Summer Vacation




	WRITE 2 THE HEART Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart" February 6, 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. ------------------------------------------------------------ God always handles our needs on a daily basis. When he reaches out and presents us with our hearts desires, I am always in awe. ------------------------------------------------------------ Summer Vacation By Melva Cooper ------------------------------------------------------------ ".Let the smile of your face shine on us Lord." Psalm 4:6 (NLT) It was getting close to time for school to be out. Summer vacation would soon be here. Everyone was excited about having time to go swimming, visiting with family and friends and just sleeping late in the mornings. Some talked about going to the lake and others would be taking trips to Disney World. Our two granddaughters, Faith and Mary Kathryn, wanted to go to the beach. Living in the center of the United States, they had never seen a beach. Both longed to sit, covered in sand, on the shores of a giant ocean. But, for their single, school teacher mom there had always been an extra job in the summer. This left little time and money for long-term vacations. As summer approached they all prayed that God would, this year, give them that much desired vacation. As the end of school came nearer Jeri Sue said to them, "Girls, I believe this is the year God is going to allow you to see a beach. We may have to stop at the first one we come to, and then come back the next day. But, God is going to arrange for us to have a beach vacation." Their prayer became, "Thank you, Lord, that this summer we will get to see that beautiful part of your world called a beach." Days continue to pass. Faith and Mary Kathryn heard their friends saying, "When school is out we are going to Branson," and "My family is driving to Six Flags." From others came the words, "Orlando is where we are flying for our vacation." Their faith never wavered. They wanted to see a beach and God was going to answer that prayer. On the last day of school the parent of one of Jeri Sue's fifth grade students casually asked what she and the girls would be doing during the Summer. She told her the story of their wanting to go to the beach. To Jeri Sue's absolute amazement, Rebecca said, "I believe our time-share has a condo in Florida. I will check and see." When Jeri Sue came in from school that day there was a message on her answering machine. Reservations had been made for a full week at an ocean-front condo in Palm Beach Shores, Florida. A gift from the Tucks! And without knowing it, Rebecca had made the reservation the week of Jeri Sue's birthday! What an awesome God we serve! What a gift from Him through the parents of a fifth grade student. A neuro- surgeon in our average-size town sharing with a single mom and her two daughters who had prayed to Him to let them see a beach. Their tears of thanks soon turned into the fervor of getting ready to leave. With visions of white-capped waves billowing over their heads, they gathered up articles for a garage sale. Faith and Mary Kathryn worked any extra chore they could find to earn some spending money. One day a call came from the small Christian school where Jeri Sue teaches. Someone anonymously had left a hundred dollar bill for the vacation. Their Aunt Julia's babysitter was in Summer School for a few weeks and she needed them to stay with our other two grandchildren, Levi and Brooke. Generous is hardly the word to use when they learned how much she was giving them to help with the cousins. Birthday money for Jeri Sue came in from family members. Bathing suits, sun-tan lotion, and shoes to walk in the hot sand on the beach were bought. Finally, that long anticipated day arrived. It would take two days on the road. They didn't mind. They had their books and games. A friend had even loaned them a TV-VCR to watch their videos in the back of their Blazer. Grandma had bought, among other things, a two-hour phone card so they wouldn't have to use their cell phone in roam. They reached their halfway destination the first day in time to swim at the hotel before bedtime. Calls were made home to assure everyone they were fine and having a wonderful time. But, the thoughts and dreams bouncing around in their minds were on that far Southeast state of Florida with the miles and miles of ocean and beach. The second day passed a little faster and about mid- afternoon they arrived in West Palm Beach. To get to the ocean front condo where they would be staying in Palm Beach Shores, they must go over a bridge. As they began that short journey their eyes soon began feasting on the most beautiful sight Faith and Mary Kathryn had ever seen. The Atlantic Ocean! With water and sand as far as their eyes could behold. As they crossed over Blue Heron Bridge, eight year-old Mary Kathryn, with her beautifu, innocent blue eyes gazing upon that beauty she had so longed to see said, "Mama, my mouth just won't quit grinning." That is the story of their next seven days. Their hearts and mouths kept smiling. In gratefulness to God who would smile upon them enough to supernaturally provide this time for them. When Jeri Sue shared those words of Mary Kathryn's over the phone with me I thought, God smiles on His children every day. He smiles when we pray to Him and when we cherish our time with Him every day. He smiles when He provides us with food for our bodies, clothes to cover us, and shelter to live in. And then there are times like that fabulous week in Florida! God smiled whiled Jeri Sue, Faith, and Mary Kathryn basked in His earthly beauty of sand and sea. That had been so generously shared with them through friends. Thank you, Lord. Let the smile of your face continue to shine on us! Melva Cooper Jmelva @ cox-internet.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) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Melva Cooper is a wife, mother and grandmother of four from Jonesboro, Arkansas. She is also a free-lance writer. Presently she writes a "Grandparenting" column for NORTHEAST ARKANSAS PARENT, and an article on a "NASCAR Driver and His Faith" in CHRISTIAN MOTORSPORTS ILLUSTRATED. She is a staff writer for the motorsports website www.catchfence.com and has articles on several Christian websites and Ezines. "I am so grateful God is opening doors for publishing in my retirement years. Psalm 92:14, "Even in old age you will still produce fruit," is the verse God has given me. And that is my desire to serve Him all the days of my life." -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- Letters From Our Readers -------------------------------------------------------------- I sent "Little Ernie's Fury" to my daughter because I remembered her family had an incident with an iguana when her sons were young. She sent this reply, and gave her permission for me to send it on to Write2TheHeart. Babe was the family dog, a Brittany Spaniel. Josh and Dave are her sons. Mom, I loved the story about the iguana. Our story is about Iggy, the iguana from my library. One weekend before school let out for Christmas the power went out all over Lynnwood because of heavy snow and ice. Iggy was in his library terrarium, but his heat lamp and heat stone were not turned on because of the power outage. It was very, very cold and I knew that Iggy could not last long in that cold. Bob and I made a night run in the truck to rescue him in the dark in the school. We captured him in a box and brought the terrarium and all his supplies home for the three weeks of vacation. Josh and Dave loved having him there. Josh would carry him around on his shirt and his head. Babe was mesmerized by Iggy for three weeks. She rarely slept because she was watching him. After I brought Iggy back to school, she still thought he was on the fireplace hearth and would look there if you said "Where's Iggy?" Another time we baby-sat Josh and Dulcey's gerbil, Cassie, for a few weeks. Babe knew exactly where the cage was and would stand and watch Cassie ceaselessly. We'd ask Babe, "Where's Cassie?" and she'd run to the room where we kept her, even after we were through baby-sitting. Anyway, thanks for a good chuckle. Love you, Cathy Pat Lowe --------------------------------------------------------------- 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, Howard, Alan and Thaddeaus. 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 >From time to time, I have to take this space to address some issues that surface. To all of you wonderful writer's, please send your story in the body of an email, not as an attachment. I would appreciate if you would use plain text and not put it on "background" stationary. I received one story that was written on such a dark background, I couldn't even read it. Always include a short bio. You may include your web site if it is Christian family friendly. I feel strongly that God wants to use Write 2 the Heart to promote Christian writer's. If you write a letter to the editor, I will include your name as you sign it, first and last or first only. You may include a website after your name. Again it must be Christian family friendly. I will be checking on these before publishing them. There, that wasn't so bad was it? Thank you for helping me in this area. I know I am stressing Christian family friendly. I feel I have to after seeing what is passing as family friendly! 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.