Hi Steve, thank you for this. It really is true that you reap what you so. Original message: > YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW > Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on the ground. > The man slowly looked up. > This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her > coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. > His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many > others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.... > To his amazement, the woman continued standing. > She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. > "Are you hungry?" she asked. > "No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the > president. Now go away." > The woman's smile became even broader.. > Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. > "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone. > Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.. > "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get > this man to his feet.. Will you help me?" > The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture > around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?" > "See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him > something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile." > "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go > in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him > up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." > "This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it." > Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got > Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It > was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had > already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived... > The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's > going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?" > "This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered. > "Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that > here is bad for business." > Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if > you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place." > The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you > familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" > "Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently.. "They hold their > weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms." > "And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these > weekly meetings?" > "What business is that of yours?" > I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company." > "Oh." > The wom an smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She > glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to > join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?" > "No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty." > "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?" > "Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice." > The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you > right away, officer." > The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his > place," he said. > "That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." > She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She > stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?" > Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes.. "I think so -- I > mean you do look familiar." > "I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out > more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through > that very door, cold and hungry." > "Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such > a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
> "I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city > looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to > my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the > streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I > saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get > something to eat." > Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the > serving counter.. You came up and asked me if you could work for > something to eat. I said that it was against company policy." > "I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef > sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to > go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get > into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of > my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right." > "So you started your own business?" Old Jack said. > "I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I > started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She > opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished > here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr.. Lyons...He's the personnel > director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll > find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think > he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you > can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your > feet.. If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you." > There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said. > "Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank > Jesus .... He led me to you." > Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance > before going their separate ways... > "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said. > "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle > today, something that I will never forget. And..And thank you for the > coffee.." > If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing. > If you have missed some of my emails, you might have missed a laugh. > But, if you have missed knowing my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, you > have missed everything in the world. > Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You Always and don't forget that > when you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know how it will > be returned to you.. > God is so big He can cover the whole world with his Love and so small > He can curl up inside your heart.. > When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and letet > go. Only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you > fall, or He'll teach you how to fly! > The power of one sentence! > God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work > in your favor. > If you believe, send it. > If you don't believe, delete it. > God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.. > If you need God to open some doors for you...send this on. > Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing... > "Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the > impossible!" > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- Email services provided by the System Access Mobile Network. Visit www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility anywhere. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
