"One"
One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream,
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
Ond handclasp lifts a soul,
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam light a room,
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer,
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know it's true,
One life can make the difference,
You see....it's up to you.
"The Ember"
A member of a certain church, who previously had
been attending services regularly, stopped going.
After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man
at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man
welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the
fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself
comfortable but said nothing. In the grave
silence, he contemplated the play of the flames
around the burning logs.
After some minutes, the pastor took the fire
tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning
ember and placed it to one side of the hearth
all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still
silent. The host watched all this in quiet
fascination.
As the one lone ember's flame diminished, there
was a momentary glow and then its fire was no
more. Soon it was cold and "dead as a doornail."
Not a word had been spoken since the initial
greeting.
Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he
picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it
back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it
began to glow once more with the light and
warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his
host said, "Thank you so much for your visit
and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall
be back in church next Sunday."
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