Thursday, January 29, 2009
Stranger Than Fiction
Husband's Kiss Woke Up Wife in Coma
Some might call Emma Ray a real-life “Sleeping Beauty.” The 34-year-old from the U.K. suffered a heart attack nearly two weeks after giving birth to her son and failed to regain consciousness. Her husband, Andrew, spent two weeks by her bedside waiting for her to wake up from a coma – but her condition did not improve until he leaned over and asked her for a kiss, the Daily Mail reported Monday.
“What happened next was beyond my wildest dreams,” he told the newspaper. “She turned her head towards mine, puckered up her lips and gave me a little kiss. I couldn't believe it. My heart felt like it was going to leap from my chest — it suddenly felt like a huge weight had been lifted.”
Some might call Emma Ray a real-life “Sleeping Beauty.” The 34-year-old from the U.K. suffered a heart attack nearly two weeks after giving birth to her son and failed to regain consciousness. Her husband, Andrew, spent two weeks by her bedside waiting for her to wake up from a coma – but her condition did not improve until he leaned over and asked her for a kiss, the Daily Mail reported Monday.
“What happened next was beyond my wildest dreams,” he told the newspaper. “She turned her head towards mine, puckered up her lips and gave me a little kiss. I couldn't believe it. My heart felt like it was going to leap from my chest — it suddenly felt like a huge weight had been lifted.”
Monday, January 26, 2009
AN ATHEIST IN THE WOODS
AN ATHEIST IN THE WOODS
An atheist was walking through the woods. 'What majestic trees!'What powerful rivers !'What beautiful animals!He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river,he heard a rustling in the bushesbehind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & sawthat the bear was closing in on him..
He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top ofhim, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strikehim.
At that instant the Atheist cried out,'Oh my God!'
Time Stopped.The bear froze.The forest was silent.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't existandeven credit creation to cosmic accident.''Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?
The atheist looked directly into the light, 'It would be hypocritical ofmeto suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you couldmake the BEAR a Christian'?
'Very well,' said the voice. The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed.
And the bear droppedhis right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'
An atheist was walking through the woods. 'What majestic trees!'What powerful rivers !'What beautiful animals!He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river,he heard a rustling in the bushesbehind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & sawthat the bear was closing in on him..
He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground.
He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top ofhim, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strikehim.
At that instant the Atheist cried out,'Oh my God!'
Time Stopped.The bear froze.The forest was silent.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't existandeven credit creation to cosmic accident.''Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?
The atheist looked directly into the light, 'It would be hypocritical ofmeto suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you couldmake the BEAR a Christian'?
'Very well,' said the voice. The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed.
And the bear droppedhis right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:
'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.'
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Stranger Than Fiction
British Ice Skating Star Gives Birth Two Days After Dying
Jayne Soliman was declared brain dead but doctors managed to keep her heart beating until they delivered her daughter, Aya Jayne, by Caesarean section last week. Soliman, 41, was only 25 weeks pregnant when she collapsed in her bedroom after going to bed with a headache. She was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, but was pronounced brain dead last Wednesday evening. Doctors said that she had suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by an aggressive tumor.
Soliman was given huge doses of steroids to help the unborn child’s lungs develop. Two days later, Aya was born, weighing 2 pounds, 1.5 ounces. David Phillips, 48, a close friend and fellow skater who was at the hospital with Soliman, said that her husband, Mahmoud Soliman, had had “the best and the worst day of his life."
Jayne Soliman was declared brain dead but doctors managed to keep her heart beating until they delivered her daughter, Aya Jayne, by Caesarean section last week. Soliman, 41, was only 25 weeks pregnant when she collapsed in her bedroom after going to bed with a headache. She was airlifted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, but was pronounced brain dead last Wednesday evening. Doctors said that she had suffered a brain hemorrhage caused by an aggressive tumor.
Soliman was given huge doses of steroids to help the unborn child’s lungs develop. Two days later, Aya was born, weighing 2 pounds, 1.5 ounces. David Phillips, 48, a close friend and fellow skater who was at the hospital with Soliman, said that her husband, Mahmoud Soliman, had had “the best and the worst day of his life."
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Stranger Than Fiction
Angry 4-year-old Shoots Baby Sitter With Shotgun
Police say an angry 4-year-old Ohio boy grabbed a gun from a closet and shot his baby sitter. Eighteen-year-old Nathan Beavers was hospitalized Sunday with minor wounds to his arm and side after the shotgun attack. Police say another teen was also injured.
Witnesses told police the child was angry because Beavers accidentally stepped on his foot. Beavers was watching the child at a mobile home in Jackson with several other teenagers and several other children. Jackson County Sheriff John Shashteen says authorities are investigating. The child has not been charged.
Police say an angry 4-year-old Ohio boy grabbed a gun from a closet and shot his baby sitter. Eighteen-year-old Nathan Beavers was hospitalized Sunday with minor wounds to his arm and side after the shotgun attack. Police say another teen was also injured.
Witnesses told police the child was angry because Beavers accidentally stepped on his foot. Beavers was watching the child at a mobile home in Jackson with several other teenagers and several other children. Jackson County Sheriff John Shashteen says authorities are investigating. The child has not been charged.
Afraid to Speak Up
Fearful how others might respond during class, I always slouched in my desk.
By Brooke Sisko
During my sophomore year, I had a class called comparative religions. I took this class thinking I was going to learn about other religions. It turned out to be very different from what I expected.
First of all, we all sat with our desks in a circle. Then, our teacher would throw out questions for discussion. We were to answer the question in a way that supports the specific religion we believe in. Fearful how others might respond, I always slouched in my desk. I wasn't alone in my fears. The whole room usually seemed uncomfortably silent.
One day, the teacher asked a question that shook me up:
"Why does God let a child molester get away with his actions, but
a 6-month-old baby dies of cancer?" Suddenly the class was no longer so silent—this question started a huge discussion. Two answers I remember most went something like this:
"Maybe God is trying to get revenge on us for our sins."
"I think God wants us to be Buddhist because they believe in happiness."
I looked at two other Christians in my class, realizing they were too afraid to speak up. My heart started pounding as
I glanced nervously at a few students who appeared to be sleeping. Some of them probably thought they were too cool to answer. Out of nowhere I heard my voice saying, "I don't believe any of that."
I sucked in my breath, realizing that all heads had turned toward me. I contemplated not explaining myself as my teacher just looked at me. I was risking becoming "that Christian freak." But suddenly, I felt the courage to continue.
"I don't think God chose to have the world filled with evil, but Satan and humans have shaped the world into the way it now is."
"What about the baby? Shouldn't God have ordered one of his heavenly angels to come save it?" my teacher asked, waving his arms dramatically.
I cautiously answered, trying not to anger the teacher. "To be honest, I don't have an answer, but I know God doesn't enjoy the pain we experience. And he doesn't enjoy it when people get away with doing wrong things. I don't really know how to explain, but God didn't make the world this way. It's broken by sin, so maybe the question should be stated differently. I don't think we can judge God on the evil of this world. Instead, I just have faith he is in control and will one day right the wrongs."
As the teacher glared at me and moved on to a different question, I felt a rush of happiness. I had a sense that God was proud of what I had just done, and that He was smiling over the courage and the faith I showed in this tough moment.
Brooke, a junior, plays soccer and is involved in a mentoring program that helps freshmen adjust to their first year in high school.
By Brooke Sisko
During my sophomore year, I had a class called comparative religions. I took this class thinking I was going to learn about other religions. It turned out to be very different from what I expected.
First of all, we all sat with our desks in a circle. Then, our teacher would throw out questions for discussion. We were to answer the question in a way that supports the specific religion we believe in. Fearful how others might respond, I always slouched in my desk. I wasn't alone in my fears. The whole room usually seemed uncomfortably silent.
One day, the teacher asked a question that shook me up:
"Why does God let a child molester get away with his actions, but
a 6-month-old baby dies of cancer?" Suddenly the class was no longer so silent—this question started a huge discussion. Two answers I remember most went something like this:
"Maybe God is trying to get revenge on us for our sins."
"I think God wants us to be Buddhist because they believe in happiness."
I looked at two other Christians in my class, realizing they were too afraid to speak up. My heart started pounding as
I glanced nervously at a few students who appeared to be sleeping. Some of them probably thought they were too cool to answer. Out of nowhere I heard my voice saying, "I don't believe any of that."
I sucked in my breath, realizing that all heads had turned toward me. I contemplated not explaining myself as my teacher just looked at me. I was risking becoming "that Christian freak." But suddenly, I felt the courage to continue.
"I don't think God chose to have the world filled with evil, but Satan and humans have shaped the world into the way it now is."
"What about the baby? Shouldn't God have ordered one of his heavenly angels to come save it?" my teacher asked, waving his arms dramatically.
I cautiously answered, trying not to anger the teacher. "To be honest, I don't have an answer, but I know God doesn't enjoy the pain we experience. And he doesn't enjoy it when people get away with doing wrong things. I don't really know how to explain, but God didn't make the world this way. It's broken by sin, so maybe the question should be stated differently. I don't think we can judge God on the evil of this world. Instead, I just have faith he is in control and will one day right the wrongs."
As the teacher glared at me and moved on to a different question, I felt a rush of happiness. I had a sense that God was proud of what I had just done, and that He was smiling over the courage and the faith I showed in this tough moment.
Brooke, a junior, plays soccer and is involved in a mentoring program that helps freshmen adjust to their first year in high school.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Stop Babbling
And 8 other ways to connect with God.
By Ann Swindell
1. Pray with somebody.
Read Mark 14:38—even Jesus realized prayer took some effort. And while we need private prayer times, we also need the prayerful support of others. So, ask a friend to meet with you once a week during lunch or after school. Share issues in your life and pray for one another. It might feel a little awkward at first, but it will get better with time—and you'll get closer to God and to each other.
2. Take a day off.
Even though Jesus didn't want "honoring the Sabbath" (Exodus 20:8) to become a mindless ritual (Mark 2:27), he believed getting away and focusing on God is really important (Luke 5:16). So, what should honoring the Sabbath look like? Well, it should be one day every week—usually on Sunday—when you take time out of your regular schedule to rest and connect with God with your Christian community. No homework, no work, nada. When you get away from schoolwork and other things that distract you, there's a lot of space to rest and think and pray about what really matters.
3. Unplug.
Every once in a while, unplug all your tech toys. Video games, TVs, cell phones, iPods, internet—everything. (The world won't end, I promise.) Use this unplugged time to talk with a friend, face-to-face. Go on a walk or play guitar. Read a good novel. Hey, read the Bible. Or just sit quietly, allowing God to speak to your heart without all the normal distractions.
4. Eat temple food.
Sound weird? Well, the Bible says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. What does this mean practically? Let's say you're standing in front of the vending machines at school. Pretzels or cheesy puffs? Soda or water? Now, this isn't to say we can't enjoy a sweet soft drink or a nice chunk of chocolate cake once in a while. But the important thing is to not always fill God's temple with junk—or junk food. And when you do eat, whether it's a Snickers or a carrot stick, thank God for tasty snacks and good food that nourishes your body—His holy temple.
5. Go green.
Taking care of the earth is "in" right now. But God was into the planet long before hybrid cars and recycling. God created the heavens and the earth, and He said his creation was good. When He made humans, He told them to care for His creation (Genesis 2:15). We still have that responsibility. When there's enough natural light, leave the lights off. Recycle. Carpool. Ride a bike instead of driving. Thank God for the earth He created and treat it as the beautiful masterpiece it is.
6. Memorize Bible verses.
Why? Because God's Word "exposes our innermost thoughts and desires" (Hebrews 4:12). And Psalm 119:9 says we can keep ourselves pure by obeying God's Word. When we memorize Scripture, we have it ready when we need it. It's in our heads, helping us make good decisions and helping us reflect on God's promises. Pick a favorite verse and write it on your mirror with a dry-erase marker. Whenever you look in the mirror, repeat the verse in your head. When you've memorized it, put up a new verse. Where to start: Why not Hebrews 4:12 and Psalm 119:9?
7. Stop blabbing.
Read James 3:2-12 and Proverbs 16:24, and remember that speaking too much usually gets us
in trouble—with parents, friends, teachers, coaches, bosses. So practice the discipline of "taming the tongue" and focus on speaking words of encouragement. Cut out swearing, putdowns and gossip. If you're struggling to say something encouraging, don't speak until you can.
8. Be kind … in secret.
When we watch TV and read fan magazines, we get one message over and over: Fame is just about better than anything. But read Matthew 6:1-6 and you'll discover God thinks differently. When we do nice things for others without them knowing, we keep ourselves from becoming arrogant or from needing the approval of others. So, why not write an anonymous note of encouragement to someone and put it in his or her locker? Or maybe leave a small gift for a teacher or friend? You can also pray for someone without them knowing it. Whatever you do, do it for God. He's watching and He's pleased with your selfless and secret acts of kindness.
9. Live it up!
Life in Christ is the best thing around, so celebrate it! And there are many ways to celebrate—dance in the sunshine, sing a song to Him, take photos of His beautiful creation, write a poem, paint a picture, share a delicious meal with friends, play basketball, laugh! Whatever you do, do it as a way to praise God and thank God for the great gift of life.
By Ann Swindell
1. Pray with somebody.
Read Mark 14:38—even Jesus realized prayer took some effort. And while we need private prayer times, we also need the prayerful support of others. So, ask a friend to meet with you once a week during lunch or after school. Share issues in your life and pray for one another. It might feel a little awkward at first, but it will get better with time—and you'll get closer to God and to each other.
2. Take a day off.
Even though Jesus didn't want "honoring the Sabbath" (Exodus 20:8) to become a mindless ritual (Mark 2:27), he believed getting away and focusing on God is really important (Luke 5:16). So, what should honoring the Sabbath look like? Well, it should be one day every week—usually on Sunday—when you take time out of your regular schedule to rest and connect with God with your Christian community. No homework, no work, nada. When you get away from schoolwork and other things that distract you, there's a lot of space to rest and think and pray about what really matters.
3. Unplug.
Every once in a while, unplug all your tech toys. Video games, TVs, cell phones, iPods, internet—everything. (The world won't end, I promise.) Use this unplugged time to talk with a friend, face-to-face. Go on a walk or play guitar. Read a good novel. Hey, read the Bible. Or just sit quietly, allowing God to speak to your heart without all the normal distractions.
4. Eat temple food.
Sound weird? Well, the Bible says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. What does this mean practically? Let's say you're standing in front of the vending machines at school. Pretzels or cheesy puffs? Soda or water? Now, this isn't to say we can't enjoy a sweet soft drink or a nice chunk of chocolate cake once in a while. But the important thing is to not always fill God's temple with junk—or junk food. And when you do eat, whether it's a Snickers or a carrot stick, thank God for tasty snacks and good food that nourishes your body—His holy temple.
5. Go green.
Taking care of the earth is "in" right now. But God was into the planet long before hybrid cars and recycling. God created the heavens and the earth, and He said his creation was good. When He made humans, He told them to care for His creation (Genesis 2:15). We still have that responsibility. When there's enough natural light, leave the lights off. Recycle. Carpool. Ride a bike instead of driving. Thank God for the earth He created and treat it as the beautiful masterpiece it is.
6. Memorize Bible verses.
Why? Because God's Word "exposes our innermost thoughts and desires" (Hebrews 4:12). And Psalm 119:9 says we can keep ourselves pure by obeying God's Word. When we memorize Scripture, we have it ready when we need it. It's in our heads, helping us make good decisions and helping us reflect on God's promises. Pick a favorite verse and write it on your mirror with a dry-erase marker. Whenever you look in the mirror, repeat the verse in your head. When you've memorized it, put up a new verse. Where to start: Why not Hebrews 4:12 and Psalm 119:9?
7. Stop blabbing.
Read James 3:2-12 and Proverbs 16:24, and remember that speaking too much usually gets us
in trouble—with parents, friends, teachers, coaches, bosses. So practice the discipline of "taming the tongue" and focus on speaking words of encouragement. Cut out swearing, putdowns and gossip. If you're struggling to say something encouraging, don't speak until you can.
8. Be kind … in secret.
When we watch TV and read fan magazines, we get one message over and over: Fame is just about better than anything. But read Matthew 6:1-6 and you'll discover God thinks differently. When we do nice things for others without them knowing, we keep ourselves from becoming arrogant or from needing the approval of others. So, why not write an anonymous note of encouragement to someone and put it in his or her locker? Or maybe leave a small gift for a teacher or friend? You can also pray for someone without them knowing it. Whatever you do, do it for God. He's watching and He's pleased with your selfless and secret acts of kindness.
9. Live it up!
Life in Christ is the best thing around, so celebrate it! And there are many ways to celebrate—dance in the sunshine, sing a song to Him, take photos of His beautiful creation, write a poem, paint a picture, share a delicious meal with friends, play basketball, laugh! Whatever you do, do it as a way to praise God and thank God for the great gift of life.
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