Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam . After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk . You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.

"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.

Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory -- he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.

I am sending you this as my way of thanking you for your part in packing my parachute . And I hope you will send it on to those who have helped pack yours!

Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word. Maybe this could explain it: When you are very busy, but still want to keep in tou ch, guess what you do -- you forward jokes. And to let you know that you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, guess what you get? A forwarded joke.

So my friend, next time when you get a joke, don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile, just helping you pack your parachute...

Have a great day and ........

Thanks

I have never seen it put in a better light. May all who visit leave with a greater understanding of his love.

Dancing With God


When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.

It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G: I thought of God,
followed by "u" and "i".

"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.

Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.

This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.
If God has done anything for you in your life,
please share this message with someone else,
for prayer is one of the best gifts we can receive.

There is no cost but a lot of rewards;
so let's continue to pray for one another.

And I Hope You Dance!



TTFN

Beth Meiller

> Lawyers should never ask a Southern grandma a question if they aren't
> prepared for the answer. In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting
> attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the
> stand. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?" She
> responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I've known you since you
> were a young boy, and frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You
> lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them
> behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains
> to realize you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper
> pusher. Yes, I know you."
> The lawyer was stunned! Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the
> room and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?" She again
> replied, "Why, yes, I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster,
> too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can't build a
> normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the worst in
> the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different
> women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."
> The defense attorney almost died. The judge asked both counselors to
> approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said, "If either of you
> idiots asks her if she knows me, I'll send you to the electric chair."
>
>

---

TTFN

Beth Meiller

A guy is 81 years old and loves to fish. He was sitting in his
boat the other day when he heard a voice say, "Pick me up."

He looked around and couldn't see any one. He thought he was
dreaming when he heard the voice say again, "Pick me up."
He looked in the water and there, floating on the top, was a frog.

The man said, "Are you talking to me?"

The frog said, "Yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up. Then, kiss
me and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll then
give you more sexual pleasure that you ever could have
dreamed of."

The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked
it up carefully, and placed it in his front breast pocket.

Then the frog said, "What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what
I said? I said kiss me and I will give you sexual pleasures like you
have never had."He opened his pocket, looked at the frog
and said,
"Nah, at my age I'd rather have a talking frog."