57 Cents

(Author Unknown)
(Based on a true story as told by Dr. Russell H. Conwell)
[Edited for factual clarity]

A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was too crowded. "I can't go to Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The pastor told her, "We should some day have a room big enough for all who should come."

The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

A few weeks later the girl suddenly took ill and died. At the funeral, the girl's father took the kind-hearted pastor aside who had befriended their daughter. He quietly told him that their little girl had been saving money for the church. Quite surprised, the pastor was even more taken aback when the girl's father handed him what she had saved - 57 cents in pennies. For two weeks she had been running errands and saving her pennies in a little bank for the church.

The pastor was amazed at the love demonstrated by this little girl and tearfully shared this story at his church the following week. The trustees of the church were so moved by the actions of this girl that one of them proposed buying a new plot of land for the church that would allow it to grow considerably. Only a few days earlier a new church building seemed like only a distant possibility. But now, spurred on by this girl's actions, all of a sudden it seemed like something to attain for. The building fund, started by this little girl, quickly began to grow.

The pastor shared the story of the girl with the owner of the plot of land. The owner was so moved that he sold the property for only $10,000 with the first payment to be just 57 cents. Due to the growth of the building fund, in just a short while the church was able to buy this property free-and-clear.

The girl's unselfish love had paid large dividends. When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300, and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital (Temple University Hospital) and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of children and adults, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history.

Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds." - a true story.

Goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents.

My Luve by Robert Burns

O my luve is like a red, red rose,

That's newly sprung in June:

O My luve is like the melodie,

That's sweetly played in a tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,

So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi' the sun,

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!

And fare thee weel a while!

And I will come again, my luve,

Tho' it were ten thousand mile.

Life by Mother Teresa

"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is a beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is life, fight for it!"

The Quarrel of the Tools

The Carpenter's tools had a conference. Brother Hammer was in the chair. The meeting had informed him that he must leave because he was too noisy.

"All right, I will leave, but if I leave Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to go anywhere."

Brother Screw replied, "If you like I will go, but Brother Plane must leave as well. All of his work is on the surface. There is never any depth to it."

To this Brother Plane answered, "Well Brother Rule will also have to withdraw if I do, he's always measuring people as though he were the only one who is ever right."

Brother Rule then complained against Brother Sandpaper, saying "I just don't think he should be allowed to remain; he's rough and always rubs people the wrong way."

In the midst of this discussion the Master Carpenter came in and began to work on a pulpit from which to preach his Gospel. As he worked, he used the screw, the sandpaper, the hammer, the plane, the rule, the saw and all the other tools. When the day's work was over, Brother Saw arose and said to the other tools, "How wrong we were to criticize,each other when the Craftsman used each of us equally for the task that each one is designed to do. We must remember to be more careful in finding fault with one of His tools."



Be careful my Brothers and Sisters in Christ. We each have a task to do and it's' not quite like each others. Be of good courage. Let's do our bit as God has given it to us not to criticize what your neighbor is doing. If it is from God it all fits in to help one another and bring others to our Savior Jesus Christ.