[ampaterry]

So do I, Pipeman. Yesterday at K-Mart, I felt tears well up when looking at a new line of patriotic Tee-shirts.
I feel like the last dinosaur must have felt as his breed became extinct.

For today, I have a story I found that was told by Ken Trivett many years ago.

In the early years of his ministry, Dr. George W. Truett took the following verse as his text for a morning's message:

Matthew 18:19 (KJV);
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Having quoted his text, Dr. Truett asked: "Do you believe it?"
Of course he did not expect an answer, but one was forthcoming nevertheless.

As he paused for a moment that his question might be understood, a very poor member of the congregation, poor in this world's goods but rich in faith, rose to her feet. "I believe it, pastor," she said, "and I want you to claim that promise with me."

"It staggered me," said the pastor. "I knew I did not have the faith to claim the promise, but before I had time to answer, a big, burly blacksmith in the congregation rose to his feet; 'I'll claim that promise with you, Auntie,' he said, and together the two, the poor washer-woman and the blacksmith, dropped to their knees in the aisle and poured out their hearts in prayer for the salvation of the woman's husband."

Now it happened that this man was a riverboat captain on the Rio Grande, a swearing, foul-mouthed drunken sot, and he was at that moment sleeping off a drink at home.
That night, for the first time in many years at least, the old riverboat captain was in the church and while the pastor preached the woman prayed, not for the salvation of her husband, rather she was thanking God for it, for she seemed to know it would happen that night.
And of course, when the invitation was given, this old foul-mouthed captain came to give his heart to the Lord, and he became one of the most dependable and faithful workers in that church.

How about you? Do you believe it? REALLY believe it? You should!

May God bless each one of you -