Inspirational Stories


Quotes by QuotesDaddy.com

The following stories follow in order:

  • Six Boys and 13 Hands
  • Keep Your Fork
  • A Time to Worry
  • The Teacher, Mrs. Thompson
  • Butch and Eddy
  • Instructions for Life
  • The Deck of Cards
  • Reasons Why You are Blessed
  • A Visit from the Pastor
  • Why are things the way they are?
  • The Sack Lunches

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Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the young woman continued.

"I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from there on out, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement.

'In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming . . .like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder

"What's with the fork?".

Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork . . . the best is yet to come."

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.

She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She knew that something better was coming. 

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question

"What's with the fork?"

And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to "Keep your fork."

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share . . . being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

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A Time to Worry

In life there are two things to worry about: either you are
well or you are sick. If you are well then there is nothing
to worry about, but if you are sick there are only two
things to worry about: either you get well or you die.

If you get well then there is nothing to worry about. But
if you die there are only two things to worry about: either
you will go to heaven or to hell.

If you go to heaven then there is nothing to worry about.
But if you go to hell, you'll be so damn busy shaking hands
with friends you won't have time to worry.

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The Teacher, Mrs. Thompson

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.

But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, as a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs.Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." 

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." 

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.

His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown Paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was. She put it on and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that While things had been tough at times, he stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life. 

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. 

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." 

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Warm someone's heart today.... Pass it along.

Never underestimate the Power of Purpose..

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Butch and Eddy

Read ALL of this (both stories)

Story number one:

World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier.

Reluctantly he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mothership, he saw something that turned his blood cold. A squadron of Japanese Zeroes was speeding their way toward the American fleet. 

The American fighters were gone on a sortie and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor, could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger.

There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibers blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until finally all his ammunition was spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault.

He dove at the Zeroes, trying to at least clip off a wing or tail, in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly. He was desperate to do anything he could to keep them from reaching the American ships. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.

Upon arrival he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the camera mounted on his plane told the tale . It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He was recognized as a hero and given one of the nation's highest military honors.

And today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

Story number two:

Some years earlier there was a man in Chicago called Easy Eddie. At that time, Al Capone virtually owned the city. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. His exploits were anything but praiseworthy. He was, however, notorious for enmeshing the city of Chicago in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. 

Easy Eddie was Capone's lawyer and for a good reason. He was very good! In fact, his skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time. To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big; Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago city block. Yes, Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddy did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddy saw to it that his young son had the best of everything; clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized  crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Yes, Eddie tried to teach his son to rise above his own sordid life. He wanted him to be a better man than he was.

Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things that Eddie couldn't give his son. Two things that Eddie sacrificed to the Capone mob that he could not pass on to his beloved son, a good name and a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Offering his son a good name was far more important than all the riches he could lavish on him. He had to rectify all the wrong that he had done. He would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Scar-face Al Capone. He would try to clean up his tarnished name and offer his son some semblance of integrity.

To do this he must testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. But more than anything, he wanted to be an example to his son. He wanted to do his best to make restoration and hopefully have a good name to leave his son. So, he testified.

Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago street. He had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer at the greatest price he would ever pay.

I know what you're thinking. What do these two stories have to do with one another?

Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.

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Instructions for Life

This is what The Dalai Lama had to say on the millennium. All it
takes is a few seconds to read and think over. Do not keep this
message. The mantra must leave your hands within 96 hours. You
will get a very pleasant surprise. This is true even if you are
not superstitious. Copy and send it on now!

I N S T R U C T I O N S  F O R  L I F E

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements
involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

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The Deck of Cards
This is a story about a soldier in the North 
Africa Campaign in World War II.  After heavy 
fighting the men returned to camp. The next 
day being Sunday, the Chaplain had set up 
church service. The men were asked to take
out their Bibles or prayer book.    

The Chaplain noticed one soldier looking
at a deck of cards.  After the service he 
was taken by the Chaplain to see the Major.    
The Chaplain explained to the Major of what 
he had seen. The Major told the young soldier 
how he would have to be punished if he could
not explain himself.  

The young soldier told the Major that during 
The battle he had neither a Bible or prayer 
book so he would use his deck of cards and
explained...........
"You see Sir, when I look at the Ace, 
it tells me that there is one God and no other.

When I see the 2 , it reminds me there 
is two parts of the Bible, the Old and New 
Testaments.

The 3 tells me of the Trinity, of God 
the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The 4 reminds me of the four Gospels, 
There was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

When I see the 5, it tells me of the 
five unwise virgins who were lost
and five were saved.

The 6 makes me mindful that God created 
the earth in just six days, and God said that 
it was good so He rested on the 7th day.

As I look at the 8, God destroyed all life 
by water except eight people. There was Noah 
and his wife, their three sons and their wives.

When I see the 9, I think of the nine 
lepers that God healed. There were ten in all 
but only one stopped to Thank Him.

The 10 tells me of the "Ten Commandments" 
carved in stone by the hand of God.

The Jack makes me remember the prince 
of darkness. Like a roaring lion that 
devours those he can.

When I look at the Queen, I see blessed 
Mary, Mother of Jesus.

As I look at the last card I see the 
KING, this reminds me Jesus is the Lord 
of Lords and King of Kings!

There are 365 spots on the cards, 
the number of days in a year.

There are 52 cards to a deck, 
the number of weeks in a year.

There are 12 picture cards, the number 
of months in a year.

There are 4 cards to a suit, the 
number of months in a quarter.

There are 13 suits, the number of 
weeks in a quarter."

........And so the young soldier then said 
to the Major,  "You see Sir that my 
intentions were honorable. My deck of 
cards serves as my Bible, Prayer
book and Almanac."

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REASONS WHY YOU ARE BLESSED 
If you own a Bible, you are abundantly 
blessed-about 1/3 of the world does not 
have access to one.
 
If you wake up each morning with more 
health than illness, you are blessed to 
rise and shine, to live and to serve in 
a new day.
 
If you have anyone on the planet, just 
one person that loves you and listens to 
you; count this a blessing.
 
If you can freely attend a church 
meeting without fear, then you are more 
blessed than over 1/3 of the world.
 
If you have a yearning in your heart 
to parent a child, you are blessed because 
you still desire what you cannot see.
 
If you pray today or any day, you are 
blessed because you believe in God's 
willingness to hear your prayer.
 
If you pray for someone else, you are 
blessed because you want to help others also.
 
If you have food in your refrigerator, 
clothes on your back, a roof over your head, 
and a place to sleep; all at the same time; 
you are rich in this world;
 
If you have a brother or sister in Christ 
that will pray with you and for you, then 
you benefit from a spiritual unity, bond, and
agreement, which the gates of hell cannot 
stand against.
 
If you have any earthly family that 
even halfway loves you and support you, 
are blessed beyond measure.
 
If you attend a church with a church 
family that offers you one word of encouragement, 
you are blessed with some form of fellowship.
 
If you have money in the bank, in your 
wallet, or some spare change in a dish someplace 
you are among the world's wealthy.
 
If you can go to bed each night, knowing 
that God loves you, you are blessed beyond measure.
 
If you try each day to imitate our Lord 
Jesus Christ for even a minute, you are blessed 
because you show a willingness to grow up
in Him.
 
If you can read this message, you are 
more blessed than about 2/3 of the world.
 
If you have never had to endure the 
hardship and agony of battle, imprisonment, 
or torture, you are blessed in indescribable 
measure.
 
If you have a voice to sing His praises, 
a voice to witness God's love, and a voice to 
share the gospel, you are blessed. About 1/3 
of the world does not even know who the one 
true God is.
 
If you can hold someone's hand, hug 
another person, touch someone on the shoulder, 
you are blessed because you can offer 
God's healing touch.
 
If you can share a word of encouragement 
with someone else, and do it with His love 
in your heart, you are blessed because you 
have learned how to give.
 
If you have the conviction to stand fast 
upon His Word and His promises, no matter what, 
you are blessed because you are learning
patience, endurance, and tenacity.
 
If you hold up your head with a smile on 
your face and are truly thankful, you are 
blessed because most people can, but won't.
 
Go Now... And... May You Have a blessed day.
             
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A Visit From The Pastor
A member of a certain church, who previously 
had been attending services regularly, suddenly 
stopped coming to church. After a few weeks, 
the Pastor decided to visit.  The Pastor
found the man at home alone, sitting before 
a blazing fire.
 
Guessing the reason for his Pastor's visit, 
the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable 
chair near the fireplace and waited. The 
pastor made himself at home but said nothing.  
In the grave silence, he contemplated the 
dance of the flames around the burning logs.
 
After some minutes, the Pastor took the 
fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly 
burning ember and placed it to one side of 
the hearth all alone.  Then he sat back in 
his chair, still silent. The host watched 
all this in quiet contemplation. As the 
one lone ember's flame flickered and 
diminished, there was a momentary glow 
and then its fire was no more. Soon it 
was cold and lifeless.
 
The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized 
it was time to leave, he slowly stood up, 
picked up the cold, dead ember and placed
it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately 
it began to glow, once more with the light 
and warmth of the burning coals around it.
 
As the Pastor reached the door to leave, 
his host said with a tear running down his 
cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and
especially for the fiery sermon.  I shall 
be back in church next Sunday."
 
We live in a world today which tries to say 
too much with too little. Consequently, few 
listen.
 
Sometimes the best sermons are the ones 
left unspoken.  What silent message would God 
have you share with someone today?

"Let your light shine before  men in such a 
way that they may see your good  works and 
glorify your Father which is in heaven." 
--  Matthew 5:16

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Why are things the way they are?
During my junior year in high school, Mr. 
Reynolds, my English teacher, handed each 
student a list of thoughts or statements 
written by other students, then gave us 
a creative writing assignment based on 
one of those thoughts. 

At 17, I was beginning to wonder about many 
things, so I chose the statement, "I wonder 
why things are the way they are?" 

That night, I wrote down in the form of 
a story all the questions that puzzled me 
about life. I realized that many of them 
were hard to answer, and perhaps others 
could not be answered at all.

When I turned in my paper, I was afraid that 
I might fail the assignment because I had 
not answered the question, "I wonder why 
things are the way they are?" I had no answers. 
I had only written questions. 

The next day Mr. Reynolds called me to the 
front of the class and asked me to read 
my story for the other students. He handed 
me my paper and sat down in the back of 
the room. The class became quiet as I 
began to read my story:

Mommie, Daddy........Why?

Mommie, why are the roses red?

Mommie, why is the grass green and the sky blue?

Why does a spider have a web and not a house?

Daddy, why can't I play in your toolbox?

Teacher, why do I have to read?

Mother, why can't I wear lipstick to the dance?

Daddy, why can't I stay out until 12:00? The
other kids are.

Mother, why do you hate me?

Daddy, why don't the boys like me?

Why do I have to be so skinny?

Why do I have braces and wear glasses?

Why do I have to be 16?

Mom, why do I have to graduate?

Dad, why do I have to grow up?

Mom, Dad, why do I have to leave?

Mom, why don't you write more often?

Dad, why do I miss my old friends?

Dad, why do you love me so much?

Dad, why do you spoil me?

Your little girl is growing up.

Mom, why don't you visit?

Mom, why is it hard to make new friends?

Dad, why do I miss being at home?

Dad, why does my heart skip a beat when he looks
in my eyes?

 Mom, why do my legs tremble when I hear his
voice?
 
Mother, why is being "in love" the greatest
feeling in the world?

Daddy, why don't you like to be called "Gramps"?

Mother, why do my baby's tiny fingers cling so
tightly to mine?

Mother, why do they have to grow up?

Daddy, why do they have to leave?

Why do I have to be called "Grannie"?

Mommie, Daddy, why did you have to leave me? I
need you.

Why did my youth slip past me?

Why does my face show every smile that I have
ever given to a friend or a stranger?

Why does my hair glisten a shiny silver?

Why do my hands quiver when I bend to pick a
flower?

Why, God, are the roses red?
 
At the conclusion of my story, my eyes locked 
with Mr. Reynold's eyes, and I saw a tear 
slowly sliding down his cheek. It was then 
that I realized that life is not always based 
on the answers we receive, but also on the 
questions that we ask.
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The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned
seat.
It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read,
perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled
all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a
conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest
to me. 'We're going to a training base. We'll be there for two weeks for
special training, and then we're being deployed to
Afghanistan .'

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he
planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a
sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get
to base.'

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked
to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar
bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and
squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a
soldier in
Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were
seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef
or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to
the front of the plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate
from first class. 'This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading
for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be
part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not
looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my
side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out
his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand.
With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military
pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I
never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the
passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A
man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand,
wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting
just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in
my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word.

Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip
to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars.
'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for
a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer
for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our
country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to his country for an amount of 'up to and including my
life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no
longer understand it.'

May God give you the strength and courage to pass this along to everyone
on your email buddy list...

I JUST DID!

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Sierra Club

Six Boys And Thirteen Hands...

Each year I am hired to go to Washington, DC with the eighth grade class from Clinton, WI (where I grew up) to videotape their trip. I greatly enjoy visiting our nation's capitol, and each year I take some special memories back with me. This fall's trip was especially memorable.

On the last night of our trip, we stopped at the Iwo Jima memorial. This memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world and depicts one of the most famous photographs in history -- that of the six brave soldiers raising the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima Japan during WW II.

Over one hundred students and chaperones piled off the buses and headed towards the memorial. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the statue, and as I got closer he asked, 'Where are you guys from?'

I told him that we were from Wisconsin . 'Hey, I'm a cheese head, too! Come gather around, Cheese heads, and I will tell you a story.'

(James Bradley just happened to be in Washington, DC to speak at the memorial the following day. He was there that night to say good night to his dad, who had passed away. He was just about to leave when he saw the buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his permission to share what he said from my videotape. It is one thing to tour the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington, DC but it is quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night.)

When all had gathered around, he reverently began to speak. (Here are his words that night.)

'My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin . My dad is on that statue, and I just wrote a book called 'Flags of Our Fathers' which is #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list right now. It is the story of the six boys you see behind me.

'Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground is Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player. He enlisted in the Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off to play another type of game. A game called 'War.' But it didn't turn out to be a game. Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't say that to gross you out, I say that because there are people who stand in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old - and it was so hard that the ones who did make it home never even would talk to their families about it.

(He pointed to the statue) 'You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon from New Hampshire. If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a photograph... a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection because he was scared. He was 18 years old. It was just boys who won the battle of Iwo Jima . Boys. Not old men.

'The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank. Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys. They called him the 'old man' because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some Japanese' or 'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to little boys. Instead he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to your mothers.'

'The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from Arizona ... Ira Hayes was one who walked off Iwo Jima . He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero'. He told reporters, 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?'

So you take your class at school, 250 of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together. Then all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That was Ira Hayes. He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes carried the pain home with him and eventually died dead drunk, face down at the age of 32 (ten years after this picture was taken).

'The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop, Kentucky . A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. His best friend told me, 'Yeah, you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn't get down. Then we fed them Epsom salts. Those cows crapped all night.' Yes, he was a fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother's farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning. Those neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.

'The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John Bradley, from Antigo, Wisconsin, where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994, but he would never give interviews. When Walter Cronkite's producers or the New York Times would call, we were trained as little kids to say 'No, I'm sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don't know when he is coming back.' My dad never fished or even went to Canada. Usually, he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell 's soup. But we had to tell the press that he was out fishing. He didn't want to talk to the press.

'You see, like Ira Hayes, my dad didn't see himself as a hero. Everyone thinks these guys are heroes 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew better. He was a medic. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. In Iwo Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died in Iwo Jima, they writhed and screamed, without any medication or help with the pain.

'When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did not come back. Did NOT come back.'

'So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima, and three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima in the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out, so I will end here. Thank you for your time.'

Suddenly, the monument wasn't just a big old piece of metal with a flag sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the heartfelt words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero. Maybe not a hero for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless.

We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us to live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice.

Let us never forget from the Revolutionary War to the current War on Terrorism and all the wars in-between that sacrifice was made for our freedom.

Remember to pray praises for this great country of ours and also pray for those still in murderous unrest around the world.

STOP and thank God for being alive and being free at someone else's sacrifice.

God Bless You and God Bless America .

REMINDER: Everyday that you can wake up free, it's going to be a great day.

One thing I learned while on tour with my 8th grade students in DC that is not mentioned here is that if you look at the statue very closely and count the number of 'hands' raising the flag, there are 13. When the man who made the statue was asked why there were 13, he simply said the 13th hand was the hand of God.

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The Dash Movie:

http://www.the-dash-movie.com

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Train

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