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I was reading one of my favorite books this morning,
“The Buzzards Are Circling, but God’s Not Finished With Me Yet.” Author
Stan Toler addressed the topic.
His father was killed in a tragic accident when Stan was
11. They had moved from the West Virginia coal mines to Ohio in search
of a better life. He found a job as a construction worker, but was
killed six months later in an accident on the job. Stan’s only
inheritance was the Timex watch he was wearing at that time.
Every Monday morning, he would wind up the old watch and
think about the lessons his Dad taught him. These were summed up in
seven principles:
1. No problem is too big for God’s power and no person
is too small for God’s love.
2. A smile is the light in your face that tells everyone
your heart is home.
3. God gave us two hands--one with which to receive and
the other with which to give.
4. Life is like a ladder, every step we take is up or
down.
5. An act of kindness, no matter how small, is never
wasted.
6. Music is the language of the soul. Stand on the tips
of your toes when you sing.
7. The valley of the shadow of death holds no darkness
for the child of God.
The author ends by saying, “From my Dad’s steadfast
faith, I learned to keep ticking like that watch, even when I had been
beaten and battered by the events of earth. I graduated magna cum laude
from the school of hard knocks. My school colors were black and blue.
The watch kept perfect time and was never serviced.”
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