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Small Town Soap
Box Archive: Friday
10 - 21 - 05
An
Unexpected
Hero
Dee
Chastain, my
cousin was
as close as
a sister to
me, moved
into a house
with another
family. That
very night,
the house
caught fire.
Dee was
awakened for
some reason
and went out
to see what
had awakened
her. She
noticed the
house of
fire, and
started
yelling for
everyone to
get out.
There where
several kids
(not sure
how many
exactly) in
the house as
well. Dee
grabbed one
and rushed
outside with
the young'in.
Then she
rushed back
inside for
another.
Doing this
allowed the
other adults
to get out
safely. As
the fire
progressed,
Dee has the
last kid and
is heading
for the
door. She
collapses 3
fee from the
door, from
smoke
inhalation.
One of the
other adults
sees this
and rushes
to save her.
He gests the
kid and runs
back out.
The he runs
back in, and
just as he
reaches Dee
the roof
collapses,
killing them
both. Dee is
a hero for
saving those
little
Children. I
saw 2 of the
kids at the
funeral
yesterday.
They looked
sad that Dee
was not
there.
I am a
solider in
the military
going on 8
years.
Because I
have been in
a unit that
is a front
line combat
company, we
know that
sometimes a
person has
to give his
own life for
his buddy.
That it is
not given
without a
grudge, but
because we
freely and
willingly
give it.
For me,
there is a
verse in the
Bible that
says there
is no
greater love
than this,
that a man
(or woman)
would lay
down his
life for a
friend. John
15:13. Dee
did this.
She laid
down her
lifer for
her friends.
She is a
hero. The
pastor who
spoke,
mentioned
that when in
time of
crisis, that
peoples true
character
will come
out. It did
here, Dee
died as a
hero. Dee
lived a very
hard life,
with so much
pain and
misery and
suffering.
Everything
she did,
went
horribly
wrong. She
believed she
could never
do anything
good. But
this fateful
night, she
did
something
more than
good, she
did
something
heroic.
I am sad I
did not get
to say
goodbye, but
I believe I
will see her
again one
day. And I
am not at
peace
because I
know she is
no longer
suffering in
this world,
but is with
Jesus in
heaven.
There is no
pain in
heaven, only
happiness
and joy. No
tears will
be shed,
unless they
are happy
ones.
Thank You.
God Bless
America, The
Troops, and
the unsung
heroes like
Dee
Mat
|
10 - 14 - 05
Who Will Trick or Treat With Me? © 1999
by Linda Ellis
The first year she was a pumpkin
and she donned a bright orange smock.
Her daddy took her trick-or-treating,
though she had not learned to walk.
The next year she was a bunny…
and on one leg, she would hop
while her left ear stood up straight
and the right would swing and flop.
Then a bride costume from Grandpa;
a long skirt and lacy blouse,
but she tripped over the train...
so daddy carried her to each house.
The fourth year brought us Lion King
and she roared both day and night.
She was either "Simba" or was "Nala."
(I never could get that right!)
The next Halloween as she got dressed,
she just kept on asking why - -
if she was indeed "Supergirl,"
why then…could she not fly?
Her sixth year, she was all in pink
protecting us all from danger,
as she kicked and "karate-chopped" the air
as "Kimberly…the Power Ranger."
When she was seven, she wore a yellow gown.
She was "Beauty," to say the least,
insisting that her little sister,
by default…was the "Beast."
In my heart I knew the time would come…
and this year our walk together ends.
She said, "it’s not cool for mom to go…
I want to walk with all my friends."
So, I’m figuring out what I will say;
rehearsing one excuse after another,
in case she notices the "ghost" behind her
walks a little bit like her mother!
And I still have Halloweens to come;
my other daughter’s only three.
What worries me is...when she grows up,
who will trick or treat with me?
|
10 -
7 -
05
The
soldier
stood
and
faced
God,
Which
must
always
come
to
pass,
He
hoped
his
shoes
were
shining,
Just
as
brightly
as
his
brass.
"Step
forward
now,
you
soldier,
How
shall
I
deal
with
you?
Have
you
always
turned
the
other
cheek?
To
My
Church
have
you
been
true?"
The
soldier
squared
his
shoulders
and
said,
"No,
Lord,
I
guess
I
ain't,
Because
those
of
us
who
carry
guns,
Can't
always
be a
saint.
I've
had
to
work
most
Sundays,
And
at
times
my
talk
was
tough,
And
sometimes
I've
been
violent,
Because
the
world
is
awfully
rough.
But,
I
never
took
a
penny
That
wasn't
mine
to
keep...
Though
I
worked
a
lot
of
overtime
When
the
bills
got
just
too
steep,
And
I
never
passed
a
cry
for
help,
Though
at
times
I
shook
with
fear,
And
sometimes,
God
forgive
me,
I've
wept
unmanly
tears.
I
know
I
don't
deserve
a
place
Among
the
people
here,
They
never
wanted
me
around,
Except
to
calm
their
fears.
If
you've
a
place
for
me
here,
Lord,
It
needn't
be
so
grand,
I
never
expected
or
had
too
much,
But
if
you
don't,
I'll
understand."
There
was
a
silence
all
around
the
throne,
Where
the
saints
had
often
trod,
As
the
soldier
waited
quietly,
For
the
judgment
of
his
God.
"Step
forward
now,
you
soldier,
You've
borne
your
burdens
well,
Walk
peacefully
on
Heaven's
streets,
You've
done
your
time
in
Hell."
~Author
Unknown~
It's
the
Soldier,
not
the
reporter
who
has
given
us
the
freedom
of
the
press.
It's
the
Soldier,
not
the
poet,
who
has
given
us
the
freedom
of
speech.
It's
the
Soldier,
not
the
Politicians
that
ensures
our
right
to
Life,
Liberty
and
the
Pursuit
of
Happiness.
It's
the
Soldier
who
salutes
the
flag,
who
serves
beneath
the
flag,
and
whose
coffin
is
draped
by
the
flag.
|
09 - 30
- 05
TEACHER
INTERVIEW
After
being
interviewed
by the
school
administration,
the
eager
teaching
prospect
said:
"Let me
see if
I've got
this
right.
You want
me to go
into
that
room
with all
those
kids,
and fill
their
every
waking
moment
with a
love for
learning.
And I'm
supposed
to
instill
a sense
of pride
in their
ethnicity,
modify
their
disruptive
behavior,
observe
them for
signs of
abuse
and even
censor
their
T-shirt
messages
and
dress
habits.
You want
me to
wage a
war on
drugs
and
sexually
transmitted
diseases,
check
their
backpacks
for
weapons
of mass
destruction,
and
raise
their
self
esteem.
You want
me to
teach
them
patriotism,
good
citizenship,
sportsmanship,
fair
play,
how to
register
to vote,
how to
balance
a
checkbook,
and how
to apply
for a
job.
I am to
check
their
heads
for
lice,
maintain
a safe
environment,
recognize
signs of
anti-social
behavior,
make
sure all
students
pass the
mandatory
state
exams,
even
those
who
don't
come to
school
regularly
or
complete
any of
their
assignments.
Plus, I
am to
make
sure
that all
of the
students
with
handicaps
get an
equal
education
regardless
of the
extent
of their
mental
or
physical
handicap.
And I am
to
communicate
regularly
with the
parents
by
letter,
telephone,
newsletter
and
report
card.
All of
this I
am to do
with
just a
piece of
chalk, a
computer,
a few
books, a
bulletin
board, a
big
smile
AND on a
starting
salary
that
qualifies
my
family
for food
stamps!
You want
me to do
all of
this and
yet you
expect
me......
NOT TO
PRAY
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