Good Friday ... :) Shangy!
>Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList:
To Subscribe send a blank email to
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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:
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Group email address:
ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com
or email me here:
bcrsystems@earthlink.net
================
"We are each of us angels with but one wing,
and can only fly by embracing each other"
-Luciano Decrescenzo
~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~
_..---.._
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*~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels For 2010 *~*
>Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel?
If you'd like to help and be counted as a 2010
Shangrala Angel, please visit the site and click
on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL page comes up.
Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed!
PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help:
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html
OR If you'd rather send us a donation,
Please MAIL it here:
Elrhea Bigham
502 S. Harrison
Van Wert, OH 45891
*~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS ALL OUR ANGELS MOST ABUNDANTLY!
================
>-->Hot Off The 'Shangy' Press :)
This sizzler comes from our friend Johanna. It's one of those
that will be sure to give you smiles! Check it out here...
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Egg Face Art
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/eggface.html
---
...I loved this one! Thank You Johanna!
-<>-
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/ (Y_)_/ / : \-._ \
!!!!,,, \_))'-'; ( _/ \ '\\_
!!II!!!!!IIII,, \_ \ / \_ '.\
!IIsndIIIII!!!!,,\ /_ \ |----.___ '-. \'.__
!!!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII\ | '--._.-' _) \ | `'--'
'''!!!!IIIIIII/ .',, ((___.-' / /
'''!!!!/ _/!!!!IIIIIII!!!!!,,,,,;,;,,,.....
| /IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
| \ ''IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
\_,) '''''!!!!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!
''''''''''!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>We're ended March like a lion!
Our website started out meek and mild this month like
a lamb but it sure did end up with a roar!
What A Wonderful Month Of Caring And Sharing We've Had!
*~* Be Sure To Share All These New Pages With Your Friends...
Baby Finnegan!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/finnegan.html
Tour Inside Google!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/insidegoogle.html
Jasmine!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jasmine.html
The Wild Ones!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wildones.html
Life's Little Oops 3!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whoops3.html
Sweet Little Pad!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/homepad.html
Mabel The Chicken!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/chicken.html
Right Angle!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/anglephoto.html
Extreme US Spas!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/topspas.html
Enter At Your Own Risk!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/risky.html
Street-Legal Airplane!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/transition.html
God's Little Love Notes!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/notes.html
Orang-Utan Hospital!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/orang.html
The Red Hat!
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/redhat.html
*~* A GREAT BIG THANK YOU AND HUGS TO ALL OUR CONTRIBUTORS!
>>>>------------->>>> You're The Best! <<<<------------<<<<
=============================================================
>-->From Our Friend Johanna :)
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>Jesus' Death - 60 Seconds to Understand
WITH EASTER VERY CLOSE.......GOOD TO BE REMINDED AGAIN........LEAST WE
FORGET........WHAT JESUS DID FOR ALL OF US......."Easter means HE LIVES"
For the next 60 seconds, set aside whatever you're doing and take this
opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop this.
THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS
At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty. At the time
crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to
be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, unlike other
criminals condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus was to be nailed to
the cross by His hands and feet. Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long.
The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly
portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder..
The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the
wrist that tendon would tare and brake, forcing Jesus to use His back
muscles to support himself so that He could breath.
Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support
Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus
could not support himself with His legs because of the pain so He wa
forced to alternate between arching His back then using his legs just
to continue to breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering,
the courage.
Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours.
Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few
minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring
water from his wounds.
From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the
spear wound to His side. But do we realize His wounds were actually
made in his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the
feet overlapped and an even large nail hammered through the arches, then
a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails
and the spear Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe
that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His
face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns
cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this
torture."
He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds.
The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon)
of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails
hammered into His members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond
that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His side.
All these without mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying
His own cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face
and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, only for its
higher part, where His hands were nailed).Jesus had to endure this
experience, so that you can have free access to God.
So that your sins could be "washed" away. All of them, with no
exception! Don't ignore this situation.
JESUS CHRIST GAVE HIS LIFE AND DIED FOR YOU!
For you, who now read this e-mail. Do not believe that He only died for
others (those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc).
He died for you! It is easy to pass jokes or foolish photos by e-mail,
but when it comes to God, sometimes you feel ashamed to forward to
others because you are worried of what they may think about you.
Accept the reality, the truth that
JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.
God has plans for you, show all your friends what He experienced to save
you. Now think about this! May God bless your life!
60 seconds with God...
For the next 60 seconds, set aside what you're doing and take this
opportunity! Let's see if Satan can stop this.
All you have to do is:
1. Simply pray for the person who sent this message to you:
2. Then, send this message to people..
if you wish.
3. people will pray for you and you will get that many people
pray to God for other people.
4. Take a moment to appreciate the power of God in your life,
for doing what pleases Him.
If you are not ashamed to do this, please, follow Jesus' instructions.
He said (Matthew 10:32 & 33): "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me
before others, I also will acknowledge before My Father in heaven; but
whosoever denies Me before others, I also will deny before My Father
in heaven".
If you believe, send this message....
But send it only if you believe Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior.
Yes, I love Jesus. He is my source of life and my Savior.
He keeps me alive day and night.
Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him "I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13.
This is the simple proof. If you love God and you are a believer and
trust in salvation through Jesus Christ, send this to all those you
love.
---
...Thank You Johanna.
Yes, the cross was a symbol of torture for very good reason - it was.
Normally I would be in mourning today, but thanks to the nasty flu, I
was knocked out yesterday and could not get the inspirations out... So
today - on Good Friday - the day they crucified (tortured) my Lord, I am
putting out an inspiration. It is a very sad day in my mind. I thank God
I know That God raised Jesus from the dead. How horrible this must of
been for God, his mom, siblings and loved ones to have to witness.
The cross being such a wicked horrible way to die was why the early
christians used an anchor as their christian symbol instead of it.
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Our Valuable Anchor
http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html
=====================================================================
>-->From Our Friend John-Paul :)
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>~ JESUS IS ALIVE ~
(believe it?)
Scripture: Matthew 16:21
"From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go
to Jerusalem, and suffer many things at the hands of the Elders,
Chief Priests, and Scribes, then be killed.
Yet to be raised from the dead the third day"
( NKJV)
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John Punshon
A well known scientist, some years ago, while working for a tire
recycling company as a consultant, learned an interesting thing about
tires:
A buried tire will not stay in the ground.
That's right.
If a tire is buried up to a depth of five (5) feet into the earth it
will, under normal conditions, eturn to the surface on its own.
Why?
A tire is made of `Synthetic` Rubber like Materials that are Very
Resilient.
It is constantly pushing against the soil in all directions.
The weight of the dirt above the tire is less than the weight of the
earth below it.
Since there is less weight there is also less Resistance.
It is easier for the tire to move up toward the surface rather than
going further down.
The Tire Expands, and Contracts due to changes in the Soil Temperature
during the Day and during the Year. Gradually loose soil works its way
around the tire through tiny Cracks and Crevices. The Soil Moves around
the tire while the Tire presses against the Soil. This Continues until
one day after several years, The Tire Returns To The Surface.
Try it yourself,
(if you have the time)
you'll see!
(The above information is true, but I must admit I found it hard to
believe when I first heard it).
It just Didn't Seem Possible.
Many people probably feel the same way when they hear
That Jesus Christ Died, and then Rose Again.
But it is true!
If Jesus had Simply Died, He would have been no different than any other
Religious Leader in History.
But Jesus wasn't just Any Other `Religious Leader`
HE WAS AND IS THE VERY `SON of GOD`!
_ xxxx _
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His life did not end with Death on a Cross.
No!
Three Days Later, Jesus Christ Triumphantly Emerged from the Grave \o/-
Claiming once, and for all,
`Victory Over Sin`, Death, Hell, and the Grave,
`JUST AS HE PROMISED!
No other Religious Leader can make that Claim.
Only Jesus!
~ I Believe it ~
John-Paul
---
...Amen! Thank You John-Paul!
Yeppers! It is not much of a stretch to believe that God almighty -
the same God who created this entire universe - raised Jesus from
the dead as He promised He would do. No biggy for Him!
==================================================================
>-->From Heartwarmers:
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*PODA-PLOP-PLOP-PLOP-PLOP-PLOP-PLOP-PLOP* _.-' `""-._/ .'_._
_ .' .-'.' >
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VK (_/`-..___..-'
>BUNNY AND BEAR PANCAKES by Kathe Campbell
It's said that if you wisely spread your bundles of joy out with a
few years in-between, they won't abandon you in a blue funk all at once.
I'm not sure how Ken and I managed it, but the good Lord must have
lent a hand as we empty nested in tolerable stages.
Our son was born six years ahead of our daughters who are two years
apart. Dad and son had close years with all their guy stuff, while the
girls and I did perpetual tea parties, dance, and Girl Scouts. After a
little arm-twisting and greasing of the palm, our son became a built-in
baby sitter of sorts. No more packing a half-asleep sitter into the car
and driving her across town at 2am.
The day came when our son, his mini fridge, and his truck went off
to college, followed by a stint in the service.
But for two smart and spirited teenyboppers keeping us on our toes,
we'd have been as homesick for him, as he was for us. Only two grades
apart, the girls savored their own special friends. Sports and
cheerleading became their lives as they too sailed right past us, but
always saving Sunday for family fun.
Then suddenly, no more relaxing on Saturdays with pancakes in the
shape of bunnies and bears, or giggly campouts in the backyard
playhouse. No more carpools with a half dozen dusty ball players, their
bags, and overflowing Slurpies. No more freaky music that fairly rocked
the house off its moorings, endless practicing the right moves in the
family room, and hours of clandestine phone calls.
When the oldest daughter hit the college dorms, I looked forward to
less laundry, although the question became debatable. We may have been
part-time empty nesters but for her big laundry bag appearing in our
hallway more often than not. And along with the laundry, the grocery
bill hit the ceiling after numerous weekends of roommates and college
chums rolling out in sleeping bags upstairs and down.
The last one graduated college, got married and cast off to new
horizons as we waved and threw weepy kisses. Ken and I looked at each
other like strangers, barely knowing how to act in the sobering silence
of our big deserted house. They had grown up, giving pleasure to
replace any pain of their teen years. That made it all so worthwhile.
No laying in bed at all hours wondering if they were just late, or
bloody and broken on a snowy highway somewhere. And who's going to
think we're not cool if we flop into bed by ten for a good night's sleep
for a change?
It was soon apparent that nobody was handy to help with yard chores
and the job I abhorred most, washing a thousand windows. Ken was great
about the yard, but claimed the windows were strictly woman's work.
Rattling about, living with empty rooms crying out for growth and fun,
even tempestuous moments and raging hormones, we kicked our traces.
I took the bull by the horns, called our realtor, and viewed a
glorious piece of wooded and streamed acres teeming with wildlife. We
had talked often about a log home in the mountains only twenty minutes
from town. So we did it. We were now land owners in our own paradise.
The old house in town sold with grand memories and no regrets.
I drew plans, the logs were ordered, and suddenly along came our
brood with their campers on more weekends than we could count to help
with the rise.
Today we sit and rock in front of the fireplace on two-dog winter
nights, swapping our times back and forth, still loving this new
lifestyle while flipping a bunny pancake over for one of the
grandchildren.
We sometimes yearn for the sleepless nights worrying when the
children were out, only now it's our backs and knees that are out. We
miss those magnificent beings we so lovingly shaped and molded into
success stories, for not long ago I heard our youngest daughter remark,
"I have every intention of raising my kids just as I was raised."
That just may say it all!
-- Kathe Campbell <kathe at wildblue.net>
__________________________________________________
Kathe lives her dream on a Montana mountain with her mammoth donkeys, a
Keeshond, and a few kitties. Three children, eleven grands and three
greats round out her herd. She is a prolific writer on Alzheimer's, and
her stories are found on many ezines. Kathe is a contributing author to
the Chicken Soup For The Soul and Cup of Comfort series, numerous
anthologies, RX for Writers, magazines and medical journals.
=======================================================================
>-->From InspiredBuffalo:
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Petrus
>Love Can BY: Megha Bajaj
I believe love can help in curing cancer!
I am not a doctor and I do not know of studies that can prove this. But
I know it is true. I have experienced it in my own life.
When our family discovered that my mother had cancer, we were silent.
Usually, our house is filled with noise -- old melodies played by Dad,
soap operas Mom watched on TV (with her running comments), my sister,
Nidhi, chattering on the phone, and continuous humming and giggling from
me. On that day, there was silence.
Always the dreamer, I found refuge on the terrace. Gazing at the skies,
I wondered aloud to God if we would ever be okay again. When I came
downstairs, I saw Dad sitting with Mom, stroking her hair with such
tenderness in his eyes I could feel every trace of anxiety leave her
beautiful face. My sister was holding Mom's hand. We all looked at each
other and knew that this was not Mom's fight alone. Her health would not
just be the responsibility of the doctors; it would be ours, too.
Fear gave way to determination. Anxiety yielded to hope as we turned our
attention to conquering cancer, every cell of it, with love.
One of the reasons cancer is so scary is because the treatment itself is
painful. Chemotherapy makes one feel sick in every sense of the word.
Since Mom's cancer was at an advanced stage, her medicines would be very
strong and the doctors warned us that her health would deteriorate quite
a bit. Hmm! Is that so? We looked at each other and shrugged our
shoulders, almost in unison, as if to say, "Let's see."
We didn't allow any negativity to touch Mom.
An injection? We countered it with a "love you" and by holding hands.
Negative comments? We responded with a hug and an expression that said,
"This person knows nothing."
Tears on our cheeks? We followed them with much laughter.
Trouble sleeping? We were up, through the night, chatting, playing
cards, and listening to Dad's collection of beautiful old melodies.
Loss of hair from chemotherapy? We had an answer for that too! We called
Mom the "Bald and the Beautiful!" and she would giggle like it was the
world's funniest joke.
The result? Mom's red cell count, which should have fallen tremendously,
stayed almost normal, through all six rounds of chemo. While most other
people take about a week to recover from side effects she took only a
day. The doctors were awestruck! One actually said, "Mrs. Bajaj,
everything is absolutely fine; please leave so we can check someone who
is actually ill!"
Before Mom became sick, she had always placed us before her, our health
before hers. Not anymore. She began to invest time in herself. Mornings
began with yoga and healthy food and her days ended with meditation. She
started developing a love for her body, which I had never seen before,
applying nice smelling cream on her arms and looking for pretty clothes
to wear.
One day, out of the blue, she said. "I love dancing; teach me a dance."
Something very beautiful was happening inside my mother. Would this
beautiful change have the power to defeat cancer? Her tests came back
all clear. In fact, her reports showed that her health improved from
what it had been before she had cancer.
Today, three years later, my mother's hair is softer than ever. She
dresses prettily and goes to a group called Helping Hands to offer hope
to other cancer patients. Just seeing her radiating with love, I am
told, inspires patients.
Mom tells them, "Love yourself. Love those around you. And love life.
Believe that you deserve to live and watch how cancer slinks away."
I believe her wholeheartedly. Love works. It helped cure cancer.
---
...Please Pray for our Inspiredbuffalo lady - Nancy - she has been
diagnosed with terminal cancer.
If you believe the Word of God then you realize that nothing is
incurable. I think the problem is that people often do not understand
how valuable their life is to God. I've seen people give up, sink
into negative depression, or say 'if it is the will of God' - which is
a negative in itself. God tells us His feelings about sickness...
, ,
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3 John 1
[2] Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in
health, even as thy soul prospereth.
ABOVE ALL THINGS! God says as long as you are living and breathing
He wants you to be healthy and prosperous. So please don't go with
that old 'if it is God's will that I live' - God doesn't want you to
be in doubt about it - He tells you here it is His Greatest Wish for
You to be in Health! He doesn't want you sick or poor! So now you
know God's Will - so believe it! Walk forth knowing it.
Now guess who paid the price for your health?
1 Peter 2
[24] Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that
we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
ye were healed.
Jesus suffered 40 lashes save 1 for you. He paid the price so that all
sickness can be healed. See the use of past tense - 'ye were healed'?
It means already done. You are already healed of any and all sickness
because Jesus suffered and paid the price. All you have to do is believe
God and not give up. Some sickness is far worse then others but all can
be healed.
-<>-
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>LEAFAGE AND ROOTAGE
American President Woodrow Wilson once pointed out that "a man's
rootage is more important than his leafage." What others see are the
leaves, the outside. What they can't see are the roots, the values
and principles that ground a person. A happy and fulfilled life
grows from a good system of roots.
No one believed in the solid "rootage" of President Jimmy Carter
more than his own mother "Miss Lillian," as she was fondly called.
She was aware of her son's reputation for honesty, which had become
a topic of curiosity among many politicians and even reporters.
During a 1986 speech at the University of Tennessee, Jody Powell
told a story about a television reporter who grilled Miss Lillian on
this topic.
"Is it true," asked the reporter, "that your son doesn't lie? Can
you tell me he has never told a lie?"
"Well, I reckon he might have told a little white lie now and then,"
replied Miss Lillian.
The reporter spotted the opening. "I thought you said he didn't
lie!" she exclaimed. "Are you telling me that white lies aren't as
bad as black lies? Just what do you mean by a white lie?"
"Well," drawled Miss Lillian, "do you remember when you came in this
morning and I told you how nice you looked and how glad I was to see
you...?"
Those people who care about strong and principled inner lives leave
an important mark on the world. They actually live from the inside
out. Their inner convictions guide their actions. Their inner
principles govern their lives. It's like roots which are sunk deep
into lasting values and sustain the tree through whatever hard times
may come along.
What does it mean to have good roots? I think it means to be strong
enough and healthy enough to do whatever you truly want to do. It
means to be strong enough, at least most of the time, to give your
best to the world.
I would like to have roots that grow deep and strong. I would like a
system of roots that could give me:
- enough strength to forgive those who hhurt me;
- enough confidence to overcome any amouunt of fear;
- enough courage to accept whatever obsttacles life throws my way;
- enough compassion to love even the unllovable;
- enough faith that nothing can shatter my peace of mind.
If I grow good roots, I don't need to worry about the leafage.
-- Steve Goodier
-<>-
,
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>The Empty Egg
Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of 12 he
was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris
Miller, Often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat,
drool, and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and
distinctly, as if A spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his
brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher.
One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a
consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris said
to them, "Jeremy Really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to
him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Why,
there is a five year gap between His age and that of the other
students."
Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke.
"Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It
would be a terrible Shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this
school. We know he really likes it here." Doris sat for a long time
after they had left, staring at The snow outside the window. Its
coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize with the
Forresters. After all, their only child had a Terminal illness.
But it wasn't fair to keep him in her class. She had 18 other youngsters
to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. Furthermore, he would never
learn to read And write. Why waste any more time trying?
As she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. Here I am
complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that poor family,
she thought. Lord, Please help me to be more patient with Jeremy.
From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy's noises and his blank
stares. Then one day, he limped to her desk, dragging his bad leg behind
him.
"I love you, Miss Miller," he exclaimed, loud enough for the whole class
to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris' face turned red. She
stammered, "why that's very nice, Jeremy. Now please take your seat."
Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of
Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the
idea of new life Springing forth, she gave each of the children a large
plastic egg. "Now," she said to them, "I want you to take this home and
bring it back tomorrow with Something inside that shows new life. Do you
understand?"
"Yes, Miss Miller," the children responded enthusiastically - all except
for Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He did
not even Make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had said
about Jesus' death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment?
Perhaps she should call His parents and explain the project to them.
That evening, Doris' kitchen sink stopped up. She called the landlord
and waited an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she
still had to Shop for groceries, iron a blouse, and prepare a vocabulary
test for the next day. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy's
parents.
The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as
they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on Miss Miller's desk.
After they Completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. In
the first egg, Doris found a flower. "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a
sign of new life,"
She said. "When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is
here." A small girl in the first row waved her arm. "That's my egg, Miss
Miller," She called out.
The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real.
Doris held it up. "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into
a beautiful Butterfly. Yes, that's new life, too." Little Judy smiled
proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine."
Next, Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too,
showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom, "My daddy
helped me," He beamed.
Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty. Surely
it must be Jeremy's, she thought, and of course, he did not understand
her instructions.
If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not
want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for
another. Suddenly, Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren't you going to
talk about my egg?"
Flustered, Doris replied, "But Jeremy, your egg is empty." He looked
into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus' tomb was empty, too."
Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, "Do you know
why the tomb was empty?" "Oh, yes," Jeremy said, "Jesus was killed and
put in there. Then His Father raised Him up."
The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the
schoolyard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.
Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid there respects at the
funeral home were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket, all of
them empty.
-<>-
Links for Your Enjoyment
Fedex Castaway
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Femme
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German Engineering
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God Bless The USA
http://www.buffaloschips.com/012126.htm
Grimper Rocher
http://www.buffaloschips.com/012127.htm
Identity Theft
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/identitytheft.html
Rarely Seen Babies
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/babyanimals.html
Proud Of Our Troops
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops2.html
Small Thoughts
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USS New York LPD-21 Tribute
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Grand Canyon Skywalk
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/skywalk.html
Feather Painting Art
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/feather.html
When Sandman Attacks
http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/sandman.html
Did God Really Forsake Jesus Christ on the Cross?
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=294
The Four Crucified With Christ
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=292
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>-->From CupO'Cheer:
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>MAY GOD BLESS YOU THIS DAY... FOR HE IS ALIVE!
Faith is an interesting thing. In English the word refers to anything
from religions to attitudes. But the primary definition is quite
simple. Faith is a confident belief in the truth, value or trust-
worthiness of a person, idea or thing. Even so, if we're not careful,
that can be as clear as mud, so let's take a closer look.
Having a confident belief means being sure or certain, rather than
feeling something "might be". In court we'd hear "beyond a
reasonable doubt". It’s what leads us to say, "This is the way it is".
It may be whether something is true, has worth, or can be trusted
but the conclusion is...This is the way it is.
A mistake many make is they assume faith is only about things for
which there can be no proof. That's not true. Faith runs the gamut,
from mountains of evidence to little if any. That's because
personal choice is involved. A person chooses what will be his
"confident belief". Some may see the choice as wise or foolish,
but that's more about what the belief is based on.
For example, I have a confident belief that if I run into a brick
wall, it's going to hurt. There's a lot of proof for that. Bricks are
hard, walls are immovable, and I bruise easily. There's so much
evidence to support my confident belief, most would say that
proclaiming this as truth doesn’t take a lot of faith.
But suppose a man has a confident belief there's no such thing as a
doctor. He lives in a remote village and has never seen one. He's
heard strangers from other villages say the same. His wife was
once sick and needed such a person, but no one came and she died.
You ask, "Did you try to find a doctor?" "Why seek what does not
exist?" "But I have been helped and healed by a doctor, and I can
show you others who have." "The healthy are healthy. The sick
are sick. And the dying die. This is the way it is."
We can hear what he says, see how he lives, argue that he's wrong,
even call him a fool, but it doesn't change the fact that he has a
confident belief of what he considers to be the truth, have value or
be worthy of his trust. For him, there is no such thing as a doctor,
no point in seeking one, and nothing to be trusted. This is his faith.
This is the way it is.
To have such faith, he must ignore overwhelming evidence – men,
women and children who have been helped and healed, witnesses
of what a doctor has done for them. Instead, he must rely on his
limited experience, his choice not to seek a doctor, his expectation
one would come to him, and some people he's never met, saying
things he really doesn't know if they're true.
We may not understand him, but this much is clear: To live a life
based on such a belief requires a deeper commitment to that belief,
in other words, much more faith, than those who live in the wealth
of evidence that a doctor does exist and with the security of having
proof from personal experience.
This is much like the idea of whether a loving Creator exists. The
vast majority of people on the planet have a "confident belief"
there is such a One. But what proof do they have? Much of
science points to a time of beginning when there was nothing and
relies on the premise that all things result from cause and effect.
Cause and effect are other words for creation. And logic requires a
deliberate choice for the first cause to create the effect that resulted
in the universe, stars, planets, earth, plants, animals...us.
Though everything around us is evidence of a Creator, some rely
instead on those they don’t know, who say things they can't be sure
is true. They do not try to find the Creator. "Why seek what does
not exist?" And despite the experiences of millions of witnesses
who tell how they were helped and healed by a loving Creator,
some choose to ignore their evidence, claiming, This is the way it
is. And yet...
Since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - His
eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being
understood from what has been made, so that men are without
excuse. Romans 1:20
Look around. We are truly blessed. It is so easy for us to believe
there is a loving Creator. But pray for those who choose such an
incredibly confident belief that casts Him aside. With all creation
surrounding them, it takes tremendous faith to be an atheist.
Chuck
as seen in A Note of Encouragement
-<>-
. | .
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____/HEISRISEN\_____
>WHEN TEMPTED, CHANGE YOUR FOCUS
Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee - James 4:7 NKJV
Pastor Jon Walker writes: 'When Tolstoy was a boy he started "The
White Polar Bear Club". To become a member you had to stand for
30 minutes and not think of a white polar bear. Have you ever
intentionally tried not to think about something? It's almost
impossible! We often handle temptation in a similar fashion. We
think we can stand near it, and if we don't think about it we'll have
the victory. The problem is, the more we try not to concentrate on
it the more it becomes the centre of our focus... the longer we think
about not submitting the more likely it is that we will. The Bible
says: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you" (James 4:7 NIV). We quote the latter half of
the verse, but if all you're doing is focusing on the devil you're still
focusing on the temptation. I'm not suggesting... you shouldn't say,
"Get thee behind me, satan." I'm saying you can't do it in your own
strength; you do it by humbling yourself before God, recognizing
that He's your strength... When you keep your eyes on Him the
Devil will flee because you're resisting him by embracing God.
Be humble enough to seek help. A sure sign you're about to fall is
when you think, "I can handle this on my own." See this as an
urgent alarm to submit to God and say, "Lord, I need your strength
and wisdom. Lead me not into temptation." Then walk away from
the temptation. And if you need to, call a friend for prayer and
accountability.'
as seen in the Word For Today
-<>-
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>NEVER FORGET by Sharon Jaynes
Today's Truth
"I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember
your miracles of long ago" (Psalm 77:11 NIV).
Friend To Friend
Sometimes it is easy to read about Adam and Eve's failure in the
garden and wonder how they could have been so disobedient. But
in reality, this is not Adam and Eve's story alone. It is our story as
well. We make decisions daily that dishonor God or honor God.
We disobey, take charge of our own lives, and become Lord of our
own ring. Then like Eve, we try to cover up our shame and even
attempt to hide from God.
Do you know the first question God asked in the Bible? After
Adam and Eve cowered in the bushes, hiding from God, He asked
- Where are you? God knew exactly wheree they were, what they
had done, and how the enemy had tricked them. However, He
decided to remain in relationship with them and begin the process
of restoration which was completed on Calvary's cross. He asks us
the same question today when we attempt to hide ... Where are
you?
I think "but God" are two of most beautiful words in Scripture.
The Bible says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
When did we become sinners? The first time we sinned? No, we
were born sinners and that sin is what separated us from God.
While we were yet sinners, He became the perfect sacrifice for us,
not to cover our sin, but to cleanse us forever - once and for all.
Salvation Army Officer, John Allen once said, "I deserved to be
damned in hell, but God interfered." God interfered, intervened,
and intercepted our death sentence. He sent His Son, who paid the
penalty for our sin and all we have to do to receive the pardon is
to accept His wonderful gift.
How do we receive the gift? "If you confess with your mouth
'Jesus as Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from
the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). When you accept
Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior, you are freed from the
penalty of sin (spiritual death and eternal separation from God) and
He gives you a new living spirit. Someone once said, "Salvation is
moving from living death to deathless life."
"All this is from God who reconciled us [joined us back together]
to himself through Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:18 AMP). Once there
was a Christian group who sang a song with a line that said,
"There's a bridge to cross the great divide." However, when they
were recording, someone sang, "There's a cross to bridge the great
divide." Suddenly, they realized that they had not made a mistake
at all. We were separated from God because of sin, but He sent
His Son to die on Calvary's cross to bridge the great divide.
Why did God do this for us? "For God so loved the world that He
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV). The Greeks had
three words for life: bios (life of the body), psyche (life of the
soul), and zoe (life of the spirit). Guess which word for life is in
John 3:16? Zoe - life of the spirit! When you become a Christian,
your spirit is reborn and you become a brand new creation.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV). We were
crucified with Christ and now we no longer live, but Christ lives in
us (Galatians 5:20 NIV).
What about those glaring needs that cropped up as a result of
Adam and Eve's sin in the garden? What about feelings of
inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy that so many struggle
with today? Here's what the Bible says: "So then as through one
transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so,
through one act of righteousness, there resulted justification of life
to all men" (Romans 5:18, 19 NASB). All were condemned
because of Adam's disobedience and all who accept Jesus are
freed because of Christ's obedience. At the moment of your
salvation, everything mankind lost when Adam and Eve sinned
in the garden was returned to you in Jesus Christ. Once again you
have:
Significance because of who you are in Christ.
Safety and security because of what you have in Christ.
A sense of belonging because of where you are in Christ.
Your glaring needs have been fulfilled and transformed into your
glowing attributes. The question is, why don't we act like our
needs have been fulfilled? Why do we continue to struggle with
feelings of shame, fear, loneliness, and rejection? Why do we
continue to try to get our needs met by our own means? Because
even though our spirits are changed in an instant, our minds must
be renewed, our wills must come under the control of the Holy
Spirit, and our emotions must be reprogrammed.
It's a process and that's why Girlfriends in God even exists. We are
learning, growing, and reprogramming our minds together. And as
we do, we grow more and more spiritually beautiful every day.
Let's Pray
Dear LORD, all through the Old Testament, the patriarchs told the
Israelites to "remember." Today I stop and remember all that You
have done for me. I remember what I was like before I came to
Christ and I remember all that You have done to bring me to
Yourself. Thank you, Father. Thank You, Jesus. May the
remembrance of Your mercies be new every morning.
In Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.
Now It's Your Turn
Sometimes, when you have been a Christian for many years, you
forget just how amazing the gift of salvation really is. Today, I'm
not going to ask you any questions, but I do want you to go back
and reflect on the verses in this devotion. Write out your own
prayer of gratitude for all that God has done to bridge the great
divide that separated you from Him.
as seen in Girlfriends in God
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