Illustrations

Fortune magazine reported that the nation’s top twenty-five philanthropists gave away more than $1.5 billion in 1996. The most generous was George Soros, president of Soros Fund Management, who donated $350 million last year.

Of the top twenty-five philanthropists, only four inherited fortunes. Most attributed their generosity in part to religious backgrounds. And most were donors even before they became wealthy.

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Colonel George Washington Goethals, the man responsible for the completion of the Panama Canal, had big problems with the climate and the geography. But his biggest challenge was the growing criticism back home from those who predicted he’d never finish the project. Finally, a colleague asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer these critics?”

“In time,” answered Goethals.

“When?” his partner asked.

“When the canal is finished.”

An ambulance was rushing a woman in labor to the hospital when it slipped off the icy Michigan road. A four-wheel drive truck attempted to pull the ambulance out of the ditch, but could not get any traction on the ice.

An Amish man driving two horses saw the predicament and hitched his team up to the ambulance and successfully pulled it out of the ditch.

When asked how well the word patriotic describes them, the following percentages of Americans answered “very well”:
Of all respondents: 53%
Men: 57%
Women: 49%
Ages 18-34: 35%
Ages 35-49: 44%
Ages 50-59: 67%
Ages 60+: 77%

Source: American Demographics, July 1, 2001

One of our ambassadors to a foreign country said, “You have invited me to tell you about the duties of an ambassador. Let me begin by telling you first of the embassy, the place where we live. The embassy is a little spot of America set down in an alien land. On the walls we have pictures of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E.

I live under His heavens,
The nations are under His authority,
My destiny is under His direction,
My past is under His grace,
My future is under His control,
My cares are under His wing,
My sin is under the blood!

Here are excerpts from all fifty state constitutions:

Alabama
“We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.”

Alaska
“We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land…”

Arizona
“We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution.”

A number of years ago, the Associated Press released a study done by an agricultural school in Iowa. It reported that production of 100 bushels of corn from one acre of land, in addition to the many hours of the farmer's labor, required 4,000,000 lbs. of water, 6,800 lbs. of oxygen, 5,200 lbs. of carbon, 160 lbs. of nitrogen, 125 lbs. of potassium, 75 lbs. of yellow sulphur, and other elements too numerous to list. In addition to these things, which no man can produce, rain and sunshine at the right time are critical.

“There is a marvelous medicinal power in joy. Most medicines are distasteful; but this, which is the best of all medicines, is sweet to the taste, and comforting to the heart. This blessed joy is very contagious. One dolorous spirit brings a kind of plague into the house; one person who is wretched seems to stop all the birds from singing wherever he goes . . . [But] the grace of joy is contagious. Holy joy will oil the wheels of your life’s machinery. Holy joy will strengthen you for your daily labor.

Did you hear about the ant that got fired?

He lost his job because he wasn’t carrying fifty times his own weight.

Source: Unknown