The Kiss

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  “Ryabovitch pulled the bed-clothes over his head, curled himself up in bed, and tried to gather together the floating images in his mind and to combine them into one whole. But nothing came of it. He soon fell asleep, and his last thought was that someone had caressed him and made him happy—that something extraordinary, foolish, but joyful and delightful, had come into his life. The thought did not leave him even in his sleep. When he woke up the sensations of oil on his neck and the chill of peppermint about his lips had gone, but joy flooded his heart just as the day before.” The Kiss By Anton Chekhov (1860–1904)

Riding out the Hurricane

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Back in 1969, twenty-four people decided to ignore warnings that Hurricane Camille was heading for Mississippi. They were going to ride it out. Twenty-three of them died in the wrath of that hurricane. What a terrible tragedy. If they had taken the warning seriously, they wouldn't have lost their precious lives. The cross is a terrible warning of the fierce hurricane of God's wrath, which no one can "ride out" on Judgment Day. We must never tire of warning every man "that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." He is their only hope. They must, as the Bible says "kiss [kiss toward, do homage to] the Son, lest He be angry, and perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little." There goes another minute. Gone forever. Go share your faith while you still have time.

Way of the Master Minute for January 10, 2008.

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