Topic(s): Children, Prayer

My 11-year-old son, Josh, and I like to pray using the letters of the alphabet. We start with A and pray for someone or something that begins with that letter and then continue until we reach Z. Usually we pray for friends and family, but we also pray for other countries, so it becomes a geography lesson!
—Mary W., Plainville, Kansas

“Pray without ceasing . . .” —1 Thessalonians 5:17

$50 is $50

Topic(s): Humor

Morris and his wife went to the state fair every year, and every year Morris would say, “Esther, I’d like to ride in that helicopter.” Esther always replied, “I know Morris, but that helicopter ride is 50 dollars and 50 dollars is 50 dollars.”

One year Esther and Morris went to the fair, and Morris said, “Esther, I’m 85 years old. If I don’t ride that helicopter, I might never get another chance.” Esther replied, “Morris, that helicopter is 50 dollars and 50 dollars is 50 dollars.”

The pilot overheard the couple and, thinking there could well be some fun in this for him, said to them, “Folks, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll take you both up! If you can stay quiet for the whole ride, not say a word, I won’t charge you a dime. If you do say a word, the charge is 50 dollars for you both.”

Morris and Esther agreed and up they went. The pilot did all kinds of fancy moves. Not a word was heard. He did his dare devil tricks over and over, but still not a word. When they landed, the pilot turned to Morris and said, “I did everything I could to make you yell out, but you didn’t and I’m impressed!”

Morris replied, “Well, I was going to say something when Esther fell out, but 50 dollars is 50 dollars!”

“Rejoice evermore” —1 Thessalonians 5:16

Will They Let Me Play?

Topic(s): Children, Love

People always say how mean kids can be, and never how nice they can be. This story made me cry the first two times I read it. It surely helps put life into perspective!

At a fund raising dinner for a school for 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 a 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 toward second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward 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.”
—via The Lincoln Light, Huntsville, Alabama

“Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?” —Matthew 18:33