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Saturday, February 26, 2011

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY: FOOD FOR THOUGHT

                                           TENNESSEE
A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg , TN.
One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant,
 hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they
noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to
 table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his
 wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure enough, the man did come over
 to their table.
 'Where are you folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice. '
Oklahoma ,' they answered.
 'Great to have you here in Tennessee ,' the stranger said..
 'What do you do for a living?'
 'I teach at a seminary,' he replied.
 'Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've
 got a really great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair
 and sat down at the table with the couple.
The professor groaned and thought to himself, 'Great .. Just
 what I need....another preacher story!'
 The man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out
 the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy
 born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place
 he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?'
 Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the
 same question, 'Who's your daddy?'
 He would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He
 would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was
 about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in
 late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?'
But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast that
 he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd.
 Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher,
 not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him,
'Son, who's your daddy?'
 The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in
 the church looking at him Now everyone would finally know the answer to the
 question, 'Who's your daddy?'
 'This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and
 using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the
 following to that scared little boy..
'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see
 the family resemblance now, You are a child of God.'
 With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy,
 you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.'
 'With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and
 walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again.
Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them , 'I'm a Child of God..''
 The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said,
 'Isn't that a great story?'
 The professor responded that it really was a great story!
 As the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new
 preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have
 amounted to anything!' And he walked away..
 The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the
 waitress over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just
 left that was sitting at our table?'
 The waitress grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows
 him. That's Ben Hooper. He's governor of Tennessee!'
 Someone in your life today needs a reminder that they're one of
 God's children!
 'The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of God
 stands forever.  ~~Isaiah
 YOU'RE ONE OF GODS CHILDREN 

I was pondering what to post for Spiritual Sunday today and than a friend sent this e mail to me. I had to share it.
I am not condoning having children out of wedlock but I was a single parent many years ago. I know lots of wonderful women that were single mother's too. It hurts when someone makes a rude comment about us. I hate to hear trash talk anyway and when someone makes a rude remark about "that one had a baby before marriage" it really upsets me. I recently heard some people in the work place talking about a patient who "was" a single parent". I was shocked. Talk about meddling in someones privacy! I think sometime you have to really "live and let God". 
I do get angry when I see people take advantage of the welfare entitlements but many of us raised our children without a mate   Some still do. But I am talking about good hard working people making the best of a situation no one ever wants to see their own child in. I remember having my daughter many years ago and my boss caring for me and treating me with dignity and respect. I remember she said I owned her an explanation in regard to the situation I was in simply because she signed my paycheck. Otherwise she said, you have to talk with the Lord about it! I did and later a good phamily friend and Catholic priest told me the same thing, trust God and do not worry about what others think. I still chuckle because ultimately the Mother of Our Lord was a single teenage girl when she was called to become His mother. It is just a little food for thought and now please visit Charlotte and Ginger and thank these beautiful ladies for hosting our weekly soul nourishing Spiritual Sunday. The encourage I have here is amazing and knowing each one of you is absolutely priceless.

13 comments:

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Oh Anne Sweetie...
Amen and Amen. I love this write today. You touched my very heart and soul.

I loved the story about the man who came to the table and sit down to tell the story, only to be the Governor of Tennessee, a child of God and had a beautiful story to share. What a testimony that was. I loved it.

A beautiful write Anne. Truly beautiful today. Many thanks for sharing. Many hugs and much love, Sherry

Joan Hall said...

Wonderful story, Anne. Thank you for sharing this today.

Yes there are many single moms out there today - one of my nieces is a single mom. But she is working, making a living and a life for her children.

Blessings,
Joan

Tete said...

You go, girl! A very important message! Had a friend looking for a mate and he wanted a girl who was a virgin. He would not even consider a girl with children, as he called them, baggage! I was so mad at him, because I was married 3 years when he walked out on me and my first son. He was calling my son baggage.
I just looked him in the eye and told him that he was no better than Joseph. Jesus was "baggage" when he married Mary.

Women cannot control a man who walks away. The children all belong to God and He loves them all the same.
Hugs- Tete

Karen said...

AWESOME story and post! WE were both thinking about that verse from Isaiah today! The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of God stands forever!

Dogmom Diva said...

Anne, thank you for sharing that, I know how hard it was for you way back when, but you held your head up high and raised a great girl!

hugs and love,
Barb

Nikki (Sarah) said...

great story.....great scripture...have a good sunday...

Donnie said...

You too are a blessing to many of us. Have a wonderful Sunday.

Renee said...

Beautiful story....Amazing in fact. Thank you for sharing it with us today. We all need to hear how much God loves us...it never gets old!

Mevely317 said...

Love this story, Anne!
I wanted to thank you for stopping by yesterday, so in turn, I might discover your sweet blog ... I'm having such a great time reading; looking forward to more!
Have a wonder-FULL day!
Myra

Unknown said...

Anne, the first time this came to me in an email, I would up very teary, but so moved ... & it happens each time I read this. So beautiful a story of truths.

You're shares are always so honest & beautiful ... THANK YOU for being the precious YOU, you are.

Hugs & love, sweetie ~
Marydon

Pamela said...

Oh my...what better to be than a child of God. That certainly trumps earthly fathers, doesn't it? Such a special story and it warmed my heart.

Anonymous said...

What a great post to share for Spiritual Sundays. I love stories like this. And we all need to hear that we are child of God. I really like the Love Is post above too.
Blessings,
Charlotte

G. HUBBARD said...

anne may i tell of our free SPREAD THE WORD TALK WITH THE LORD program to inspire daily talks on life's real questions he is there 24-7-365 cares talks with not at you all needed is to ask that first question to get top spinning our free blogs can help get ball rolling pluis free cool song lyrics g. hubbard p.o.box 2232 ponte vedra fl 32004 http://talkwiththelord.blogspot.com/