Hearts and Humor - It Took Control

Hi, Gang! It's late on a Sunday night - actually, very
early on a Monday morning. I'll keep this short. I have to work
tomorrow.

I had an idea for a story today, but it just wasn't working for me.
Instead, I went to my list of story ideas. This one seemed right.
It spoke tome. Now I hope it speaks to you.

Before or after the story, please enjoy a few wonderful links.
From my friend Phread: http://mothersdayforpeace.com
It's beautiful.

From a friend I've never met (Bob Perks, I'm not stealing your line)
Keith runs a wonderful site. Find his link below. Today
he sent the following:
I trust you enjoy and value watching this inspirational image .
To view this image you may need to allow download of the file
on your internet browser, once completed - allow about 45 seconds
for this image to download and open.
http://www.itsinthemail.com.au/sendlink.asp?HitID=1180874134828&StID=3871&SID=9&EmID=2066330&Link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agiftofinspiration.com.au%2Ffiles%2FMagnificant_Photos_and_Quotes_-_Volume_No_1.pps
I hope it works. The last quote is from Keith himself.

Now for today's story.

It Took Control

In the corner of our backyard, against the fence, is a huge
forsythia bush. A maple tree rose through its center and towered
over it. They made an impressive team. Birds used them for shelter
when they came to eat at our feeders.

A sliver of grapevine was placed carefully in the dark earth
on our neighbor's side of the fence. It took root. One year it
topped the fence and climbed along its edge. A few years later,
it reached the forsythia bush, and slowly engulfed it. The vine
climbed the bush and reached the maple.

The maple, the forsythia, and the grapevine became a mass
of green. When storms rolled in off the Atlantic Ocean, the tree,
the bush and the vine moved as one. They were a green mass of
leaves, swaying in the wind. We called it "The Green Monster."

One year, I went to Google© satellite and punched up our
address. Our home was easily identified by the mass of green
in the corner of our yard. The grape vine swallowed the two trees.
It used them like an addiction

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A storm formed in the south Atlantic. For several days, we
experienced heat and humidity in the north. The storm moved in
our direction. The winds began to pick up. Rain began to fall.
The combination of maple, forsythia, and the grapevine swayed as
one. The maple, under the weight of its burden, bent. There was
a loud snap. Its trunk could bare the burden no more. The tree
lay in a tangle on the lawn. Its leaves began to shrivel from
the lack of life blood. It was over.

Georgia, my first wife, had a grapevine - alcohol. She lived
with it for a long time. It engulfed her. Its weight became too
much. It weighed her down. She shriveled and died.

There are grapevines weighing many people down. Is it drink?
Nicotine? Drugs? Georgia should have trimmed that vine a long
time ago. She waited too long. It's too late now. The tree is
down. It took control.


Michael T. Smith

If you enjoy a story, feel free to pass it on to your friends.

My only request is that you include the link for your friends to

join our family.

To join our family, go to:

http://subs. zinester.com/ 86758/

REMOVE THE SPACES TO GET TO THE SITE. SPAM BLOCKERS ARE

HURTING EZINES. DON'T LET THEM PREVENT YOU FROM READING

GREAT STORIES.


As promised, here is a list of great inspirational sites.

I subscribe to all of them. You will love these sites.


Run by my friend Carol, Storytime Tapestry at:

http://archives.zinester.com/98907/

Here's a new one that crosssed my path today:
Linda Della Donna
Freelance Writer
www.littleredmailbox.com
www.griefcase.blogspot.com
www.storybone.blogspot.com
"...and sometime when I wasn't looking, I got a new life."

By my good friend Keith in Australia:
http://www.agiftofinspiration.com.au/

My friend Phil runs http://www.peoplestuff.com.au/
Phil's awesome and brutally honest

Zev, yes another friend, runs http://empoweringmessages.com/stories/

Heart Catchers is a wonderful site. www.DianeDeanWhite.com

www.Heartwarmers.com and www.petwarmers.com are two

wonderful story sites.

http://hodu.com/

http://www.mydailyinsights.com/

www.ripplemaker.com

http://www.sermonillustrator.org

http://www.SkyWriting.Net

Here's a newly discovered one I like:

http://www.archive.zinester.com/9516

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WarmFuzzyStories/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WithInSight/

If you, or anyone you know needs prayers for health concerns,
struggles,etc visit www.janetperezeckles.com
Janet's prayer group will respond.

That's all I can think of right now. If I come up with

more, I'll add them.

Enjoy!!!


I love your comments, Send them to msmith4@nj.rr.com.

I'll include some in every post.

Now for some comments on my last few stories:

I so enjoyed reading about the two of you meeting and
the wedding pictures, even though I must admit it did
make my eyes "leak"!! That will be one I will save in
"My Special Folder. Thank you so very much.

As one who has failed at two marriages - one 30 years
and one 4 years in length - I hope some day I can say
that my "soul mate" has come into my life....but I am
glad that I can lean on the Lord for His encouragement
and at times comfort.

Always read your emails - don't respond very often, but
keep up the good work.
Always,
Beth

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