Your Light And Life Can Make A Difference - Teddy Stallard Story

Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade.

He was A slow, ... unkempt student, ... a loner ...shunned by his classmates.

The previous year his mother died, ... and what little motivation for school ... he may have once had ...was now gone.

Miss Thompson ... did not particularly care for Teddy either

But at Christmas time ... he brought her ... a small present.

Miss Thompson's desk ... was covered with well-wrapped presents from the other children, ... but Teddy's came in ... a brown paper sack.

When she opened it ... there was a gaudy rhinestone bracelet ... with half the stones missing ...along with a bottle ... of cheap perfume.

The children began to snicker, ... but Miss Thompson saw the importance ... of the moment.

She quickly splashed on some perfume ... and put on the bracelet, ... pretending ... Teddy had given her ... something special.

At the end of the day ... Teddy worked up enough courage to softly say, ... "Miss Thompson, ... you smell just like my mother ... and her bracelet looks real pretty on you too.

I'm glad ... you like ... my presents."

After Teddy left, ... Miss Thompson said ... she got down on her knees ... next to her desk ... and prayed for God's forgiveness.

She asked God to use her ... as she sought ... to not only ... teach these children ... but to love them ...as well.

That day ... She became ... a new teacher.

And She lovingly helped students like Teddy ... and by the end of the year ... he had caught up with most of the students. (Pause)

Well as the radio announcer Paul Harvey would say: ... The rest of the story.

Miss Thompson ... didn't hear from Teddy ... for a long time.

Then she received this short note in the mail: ... "Dear Miss Thompson, ... I wanted you to be ... the first to know.

I will be graduating second in my class.

Love, Teddy Stallard."

Four years later ... she got another note: ... "Dear Miss Thompson, ... they just told me ... I will be graduating ... first in my class.

I wanted you to be ... the first to know.

The university has not been easy, ... but I liked it.

Love, Teddy Stallard."

Four years later: ... "Dear Miss Thompson, as of today, ... I am Theodore Stallard, M.D.

How about that? ...... I wanted you to be the first to know.

I am getting married next month.

I want you to come and sit ... where my mother would have sat ... if she were alive.

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ou are the only family I have now; ... Dad died last year. ...... Love, Teddy Stallard."

Miss Thompson went to the wedding ... and sat where Teddy's mother ... would have sat.

O' Beloved ... Miss Thompson made a difference.

Not only in the life of Teddy Stallard ... but in lives of many others ... and most of all in her own life ... as well. (Pause)

Her lamp was lit ... and full of oil ... and it was shining forth in her life ... a life be conformed ... into the image of Savior.

Some of the greatest blessings come ... when you humbly realize ... that someone else ... is more important ... than you are.

That emptying ourselves ... into the lives of others ...allows our lamp to shine more fully.