Archives at Zinester: "Shadow of a Memory". "I Believe in You!".

"I Believe in You!"

A message of Hope, stories from the road.

By Bob Perks

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Hello, my friend!

Absolutely perfect! I will not declare it a miracle, for miracles hold

a holy place. But it was an answer to my prayers and indeed very close

to one. A personal miracle for me.

I asked for prayers and God answered them. I shared that story

in my last message to you. I thought little about it afterwards.

That is until it all began to blossom and He fulfilled His promise to me

made that very day. Many of you joined in to say you would pray for me, too.

It was the most amazing thing. I cannot remember when I have been

this happy. I mean, outright silly, completely full of joy, wake up with a

smile on my face, laughing throughout the day, bubbling over with

child-like anticipation of Christmas...happy.

I truly thought I was over the edge. I just couldn't understand it. That is, until

I remembered your prayers and the prayers of the entire prayer team at

the Ark of Salvation in Atlanta, Georgia.

Everything I wanted in this Christmas celebration and more came pouring

into my life. No, not things. Not money.

Pure happiness.

Marianne and I laughed so often it hurt. Nothing, I mean nothing went wrong.

Then, right after presenting my children with their gifts, Crystal yelled..."It's snowing!"

It was. I ran outside and danced around in my yard. No, it wasn't to be a lasting snow.

It did not stick to the ground, but with all the warm, unseasonable weather, it snowed

if only for a few minutes at just the right time.

Looking up to the heavens, I yelled, "Thank you! That's perfect!"

Perfect, indeed. But how far can perfect go? Can anything be "more perfect?"

Oh, yes, my friends.

"Dad, Marianne, come here," Evan said. "I want to show you the gift I gave Crystal."

He handed us a framed black and white photo.

In the center of the picture was his hand, fingers stretched out,

holding one of those small candy Valentine hearts. The message was clear.

It said "Marry me?" He wrote "Will you..." in front of it.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Confused for a moment, it did not sink in.

Then looking up, tears puddled in the corners of my eyes ran slowly down my cheeks.

"Oh, my God..." I whispered.

Then gasping for my breath, I said, "Crystal. Yesterday I struggled with the words

to describe your place in our lives. I said, Our daughter-in-law Sarah and Crystal...

You were more than "Evan's girlfriend" to me. So, today I was going to ask you,

Would you do me the honor of calling me Dad?"

Now one day, you will indeed be "Crystal, my daughter-in-law."

Perfect. Incredibly perfect. Prayers answered. Dreams fulfilled in such simple ways

but magnified beyond belief.

Thank you, Nathaniel. Thank you, members of the Ark of Salvation. Thank you,

my friends I've never met. Thank you, God for my

little miracle of joy, happiness and the most perfect Christmas.

I pray that each of you will see that kind of happiness in 2007.

Perfect!

Love always and all ways,

Marianne and Bob

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Perks Pearl of Wisdom

"Beyond the obvious. There lies the most important part of

living. Not what you can see. Not what you can touch. But how

your life feels." Bob Perks

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F R E E

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Make a donation to

help us continue to

"Touch the world one person at a time"

These messages are f r e e...

but writing and speaking is the way I make a living.

If you enjoy reading and sharing my work, you can help us continue

our "Ministry of the Heart" in 2006 by making a donation of any amount:

http://www.bobperks.com/donations.htm

If you can't help financially at this time there is something you can do...

an even greater need...

please pray for our mission to "touch the world one person at a time."

Thanks, my friend!

Bob and Marianne

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Today's Message:

"Shadow of a Memory"

By Bob Perks

"How do I make them remember?" he asked me.

"You can't," I replied.

"But I want them to remember these times," he said.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and said, "Then make these

times worth remembering."

I was trying to understand what it was about Christmas that makes

my family love it so.

The music? The cookies? The presents? The people? The giving?

The getting? The twinkling lights? The laughter or the "Silent Night?"

Yes, and so much more.

But what was at the center of it all for me? It would be the right thing to say,

I suppose, the proper and most wonderful answer to give, by saying

the expected and most obvious reply...the birth of Christ.

Dare I say anything else?

I will.

I suddenly discovered that the center of it all, the beginning and

the focus for this family is the tree.

The celebration begins and ends there.

Wait. Do not bow your head and pray for this sinner yet.

I do not suggest that it ranks higher in importance than Jesus Himself.

Still, nothing happens in our home until the pagan ritual of selecting, decorating,

and caring for the Christmas tree is complete.

I have shared my story with you about the talking Christmas tree, the journey to

find the perfect one and the final words of thanks I offer it on the last night.

My son Keith has had his very own tree for a number of years and my

youngest son, Evan, was presented with his own bow saw this year.

He and Crystal ventured out in search of their tree. It was

a big event worth noting. A crossing over, a standing on his own, a passing of

the torch giving me the satisfaction of knowing the tradition will go on.

It was a moment all alone, a silence, not in the night, but in the brightness of a

sunny afternoon, that embraced my heart bringing peace to my very soul and

joy into my life once again.

I was lost somewhere wandering around the forest of pine, listening for the whisper.

Glancing across the field I noticed for the very first time that both the smallest and

the largest trees cast big shadows.

Suddenly, I heard my family calling me.

"I'll be right there," I shouted. I turned to capture one last image of the beauty of

this sunlit still shot.

"One day, I will not be here with them," I thought. "They will walk among these

trees and pausing here, perhaps in this very spot, they will think of me and smile.

I hope they see the shadows beyond the trees. That is where I'll be...in

the shadow of a memory."

How powerful. To see not only the beauty in what stands before you, but in the eternal

forever-ness of the memories left behind them.

This new revelation helped me to better understand what my friend meant when he asked,

"How do I make them remember?"

I was struggling with that very same thought when I came across the perfect answer.

It was a suggested gift in a collection of ideas I found on the internet. I clicked on the

link and there it was...the image of a candle lit pine tree casting a shadow against the wall.

"That's it!" I said. I could clearly see the purpose, the gift, the power of the light, the beauty

of the tree and the memory of it, flickering off in the distance.

Much like our lives. We are given a purpose, a gift to fulfill it, the power of

faith to light our way, the beauty of our own image becomes a reflection

of our Creator and the memory of all we were, cast forever like a shadow behind us.

Look for me there my sons. When the day comes when I am no

longer walking by your side through the forest of Christmases past and future. I will be there...

"In the shadow of a memory."

"I believe in You!"

Note: You can find this very same Lumen by visiting:

http://www.adamfrank.com/lumen/lumen_all.htm

I gave each of my sons the pine tree.

You will find other beautiful Lumens there, too.

Bob Perks

Bob@BobPerks.com

I encourage you to share my stories with your friends but, when

copying I ask that you keep my name and contact information

attached so that new readers can find their way here. Use of this

story for commercial use is prohibited without direct permission

from the author.

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May I Suggest...

Visit my photo album:

http://www.bobperks.com/Gallery

Why not send me your picture to be added to

"My Friends I've never met"

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Here are the archives...

http://archives.zinester.com/41026

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about today's message, please write to Bob@BobPerks.com

I will use only first names and no email addresses.

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