Firefly Night And More... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* Please Consider Giving To ShangralaFamilyFun.com The cost of the website has gone up dramatically due to the ever increasingly wonderful pages and photos being added each week to entertain you and our fellow Christian families. While the ads on the website do help, I don't want to drag the site down with tons of them to pay for it. I need your help! "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, the easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure. Please visit the site, scroll down and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL form page comes up. NOTE: Paypal will generate a 'Quantity 1' and 'Price per item' form. Just ignore the price per item and put whatever it is you desire to give in there. With Paypal, you will have your normal receipt for your 'payment' donation in USD (United States Dollars). You can put a memo in there if you'd like. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU MOST ABUNDANTLY FOR YOUR GIFT! ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND For Google Plus Users: You can find me here... Shangy Bigham https://plus.google.com/106648555948034085752/posts AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! :) -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This flaming hot new page is from our friend LouiseAu. It is one sure to tickle the funny bone and bring some smiles to golf fans along with giving you some eye candy with some great scenic golf courses. Be sure to check this one out here: Why Golf Is Better http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/golf.html --- ...TeeHee! This was quite alluring! Thanks LouiseAu! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: /'\ / / , c-' / /'-._ ,____,' .-'''-. .-'.// \ '-;-========,"-,' ' ,` /, \_//\ ,/ ( '- *) ) ( ./ ) {,}========'===='- ' , , , \/ ', -muse. _____'-.-`_______________________'-..-'____ s i t b a c k r i d e 'n' r e l a x r e c u m b e n t b i c y c l e s ____________________________________________ >A BICYCLE BUILT FOR TWO by Kathy Whirity It isn't quite the bike you'd envision when picturing a standard bicycle built for two. After my husband, Bill, and I bought our snazzy green Schwinns a few years ago we spotted a bicycle built for two in the corner of the bike shop. We both agreed that when it came time for us to need new ones we would pick the tandem type. Little did we know that I would have one of my own, just a slightly different model. Lately the weather has not been cooperating with our plans to hit the bike paths and we've only had the chance to ride once. Aside from the weather I knew this summer would be excitedly different than last. This time last year we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first grandchild. For the soon to be grandpa and I, the countdown began the moment we found out our youngest daughter, Katie, was expecting. Needless to say the pregnancy seemed to drag on forever. Now, looking back, we can't believe how fast the time has flown since her birth. Our bouncing bundle of joy has blossomed into a beautiful baby girl. Just the sight of her causes old gramps and me to giggle with glee. It's also the reason that this summer season found us on the hunt for a baby carrier for the back of my bike. I discovered, in my quest for the best, that there are many styles of these bike seats to choose from. There are some with springs for a cushier cruise, some with extra padding for added comfort. We chose the one that seemed to offer the best of everything. Now, the only challenge left was installing it onto my snazzy two-wheeler. You wouldn't think it would be that time consuming but when you're considering the welfare of your grandchild you make sure that every one of the hundred and one bolts, screws and washers are accounted for and used. Finally it was erected, sturdy and solid behind my seat. That's about when I noticed the open gap between the leg rests and the wheel. The possibility of our little grand daughter getting her tiny toesies caught in the spindles was a nightmarish thought. My mind flashbacked to the days when Katie, her mom, rode on the back of my pink and gray ten-speed. Has it really have been over 2 decades ago? I don't remember being so concerned when she was the one riding in back of me. As a grandma I now find myself worrying over everything, which probably comes with the territory. Thankfully there was a purpose for the vinyl sheeting I noticed lying next to the empty box. Following the instructions, we placed it between the back tire and frame and clamped it together with a few heavy duty plastic strip ties. Even though this vinyl covering causes an annoying sound, like a kid's bike with cards stuck in the spokes, nothing compares to the melody of hearing my darling grand baby girl oohing and aahhing while patting my back as we pedal through the park. It's a tune I hope will be heard all summer long. I look forward to sharing more happy, joyful memories with my precious little passenger, on our own special version of a bicycle built for two. -- Kathy Whirity ______________________________________________ Kathy is a syndicated newspaper columnist who shares her sentimental musings on family life. Life Is A Kaleidoscope is Kathy's first published book which is a compilation of some of her most popular columns. She is also a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. You can visit her website here: http://www.kathywhirity.com =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Geniann :) _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >TO THE MEMORY OF.. The Second World War ended September 2, 1945. This email aims to create a chain of memory..... THE MEMORY OF.. 6 million Jews,, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians, 1,900 Catholic priests Who were: Murdered, Raped, Burnt, Starved to death, and humiliated... NOW more than ever.. While Iran and others claim the Holocaust never happened.... IT IS ESSENTIAL that we do EVERYTHING so the WORLD DOES NOT FORGET.. Join us and take part in the CHAIN OF MEMORY. Help us spread it throughout the world. PLEASE SEND THIS EMAIL TO 10 or more people, And ask them to continue the chain. Don't. Delete this message. It only takes a minute to pass it on...... -<>- ____________________ / {)][o>][_o][c_][o][| |-==)| | &_____________________L ejm 96 ( ) ( ) >A Good reminder Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down,he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh,forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.' When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change. The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?' 'Yes' he replied. 'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.' When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.' Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself a 'Christian.' Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. I'm glad a friend forwarded this to me as a reminder. So, I choose to forward it to you - my friend. God bless you. --- ...A Delightful Classic! Thank You Geniann! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: .---. .---. ,';' `.';' `.. f :Bo. ` d88: `\ /d88P' `\ ; /d888P' `. ',d8&8P' : ;d8&7' | :8: | qx >Nobody Says Love Like You RONNIE LEVINER COPYRIGHT 2002 Hearing words so often said And feel sometimes is true Though spoken in my life by friends Nobody says love like you When parting from our loved ones here To do each thing we do The words we speak so tenderly Nobody says love like you A valentine on a certain day Given by sweethearts true But yet in all the words upon Nobody says love like you It's spoken in the wind that blows As in the morning dew Kindness shown by those around Nobody says love like you And so to my Lord above This thing I'll always do Give thanks and praise in Jesus' name Nobody says love like you -<>- .-~*~--,. .-. .-~-. ./OOOOOOOOO\.'OOO`9~~-. .`OOOOOO.OOM.OLSONOOOOO@@OOOOOO\ /OOOO@@@OO@@@OO@@@OOO@@@@@@@@OOOO`. |OO@@@WWWW@@@@OOWWW@WWWW@@@@@@@OOOO). .-'OO@@@@WW@@@W@WWWWWWWWOOWW@@@@@OOOOOO} /OOO@@O@@@@W@@@@@OOWWWWWOOWOO@@@OOO@@@OO| lOOO@@@OO@@@WWWWWWW\OWWWO\WWWOOOOOO@@@O.' \OOO@@@OOO@@@@@@OOW\ \WWWW@@@@@@@O'. `,OO@@@OOOOOOOOOOWW\ \WWWW@@@@@@OOO) \,O@@@@@OOOOOOWWWWW\ \WW@@@@@OOOO.' `~c~8~@@@@WWW@@W\ \WOO|\UO-~' (OWWWWWW@/\W\ ___\WO) `~-~'' \ \WW=*' __\ \ \ \ \ __\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \\ \\ \ \ I have a very touching story to tell and I couldn't help but post it for all to see. Last Friday (8/22), the rural parts of Northern Franklin County, Kentucky were hit with a devastating flash flood. Most of you have probably never seen a flash flood happen, but it is truly a terrifying experience and arguably one of the most destructive forces in nature next to a tornado. A storm passing by dumped an estimated 7 inches of rain in under an hour and the result was that a creek that could normally be walked across turned into a twenty foot deep death trap. 61 homes were completely obliterated by a wall of water traveling some 70 to 90 miles per hour. Thankfully, there were very few deaths, mostly from people caught unawares as their houses were swept away with the people inside of them. Here's the silver lining... One of the local churches had a new minister this summer. He was a young gent and with his wife they stayed in a house near the church free of charge in exchange for doing a lot of upkeep and hard work on the church and in the community (mowing grass, etc, etc). The new minister had a very hard time and was completely discouraged because church attendance dropped and several other problems came up. He pleaded nightly with God to show him why he was supposed to be there. Feeling defeated, he and his wife moved away to set up ministry elsewhere. It happens, however, that one of the Minister's pet projects was building a staircase in the middle of the woods. The staircase was on the edge of the community and wound back and forth up a hill. The Minister was questioned several times by curious spectators and he always answered with something like "I don't know, I just thought it would be neat and its became sort of a hobby". Several in the community had remarked that the staircase was something of an engineering feat. During the flash flood, an 81 year old lady and her daughter heard the tell-tale roar of the flash flood coming up the creek bed. They looked out the window to see houses upstream being swept away and ran out of the back door of their home. Moments later, their house was obliterated by the wall of water. They were not out of danger yet, however. The water was quickly rising and advancing on them over the banks of the creek. The old lady pleaded with her daughter to leave her behind and run as they approached a hillside. Suddenly, the old lady came to the staircase and was able to climb the stairs to safety rather than attempt to climb up the now impossibly slippery slope. The staircase had saved the lady's life. The minister was called the next day to tell him the story and he immediately broke down into tears. God had put him there for a reason. This is a true story as told by my boss who happens to live near that community and has visited that church many times. I believe it also appeared in the local papers. It seems nothing escapes God's attention. -<>- ________________________________________________ /\______________________________________________/`-. <()>____________________________________________< ## \/______________________________________________\,-' unknown >"PARABLE OF THE PENCIL"---that's what erasers are for..... The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be. One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be guided by Someone's hand. Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil. Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside. And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart. Now put your self in the place of the pencil. Always remember these five things and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be. - Author Unknown -<>- ____________________ | | | PSYCHIATRIC | | HELP | |____________________| || ,-..'``. || || (,-..'`. ) || || )-c - `)\ || ,.,._.-.,_,.,-||,.(`.-- ,`',.-,_,||.-.,.,-,._. ___||____,`,'--._______|| |`._||______`'__________|| | || __ || | || |.-' ,|- || _,_,,..-,_| || ._)) `|- ||,.,_,_.-.,_ . `._||__________________|| ____ . . . . . <.____`> .SSt . . . . . _.()`'()`' . May this encourage you always. Don't spend major time with minor people. If there are people in your life that continually disappoint you, break promises, stomp on your dreams, too judgmental, have different values and don't have your back during difficult times...that is not a friend. To have a friend, be a friend. Sometimes in life as you grow, your friends will either grow or go. Surround yourself with people who reflect values, goals interests and lifestyle. When I think of any of my successes, I am thankful to GOD from whom all blessings flow, and to my family and friends that enrich my life. Over the years my phone book has changed because I changed for the better. At first you think you're going to be alone, but after a while new people show up in your life that make your life so much sweeter and easier to endure. Remember what your elders used to say, "Birds of a feather flock together. If you're an eagle, don't hang around chickens: Chickens Can't Fly! I love the Lord and thank Him for all that he does in my life, therefore, I'm passing this on. Yes I do love Jesus. He is my source of existence and Savior. He keeps me functioning each and everyday. Without Him, I will be nothing. Without Him, I am nothing but with Him I can do all things. Phil 4:13 Walk by faith, Not by sight? Receive God's blessings -<>- _ _./_), -:_) ) ) BzzzBzBzzzz mrf '\_)' >Firefly Night by Traci Dutson Winkler, Manitoba, Canada "Have you ever seen a firefly?" Grandpa asked me one cool summer evening. In all my 13 years, I hadn't. "Get your sweater. It's a good night," he said. We walked down the road, and through the light of the streetlamps over the hill, not saying much. Then we came to a marsh with cattails and high grass, where we stood hand in hand. Suddenly Grandpa pointed to a dim light. Then it was gone. Again, a tiny flash. There! And there! Fireflies! I joined in, pointing. Grandpa's face brightened. We tried to see who could spot them first. Soon there were too many to count and we just a watched, silent. Grandpa shivered and coughed slightly. I looked up at him. He had been diagnosed with cancer, and I had come to spend the summer with him. I wondered what he was thinking. He looked down at me and then back at the fireflies. "Why do they light up?" I asked. Grandpa said I should research it one day at the library. After a few minutes we headed home. When I turned to get one last glimpse, the marsh was aglow with the light of fireflies, hundreds of them. I'll never forget that summer. Even when Grandpa grew weak, we got in the car and drove down to the marsh. Once, I held a firefly in my hands. Grandpa told me that when God holds us in his hands, we light up with his love. In August, as the light of the fireflies faded, so did Grandpa's life. When they came out the next summer, Grandpa was gone. It is believed fireflies use their light as a mating signal. They brighten with love. One night last summer, a good night, I went back to the marsh. And there, aglow in the night, I caught a glimpse of us, of Grandpa and me and the fireflies, all of us together in God's hands. The above article originally appeared in the September 1994 issue of Guideposts. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Shifou Mountain Footpath http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/shifou.html Microscopic! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/micro.html Dog Warriors! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogwarriors.html Garage Door art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/garageart.html Lean On Me!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/poems/leanonme.html Beautiful Spilling Flowers!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/spillingflowers.html Best Of National Geographic 3!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestnatgeo3.html Brilliant Women Inventors!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/womeninventors.html Christ's Life!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesuslife.html SHANGRALA'S US TROOPS INDEX!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/911andtroopsindex.html Walking In Power http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/walkingpower.html Playing With Words http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wordplay.html Stretching For The Lord http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/stretching.html Look Who's Talking 3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/talking3.html -<>- >Some Of Shangrala's Best Pages: http://www.amazafamily.com/index.html -<>- New Article From TruthOrTradition: Stumbling Upon Heaven https://tinyurl.com/yaacdvwv What does the Bible say about Tithing? https://tinyurl.com/yarqka59 God’s Divine council https://tinyurl.com/y779l6wy Melva/Goodbye To Summer http://silverandgoldandthee.net/Misc_files/B/Fun.html John w/ Little Bitty http://heavens-gates.com/littlebitty/ Melva/New 50's Page http://silverandgoldandthee.net/Mu/50/Rk_3.html Melva/Lots of New Music http://silverandgoldandthee.net/Mu/Co/Cu.html Carolyn with/ Call On Jesus http://carolynspreciousmemories.com/Spiritual/CallOnJesus.html Southbreeze http://www.reflectionsofsouthbreeze.com Airplane pilot - Best ever http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd7OSTxUD8Q Invisible Husband Shows Up In Photo! http://tinyurl.com/3zo2tkt Doggie Zone http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/home.html Puppy Photos http://www.puppypictures.org/main.php WhiteHouseNews: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Latest From RightAlerts: http://rightalerts.com Latest At FoxNews: http://www.foxnews.com/ Latest From MRC News: https://tinyurl.com/ya6uruck Latest From TrueDailyNews: http://truedaily.news/category/news/ Students For Life https://tinyurl.com/yd5nxmu6 Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Move America Forward http://www.moveamericaforward.org/ -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) Introducing the TF-X https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/D4uSWtazRCM?rel=0 --- ...Wow! Looks safe and fun! Thanks Geniann! -<>- WWII Video This is a VERY touching video, actually a piece of film that has been made into a video, this is one that is NOT photo shopped, it's the real scene! Notice in the opening shot you'll see the gunner's position is all shot to hell while the pilot's cockpit ahead of it is undamaged. Later on notice the corpsman taking a fingerprint of the deceased gunner, before the film continues, then showing the chaplain saying the final prayers, followed by taps, then the sailors push the aircraft and our patriotic airman over the side and watch it sink into the distance sea. Here's one for a serious conversation with your kids. THIS WAS REAL! This is what 18 year old "kids" were doing in 1944. No safe spaces, no hurtful unthinkable remarks that they couldn't cope with, just dying for their country so the ungrateful, uninformed snowflakes of today could act like fools decades later.............. This 2 minute video is pretty moving. Worth your while. "What actually made this country great is ordinary guys like this doing extraordinary things." https://www.youtube.com/embed/jpt6Bvr2L-s?rel=0&controls=0&showinf --- ...Wow! Sad! Thanks LouiseAu! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== ______ | O | | ,|._ | | `A _|__ |__|\_\ \ O \ ._|.) \___A _|_ |\ SSt >Positive Reverberations... For Decades Story Editor: by Mary Young Joyce Schowalter Georgia, USA My childhood was less than ideal -- in fact, I was the only girl in my immediate family who did not run away from home during adolescence. After high school I moved 300 miles away for college, but quickly had second thoughts about whether I belonged there. Coming from a blue-collar family and an easy rural high school to a white-collar university that gave a "C" for work that would be a "B" at another school, I felt like a misfit financially, culturally, and educationally. Somehow I made it through my freshman year, and headed back for year two. I'm so glad I went back, because that was the year I met Barb. Barb seemed the exact opposite of myself, and everything I wished I could be. She was popular, out-going, confident, talented, and artistic. One day I watched Barb doodle, making beautiful calligraphic swirls while waiting for class to start. I sighed, thinking how Barb could do anything she wanted to: draw, paint, sing, play guitar, even calligraphy. I was lucky to be able to read the notes I took in class -- forget about anyone else being able to read them. Barb heard me sigh, and asked what was wrong. "I wish I was artistic," I replied. "Mary," she said in amazement. "You ARE artistic!" "No, I'm not. I can't draw or do calligraphy. I can color inside the lines, but that's about it." "Well," she said. "I think you're artistic." I figured she was just being nice, but still, if Barb said it, there must be something to it. I knew I was creative -- I'd been writing poems and short stories since I was 12. But artistic? I could barely draw stick figures, and crafts I tried came out looking clunky. But if Barb thought I was artistic, there must be something to it, even if I thought my only artistic abilities were with words. It was 1980 when Barb said those words to me. Thanks to her, I learned to recognize my artistic abilities: the way I instinctively frame a field of wildflowers for the best possible photograph, and my ability to see beauty in unexpected places, like sun-dried sea oats hanging from their stem, backlit by the morning sun=8A The summer of 2009 I wrote Barb and reminded her of that conversation, and let her know her words are still working their magic. I had ripped out a closet in my bedroom for more space, and needed to choose colors, wall hangings and draperies. I felt totally inadequate -- interior decorating has never been my forte. Just as I was about to give up, I heard Barb's voice in my memory, "Mary, you ARE artistic!" With her words ringing in my head, I found the perfect color for the walls, the perfect pictures for the walls, and the perfect drapes to tie it all together. Thanks, Barb, for believing in me all those years ago. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From LaughAndLift: "The current popular notion that judging others is in itself a sin leads to such inappropriate maxims as 'I'm okay and you're okay.' It encourages a conspiracy of moral indifference which says, 'If you never tell me that anything I'm doing is wrong, I'll never tell you that anything you're doing is wrong.'" - Elisabeth Elliot Gren The Lift _._ .' '. | / //\\\ \ | ( ( -\- ) ) | '-\_=_/-' // .-'\ /'-. (|/ / '-' \ / / | \__ __/_/\/ /| | |\ / \ / \ \ \ '-' `\/\ ; |/|\ | | | | | | | |_______| | | | \ | / jgs /=|=\ (_/T\_) >The New Teacher (Author Unknown) After being interviewed by the school administration, the eager teaching prospect said: "Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning. And I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor their t-shirt messages and dress habits. You want me to wage a war on drugs and s%xually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their self-esteem. You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook, and how to apply for a job. I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of anti-social behavior, offer advice, write letters of recommendation for student employment and scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural diversity of others, and oh, make sure that I give the girls in my class fifty percent of my attention. My contract requires me to work on my own time after school, evenings and weekends grading papers. Also, I must spend my summer vacation at my own expense working toward advance certification and a Masters degree. And on my own time you want me to attend committee and faculty meetings, PTA meetings, and participate in staff development training. I am to be a paragon of virtue, larger than life, such that my very presence will awe my students into being obedient and respectful of authority. You want me to incorporate technology into the learning experience, monitor websites, and relate personally with each student. That includes deciding who might be potentially dangerous and/or liable to commit a crime in school. I am to make sure all students pass the mandatory state exams, even those who don't come to school regularly or complete any of their assignments. Plus, I am to make sure that all of the students with handicaps get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical handicap. And I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card. I am to do this with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, bulletin board, a big smile, and on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps! You want me to do all of this and yet you expect me NOT TO PRAY?" -<>- ____ .' '. ____ / __ \ .-' '-. | / \ | / __ \ | \__/ | | / \ | \ >< / | \__/ | ;.____.; \ {>()<} / /`| \# / |`\ `;._/\_.;` ;# | \/ | #\ /` (/\) `\ | | == | \ / \ | #| |\ # \ / / \ \ | ; |#\ #\ / -/ \- \ \# / \/ \# \__/-._/ \_.-\ `| | \_.'=-;._/ \_.-; |.-. .-.| //\_/`\_/ \\_/ |\_/ \_/| || ||'-.______.-'`\ | , | ||_...._||._ _.-' | |\ | //.----.\\ ;```--```; | ||-- | |`-....-'| | /| | | || | \ / | --|| | | ||.-.| '.____.' ;.-.|| | | |; . | |_. || | jgs |'--;`/ `\ / \ |._.; ;.__| >--| |--< |.__| (___) \_/ \_/ (__) >Commitment - A Dying Trait (By list subscriber Stephen Kollock) [Edited] I have a friend who builds houses for a living - a process that fascinates me. Not just building houses but constructing anything on a grand scale; from ships to bridges to the house or apartment you live in. When we had our house built, I was able to see the process first hand. The first thing they do is level the land on which the house is to be built. Once that is accomplished, a foundation is dug. Then comes the floor to support the walls, which support the second floor, walls, which support the roof. All of it was lots of work, taking months to finally get to the finished product. The reason it took so long was because it had to be done right. If one stage was done wrong, the whole thing could fall down. It takes time to build something - at least to build it right. It takes planning. It takes skill. Most of all, it takes dedication. Building anything the right way it takes someone dedicated to doing the job right. On the other hand, it doesn't take much to tear something down. It doesn't take a whole lot of skill - picture me with a sledgehammer in the middle of your living room. In a matter of minutes a bulldozer can bring down a house that took month's to build and has stood for years. Seems strange that something that was built with such care can be destroyed so easily. But it's always easier to tear down than to build up, isn't it. It's easier to throw out than to bring back in. It's easier to stop than to keep going. I think in our lives today we are missing an ingredient that it would serve us well to revisit: commitment. Remember commitment? It's the idea of saying you are going to do something and then actually doing it. It's saying I will marry you no matter what and then when "no matter what" happens, staying married. Or saying I want to have children and even when they become the little monsters you swore your kid's would never be, you keep being their parents. Commitment is saying you love and appreciate your parents and all their sacrifices for you, to the point where you will bring them to your home instead of "shipping them off" to the nursing home in the winter of their life. The problem with commitment is really simple though; commitment requires something most us do not want to consider: sacrifice. Commitment may mean sacrificing your time or your money or some of your own dreams because you said you would. It means walking through the fire that will inevitably burn you because you knew going in that hurt could be part of the deal. But more than that, it means staying the course until the end, no matter what the cost. Commitment means sacrifice. I am afraid in our society we have made it too easy to turn from our commitments. We find it so easy to just stop if something gets too hard, to walk away and start over later or with a different person or maybe in a different place. We are a people of excuses. And the excuses are mostly to relieve any guilt or apprehension we have about one thing: not living up to our commitments. Here are some examples of those who display the kind of commitment I'm talking about and wish I had more of. The single mother working two jobs for the simple reason that she made a commitment to her kids. The father who goes to fight for his country because when he signed up he knew that was part of the job. The pastor who stands up for God even when he knows it will cost him his way of life. I admit it, I've taken my share of shortcuts, letting people down along the way. But the problem is so many people take most of their commitments with a grain of salt. We have looked and found all kind of exit clauses and loopholes to get us out of any commitment we make. Now it's as easy to get a divorce as it is to get married. If you don't want the child you are carrying, you can always go to a clinic and skip the commitment that comes with parenthood. We often say we believe in something until it's really put to the test. Sadly, many Christians have fallen into this "limited commitment" category. We are often committed as long as it doesn't interfere too strongly with what we like to do. We all like to pick and choose. "I agree with the part about adultery but the part about honoring God with everything seems a little outdated." With commitments like these and sacrifice being a thing of the past, is it any wonder our houses are falling in? -<>- |V| .::| |::. ::__| |__:: >____ ____< :: | | :: '::| |::' | | | | jgs |A| >I Thought I was a Christian (By Marty Kasza) [Edited] You'd think that after years of attending church, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, church camp or youth group, someone would be a 'Christian'. But that's not always so. At least, that's not the way it happened with me. I became a Christian when I was 18 and a month away from leaving for my first year of college. A pastor from the new church my family was attending stopped by our house and went through a small tract called "Steps to Peace With God." My 11-year-old sister and I confessed our sinfulness and professed our faith in Jesus that day, asking Him to be our Savior. But prior to that moment, I would have said that I was a Christian if someone had asked. I mean, people who believe in God and believe in Jesus are Christians, right? Christians go to church. Christians serve in the church. I did all of these things. So why weren't they enough to make me a Christian? Looking back, I can't believe I missed the truth. My mother taught me about the Lord, and I even memorized the first part of John 3 for an Easter sunrise service when I was in high school - a good presentation of the gospel if I've ever heard one. I knew Jesus was born to a virgin, lived a perfect life and was crucified and resurrected. I knew about Him, but I didn't know Him personally. While I had the truth in my mind, it didn't click in my heart until someone explained sin, how it had separated me from God and how my relationship with Him could be restored only through belief in Jesus and acceptance of Him as my Lord and Savior. You see, a Christian does believe in Jesus, attend church and serve others, but she does it because of a love for her Lord, not because of a self-imposed requirement to be a good person. My life has changed in the years since I became a Christian. Instead of simply going to church and being pleased with my contributions there, I have a real, growing relationship with Jesus. I have a desire to spend time with Him in prayer and Bible study. I like to serve because I hope to make Him known to others - people who may think they know what it means to be a Christian, but who haven't had a heart-encounter with the living God. My 18 years of going to church and church-related events prior to accepting Jesus as my Savior weren't a waste. They were foundational for who I am today. They prepared me for the moment when I truly understood the gospel. The people who contributed to my first years of life demonstrated Christ to me so I'd be ready to do the same for others. So I've gotta ask. Are you a Christian? Has the meaning of the gospel really clicked in your heart, mind and spirit? Are you growing in your relationship with Jesus? Are you going to church because you want to worship God, enjoy fellowship with other believers and serve as Christ served? I hope so! But if you're not, if you're like I was, a church-participator who didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus, now's your time to make a change and relinquish yourself to your Creator. Now's your time to really start living! God's grace and forgiveness are available to cover all your sins. He has a desire to adopt you into His family. Won't you ask Jesus to forgive you and to become Lord of your life today? By making Jesus the absolute Lord of your life, you won't be zapped into an angelic being. You'll probably still make mistakes from time to time. But when you do, go to Christ with a repentant heart (being genuinely and humbly sorry for what you did with no plans to do it again), accept the forgiveness He died to give you, and keep growing in Him. Jesus loves you, and He is an accepting Savior who holds open arms to you. "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4). One more time... I've gotta ask: Do you know a lot about Jesus? Or do you actually know Him personally? If you've assumed you're a Christian, and you're really not, you can be right now! View the "Steps to Peace With God" tract by Billy Graham online at: http://www.fishthe.net/steps/steps1.htm SUBSCRIBE INFO Want to receive a Christian inspirational item AND great clean humor in an email to you each day of the week? It's easy and FREE! Read all about Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com ========================================================== , _/ \_ _,--. < , > .-'.' /(/.\ .' .' .""". `/ ` / / / \ /) ; ; ,_.;._ _;-'}/ | | '. )( /' | | /'-._/\_.-' ; ; \_.' \ , \ \ / | _.'/ '. `'-\ /.-/.;,\ '-._ `"""""`_.|`"""`| jgs `"("\/")` |# | \(_/ `-...-' >-->SMELL THE FLOWERS... Take time to smell the flowers Don't rush through your day Stop in to see your neighbor Have a kind word to say Bring a smile to a shut-in Read a story to a child Visit a friend far away You haven't seen in awhile Take time to smell the flowers Don't let life pass you by We know not the hour The bloom will fade and die Help a homeless person Living on the street Help him all you can Until he's back on his feet Take time to smell the flowers Don't rush through your day Stop in to see your neighbor Have a kind word to say... - Author Unknown -<>- .-"""-. , (_ _ \ /| ____ _ )= `) ) ,"";, |(| ()___>===(()====( ( (//``;\\ (| ||~\__ `) ( ) ;|| || `==\--`.-; ;|| \\ / |`-._, ;\\ , `---;` / `._`\\ ,/| >~~~~`._ `"` |(| / ' `""---.....___ (| | '. ' _ . ``\ \ '-. '- . _ / \ '. - ._`\ '. '. '-.. _/ jgs '._ - ._ _/ `-..__ .-'` `"'""` >What if God was just like us? What if God was just like us? He'd be someone we could not trust. The death of Christ would be a lie; a hoax, a sham, He did not die. There'd be no Blood to cover sins, no cleansing of the beast within. What if God was just like us? Down payments and interest would be a must. Finance charges, dues and fees; we could not pay enough to please. With every err there'd be a fine, perpetual sighing on the dotted line. What if God was just like us; just like man, He made from dust? Peace with Him, what is His price? All that we have, compounded twice. Justification at too high a cost; no one could pay, we'd all be lost. - Virginia Gail Cozart >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? 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