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{Heart4Teens.com} *Robert's Honor*
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Good morning Heart4Teens subscribers!
I came into the kitchen the other day to hear my five-year-old Connor talking to himself. He was saying:
"Dad. Dead. Dead. Dad." Repeating those words over and over.
He looked up at me when I entered the room.
"Connor, what were you saying?" I curiously asked him, hoping that I had not walked in on the secret plotting of a young assassin.
"I was saying, Dad. Dead. Dead. Dad."
"Hmmm..." I said in morbid curiosity. But before I could say anything else, Connor continued.
"Isn't that amazing how much those words sound alike Dad?" Connor blurted out with a giggle.
"Yep! That is pretty amazing, Connor," I sighed as I walked back out of the room, secretly plotting to send my kids to public schools where they don't teach about alliteration until they are much older... Homeschooling was making them think too much in their spare time...
From my family to yours,
Michael
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Robert's Honor
By Jaye Lewis
I don't know how she did it. She wasn't a very "severe" nun, so I know she didn't force it into me. She wasn't a particularly great speaker, so I know she didn't motivate me into it. She never yelled or screamed. She didn't threaten or cajole. I think what Sister Edward did was inspire.
"Honor" was not a word that I grew up with. It was not an ideal that I was taught to aspire to. At home, I learned that if I told a lie, never mind that there were lies all around me, I would not only get severely punished, but I would also be committing a "mortal sin," which would send me to HELL! In the world in which I lived, HELL was always a word that was spelled with ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. However, Sister Edward seldom talked about hell. She was all about "honor."
Perhaps my journey toward honor began when Sister Edward invited the principal into our classroom to help root out the perpetrator of some dastardly deed, long since forgotten. The giant Mother Superior was rather soft spoken for someone who appeared to be a good six and a half feet tall.
"Now boys and girls," she admonished, "I know that you want to own up to this mistake?." Mistake!!? What in the world was she talking about?? This particular "mistake" was a mortal sin, if I ever saw one, but a mistake?? Never!!
"If you tell the truth, you will feel better, and you will not get punished!" She promised.
Not get punished??!! What kind of Catholic education was that?? Of course the kid was going to get punished!! And sent to the deepest regions of HELL, no doubt!!
"Now, who is it?" Sister Superior asked in her sweet, gentle tone. Boy this kid was going to get it! And I was, oh so, glad that it wasn't me!
All of a sudden, a rather large boy named "Robert" stood up! Just like George Washington, Robert quietly admitted to the deed!
Everything stopped. There was a sudden hush in the room. I held my breath, wondering what was going to happen to Robert. Jail? Whipping? Death??
"Robert," said Mother Superior. "How like you to admit to this act, immediately!"
(WHAT?!!)
"Thank you, Robert! You may sit down." Sister smiled. I couldn't believe this!
"Boys and girls," Sister Superior began, "Robert is one of those rare people, who always tells the truth." She was out of her mind, the boy was a terror. I couldn't stand him! And he was big! And pushy! And I was suddenly jealous of Robert.
"Robert," she continued, "may be a lot of things, but Robert understands honor. Robert can be counted on to tell the truth. We can all learn from Robert."
Robert had the audacity to blush at that moment, looking humble and repentant. He stared at his fingertips, as I stared at Robert!
As Mother Superior turned to go, I knew that I wanted to be one thing. I wanted to be Robert. Robert the truth-teller. Robert the honorable.
"Boys and girls," said, Sister Edward, nodding to the principal, as Mother Superior headed for the door. "It's really simple. Honor is doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. Honor is doing right, even if you will never get caught. When you have honor you always tell the truth. You never cheat, and you treat others with kindness and respect. Living your life with honor means that you have moral excellence. It means that you are special."
Wow! I wanted to be special. I wanted to do the right thing, just because it was right!
"Remember, boys and girls," Sister Edward continued, "Right is right, when nothing is right; and wrong is wrong, when everything is right."
That was the day that I discovered the definition of honor, and that was the day that I chose what I wanted to be. All because of the inspiration of a young nun, named Sister Edward, and Robert's honor.
Jaye Lewis
jlewis@smyth.net
Write Jaye and let her know your thoughts on her story!
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Jaye Lewis is a born again Christian and award winning writer, who celebrates life from a unique perspective. Jaye lives with her family in the beautiful mountains of southwest Virginia. Jaye is writing her first book, entitled Entertaining Angels, which highlights all the "angels" who have blessed her life. Jaye can be emailed at jlewis@smyth.net
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A guy took his blonde girl friend to the Super Bowl. They had great seats right behind their team's bench... After the game, he asked her how she liked the experience.
"Oh, I really liked it," she replied, "especially all the big muscles, but I just couldn't understand why they were killing each other over 25 cents."
Dumbfounded, her date asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, I saw them flip a coin and one team got it and then for the rest of the game, all they kept screaming was: 'Get the quarterback! Get the quarterback!" Hel-LLLO! It's only 25 cents! I hate to think what they'd do if it was a whole DOLLAR!
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Thought For The Day:
"It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste."--Henry Ford
Verse for the Day:
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5
Teen's Thought For The Day:
"If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Recall the aura, the ecstasy, the perfectness of your wedding day. The vows are meticulously and faultlessly repeated. A stimulating honeymoon reinforces the idealistic glow. Nothing could ever alter the thrill of this hallowed occasion.
Then comes reality. The couple soon realizes marriage is not an ongoing celebration of celestial dimensions. It's a lifelong process of down-to-earth hard work -- worth every drop of sweat it produces."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Those who coach must above all be able to coach themselves."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"I think animal testing is a terrible idea; they get all nervous and give the wrong answers."
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Author MICHAEL T. POWERS
www.Heart4Teens.com
Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul on Love and Friendship and 18 other inspirational books.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
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ALL-STAR Ministry
--The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI
If you are in 6-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois area and would like to check us out, we meet every Sunday night from 6:00-8:30 PM at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of The Skating Place.)
Currently we have students from Fort Atkinson, Milton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Orfordville, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, Beloit Turner, South Beloit, and Hononegah. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager.
THIS WEEK:
All-Stars: Worship Under Fire (How do we worship God when life stinks?)
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
February 27-28 -- 30 Hour Famine! (Jr. High)
During these 30 hours teens learn more about what it's like in other parts of the world where children don't have enough to eat. The students will spend their time learning about world issues and at the same time find ways to serve their own community by actually doing service projects that weekend.
Participants ask family, friends, and neighbors to sponsor them with pledges as they go without food for 30 hours to identify with those who are hungry.
To kick off our 30 Hour Famine this year, the nationally known Christian band ApologetiX will be performing Friday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m at Faith Community Church in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Tickets: $10 Adv. $15 Door
On Sale Monday, January 26 at Lighthouse Books & Gifts, Janesville, WI (608-754-2665), People's Church, Beloit (608-362-7556), Bible Book Center, Rockford, IL (815-654-0020) and Lemstone Christian Books, Rockford, IL (815-332-5505)
GIRLS NIGHT OUT! Sunday Night February 29th
Ladies,
How would you like to come to church and have a sit down dinner served by the good looking, strapping young men and teens from our youth group? (Oh yeah, Michael will be serving you too!) Then, after your wonderful meal, head down to Rockford, IL and attend a concert by three of the most popular Christian groups and artists in the nation! Then pay close attention to the following!
All-Stars Youth Ministry is taking a group of girls to be a part of the national "FREE EXPERIENCE" tour.
ATTENTION YOUNG LADIES OF ALL-STAR YOUTH MINISTRY!
Instead of attending our regular youth group meeting on Sunday night February 29th, you will meet at Faith Community Church at 4:00 pm and have a sit down dinner prepared by the men and boys of our Youth Group. Then you will leave for Rockford at 5:45 pm to attend the "FREE EXPERIENCE" (More info on this below).
You will return home between 10:30 and 11:00 pm.
Tickets for FREE EXPERIENCE are $12.00. (And you thought the tickets would be free!)
All money must be turned in to Tedi Knox by FRIDAY FEB. 13, 2004 -- No exceptions. Make checks out to FCC Youth.
The FREE Experience events are touted as much more than a concert but a unique, youth-focused ministry and musical event for church and youth oriented groups, families, mothers, fathers and anyone who wants to have a load of fun, hear an amazing message and great music from ZOEgirl, Superchic(k) and Joy Williams. Susie Shellenberger, Editor of Brio Magazine, well known as a dynamic speaker, former youth pastor and author will host and emcee the night, helping to center the night on Christ with fun, fellowship, great music and an inspiring message.
The FREE Experience features exceptional sound and lighting production and a multimedia presentation along with plentiful audience participation. To end the night, The FREE Experience will give away free merchandise, Brio Magazine and other surprises, including the opportunity to win free magazine subscriptions. The theme of the night is the The FREE Experience?the awesome FREE Experience that Christ offers.
ZOEgirl has tallied collective sales of over one million records worldwide, bringing a solid, powerful message to teenagers, young college-aged students and even parents, searching for a way to understand their kids. Their most recent single, "You Get Me", from Different Kind Of FREE, reached and retained its place at #1 on AC radio for 6 weeks and ranked in the top 5 for 10 weeks on CHR. ZOEgirl remains the fastest-selling new artist in the 25-year history of Sparrow Records with touring credits including Newsboys, Plus One, Avalon and Carman.
Superchic(k) is a high energy band with more than 40 TV and film musical credits, including Alias, and Legally Blonde. The band's spiritually-centered lyrics offer encouragement to a teen audience that struggles with the pressures from peers and society. Their current record, Regeneration, released this October.
Joy Williams is a 3-time Dove nominated young, emerging voice with two studio records and touring credits with artists including Point Of Grace, Avalon and The Katinas. Her second release, By Surprise (Reunion Records), is a deep, heartfelt offering about surrender and obedience.
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All-Stars has extended its time to 6:00 - 8:30 PM on Sunday nights. 6:00 - 6:30 will be time for the youth to chat and discuss anything they want with the youth leaders or each other. 6:30 - 7:00 PM will be for games or fun activities and then 7:00 - 8:30 PM will be for the lesson and discussion time. Students are still welcome to "hang out" after 8:30 PM if they want, as the leaders are usually at the church until at least 10:00 PM, and some nights even later. (For the past couple of months the students have continually complained that we are running out of time before we get to really discuss the topics in full and asked if we could have longer teaching times... I know, most of you are probably now getting back up off the floor from the shock. have been most encouraged that the teens have been wanting to stay longer to be able to discuss the lessons more fully.)
The Outlet: "Get plugged into Jesus Christ!" (Teen Cell Groups)
Wednesday night community groups for teens. The groups are limited to no more than ten teens and will be originally split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do in All-Stars, but may not be ready to be a part of the Extreme Teens. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community.
Extreme Teens" (formerly the Core Group) meets from 5:00 - 6:00 PM at the church. This group is very extensive with weekly homework, memorization, service projects, etc. Students interested in this group will have to fill out an application, provide references as to why others think they should be involved with this, and sign an agreement as to what is expected of them. (If your teen will also be attending All-Stars that night, they are encouraged to bring a sack lunch or snack to tide them over until 8:30.)
We are very excited at what God is doing with our youth!
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Reading Books, Changing Lives!
For those of you who love to read or love to give out books as gifts...
You can now order a number of different autographed best-selling inspirational books for the same price you would get them in the store, the shipping to you is paid for, and you are helping change the lives of teenagers and those they come in contact with! And best of all, every penny from the book sales are going to youth ministry!
If you love to read inspirational stories, these books are most likely those you will eventually buy anyway. And how cool would it be to be able to buy books like those in the Chicken Soup series for your friends and family with a personalized autographed message by one of the contributing authors! How's that for a unique gift! Not only are you changing lives through supporting a youth ministry, but every book included on our website has the power to make a difference in the lives of those you give the books to. Check out this link to find out more!
http://www.HeartTouchers.com/books
