Giving Thanks... :) 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 ================ *~* 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! ================ *~* Happy, Blessed And Safe Thanksgiving To All Who Celebrate Early! >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This first hot new page is from our friends Linda, LouiseA And Geniann. I am sure you will find some fascinating eye opening photos here. Check it out here... _....._ .\:\:/:/. /=\_.@._/=\ /==/ _ _ \==\ /==( - )==\ |===\ = /===| \====|-V-|====/ \===| |===/ jgs |==| |==| '=.| |.=' Famous People Photos http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/famousphotos2.html --- ...Wow! These are great! Thanks Ladies! I recognized most of them and many were jaw-dropping! This next fiery too hot to handle new page is one from our friend LouiseA. It has many of your favorites here! Be sure to check out the 'get Your SMILES on' video [I added it later]. Give it time to load and check it out here... == <^\()/^> \/::\/ jgs /::\ `''` Inspirational Movie Quotes http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/moviequotes.html --- ...Wonderful! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- ,. (\(\) ,_ ; o > {`-. / (_) `={\`-._____/` | `-{ / -=`\ | .="`={ -= = _/ /`"-. (M==M=M==M=M==M==M==M==M) \=N=N==N=N==N=N==N=NN=/ \M==M=M==M=M==M===M=/ \N=N==N=N==N=NN=N=/ jgs \M==M==M=M==M==M/ `-------------' >I added a new Recipe! I was looking for a good recipe for boneless skinless chicken breasts and found one. I doctored it up some as I am prone to do. The family loves the way it turns out, so figured I'd add it so you may enjoy it too. You'll find it under MEALS/BREADS: Easy Oven Baked CHICKEN http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/easy.html I just made this today. Don't be fooled by the length of the recipe. It is a very easy one to do and a new favorite of ours! :) =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: , |\ | `-._,="""=, \ //o.-)-.\ \ ||/:/:\:\-. `. \\\:\:/:/o_), jgs `->>>8888>;(_)o.-' >THANKFUL FOR A PURPOSE by Heidi Lynn Poakeart I was eighteen years old, fresh out of high school with a bright future to look forward to, when I received the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis. This was a big deal for someone my age to endure. However I chose to fight the battle instead of wallowing in self pity. After major surgery and four months of radiation treatments, I overcame my obstacle and emerged a new person -- someone who took nothing for granted and a person who learned to appreciate everything and everyone around me. Years passed and I received my certification in medical assisting, met a wonderful man, moved to New York and got married. Truly, life couldn't have been any better -- however, I still felt something missing and longed to find my purpose. Having donated to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN, for years, I had always felt a connection and empathy toward the children living with cancer who were being treated there. What a truly magnificent place, especially knowing that no patient was ever turned away regardless of ability to pay. The hospital exuded living, and that is what I was all about. As my 20-year anniversary of being a cancer survivor approached, I wanted to do something special and unforgettable. I organized a fund raiser, calling it "A Mission of Love," and thanks to my generous family and friends, raised $4,000 for St. Jude's, planning to deliver it myself. Three quarters of the money would be given as a monetary donation to the hospital, and what was left would go toward purchasing toys for the children. I also had arranged with the hospital a t-shirt painting activity for any child who felt well enough to participate. Thanksgiving Day seemed the most appropriate day of the year for the mission, and so it was all arranged. My husband and I flew to Memphis with 50 t-shirts and a huge bag of fabric paint in tow the day before Thanksgiving. We went to the toy store and filled three shopping carts with all kinds of toys piled high to the sky. It was as though we were small celebrities when the employees and other shoppers became aware of what we were doing. On Thanksgiving Day, as we pulled into the front gates of St. Jude, it was quite literally my dream come true. I became extremely emotional, as my eyes welled with tears of happiness. After dropping the toys off, we went to a lounge area where there were six children waiting anxiously to begin painting. They picked out their shirts and my husband and I helped them get started. To me, it was as though they weren't even sick, and to see them smile was one of the greatest gifts I could have ever received. When the activity was over and we wished the children well, we dropped off the monetary donation to an extremely grateful staff, and then our visit came to an end. Leaving there that day, I knew I had finally found my purpose. Going to St. Jude filled a feeling of emptiness inside of me that had existed for as long as I could remember, and it genuinely changed my life. I was thanked for giving a donation to a charity that saves lives, but being able to give thanks for my experience was priceless. "All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." -- Danny Thomas -- Heidi Lynn Poakeart __________________________________________________ Heidi says, "I am 39 years old and a 20-year cancer survivor. I live in Westchester County, NY, with my husband and cat. I am currently writing my autobiography and have several short stories published on a few different sites on the Internet, including Heartwarmers. I love Heartwarmers and always look forward to my weekly story." =========================================================== >-->From Our Friends Linda And Victor :) ,,,((((((((( )))))))),,, ,)))))))))))))))), ,(((((((((((((((, ,((((((((((((((((/`/( )\`\)))))))))))))), ))))))))))`` _ \\\ /// _ ``((((((((( ((((((((`` / /d /// \\\ b\ \ ``))))))) )))))))))) | /(( ))\ | ((((((((( ((((((((( .'| / ) ( \ |`. )))))))) ))))))))) ( \ ,/ \, / ) ((((((((( (((((((( \ "` `" / ))))))) jgs``))))) \ / ((((`` (( | | )) / \ >The List... 1. Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice shoes. 2. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there's a 50% chance you'll die within the next 3 years. 3. There are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly like you. There's a 9% chance that you'll meet one of them in your lifetime. 4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and keeps your spine stronger. 5. A person’s height is determined by their father, and their weight is determined by their mother. 6. If a part of your body "falls asleep", You can almost always "wake it up" by shaking your head. 7. There are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing - food, attractive people and danger. 8. Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side. 9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes will absorb the unpleasant odor. 10. According to Albert Einstein, if honey bees were to disappear from earth, humans would be dead within 4 years. 11. There are so many kinds of apples, that if you ate a new one every day, it would take over 20 years to try them all. 12. You can survive without eating for weeks, but you will only live 11 days without sleeping. 13. People who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don’t. 14. Laziness and inactivity kills just as many people as smoking. 15. A human brain has a capacity to store 5 times as much information as Wikipedia. 16. Our brain uses the same amount of power as a 10-watt light bulb!! 17. Our body gives enough heat in 30 minutes to boil 1.5 liters of water!! 18. The Ovum egg is the largest cell and the sperm is the smallest cell!! 19. Stomach acid (conc. HCl) is strong enough to dissolve razor blades!! 20. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant. 21. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. 22. When you wake up in the morning, pray to ask God's guidance for your purpose, today. And Be THANKFUL. 23. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 24. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds. 25. Try to make at least three people smile each day. 26. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts and things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. 27. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card. 28. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 29. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything. 30. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 31. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 32. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. 33. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 34. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. 35. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?' 36. Help the needy, Be generous! Be a 'Giver' not a 'Taker' 37. What other people think of you is none of your business. 38. Time heals everything. 39. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 40. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. 42. Each night before you go to bed, pray to God and be thankful for what you accomplished, today. What if you woke up this morning and only had what you thanked God for yesterday? DON’T FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR EVERY GOOD THING. 43. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed. Now: Think about forwarding this to your friends to help them lead a happier and healthier life, too! --- ...Much to be thankful for! Thanks Linda and Victor! =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Jacinto :) ______ '-._ ```"""---.._ ,-----.:___ `\ ,;;;, '-.._ ```"""--.._ |,%%%%%% _ , '. `\;;;; -\ _ _.'/\ .' `-.__ \ ,;;;;" .__{=====/_)==:_ || ,===/ ```";,,,,,,,;;;;;'`-./.____,'/ / '.\/ '---/ ';;;;;;;;' `--.._.' / ,===/ '-. `\/ '---/ ,'`. | ; __.-' \ ,' jgs \______,,.....------'''`` `---` >Christian tips POSITIVE THINKING is not about EXPECTING the best to happen, It is about ACCEPTING that whatever happens will work out for the best because of Trusting God through Jesus Christ to ultimately take care of all things. Goals are not only an absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive and our life moving in the correct direction. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When the door of happiness closes, God will open a better one but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us. Appreciate The Little Things In Life 'Life is not a race-but indeed a journey. Be honest. Work hard. Be choosy. Say “thank you”. “I love you”, and “great job” to someone each day. Take time for prayer. Be thankful. Love your life and what you’ve been given, it is not accidental. Search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you aspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them. Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry. Forgive, it frees the soul. Take time for yourself. Plan for longevity. Recognize the special people you’ve been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment.' — Bonnie Mohr --- ...Great advise! Thanks Jass! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: If A is success in life, then A equals X plus Y Z. Work is X, Y is play and Z is keeping your mouth shut. -Albert Einstein -<>- _..._ .~ `~. / } \ _.'`~~/ {_,} -( ,'-,___.' .-. / |_ /| __| |__ / ` |_/ [__ __] / \ / | | / '--;_ | | _\ `\ | | / |`-.___. / | | ^^^jgs^^^`--`------'`--`^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >The Price of Freedom "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind.[and] considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength."1 In Congress on July 4, 1776, fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence declaring the then Thirteen Colonies (now states) in North America independent from Great Britain. Central to the Declaration of Independence are the following words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." While there are conflicting stories2 as to what happened to all of the fifty-six original signers, we can be certain that when they signed this declaration, they knew full well that they were putting their lives at risk. Furthermore, many men gave their lives in the War of Independence to gain independence from the then oppressive rule of Great Britain. As history has clearly shown, there has always been a high price to pay for freedom, for there never seems to be a lack of despots who want to subjugate a people to their total control for their own evil and/or self-centered purposes. Those of us who live in free lands have incredible blessings for which to be thankful. And let us be thankful today not only for these blessings, but also for all those who have given their lives to make us free, and for all those today who are risking their lives to keep us free. As Christians, let us never forget that while freedom is a God-given right (which the Declaration of Independence affirmed), freedom has never come without a price--and will never be maintained without the high price of eternal vigilance. As Wendell Phillips (1811-1884) in restating the words of John Philpot Curran, said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." As powerful as the military might of the U.S. armed forces is, let us remember that, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength."3 And that "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."4 And that, when we turn from God and fail to follow his ways, we divorce ourselves from the "unalienable Rights [of] Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for the wonderful privilege and unfathomable blessings you have given to those of us who live in free countries. Today we pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering under the tyranny and persecution of evil men. And grant that we in free countries will be reminded that 'Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen." 1. Psalm 33:12-13, 16 (NIV). 2. See http://www.ctssar.org/articles/price_paid.htm 3. Psalm 33:12-13,16 (NIV). 4. Proverbs 14:34 (NIV). <:))))>< Copyright (c) 2009 by ACTS International. When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2009 ACTS International. -<>- (\ \\ \\ \\ <*****> \\ .=^=. .""". .=^=. \\ //```\\(/a a\)//```\\ \\{{ ( L ) }} \\{ _ __ \ = / }} \\/@.---,/'-'\,---. }} /(&\ |`-._/\_.-'| \ }} (@ \&\| || |\ \}} {{ \ |___o()o___| > )} {{ `|__((<>))__|` .'}} {{ \ o\/o /`` }} {{ ,'\ || / ', }} {{.' \ || /| '.}} |'.||.' | | : | | : | | : | | : | | : | | : | |____:__| (_/ \_) >What If? What if God couldn't take the time to bless us today because we couldn't take the time to thank Him yesterday? What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we did not follow Him today? What if we never saw another flower bloom because we grumbled when God sent the rain? What if God didn't walk with us today because we failed to recognize it as His day? What if God took away the Bible tomorrow because we would not read it today? What if God took away His message because we failed to listen to His messenger? What if the door of the church was closed because we did not open the door of our heart? What if God stopped loving and caring for us because we failed to love and care for others? What if God would not hear us today because we would not listen to Him yesterday? What if God answered our prayers the way we answer His call for service? What if God met our needs the way we give Him our lives? --Author Unknown -<>- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` >Cell phone vs. Bible Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several time a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts? What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency? This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus Christ already paid the bill. Be Thankful, Trust in the Lord and ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)! -<>- |V| .::| |::. ::__| |__:: >____ ____< :: | | :: '::| |::' | | | | jgs |A| >Written by an Australian Dentist To Kill an American You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is. So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!) 'An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan. An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navajo, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans. An American is Christian, or could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God. An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return... When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists. So you can try to kill an American if you must.. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Thank You God! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thankgod.html Thank You Lord! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanks.html Thanksgiving Story - Alice's Restaurant http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/alices.html Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html 1 of 2 Thanks: The Joy of Thanksgiving https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lifogbJpowo The Giver And The Gift http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/givergift.html Give Praise http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/praise.html Directions Home http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/home.html Human Chameleon http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/chameleon.html Mountain Biking http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mountainbiking.html Until We Write Again http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/write.html Proud Of Our Troops 2 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/troops2.html Niagara Falls Frozen! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/niagarafalls.html Holy Alphabet http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/holyalpha.html Who Is This Jesus? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesus.html Love Thoughts http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/love.html God's Water Paintings http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/water.html Take The Sword http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/sword.html Overseer http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/overseer.html -<>- >From Our Friend Bunni :) Shout To The Lord! http://www.alighthouse.com/videoshouttothelord.html Are you a Warrior of Christ? He wants you to be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDE6GJwMOyo&feature=youtu.be --- ...Wonderful! Thank You Bunni! We are praying for your complete healing from cancer. May God bless you during this trying time and bless each us by making sure we are/stay cancer free in the name of Jesus Christ! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseA :) The United States Military Academy Glee Club performs “Mansions of the Lord”. These West Point Cadets make this beautiful song even more meaningful as the song was originally written by Randall Wallace for the film “We Were Soldiers” and set to the music of Nick Glennie-Smith. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGoSWn1tHeo&feature=player_embedded From the kung-fu-bear to the marching geese and the dancing cows, animals are awesome, too! Are animals aware of how entertaining we find them to be? Their sense of curiosity, wonder, determination, mischief and adventurousness makes us love them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RVGSdySyWpE --- ...TeeHee! Thanks LouiseA! 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 ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Melinda :) _ xxxx _ /_;-.__ / _\ _.-;_\ `-._`'`_/'`.-' `\ /` | / /-.( \_._\ \ \`; > |/ / // |// jgs \(\ `` Matthew 10:12 12 As you enter a house, wish it peace. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. 14 Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Luke 10:10-11 10 Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 11 ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. Knowing When It's Time to Shake the Dust Off Your Feet... --- ...Thank You Melinda! These verses have to do with Christ's instructions concerning witnessing. Here is an absolutely great teaching about this and a few other great truths from God's Word you won't want to miss: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Misc. Leadership Principles – Part Seven http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Leadership/Misc._Leadership_Principles_-_Part_Seven.htm Complete Study: Leadership Principles of Jesus Christ http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Leadership/Leadership.htm ============================================================= ___..__ __..--""" ._ __.' "-..__ '"--..__"; ___ '--...__""; `-..__ '"---..._;" """"----' DrS >Smiles and Extended Hands Story Editor: by Tim Miller Joyce Schowalter Texas, USA It was a tumultuous time. In 1986 I was an American living in Cairo, Egypt. America had just bombed Gaddafi's tent compound in Libya, and Gaddafi had issued a death threat to all Americans in the region. Internal strife in Egypt was building, too, from changes initiated by Hosni Mubarak after Anwar Sadat's assassination. Next, the Egyptian military police rioted and burned down the Holiday Inn complex by the Giza Pyramids. In spite of the unrest, I still felt safe walking the Egyptian streets. But after the bombing and riots, it seemed more and more folks stared or frowned at me. Maybe they assumed I was an American who thought I was somehow "better off" than they were. Probably my self-conscious expression didn't help. At dusk one evening, I headed along a dimly lit sidewalk towards a local grocery. Cairo sidewalks were always lined with Egyptian men -- socializing, sharing cigarettes, and talking of the day's events. This night, it seemed as if their mood and conversational tone changed just as I approached. I felt negatively judged. Worried, I avoided eye contact and looked away as I quickened my pace towards the grocery. Then, wham! I slammed face-first into the sidewalk. I was so busy *not* looking I missed a step. I was immediately surrounded by several men. Being used to city streets in America, I must admit my first thought was they were going to take my wallet. Then I realized they were just lifting me up to set me back up on my feet. They brushed me off, straightened my clothes and asked if I was hurt. I said I was fine, smiled at everyone and shook their hands to thank them for their help. I suddenly realized these men were all smiling back. In fact, as I turned to see other men, women, and children along the sidewalk, they too smiled and asked if I was OK. I smiled, nodded, thanked everyone for the help and concern, and headed on. But now, something was different. Everywhere I went, every Egyptian was smiling. In fact, I couldn't find stares or frowns anywhere. For the first time, I felt not a foreigner in a foreign land, but rather a friend among friends. I suddenly felt at home, though over 8,000 miles from my family. That night the Egyptians showed me what humanity really is. In spite of regional political and economic upheaval, they refused to judge me because I was an American. Their reaching out to me with helping hands and smiles made me realize that maybe they were "better off" than I was. That night, I learned that a smile is an important gesture in our universal language, a simple act of kindness that transcends cultural and language barriers. Today I'm so very thankful for that brief moment in time. A moment where a simple smile enabled an Arab and an American to understand each other, and where I came away a changed man. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From LaughAndLift: \ | / -- * -- / | \ /') ./') ('\. ('\ /' /.--''./'') (''\.''--.\ '\ :--'' ; ''./'') (''\.'' ; ''--: : ' ''./') ('\.'' ' : : ''./' '\.'' : :--''-..--'''' ''''--..-''--: dp >Peace In His Presence (By Linda Wolovich) In this world of uncertainty Where tomorrow may never be We have a HOPE that we can cling to That we find only, Lord, in Thee! With You, we need not fear No worries to consume our minds For each moment lies in Your hands With You, PEACE is what we'll find! We may lose our worldly possessions Relationships may come and go BUT Your Presence is ever abiding Your blessings will ALWAYS flow! As we stay obedient to Your Word With dedicated hearts and lives to You We know NOTHING will ever be too great, Lord - You will FOREVER see us through! So we'll cast ALL of our cares upon You We'll fret not what tomorrow will bring For the Lord watches over His children With You we KNOW we can face ANYTHING! -<>- _....._ .' `'-. / (- J-E-S-U-S ->< '._ _,.-' \ jgs ````` >May Jesus Christ Be Praised (Author Unknown) [Edited] Yesterday was the hardest day I have had in some time. I had this void within my heart all day--it would not leave me alone. It was the type of void that we try to fill with earthly desires: coffee, chocolate, s#x, drugs, movies, getting angry, yelling, hitting, and the list goes on. It was gnawing at me, [yet] all I could do was praise God and Jesus Christ. What a crazy insane thing to do when the void is gnawing: Praise God and Jesus Christ! I was in the grocery store waiting for my children when a thought came to open up the little hymnal I carry with me. I opened it up and began to read the words upon the page: When morning gilds the skies, my heart awaking cries, May Jesus Christ be praised! Alike at work and prayer to Jesus I repair; May Jesus Christ be praised! Whene'er the sweet church bell peals over hill and dell, May Jesus Christ be praised! O hark to what it sings, as joyously it rings, May Jesus Christ be praised! When sleep her balm denies, My silent spirit sighs, May Jesus Christ be praised! When evil thoughts molest, with this I shield my breast, May Jesus Christ be praised! Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find, May Jesus Christ be praised! Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this, May Jesus Christ be praised! In Heaven's eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this, May Jesus Christ be praised! The powers of darkness fear when this sweet sound chant they hear May Jesus Christ be praised! To God, the Word, on high, the hosts of angels cry, May Jesus Christ be praised! Let mortals, too, upraise their voice in hymns of praise; May Jesus Christ be praised! -Rev. E. Caswell (1800) As I stood in the market praising Jesus Christ, the void dissipated into thin air. Reading this hymn bought hope to my soul. The devil hates it when we praise the Lord - especially when we don't feel like it. The devil would love for us to let our circumstances dictate whether we will praise the Lord or not. But if we will choose by an act of our will to praise Him (for He is worthy!) regardless of the externals in our life, we will be right where we need to be - and will find we open the door for even more of God's marvelous power in our life. Through all circumstances, may God and Jesus Christ be praised! -<>- The Laugh .-. .-. ( `-._________.-' ) >= _______ =< jgs ( ,-'` `'-, ) `-' `-' >Dogs and Yeast Rolls Do NOT Go Together (By Kathy Hewitt, Muskogee, OK) [Edited] We have a fox terrier by the name of Jasper. He came to us in the summer of 2001 from the fox terrier rescue program. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this type of adoption, imagine taking in a 10 year old child whom you know nothing about and committing to doing your best to be a good parent. Like a child, the dog came with his own idiosyncrasies. He will only sleep on the bed, on top of the covers, nuzzled as close to my face as he can get without actually performing a French kiss on me. Lest you think this is a bad case of 'no discipline', I should tell you that Perry and I tried every means to break him of this habit including locking him in a separate bedroom for several nights. The new door cost over $200. But I digress... Five weeks ago we began remodeling our house. Although the cost of the project is downright obnoxious, it was 20 years overdue AND it got me out of cooking Thanksgiving for family, extended family and a lot of friends that I like more than family most of the time. I was however assigned the task of preparing 124 of my famous yeast dinner rolls for the two Thanksgiving feasts we did attend. I am still upset at the electrician for getting the new oven hooked up so quickly. It was the only appliance in the whole house that worked, thus the assignment. I made the decision to cook the rolls on Wednesday evening to reheat on Thursday morning. Since the kitchen was freshly painted you can imagine the odor. Not wanting the rolls to smell like Sherwin Williams latex paint #586, I put the rolls on baking sheets and set them in the living room to rise for 5 hours. After 3 hours, Perry and I decided to go out to eat, returning in about an hour. An hour later the rolls were ready to go in the oven. It was 8:30 pm. When I went to the living room to retrieve the pans, much to my shock one whole pan of 12 rolls was empty. I called out to Jasper and my worst nightmare became a reality. He literally wobbled over to me. He looked like a combination of the Pillsbury dough boy and the Michelin Tire man wrapped up in fur. He groaned when he walked. I swear even his cheeks were bloated. I ran to the phone and called our vet. After a few seconds of uproarious laughter, he told me the dog would probably be OK, however, I needed to give him Pepto Bismol every 2 hours for the rest of the night. God only knows why I thought a dog would like Pepto Bismol any more than my kids did when they were sick. Suffice to say that by the time we went to bed the dog was black, white and pink. He was so bloated we had to lift him onto the bed for the night. Naively thinking the dog would be all better by morning was very stupid on my part. We arose at 7:30 and as we always do first thing; put the dogs out to relieve themselves. Well, there was a slight problem though - namely that the dog was drunk. He was running into walls, falling flat on his butt and most of the time when he was walking his front half was going one direction and the other half was either dragging the floor or headed 90 degrees in another direction. He couldn't lift his leg to pee, so he would just walk and pee at the same time. When he ran down the small incline in our back yard he couldn't stop himself and nearly ended up running into the fence. His pupils were dilated and he was as dizzy as a loon. I endured another few seconds of laughter from the vet (second call within 12 hours) before he explained that the yeast had fermented in his belly and that he was indeed drunk. He assured me that, not unlike most binges we humans go through, it would wear off after about 4 or 5 hours and to keep giving him Pepto Bismol. Afraid to leave him by himself in the house, Perry and I loaded him up and took him with us to my sister's house for the first Thanksgiving meal of the day. My sister lives outside of Muskogee on a ranch, (10 to 15 minute drive). Rolls firmly secured in the trunk (124 less 12) and drunk dog leaning from the back seat onto the console of the car between Perry and I, we took off. Now I know you probably don't believe that dogs burp, but believe me when I say that after eating a tray of risen unbaked yeast rolls, DOGS WILL BURP. These burps were pure Old Charter. They would have matched or beat any smell in a drunk tank at the police station. But that's not the worst of it. Now he was beginning to fart and they smelled like baked rolls. God strike me dead if I am not telling the truth! We endured this for the entire trip to Karee's, thankful she didn't live any further away than she did. Once Jasper was firmly placed in my sister's garage with the door locked, we finally sat down to enjoy our first Thanksgiving meal of the day. The dog was the topic of conversation all morning long and everyone made trips to the garage to witness my drunk dog, each returning with a tale of Jasper's latest endeavor to walk without running into something. Of course, as the old adage goes, "what goes in must come out" and Jasper was no exception. Granted if it had been me that had eaten 12 risen, unbaked yeast rolls, you might as well have put a concrete block up my behind, but alas a dog's digestive system is quite different from yours or mine. I discovered this was a mixed blessing when we prepared to leave Karee's house. Having discovered his "packages" on the garage floor, we loaded him up in the car so we could hose down the floor. This was another naive decision on our part. The blast of water from the hose hit the poop on the floor and the poop on the floor withstood the blast from the hose. It was like Portland cement beginning to set up and cure. We finally tried to remove it with a shovel. I (obviously no one else was going to offer their services) had to get on my hands and knees with a coarse brush to get the remnants off of the floor. And as if this wasn't degrading enough, the dog in his drunken state had walked through the poop and left paw prints all over the garage floor that had to be brushed too. Well, by this time the dog was sobering up nicely so we took him home and dropped him off before we left for our second Thanksgiving dinner at Perry's sister's house. I am happy to report that as of today (Monday) the dog is back to normal both in size and temperament. He has had a bath and is no longer tricolor. None the worse for wear I presume. I am also happy to report that just this evening I found 2 risen unbaked yeast rolls hidden inside my closet door. It appears he must have come to his senses after eating 10 of them but decided hiding 2 of them for later would not be a bad idea. 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 ========================================================== >-->From Kidwarmers: .---. |_X_| ___ [_____] / _ \ // \\ | / \ | | " | || " || __\___/__ __\\_//__ /\_______/\ / | U | \/ _ : _ \ ( (|___|) )/ \ : / \ \ \_ / \ _/ \ /=====\ / / /| |\ './___:___\.' ; | | ; | | | | | | | | | | | \_____/ | |--|--| '._______.' |LI|LI| jgs \/ \/ \_/ \_/ >THE FUNNIEST THINGS KIDS SAY Janet was fortunate enough to keep her granddaughter Shelby while she was going through kindergarten. One day as they were driving to school, Shelby said she wasn't going to go to the first grade. When Janet asked, "Why not?" Shelby said, "Oh, I've learned enough in kindergarten. I don't need to go any further." -- Janet Robinson of Newcastle, Oklahoma Mike asked his 8-year-old niece if she was getting excited about Thanksgiving, now that Halloween is over. She said she was. Mike asked if she would be making a turkey by tracing her hand, and she said, "Uncle Mike, that's so-o-o-o kindergarten!" -- Mike Marturello of Angola, Indiana Mayra took her daughter Nina, 7, to Nina's old pre-school to show her how they were renovating and upgrading the classrooms. Nina took one look at the changes and with flaring nostrils and fire in her eyes demanded, "How DARE they mess with my childhood!" -- Sandra Hester (friend of Mayra) of Vicksburg, Mississippi David, 4, was coloring a picture. His babysitter Sherri asked him what it was. He said, "It is Sandy the squirrel from Sponge Bob Square Pants." Sherri said, "Oh, that sounds like a hard thing to draw." David replied nonchalantly, "That's OK... I'm a genius!" -- Sherri Winther of Huntington, New York .:. .:. \|/ .:. _ \\,/// \|/ | \|/ _/_\_ ___ \\|/// <#> | \|<#> | (") /.-.\ (")\\ \|<#>|/ \| / _ //U\\ |(")| //-\\\ | \| /<#>/ ( ) _ \|_|/ /)v(\ <#>_/|_|/\\ \ |/ |/ \| (_` )_('> | | \/~\/ |||\\\ \| | |/ (__,~_)8 ||| //_\\ ||| \\ |/ \| / \| / jgs _YY_ _[|]_ /_____\ _[|]_ \| |/ |/ """"""""'""'""'"""""'""""'""'"""'"""""''"'"""^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "David is a real gem," Sherri adds. "I love sitting for him." Sherri said the other day he dictated a letter to his father. Sherri wrote the message in dotted lines so he could trace it with his markers. After he was finished he proudly held up his handiwork at arm's length to admire it and exclaimed, "Priceless!" While Jodi was preparing dinner, Emily, 4, was playing quietly in another room. Then Emily came to Jodi and asked if she could help. Jodi said she could set the table. As she was placing the plates, silverware and napkins on the table, Emily asked, "Why are we eating at the table tonight?" (Regrettably, the family often does not have time for a sit-down dinner.) Jodi said the family needed to start eating at the table more often. Emily worked quietly for a few minutes and then said, "Mommy, we really do need to start eating all our meals at the dinner table like a normal family.... Aw, who am I kidding? We're toast!" -- Mark Brayton (father of Emily) of Kendallville, Indiana Alicia has been trying to teach her kids that there are people out there who aren't always nice. "There are people out there who would take you away from Mommy and Daddy so always stay close by me," Alicia tells her children. One day at home the doorbell rang. Alicia was working in her office, so she asked Jordan, 4, to see who it was. Jordan said, "Oh, someone might take me." Alicia said, "OK, I'll come and see. Then Jordan said, "That's OK... I've got some moves!" -- Alicia Snow of Kendallville, Indiana _,, _.-'` ',\ \ .-;`'(,____ \.-'\ _\-` __.-; \_.-'_.-'0 \/ / .'0 __ | /_.' .'o \ / .-. ,;--._\___/--. __./ | .-/ \ ^_> |\ /\ \ / <;/ \ \_/ |___/__\__|` <; | |) \ o ( <; |__.\ |o \ <; \ \ / o _\ <\.)-'`| =====""` \ /\__/__/^\____.-; | | | | | / \____|\____/ |===||===| jgs __/[](_||__l[]_ / || '. \ '-----'-''-'-.__/ Donna, a church children's choir director, was informing her children's choir that they would not have a rehearsal the next week, because it was a school holiday and Veteran's Day. One of the little boys asked, "What is Veteran's Day?" Donna asked the children if any of them knew what it was. Several hands went up, and she called on Matthew. His absolutely serious response was, "I know what it is. It's the day the doctors take care of all the animals!" -- Donna Henry of Medway, Massachusetts Caroline, 3, wanted to watch a TV show one morning and couldn't find the remote control. After looking all over the house, she spotted it under a bed. Her mother praised her for finding the remote. "That's what little kids are for," Caroline said, "just built to find things like the remote!" -- from proud PaPa of Escanaba, Michigan One year Diane's kindergarten class painstakingly made hats to wear on Abraham Lincoln's birthday. They were top hats which included a beard that came all the way down the side and under the face. Diane insisted that the children wear the hats as they were dismissed so the children could hear all the ooh's and ahh's of the parents. Most of the children willingly put them on but one rather precocious child said, "She just wants us to look like dorks." -- Diane of Santa Ana, California .========. .-| |-. .''-'`_.|__ __ __|._`'-''. / .--'` | [LI] | `'--. \ .' / _.--'''""""'''--._ \ '. /` .' .-' _.----._ '-. '. `\ | / / .' _ _ '. \ \ | | | | / `_ _` \ | | | / / '. | (o)(o) | .' \ \ | | '._| .-""-. |_.' | | | \ / | \ / | \ / | / / | / \ /\/\ / \ | \ \ | | / | '-.( ).-' | \ | | | | | / \`""`/ \ | | | \ \ / | _.-| |-._ | \ / / \ \ | / .' | | '. \ | / / '. './ | .' / \ '. | \.' .' '._| \/ \/ |_.' `'{` , , `}'` { } { } { } { } { } { } \,/ \,/ '. .' jgs '-.__ __.-' { _}""{_ } / \ / \ /=/=|=| |=|=\=\ \/\/\_/ \_/\/\/ Staci was shopping with her son Dylan, 3. He was really enjoying looking at all of the Christmas decorations. Staci said, "We will be celebrating OUR holiday, Hannuka, in a few weeks." Dylan asked, "Will Hannuka be at our house soon?" Staci said, "Yes, real soon." The next day Dylan happily told his pre-school teacher, "My mommy said Hannuka is coming to our house real soon... and she will be staying in our guest room!" -- Phyllis Hansen (grandmother of Dylan) of Milford, Ohio Note: You are welcomed to use, copy and share these stories, but please reference http://www.funnykids.com as the source. ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Fran :) _..----...__ .-" `"-. | | |__.==========.____| | | .======. | | ____ | | | | | | _.-' ""--.._ |__| '======' |___ | .' '-. _.-'`` '==========' ``""'--.._ / \' '. / ,,,,,,,,, |._.,,;;;''''''''';;;;;;;;;, | ; .;;;;;;;;;;;\ | ,;;;;;| .) .) `;;;;;;;;, / | /;;;;;;;;;;;;;;| ;;;;;/ (_ ';;;;;;;-'` | /;;;;;;;;;;;;;;|| ;;;;;| `;;;;;; | |;;;;''' '/| ';;;;\ '----' ;;;;;' | |;;;' (' (' \\ `''''`---.___.- __;;''` ; |;;' _) \`) |~\ .-' '---'` ``"-. \ |;;;, .___. |/ / \_/__ _/\ _..,/`\ '-._ \"` `-' .'--"----"; `; '-..-/ \| `;;,--`-._____...-' ; ; ; `; \| || / `\ ; ' . ; \ || / / .-""-.\ . ; ; . ; || /`-./ // \\ ; ' . ; | || ; | `'--./| \'. ; ; ' | || | | | \-' ' ; | || | \ \ \ _ ; ' . | |/ \ >--------'. ` `''-._ , ; ; ;'-. _/' \/ '-._ \`'--. / `, / `'---...___/ / ,/---. /\ / \ ; `"""` ; \`- / / \ / \ ; ,-' /-' \ / \'----'----{ .' \ / \ `""` __..-' / \'----..------'''`` / / \ | .-' / \ | | \ / / \ ) '. .'----; ;------; '-._ _.-'___ | |____ | `'--..._______...--'` //__//__| //__//__| jgs | _| _|_ .--'`---` .--'`---` \ |__.\|___.\\_\ ( ( | / / `""\_____..__'.______..___/ \___.-\___.-._____/ The enlightened give thanks for what most people take for granted. --Michael Beckwith A thankful heart is the greatest virtue. --Cicero >Touch My Life Touch my life with tenderness And fill my cup with love. Share my dreams as I share yours Beyond the stars above. Take my hand as I grow old And lead me when I'm blind. Show me that you really care… Good Friends are hard to find. Touch my heart and I'll touch yours A little more each day And then we'll both find happiness Somewhere along the way. ~ author unknown ~ --- ...So sweet! Thanks Fran! >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? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ************************************************************************ >TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************