GOLD NUGGETS 2

GOLD NUGGETS 2

By

Tommy Franks, Ph.D.

Copyright © 2007 Tommy Franks
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
All rights reserved under International Copyright Law.
International Standard Book Number: 0‑926044‑55‑9

Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the Publisher.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the KINGS JAMES VERSION of the Bible.

Due to the Author's prerogative, some words are in small letters and some are capitalized for clarity and emphasis and not necessarily in accordance with standard grammatical practice.

Whenever pronouns or gender references appear in this book, they refer to both male and female unless otherwise noted.

Second Printing 2007

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book "GOLD NUGGETS 2" to all who read it. May the “Blessings” of God overtake you. May warmth and excitement come to you and your family as you read this inspiring book "Gold Nuggets 2".

INTRODUCTION

Relax, get in a comfortable place, kick your feet back...perhaps with a cup of coffee or hot tea, and enjoy yourself with this inspiring publication. Perhaps, after reading it, you might have a story or two that you want told and placed in print. If that is the case, contact me at my Blog address. Thanks for your interest.

First Words

I believe that every single person on Planet Earth is special and has dignity and great worth. You have intelligence. You have the five senses, intellect, emotions, desires, ambitions, and initiative. You are spirit. The real person inside you is spirit. Your spirit is the only way you can communicate with God, your Creator. Even though man lives in a body, he communicates with his soul and spirit. Therefore, this book will speak to your spirit as well as your soul.

Therefore, read and enjoy the travels and journeys that you will experience, encounter, and feel during this fabulous and exciting excursion.

In brief, it is no accident that you are reading this book. God's will for you is that you prosper, be in good health, and have healthy emotions in every area of your life. This book "Gold Nuggets 2" will assist you in the area of virtual reality and quality living.

HOW OLD IS OLD?

Consider the following story. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Mr. Jack King was 106 years young. He had outlived his last four wives. Someone thought they would try to console Mr. King since his 4th wife had just been funeralized...So they said, "Jack, this must really be a difficult time in your life, now that Jill is gone and you're by yourself."

Jack quickly responded, "Are you kidding me? I've got a lot of living to do yet. You know, Jill was a good woman and kind to me and all...and even though we were married for the past 40 years, she kind of fizzled out on me during the past few years. She became a real stick‑in‑the‑mud...became bitter...and didn't want to do anything anymore...nothing."

"What do you mean, Jack?"

"Well, sixteen years ago when I was 90, I wanted to buy a motor home and travel all over America, but she went bananas on me and told me I was nuts and out of my mind. She wanted nothing to do with it...So I humored her and stayed home...with her until now. But let me tell you something! Now, that she's gone, the grass will not grow under my tires. I plan to make some footprints on the sands of time before I check out of here...but you cannot make footprints on the sands of time if you are sitting on your behind (rear-end), unless your intent is to make buttprints on the sands of time! Therefore, I just bought a brand new motor home yesterday," exclaimed Jack.
Jack took off three days later to see America in his new motor home. Twelve months later, Jack had visited 45 different states in the Union and was still going strong at the age of 107. As a matter of fact, he was seen coming back into town with an attractive female companion riding by his side. He was driving and she was smiling.

Wise and energetic Jack keeps right on LIVING. The other day I heard that he had even made some stock option investments and made a lot of money.

How old is old? Ask Jack King! You're only as old as you feel. Keep a good positive outlook on life and you will live for a long time!

A LETTER To My Five SISTERS during DESERT STORM (6 April 1991)

Dear Sisters (Minnie, Ruby, Joan, Gayle, and Lavonda),

In response to your last letters...in the past two years, I have been to HELL and back. I KNOW what hell on earth is and what it is not. I am so glad there is a God in Heaven Who knows my heart. I am so thankful for a beautiful family.

NOW that I am part of Desert Storm, I feel good. I love this beautiful country of ours. This war has affected me like no other war in history. I find myself crying sometimes. Our mission in support of Desert Storm is to notify the next of kin of those who have died in Iraq, Saudi Arabia or the Mideast. Just a few minutes ago, we notified parents of a soldier who was killed yesterday in a helicopter crash. He was only 32...too young to die!

Recently, I looked into a father's eyes and told him the sad news about his daughter (21 years young). She was dead...killed as a hero in a vehicle accident. Even now, tears come to my eyes when I remember the look in his eyes (the hurt, anguish, agony, hell). I will go to the grave with the remembrance of his face and hurt in my heart. You'd have to be really cold‑hearted to forget such a tragedy so easily.

Is it wrong for me to cry about these things? I try to be tough, especially when others are around. Why am I so sensitive? What are these people to me? I don't even KNOW them, yet I awake in the night with their faces before me! I try to be STRONG...and brave... God, help us all during this time! Thousands are returning every week. Some may never make it back home.

We all have the same basic needs. My four kids think that I am a teddy bear and getting soft...and I am. I can't help it...I love people. I have met all kinds of people (saints, sinners, hypocrites, deadheads, airheads, butt‑heads, potheads, scud-heads, etc.), but somehow, I believe that God still loves them!

Just remember I REALLY do love and appreciate all of you and your prayers. I have learned that we cannot change people. Only the Good Lord can do that. I wish we could. I really do. We cannot change church members. We cannot change our spouses. That's the job of the Creator. Our main responsibility is to treat others with dignity and take care of our families. And even then, sometimes we fail miserably.

I am just a soldier. I love this country. I love America. I will always be indebted to the USA. My heart is in this country. I am an American fighting soldier. If that is wrong, then I am wrong!
I love you,
Your brother...Tommy

A LETTER TO MY BROTHER DENNIS

Dear Dennis,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Dennis, I really do appreciate and love you as my older brother. I know I do not always tell you enough how much you have influenced my life. We have plowed a lot of ground together, you and I. I remember the time in Bangor, Michigan, when we were living on the East Farm of Burt Hills, INC...not far from Frank Spicer's old home place. Earl Dean Smith (our cousin) was driving Hollis Rhoden's old stripped down Model T Ford like a bat out of a cave. We were all holding on for dear life. You were on the fender or sideboard when somehow Earl ran into the bushes by the side of the road.

Suddenly, we noticed that you had been knocked off by the bushes and debris. Some of us started to cry. We thought you had been run over by the tires. But after the dust had settled, you emerged with dirt, gravel, and scratch marks all over you. Your clothes looked like they had been in a tornado. Your eyes were as big as saucers. Parts of your skin were left on the bushes and you were bruised, bloody, and dirty... We did not know the danger that you had been in nor your pain until we got a good look at you. Hollis eventually took over the steering wheel from Cousin Earl.

God had somehow spared your life that day and spared the Franks' Family a lot of heartache and grief. And today, you have a wonderful wife and three handsome young sons! Ain't God good? Time never stands still. Just remember that everything in this life is temporary. Life is SWEET. Life goes on. WHY? Because we are creations of a higher POWER (God Almighty). God has made us Special and Beautiful. We are sometimes referred to as... the Apple of God's eye.

Dennis, your unselfish time, sensitivity to people, and considerable energy involved as a Christian and example of the Gospel certainly typify your "true" spirit. As someone once said, "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's kindness and good deeds." Your significant contributions to the Gospel have greatly maximized your treasure in heaven. Your exceptional meritorious hospitality will not be forgotten. As your brother, I am both grateful and appreciative for your dedication to God and your Family. I have felt the results of your prayers and support. Even when some trials and difficulties were highly visible and complex, your Christian experience and perseverance came through. Your prayers and love in the areas of family matters, Christian integrity, and open communications have provided support for many people. You have touched many lives. Your Christian example has produced fruitful and lasting results, especially in my life.
THANKS big brother! I love you...Tommy

SOME FAVORITE QUOTES

TEAMWORK: Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision...the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the FUEL that allows common people to attain uncommon results. As a TEAM, everyone achieves more. Working together, ordinary people can perform extraordinary feats. They can lift things that come into their hands a little higher, a little further on toward the heights of excellence. Together everyone achieves more. If everyone is moving forward TOGETHER, then success will come.

ADVERSITY: Do not fear the winds of adversity. Remember: A kite rises against the wind rather than with it.

DETERMINATION: The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.

GOALS: No one can predict to what heights you can soar. Even you will not know until you spread your wings. You become successful the moment you start moving toward your goal. Success is a journey, not a destination.

ATTITUDE: Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference. Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. If it is to be, then it is up to me. Attitude is the way you think. Your attitude is something that other people can see. They can see it in your voice...the way you move...your facial expressions...and they feel it when they are with you. Your attitude expresses itself in everything you do, all the time, wherever you are. Positive attitudes invite positive results. Anything you do with a positive attitude will work for you and not against you. A positive attitude is always looking for ways to solve problems. Attitude makes the difference in everything you do during your entire life. Positive attitudes can be developed by emphasizing the good, by being tough minded (firm, yet gentle), and by refusing defeat!

ACHIEVEMENT: It takes courage to push yourself to places that you've never been before...to test your limits...to break thru barriers.

COURAGE: Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. To stay on course...sometimes you have to make waves.

PRIDE: Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates excellence from mediocrity. The difference between ordinary and extra-ORDINARY is the little extra. Excellence can be attained if we: Care more...risk more...dream more...and expect more than what others think is wise, safe, practical, or possible!

IMAGINATION: A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions.

VISION: Nothing happens unless you first have a dream. Cherish your visions and your dreams. They are the blueprint of your achievements. Believe in the beauty of your dreams. The person that has dreams is a happy person. Success will come as you follow that dream.

SUCCESS: The difference between success and failure is not a lack of knowledge or strength, but a lack of will.

GOALS: The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are...but what direction we are moving.

RISK: You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

BEING REMEMBERED: Ben Franklin once said, "If you do not want to be forgotten as soon as you die, either write good books worth reading or do things worth writing about."

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, A MAN OF SELF‑DISCIPLINE

George Carver was born a SLAVE about 1860 on a farm in Missouri. His mother and father (Mary and Giles) were owned by slave owners. Mary was owned by Moses and Susan Carver (German immigrants). Giles was owned by James Grant. Shortly after young George was born, his father died. Later, he and his mother Mary were kidnapped by night raiders. ONLY young George was recovered when Moses Carver gave a $300 race horse as a ransom to get him back. George was a slave until slavery was abolished in 1865.

In his early life, he lived in a one room cabin. He walked eight miles (one‑way) to attend school. He graduated from High School in Minneapolis, KS. Later, as a young adult, he was in poor health and for several years wandered around homeless doing odd jobs such as, household and yard work. Later, he became an artist, a singer, and an organist. He studied constantly.

George applied to Highland University and was accepted. This was good news. However, when he showed up for his first day of college, the principal told him to go away because he was black.

He became discouraged again and drifted for about four more years in a homeless condition. In 1890, he entered Simpson College in Iowa. Later, in 1894 he became the first black to graduate from Iowa State College (BS in agricultural science) and in 1896, George received his Master's Degree. He became their first black faculty staff member.

Finally, George was asked by Booker T. Washington to join his staff at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He accepted and became the head of their Agriculture Department. He wanted to help the southern farmers with soil conservation and crop improvement. George discovered 300 different products from the peanut; ie., cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicine oils, cosmetics, and Worcestershire sauce. He also discovered 118 products from the sweet potato; such as vinegar, molasses, rubber, ink, alcohol, postage stamp glue.

By 1919 George had generated the peanut industry into an $80 Million a year business. Before George W. Carver, peanuts were not even recognized as a crop. Peanuts were something you fed to farm animals and elephants.

President FDR gave George the Roosevelt medal in 1939. Mr. Carver received honorary doctorate degrees from Simpson College and the University of Rochester. In 1944, Congress passed a law designating 5 JAN of each year as George Washington Carver Day.

THE MIRACLE OF HARVEST

YOU must water, protect, and care for the planted Seed; but ONLY God has the POWER to bring forth a HARVEST. Seed comes from seed which comes from God. The seed must GERMINATE: To begin to grow, develop, bud, or sprout. Three ingredients in the natural are necessary: Warmth, moisture, and oxygen. But ONLY God can breathe life into a seed.

There are MANY KINDS of harvest. It depends upon the kind of seed you PLANT. Grass produces grass. Herbs produce herbs. Fruit produce fruit. Whales produce whales. Cattle produce cattle. MONEY PRODUCES MONEY. But God gives the miracle of INCREASE.

YOU must SPEAK to your seed to bring forth a HARVEST in the Name of Jesus. YOUR SEED will bow and SUBMIT to the Name of Jesus. THINGS (seeds) that are IN or UNDER the earth must bow at the Name of Jesus. Is your seed‑faith MONEY in or under the earth? Then, it MUST bow and submit when YOU SAY "JESUS".

SAY good things over your planted seed (MONEY). You say to the mountain (poverty) to get out of your way. Do NOT doubt, worry, fret, or go nuts, BUT KEEP ON believing those things that YOU HAVE SAID over your "soon to be" HARVEST.

GUARD your MOUTH from verbosity (doing a lot of JAW‑JACKING). Substance is raw material. CALL THOSE THINGS that be not as though they were because they shall be. YOUR HARVEST IS A MIRACLE!

You must PLANT your seed NOW for a miracle HARVEST! God will give YOU the seed money and will make it GROW (2 Cor.9:10). The enemy (satan) will always make it very inconvenient for you to sow. If you go by circumstances (unpaid bills, car repairs, house payments, rent, car payments, medical bills), YOU WILL NEVER GIVE.

The farmer who goes by the adverse weather will never plant one seed. AND he will never have a HARVEST. ISAAC SOWED under ADVERSE conditions (Gen.26)...famine, fear and deceit. Even his water supply had been stopped. He had been run out of town by the king. BUT THE WORD SAYS that Isaac sowed ANYHOW and received 100 Fold in the same year. PERIOD!

YOU MUST PLANT NOW TO GET A HARVEST. The longer you wait to plant, the longer it will be before YOUR harvest. Release your seed (money) for a miracle harvest. Let it die and germinate. Plant what you desire to REAP. Plant to your HARVEST SIZE. Plant in GOOD ground. Wait patiently for your miracle harvest. It will come to pass...FIRST, the blade, then the ear, and then the full grown corn (the large HARVEST).

GOODBYE HELL, HELLO HEAVEN

"The wicked shall be turned into HELL, and ALL NATIONS that forget God" (Ps.9:17). Hell is never full (Pr.27:27). It has torment (Lk.16:28). It is Total Darkness (Mt.8:12). Weeping and gnashing of teeth take place there (Mt.8:12). Fire/brimstone are there (Ps.11:6, 21:9). Hell is literally a Furnace of FIRE (Mt.13:42) forever (Mt.25:41). However, if we REPENT, God will not allow us to go to hell. He will not leave our souls in hell (Ps.16:10, Acts 2:27). Thank God, I have confessed Jesus as Lord. GOODBYE HELL, HELLO HEAVEN!

Our REWARD is HEAVEN (Mt.5:12, Lk.6:23). "Our citizenship is in HEAVEN" (Phil.3:20 Amp.). We sit together in HEAVEN with Jesus (Eph.2:6). The definition of citizenship is: Duties, rights, and privileges of a citizen of a particular city, place, country, or nation by birth or naturalization.

Where is HEAVEN? It is the place of God's throne (Ps.11:4), His physical home (Mt.5:16, 45); place of GREAT treasures (Mt.6:20). Jesus came to earth from HEAVEN (Jn.3:13, 31). Heaven will house the new Jerusalem (Rev.3:12, 21:10). HEAVEN is a very REAL place (Acts 1:11). It's the Place where our NAMES are written down in the Book of Life (Lk.10:20, Rev.13:8). Heaven is the Home of Jesus (Lk.24:51), angels (Mk.12:25), and the Holy Spirit (1 Pet.1:12)

One day we will be caught up to be with Jesus. We will then see God's throne. We will see Angels around His throne (About 100 trillion). There will be a rainbow of His Glory about the throne (Rev.4:3). The 24 Elders (representative leaders of the Church) will be there. God's Holy People will look like a Crystal sea and will look Glorious as the Church should. The LAMB (Jesus) will be standing there (5:6). People will be singing a NEW SONG because Jesus has REDEEMED us by His Blood and has made us kings and priests. We shall reign with Him forever! Some Characteristics of Planet Heaven are:

1. Heaven is the highest planet (Eph.1:21; Rev.2:7). Heaven will be round (Job 22:14, Ps.19:6, Isa.40:22) with magnificent Mansions (Jn.14:2). The New Jerusalem (1500 miles cube, 22 stories high, about 2.2 million square miles) with streets of pure gold and 12 gates of solid pearls will be there. It will be a place of Total Health and Peace.

2. Books (Rev.20:12), Swords and Sickles (1 Chr.21:16, Rev.14:14), Trumpets and Harps, FOOD, CHARIOTS, HORSES, Trees, CROWNS (incorruptible, righteousness, life, glory, gold, of rejoicing) will also be found there. One more thing...Heaven will be FULL!

WINNERS NEVER GIVE UP

Winners keep on going in good times, bad times, sad times, hard times, and stormy times. Adversity becomes a challenge. The only thing that can stop a winner is himself or herself. Winners are not born. They are made. They come in all kinds of packages...small, large, short, tall, black, white, brown, red, yellow. Experience, education, intelligence, money, and talent are not prerequisites. Winning is a deliberate decision. It comes from the inside out. As human beings, we are born to win; however, a decision must be made to be a winner. That decision can come early in life or late in life. The Kentucky Colonel of Kentucky Fried Chicken made that decision in his mid sixties. He decided that he would become a winner with what he had in his hands...a receipt for delicious, golden fried chicken. The world has never been the same.

The difference between a loser and a winner is "a will to win" and "a determination to win" regardless of how long it takes. Victory and defeat are sometimes only seconds, minutes, or a few days apart. The turtle continued in the race. No one really expected him to win against the swift rabbit, but he did. He persevered. He continued against all odds. He had a winner's attitude and...a big heart. He kept on going and won.

The time was 1965. In North Dakota, it had begun to snow. A three year old child had gone out to play in the beautiful snow flakes. He wondered too far from his home. The parents called all the neighbors and people from the entire community to help look for their son. They joined hands and covered the open field behind their house. They walked the entire length of the field, but did not find the sweet little boy. The parents, family members, and neighbors wept. Where could he be?

In the spring after the snow had melted, some hunters found his remains only three feet from where the search had ended. BOTTOMLINE: They stopped only three feet short of finding the precious little guy.

The above true story is tragic and this type of thing does happen. Many times victory is only inches or minutes away.

Thomas Alva Edison had 1000 failures while trying to invent the light bulb. Finally, he succeeded. Many people of his day said that he was mad, foolish, and an eccentric old man. The news media wrote all kinds of nasty things about him. Did he give up? No! Never! Victory always comes to the winner.

Winners and successful people outlast tough times. They never see themselves losing. If you think you will fail, you will. If you think a situation is hopeless, it probably is. There is an infallible statement that the Master Teacher once made, "Nothing shall be impossible unto you". Who was He talking about? He was talking about those that had faith and truly believed in themselves and a Supreme Being. You see, even the Carpenter had great faith in Himself and the Creator of the Universe. He knew His purpose, His mission, and His eternal destiny.His abilities...His destiny. Difficult times are only temporary. You are .

When I was just an infant, my sister dropped me in the fireplace by accident. I almost died afterwards; however, my mother had a winning attitude and great faith in God. She talked to me everyday and encouraged me with words like, "Tommy, you can do it. You can make it. One day you will be an influence on others. You will learn to use your hands and arms again. You will learn to speak with fluency. I anointed you to God before you were even born. No devil is going to take you from me. You will live and not die! I will never give up on you and neither will my God."

I cried for one year because of the pain, but her faithful words and powerful positive attitude were used by God to keep me alive and give me new skin and new flesh.

Because of her faith, self confidence, and persistence, today I can play basketball with my children, hold them in my arms, go to a movie with them, and reluctantly teach them to drive an automobile. I can hold my wife's hand, take her out to dinner, and write romantic love letters to her often. When things look so dim and dark, never give up. Light will shine as the clouds move away.
Someone once said that "impossible" is not a valid condition. It's a state of mind. First, see yourself winning. Second, start talking in a positive manner concerning your goal or dream. Third, always keep yourself focused on your goal and aspirations. Fourth, surround yourself with positive people who can give you positive feedback without negative criticism. Be bold and never, never give up! Winners never give up. Troubles and setbacks are always only temporary. But great success and victory are permanent milestones.

LET's BE POSITIVE

A genuine leader always displays a positive attitude and projects this attitude to others. Positive people attract. People will not follow someone who is frustrated, always disappointed, and filled with negatives. There are many individuals that do a lot of things right; however, their negative attitude keeps them from succeeding. The single most IMPORTANT ingredient to success is a Positive Attitude. Negative people drain our batteries. They tend to drag us down. We soon start avoiding them. People are looking for people with a positive outlook on life. The whole world is looking for inspiration, enthusiasm, and a positive force. Positive people excite, motivate, and inspire others.

We can look at life two different ways. Life can be uneventful, boring, a pain in the backside, or even a millstone. Or life can be exciting, beautiful, action filled, daring, lively, lovely, and simply wonderful. The choice is ours. It's how we view life in general. Genuine leaders know this well. Nothing ever long lasting comes from being negative. You can slip and fall, hit the wall, and even lose the ball, but if you have a winning attitude, you will make it and be amazingly successful to those around you. On the contrary, though, you can be a genius with unlimited potential and technical expertise...but if you do not have the ability to be positive in the face of adversity, you will not make it.

Isn't it funny how most complaints and whining come from those that are negative and non‑productive? Positive people are appreciative, enthusiastic, excited, thankful, and productive. Their mind is on winning. They do not have time to "sweat the small stuff". They make lemonade out of lemons. They use stumbling blocks as stepping stones for higher elevation and better scenery. The lead dog always sees more, arrives first, has a better view, and has the aromatic fresh air to breathe. As a leader, you must be positive and see yourself winning. You must feel good about yourself.

A CLASSY LADY

Once upon a time, I knew a special lady. She was kind, sweet, and very positive; nevertheless, she was dying with tuberculosis (TB). The doctors approached her in the sanitarium and said, "Young lady, we are going to have to collapse one side of your lungs and take out several of your ribs in order to save your life. Do we have your permission?" She responded, "Yes."

After the surgery, an old humpback, discrepant elderly man walked in her room. He was all bent over and could hardly walk. He walked in, spoke to her, and then he was gone. She never saw him again. Afterwards, her doctor came in and asked, "Did you just have a visitor? Did you get a good look at that man?"

She answered, "Yes, doctor. I saw the old man. He was all humped over."

Then her doctor explained, "As you get well, you can learn to walk straight, sit up straight, stand up straight, and look like a million or you can be just like that old man...all bent over and dragging yourself around. The choice is yours. It will take courage, physical effort, stamina, and a positive attitude about yourself. That man had the same choice and now he is living with his decision. But my dear lady, you are still young. You are special. You can do it. The choice is yours."

That day, this special, beautiful young lady decided that she would become an inspiration to others. She decided that her bout with TB would not destroy her nor make her a negative influence on others. Instead, she would develop a positive mental attitude. She would walk straight...hold her head up high...stand tall...be strong...and live a victorious life. And she did!

She lived another exciting, power‑packed 27 years. She prayed. She ministered to leaders, evangelists, missionaries, pastors, and many others. She traveled. She helped build a church. She gave birth to a lovely daughter.

This classy lady was a true woman of genuine character and true moral principles. She lived her life to its fullness. She lived to do things that most people only dream about doing. Her positive influence on me is always present, even today. The choice she made to walk straight, stand up straight, and live an electrifying, dynamic life has made an eternal impact on me and my family. You see...She was the grandmother of my children. To have a positive attitude is a CHOICE.

THE TWO BEGGARS

Yes, this is another true story about two beggars in which we will call Laz and Dives. The First Beggar (Dives) was RICH, had money coming out his ears, WORE the finest threads that money could buy, MADE more and more long, warm, soft CASH everyday...had gobs of it in all kinds of bank accounts. This beggar had it made on Planet Earth. He had everything that money could buy. He dined and wined and partied every single day! He became a partying fool...

But along comes Laz (Lazarus)...a different kind of beggar, one who was HUNGRY...SICK...COLD...and HOMELESS. He made his bed at Dives' (the rich man's) gate. He WANTED to be fed with the crumbs that fell from Dives' table. MOREOVER, the dogs came and licked his sores and old LAZ received no comfort at all. In a little while, LAZ dies. A little later, DIVES (the partying fool) also dies. The angels grabbed LAZ (the poor beggar) and carried him to Paradise (Abraham's Bosom). BUT old DIVES ends up in HELL...an awful, bad, horrible, atrocious, heinous place of torment.

Now DIVES (the rich beggar) realizes he has been involuntarily taken to a Bar‑B‑Q pit...and before long, he starts to realize that he is the Bar‑B‑Q. He is in torment...the flames of the fire begin to burn his backside and rear-end...After all, old DIVES is sensitive to heat, especially to an open FLAME. So, he starts to beg...He becomes one of the many beggars in hell. He looks up and sees Father Abraham in Paradise...and guess who else? You guessed it...OLD LAZ...the beggar from Planet Earth.

KING LAZ has got it made now...no more hunger, thirst, or nakedness. Dives see him sitting up there eating caviar, sipping cool wine, and wearing the finest threads from SAX, 5th Avenue, in Planet Heaven. Laz doesn't have a care about anything...could give a hoot less about his surroundings. He now has it made in the heavenly shade. Suddenly, at this juncture, Beggar DIVES decides to run a game on Father Abraham. He says, "Have PITY and MERCY on me. My backside is on fire and I'm over cooked already. This flame is tormenting me and turning me to charcoal. I'm sensitive to fire! Father Abe, have somebody to check out the air conditioning in this place. It doesn't seem to be working! And please send King LAZ with a cool glass of water so that he can dip his finger in the water and COOL my tongue. I'm so thirsty."

Father Abraham speaks, "Beggar Dives, don't you remember on Planet Earth when you drove around in your Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Alfa Romero, but old LAZ walked...crawled...and hopped everywhere he went?"

Father Abraham continuing, "You ate steak...He ate dog food. You drank wine...He drank left over stale tea and three day old coffee. You wore fur, leather, and mink...He wore rags. BUT NOW, times have changed. Your life on Planet Earth has ended. You are in hell with fire and brimstone. King LAZ is in Paradise with me. You will now be Bar‑B‑Qed and fried to a crisp, but old LAZ will continue to wine and dine with me and the Messiah forever. NO, I cannot send LAZ to you. Besides, there is a big gulf or chasm between us. Those that would want to pass from here to you cannot...REALLY, man...Who in his right mind would even want to go where you are...GET REAL, FOOL!."

DIVES continues to try to run a game on Old Father Abraham...but Abraham is too smart for him.

Dives replies, "Since I am now a beggar in hell, I beg of you, please send King Laz to my Daddy's home at 2110 Blue Street, USA. I've got five brothers there. I beg of you...Please! I don't want them to come here and be Bar‑B‑Qed like me."

Abraham responds, "The Scriptures (God's Holy Word) has warned them time and time again. Your brothers can read the Bible anytime they so desire. They can go to church. They can repent. They can be saved if only they would believe in Jesus Christ."

DIVES starts grabbing at straws. He says, "No, Father Abraham...YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. One of my brothers is a dope pusher and pothead. Another one is a pimp and butthead. The third one is a crooked banker and part time lawyer. My fourth brother is a real estate swindler and infidel. My fifth brother (Shiftless Sam) has never earned an honest dollar in his whole life. Please, Mr. Abraham, you have got to help me! I am a desperate man. My brothers won't go to church...they won't read the Holy Bible...they won't repent...BUT, IF a real live GHOST were to visit them, they would REPENT and BELIEVE! Just send Old LAZ back there as a Ghost and then they will believe..."

Abraham answers, "If they won't listen to God's people whom they have seen or believe the Word of God which they can see, touch, and read, they certainly will not believe some GHOST or disembodied spirit from the dead."

NOTE TO READERS: You can find this story in the Bible (Luke 16).

NEVER GIVE UP!

Galileo, the Italian physicist and astronomer, had some weird ideas for his day. He believed that different objects fell at the rate of 32 Feet per second because of the law of gravity. He also believed that the earth was round and revolved around the sun. This type of radical thinking in the 17th Century got him into a lot of trouble. They put him in jail for this type of nonsensical thinking. Who would be so bold as to defy the status quo? Didn't everyone KNOW that the earth was flat and that the earth was the center of the universe with all the other planets revolving it? I mean, who would be stupid enough (1600's) to believe that the earth was round?

After being in jail for awhile, the Church and political leaders of his day decided to let him out. They thought Galileo had learned his lesson. But Galileo knew that he had discovered something that would ultimately change the world. Without the radical thinking of Galileo, there would be no space program today. There would be no aircraft, no satellites, no weather instruments, etc. Galileo NEVER gave up!

So what about you today? Are you up to the challenge of going against the status quo...the run of the mill mediocrity...following the crowd? Remember: To be a leader, thinking positive and thinking radical at times is part of the responsibility and challenge of being on the cutting edge. Basically, we as human beings DO NOT like change. We like things the way they are now...even if they can be improved upon or more efficient. We are safe in NOT rocking the boat. Peter was safe and secure while in the boat with the other eleven. He did not have to walk on the Word of Jesus and the physical water of the Sea of Galilee. But he did. That story has been written into the annals of history forever!

Peter was a leader. Galileo was a leader. Martin Luther King was a tremendous leader. Winston Churchill was a great leader. I believe you, too, can become another GREAT leader in our time. You have a Divine Destiny and Purpose! You are a person of greatness, compassion, love, care, and prominence! NEVER GIVE UP! MAKE IT HAPPEN! YOU CAN DO IT!

MORE ON WINNING!

I wrote this note to my son, Tony, not long ago:

Tony, I know that you are a GIVER. You are learning to give to others. You will always have favor."

Calvin Coolidge once said, "No person was ever honored for what he (she) received. Honor has been the reward for what he (she) GAVE." Givers never lose. They are winners. You, my son, are a winner!

Tony, look at the following list of things that givers (winners) have learned to do:

1. Continue to be Optimistic.
2. Set goals and meet them.
3. Be open to learning.
4. See the good in others.
5. Take responsibility for our own actions.
6. Never say...I should have.
7. Make the time.
8. Do what you say you will do.
9. Never, never, never give up.
10. Make a difference in the lives of others.
11. Give 110%.
12. Appreciate.
13. LOVE.

KEVIN'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
By Gayle Franks Smith

Dear God,

My courage is failing. My brave banner is drooping. I'm feeling so blue. Today, out son, our first born, went off to school.

Oh! I know I'm being silly...I can't explain these tears. But God! He's so young. He's only five in years.

He marched like a tin toy soldier onto that bus. I waved him on with a smile. Am I making too much of a fuss?

It seems he was only born yesterday...I held him in my arms and thought, "This is how he'll stay."

But he grew so fast...I hardly had time to think. He went from diapers to denim jeans quicker than a wink.

I know that he'll have to grow up and I must give him his chance...But must he so joyfully get on that bus without a backward glance?

WE ARE RICH INDEED!

"The greatest good that you can do for another is NOT just to share your riches with him, but to REVEAL to him his own riches and greatness" (Disraeli).

"Trust people and they will learn to trust you. Treat them with dignity, warmth, kindness, and greatness...and they will become GREAT" (Tommy Franks).

Today is a great day (Fri, the 13th). No, no, no...do not think negative about this day. Think about the fact that you are alive with gifts, talents, abilities, and wonderful potential just wanting to be released from within. God made this particular day just for you...a day in which to shine, a day in which to share with others, a day in which to be happy. Good things will happen to you today. That's right...just wait and see! This will be one of your better days in life! The next 24 hours will prove to be really worthwhile in your game of life...in God's great plan and order for your life.

Today will be a day for some of you to make decisions of great importance. Procrastination will have to go by the wayside. The scales are being balanced and your goodness and greatness are out‑weighing your failures by many tons. A great man once said this about you, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you the rest of your life...and you shall be in the Presence of your Maker forever" (David).

Therefore, goodness follows you around. Mercy is not far behind. Show mercy to those around you and mercy will be shown to you. Happy are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. All of us are vessels of clay filled with the Presence of God. We are STILL under construction. The Potter is sill molding us as His very own vessel of great worth and great price. Look in the mirror today and talk to yourself.

Say something like this: "Self, you are a good person. You were made by the best. No, you are not perfect yet, but one day you will be. Today, you are complete in Christ. Sometimes, you may not have all the answers...but you know Who does. Self, your heart is right. You want to help other people...and you will find a way. No, I know that you are nothing within your own self...but you are not alone by yourself. You have someone else living in your temple with you! He can do anything and He helps you to do anything. He owns everything...all the gold, silver, cattle, land, etc. And He wants you to have it. Why you ask? Well, it's because you are His son...flesh of His flesh, bone of His bone, and the blood of His Son flows within you. Self, rejoice...today is a fantastic day! You will succeed and show your strength through the great person that you were created to be. MAKE IT HAPPEN! YOU CAN DO IT!"

AN INDIVIDUAL'S DREAM

An individual's dream is not always important if it happens or not happens. It is important because it COULD happen.

I am so very happy to share my world and dreams with my family and friends. You know, we are a little like the sea. It is never silent, never still, never powerless, but always changing and moving with activity. On the inside, we are constantly moving with energy and thoughts. The waves of new experiences flow through our minds. I've been all over the world...Germany, England, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Japan, Hawaii, Korea, Spain, Luxembourg, Austria, various islands, etc, etc. So tell me something...Why is it that "only those places shared with loved ones and friends are the ones I remember BEST"? Can you answer this? I WISH I COULD EXPLAIN IT, but I cannot.

We are never alone. We are one of God's Lilies growing in His flower garden. God loves Lilies because they are productive and beautiful. They come back year after year even after the long cold winter of adverse weather. They rise above the ground and blow freely in the gentle breeze with the warm sunshine upon their heads. There are several types of lilies...the water lily...the Easter lily...the Lily of the Valley...and the lily pad. The Easter Lily is the first to bloom in early spring. Lilies are also flowers of character. In short, they are NOT wimps. They have an abundance of STRENGTH. They do not wilt or fall down when the tempest comes. They brave the storm and ride it out like an eagle rides out a hurricane. The Easter Lily is especially aromatic (fragrant) with aroma that is pleasant to the sense of smell.

In God's living bouquet of life, He loves to place His white (pure) lilies in strategic areas in His well watered garden. Today, He has placed you in an area where YOU can bloom and bloom and bloom. This is what I do know: You have class and style. You so richly deserve every opportunity.

WHY ARE PEOPLE SOMETIMES SO RUDE, MEAN, AND UGLY?

Have you ever thought about it? YES, you have...if not openly, certainly secretly? All of us have run into individuals that were just downright rude, crude, mean, and ugly. No, I'm not talking about Dirty Harry, your Xwife, or your mother‑in‑law. I'm talking about down at the local McDonald's, Hardee's, grocery store, Wall Mart, library, high school, college, etc. Sometimes, for no reason at all, a person will decide to just be rude or mean or act ugly. Have you ever wondered why? Perhaps, the following true story will shed some light on this question. The names have been changed to protect the guilty.

Joe Smith came into the electronics part of the store looking for a particular CD with a particular song on it. He asked the sales clerk if they had the CD entitled "Highway to Heaven". Ms. Jones looked for the CD in several areas of the Music Section, but could not locate it. By now, Joe Smith...who is wearing a greasy "John Deer" baseball cap with straggly dirty hair...begins to become impatient. He sharply raises his voice somewhat and says, "Well I be darned. I drive all the way over here and you don't have the CD...Everybody is playing it. Don't you guys know what in the H... is going on? It figures. I just can't believe you don't have "Highway to Heaven."

Ms. Jones apologetically replied, "I'm sorry. We must have somehow overlooked this one when we were back ordering. I'm really very sorry."

"Oh, yeah...and you call yourself a one‑stop family store. You people make me sick. I can't believe you could be so stupid," came the rude remarks from Joe Smith.

Ms. Jones again tried to calm him down. She said, "Listen, we will order the CD today. It'll be here by Friday."

Mr. Smith replied, "You don't get it, do you? You just don't understand. You don't care, do you? How could you possibly care that I just buried my only son, Joe Jr., four days ago? Why was he driving his Camera so fast? Why was that tree there in his way when he tried to make that curve? My, how I loved that boy! I would do anything to get him back again, if only to tell him that I loved him...even for a few moments. I didn't even get to say GOODBYE. He only graduated from high school two weeks ago. How could this happen? And he loved the CD "Highway to Heaven". I hated it. But now, I want to listen to it. In some way, I just felt that if I could come in here and buy the CD...listen to it ...it would in some small way bring us closer together! What can I do without my son?"

By now, Mr. Smith had huge tears in his watery eyes. Ms. Jones interrupted, "Perhaps, I don't know exactly what you are now going through. But, I lost my son in Viet Nam. I loved him dearly, too. He was the apple of my eye."

Mr. Smith looked at Ms. Jones...eye to eye. His anger and ugly face disappeared. He sighed. He spoke: "It's a dirty shame, isn't it? It's just not right when a child dies before his parent. Listen, would you like to see a photo of my son?"

Joe Smith took out his wallet and showed Ms. Jones a photo of a handsome young man...taken only months before.

Ms. Jones then asked, "How about a cup of coffee?" The story begins…

PLEASE NOTE: The next time you want to ice‑pick someone who is acting rude, crude, impatient, mean, ugly, and downright repulsive...think about the above true story. CHEERS!

LIFE IS WHAT WE GIVE

In 1946 on an autumn day in September, I was born in the same bedroom in which my previous three sisters and two brothers had been born. World War II was now over and people were getting on with their lives. My father was a dirt farmer and part time saw mill proprietor in the beautiful state of Tennessee. He was very successful for awhile, but then things started to go down hill.

In those days, a logger had to have a good team of mules to snake the logs out of the mountains and then load them on the log trucks. On a cold wintry day, one of the mules slipped and fell, broke his leg...had to be shot. This was a tragedy for my father. Very few people had insurance in those days. My father did not.

Shortly after this accident, another accident occurred in which my uncle was almost killed. My uncle was driving one of my father's trucks (loaded with timber) to the saw mill when suddenly the brakes gave out and my uncle failed to negotiate a curve. His life hung in the balance for several days; however, he lived. Again, this was a financial hardship on my father...no insurance. He paid all the hospital and doctor's care from his own pocket because he was an honorable man. He could have possibly declared bankruptcy because several other detrimental things happened in such a short duration of time, but he refused such a distasteful thing. You see, he was an honorable man. He believed in integrity, honesty, caring, and doing what was right and equitable for another human being. These types of principles will cost you something. They cost my father everything he had...his beautiful farm, saw mill, trucks, and all kinds of expensive equipment. He lost everything. But did he? I think not.

After this chapter was closed in my father's life, we moved to greener pastures...FLORIDA (1949)! I became a new resident of Florida at the ripe old age of three. I never ever heard my father complain, not once...of the past disasters. He just kept right on going as if nothing had happened. He believed: "It's not in the getting, but in the giving."

As I said, my father was an honorable man with integrity. After we moved to FLORIDA, he became a full time carpenter building houses and different types of structures; i.e., schools, hospitals, houses, etc. He became rather good at it. In 1953‑1954, he helped build the bomb plant in Aiken, SC. My father was a very quiet and humble individual who loved people.

He would work 8 to 12 hours almost every day except Sunday. As I grew older, I knew he loved me and often he told me so. He worked so hard for all of his seven children and my dear mother.

When I reached the age of 18, I went off looking for work in Chicago. Because of the Viet Nam War, some companies were reluctant about hiring anyone without dependents...because they were afraid the individual would get drafted.

After a couple of weeks, I returned without any job. My father looked at me with his deep blue eyes…Mama said, "You know, Tommy, your father has been going thru a real rough time. He missed you while you were gone. He even cried because he did not realize that you had grown up and was no longer a child anymore. He really does love and care for you."

Eventually, I went into the Air Force. He was proud of me for serving my country. After the Air Force, I married and had several kids of my own. We would come home for special occasions; i.e., Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. He would cry whenever we would leave and tell me that he loved me.

Some years later on 20 April 78, I got a call from my Commanding Officer at Ft Benning, GA. I had come back into the Military...this time...the US Army. My Commanding Officer said, "Your father is in bad shape. They do not expect him to live. Get out of here and go home."

When I arrived at the Hardee Memorial Hospital in Wauchula, FL, I found out that my father was indeed dying. The morning was warm with the fresh smell of spring in the air. I went into his room and looked into his ocean blue eyes. He looked tired. When he saw me, he smiled and motioned for me to come closer. I did. He looked into my eyes and whispered, "Tommy, I'm proud of you for who you are and for serving our country...and I LOVE you, my son."

This is what every son wants to hear from his father..."I love you."

We conversed a lot that morning, but even to this day, I don't remember what was said. All I remember were those words, "I love you, my son."

Two days later, he died.

Since most of you have children, please remember...each of them is just waiting for you to look them in the eye and say, "I love you." Say it today and as often as you can. They will remember it forever! I do.