Message-ID: <17004686.1075853945232.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 01:08:00 -0800 (PST) From: bjackson@sswpc.com To: lola.willis@enron.com, dana.davis@enron.com Subject: FW: The Gospel in a nutshell Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-From: Bobby Jackson X-To: "'Lola.Willis@enron.com'" , "'Dana.Davis@enron.com'" X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Dana_Davis_Dec2000\Notes Folders\Notes inbox X-Origin: Davis-D X-FileName: ddavis2.nsf Long but truthful. . . . . . Subject: The Gospel in a nutshell > > > > > > > The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio. > >You > > > hear > > > > > > a little blurb about a little village in India where some > >villagers > > > have > > > > > > died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen > >before. > > > Its not > > > > > > influenza, but three of four people are dead, and its kind of > > > > > > interesting, and they are sending some doctors over there to > > > investigate it. You > > > > > > don't think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, > >you > > > hear > > > > > > another radio spot. Only they say its not three villagers, its > >30,000 > > > > > > villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and > >it's > > > > > > on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb; people are heading > >there > > > from the disease control center in Atlanta because > > > > > > this disease strain has never been seen before. By Monday morning > > > when you get up, its the lead story. > > > > > > For its not just India; its Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and > >before > > > you know it, you're hearing this story everywhere > > > > > > and they have coined it "the mystery flu." The President has made > > > some comment that he and everyone are > > > > > > praying and hoping that all will go well over there. But everyone > >is > > > wondering, How are we going to contain it? > > > > > > > > > That's when the President of France makes an announcement that > >shocks > > > Europe. He is closing their borders. No > > > > > > flights from India, Pakistan or any of the countries where this > >thing > > > has been seen. And that's why that night you are > > > > > > watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits > >your > > > chest when a weeping woman is translated > > > > > > from a French news program into English; There's a man lying in a > > > hospital in Paris > > > > > > dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe. Panic strikes. > >As > > > best > > > > > > they can tell, once you get it you have it for a week before you > >know > > > it. > > > > > > Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. And then you > >die. > > > Britain > > > > > > closes its borders, but its too late. South Hampton, Liverpool, > >North > > > Hampton and its Tuesday morning when the > > > > > > President of the United States makes the following announcement: > >"Due > > > to a national security risk, all flights to and > > > > > > from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If your loved ones are > > > overseas, I'm sorry. They cannot come back until we > > > > > > find a cure for this thing." Within four days our nation has been > > > plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are > > > > > > talking about "What if it comes to this country"? > > > > > > > > > And preachers on Tuesday are saying Its the scourge of God. It's > > > Wednesday > > > > > > night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in > > > from the > > > > > > parking lot and says "Turn on a radio, turn on a radio!" And while > >the > > > > > > church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone > >stuck > >up > > > to it, the announcement is made. Two women are > > > > > > lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu. Within > > > hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the > > > > > > country. People are working around the clock trying to find an > > > antidote. Nothing is working. California, Oregon, > > > > > > Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts. It's as though it's just > >sweeping > >in > > > from the borders. And then all of a sudden the > > > > > > news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A > > > vaccine can be made. Its going to take the blood of > > > > > > somebody who hasn't been infected and so, sure enough, all through > >the > > > Midwest, through all those channels of emergency > > > > > > broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: Go to your > > > local hospital and have your blood > > > > > > type taken. That's all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go > >off > > > in your neighborhood, please make your way > > > > > > quickly, quietly and safely, to the hospitals. Sure enough, when > >you > > > and your family get down there late > > > > > > > > > > > > on that Friday night, there is a long line and they've got nurses > >and > > > doctors coming out and pricking fingers and > > > > > > taking blood and putting labels on it. > > > > > > Your spouse and your kids are out there, and they take your blood > >type > > > and they say, "Wait here in the parking lot and > > > > > > if we call your name you can be dismissed and go home." You stand > > > around, scared, with your neighbors, > > > > > > wondering what in the world is going on and if this is the end of > >the > > > world. > > > > > > > > > > > > Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. > > > He's yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? > > > > > > He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says," > >Daddy, > > > that's me." Before you know it, > > > > > > they have grabbed your boy. Wait a minute. Hold on!" And they > >say, > > > It's okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. > > > > > > We want to make sure he doesn't have the disease. We think he > >has > > > got the right type." Five tense > > > > > > minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses crying and hugging > >one > > > > > > another -- some are even laughing. Its the first time you have > >seen > > > anybody > > > > > > laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, > >"Thank > > > you sir. Your son's blood type is perfect. It's > > > > > > clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine. As the word > >begins > >to > > > spread all across that parking lot full > > > > > > of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and > >crying. > > > But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your > > > > > > wife aside and says, "May we see you for a moment? We didn't > >realize > > > that the donor would be a minor and we need.....we > > > > > > need you to sign a consent form." > > > > > > > > > > > > You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of > >blood > > > to be taken is empty. H-h-h-ow many pints?" you > > > > > > ask. And that is when the old doctor's smile fades. "We had no > >idea > > > it would be a little child. We > > > > > > weren't prepared. We need it all!" "But- but... I don't > >understand. > > > He's my only son!" > > > > > > > > > > > > "We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We ... we > >need > >it > > > all!" > > > > > > > > > > > > "But can't you give him a transfusion?" > > > > > > > > > > > > "If we had clean blood we would. Please, will you please sign?" > >In > > > numb silence, you do. Then they say, "Would you > > > > > > like to have a moment with him before we begin?" > > > > > > > > > > > > Could you walk back? Could you walk back to that room where he > >sits > > > on a > > > > > > table saying, "Daddy? Mommy? What's going on?" Could you take his > > > hands and say, > > > > > > "Son, your mommy and I love you and we would never ever let > >anything > > > happen to you that didn't just have to be. > > > > > > Do you understand that?" > > > > > > > > > > > > And when that old doctor comes back in and says, "I'm sorry, we've > >got > > > to get started. > > > > > > People all over the world are dying." > > > > > > > > > > > > Could you leave? Could you walk out while he is saying, "Dad? > >Mom? > > > Dad? > > > > > > Why ... why have you forsaken me? Why have you left me?" And > >then > > > next week, when they have the > > > > > > ceremony to honor your son for the sacrifice of ONE life in order > >that > > > the world may live, and some folks sleep through > > > > > > it, other folks don't even show up because they have better things > >to > > > do, and some folks come with a pretentious smile > > > > > > and just pretend to care and do not truly value the height and > >weight > > > of such a great sacrifice. Worst some > > > > > > even come in protest of the great sacrifice that the Father has > >made > > > in giving the life of His only SON! > > > > > > Would you want to jump up and say, "EXCUSE ME! MY SON DIED FOR > >YOU! > > > DON'T YOU EVEN CARE OR EVEN UNDERSTAND THE > > > > > >SACRIFICE THAT HAS BEEN MADE FOR YOU? DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO > >YOU?" > > > DOES HIS LIFE AND HIS DEATH MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I wonder, is that what GOD IS SAYING TO ALL OF US? "MY SON DIED > >FOR > > > YOU! DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? > > > > > > DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE FOR YOU TO HAVE MADE SUCH A GREAT > > > SACRIFICE THAT YOU MAY LIVE?" > > > > > > > > > > > > Father GOD, seeing it from Your eyes should break our hearts and > >cause > > > us to turn and repent. Maybe now we > > > > > > can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us. > > > > > > > > > > > > So that's the gospel in a nutshell. You have a choice. You can > > > either > > > > > > spread it....... or delete it. > > > > > > > > > > > > MERRY CHRISTmas!!! > > > > > > > > > PLEASE REMEMBER THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURECTION OF OUR LORD AND > >SAVIOR > > > JESUS CHRIST!!! > > > > > > JESUS DIED FOR YOU AND HE ROSE AGAIN THAT YOU MAY LIVE IN > >HIM...THE > > > CHOICE TO ACCEPT HIS LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION > > > > > > IS YOURS...AND YOURS ALONE... > > > >