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<small><small><small><em><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: maroon; font-size: 36pt;">A
seminary
professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN.
One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping
to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food,
they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from
table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and
whispered to his wife, 'I hope he doesn't come over here.' But sure
enough, the man did come over to their table.</span></em><i><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: maroon; font-size: 36pt;"><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'Where are you
folks from?' he asked in a friendly voice.</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'Oklahoma,' they
answered.</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'Great to have you
here in Tennessee,'the stranger said.. 'What do you do for a living?'</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'I teach at a
seminary,' he replied.</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'Oh,
so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really
great story for you.' And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair
and sat down at the table with the couple.</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The professor
groaned and thought to himself, 'Great .. Just what I need ....another
preacher story!'</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The
man started, 'See that mountain over there? (pointing out the
restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a
boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because
every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy,
Who's your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or
drug store, people would ask the same question, 'Who's your daddy?'</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">He
would hide at recess and lunch time from other students. He would avoid
going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. 'When he was
about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always
go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's
your daddy?'</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">But one day, the
new preacher said the benediction so fast that he got caught and had to
walk out with the crowd.</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Just
about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher, not knowing
anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, 'Son,
who's your daddy?'</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The
whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church
looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the
question, 'Who's your daddy?'</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'This
new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using
discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to
that scared little boy.. 'Wait a minute! I know who you are! I see the
family resemblance now. You are a child of God.'</span></em><br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">With that he
patted the boy on his shoulder and said, 'Boy, you've got a great
inheritance. Go and claim it.'</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'With
that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out
the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever
anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them, 'I'm a
Child of God.''</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The distinguished
gentleman got up from the table and said, 'Isn't that a great story?' </span></em><em><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The professor responded
that it really was a great story!</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">As
the man turned to leave, he said, 'You know, if that new preacher
hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would
have amounted to anything!' And he walked away.</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The
seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress
over & asked her, 'Do you know who that man was -- the one who just
left that was sitting at our table?'</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The waitress
grinned and said, 'Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben
Hooper. He's governor of Tennessee</span></em></span></i><em><span
style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 18pt;">
</span></em><em><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: maroon; font-size: 36pt;">!'</span></em><i><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: maroon; font-size: 36pt;"><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Someone in your
life today needs a reminder that they're one of God's children!</span></em><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">'The grass withers
and the flowers fall, but the word of God stands forever.' ~~Isaiah</span></em></span></i><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: navy; font-size: 36pt;"><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">YOU'RE ONE OF
GOD'S CHILDREN!!!</span></em></span><em><span
style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 18pt;">
</span></em><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: navy; font-size: 36pt;"><br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">HAVE A GREAT DAY!</span></em></span><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: maroon; font-size: 36pt;"><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Keep this going.
You have no idea which one of Your e-mail buddies could use a little
hope today.</span></em></span></small></small></small><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: navy; font-size: 18pt;"></span><b><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: navy; font-size: 18pt;"><br>
<br>
<em><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">John</span></em></span></b><em><b><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: navy; font-size: 24pt;">
3:16</span></b></em><em><b><span
style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 18pt;">
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever
believed in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.</span></b></em>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined,
but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to
maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt
to abuse them, which would include their own government."
--George Washington</pre>
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