AN EXCELLENT VIDEO

This video is excellent, it says it all. I just wish more folks would wake up & come back to the real world.

Live well, Laugh well, Love well,

God Loves You.

AN EXCELLENT STORY

The following story, I received from a friend on facebook. I don't know who wrote this story or if it is even true. Nonetheless, it shows volumes about the very basic things that are wrong in our society & how truly simple it is to fix those wrongs so we could maybe all live together in peace.

Two Choices

What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?' The audience was stilled by the query.The father continued. 'I believe, that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.' Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the way Shay'Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!' As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'. Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process? A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst themYou now have two choices:

1. Delete

2. Forward, May your day, be a Shay Day

Live well, Laugh well, Love well,

God Loves you.

JAXON

Our grandson, Jaxon, is quite the character. He loves life, gets along with just about anyone & appreciates everything he receives, which is a testament to his parents. Jaxon was born at 30 weeks, about 10 weeks early.

There wasn't much to him, but he fought & fought hard. Pretty soon you would never have known that he was a preemie. His development was amazing, he's a very intelligent guy, intuitive, & funny.

Jaxon is 6 years old now, he loves soccer, baseball, & wrestling. You still would never know he was a preemie, but, Jaxon is having some troubles now. I won't go into details as it's not my place to do so. I write this for one reason only, so you can see this healthy, happy little boy, & please pray for him. He needs all our prayers right now so he can get through his difficulties. He's such a great kid, please pray for him, I do everyday.

Live well, Laugh well, Love well,

God Loves you.

OUR GRAND CHILDREN

I won't bother you with a bunch of baby pictures, so I'll post some that have been taken in the last or so. Our grand kids names are Jaxon & Annie, they are 6 & 5. Quite the charcheters they are, the both of them. First picture is Annie, Jenn sent this one just the other day, & you'll see why I love it.

ANNIE

Isn't she beauitiful, just an angel, well in this picture anyway. Next is her brother Jaxon, all boy right from the start. He was born very premature, it had to be an emergency C Section, we almost lost Jennifer, it was only thanks to the Lord we didn't. Jaxon was very small, I don't remember his weight, but he could fit in the palm of my hand. Not anymore.

Jaxon loves soccer & baseball, here he is getting in an early practice.

Then, they all went to the 4 Blue Jays opening games, just ask me if I'm jealous. Looks like the kids enjoyed themselves.









As I said, Annie can be an angel, but when there's mud puddles around something just comes over her.

This sidewalk she 's coming down is at least a 45 degree angle, so she really flying here, she loves it.

Live well, Laugh well, Love well,

God Loves You.

OUR FAMILY

SHARON & I

I guess it's about time I introduced you to our family. Sharon & I have been married for 34 years now. We have two children & 4 grand children. Due to circumstances beyond our control we are in contact with only our Daughter's kids. They used to live here on PEI, but they had to move to Ontario in order to get better jobs so they could provide for their family properly.

JENNIFER & I ON HER WEDDING DAY

JENNIFER & HER HUSBAND, ANDREW.

Our son Michael, lives here on the Island with his fiancee. He does very well with the company he is with. He works for the largest development company here on PEI, maybe even the maritimes.

Right now both my wife & I are on disability pensions, mine through the Federal government, hers is through her job. She has been on it almost a year now, she's really hoping to get back to work someday soon.

Live well, Laugh well, Love well,

God Loves You.

AMERICAN VIDEO

I realize this video is an American news story, but I thought it appropriate for us. It shows how soldiers feel when they know they are appreciated. That is a universal feeling. Please keep on supporting our troops.

Live well, Laugh well, Love well,

God Loves You.

# 82

Pte. Terry Street


Another Canadian soldier was killed in Afghanistan yesterday. Pte Terry Street was killed by, what else, a roadside bomb. Something that is very hard to prevent & almost impossible to fight against. Yet, our men & women keep going out to do their job, what bravery.







I can only offer my condolences & prayers for Pte. Street's family.







Live well, Laugh well, Love well,







God Loves You.