> God's Grace
>
> I wonder how many people will skip this without reading it
> because of the title. It is a shame but this message is very true.
> Hope you are all as blessed as I was by this story.
>
> There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New
> England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church
> carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit.
> Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak. .
>
> "I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy
> coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the
> cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.
>
> I stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?"
> "Just some old birds," came the reply.
> "What are you going to do with them?" I asked.
> "Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna
> tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna
> have a real good time."
> "But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?"
>
> "Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take ‘em to them."
>
> The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"
> "Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister.
>
> They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!"
> "How much?" the pastor asked again.
> The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"
>
> The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill.
> He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The
> pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the
> alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage
> down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded
> the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty
> bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:
>
> One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just
> come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.
"Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap,
> used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"
> "What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
>
> Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how
> to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other,
> how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to
> invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
>
> "And what will you do when you are done with them?"
> Jesus asked.. "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.
>
> "How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.
>
> "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll
> take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse
> you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"
>
> "How much? He asked again.
>
> Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life."
> Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.
> > The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.

> I pray, for everyone who sends this on, that God will bless them in a special way.
>
> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
> I thank God everyday for my blessed life. I'm not rich, don't live
> in a mansion and don't have the nicest of material things, but, I'm
> healthy, have , a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my
> table, a family that loves me and lifelong friends to get me through.
> I'd say I have a lot to be thankful for.