Best Internet: Inmate Football

There was an unusual high school football game played in Grapevine, Texas. The game was between Grapevine Faith Academy and the Gainesville State School.  Faith is a Christian school and Gainesville State School is located within a maximum security correction facility. 
 
Gainesville State School has 14 players. They play every game on the road. Their record was 0-8. They've only scored twice. Their 14 players are teenagers who have been convicted of crimes ranging from drugs to assault to robbery. Most had families who had disowned them.  They wore outdated, used shoulder pads and helmets. Faith Academy was 7-2. They had 70 players, 11 coaches, and the latest equipment. 

Chris Hogan, the head coach at Faith Academy, knew the Gainesville team would have no fans and it would be no contest, so he thought, "What if half of our fans and half of our cheerleaders, for one night only,  cheered for the other team?"

He sent out an email to the faithful asking them to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send, "Hogan wrote. "You're just as valuable as any other person on the planet." 

 
Some folks were confused and thought he was nuts. One player said, "Coach, why are we doing this?" Hogan said, "Imagine you don't have a home life, no one to love you, no one pulling for you. Imagine that everyone pretty much had given up on you. Now, imagine what it would feel like and mean to you for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you." 

The idea took root. On the night of the game, imagine the surprise of  those 14 players when they took the field and there was a banner the  cheerleaders had made for them to crash through. The visitors' stands were full. The cheerleaders were leading cheers for them. The fans were calling them by their names. Isaiah, the quarterback-middle linebacker said, "I never in my life thought I would hear parents cheering to tackle and hit their kid. Most of the time, when we come out, people are afraid of us. You can see it in their eyes, but these people are yelling for us. They knew our names." 
 
Faith won the game, and after the game the teams gathered at the 50-yard line to pray. That's when Isaiah, the teenage convict-quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray. He prayed, "Lord, I don't know what just happened so I don't know how or who to say thank you to, but I never knew there were so many people in the world who cared about us." 

On the way back to the bus, under guard, each one of  the players was handed a burger, fries, a coke, candy, a Bible, and an encouraging letter from the players from Faith Academy . 
 
What an incredible act of Christian witness and kindness and goodness that was.  Proverbs 11:17 says, "Your own soul is nourished when you are kind."

Proverbs 3:27 says, "Do not withhold good when it is in your power to act."

Be kind to someone this week. Be kind to every person you meet. You might be amazed at what God will do with a simple act of kindness.  

OMG!

OMG, does anyone actually read these posts? I hope so. It actually takes some time to share the "Best of the Internet" or whatever I put on here. I write what pulls at my heartstrings. That's the  poet coming out. Please take the time to comment.


I collected four sayings about God. I like to share them with you before I discard my little notebook page:


1. God grades on the cross, not the curve.


2. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.


3. God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.


4. What we are is God's gift to use. What we become is our gift to God.


(Authors unknown)

Math Is Beautiful Just Like Poetry

By Carrie Graham Donaldo

Subject: MATHEMATICS

Love of Mathematics and the Love of God!   This is TOO cool!  
Just the math part is good enough, the end is even better.  

I bet you won’t be able to read it without sharing it! 
 

Beauty of Mathematics!!!!!!! 

1 x 8 + 1= 9
12 x 8 + 2= 98
123 x 8 + 3= 987
1234 x 8 + 4= 9876
12345 x 8 + 5= 98765
123456 x 8 + 6= 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7= 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8= 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9= 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111 
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111 
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111 
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111 
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111 

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888 
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888 
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888 
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888 
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888 
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it? 

And look at this symmetry: 

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121 
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321 
11111 x 11111 = 123454321 
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321 
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321 
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Mind Boggling...

   
Now, take a look at this... 

101% 

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint: 

What Equals 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they
Are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to
GIVE OVER 100%... 

How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100%in life? 

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
Answer these questions: 

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

Is represented as: 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. 

Then: 

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K 

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98% 

And: 

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E 

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96% 

But: 

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E 

1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100% 

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you: 

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D 
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101% 

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, andAttitude will
Get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

If you find this interesting share it with your friends & loved ones.

Have a nice day & God bless you! 

What Miracles Have Happened in Your Life?

What miracles have happened in your life? I'll get the magic rolling by mentioning several miracles in my life. First, falling in love with my soulmate and marrying her. Life for me could have turned out so differently and poorly had I not married Marilyn...Secondly, adopting Mary Lou was a miracle. It was meant to be. We picked her up from Catholic Charities on April 8, 1971 at 10:30 am. Exactly two years later at 10:31 April Marie was born, another miracle. Both girls were meant to be in our lives. Thirdly our oldest grandson needed a liver transplant and after a very long wait one came his way miraculously saving his life. That was four years ago. So, those are three miracles in our lives. There were more, but not quite as big as those.

The story ahead is about a miracle. You probably read it before on the Internet....This has been around for several years, but deserves, no requires, a re-issue at this happy and HOLY time of year. GOD BLESS!!

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet.

She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment.

Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing... She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't se en in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone.. 'He's really, really sick ... and I want to buy a miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs..'

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man He stooped down and asked the little girl, 'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?'

'I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation... But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'

'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled he man. 'A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers. '

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said 'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle I wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost..one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law.

I know you'll keep the ball moving!

Here it goes. Throw it back to someone who means something to you!

A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keeps us together like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure inside for you to see is the treasure of friendship you've granted to me.

Today I pass the friendship ball to you.

Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you.

MY OATH TO YOU...

When you are sad.....I will dry your tears.

When you are scared....I will comfort your fears..

When you are worried......I will give you hope.

When you are confused......I will help you cope.

And when you are lost .... And can't see the light, I shall be your beacon .... Shining ever so bright.

This is my oath ..... I pledge till the end.

Why you may ask? .... Because you're my friend.

Signed: GOD