Quote from Forum Archives on May 3, 2006, 12:09 pm

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

"Checkin' In"

 

 

 

A minister passing through his church in the middle
of the day, decided to pause by the altar and see
who had come to pray.
 
Just then the back door opened, a man came down
the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man
hadn't shaved in awhile.
 
His shirt was kinda' shabby and his coat was worn
and frayed. The man knelt, he bowed his head, then
rose and walked away.
 
In the days that followed, each noon time came this
chap. Each time he knelt just for a moment, a lunch
pail in his lap.
 
Well, the minister's suspicions grew, with robbery
a main fear, he decided to stop the man and ask
him, Watcha doin' here?"
 
The old man, he worked down the road. Lunch
was half an hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time ,
for finding strength and power.
 
"I stay only moment, see 'cause the factory is so
far away; As I kneel here talking to the Lord, this
is kinda' what I say:
 
" I just came again to tell you, Lord, how happy I've
been since we've found each others friendship and
you took away my sin. I don't know much of how to
pray, but I think about you every day. So, Jesus, this
 is Jim, checkin' in.
 
The minister, feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome to come and pray
just anytime.
 
Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks." He hurried
to the door. The minister knelt at the alter, he'd
never done it before.
 
His cold heart melted, warmed with love, met with
Jesus there. As the tears flowed, in his heart, he
repeated old Jim's prayer.
 
"I just came again to tell you, Lord, how happy I've
been since we found each others friendship and
you took away my sin. I don't know much of how to
pray but I think about you every day. So, Jesus,
this is me checkin' in.
 
Past noon on day, the minister noticed old Jim
hadn't come. As more days passed without Jim,
 he began to worry some.
 
At the factory, he asked about him, learning he
was ill. The hospital staff was worried, but he'd
given them a thrill.
 
That week that Jim was with them, brought
changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed  people, his reward.
 
The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was
so glad, when no flowers, calls or cards came, not
a  visitor he had.
 
The minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse's
concern: No friends came to show they cared. He had
no where to turn.
 
Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a
winsome smile, "The nurse is wrong, she couldn't
know that all the while,
 
Everyday at noon he's here, a dear friend of mine,
you see. He sits right down, takes my hand, leans
over and says to me:
 
"I just came again to tell you, Jim, how happy I
have been, since we found this friendship, and
I took away your sin. I always love to hear you
pray, I think about you every day, and so Jim,
this is Jesus checkin' in.

 

 

"The Grocery Store"

 

 

I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 7 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

 

He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.

 

He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on.

 

Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.

 

Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak.

 

Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket.. Hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.

 

She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know."

 

I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.

 

"My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."

 

She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.

 

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone.

 

I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.

 

As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. "When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision.

 

I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone.

 

Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.

 

Every day be thankful for what you have and who you are.

 

 

Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara

 

GOD FORMED MAN
SIN DEFORMED HIM
EDUCATION INFORMS HIM
RELIGION MAY REFORM HIM
ONLY JESUS CHRIST CAN TRANSFORM HIM

 

Necessary Legal Information

 

We do not mail idea-central  unsolicited. If you are receiving this newsletter from us it's because you have subscribed to this mailing list. If you receive this newsletter and are not a subscriber then someone, other than us, has forwarded it to you.

 

Normal Subscribe: idea-central-subscribe@welovegod.org
Normal Unsubscribe: idea-central-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
 
Web Subscribe: idea-central-allow-subscribe@welovegod.org
Web Unsubscribe: idea-central-allow-unsubscribe@welovegod.org
 
Email Group Owner: idea-central-owner@associate.com

 

 

  --  To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: idea-central-unsubscribe@welovegod.org