God's Hands, Legs And Mouth... :) 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 Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an adult club in the love and romance directory so you will have to confirm that you are an adult when you go here. I still have no idea how to change this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try! 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 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 sizzling new page is from our friend Karen. An awesome tribute to our country and our soldiers! This is sure to amaze you! Check it out here... _ (_) <___> | |______ | |* * * ) | | * * (_________ | |* * * |* *|####) | | * * *| * | (________________ | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | | * * *| * | | | | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | |~~~~~~| * | | | | |######|* *|####|##############| | | |~~~' | | | |######|########|##############| | | | | | | |######|########|##############| | |~~~~~~| | | | | |########|##############| | | '~~~~~~~~| | | | |##########JGS#| | | '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | Nation's Tallest Flagpole! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/flagpole.html --- ...Wowsers! Thanks Karen! Just reading that each star is 3 feet tall was enough to blow my mind! Certainly a wonderful landmark! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: _ _ @@@@ _{ ' }_ .oOOo. @@()@@ { `.!.` } OO()OO @@@@ _ ',_/Y\_,' 'OOOO',,,(\|/ _(_)_ {_,_} _ \/{{}}}\| (_)@(_) | ,,, _(_)_| ~Y~ wWWWw(_)\ (\| {{{}} (_)#(_) \| (___) | \| /~Y~ \/(_) |/ |/ \\Y // \|/ |//\|/ ^jgs^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >KEEPER OF THE SPRING The late Peter Marshall was an eloquent speaker and for several years served as the chaplain of the US Senate. He used to love to tell the story of the "Keeper of the Spring," a quiet forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slope of the Alps. The old gentleman had been hired many years earlier by a young town councilman to clear away the debris from the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the lovely spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent regularity, he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and branches, and wiped away the silt that would otherwise have choked and contaminated the fresh flow of water. The village soon became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the crystal clear spring, the mill wheels of various businesses located near the water turned day and night, farmlands were naturally irrigated, and the view from restaurants was picturesque beyond description. Years passed. One evening the town council met for its semiannual meeting. As they reviewed the budget, one man's eye caught the salary figure being paid the obscure keeper of the spring. Said the keeper of the purse, "Who is the old man? Why do we keep him on year after year? No one ever sees him. For all we know, the strange ranger of the hills is doing us no good. He isn't necessary any longer." By a unanimous vote, they dispensed with the old man's services. For several weeks, nothing changed. By early autumn, the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped of and fell into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of sparkling water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish-brown tint in the spring. A few days later, the water was much darker. Within another week, a slimy film covered sections of the water along the banks, and a foul odor was soon detected. The mill wheels moved more slowly, some finally ground to a halt. Swans left, as did the tourists. Clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deeply into the village. Quickly, the embarrassed council called a special meeting. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they rehired the old keeper of the spring, and within a few weeks, the veritable river of life began to clear up. The wheels started to turn, and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps. Never become discouraged with the seeming smallness of your task, job, or life. Cling fast to the words of Edward Everett Hale, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do something I can do." The key to accomplishment is believing that what you can do will make a difference. __________________________________________________ ,:',:`,:' __||_||_||_||_||__ ____[""""""""""""""""""]____ \ " ''''''''''''''''''''''' \ ~~jgs~^~^~^^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~~^~^~^^~~^~^ >TRAGEDY OR BLESSING? Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Clark and his wife worked and saved, making plans for their nine children and themselves to travel to the United States. It had taken years, but they had finally saved enough money and had gotten passports and reservations for the whole family on a new liner to the United States. The entire family was filled with anticipation and excitement about their new life. However, seven days before their departure, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy but hung a yellow sheet on the Clarks' front door. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were being quarantined for fourteen days. The family's dreams were dashed. They would not be able to make the trip to America as they had planned. The father, filled with disappointment and anger, stomped to the dock to watch the ship leave -- without the Clark family. The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son and God for their misfortune. Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland. The mighty Titanic had sunk. The unsinkable ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it. The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son had been bitten by a dog, they were left behind in Scotland. When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son and thanked him for saving the family. He thanked God for saving their lives and turning what he had felt was a tragedy into a blessing. ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Karen :) .' '. __ . . . (__\_ . . . -{{_(|8) jgs ' . . ' ' . . ' (__/` >Food For Thought Success Is Like A Beautiful Lover It Will Leave Us At Anytime, But Failure Is Like A Mother It Will Teach Us Some Important Lessons Of Life! A Good Heart Can Win Many Relationships, A Good Nature Can Win Many Good Hearts! A TOUCH Could HEAL A Wound An Eye Could SPEAK Volumes A SMILE Can Confirm I AM THERE !! The Bird Asked The Bumblebee: "You Work So Hard To Make The Honey And Humans Just Take It Away, Doesn't It Make You Feel Bad?" "No," Said The Bee, "Because They Will Never Take From Me The Art Of Making It --- ...Very thought provoking! Thanks Karen! -<>- .--. .-""-. |,=._\..-"""""-.' -. | \.-' .---.---. ';./ .' //o\ /o\\ '. / \'-'__ '-'/ \ | / (__) \ | \ | ( | / '. \_-.__.-_/ _.-' "--.__'.__.'__..-"; / '----' , '. .-"" ( _..-"` \ .---/ _\----(_ _.;. '--(_(_(_\--. .--/ .-"-' ,`| - ' | | | \_\_\_/ / / ' _\ .-| |_ __ /=' ' .' `. | | ./` `\ .' . | ooo___| |_|_ooo .-' \ (_'---. .---'_) / ' jgs '.__.' | | '.___.' ' . ' | | ' ' ' | | ' \| === ' . |_|-. . \| >JESUS & THE MUD PUDDLE Howard County Sheriff Jerry Marr got a disturbing call One Saturday afternoon a few months ago. His 6-year-old grandson, Mikey, had been hit by a car while fishing in Greentown with his dad. The father and son were near a bridge by the Kokomo Reservoir When a woman lost control of her car, slid off the bridge and hit Mikey At a rate of about 50 mph. Sheriff Marr had seen the results of accidents like this and feared the worst. When he got to Saint Joseph Hospital, he rushed through the emergency room to find Mikey conscious and in fairly good spirits 'Mikey, what happened?' Sheriff Marr asked. Mikey replied, 'Well, Papaw, I was fishin' with Dad, and some lady runned me over, I flew into a mud puddle, and broke my fishin' pole and I didn't get to catch no fish!' As it turned out, the impact had propelled Mikey about 500 feet, over a few trees and an embankment and into the middle of a mud puddle. His only injuries were to his right femur bone, which had broken in two places. Mikey had surgery to place pins in his leg. Otherwise the boy was fine. Since all the boy could talk about was that his fishing pole was broken, The Sheriff went out to Wal-Mart and bought him a new one while he was in surgery so he could have it when he came out. The next day the Sheriff sat with Mikey to keep him company in the hospital. Mikey was enjoying his new fishing pole and talked about when he could go fishing again as he cast his line into the trash can. When they were alone Mikey, just as matter-of-fact, said, 'Papaw, did you know Jesus is real?' 'Well,' the Sheriff replied, a little startled.. 'Yes, Jesus is real to all who believe in Him and love Him in their hearts.' 'No,' said Mikey. 'I mean Jesus is REALLY real.' 'What do you mean?' asked the Sheriff. 'I know He's real 'cause I saw Him,' said Mikey, still casting into the trash can. 'You did?' said the Sheriff. 'Yep,' said Mikey. 'When that lady runned me over and broke my fishing pole,Jesus caught me in His arms and laid me down in the mud puddle.' GIVES YOU GLORY BUMPS, DOESN'T IT?! Pass this to people you want God to bless and don't forget to send it back to the one who asked God to bless you first. FAITH IS NOT BELIEVING THAT GOD CAN.... IT IS KNOWING THAT HE WILL! --- ...Aww, such a heartwarming classic! Thanks Karen! ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Jacinto :) >Thoughts .-. _ _./.- ) ( `\ .--.' '. .' `'._ | C e_ / `\ '-. e/o \_a ,_/ | \_u/ o\a | \. \/_/.-.__/ .;."-...-' \ \'-. .' \ .' / '. / '--.--' / \ | \__..-'` |) (| | \ /-. \ __ / '.""-.__.' \ ;` `\--; | \'. /`| | | | | | \ \_; | \ ))) / | '._/ jgs \ )))""` ((( / `"""` `"""` Every sunset gives us one day to live but Every sunrise gives us one day more to pray. And my prayer is that you are safe and happy. A good plan of today is better that a great plan of tomorrow. Look backward with satisfaction and look forward with confidence. The joy that you give to others is the joy that flows back to you. A happy heart makes a cheerful face. may your day be as happy as your heart. Smile is the lighting system of a face. Cooling system of the heart. Boosting system of the mind. So keep smiling........... May every hour of this day bring something special A thought that makes you smile. A smile that warms your heart and a heart that holds much happiness inside. --- ...Nice! Thanks Jass! ======================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` >Start with the Faith You Have [The boy's father said,] "... If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!" Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!" Mark 9:22-24 (MSG) *** *** *** *** Is it possible to be filled with faith and doubt at the same time? Yes! You can have faith that God wants you to do something and still be scared to death. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is going ahead and doing what you're called to do in spite of your fear. You have to begin with the faith you already have: it may be just a little, but you start there. A beautiful example of this is the story of the man who brought his sick son to Jesus in Mark 9. Jesus looked at the man and said, "I can heal your son. If you will believe, I will heal him." The father then makes a classic statement: "Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief." Have you ever felt like that? "Lord, I have some faith. But I also have some doubts." This man was filled with faith and doubt, yet despite his honest doubts, he went ahead and asked Jesus for a miracle. And he got his miracle – Jesus healed his son. Mustard seed faith moves mountains. No matter how weak or how frail you think your faith is, it's enough to get you through what you're facing because your "little faith" is in a big God. Matthew 17:20 says, "If you have faith as small as the mustard seed, nothing will be impossible to you." That's not a lot of faith; in fact, it's just a little faith. But what else does that verse teach? "If you have faith as the mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, 'Move' and it will be moved." Mustard seed faith moves mountains. Don't get this reversed; we tend to read this verse backward; we want it to say, "If you have faith like a mountain, you can move a mustard seed" – as if it takes enormous faith to do a very little task. Everybody has faith. You had faith this morning when you ate your cereal – faith that your spouse didn't put poison in your granola! You had faith when you sat down in your computer chair – faith that it wouldn't collapse. Everybody has faith; the difference is what you put your faith in. Sometimes people will tell me they don't want to surrender to Jesus until all their questions are answered; they don't want to make a commitment until every thing is understand. God wants you start with the faith you have; and based on the example of the mustard seed, you don't need a whole lot of faith to do great things for God. You just need a little. So here's a trustworthy equation: Little Faith + Big God = Huge Results! You take your little faith; "Lord, I believe! Help me with my unbelief!" And you place your faith in our big God, And then he'll show you how he works out huge results. --- ...Keep in mind - faith (believing) alone won't get you results - , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >God’s hands, legs and mouth James 2: [17] Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Even so faith [pistis – believing], if it hath not works [action], is dead, being alone. – James 2: 17 What people don’t realize today is that they are God’s hands, legs and mouth. Until you believe and act upon God’s Word, God will not move. As said many times in the world, you will believe it when you see it. But with God, you will see it when you believe it. It’s just the opposite of what the world teaches and that is just the norm. When you ACT upon Gods Word, THEN you will see results. You can pray until you are blue in the face, but unless you act on what you are praying about, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. Read all of this great teaching here: God Moves When You Move http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Basics/God_Moves_When_You_Move.htm -<>- , _/ \_ _,--. < , > .-'.' /(/.\ .' .' .""". `/ ` / / / \ /) ; ; ,_.;._ _;-'}/ | | '. )( /' | | /'-._/\_.-' ; ; \_.' \ , \ \ / | _.'/ '. `'-\ /.-/.;,\ '-._ `"""""`_.|`"""`| jgs `"("\/")` |# | \(_/ `-...-' >Big Problems, Little Miracles My pastor called it my "midlife crisis." Personally, I think it was just a string of rotten luck, including horrendous income changes, my son's poor health winging its way into its sixteenth straight month, medical bills that could choke a buffalo, bewilderment following cross words with two of my grown children, the empty-nest syndrome looming just months away when my youngest would be leaving for college eighteen hundred miles away, daily lower back pain due to lack of exercise, arguments with a woman in Texas over a book we were coauthoring and the fact that I'd only seen the sun for about twenty-six hours all winter. Call it any old psychobabble thing you want - midlife crisis, midwinter funk, too many lifestyle changes at once, mild depression, premenopausal angst, seasonal affective disorder or simply being sick of being a single parent after twelve years. Whatever it was, the fact remained that I was not my usual cheerful self from the end of January until mid-March that year. By then my friends and family had caught on that the big-time blues had invaded my home, heart and health. For a time, it was all I could do to barely take care of the three basics around the house: food, clothing and shelter. For about a week, during the bleakest days of all, the smallest things could reduce me to tears. I bit my lip a lot, trying to hold back tears. One day after a job interview, I stopped at my friend Sharon's house for a cup of tea. She knew something was wrong, even though I didn't go into all the details. She hugged me, poured a second cup and tried to make me laugh. As I was leaving, Sharon noticed one of the two buttons that hold the decorative belt on the back of my winter coat was missing, causing the belt to dangle ridiculously in the back. At that moment, during that extremely low point in my life, I honestly could not comprehend how or when I would manage to sew that button back on. Mortified, I felt hot tears sneaking into my lower lashes as I headed for the front door. Sharon pulled open my coat at the bottom. "Hey, look here. There's an extra button sewn inside. Take your coat off and I'll sew it on for you right now." At that moment, I felt more love and more compassion from a friend than ever before in my life. Granted, over the years, my friends have been wonderful to me, with me and for me. But this gesture, when I was at such a state emotionally, dragging so low that a missing button was about to send me over the edge, the gift of Sharon's time, her caring and intuitive knowing that I could not muster the energy to sew that button on myself, meant more to me than if someone had come to my door with a sweepstakes check. When I got home that afternoon, I found a silly greeting card in the mail from another friend, Kay. Inside, it simply said, "I've got a hug here with your name on it." Every time I looked at that card for the next couple of weeks, I felt loved and buoyed by the light of Kay's friendship. A few days later, on what was probably the darkest day of all, a day I seriously considered begging my doctor for a Prozac prescription, my Texas coauthor, the one I'd had arguments with as we worked on our book, sent me a "sunshine box." Little miracles of love spilled out of that box: chocolates, red silk tulips, sunflower candles, ginger-lily bath gel and three little juice boxes of pure Florida gold. My heart melted as I noticed for the first time that day that the sun was actually shining. I took one of the juice boxes and the candy out to the deck and sat in my favorite yellow rocker in the forty-degree weather, sipping juice and basking in the glorious sunshine and in the wonderful miracle of friendship. That sewed-on button, the hug card and the sunshine box got me through those dark days without drugs or further mental deterioration. And when I began taking brisk half-hour walks every morning the following week, I did a lot of thinking about those friends of mine and their gifts of love. Before I knew it, I understood one of the most amazing, most profound aspects of life: God has designed the world and his people in such a way that no matter how big our problems, the smallest gesture given in love from a friend can become the biggest miracle of all. By Patricia Lorenz (c) -<>- -=====- -=====- _..._ _..._ .~ `~. .~` ~. ,_ / } { \ _, ,_\'--, \ _.'`~~/ \~~`'._ / ,--'/_, \'--,_`{_,} -( )- {,_}`_,--'/ '.`-.`\;--,___.'_ _'.___,--;/`.-`.' '._`/ |_ _{@} {@}_ _| \`_.' / ` |-';/ _ \;'-| ` \ / \ / | _ {@}_ | \ / \ / '--;_ _ {@} _Y{@} _;--' \ _\ `\ {@}\Y/_{@} Y/ /` /_ / |`-.___. / \Y/\|{@}Y/\|// \ .___,-'| \ ^^jgs^^`--`------'`--`^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^`--`'------`--`^^^^^^^ >7 REASONS NOT TO MESS WITH CHILDREN. A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah". The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?" The little girl replied, "Then you ask him ". ---------------------- A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute." --------------------- A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill." -------------------- One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?" Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white." The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?" ------------------ The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.' A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead." ----------------------- A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face." "Yes," the class said. "Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?" A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty." --------------------- The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching." Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Think Positive! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/positive.html Niagara Falls In Neon http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/niagaraneon.html Microscopic Winners http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/micro2.html Garbage Truck Camper http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/garbage.html eleMMent Palazzo Mobile RV http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rv2.html Classic Woodies http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/woodcars.html Real Three Bears http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bears.html Newsworthy Animals 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/newsanimals.html Tree Trunk Art 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/trunkart2.html Crayola Art 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/crayolaart2.html -<>- >From Our Friend Jacinto :) she sent us one we have here... Life Train! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lifetrain.html --- ...Such a good one! Thanks Jass! -<>- >From Our Friend Victor :) Don't Mess With This Cat! https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1422503916&v=T0aQjTdtcgQ&x-yt-cl=85027636 --- ...LOL! Yes Feral cats are mean! Thanks Victor! -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) And we think its a big deal when we see a black snake in the rough. http://www.chonday.com/Videos/animalspga2 --- ...LOL! Great to watch! Thanks Geniann! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseA :) She sent us one we have here... Thank You God http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thankgod.html --- ...I love this one! Thanks LouiseA! I would imagine that it's incredibly hard to simply live in the same house with 11 other brothers and sisters, but these family members manage to do that, and a whole lot more. The Willis family members all have a great musical talent, and once they properly introduce themselves (which takes a bit of time) their combined family performance will delight you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7h8J48UXoBc A lady is stunned to learn how much the Boston Red Stockings baseball card collection is worth that her Great Great Grandmother has kept in the family since 1871. The Antiques Roadshow appraiser even gets a little choked up at the end as she calls this baseball card archive the greatest archive she has ever had on the show. This is a grand slam collection of baseball cards for sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wACD_Nl8o4E Many people have visited Niagara Falls and enjoyed the view but when you see Niagara Falls from above you truly realize how spectacular it is. Filmed using DJI Phantom Quadcopter. Soiuntrack is "The In-Between" by A New Normal. If you have a drone and are considering filming Niagara Falls please remember that this video features an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operating in United States and Canadian Restricted Airspace and permission was required from the appropriate government agencies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cfoLYTKObiU An interesting look at a helicopter tree trimmer with a massive saw that is used to cut tree limbs that are growing to close to power lines. As I watched this my first thought was I hope that pilot never runs the saw into the power lines cause that would probably knock out a huge section of the electrical grid and be disastrous for the pilot. Despite the risk this appears to be an efficient way to keep the power lines from having outages due to overgrown vegetation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1yj5QtFu2RA --- ...Seems very dangerous! 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 ========================================================== _, .--. ( / ( '-. jgs .-=-. ) -. / ( .' . \ \ ( ' ,_) ) \_/ (_ , /\ ,_/ '--\ `\--` _\ _\ `\ \ _\_\ `\\ \\ -.'.`\.'.- >Some Little Action I Can Take Story Editor: by Marie Clark Joyce Schowalter Pennsylvania, USA Rain began to pour down in buckets as my husband and I left a lovely Philadelphia restaurant and headed back to our car. Purse in one hand, dinner leftovers in the other, we raced toward the parking lot. My husband Mark popped the trunk and I threw leftovers and purse in, and then jumped in the car. As we pulled out of the parking lot onto the one-way street, we both noticed a couple struggling along in the rain. The woman was short and slightly built. She was pushing the man, who was in a wheelchair. Although the night was cold and wet, neither was dressed warmly. This was an area in Old City, where the sidewalks have been around since the revolution and show it in each bump and crack. We could see the effort it took to propel the chair down the walk. We drove slowly by them, each of us wishing we could help them. But what could we do? Our car is small -- we could never have fit both them and the chair into the back. It was silent in the car as we headed for the bridge. Suddenly, my husband made a quick left, and then another. I understood he was heading back, looking for the couple, but I didn't know why. We didn't see them immediately. They must have cut through one of the numerous local alleyways. We made another pass around the block and then, giving up, headed back for the bridge. Just as I was saying, "They must live nearby. I'm sure they're OK," we saw them in the headlights. Mark pulled the car slightly ahead of the couple, who stood looking at him a little fearfully. He went back to the trunk and opened it. "He's giving them the leftovers," I thought. But no. He reached into the trunk and came out with my big, brand-new golf umbrella. He'd noticed it when we opened the trunk earlier. He approached the couple in the pouring rain and opened the umbrella. He handed it to the man and smiled at him, without saying a word. Then he jumped back in the car and we drove away. I had a lump in my throat the size of a grapefruit when I looked back at the two strangers under the huge umbrella. I'll never forget the looks on their faces. And I'll never forget the smile on my husband's face as we headed home. Mark has never told a soul about this. That's just the kind of guy he is. But that event stays with me now, and I find myself looking for opportunities to help others out, even when it seems certain that I am not in the position to help. I am always surprised by how often something will occur to me -- some little action I can take that makes a difference to someone else. You never know what you might have forgotten in your own trunk! =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) __ >(' ) )/ /( / `----/ jgs \ ~=- / ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ >Lessons that Geese Provide For Life: (Author Unknown) - As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an 'uplift' for the birds following it. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone. The Lesson: People who share both common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier when they travel on the thrust of one another. - Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the 'lifting power' of the bird immediately in front. The Lesson: Stay with those who are heading in the right direction. - When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position. The Lesson: Take turns with the hard tasks and share leadership with each other! - The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. The Lesson: Be an encourager to those in front! - When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or dies. Then they launch out on their own, with another formation or to catch up with the flock. The Lesson: Support and stand by one another! --- ...Good lessons! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- \ | / -- * -- / | \ /') ./') ('\. ('\ /' /.--''./'') (''\.''--.\ '\ :--'' ; ''./'') (''\.'' ; ''--: : ' ''./') ('\.'' ' : : ''./' '\.'' : :--''-..--'''' ''''--..-''--: dp >Grandpa's Hands Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not wanting to disturb him, but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked if he was OK. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled, "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking." he said in a clear voice. "I didn't mean to disturb you Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him. "Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked "I mean really looked at your hands?" I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Grandpa smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout the years. These wrinkled hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak, have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my Mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band, they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my Parents and Spouse and walked with my Daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off my best friend's foot. They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly, it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands, He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ." I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife, I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I too, want to touch the face of God, and feel His hands upon my face." Let's continue to pray for one another. Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both. Passing this on to someone not considered a friend is something Christ would do. --- ...A Sweet classic! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- __ /_/\/\ \_\ / /_/ \ \_\/\ \ \_\/ unknown >Cross In My Pocket I carry a Cross in my pocket A simple reminder to me Of the fact that I am a Christian No matter where I may be. This little Cross is not magic Nor is it a good luck charm It isn't meant to protect me From every physical harm. It's not for identification For all the world to see It simply is an understanding Between my Savior and me. When I put my hand in my pocket To bring out a coin or key The Cross is there to remind me Of the price he paid for me. It reminds me too, to be thankful For the blessings day by day And to strive to serve Him better In all that I do and say. It's also a daily reminder Of the peace and comfort I share With all who know my Master And give themselves to His care. So I carry a Cross in my pocket Reminding me, no one but me That Jesus Christ is Lord of my life If only I let Him be. ~ Verna Thomas ~ --- ...A lovely poem! Thanks LouiseA! ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Cloie :) _.--._ \ ** / (<>) . ) ( . )\_.._/ /\ \_.._/( (*_<>_ _<>_*) )/ '' \ \/ / '' \( ' ) ( ' ( ) ) ( (<>) / ** \ /.-..-.\ >THE OLD DENTED BUCKET FAITH IS NOT ABOUT EVERYTHING TURNING OUT OK; IT'S ABOUT BEING OK NO MATTER HOW THINGS TURN OUT. OUR HOUSE WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CLINIC ENTRANCE OF JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL IN BALTIMORE. WE LIVED DOWNSTAIRS AND RENTED THE UPSTAIRS ROOMS TO OUT-PATIENTS AT THE CLINIC. ONE SUMMER EVENING AS I WAS FIXING SUPPER, THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR. I OPENED IT TO SEE A TRULY AWFUL LOOKING MAN. "WHY, HE'S HARDLY TALLER THAN MY 8-YEAR-OLD," I THOUGHT AS I STARED AT THE STOOPED, SHRIVELED BODY. BUT THE APPALLING THING WAS HIS FACE, LOPSIDED FROM SWELLING, RED AND RAW. YET HIS VOICE WAS PLEASANT AS HE SAID, “GOOD EVENING. I'VE COME TO SEE IF YOU'VE A ROOM FOR JUST ONE NIGHT. I CAME FOR A TREATMENT THIS MORNING FROM THE EASTERN SHORE, AND THERE'S NO BUS 'TILL MORNING." HE TOLD ME HE'D BEEN HUNTING FOR A ROOM SINCE NOON BUT WITH NO SUCCESS, NO ONE SEEMED TO HAVE A ROOM. "I GUESS IT'S MY FACE .... I KNOW IT LOOKS TERRIBLE, BUT MY DOCTOR SAYS WITH A FEW MORE TREATMENTS..." FOR A MOMENT I HESITATED, BUT HIS NEXT WORDS CONVINCED ME: "I COULD SLEEP IN THIS ROCKING CHAIR ON THE PORCH. MY BUS LEAVES EARLY IN THE MORNING." I TOLD HIM WE WOULD FIND HIM A BED, BUT TO REST ON THE PORCH.. I WENT INSIDE AND FINISHED GETTING SUPPER. WHEN WE WERE READY, I ASKED THE OLD MAN IF HE WOULD JOIN US. "NO, THANK YOU. I HAVE PLENTY." AND HE HELD UP A BROWN PAPER BAG. WHEN I HAD FINISHED THE DISHES, I WENT OUT ON THE PORCH TO TALK WITH HIM A FEW MINUTES. IT DIDN'T TAKE A LONG TIME TO SEE THAT THIS OLD MAN HAD AN OVERSIZED HEART CROWDED INTO THAT TINY BODY. HE TOLD ME HE FISHED FOR A LIVING TO SUPPORT HIS DAUGHTER, HER 5 CHILDREN, AND HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS HOPELESSLY CRIPPLED FROM A BACK INJURY. HE DIDN'T TELL IT BY WAY OF COMPLAINT; IN FACT, EVERY OTHER SENTENCE WAS PREFACE WITH A THANKS TO GOD FOR A BLESSING. HE WAS GRATEFUL THAT NO PAIN ACCOMPANIED HIS DISEASE, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY A FORM OF SKIN CANCER. HE THANKED GOD FOR GIVING HIM THE STRENGTH TO KEEP GOING... AT BEDTIME, WE PUT A CAMP COT IN THE CHILDREN'S ROOM FOR HIM. WHEN I GOT UP IN THE MORNING, THE BED LINENS WERE NEATLY FOLDED AND THE LITTLE MAN WAS OUT ON THE PORCH. HE REFUSED BREAKFAST, BUT JUST BEFORE HE LEFT FOR HIS BUS, HALTINGLY, AS IF ASKING A GREAT FAVOR, HE SAID, "COULD I PLEASE COME BACK AND STAY THE NEXT TIME I HAVE A TREATMENT? I WON'T PUT YOU OUT A BIT. I CAN SLEEP FINE IN A CHAIR." HE PAUSED A MOMENT AND THEN ADDED, "YOUR CHILDREN MADE ME FEEL AT HOME. GROWNUPS ARE BOTHERED BY MY FACE, BUT CHILDREN DON'T SEEM TO MIND." I TOLD HIM HE WAS WELCOME TO COME AGAIN. AND, ON HIS NEXT TRIP, HE ARRIVED A LITTLE AFTER 7 IN THE MORNING. AS A GIFT, HE BROUGHT A LARGE FRESH FISH AND A QUART OF THE LARGEST OYSTERS I HAD EVER SEEN! HE SAID HE HAD SHUCKED THEM THAT MORNING BEFORE HE LEFT SO THAT THEY'D BE NICE AND FRESH. I KNEW HIS BUS LEFT AT 4:00 A.M. AND I WONDERED WHAT TIME HE HAD TO GET UP IN ORDER TO DO THIS FOR US. IN THE YEARS HE CAME TO STAY OVERNIGHT WITH US, THERE WAS NEVER A TIME THAT HE DID NOT BRING US FISH OR OYSTERS OR VEGETABLES FROM HIS GARDEN. OTHER TIMES WE RECEIVED PACKAGES IN THE MAIL, ALWAYS BY SPECIAL DELIVERY; FISH AND OYSTERS PACKED IN A BOX OF FRESH YOUNG SPINACH OR KALE, EVERY LEAF CAREFULLY WASHED. KNOWING THAT HE MUST WALK 3 MILES TO MAIL THESE, AND KNOWING HOW LITTLE MONEY HE HAD MADE THE GIFTS DOUBLY PRECIOUS. WHEN I RECEIVED THESE LITTLE REMEMBRANCES, I OFTEN THOUGHT OF A COMMENT OUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR MADE AFTER HE LEFT THAT FIRST MORNING. "DID YOU KEEP THAT AWFUL LOOKING MAN LAST NIGHT? I TURNED HIM AWAY! YOU CAN LOSE ROOMERS BY PUTTING UP SUCH PEOPLE!" MAYBE WE DID LOSE ROOMERS ONCE OR TWICE. BUT, OH!, IF ONLY THEY COULD HAVE KNOWN HIM, PERHAPS THEIR ILLNESSES WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO BEAR. I KNOW OUR FAMILY ALWAYS WILL BE GRATEFUL TO HAVE KNOWN HIM; FROM HIM WE LEARNED WHAT IT WAS TO ACCEPT THE BAD WITHOUT COMPLAINT AND THE GOOD WITH GRATITUDE TO GOD. RECENTLY WHILE VISITING A FRIEND, WHO HAS A GREENHOUSE, AS SHE SHOWED ME HER FLOWERS, WE CAME TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ONE OF ALL, A GOLDEN CHRYSANTHEMUM, BURSTING WITH BLOOMS. BUT TO MY GREAT SURPRISE, IT WAS GROWING IN AN OLD DENTED, RUSTY BUCKET. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "IF THIS WERE MY PLANT, I'D PUT IT IN THE LOVELIEST CONTAINER I HAD!" MY FRIEND CHANGED MY MIND. "I RAN SHORT OF FLOWER POTS," SHE EXPLAINED, "AND KNOWING HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS ONE WOULD BE, I THOUGHT IT WOULDN'T MIND STARTING OUT IN THIS OLD PAIL. IT'S JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE, TILL I CAN PUT IT OUT IN THE GARDEN." SHE MUST HAVE WONDERED WHY I LAUGHED SO DELIGHTEDLY, BUT I WAS IMAGINING JUST SUCH A SCENE IN HEAVEN. "HERE'S AN ESPECIALLY BEAUTIFUL ONE," GOD MIGHT HAVE SAID WHEN HE CAME TO THE SOUL OF THE SWEET OLD FISHERMAN. "HE WON'T MIND STARTING IN THIS SMALL BODY." ALL THIS HAPPENED LONG AGO - AND NOW, IN GOD'S GARDEN, HOW TALL THIS LOVELY SOUL MUST STAND. THE LORD DOES NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS MAN LOOKS AT. MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART." (1 SAMUEL 16:7B) FRIENDS ARE VERY SPECIAL. THEY MAKE YOU SMILE AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUCCEED. THEY LEND AN EAR AND THEY SHARE A WORD OF PRAISE. SHOW YOUR FRIENDS HOW MUCH YOU CARE. PASS THIS ON, AND BRIGHTEN SOMEONE'S DAY. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO NOT DECIDE TO PASS IT ALONG. THE ONLY THING THAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO PASS IT ON IS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT SMILE (BECAUSE OF YOU). FROM AN OLD RUSTY BUCKET - HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!! "I BELIEVE IN THE SUN EVEN IF IT ISN'T SHINING. I BELIEVE IN LOVE EVEN IF I AM ALONE. I BELIEVE IN GOD EVEN WHEN HE IS SILENT." --- ...A Good one! Thanks Cloie! ========================================================== ... {@} * {@} {@} * {@} * {@} : * {@} * {@} * .; {@} * {@} * {@} * {@} * ; * ; {@} * ; * : ;\ \ \ \| / / /; \\ \ Y/ / / `_\ |/ _' / \\Y// \ ( ,-}={-, ) \_//((\_/ //))(\ (/ )) (( valkyrie \) >-->"Especially the Blue" I ran into a stranger as he passed by. "Oh, excuse me please" was my reply. He said, "Please excuse me too; I wasn't even watching for you." We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said good-bye. But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My daughter stood beside me very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked her down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown. She walked away, her little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken. While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, But the children you love, you seem to abuse. Look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers she brought for you. She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue. She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise, And you never saw the tears in her eyes." By this time, I felt very small And now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by her bed; "Wake up, little girl, wake up," I said. "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" She smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree. I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue." I said, "Daughter, I'm sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway." I said, "Daughter, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue." Are you aware that: If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family and close friends we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our friends and family - an unwise investment indeed. --Author Unknown >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 ************************************************************************