Topic(s): Joy

As we rolled five-year-old Mary into the MRI room, I tried to imagine what she must be feeling. She had suffered a stroke that left half of her body paralyzed, had been hospitalized for treatment of a brain tumor, and had recently lost her father, her mother, and her home. We all wondered how Mary would react.

She went into the MRI without the slightest protest. At that time, each imagining sequence required the patient to remain perfectly still for about five minutes. This would have been difficult for anyone—and certainly for a five-year-old who had suffered so much. We were taking an image of her head, so any movement of her face, including talking, would result in image distortion.

About two minutes into the first sequence, we noticed on the video monitor that Mary’s mouth was moving. We heard a muted voice over the intercom. We halted the exam and gently reminded Mary not to talk. She was smiling and promised not to talk.

We reset the machine and started over. Once again we saw her facial movement and heard her voice faintly. What she was saying wasn’t clear. Everyone was becoming a little impatient; a busy schedule that had been put on hold to perform an emergency MRI on Mary.

We went back in and slid Mary out of the machine. Once again, she looked at us with her crooked smile and wasn’t upset in the least. The technologist, perhaps a bit gruffly, said, “Mary, you were talking again, and that causes blurry pictures.” Mary’s smile remained as she replied, “I wasn’t talking. I was singing. You said no talking.” We looked at each other, feeling a little silly. “What were you singing?” someone asked. “Jesus Loves Me,” came the barely perceptible reply. “I always sing Jesus Loves Me when I’m happy.” Everyone in the room was speechless. Happy? How could this little girl be happy? The technologist and I had to leave the room for a moment to regain our composure as tears began to fall.

Many times since that day, when feeling stressed, unhappy, or dissatisfied with some part of my life, I have thought of Mary, and have felt both humbled and inspired. Her example made me see that happiness is a marvelous gift—free to anyone willing to accept it. —Via Leonard Street Light, Leonard Street Church of Christ

"Rejoice evermore.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16

Biometrics: The Iris

Topic(s): Science

“The eye to this day gives me a cold shudder.” (Charles Darwin, A letter to a friend, 1860)

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 139:14).

 According to an article titled, “What is Iris Recognition Technology?” World Wide Web, wisegeek, January 24, 2007, “Iris recognition technology offers the highest accuracy in identifying individuals of any method available. This is because no two irises are alike—not between identical twins, or even between the left and right eye of the same person. Irises are also stable; unlike other identifying characteristics that can change with age, the pattern of one’s iris is fully formed by ten months of age and remains the same for the duration of their lifetime. Iris recognition technology is also accurate because it uses more than 240 points of reference in an iris pattern as a basis for a match. By comparison, fingerprints use about 60.”

Amazing! We humans have individual fingerprints, individual DNA Code. It is now proved scientifically that the eye iris is uniquely ours for life, along with our other identifying uniqueness. These identifying features of the human body are called Biometrics, by the scientific community. All human identification features are uniquely yours and mine; now isn’t that astonishing?

How can anyone believe we evolved by sheer chance, starting with a “big bang” to a “slime pit,” thus bringing “life”? Talk about “science fiction”! We have all these multiplied evidences of order, design, and the complete uniqueness of each human that ever lived on the “face of the earth.” The only logical answer is, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:1, 27)

Yes, Mr. Darwin, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”—Donald Fox

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” —1 Thessalonians 5:21

For What Will This Church Be Known?

Topic(s): Church

• For its love of selves, or its love of lost souls? (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
• For its spreading gossip, or its spreading the gospel? (Mark 16:15).
• For its rudderless drifting, or its strong leadership? (1 Peter 5:1–4).
• For its low ideals, or its lofty goals? (Colossians 3:2).
• For its knowledge of the world, or its knowledge of the Word? (Acts 17:11).
• For its financial limitations, or its generous giving? (2 Corinthians 8:1–6).
• For its comatose Christians, or its many active members? (Ephesians 4:16).
• For its selfish pursuits, or its selfless serving? (Galatians 5:13).
• For its internal strife, or its brotherly love? (John 13:34–35).
• For is cold shoulders, or its warm fellowship? (1 Peter 1:22).
• For its living below God’s expectations, or its living above the world? (1 John 3:3–6).
• For its helping itself, or its helping the needy? (2 Corinthians 9:12-13).
• For its innovations in worship, or its spiritual and true worship? (John 4:24).
• For its accolade of men, or its glorifying of God? (Ephesians 3:21).
• For its stagnation, or its vibrancy? (2 Peter 3:18).

For what will this church be known? Actually the question is, for what will you be known? Because if you are a member of this church, then the church will be known for these things to the extent that you are! —Doug Smith