CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS   Cell phone recycling bags are on the bulletin board in the downstairs hallway.  These bags are postage free and when collected, the proceeds from donated cell phones are used to purchase prepaid calling cards for American troops.  YOUR MISSION... helping our troops to call home.

Sounds Fishy Seen on a church signboard in northern Minnesota one summer:  "Sure, you can worship God with a fishing pole in your hand, but when was the last time a walleye told you, 'Your sins are forgiven'?"

God's Powerful Word The Bible contains about 800,000 words, depending on the translation.  This is about four times as many words as are found in a book of average length. Although the Bible is so long and deals with the greatest themes that can engage the human mind, its vocabulary is singularly limited.  It uses only 6,000 different words, a very small number compared to the 20,000 words that Shakespeare employed while writing his plays. Not only is the Bible's vocabulary limited, but the average word in it contains only five letters.  However, many of these short words are full of the deepest meanings and are worthy of earnest study.  For example, consider these five-letter words: Grace Peace Faith Saved Serve Glory Jesus

John 3:16 - I Don't Understand It A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and its awful cold in there for tonight.  Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay." The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door.  When they come out the door you just say John 3:16 and they will let you in." So he did.  He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered.  He looked up and said, "John 3:16."  The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off.  The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself:  John 3:16... I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm. Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?"  He said, "Well, just a little.  I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food." The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food.  He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more.  Then he thought to himself:  John 3:16... Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full. She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while.  As he soaked, he thought to himself:  John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but is sure makes a dirty boy clean.  You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life.  The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.  The lady came in and got him.   She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights.   As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself:  John 3:16... I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rest. The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food.  After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked in his young face.  "Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently.  He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't.  The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it."  She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus.  Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus.  He sat there and thought:  John 3:16? don't understand it, but is sure makes a lost boy feel safe. You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing.  I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die.  I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end.  I don't understand it, but is sure does make life worth living. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - Story author unknown.