To all my very special readers, I recieved this in an E-Mail recently, and wanted to share it with whom ever I could. I appolige for not being able to set it up better.
> The SPARROW at STARBUCKS> The song that silenced the cappuccino machine>> It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the> Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip> up from Times Square .> Early November weather in New York City holds only the> slightest hint of the> bitter chill of late December and January, but it's> enough to send the masses> crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.> For a musician,> it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the> world, I'm told, and> consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play> your tunes right.> Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that> night, because our> basket was almost overflowing.> It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was> playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who> also added rhythm with> an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop> songs from the '40s to> the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During> our emotional rendition> of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by> Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one> of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to> the beat and singing> along.> After the tune was over, she approached me. "I> apologize for singing> along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.> "No," I replied. "We> love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to> sing up front on the> next selection?"> To my delight, she accepted my invitation. "You> choose," I> said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"> "Well. ... do you know any> hymns?"> Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with.> I cut my> teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to> church. I gave our> guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."> "Oh, I don't know. There are so> many good ones. You pick one."> "Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye> is on> the Sparrow'?"> My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed> her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do> that one."> She slowly> nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her> jacket and faced the> center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to> sing.> Why should I be> discouraged?> Why should the shadows come?> The audience of coffee drinkers> was transfixed. Even> the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as> the employees stopped> what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its> conclusion.> I sing because I'm happy;> I sing because I'm> free.> For His eye is on the sparrow> And I know He watches> me.> When> the last> note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening> roar that would have> rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed,> the woman tried to> shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your> coffee! I didn't come in here> to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin'> to drink, just like> you!" But the ovation continued. I embraced my new> friend. "You, my dear, have> made my whole year! That was beautiful!"> "Well, it's funny that you picked> that particular hymn," she said.> "Why is that?"> "Well . .." she> hesitated again, "that was my daughter's> favorite song."> "Really!" I> exclaimed.> "Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By> this time, the> applause had subsided and it was business as usual..> "She was 16. She died of> a brain tumor last week."> I said the first thing that found its way through> my stunned silence. "Are you going to be> okay?"> She smiled through> tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm> gonna be okay. I've just got to> keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and> everything's gonna be just> fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and> then she was gone.> Was> it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in> that particular coffee> shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that> this wonderful lady> just happened to walk into that particular shop?> Coincidence that of all the> hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very> hymn that was the> favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week> before? I refuse to> believe it.> God has been arranging encounters in human history since> the> beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to> imagine that he could reach> into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an> ordinary gig into a> revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting> him and singing his> songs, everything's gonna be okay.> The next time you feel like GOD can't> use YOU, just remember...> ·> ·> Abraham was too> old> ·> Isaac was a> daydreamer> ·> Jacob was a> liar> ·> Leah was> ugly> ·> Joseph was> abused> ·> Moses had a> stuttering problem> ·> Gideon was> afraid> ·> Sampson had long> hair and was a womanizer> ·> Rahab was a> prostitute> ·> Jeremiah and> Timothy were too young> ·> David had an> affair and was a murderer> ·> Elijah was> suicidal> ·> > ·> Jonah ran from> God> ·> Naomi was a> widow> ·> Job went> bankrupt> ·> John the Baptist> ate bugs> ·> Peter denied> Christ> ·> The Disciples fell> asleep while praying> ·> Martha worried> about everything> ·> The Samaritan> woman was divorced, more than once> ·> Zaccheus was too> small> ·> Paul was too> religious> ·> Timothy had an> ulcer> ·> Lazarus was> dead!>>>
No more excuses now!!> God can use you to your full> potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are> just the messenger. God> bless> Author: John Thomas Oaks
