An enthusiastic believer in Christ, Dan Richardson lost his battle with cancer. But his life demonstrated that even though the physical body may be destroyed by disease, the spirit can remain triumphant. This poem was distributed at his memorial service:

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love,

It cannot shatter hope,

It cannot corrode faith,

It cannot eat away peace,

It cannot destroy confidence,

It cannot kill friendship,

It cannot shut out memories,

It cannot silence courage,

It cannot invade the soul,

It cannot reduce eternal life,

It cannot quench the Holy Spirit

It cannot lessen the power of the resurrection.

Educator Jeffery Holland tells about a preschool teacher faced what she thought was "burnout". She had begun to despair over some of the children who seemed so lost, so limited - and in some cases, so neglected at home... then her mother died.

She took a week off for the funeral and to deal with her grief. Her frustrations at the preschool seemed like an even heavier burden at this point in her life.

The first day back was about what she expected. Her hurt and despair produced resentment which she kept carefully hidden. She went through the paces like the competent professional she was. She smiled at the right times and was admirable patient considering the environment and her raw feelings.

While walking down the corridor, she turned the corner to discover Rachel, the most disruptive child in her class picking the last chrysanthemum from the pot in the hall. In a stern, trembling voice the teacher demanded, "Rachel what are you doing?"

Rachel held out in her little hand the flowers she had already picked. "Mrs. Terrell," she said, "you used to be like a mother. Would these flowers help you to be like a mother again? I know you are fussed in your mind. Wouldn't you like some flowers?"

Mrs. Terrell thought, fussed in my mind? You mean it shows? To a five year old? She spoke: "Rachel what's a mother like?"

"A mother is like you used to be," Rachel said. " A mother likes being with children."

"But Rachel," said Mrs. Terrell, "I like being with children. I've just... well, my mother passed away, and..."

Rachel meekly interrupted, "You mean she died?"

"Yes, Rachel," said her teacher sadly, "She died."

Rachel looked up at her teacher and asked, "Did she live until she died?"

Mrs. Terrell thought, what kind of question is that? "Well, of course," she said, "all people live until they die; they..."

Rachel interrupted her again, "Oh, no they don't, Mrs. Terrell. Some people seem to die while they are still walking around. They stop being what they used to be. Mrs. Terrell, don't die just because your mother did. Be alive while you are alive."

SMOOTH SAILING R.DIGEST 9/81 p.39

"There is a rule in sailing," explains psychologist Joyce Brothers, "where the more maneuverable ship should give way to the less maneuverable craft. I think this is sometimes a good rule to follow in human relationships as well."

KEEPING THE CHANNELS OPEN Today 9,15,91

An elderly man was sprinkling his lawn one evening. He was greatly disturbed when no water came from the hose. Then his little grandson, who was playing on the grass nearby, said, "Grandpa, you have your foot on the hose."

I have become convinced that sometimes we do not receive power from God because we allow our self centeredness to stand in the way.