The artist, Benjamin West, tells how he actually became a successful and important painter. When he was young, his mother went out and left him in charge of his sister Sally. In the meantime, little Benjamin discovered bottles of colored ink and began to do Sally’s portrait. A big mess soon developed. Finally, when Ben’s …
A CONSTANT SOURCE OF GOOD STORIES I make no apology for the fact that I find some of my best illustrations in the anecdotes of the Reader’s Digest. The trick is not using the current issue. Many times I have used a story from the most recent issue and I am greeted after church at …
MORE THAN ONE WAY TO GET INTRODUCED Just before the beginning of the Sunday service at Saint Bartholomew’s on Fifth Avenue, New York City, a man wearing a large hat was discovered sitting in the front row. An usher moved to his pew, leaned in and discreetly asked him to remove his hat. The man …
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THE DAFFODILS The house was a mess. Dirty dishes were on the table. The living room was in disarray, boots and gloves strewn about from a snow trip to the mountains the day before. Then my five-year-old son, who had been playing outside, brought in a fistful of violets. He had permission to pick these …
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EYES TO SEE Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, was once working on a head of Lincoln. A woman who was sweeping out his studio wondered what he was doing. One day she finally recognized the face of Abraham Lincoln emerging from the stone. Very much surpised, she turned to Borglum and asked, “How did you know …
THE SACRIFICIAL LIFE I was listening to one of my favorite preachers on tape the other day — Chuck Swindoll of Fullerton, CA — and he spoke about the importance of investing in the two things God gives us that are eternal — His word, and people. Swindoll said: When Dawson Trotman passed away he …
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ADVERSITY Stopped by a policeman for driving without a taillight, the driver became quite distressed. “Don’t take it so hard,” consoled the officer, “it’s a minor offense.” “That’s not the point,” replied the troubled driver. “What worries me is what’s happened to my wife and my trailer?”
HOW DO YOU SAY THANKS? Trio is a book about the friendship between three women, a friendship that began in childhood and continued into their adult lives. The three women are Oona O’Neill Chaplin (daughter of playwright Eugene O’Neill and child bride of Charlie Chaplin); Gloria Vanderbilt, heiress to one of America’s great fortunes and …
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FOUR LESSONS FROM GEESE This story was
THE MINISTRY OF SPREADING THE GOOD WORD A woman was heartbroken when her dog disappeared. She put an ad in the paper offering a reward for its return. The next morning the phone rang — it was the voice of a woman: “I’m calling about your dog,” she said. Then she began to cough. She …
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GOD’S LOVE We call it mercy — it is God’s forgiving love. We call it providence — it is God’s caring love. We call it kindness — it is God’s understanding love. We call it Christ’s passion and death — it is God’s proven love. We call it happiness — it is God’s encouraging love. …
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GRATITUDE To illustrate the importance of thankfulness at this season of the year I found these lines that were recently
FAMILY ENCOURAGEMENT Mary was having a tough day and had stretched herself out on the couch to do a bit of what she thought to be well-deserved complaining and self-pitying. She moaned to her mom and brother, “Nobody loves me . . . the whole world hates me!” Her brother, busily occupied playing a game …
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MUTUALITY Another important emphasis in speaking on the gifts and/or fruits of the spirit is mutuality. By our differences we complement one another in the body of Christ. I think it was in the Reader’s Digest I saw the story about the woman who was away for a few days at a teacher’s convention. Suddenly …
ATTITUDE — I’LL LOOK FOR THE STARS During World War II, a young bride from New Jersey followed her soldier-husband to a U. S. Army camp on the edge of the California desert. Her husband had advised her against going because he knew that living conditions would be primitive, at best. But she wanted very …
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WE NEED ONE ANOTHER A young woman was waiting for a bus in a slum area one evening when a rookie policeman approached her. “Want me to wait with you?” he asked. She replied, “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. I’m not afraid.” “Well, then,” he grinned, “would you mind waiting with me?”
GOING THE SECOND MILE A salesman called his wife from a coin-operated phone in a distant city, finished the conversation, said good-bye and replaced the receiver. As he was walking away, the phone rang. He went back and answered it, expecting to be informed of extra charges. But the operator said, “I thought you’d like …
PRIMITIVE FORGIVENESS While civilized cultures are attempting to improve interpersonal communications through many means, consider the Babemba tribes of southern Africa, where the social structure includes only an elementary criminal code. Apparently, the lack of fixed rules to enforce justice stems from close community living, which never made such laws necessary. Brian Sharpe, our red-bearded …
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BRIGHTENING THEIR DAY It happened the day after the 22 cent stamp went into effect. My wife was in a long line at the local Post Office. Everybody wanted 22 cent, D or 2 cent stamps. Unfortunately the Post Office was running out and was only selling a limited supply to each person so as …
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YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE A COMMUNITY OF FAITH BEHIND YOU! Michael, my nine-year-old third grader, was nearly through his first season of basketball. He hadn’t made a freethrow all season long. Finally, at practice one night, as he was ready to shoot a freethrow, he stopped and asked the rest of the team, “Does anybody …
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