Shoes. and a Birthday.

Post 437 ~ ~ ~ Tuesday, 15th April, 2008.

Hello my friends ~~ I hope the week has started well for all
of you. All OK here. Today my carer took me shopping so
the cupboards are all stocked up for another couple of weeks.
The weather has been really nice here, temperatures around
20 C to 22 C which is 68 to 70 F, Nice, and not hard to take.

I believe tomorrow is Gina 's birthday, so it would be nice if
some went to say Happy Birthday. I hope you have a lovely
day dear Gina.

I was given another award by my friend Chris B.
Thank you so much Chris for this honour which I will
pass on in my next post.

The story tonight is called "Shoes." It was sent to me by
my dear friend Karen. Thank you Karen.

Shoes.
I showered and shaved . . . . .
I adjusted my tie. I got there and sat . . . . . .
In a pew just in time. Bowing my head in prayer . . . .
As I closed my eyes, I saw the shoe of the man next to me . . .
Touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side . . . . .
I thought, "Why must our soles touch?"
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine . . .
But it didn't bother him much.

A prayer began: "Our Father'.......
I thought, "This man with the shoes has no pride .
They're dusty, worn, and scratched.
Even worse, there were holes in the side !"

"Thank You for blessings," the prayer went on.
The shoe man said . . . . . a quiet 'Amen.'
I tried to focus on the prayer . . . . .
But my thoughts were on his shoes again.

Aren't we supposed to look our best . . . .
When walking through that door ?
Well, this certainly isn't it . . I thought,
Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer ended . . . . . . .
And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud . . . . .
Sounded proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters . . . . .
His hands were raised high,
The Lord could surely hear . . . .
The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering . . . . .
And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached
Into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was pulled out
What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft "clink"
as when silver hits tin . . . .

The sermon really bored me . . . . .
To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man . . . .
For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service . . . . . .
As is the custom here . . .
We must greet new visitors . . . .
And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow . . . . .
And waited to meet the shoe man,
So after the closing prayer . . . . . .
I reached over and shook his hand.

He was old and his skin was dark . . . .
And his hair was truly a mess,
But I thanked him for coming . . . . .
For being our guest.

He said, "My name's Charlie . . . .
I'm glad to meet you, my friend.
There were tears in his eyes . . . . .
But he had a large, wide grin.

"Let me explain," he said . . . . . .
Wiping tears from his eyes.
I've been coming here for months . . .
And you're the first to say, "Hi." "

"I know my appearance . . . . .
Is not like all the rest
But I really do try . . . . . .
To always look my best."

"I always clean and polish my shoes . . . .
Before my very long walk.
But by the time I get here . . . .
They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.

My heart filled with pain . . . . .
and I swallowed to hide my tears
As he continued to apologize. . . . .
For daring to sit so near.

He said, "When I get here . . . . . . .
I know I must look a sight
But I thought if I could touch you
Then maybe our souls might unite.

I was silent for a moment . . . . . .
Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison . . .
I spoke from my heart, not my head.

"Oh, you touched me," I said . . . . . .
"And taught me, in part;
That the best of any man . . . . . . .
Is what is found in his heart."

The rest, I thought . . . . . . . .
This shoe man will never know
Like just how thankful I really am . . . . .
That his dirty old shoe touched my soul.
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When Insults Had Class. ~ ~ ~

He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.
~ ~ ~ Winston Churchill.

He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any
man I know. ~ ~ ~ Abraham Lincoln.

Thank you for sending me a copy of your book. I'll waste
no time reading it. ~ ~ ~ Moses Hadas.

A modest little person with much to be modest about.
~ ~ ~ Winston Churchill.

I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it.
~ ~ ~ Groucho Marx.

He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.
~ ~ ~ Oscar Wilde.

I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play;
bring a friend . . . if you have one. ~~George Bernard Shaw
to Winston Churchill.

Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second . . .
if there is one. ~ ~ ~ Winston Churchill in response.

I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you
here. ~ ~ Stephen Bishop.

He is a self- made man and worships his creator.
~ ~ ~ John Bright.

He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness
in others. ~ ~ ~ Samuel Johnson.

He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.
~ ~ ~ Paul Keating.

There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't
cure. ~ ~ ~ Jack E. Leonard.

He had delusions of adequacy. ~ ~ ~ Walter Kerr.

He loves nature, in spite of what it did to him.
~ ~ ~ Forrest Tucker.

He has the attention span of a lightning bolt.
~ ~ ~ Robert Redford.

Why do you sit there like an envelope without any
address on it. ~ ~ ~ Mark Twain.

His mother should have thrown him away, and kept the
stork. ~ ~ ~ Mae West.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever
they go. ~ ~ ~ Oscar Wilde.

He has Van Gogh's ear for music. ~ ~ ~ Billy Wilder.
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A few jokes sent to me by my friend Robyn. Thank you.
An E mail from God.

One day God was looking down at earth and saw all the
rascally behaviour that was going on.

So he called one of his angels and sent the angel to earth
for a time. When he returned, he told God. "Yes, it's
bad on Earth. 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not.

So God called another angel and sent him to earth also.
When this angel returned, he went to God and said, "Yes,
it's true The earth is in decline. 95% are misbehaving, but
5% are being good.

God was not pleased.
So he decided to e mail the 5% who were good, because He
wanted to encourage them, give them a little something to
help keep them going.

"Do you know what the e mail said?" NO?

Okay, just wondering, I didn't get one either . . . .
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Confessions.

A married Irishman went into the confessional and said
to his priest, "I almost had an affair with another woman."

The priest said, "What do you mean, almost?"
The Irishman said, "Well, we got undressed and rubbed
together, but then stopped.

The priest said, "Robbing together is the same as putting it in.
You're not to see this lady again, For your penance, say Five
Hail Marys and put $50 in the poor box."

The Irishman left the confessional, said his prayers and then
walked over to the poor box. He paused and then started to
leave. The priest who was watching, quickly ran over to him
saying, "I saw that. You didn't put any money in the poor box."

The Irishman replied, "Yeah, well I rubbed the $50 on the box,
and according to you, that's the same as putting it in.
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There once was a religious young woman who went to Confession.
Upon entering the confessional, she said, "Forgive me Father, for
I have sinned.
The priest said, "Confess your sins and be forgiven."

The young woman said, " Last night my boyfriend made mad,
passionate love to me seven times."

The priest thought long and hard and then said, "Squeeze seven
lemons into a glass and then drink the juice."

The young woman asked, "Will this cleanse me of my sins?"

The priest said, "No, but it will take that smile off your face."
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Catholic Dog.

Muldoon lived alone in the Irish countryside with only a pet
dog for company. One day, the dog died, and Muldoon went to
the parish priest and asked, "Father, my dog is dead. Could you
be saying a mass for the poor creature?"

Father Patrick replied, "I'm afraid not, we cannot have services
for an animal in church. But there may be some Baptists down
the lane, and there's no telling what they believe. Maybe, they'll
do something for the creature."

Muldoon said, :I'll go right away, Father. Do you think $5,000 is
enough to donate to them for the service>"

Father Patrick exclaimed, "Sweet Mary. Why didn't you tell me
the dog was Catholic ?"
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Donation.
Father O'Malley answers the phone. "Hello, is this Fr. O'Malley?"
"It is."

"This is the Tax department. Can you help us?" "I can."

"Do you know Ted Houlihan ?" :I do."

"Is he a member of your congregation?" "He is."

Did he donate $10,000 to the church?" "He will."

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An elderly man walks into a confessional. The following
conversation ensues :
Man : "I am 92 years old, have a wonderful wife of 70 years,
children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Yesterday, I picked up two college girls, hich-hiking. We
went to a motel where I had sex with each of them three times."
Priest : "Are you sorry for your sins>"
Man : "What sins ?"
Priest : "What kind of Catholic are you?"
Man : "I'm Jewish."
Priest : "Why are you telling me all this ?"

Man : "I'm 92 years old. . . . I'm telling everybody."
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Just a few sayings ~ ~ ~

A picture's worth a thousand words. ~ ~ ~ Unknown.

A picture is a poem without words. ~ ~ ~ Latin.

A place for everything and everything in its place.
~ ~ ~ Samuel Smiles.

A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.
~ ~ ~ American.

Be careful what you ask for, you may get it. ~ ~Unknown.

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.Unknown.
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Well that is it for this post. I hope you found something
of interest. Enjoy your lives and be kind to one another.
Love and best wishes to you all. Cheers, Merle.

Post 437 ~ ~ ~ Tuesday, 15th April, 2008.
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