WATCH BIRD OF THE VENT By Marion Smith

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only
Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
everlasting life.

I looked out the hotel window and observed a circular air vent across
the way. Many sparrows were flying in and out of it. I noticed one
pathetic little bird who tried to get in the vent, but all his
attempts were in vain.

In Biblical times, there was a watchman at the gate of each city, and
there, in San Antonio, Texas, there seemed to be a watch bird of the
vent! This bird guarded the nesting area , and was the “keeper of the
vent ”, so to speak. The watch bird denied my little feathered friend
admittance to the nesting area, and it made me sad. Why, I wondered,
did he not belong? What had he done or where had he been hatched, or
what was his physical deformity that kept him as “the outsider”? He
seemed determined to gain admittance, flying from one side to the
other, trying to make his swoop in to the area. Finally, however, he
gave up his valiant effort and just flew away.

In God’s house there is no watchman at the gate to deny our
admittance. There is no station of birth, no bad deed we have done,
nor any deformity that will keep us barred from the house of the Lord.
As a matter of fact, God sent His only son to give us an individual
invitation into God’s presence. What a wonderful invitation that
is...and such a personal one, too. What a wonderful God we have! He
knows each one of us personally and He invites us to know and live
with him forever, through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

THANK YOU. FATHER FOR THE INVITATION YOU HAVE GIVEN US TO
RESIDE WITH YOU FOREVER.

WHAT PRAYER CAN DO By Bob Perks

When I write my stories I try to inspire. This one won't inspire you, it will bring you to your knees.

If you want to put your own challenges in life in proper perspective, tell people that you will pray for them.

That's what I did in my last message.

Reading them told me "My life is now perfect." Or at least so much better than I thought.

Here's what I heard:

My marriage is failing.

I am suffering from panic, anxiety and depression.

I need money $2,690 for my rent.

I work in a children's hospital...they need prayer

We are living in our car.

A young boy fell down 14 steps.

I have Crohns disease.

My husband needs a miracle.

I've lost contact with my son...he has challenges.

I am seriously over weight and need the will power.

I am caring for my grandmother (Parkinson's) and we have
nowhere to take her for care. My husband may lose his job.

I had a girlfriend I never appreciated, now separated by miles
and regret not seeing her as "the one" when we were together.

I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Pray with me regarding my marriage.

An arson fire forced us to another place we don't feel is "home."

Friends suffering with health issues, spouse and I are not connected,
elderly mother dying, children away,
hard to see grandchildren. ..

Pray that two masses are removed from my lung.

My son's return to Christian faith.

I have cancer today is my first treatment.

My children's health issues and my husband leaving.

I am blind and need a part time job...employers are "afraid to hire
me."

i want to love and be loved after all that is what gives
meaning to life......i have nothing and so my life has no meaning.
simple written request...Please pray for me.

My siblings need financial help and I cannot help this time.

Depression.

Anxiety and panic disorder.

and more.

Does that put your life in perspective? Please join me in prayer.
"I wish you enough!"

Bob Perks

I encourage you to share my stories but
I do ask that you keep my name and contact
information with my work.

If you would like to receive Bob's Inspirational
stories, please visit http://www.IWishYou Enough.com
and submit your email address.
"I Wish You enough!"

2001 Bob Perks
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear
much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."

A PILLOW AND A BLANKET Author Unknown

A long time ago, a young, wealthy girl was getting ready for bed. She
was saying her prayers when she heard a muffled crying coming through
her window. A little frightened, she went over to the window and
leaned out.

Another girl, who seemed to be about her age and homeless was standing
in the alley by the rich girl's house. Her heart went out to the
homeless girl, for it was the dead of winter, and the girl had no
blanket, only old newspapers someone had thrown out.

The rich girl was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea. She called to
the other girl and said, "You there, come to my front door, please."

The homeless girl was so startled she could only manage to nod.

As quick as her legs could take her, the young girl ran down the hall
to her mothers closet, and picked out an old quilt and a beat up
pillow. She had to walk slower down to the front door as to not trip
over the quilt which was hanging down, but she made it eventually.
Dropping both the articles, she opened the door. Standing there was
the homeless girl, looking quite scared.

The rich girl smiled warmly and handed both articles to the other
girl. Her smile grew wider as she watched the true amazement and
happiness alight upon the other girl's face. She went to bed
incredibly satisfied.

In mid-morning the next day a knock came to the door. The rich girl
flew to the door hoping that it was the other little girl there. She
opened the large door and looked outside. It was the other little
girl. Her face looked happy, and she smiled. "I suppose you want these
back."

The rich little girl opened her mouth to say that she could keep them
when another idea popped into her head. "No, I want them back."

The homeless girl's face fell. This was obviously not the answer she
had hoped for. She reluctantly laid down the beat up things, and
turned to leave when the rich girl yelled, "Wait! Stay right there."

She turned in time to see the rich girl running up the stairs and down
a long corridor. Deciding whatever the rich little girl was doing
wasn't worth waiting for she started to turn around and walk away. As
her foot hit the first step, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder,
turning she saw the rich little girl, thrusting a new blanket and pillow at her. "Have these." she said quietly.

These were her own personal belonging made of silk and down feathers.

As the two grew older they didn't see each other much, but they were
never far from each other's minds. One day, the Rich girl, who was now
a Rich woman got a telephone call from someone. A lawyer, saying that
she was requested to see him.

When she arrived at the office, he told her what had happened. Forty
years ago, when she was nine years old, she had helped a little girl
in need. That grew into a middle-class woman with a husband and two
children. She had recently died and left something for her in her
will. "Though," the lawyer said, "it's the most peculiar thing. She
left you a pillow and a blanket."

TRAVELING COMPANION By Sally I. Kennedy

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to bewith you forever - the Spirit of truth. John 14:16-17

The small potty chair traveled everywhere my young grandson went.
His mom was potty-training him. So the day they came over for a swim,
they arrived with the minipotty in tow. Ryan had on swim diapers,
however the little potty was handy at the side of the pool. My
daughter would haul it around; it was never very far away from
wherever her toddler was.

We are in training, too. Faith training; the journey of our faith
walk. No last chapter on that, not in this lifetime.

Fortunately we have someone who is with us everywhere we go: a guide,
teacher, helper. The Holy Spirit is our constant traveling companion.

That is good news. Thank you, Jesus.

A GRATITUDE TO A MOTHER Author Unknown

“An ounce of Mother is worth a pound of clergy.” It reminds us of what
we so easily forget, that our parents especially our mothers, are the
arch teachers of our religious values. We value and appreciate mother
love because it is the best and most persistent example we have of how
God loves us, which is unconditional.

There is another proverb that says, “God could not be everywhere; that
is why he made mothers.” This is one of the reasons that the Mother of
Jesus has been so consistently honored throughout history of
Christianity. If we ever feel that God is far away, cold and distant,
Mary comes to us and reminds us of how close God is and how much He
loves us.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “No one is poor who had a good mother.”
American author Washington Irving states, “A father may turn his back
on a child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies,
husbands may desert their wives and wives their husbands, but a
mother’s love never fails.”

No matter what her children do, a mother stays faithful to them. She
remembers the infant smiles that filled her heart with rupture. She
recalls the laughter and shouts of her children. She never forgets the
opening promise of youth. No one can ever convince her that her
children are unworthy of love and forgiveness. What else is Raphael’s
Madonna but the outline of a mother’s love, fixed forever on a
splendid canvas?

Former opera star Beverly Sills addressed a national meeting of
Educators in New York. She had one of the most beautiful voices in the
world. One of her children is deaf and the other is severely mentally
handicapped. One child cannot hear her voice, and the other cannot
appreciate its beauty. Said Sills, “I love my two children with all my
heart. Should someone offer me a thousand other children, I would
never trade my two for them.”

Said one mother, “Moms love in many different ways. Someday when my
children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a
mother, I will tell them:

I loved you enough to ask you about where you are going, with whom and
what time you would get home.

I loved you enough to make you return a Milky Way with a bite out of
it to a drugstore and confess, “I stole this”.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned
your room, a job that would have taken me fifteen minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment. Disgust and
tears in my eyes.

I loved you enough to admit I was wrong and ask for your forgiveness.
Loved you enough to let you stumble, fall and get hurt. But most of
all, I loved you enough to say no when you hated me for it. That’s the
hardest part of all.