Bethlehem - The City Where Jesus Was Born

This is the story of the shepherds in Bethlehem at the announcement of the angels of Jesus' birth. The verses are as read from Luke 2:8-16. So that you understand, I will quote the verse and then in parenthesis, I will explain what the picture is.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (A shepherd's field in Bethlehem. This area is under lock and key by the YMCA.)

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. (Another view of the field that would have been used by the shepherds of that day - not particularly the ones used by those who saw Jesus, but very similiar)

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (Look at how beautiful these fields are with all their greenery. No wonder, the shepherds used fields like these.)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (This is the view of the city that the shepherds would have had when the angel came and made this announcement of the birth of Jesus.)

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe

wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,

and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

(This is the rear entrance to a shepherds' cave, like the one used by Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.)

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

(Inside view of the shepherds' cave where Joseph and Mary would have stayed on that glorious night. This would not have been a very comfortable place to stay.)

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. (Hopefully, you could tell that this would be a manger. Jesus would have been laid in something similar to this when he was born on that Christmas night.)

Bet She'an

This is a picture from the top of the Tell here. Quite an amazing few from the top here. Off to the top right hand corner would be the bathhouse. The top left hand corner would be the theatre and in the bottom left hand corner would be the temple to the pagan gods.

Here are two more overview pictures from the top of the Tell that we climbed.

This is an idol that was found from the time of the Philistines. It is actually of the Pharoah of Egypt, Ramses III. The Philistines took these idols and chopped off their arms and legs as a mockery to the religion of the Egyptians. When a country would conquer a nation, not only were they conquering the nation as a whole, but it was a symbol of a religion conquering a religion and thus they made a mockery of this idol.

These are the first century steps that lead up to the temple to the pagan gods. Everything here in the city was destroyed by an earthquake. Excavators have stood some of the pillars and things up in different areas, but this temple shows the ultimate ruin of the city.

Standing here on Paladius street, one can see a beautiful mound called the Tell. This is where the military would have been in this city. On the top is a palace from the king. His throne room is up there, and some artifacts from the city.

This is an overview of the city of Bet She'an. The city is about six times as large as the little area that we went into, but we went to where most of the remains would have been. The rest is all houses and motels now.

This is your sauna, as we would know it today. You can see on the far side of the room, there are some passage ways for heat to enter the room. These checker-like pieces are actually under the floor. They will heat up to extreme temperatures and obviously heat up the floor itself to temperatures unbearable to the feet. Then one would enter the room and pour water all over the floor, creating a steam room. This would be for use after a workout in the gymnasium just outside of the bathhouse.

This is a layout of the bathhouse here in Bet She'an. It is a rather large building. Numerous things would go on here. One could take a cold bath, hot bath, or use the heat room that was already mentioned. The people of the city could also come here for their ritual baths before going to the temples. They also could perform baptisms here and even workout here. The gymnasium would be a large building just at the entrance to this complex. Many exercises could be done here in the gymnasium, just like we can do many workouts in our gyms today.

This is one of the baptisms that is still visible today in the bathhouse. Just to note here, quickly, that these people obviously believed in immersion for their baptisms.

After exiting the bathhouse, one will find themselves on this first century street. The street is called Palladius street after a man named Palladius. Our Greek scholar, Mr. Armacost, read this in a mosaic inscription there on the street. This would have been the main street in the city.

This is the Theatre. The Romans would open these up for all to attend for free. It would give the people a sense of excitement over the Romans being in control. These were used for plays and other things. Underneath the stage is the changing rooms. We entered into this theatre and heard a man singing some soul music in here and were able to hear how well the accoustics are in these Theatres.

Scripture events in Bet She'an: After Saul and his sons were killed on Mount Gilboa, they were taken here by the Philistines and hung in the streets for all to see. They would have cut off Saul's head and placed it on a pole at the top of the Tell for all to see.

PARTING SHOT

Arbel Pass

The actual Arbel Pass. Jesus

would have passed through this same pass.

Look how green and beautiful this country is!

You can see caves at the bottom of the mountain.
People hid from the Romans in these caves.
The Romans repelled from the top down to these caves
And killed these Jews. Talk about another Holocaust.





They say that now when you go into these caves,
You can find wild cows and bulls in the back of them.
They must be following in the steps the Jews.
Hiding from the one who seeks to slaughter them.






This is a large mountain range.
Again, you can see the caves here.

The Front of the Arbel Pass.

We did not hike down it as the last trip did,

but we still enjoyed the beauty of the area.

Zao Island

I have been desiring to keep my sisters informed as to what has been going on here. We have been enjoying ourselves and keeping our time busy. While dad was gone over to Israel, Lindsey and I were able to take a few outings and have some fun together. I am telling you that we had a blast. I am putting a few pictures from our times together in this post and others in the future.

The first Friday that dad was gone, we took the afternoon and went to Zao Island in Valparaiso. Following our expensive go-cart ride and some time in the batting cages, we found ourselves at the local McDonald's and then ended up across the street at Oberweis Ice Cream shop there in Valparaiso. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Look Out Racing World. Here comes the world's second woman Nascar Driver. She'll beat them all!
AND THE WINNER IS: LINDSEY LESLIE. Even though she came in behind everyone else on the track and they even had to turn her engine down on the throttle so that she would slow down enough to stop. But Her hand was raced in victory and she is proud of that fact
.






You might have thought Nascar was in for a surprise awakening but I am telling you that Major League Baseball has a bigger star than that on the horizon.



And to top that off, she has just added a third sport to her professional athletic resume. How many athletes do you know that play three different sports, in one day at that. She just added motorcycle racing. Hey, she would probably do better than I would, but really, can you picture Lindsey riding on a motorcycle. It is quite the site to imagine.
Folks, I hope that you enjoyed these pictures. Let me know your thoughts that I may better the pictures in the future. Thanks alot!


Jim Leslie

Before I begin, I would like to say a few things. Number one, when I noticed that I was scheduled to preach this Thursday since the beginning of the semester, I knew that God knew what he was doing. A couple of months ago, I had a burden to preach my mother’s funeral, but I knew that she would rather have Preacher preach her funeral. I was talking about this time to someone a couple of days ago, and they said, maybe, God wanted you to preach the prelude of mom’s funeral. I just want to give you a couple things that I have learned since Friday, before I start. If I had asked for God to keep her alive any longer than that, it would be selfish of me. She is much better than we are. I also learned that as a guy, I must be strong before the ladies of my family. I am not saying don’t have emotions. If a man can’t cry, he is too prideful. And yes, I have cried myself to sleep a few times over the past few weeks, but I knew that God was in control. God is so Good.


Looking at our lives, I can see the blessing that has been given to us to have great preachers. I think we all have our favorite preachers. I think of Preacher and thank God for his strong preaching. Then I think of others like Pastor Whitecar and Dr. Allison, and Pastor Ouellette. I then think farther back than them and remember Dr. Bob Kelley, and Phil Schuler. Then I think even farther back to the preaching ministries of John R. Rice, and Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. I think of the Prince of Preachers: Charles Spurgeon. Then I think to the Bible days of Paul, and Peter. Elijah and Isaiah. I think of so many preachers and so many of them, I long to have heard, but the preacher that I would wish to hear more than any would be the Lord Jesus Christ himself. I would have loved to hear him preach that Sermon on the Mount. It would have been wonderful to hear him introduce his sermon with the beatitudes in Matthew 5, if you would turn there. I would have love to here him compare himself to the law. Then to hear him preach of Spiritual standards and Inward purity. It would have been great to hear him preach on marriage, and to hear him transition into a Christian’s love for the Lord. Oh, how I wish, I could have heard him touch on Benevolence, and continue to the crux of his message: Prayer. He would then continue to preach about investing in Heavenly things and not worrying about the world. Then he went back to the necessity of prayer. It would have been a treat to hear him teach on the golden rule and to conclude his message by speaking on the House that stood on a rock. These would have all be wonderful, but being the perfect example, it would have been wonderful to hear him talk about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We find this point of his message, directly following his introduction, in verses 13-16 of Matthew 5. Let’s read this passage.

I.Ye are the Salt of the earth: but if the salt hath lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?

For years, I have been puzzled over the statement, “if the salt hath lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?” A few months ago, I heard a story that answered my questions. My cousin, Brooke, pray for her, if you would, was raised in a home, not quite as much Bible as I had, but was given much of the Gospel. She knew what was right and what was wrong. A few months ago, as I said, we received, either a phone call or an email, saying that she was in the hospital from stab wounds. After hearing the story develop, I was informed that she, a year younger than me, was married. Her husband was overseas, serving his country, and how I am thankful for men like that. But when he came home on furlough, she suspected him to be cheating on her. After he returned to the battlegrounds, she and her friends decided to go confront this girl. Arriving at her house, they began to argue. Over the course of events, a friend of the girl inside convinced her to take a knife and go stab her. She went outside and stabbed her in the stomach and in the side. She had undergone multiple surgeries by the time that we found out. She had lost her savor. When we no longer affect our friends in a positive way for the Lord, we have lost our savor. Not only then but a long time before then.

II.Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Secondly, in this sermon from the Lord, I can hear him tell those people on the hillside, listening, that they are to be the light of the world. The majority of us Christians have been striving to be a light for the Lord to the world but how we struggle to accomplish this goal. I can remember just a few weeks ago, sitting up in the hospital with mom, when the Lord smacked me in the face with this point of my sermon. Yes, I had been praying for God to work on my life through this passage. He did it ever so humbly. As we were sitting there, every nurse that came into the room or passed by the room, Lindsey my little sister would look at us and ask if they were going to Heaven. I can picture her pointing at them and saying, “Heaven?” And then she would look at the stack of tracts sitting there. She would take a tract to them and ask them, and we would have to tell them what she was saying.

How is it that an 18-year-old girl with Down syndrome can follow the Word of God better than us, yet we are the ones who can actually read the Word? I don’t mean this in a bad way, but how can a retarded child obey God so easily, yet we cannot even carry tracts in our pocket let alone give one to someone in need. I can think of countless times when I would want to give out a tract but I would not have any to give. Our lights ought to shine before ALL men that as the Scripture says, “we might glorify your Father which is in Heaven?”

III. Ye are a candle not hid under a bushel.

A.Being the son of a maintenance man, I began
to compare a light fixture to a candle and ask God why does he tell us that we are like a candle. Over the last few weeks, God has shown me three things that I want to look at in conclusion. First of all, a candle is moveable. I heard it said, “How it would be great to see how much a candle can do in the hands of the master?” How much more would we be able to accomplish if we were in the hands of the Master? It shouldn’t matter where God tells me to go, I should go. He could tell me to go to the place of the lowest of the low, and I should go. He could tell me to go to the place of the vilest of the vile, and I should go. He could tell me to go to the place of the darkest of the dark, and my light should still shine for Him. I ought to be moveable. How is it that on her way out of surgery, could try to witness to that transport team? How is it that all those people in the last year and a half of mom’s life were saved because of her testimony? How is it that she was able, on her death bed, in the hospital, to still have a stack of tracts for Bro. Courtney’s church sitting on the table beside her bed? How is it? Because she was willing to go even unto death, to let her light shine for the Lord. No matter where God wants me to go, I should be willing to go.

B.I also was shown by the Lord that no matter
what happens, the candle will still burn. When the power has seemingly gone out, a candle would still burn. A couple of Fridays ago, my dad, jokingly, said, “Its Volleyball Marathon, get the generators out.” As we know, we did need those generators. But what else do we usually get out when the power goes out. We usually go and get out the candles. We let the candles burn and give us light as the Bible says, “to all that are in the house.” As men, we are to be the leaders in our homes and in our churches some day, and the power may seemingly be gone from these places, but we are to let our lights shine on. We expect to be able to let our light shine with our wife and kids but yet, we won’t let our light shine in our dating life. Let me tell you something, buster. If your light won’t shine now with your girlfriend, it won’t shine later with your wife or later with your kids. We want our light to shine later, but we sit a little to close up in the service. We want our light to shine later, but we hold hands before we are married. We want our light to shine later but we won’t let it shine now. God cannot bless us. We need God’s power in our families and eventually in our churches. When the power has gone out all around me, my light will still shine. When no one else will fight, I’ll fight. When no one else will stand, I’ll stand. When no one else will preach, I will. When no one else will sing, I will. When no one else will fight on, I will. When no one else will stand up, I will. When no one else will tell the truth, I will. It doesn’t matter if the power is gone, My Light Will Still Shine before the Lord.

C. Lastly, when the light does go out, I must take time to relight that candle. I will otherwise be in the dark about the things of the Lord. I remember a few months ago, when it was really cold and snow was on the ground, I felt as if the Lord’s power was not on me. I felt as if my light had gone out. The Lord convicted me about taking some time out of my busy schedule and spending time with Him. That Saturday night about six o’ clock, I went out to the dunes and hiked for about an hour. There I found a bench and just spent some time in with my Bible and the Lord. My light was gone out and I had to take time to get right with God. How will we do this? This will only come by spending time in the Word of God and in prayer. As Paul did leave some final instructions for Timothy before he died, so did my mother leave some final charges for me in this letter here. One thing in particular that stuck out to me was, “Jim, stay in God's Word. You get wisdom there. And you need wisdom. When we see folks make dumb mistakes with their money, time, relationships, whatever... it goes back to a lack of time spent in the Bible. It's a wonderful Book; I've really learned that since I got sick. And learn to pray. ” We must spend time with the Lord if we expect our lives to be of any substance and of any fulfillment in the lives of others.


Conclusion: I want you all to listen to this and search your hearts. Find out what your life contains and ask God to work on your life through this. I have heard this a few times and perhaps you have too.


In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read 'Girls I have liked.' I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named 'Friends' was next to one marked 'Friends I have betrayed.' The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird 'Books I Have Read,' 'Lies I Have Told,' 'Comfort I have Given,' 'Jokes I Have Laughed at .' Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: 'Things I've yelled at my brothers.' Others I couldn't laugh at: 'Things I Have Done in My Anger', 'Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.' I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.


Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked ‘Music I have listened to’, I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked 'Lustful Thoughts,' I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content..

I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!' In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.


Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it.. The title bore 'People I Have Shared the Gospel With.' The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here.. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. 'No!' I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was 'No, no,' as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.

He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, 'It is finished.' I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.


Let me ask you today, what cards will be written and added to your card file. Will they be filled with ways that your light did shine before men, or not? As we stand at the threshold of the door to eternity, we must strive to let the light of Jesus shine through us, and affect those who are left behind: saved or unsaved. Is your light shining before men? Let’s pray.

School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to apologize for the lack of updates on my site. I have been extremely busy with school and with work. I sincerely apologize for not continuing to update here. I will try my best to do it, but I cannot make anything too promising. If I don't I will continue after graduation.

A Soldier's Night Before Christmas

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO, IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE.
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I’D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN’T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
“SANTA DON’T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON’T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.”

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN’T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT’S CHILL.

I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, “CARRY ON SANTA, IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.”

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
“MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.”

Remember

Steel birds tore through the sky,

Carrying loved ones of you and I.

Twin towers standing tall,

Too strong, we thought, to ever fall.

Those birds of prey broke our hearts

As we watched our world fall apart.

Steel wings cut through flesh and bone

But could not destroy our soul.

More targets, more lives,

The toll still untold.

Overwhelming fear and heartache

Filled every home.

Remember those who were lost.

Fight for those memories at any cost.

Remember freedom as it rings loud.

Remember freedom and stand proud.

Sadness and confusion give way,

Keep faith in a new day.

We will find the nest from which those birds came,

Tear them down without shame.

Our hearts are filled to burst

With love for all those hurt.

Together as a nation, a world, we stand tall.

We will move past the horror we saw.

Remember those who were lost.

Fight for those memories at any cost.

Remember freedom as it rings loud.

Remember freedom and stand proud.

Something for Stevie

I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react. Stevie was short, a little dumpy, with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down syndrome.

I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers. Truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the food is good and the pies are homemade. The ones who concerned me were the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truckstop germ;" and the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truckstop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie, so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.

I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger. Within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truckstop mascot. After that I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought. He was a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table.

Our only problem was convincing him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus the dishes and glasses onto the cart and meticulously wipe the table with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met.

Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truckstop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.

That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Down syndrome often have heart problems at an early age, so this wasn't unexpected. There was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, let out a war whoop and did a little dance the aisle when she heard the good news.

Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, grinned. "Okay, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked. "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay,” she responded. “I was wondering where he was," said Belle. Frannie quickly told him and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed. "Yeah, I m glad he is going to be okay," she said, "but I don't know how he and his mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.

After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand a funny look on her face. "What's up?" I asked. "That table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting," she said, "this was folded and tucked under a coffee cup." She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed “Something For Stevie.”

"Pony Pete also asked me what that dance was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply, "Truckers."

That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. We met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back.

Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting. "Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast, "I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you two is on me. I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession.

We stopped in front of the big table; its surface covered with a mess of coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. "First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said, trying to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at dozens of napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it.

I turned to his mother. "There's over $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving!" Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, too. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table... best worker I ever hired.

by. Alice Gray

Volleyball Marathon

The cost of pretty much everything has gone up. That is all but gas. Due to the struggling economy, prices of pretty much everything have sky-rocketed; including fees for school. As a result of this, many Christian colleges are closing their doors in the next few months. This is a sad statement but is true.

Fairhaven Baptist College has not plans to close its doors and is relying on God to keep its doors open. But we would like to extend a request to you to support our college. Through our annual Volleyball Marathon in February, the students of Fairhaven Baptist College put in their part of keeping the tuition low. We would ask that you support us for this special week.

It goes like this, we play volleyball for about 100 hours during this week. Not all of us, the entire time. I would like to ask you to sponsor each of these 100 hours for a specific amount of money. For instance, if you sponsor each hour for $ .10, then you would sponsor for $10.00 total. We definitely accept any size donation. For any donation, we would like to say, "Thank you!" in advance.

It would be my privilege to have you sponsor me for this week. I just ask that you leave a comment for me, with your address that I may send more information to you regarding this fundraiser.


Note: This donation is tax deductible.

Forgive Me When I Whine!

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair; I envied her -- she seemed so gay, and how, I wished I were so fair; When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle; she had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile. Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two feet -- the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm; he seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm; I said, "It's nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find"; he turned and said, "Oh, thank you sir." And then I saw that he was blind. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue; he stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do; I stopped a moment, then I said, "Why don't you join the others, dear?" He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear. Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go; with eyes to see the sunsets glow, with ears to hear what I would know. I am blessed indeed. The world is mine; oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

Mother left without her son!

This is beautiful!

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: 'How is my little girl? Is she going to be all right? When can I see her?'

The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your girl didn't make it.'

Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my daughter needed you?'

The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your daughter? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before she's transported to the university.'

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to daughter. She ran her fingers lovingly through her thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of her hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the girl's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, 'It was Jenny's idea to donate her body to the University for Study. She said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jenny said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little girl spend one more day with her Mom.' She went on, 'My Jenny had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if she could.'

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jenny's belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jenny's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her daughter's room.

She started placing the dolls and other personal things back in her room exactly where she had always kept them. She lay down across her bed and, hugging her pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

'Dear Mom,

I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day.. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little girl so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. She can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a boy instead, he probably wouldn't like the same things us girls do. You'll have to buy him model cars and stuff boys like, you know.

Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I needed him?' 'God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross.. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore the cancer is all gone.... I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from

God, Jesus & Me.

Thought of the Day

Your past may have defined who you were today, but don't let it define who you will be tomorrow.

Thought of the Day

" Life is always moving. Stand up and rise above the rest with passion in your arms and fire in your heart. Dare to dream, dream high, dream ahead...It is the game of winning!"

Thought of the day!

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES

... and those they left behind

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love." --- Washington Irving

Great opportunity for all!

I have 4 extra tickets for the Robbie Knievel (son of Evil Knievel) event at the Home Depot Center ( Albany , Oregon ) this weekend if anybody wants them.

He's going to try to jump 5,000 Obama supporters with a bulldozer.

Should be a good time.

Let me know...

Thought of the day!

" Your endurance is worth all that you have to go through in order to get to your life destination. Don't quit now, your prize is awaiting you!"

Thought of the day!

If you are prepared, you will be confident, and you will do a good job.

Thought of the day!

Never explain yourself. Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it.

Thought of the day!

" Effort only releases its reward when you refuse to quit."