Binoculars




	WRITE 2 THE HEART Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart" July 29, 2003 Cheryl Speir, Editor, moderator@write2theheart.com ----------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to your latest issue of "Write 2 the Heart" You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription or a friend generously forwarded their copy to you. To subscribe send a blank e-mail to subscribe@write2theheart.com. ------------------------------------------------------------ The gift appeared useless in the beginning. What did Annette need a pair of binoculars for? As time passed, they became a way for her to remain connected to the wonderful world her heavenly Father created and to teach her about magnifying the Lord. ------------------------------------------------------------ My Binoculars By: Annettee Budzban ------------------------------------------------------------ "Magnify the Lord" Psalm 34:3 (AMP) One day I arrived at work a few minutes early, so I stopped by my boss' office to greet her and say, "Good morning." "I just bought a new pair of binoculars would you like my old ones?" She asked. I looked at the binoculars sitting on her desk and asked myself what would I do with a pair of binoculars? I did not go to sporting events nor did I have any hobbies in which I could use these high- powered spectacles. Yet, for some reason, I felt I should accept them. Over the last few years, my illness has left me housebound. It has been during this time that God has revealed their use to me. Due to the magnification of these glasses, I have been able to magnify the Lord. I use them to look at the small birds, fluttering their wings, as they eat at my bird feeder and to get a closer view at the variety of brightly colored flowers in my neighbor's yard. One day, I watched a mother duck with several small babies waddling behind her down our street. Another morning, I caught a glimpse of two foxes at the end of my backyard. Quickly, grabbing my binoculars, I was able to get a closer look at this pair of rarely seen red beauties. Then one dusky evening, I saw the largest raccoon I have ever seen. Yes, I have magnified many of God's creations that I would have missed, had I not received these glasses. However, I respect God's gift of them to me. I never use them to spy on my neighbors. I have only become a ~Peeping Tom" of nature. As I recall the day Sharon shared her old pair of binoculars with me, I am forever grateful. This gift given to me has helped me to see that each day, I can look through my spiritual binoculars. I can look at life God's way and magnify the simple pleasures, instead of magnifying my circumstances. That is what the Psalmist did when he magnified the Lord. Whether you own a pair of binoculars or not, I invite you to enjoy God's creation. Spend a few moments each day with God and magnify His Majesty, as you gaze at the wonders of His creativity. Annettee Budzban ahrtwrites2u @ aol.com You are encouraged to write to the authors to let them know what you think of their story, just remember to remove the space before and after the @ symbol. The space is placed in the address to protect our writers from viruses and email harvesting programs. Have a comment on today's story? Send it to: moderator@write2theheart.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- Annettee Budzban is an author, freelance writer, and religion columnist. She has been published on numerous e-zines and in magazines. She is the Devotional Editor for the e-zine "Eternal Ink." Her book, "When Heaven Whispers," will be released soon. -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- Letters From Our Readers -------------------------------------------------------------- Bob and his wife seem to have their own personal animal rescue service going. What loving hearts they have. It is always great to see two people in harmony on how they feel and react. His stories show how they agree on reaching out and caring for the poor animals around them. Angie --------------------------------------------------------------- Military Prayer Reminder --------------------------------------------------------------- As you read over this list of names, please take that moment to pray for these young people and their families: Chris Speir Tim Speir Alan Thaddeaus Howard Todd Holland Graham William Julie Sagel Jessie Marshal Thompson Jason Eric Hernandez Kristin Danielson Ken Prieur Ryan Please continue to pray for our country, our leaders, and our troops at this time. If you have loved ones in the military, or who are being called to go overseas, send their names (first and last or first only) to be included in our prayer reminder. --------------------------------------------------------------- Cheryl's Corner My oldest son, Chris, and a good friend of his, went fishing in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday. They were planning to spend a pleasurable day fishing and head for home when it began to get dark. As they neared Ship Island, their boat broke down. When they assessed the problem, they found they could fix it. if they had the proper part. They both tried to make phone calls on their cell phones. Being between Ship Island and Gulfport, they could only get a sporadic signal that would cut out when the phones began to ring. They couldn't use their lifejackets to float to shore, because sharks were spotted in the water. After several hours, another boat came near and they were able to flag it down. The occupants of that boat agreed to take one of them to shore to get the part and bring him back. It looked like they were rescued. Chris would remain with the boat. Everyone else would set out for shore. That was when another problem popped up; the new boat ran out of gas! Now two boats were anchored offshore needing help. One by one the cell phone batteries died. Chris was finally able to connect with his wife. No sooner did they begin their conversation than his battery went out also. Now Nicole is not one to fool around. When she sees a problem she takes the most direct route to fix it. She immediately called the Coast Guard. These wonderful men went out looking for them. They rescued the stranded men and their boats. I thank God for the men and women who chose to serve on the coasts and waterways of out nation. Chris and his friend didn't get home until four thirty the next morning. Will this keep them from going fishing in the Gulf of Mexico again? Of course not! God Bless, Cheryl ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- © 2003 Write 2 the Heart Nothing may be reproduced or published without the written permission of the individual author or copyright owner. All rights belong to the authors.