Good Reading

Here's some Fodder for your Heart


Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The Winner:

A four year old boy whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. - Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."


Honorable Mentions:

Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. - One little boy in the picture had a different color hair than the other family members.- One child suggested that he was adopted and a little girl said, "I know all about adoptions because I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means," said the little girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy."

A four year old was at the pediatrician for a check up - As the doctor looked down in her ears, he asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?" The little girl stayed silent. The doctor took a look down her throat, he asked, "Do you think I will find the Cookie Monster in here?" The little girl stayed silent. - Then, as the doctor was listening to her heart, he asked, "Do you think I will hear Barney in here?" The little girl broke here silence and said, "No ! You will find Jesus in my heart, but Barney is on my underwear."

As I was driving home from work one day, I stopped to watch a local Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. - As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was. "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile. "Really," I said. "I have to say, you don't look very discouraged." "Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."

Whenever I am disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. - Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. - On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to pick up Jamie after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what Mom," he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: "I've been chosen to clap and cheer."


A lesson in "heart" is 10 year old Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot, and wears a brace all the time. - She came home one beautiful spring day and told me she had competed in "field day" - that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events. - Because of her leg support, my mind raced as I tried to think of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to her about not letting this get her down, but before I could get a word out, she said, "Daddy, I won two of the races!" I couldn't believe it! And then Sarah said, "I had an advantage." Ah, I knew it, I thought she must have been given a head start....some special privilege due to wearing a brace. - Sarah said, "But Daddy, I didn't get a head start; my advantage was that I had to work harder than the others!"


An eye witness account from New York City on a cold day in December: A little boy about 10 years old was standing in front of a shoe store window, barefooted and shivering from the cold. - A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?" "I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boys reply. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the little boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of warm water, some soap and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel. - By this time the clerk had returned with the socks.....Placing a pair of socks upon his little feet, she purchased a pair of shoes for him..- She tied up the remaining pairs of socks, and gave them to the boy. - She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?" As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question wit h these words: "Are you God's Wife?"

"We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere." -- Tim McGraw

Emily's post

A teacher from the International School in Brazil posted this in her blog. I thought I would share it with you. How encouraging it is to see God using the simple things to glorify Himself! Enjoy ...

By: Emily Taylor
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Acacias Community Church, Carpina, Brazil

Over the past several months, there have been some changes within the Acacias Community Church. The first big addition was a monthly prayer vigil. The meeting is held once a month and the participants spend the night praying at the church. The week after the first meeting, three people decided to follow Christ! We are experiencing how God moves, when His church prays.

Another big step for the church involved re-starting the English classes. Last semester Pat Hood began an English class for the women of the church & the school. It was a huge success, with the men asking for a class of their own. As we discussed Pat's class & saw the implementation of it, I began to see a fuller picture of the potential of English classes within the churches. Jeff, Lindsay, Ricardo, & I have been teaching English at the church in Lagao de Itaenga for some time now, but, as for me, I saw it much in the same way as I saw my English classes at the school. Through the new class, I began to see how powerful an English class within the church can be. Tele & Heather saw this as well. So, a few weeks after the prayer vigil started, they started English classes at the church. And what a turn out! The second week Tele had over 30 people in the beginners' class and Heather had around 10 in the more advanced class. A few of the Americans (Paul & Ruth) and an English-speaking Brazilian (Jaciel) are now helping with the load. There are four classes. People from the church, the school, and the community are coming an hour before church for English class. Many of them then stay for the church service. The Acacias Community church has always been very small but over the past several months it has grown dramatically. It has been fun to see. Please pray for continued growth within the Community Church of Acacias and that the Lord would use this little church in a powerful way.

Also, the pastor of Guadalajara Community Church (Carlos), some of the other American missionaries, and I are planning to start a new English program at the church in Guadalajara next week. Please pray that the church would be empowered to form new relationships through this program and that the Lord will be glorified.
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Thanks for stopping by!
Adrian