EVERYDAY THANKSGIVING

                    EVEN THOUGH I CLUTCH MY BLANKET
               AND GROWL WHEN THE ALARM RINGS EACH
               MORNING, THANK YOU, LORD, THAT I CAN
               HEAR. THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE DEAF.

                    EVEN THOUGH I KEEP MY EYES TIGHTLY
               CLOSED AGAINST THE MORNING LIGHT AS
               LONG AS POSSIBLE, THANK YOU, LORD, THAT
               I CAN SEE.  THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE BLIND.

                    EVEN THOUGH I HUDDLE IN MY BED AND
               PUT OFF THE EFFORT OF RISING, THANK YOU,
               LORD, THAT I HAVE THE STRENGTH TO RISE.
               THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE BEDRIDDEN.

                    EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST HOUR OF MY
               DAY IS HECTIC, WHEN SOCKS ARE LOST,
               TOAST IS BURNED AND TEMPERS ARE SHORT,
               THANK YOU, LORD, FOR MY FAMILY.  THERE
               ARE MANY WHO ARE LONELY.

                    EVEN THOUGH OUR BREAKFAST TABLE
               NEVER LOOKS LIKE THE PICTURES IN
               MAGAZINES AND THE MENU IS AT TIMES
               UNBALANCED, THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THE
               FOOD WE HAVE.  THERE ARE MANY WHO
               ARE HUNGRY.

                    EVEN THOUGH THE ROUTINE OF MY JOB
               IS OFTEN MONOTONOUS, THANK YOU, LORD,
               FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK.  THERE
               ARE MANY WHO HAVE NO JOB.




                                          *****************
              
                   

MY ENCOUNTER WITH AN ANGEL ( Enilda Diaz )

     A FEW YEARS AGO MY GRANDDAUGHTER TATIANA WAS IN A HOSPITAL
IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.  SHE WAS VERY ILL.  SHE COULDN'T TALK
OR CLOSE HER MOUTH BECAUSE HER TONSILS WERE SO BIG THEY COVERED
UP MOST OF HER THROAT.  SHE HAD A SEVERE BACTERIAL INFECTION..  SHE
WAS ON A FEEDING TUBE AND WAS IN SUCH EXTREME PAIN THEY HAD TO
KEEP HER ON MORPHINE, TYLENOL AND STEROIDS.

     I WAS GOING CRAZY AND SCARED TO DEATH THAT SHE COULD DIE., SO
I DECIDED TO TAKE A BUS TO BOSTON EVEN THOUGH I WAS HAVING
PROBLEMS WITH MY KNEES AND KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR
ME TO BE TRAVELING ALONE.

     WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE BUSES 3
OR 4 TIMES.  I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY.  I LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA.  THE
FIRST BUS LEFT ME IN NEW YORK.  THERE I HAD TO WAIT IN LINE OVER AN
HOUR. TO GET ON THE NEXT BUS.  I WAS SO TIRED AND MY LEGS FELT LIKE
THEY WERE ON FIRE.  ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS TO BURST OUT CRYING
RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF EVERYONE., BUT I KEPT TRYING TO GET
CONTROL OF MYSELF BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO EMBARRASSING.
WHEN I FINALLY GOT IN THE BUS, IT WAS SUCH A RELIEF!, BUT THE DRIVER
TOLD US HE WAS LEAVING US IN ANOTHER TOWN AND WE WOULD HAVE TO
CONTINUE ON ANOTHER BUS.

I WAS TIRED. I WAS IN PAIN AND I WAS SCARED..  I KEPT PRAYING, "PLEASE
GOD, PLEASE SEND ME AN ANGEL TO TAKE CARE OF ME.  PLEASE,  I AM SO
SCARED.  I CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.  THE WHOLE TRIP I JUST KEPT PRAYING
AND PRAYING.  FINALLY WE GOT TO THE NEXT STOP AND HAD TO BOARD
ANOTHER BUS.  AS I DID ON THE FIRST BUS I KEPT PRAYING AND ASKING
GOD TO SEND ME AN ANGEL.

I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE OUR LAST STOP, BUT THEY TOOK US TO
ANOTHER BUS STATION AND TOLD US WE HAD TO TAKE ANOTHER BUS
TO THE NEXT TOWN WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME BECAUSE IT
WAS SO MANY YEARS AGO..  AS IN THE LAST 2 BUSES I KEPT PRAYING
TO GOD TO PLEASE SEND ME AN ANGEL.  WE GOT TO ANOTHER BUS
STATION AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHEN THE DRIVER TOLD ME I HAD
TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER BUS TO TAKE ME TO MY FINAL DESTINATION.
I THINK THAT WAS IN WORCESTER, BUT I COULD BE WRONG BECAUSE
LIKE I SAID THAT WAS A VERY LONG TIME AGO AND NO MATTER HOW
HARD I TRY  I CANNOT REMEMBER..

I GOT OUT OF THE BUS AND WALKED TO THE ENTRANCE.  I THOUGHT
I WOULD JUST GO IN AND SIT DOWN TO WAIT FOR THE BUS, BUT
SURPRISE!, SURPRISE! THE DOOR WAS LOCKED.  I COULD NOT BELIEVE
THE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND THERE WAS NOT A SOUL OUT THERE.
THERE WAS A BENCH.  I WENT AND SAT DOWN.  I WAS FEELING
MISERABLE NOW.  SO MISERABLE THAT THIS TIME I COULDN'T HOLD
BACK MY TEARS.  I SAW THE CARS PASSING BY AND I WAS SCARED
THAT SOMEBODY MIGHT STOP, GET OUT OF THE CAR AND ATTACK ME
OR SOMETHING.  WHY NOT?  I WAS EASY PREY.

I HAD NEVER FELT SO MISERABLE IN MY WHOLE LIFE.  I WAS SCARED;
I WAS IN PAIN AND I WAS COLD.  I ONLY HAD A LIGHT JACKET ON AND
I WAS SO COLD I WAS TREMBLING.  I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING
FOR A CUP OF HOT COFFEE TO WARM ME UP.

I KEPT PRAYING. "PLEASE GOD, DON'T ABANDON ME.  I AM SO SCARED
HERE BY MYSELF AND I AM SO COLD."  THEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW
THIS GUY WITH A SUITCASE IN HIS HAND. WE SAID HI AND STARTED
TALKING. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS WAITING FOR A FRIEND TO PICK
HIM UP. HE  TOLD ME HE WAS FROM INDIA..  I TOLD HIM WHY I WAS
THERE.  WE TALKED ABOUT OUR FAMILIES AND MY WORRY ABOUT
MY GRANDDAUGHTER.  AND THEN I SAID,  "OH, MY GOD, I AM SO COLD.
I WISH I HAD A CUP OF REALLY HOT COFFEE RIGHT NOW TO WARM ME
UP."  HE TOLD ME THERE WAS A HOSPITAL NEARBY AND THAT HE
WOULD GO AND GET ME SOME COFFEE.  I WAS SO HAPPY I TOOK OUT
A FIVE DOLLAR BILL AND GAVE IT TO HIM AND TOLD HIM TO GET SOME
FOR BOTH OF US.  HE LEFT HIS SUITCASE WITH ME, BUT AFTER A LITTLE
WHILE I STARTED GETTING WORRIED BECAUSE I THOUGHT HE WAS
TAKING TOO LONG AND I WAS AFRAID MY BUS WOULD ARRIVE AND
I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO AND LEAVE HIS SUITCASE, BUT THEN I
LOOKED AND SAW HIM WALKING TOWARD ME WITH THE TWO BIGGEST
CUPS OF COFFEE I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE.  HE TOLD ME HE
HAD TAKEN LONG BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL CAFETERIA WAS CLOSED
SO HE HAD TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE.

USUALLY, WHEN I BUY COFFEE, I GET THE SMALL SIZE, BUT I DRANK
THAT BIG CUP OF COFFEE TO THE LAST DROP AND MY BODY FELT SO
WARM.  I FELT SOO MUCH BETTER.

A LITTLE WHILE LATER MY BUS SHOWED UP AND WE SAID GOODBYE.
I THANKED HIM FOR GETTING THE COFFEE AND FOR KEEPING ME
COMPANY.  HE SMILED, WISHED ME WELL AND AS I GOT READY TO
BOARD THE BUS I LOOKED BACK AND HE WAVED..  AS SOON AS I SAT
DOWN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW HIM WALKING AWAY
AND I THOUGHT "WASN'T HE WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO PICK HIM
UP?  THEN I LOOKED UP TO HEAVEN AND THANKED GOD FOR SENDING
ME AN ANGEL TO WATCH OVER ME UNTIL I WAS SAFELY IN THE BUS
AND ON MY WAY TO MY DESTINATION

I HAVE FORGOTTEN A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THAT DAY, BUT I WILL
NEVER FORGET MY ANGEL.

AT MY LAST STOP, MY SON-IN LAW WAS WAITING FOR ME AND DROVE
ME STRAIGHT TO THE HOSPITAL  IT BROKE MY HEART WHEN I SAW MY
GRANDDAUGHTER, BUT THANK GOD SHE STARTED GETTING BETTER
UNTIL SHE FINALLY LEFT THE HOSPITAL NINE DAYS AFTER SHE HAD
ARRIVED.




                                                       ****************


    

PART OF ME.........( Author Unknown )

                    I THOUGHT OF YOU WITH LOVE TODAY,
                    BUT THAT IS NOTHING NEW.
                    I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU YESTERDAY
                    AND THE DAY BEFORE THAT, TOO.

                   I THINK OF YOU IN SILENCE.
                   I OFTEN SAY YOUR NAME.
                   BUT ALL I HAVE ARE MEMORIES
                   AND YOUR PICTURE IN A FRAME.

                   YOUR MEMORY IS MY KEEPSAKE,
                   WITH WHICH I'LL NEVER PART.
                   GOD HAS YOU IN HIS KEEPING.
                   I HAVE YOU IN MY HEART.

                   I SHED TEARS FOR WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
                   A MILLION TIMES I'VE CRIED.
                   IF LOVE ALONE COULD HAVE SAVED YOU,
                   YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE DIED.

                   IN LIFE I LOVED YOU DEARLY.
                   IN DEATH I LOVE YOU STILL.
                   IN MY HEART YOU HOLD A PLACE,
                   NO ONE CAN EVER FILL.

                   IT BROKE MY HEART TO LOSE YOU,
                   BUT YOU DIDN'T GO ALONE.
                   FOR PART OF ME WENT WITH YOU,
                   THE DAY GOD TOOK YOU HOME.



                                    *************

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

     THINK ABOUT HOW YOU TALK ABOUT SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY.
     WORDS LIKE RETARD, CREEP, IDIOT AND MANY OTHERS ARE NEGATIVE
     AND HURT THE FEELINGS OF A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.  REMEMBER
     TO SPEAK TO THE PERSON USING HIS/HER NAME WHENEVER YOU ARE
     TOGETHER.

                    LORD,
                    SOMETIMES I GET ANGRY AND I SAY OR DO THINGS
                    THAT I LATER REGRET...THEN I APOLOGIZE FOR THE
                    CRUEL WORDS OR MY HURTFUL ACTIONS, BUT
                    APOLOGIES AREN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH.
                    THERE MAY BE NO WAY TO UNDO THE HARM.

                    LORD,
                    HELP ME TO ACCEPT ANGER AS A REALITY IN MY LIFE.
                    HELP ME TO CONTROL IT AND DIRECT IT INTO THINGS
                    THAT MAKE YOUR CREATION BETTER FOR US ALL.
                    HELP ME TO TURN THE NEGATIVE ENERGY INTO
                    A POSITIVE GOOD..FOR THE OPPRESSED AND THE POOR,
                    FOR THOSE IN NEED  HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD.
 
                    ABOVE ALL, LORD,
                    FILL ME WITH YOUR LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING
                    SO THAT I MAY CONTROL MY ANGER.
                    FOR A MOMENT'S HESITATION CAN MEAN
                    PREVENTING A LIFETIME OF REGRET.

                                                                           AMEN




                                                          ************************
         

"On the Death of the Beloved (by John O'Donahue)

                    THOUGH WE NEED TO WEEP YOUR LOSS,
               YOU DWELL IN THAT SAFE PLACE IN OUR HEARTS
          WHERE NO STORM OR NIGHT OR PAIN CAN REACH YOU.

                              YOUR LOVE WAS LIKE THE DAWN
                              BRIGHTENING OVER OUR LIVES,
                              AWAKENING BENEATH THE DARK
                              A FURTHER ADVENTURE OF COLOR

                                 THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE
                                            FOUND FOR US
                                            A NEW MUSIC
                              THAT BRIGHTENED EVERYTHING.

                       WHATEVER YOU ENFOLDED IN YOUR GAZE
                          QUICKENED IN THE JOY OF ITS BEING;
                             YOU PLACED SMILES LIKE FLOWERS
                                   ON THE ALTAR OF THE HEART.
                                 YOUR MIND ALWAYS SPARKLED
                                       WITH WONDER AT THINGS.

                        THOUGH YOUR DAYS HERE WERE BRIEF,
                   YOUR SPIRIT WAS ALIVE, AWAKE, COMPLETE.

                     WE LOOK TOWARD EACH OTHER NO LONGER
                     FROM THE OLD DISTANCE OF OUR NAMES;
                  NOW YOU DWELL INSIDE THE RHYTHM OF BREATH,
                        AS CLOSE TO US AS WE ARE TO OURSELVES.

              THOUGH WE CANNOT SEE YOU WITH OUTWARD EYES,
                 WE KNOW OUR SOUL'S GAZE IS UPON YOUR FACE,
                 SMILING BACK AT US FROM WITHIN EVERYTHING
                   TO WHICH WE BRING OUR BEST REFINEMENT.

                   LET US NOT LOOK FOR YOU ONLY IN MEMORY,
                 WHERE WE WOULD GROW LONELY WITHOUT YOU.
                YOU WOULD WANT US TO FIND YOU IN PRESENCE,
                          BESIDE US WHEN BEAUTY BRIGHTENS,
                                      WHEN KINDNESS GLOWS
                          AND MUSIC ECHOES ETERNAL TONES.

                          WHEN ORCHIDS BRIGHTEN THE EARTH,
                       DARKEST WINTER  HAS TURNED TO SPRING;
                      MAY THIS DARK GRIEF FLOWER WITH HOPE
                             IN EVERY HEART THAT LOVES YOU.

                           MAY YOU CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US:
                   TO ENTER EACH DAY WITH A GENEROUS HEART.
                      TO SERVE THE CALL OF COURAGE AND LOVE
                      UNTIL WE SEE YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE AGAIN
             IN THAT LAND WHERE THERE IS NO MORE SEPARATION,
               WHERE ALL TEARS WILL BE WIPED FROM OUR MIND,
                   AND WHERE WE WILL NEVER LOSE YOU AGAIN.




                                                        **************

COLLEGE DRAMA ( from SLDIGEST )

          A COLLEGE DRAMA GROUP PRESENTED A PLAY IN WHICH ONE
          CHARACTER WOULD STAND ON A TRAP DOOR AND ANNOUNCE
          "I DESCEND INTO HELL!"  A STAGEHAND BELOW WOULD THEN
          PULL A ROPE, THE TRAP DOOR WOULD SPRING AND THE ACTOR
          WOULD DROP FROM VIEW.    THE PLAY WAS WELL RECEIVED
          WHEN THE ACTOR PLAYING THE PART BECAME ILL, ANOTHER
          ACTOR WHO WAS QUITE OVERWEIGHT TOOK HIS PLACE.  WHEN
          THE NEW ACTOR ANNOUNCED, "I DESCEND INTO HELL!" THE
          STAGEHAND PULLED THE ROPE AND THE ACTOR BEGAN HIS
          PLUNGE, BUT BECAME HOPELESSLY STUCK.  NO AMOUNT OF
          TUGGING ON THE ROPE COULD MAKE HIM DESCEND.  ONE
          STUDENT IN THE BALCONY JUMPED UP AND YELLED.
          "HALLELUJAH! HELL IS FULL!"

ROMANCE.....SENIOR STYLE ( from SLDigest )

          AN OLDER COUPLE WERE LYING IN BED ONE NIGHT.
          THE HUSBAND WAS FALLING ASLEEP, BUT THE WIFE
          WAS FEELING FRISKY AND WANTED TO TALK. SHE
          SAID,  "YOU USED TO HOLD MY HAND WHEN WE WERE
          COURTING."   WEARILY, HE REACHED ACROSS, HELD
          HER HAND FOR A SECOND AND TRIED TO GET BACK
          TO SLEEP.  A FEW MOMENTS LATER SHE SAID, "THEN
          YOU USED TO KISS ME."  MILDLY IRRITATED, HE
          REACHED ACROSS, GAVE HER A PECK ON THE CHEEK
          AND SETTLED DOWN TO SLEEP.  THIRTY SECONDS
          LATER SHE SAID, "THEN YOU USED TO BITE MY NECK."
          ANGRILY, HE THREW BACK THE BED COVERS AND GOT
          OUT OF BED.  'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"  SHE ASKED.
          "TO GET MY TEETH!"