I thought this email was funny (not in the cute way). I'll give the pastor a "W" for use of illustration.
God's Great Grace
> > I wonder how many people will delete this without reading it because of
the title on it?
> > 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 you got there, son?"
> "Just some old birds," came the reply.
> > "What are you gonna 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?" "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 birdcage 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 the 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. & gt; 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 get 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 he opened the door and he walked from the
pulpit.
> > Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then
wonder why the world's going to hell. Isn't it funny how someone can say, "I
believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in
God)? Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and
they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending
> > messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Isn't it
funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many
on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they
will think of you for sending it to the e-mail. Isn't it funny
> > how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what
God thinks of me. I pray, for everyone who sends this to their entire
address book, they will be blessed by God in a way special for them in a way
special for them. And send it back to the person who sent it, to let them
know that indeed it was sent out to many more.
> > The best antique is an old friend"--Anonymous