles which, but for you, knew not how to miss—’twas all in vain, a power mightier far than we shielded you.
Seeing you were under the special guardianship of the Great Spirit, we immediately ceased to fire at you. I am old and shall soon be gathered to the great council fire of my fathers in the land of the shades, but ere I go, there is something bids me speak in the voice of prophecy:
Listen! The Great Spirit protects that man [pointing at Washington], and guides his destinies—he will become the chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him as the founder of a mighty empire. I am come to pay homage to the man who is the particular favorite of Heaven, and who can never die in battle.
* * * * * This story of God’s divine protection and of Washington’s open gratitude could be found in virtually all school textbooks until 1934. Now few Americans have read it. Washington often recalled this dramatic event that helped shape his character and confirm God’s call on his life.
Though a thousand fall at your side,though ten thousand are dying around you,these evils will not touch you. Psalm 91:7 NLT

("undergodthebook.com" http://undergodthebook.com/story01.cfm )

E pluribus unum

Ever wonder what E pluribus unum means? (It's on the Great Seal on the back of a $1 bill)
well if you ever did here you go.
E pluribus unum is a national motto of the United States of America. Translated from Latin, it means "From many, one" or "Out of many, one," or in a direct translation, "One out of more." It referred to the integration of the 13 independent colonies into one united country, and has taken on an additional meaning, given the pluralistic nature of American society from immigration. The motto was selected by the first Great Seal committee in 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution. Pierre Eugene DuSimitiére originally suggested E pluribus unum as motto.
In 1956, "In God We Trust" was added as another national motto, but did not replace E pluribus unum. A similar motto – In varietate concordia (Unity in diversity) – was adopted by the European Union in 2000.

(Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page )

The unfinished pyramid

An unfinished pyramid appears on the reverse of the seal, inscribed on its base with the date 1776 in Roman numerals. Where the top of the pyramid should be, the so-called eye of Providence watches over it. Two mottos appear: Annuit Cœptis signifies that somebody (presumably Providence) has "nodded at (our) beginnings". Novus Ordo Seclorum, a quotation from Virgil, refers to a "new order of the ages", i.e. a paradigm shift (note that it specifically does not translate as New World Order). The reverse has never been cut (as a seal), but appears, for example, on the back of the one-dollar bill.

Since 1935, both sides of the Great Seal appear on the reverse of the One-Dollar Bill of the United States. The symbolism of the obverse is obvious—the shield is reminiscent of the national flag, and the Bald Eagle is a well-known national symbol.
That of the reverse is more murky. Many consider the eye atop the pyramid to have its origins in Masonic iconography. However, the icon is not a Masonic symbol, nor designed by a mason. Among the Great Seal committee, only Benjamin Franklin was a Mason, but his ideas were not adopted by the committee.
The all-seeing eye was a well-known classical symbol of the Renaissance. The all-seeing eye of God is mentioned several times in the Christian Bible. The eye in a triangle design originally was suggested by Pierre Eugene DuSimitiere, and later heraldist William Barton improved upon the design. In Du Simitière's original sketch, two figures stand next to a shield with the all-seeing pyramid above them. The August 20, 1776 report of the first Great Seal Committee describes the seal as "Crest The Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the Shield and beyond the Figures."

(wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)

Weird news

1994 -- In January and February, Oklahoma City police turned up several motorists who had purchased automobile liability insurance coverage under "God's Insurance Policy." The salesmen had convinced the customers that such coverage would comply with Oklahoma's mandatory-insurance law, even though the $285 policy contained mostly text from the Bible, stated that it was "issued by the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost," and reasoned that since it was "fear" that caused accidents, the policy would protect its purchasers even better than commercial insurance would.

Laugh of the day

During the second Gulf War, I was an Air Force colonel. I routinely flew on different aircraft to familiarize myself with their capabilities. One day I was aboard an intelligence aircraft, where each crew member was surrounded by complex gear. A young major showed me his computer screen. "That's a chat screen, sir," the soldier said. "We use it to relay enemy information to the crew -- like instant messaging." Nodding, I moved down the line. Flashing on an airman's screen several feet away was the warning: "Heads up -- the colonel is on his way!"

GREAT JOKE!

(joke from Reader's Digest Association)

Reader's Digest Association Reader's Digest RoadPleasantville, NY 10570-7000

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.

In God We Trust

"In God We Trust"

The use of the national motto on both U.S. coins and currency notes is required by two statutes, 31 U.S.C. 5112(d) (1) and 5114(b), respectively. The motto was not adopted for use on U.S. paper currency until 1957. It first appeared on some 1935G Series $1 Silver Certificates, but didn't appear on U.S. Federal Reserve Notes until the Series 1963 currency. This use of the national motto has been challenged in court many times over the years that it has been in use, and has been consistently upheld by the various courts of this country, including the U.S. Supreme Court as recently as 1977.

The Department of the Treasury and the Department of Justice intend to actively defend against challenges to the use of the national motto. In 1992, a challenge was filed and successfully defeated in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

(Works Cited
Internet:
2005/8/06)http://www.moneyfactory.com/document.cfm/18/107

Joke of the Week

"One day my housework-challenged husband decided to wash his sweatshirt. Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room, he shouted to me, "What setting do I use on the washing machine?" "It depends," I replied. "What does it say on your shirt?" "University of Oklahoma," he yelled back.


--Contributed by Jerri Boyer"

( http://www.rd.com/content/openRandomJoke.do?type=14)

Good Story

I know its not Christmas but this is a good story any time:

The Big Wheel

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75
cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three
months to seven years; their sister was two.


Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared.


Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would
scramble to hide under their beds.


He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries.


Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no
food either.


If there was a welfare system in effect in Southern Indiana at that time, I
certainly knew nothing about it. I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand
new and then put on my best homemade dress. Loaded them into the rusty old
51 Chevy and drove off to find a job.


The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small
town. No luck.


The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to
convince whoever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything.


I had to have a job.


Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town was
an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop. It
was called the Big Wheel.

An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window
from time to time at all those kids. She needed someone on the graveyard
shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning. She paid 65 cents an hour and
I could start that night. I raced home and called the teenager down the
street that baby-sat for people. I bargained with her to come and sleep on
my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the
kids would already be asleep. This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so
we made a deal.>

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all
thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel.


When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home
with one dollar of my tip money--fully half of what I averaged every night.
As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage.


The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began
to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every
morning before I could go home.


One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found
four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no note, no nothing, and
just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence in Indiana? I wondered.


I made a deal with the local service station. In exchange for his mounting
the new tires, I would clean up his office. I remember it took me a lot
longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires.


I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.
Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the
kids.


I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys.
Then hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to
deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches
on top of patches on the boys' pants and soon they would be too far gone to
repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel.
These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe.



A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were
dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around
and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home
before the sun came up.


When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning I
hurried to the car. I was hoping the kids wouldn't wake up before I managed
to get home and get the presents from the basement and place them under the
tree. (We had cut down a small cedar tree by the side of the road down by
the dump.) It was still dark and I couldn't see much, but there appeared to
be some dark shadows in the car-or was that just a trick of the night?
Something certainly looked different, but it was hard to tell what. When I
reached the car I peered warily into one of the side windows. Then my jaw
dropped in amazement. My old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with
boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door,
crumbled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.


Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was whole case of
little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: It was full of
shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes.
There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an
enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was
pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was whole bag
of laundry supplies and cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks and
one beautiful little doll.


As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most
amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will
never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.


Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung
out at the Big Wheel truck stop....


THE POWER OF PRAYER! . I believe that God only gives three answers to
prayer:

1. "Yes!"
2. "Not yet."
3. "I have something better in mind."


God still sits on the throne, the devil is a liar. You may be going through
a tough time right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that
you cannot imagine.