From: owner-eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org (eda-thoughts-digest) To: eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org Subject: eda-thoughts-digest V6 #29 Reply-To: eda-thoughts@smoe.org Sender: owner-eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-eda-thoughts-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk eda-thoughts-digest Thursday, August 7 2003 Volume 06 : Number 029 * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * eda-thoughts-digest-request@smoe.org with ONLY * the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: eda-thoughts-digest V3 #xxx or the like gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. Today's Subjects: ----------------- ET: This will give you chills!! [Holly Miller ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 12:35:25 -0700 (PDT) From: Holly Miller Subject: ET: This will give you chills!! > > > > People always say how mean kids can be, never how > > > > > nice they can be. > > > > > > > > This story will either make you cry, give you cold > > > > chills or just leave you cold, but it puts life into > >perspective! > > > > > > > > At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves > > > > learning-disabled children, the father of one of the > >school's students > > > > > > > delivered a speech that would never be forgotten > > > > by all that attended. > > > > > > > > After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he > > > > offered a question. > > > > "Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my > > > > son Shay cannot learn things as other children do. > > > > He cannot understand things as other children do. > > > > > > > > Where is God's plan reflected in my son?" The > > > > audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. > > > > "I believe," the father answered, "that when > > > > God brings a child like Shay into the world, an > > > > opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself > > > > and it comes in the way people treat that child." > > > > > > > > Then, he told the following story: > > > > > > > > Shay and his father had walked past a park where some > > > > boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, > > > > "Do you think they will let me play?" Shay's father knew > > > > that the boys would not want him on their team. But the > > > > father understood that if his son were allowed to play it > > > > would give him much-needed sense of belonging. > > > > Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field > > > > and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around > > > > for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took > > > > matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by > >six > > > > runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess > > > > he can be on our team and we'll try to put him up to bat > > > > in the ninth inning." > > > > In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored > > > > a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of > > > > the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the > > > > outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously > > > > ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to > > > > ear as his father waved to him from the stands. > > > > In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored > > > > again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the > > > > potential winning run was on base. Shay was > > > > scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team > > > > actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away > > > > their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, > > > > Shay was given the bat. > > > > Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible > > > > because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat > > > > properly, much less connect with the ball. > > > > However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher > >moved a > > > > few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at > >least be > > > > able to make contact. > > > > The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. > > > > The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the > >ball softly > > > > toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball > >and hit a > > >slow > > > > ground ball to the pitcher. > > > > The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could > > > > easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay > >would have > > >been out > > > > and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher > >took the > > >ball and > > > > threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach > >of the first > > >baseman. > > > > Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first, run to > > > > first." Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first > >base. He > > >scampered > > > > down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone > >yelled, "run to > > >second, > > > > run to second!" By the time Shay was rounding first base, > >the right > > >fielder > > > > had the ball. He > > > > could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a > > > > tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's > >intentions > > >had been, > > > > so he threw the ball high and far over the third > >baseman's head. Shay > > >ran > > > > towards second base as the runners ahead of him > >deliriously circled > > >the bases > > > > towards home.. > > > > As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop > > > > ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, > > > > and shouted, "run to third!" As Shay rounded third, the > >boys from > > >both teams > > > > were screaming, "Shay! > > > > Run home!" Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was > >cheered as > > >the hero > > > > for hitting a "grand slam" and winning the game for his > >team. > > > > "That day," said the father softly with tears now > > > > rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped > >bring a piece > > >of the > > > > Divine Plan into this world." > > > > And now, a footnote to the story: We all send > > > > thousands of jokes through e-mail without a second > >thought, but when > > >it > > > > comes to sending messages regarding life choices, people > >think twice > > >about > > > > sharing. The crude, vulgar and sometimes the obscene pass > >freely > > >through cyberspace, > > > > but public discussion of decency is too often suppressed > >in > > > > school and the workplace. > > > > > > > > If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you > > > > are probably thinking about which people on your address > >list aren't > > >the > > > > "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. > > > > > > > > The person who sent this to you believes that we can > > > > all make a difference. > > > > We all have dozens of opportunities a day to help > > > > realize God's plan. So many seemingly trivial > >interactions between > > >people > > > > present us with a choice; do we pass along a spark of the > >Divine-love > > >that God > > > > gives to us every day? > > > > Or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the world > > > > a bit colder in the process? > My prayer for you is that you will allow God to shine through you today and always. ===== Bound at every limb by my shackles of fear/Sealed with lies through so many tears/Lost from within, pursuing the end/I fight for the chance to be lied to again/You will never be strong enough/You will never be good enough/You were never conceived in love/You will not rise above --Evanescence "Lies" ------------------------------ End of eda-thoughts-digest V6 #29 *********************************