My Son!

This is great. Take a moment to read it; it will make your day!

The ending will surprise you.

Take my Son.....

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art..

When the Vietnamconflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas,

There was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands..

He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly... He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'

The father

Opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'

There was silence...

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'

But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'

Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!'

But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting...' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

'We have $10, who will bid $20?'

'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'

A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'

'What about the paintings?'

'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will... I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?'

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Please send this to ten people and back to the one who sent it to you.

God Bless.

If I don't get this back, I will know you really didn't read it. I got this from someone and thought the last part was really a good thought..

Too bad that the person who sent it to me didnot know 10 people who would admit to knowing the Lord.

LIVE EACH DAY AS YOUR LAST, one day it will be.

Source: Email

The Train Of Life

Some folks ride the train of life
Looking out the rear,
Watching miles of life roll by,
And marking every year.

They sit in sad remembrance,
Of wasted days gone by,
And curse their life for what it was,
And hang their heads and cry.

But, I don't concern myself with that,
I took a different vent,
I look forward to what life holds,
And not what has been spent.

So strap me to the engine.
As securely as I can be,
I want to be out on the front,
To see what I can see.

I want to feel the winds of change,
Blowing in my face,
I want to see what life unfolds,
As I move from place to place.

I want to see what's coming up,
Not looking at the past,
Life's too short for yesterdays,
It moves along too fast.

So if the ride gets bumpy,
While you are looking back,
Go up front and you may find,
Your life has jumped the track.

It's all right to remember,
'That's part of history,
But up front's where it's happening,
There's so much mystery.

The enjoyment of living,
Is not where we have been,
It's looking ever forward,
To another year and ten.

It's searching all the byways,
Never should you refrain,
For if you want to live your life,
You've gotta drive the train!

Author Unknown

Source: Internet

Military Dogs, 100's Adoptable

Contact Lauren Perry at 212-335-4283 to rescue, foster, adopt one or more of the hundreds of well-trained, well-behaved dogs, who have served their country, & will now be killed by the military unless they are adopted. They are giving away a few hundred military working dogs here on Camp Leatherneck (Afganastan). Everything from Labradors (chocolate & black), German Shepherds, & various mixes of breeds. Do you know of anybody that would want one (your parents, KP, etc.)? The military can get them to NC, but it is on the individual to pick them up there. They are already trained and incredibly well behaved & smart. They are not attack dogs but rather, most of them are bomb- & drug- sniffing dogs. There is no cost, & they will be put to sleep if people don’t adopt them. If anyone is interested let me know, & I can look into it for them.

Source: Internet

Things That You Can Clean With Lemon

1. Use a half lemon and salt to clean even the most heavily discolored brass (real brass, not brass plated). Be careful with antiques. Always test a small spot before scrubbing away.

2. The same method can be used for copper items such has copper bottoms of pots.

3. You can also shine up your chrome faucets or the chrome on older model cars with lemon and salt.

4. Diluted lemon juice not only cleans stains from cutting boards, but helps kill germs as well. Rub the juice full strength onto the stain and let sit until the stain fades. Can be left overnight, then rinsed well and dried.

5. Use lemon juice and an old toothbrush to scrub grout.

6. Clean your microwave and remove odors. Place a cup 3/4 full of water with a couple tablespoons of lemon juice in the microwave. Heat to boiling. Don’t open the door for another 10 minutes. Then just wipe away food particles with a clean cloth and dry.

7. Put a dilute solution of lemon juice in a spray bottle to clean laminate counter tops. Rinse with water and dry afterward.

8. Scrub grills and grates with lemon juice and salt.

9. Soak plastic food storage containers in dilute lemon juice to remove stains and odors. Add baking soda and scrub, rinse and dry.

10. Remove rust stains from cotton and polyesters. Make a paste with lemon juice and cream of tarter and rub the mixture into the stain. Let the item sit for about a half hour, and then wash as normal (test before use).

11. Sanitize your garbage disposal. Pour a gallon of hot water mixed with a half cup of lemon juice down the drain. This tip is from Hometalk.com member Ann from Conyers, Ga. (Hometalk.com is a social network dedicated to home improvement.)

12. Brighten your clothing by soaking clothes in a hot water and lemon juice mix (about a half cup per gallon of water) and then wash as normal. Works best if laundry is then dried in the sun. Lemon juice should not be used on silks or other delicate fabrics. If you are uncertain, test a tiny area first.

13. Add a few drops of lemon juice to your dish soap to boost degreasing ability.

14. Remove odors from your refrigerator with a half lemon on a saucer. Change once a week.

15. Clean food preparation smells from your hands with a dilute solution of water and lemon juice.

16. Remove grease stains from clothing. Rub lemon juice into the spot and let sit overnight and then wash as normal.

17. Clean windows and mirrors. Put a few tablespoons of lemon juice and water into a spray bottle. Works as well as a vinegar solution and smells better.

18. Keep your toilet bowl fresh. Place a half cup of lemon juice in the bowl and swish with a toilet bowl brush.

19. Sanitize earrings by placing them in a saucer of lemon juice.

20. Unclog your drain with a mixture of baking soda followed by lemon juice. The foaming action will clear minor clogs.

21. Clean hard water stains on glass shower doors with half a lemon.

22. Clean mineral buildup on tea kettle and coffee pots by boiling lemon slices in the pots. Allow the mixture to sit for an hour or two, and then rinse and dry.

23. A dilute lemon juice rinse for your hair cuts soap residue and leaves hair softer and shinier.

24. Lastly, you can make a facial scrub of sugar and lemon juice for cleaner, softer skin.

Source: Internet

A Wish For You..,

Just for you I wish...

Blue skies and a peaceful heart...

A long happy life...

Courage to follow your dreams...

The chance to be all that you want to be...

People that care deeply about you...

Wishes made on stars that come true...

Sunny days and star filled nights...

Our private thoughts
make dreams...

May yours be soft and beautiful.

Source: Internet

Being My Friend

A friend is a crutch
When you've sprained your big toe

A friend is mulch that makes
Conversation grow

But most of all
A friend is there
When you've tucked your skirt
Into your underwear!

~~~~~~

"The holy passion of friendship is
of so sweet and steady and loyal
and enduring a nature that it will
last through a whole lifetime,
if not asked to lend money."

~ Mark Twain ~

Source: Internet

Tallulah Falls Railway

1918 timetable depicting all scheduled stops along the Tallulah Falls Railway

The Tallulah Falls Railway, also known as the Tallulah Falls Railroad, "The TF" and "TF & Huckleberry," was a railroad based in Tallulah Falls, Georgia, U.S.A. which ran from Cornelia, Georgia to Franklin, North Carolina. It was commissioned by the Georgia General Assembly on January 27, 1854 and conducted its final run on March 25, 1961.


Map of the Tallulah Falls Railway depicting main depots

History

On January 27, 1854, The General Assembly of the State of Georgia enacted legislation for the construction of a railway linking the towns of Athens and Clayton. This railway, known as the North Eastern Railroad (Georgia), was chartered in 1856; however the outbreak of the American Civil War delayed construction until 1871. The railway was completed to Tallulah Falls in 1882, to Clayton, Georgia in 1904 and to Franklin, North Carolina in June, 1907.

In 1881, the Northeastern Railroad company was sold to the Southern Railway, with the line from Cornelia to Clayton being purchased by the Tallulah Falls Railway Company in 1897. This line was subsequently named the Tallulah Falls Railroad.

The Tallulah Falls Railway twice entered into receivership: first in 1908, and again in 1923, under which it would operate until its closure in 1961. The railway's primary source of income was passenger services; in the early decades of the 20th century the town of Tallulah Falls was a well-known resort town due to the natural splendor of Tallulah Gorge. However, tourism gradually waned, and the railway began to operate at ever greater monetary losses. In 1933, J.F. Gray, a receiver, petitioned for the railway's abandonment. However, while permission for abandonment was granted, no action was taken due to public sentiment for the railroad; it continued to operate with little to no profit until 1955.


Historical marker at old Tallulah Falls Railway depot, Tallulah Falls, Georgia

In 1955, Walt Disney selected the railway as the location of principal photography for The Great Locomotive Chase. The rural location of the track closely resembled the setting of the actual chase, which occurred nearly 100 years earlier in the town of Kennesaw, Georgia. According to railway employees, Disney was quite fond of the railway and expressed interest in purchasing it for use as an excursion line. However the Southern Railway management refused, citing an accumulated debt of $300,000 on the part of the railway. On March 10, 1961, The Tallulah Falls Railway was ordered to be sold as scrap.



The Tallulah Falls Railway had 42 massive wooden trestles which had to be negotiated along the 58 mile journey from Cornelia to Franklin. The shortest trestle was about 25 feet in length and the longest was 940 feet in length. Only one trestle was made of steel and concrete. Two trestle collapses with fatalities occurred during the operation of the railway: an 1898 collapse at Panther Creek and a 1927 collapse at Hazel Creek.

Links:

IMDB Entry for The Great Locomotive Chase

The Trestles of North Georgia

Building of the Railroad

Source: Internet