Happy Blessed Easter Weekend ... :) 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! ================ __, ,___) ______) ,_) (--|__| _, _ _ (--|__ _, ,-|-_ ,_ _| |(_||_)|_)(_| _|___(_|/_)|(/_| ( | | ,_| ( .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. *~* May God Super Bless You And Yours This Easter Weekend! :) ~ T H E J E L L Y B E A N P R A Y E R ~ __ RED is for the blood He gave. .;;. /;;;. GREEN is for the grass God made. /;;;;\ ,..., |;;;;;\ YELLOW is for The Son so bright. |;;;;|/;;;;;;;::.;;| ORANGE is for the edge of night. \;;;;/\;;;;;/::::\;' __ BLACK is for the sins we made. `''` `''''|::::| .;;;\ WHITE is for the grace God gave. jgs .;;;\ \::::/ ,;;;,:;;;;;| PURPLE is for His hour of sorrow. /;;;;;| `''` /::::::\;;;/ PINK is for our new tomorrow. |;;;;/ .-""-.:::::/''` `''` / \'''` A bag full of jelly beans \ / colorful and sweet, HAPPY EASTER '----' is a PRAYER, is a PROMISE, is a SPECIAL TREAT. >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This hot scorcher is from our friend GloriaB. The really good designed logos have hidden messages in them. Many of these I had no idea of. Check this out and see how many you knew about! __ / \ /'. / | Some bunny loves you! ||'.\| | || \\ / /\ __ /^\/^\ \\ \\'```'-._ ; | /\ \ \ / \'./` __ `D | _/ /\_| `\/` \ .__|' ` -.| | ,' \ /^\/^\ \ .| - - | \ / \____,..-` \ _Y_ __/ `\/` / / `---'"""` `\ \| . __.._/ | '-.__.-""``.-./ |\ | ( _.'` |\ || .-| `` || || | ; || // jgs '-'\ //` `"""""""""`"""""` Brilliant Logos http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/logos.html --- ...Simply Fascinating! Thank You GloriaB! -<>- *~* We Had A Tremendous Month Of Sharing And Caring Last Month! ,_ ,_ (\/) _, _, | '. '. \/ .' .' | \ \ \ / / / '.__\_|_ _|_/__.' /` '. .' `\ / ^ ) ( ^ \ / __.' '.__ \ .' (_ _) '. .' \'-._ _.-'/ '. / '.__)(__.' \ ; .-. '. .' .-. ; /`| / '._)(_.' \ |`\ | \ /--. .--\ / | '--'\ '-.__) (__.-' /'--' jgs )_____) (______( >Be Sure To Visit And Share All These New Pages: Kids On God http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/kidsonGod.html Pet Helpers http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/pethelpers.html Snow Fun 3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/snowfun3.html Bear Rescue 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bearrescue2.html Only ONE Job 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/onejob2.html LEGO Church http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/legochurch.html Church Mouse Wisdom http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/churchmouse.html _ .-"--._ / \ / ____\ ||\\ / /`( || \\ _| '``'-. | \_\\ ` 9\ , \_ 9 _ '-.= .--'|} | _ \) | / /}} \/ = \ ;_.'/ .=\.--'`\} | `-`__.;---.//` '---./' '.___..-'` `| _/ __.-.__/ .-' .-' ||| .-/ / |\\ { | /_ / \| `-\ `\--;` '-. | | ) / _/ jgs / __.' '--. ( '--. ___))) `-..____))) * Heartfelt Thank You And God's Best To All Our Sweet Contributors! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: _.--"`````"-. .-"`````"--._ .' `\ /` '. .' \ / '. / '-, _ /`\ /`\ _ ,-' \ / .''./ `'._/ _/ \_ \_.'` \.''. \ / / >-.(_)' `>-<` '(_).-< \ \ / / )_.'/\`-' '-`/\'._( \ \ / .' _.' |/ _ _ \| '._ '. \ / .' .' /-\ /-\ '. '. \ ; / / \0/ .-. \0/ \ \ ; | / / -""`( )`""- \ \ | ; | | \_/ | | ; | | | _ | _ | | | ; \ _.| `\ /^\ /` |._ / ; \ \ '.___.; ;.___.' / / \ /'._ '---' _.'\ / '._ _.' `;--.,_ ___ _,.--;` '._ _.' ``` jgs / ,`---/ \---`, \ ``` \ _'-.-\___/-.-'_ / / .-` .-'Y`-. `-. \ \ _.' | '._ / '--.-' / \ '-.--' / / \ \ `'-..__/ \__..-'` >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 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 Our Friend LouiseA :) .======. | INRI | | | .========' '========. | _ xxxx _ | | /_;-.__ / _\ _.-;_\ | | `-._`'`_/'`.-' | '========.`\ /`========' | | / | |/-.( | |\_._\ | | \ \`;| | > |/| | / // | | |// | | \(\ | | `` | \\jgs _ _\\| \// |//_ _ \// _ ^ `^`^ ^`` `^ ^` ``^^` `^^` `^ `^ >LORD, YOU FINISH WHAT YOU START Debbie Preuss, May 28, 2004) Oh Lord, You always, finish what You start Every work You begin, in my life, in my heart I know You are capable, to complete Your plan No matter what the circumstance, You want the best for man You started a good work in me, Oh Lord, You are my friend Please help me to trust You, until I see the end Lord, I will exalt You, I give You all my praise For the work You will complete, in the coming days Help me to be willing, to follow where You lead Both in the times of plenty, and in the times of need For You know what You are doing, who am I to second guess That You, my Heavenly Father, will give to me Your best Lord, Your good and perfect will, let it be done in me Help me trust You for the outcome, when the way I cannot see Lead me in Your paths, for my Lord I know That You are always with me, everywhere I go So dear Lord I give to You, my very life, my heart For You are faithful, to finish what You start --- ...Amen! Thank You LouiseA :) ========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: __________________________ |.-----------..-----------.| || _ _ _ _|| ___ _ _ || || | | |/ \| \ \ \/ / || || | | ' | '_/ '_/\ / || || |_|_|_|_|_|||_| /_/ || ||___ _ ___||___ __ ___ || || _|/ \/ _/_ _| _| \|| || _| ' |__ \| || _| ' /|| ||___|_|_/___/|_||___|_|_\|| || || || ||-._________||___________|| ||--,--------..-----------.| |||\ \ || || ||; \ ; ||_ || || \| | _.|| ``''-. || ||\ | | _." .||-""-_) `) || ||_) `" .-.||`` _.-' || || ( ||--'` || || ' . | || || || () \ || .-. || ||\/_ | ||' _;\ || ||_`_____/_.'||____/______|| '---------------------jgs--' >Catching Fish In A Jar Jami Sell When I was between eleven and twelve years old I decided one bright sunny day that it would be fun to go fishing. I didn't have any fishing gear and I had never done much fishing other than to play on the stream banks while my father fished. I also didn't want to "hurt" the fish I just wanted to catch them and then let them go. I looked around the house for what I could use and I found a washed out old mayonnaise jar. You know the old style jars with the big open "mouth". I walked to a nearby pond and put the jar down in the soft dust-like mud of the water's edge with the open "mouth" of the jar facing toward the center. I then stirred the waters a little and made them cloudy so that the fish would have trouble seeing me. Then I waited hovering over the jar. Gradually, cautiously a small fish would swim up to the clear jar to investigate the disturbance and when it swam into the jar I dropped my hand into the water and over the jar mouth. I caught a fish, then another. I just let them all go and returned my jar to the cupboard. Then I decided to use wire "box trap" to go fishing and rigged a string to the door. This way I could drop the trap in the water and not have to "hover over" it like I did with the jar. I sat very relaxed on the bank of the pond and sure enough I caught a fair sized bluegill. I took it home in a water filled plastic waste basket to show my dad and afterward returned it to the pond. When I told people about how I had caught the fish they just paused and laughed nervously. You see unlike these people, I didn't know that you couldn't catch fish in a jar. If I would have asked them they would have scoffed and said, "You can't catch fish in a jar or a box trap!" No one in my life had ever dreamed of telling me that so my belief system did not contain these words or the impact that they would have had on my "day of fishing". Only a free minded kid could come up with an idea of using a jar or a box trap to catch fish! No one had told me that this was impossible so I just used what I was familiar with and what I had available and I succeeded. Maybe today finds you facing a situation that seems impossible. You have a desire but no visible way of bringing it into being. You may need to find that "kid" inside you who thinks "outside the box" and the normal ways of achieving things and let him or her catch that fish in a jar! See your situation from a different angle. Start looking at the resources that you already have and the things that you are already familiar with. A fresh perspective and a childlike sense of wonder may surprise you and there's no telling what you will come up with! -<>- | \ / .---. '-. | | .-' ___| |___ -= [ ] =- `---. .---' __||__ | | __||__ '-..-' | | '-..-' || | | || ||_.-| |-,_|| .-"` `"`'` `"-. jgs .' '. >Laying It On The Line W.W. Clay As a New York skyscraper went up, hundreds paused daily to glance up at it. One day they watched a ponderous metal beam go up to take its place in the steel skeleton. As the girder came near, a workman leaned out from the sixteenth floor to seize it. The spectators gasped as he lost his balance and fell. Desperately, he clutched the girder's end with arms and legs. The ground crew stopped the hoisting engine, but the man's weight at one end began to tilt the beam to a vertical position, which would eventually cause him to lose his grasp and fall to his death. With swift decision, another worker on the same floor, seeing his friend's predicament, leaped through space and landed on the other end, where his weight leveled the beam. Amid the applause of the crowd, both men were safely lowered to the street. Every day people around us lose their balance on moral questions - they consider having an affair with a co-worker, taking company funds, lying to close a deal, toying with drugs and alcohol. Wrong decisions will hurt them and their families for years and cost their souls in Eternity. They need friends who are interested in helping them keep their balance, by leading exemplary lives, by sacrificial living, by speaking a word for Christ. Here on this earth, no one will applaud, but it will be worth it all when we receive the approval of the Master. (1 Cor 4:5) Live your life in the manner which Christ lived and others are sure to take notice. W.W. Clay From "Choice Illustrations" -<>- SNUGGLE _ _ BUNNIES ( \/ ) _ ((`\ \ / //) \\ \ \/ /// \\ \__ __/// / \_ _/ \ | ^ )( ^ | ) { } ( / \;__:, \ \ | \ ) / | _| '----'--' |_ {_\ / \ /_} | || || | jgs | )) (( | `""""`` ``"""` >HOPE, CHARITY, LOVE, FAITH, and GRACE. Bill Walker wildbill6807@yahoo.com All small words, each is related or goes hand in hand with the others. Makes very little difference in anything in life we do. If you stop and think about any part of your life. These five words play a great part in the end. It makes no difference what you have, or how little you have. You deal with these five words every day. From the day you bounced into this world, till the day you drop out. I started out thinking I would use these five words about the Bible. We could you know. May wind up on that note. We also can use them for every day life. So I will do a little of both. That is the Bible and every day life. HOPE: Anything you do, you have a hope it will work. There must be a reason for you doing something. You have hopes the day will be a good one. I hear that so much any more. "Have a good day." Do you need a bad day? You hope today will be a good day From the day one of your life to the very last day, there is that hope. As long as you breath, there is hope. When you stop, there is none. The doctor can C.P.R. you forever. As long as your not breathing, there is little if any hope. CHARITY: The world also runs on that. Even the very rich depends on charity. You see if you stop and think about it. If the poorer crowd got together, they could take the very rich and powerful down a peg or two. History is full of that. Remember the French up starts taking down the King and Queen. I do. I remember the poor starving for a loaf of bread. The Queen said. "They have no bread, that is a shame, let them eat cake." How about later times? The people of Russia was in the same fix in and before World War One. I know maybe this is far out. It still is something to do with charity. We live by charity of others. You can be mean to others, no charity there. You can be kind, it is a form of charity. The Queen could have said, "They need bread King, open the store house." That would have been charity. The mob could have said, let the King and Queen live, don't lop of their head. That too would have been charity. LOVE: I have been told by more then one of the Dollies, there is different kinds of love. I thought there was one. Guess I'm wrong. Dollies love to get a gift. Your an angel. Some will be happy with a GrandMa Fruit Cake. Others tell you no more of those things. I guess one loved fruit cake, the other sees no love at all. I know some say they love the car, the house, the ring they had planted on little pinkie. I even remember one falling in love with a silly looking frock one evening. Just had to have it. I guess there is different kinds of love. I was thinking yesterday about Tinker, my little dog. I remember his love. I could turn the A/C on. He would walk to an air vent. Pile down, I got a look and to me it seem like he had a grin and the look of love in his eyes. I wonder was it me he loved for turning on the air, or was it the cool air. I think I know. I have seen many acts of love. One is when you help someone in need of help. Yes I call that some kind of love. Love for your brother or sister in this walk of life. You made their day better, and you felt good about it. You married the one you call husband or wife. There must have been a bit of love at that time. I hoped it grew into a never ending love for one another. This other kind of thing called same sex, I don't think much of that. I happen to be a boy, looking for a walking talking Dollie. Of course I hear some Dollies never shut off the talking, about all you get to say after they get the ring, is . "Yes Dear, No Dear." And God help you if you get messed up, and say the wrong yes or no at times. And for goodness sake never say the wrong name. I know all about that bone head deal, first hand. So much for love. FAITH You put you trust in something or someone. That is faith. I have trust, faith that I can do something. You have the same. You have faith and trust your team will win. That is till the score is 62 to 24. Your team is the one on low end, and have 30 seconds to play in the game. You see your coach standing on the sidelines ripping his cap off and throwing it on the ground, saying words of no print here, and crying Gator tears. I just had to get that in. Sorry Gator. We deal in trust and faith every day. We trust, and have faith in the doctor, else we find one that we do. We have trust and faith in the old clunker. it will start and get us down the road. When it bulks, we shop for repairs, or get a new clunker. We get kind of like the old cat. Darn it all. The good times is over, we walk away looking for a better deal. We lost trust and faith in that old bucket of bolts. We have faith something is going to happen, to make our day a good day. GRACE: Last, sure not the least. Maybe the most important one word of the lot. I often wonder, about this word. What is grace? Are you graced because you have fine clothes, food, car, boat, plane, train, motor home, a wife, a couple girl friends on the side. I put train in as a laugh. That could be next thing one must have. Are you living in grace because you have little? I know and have heard of many who have little and they are happy. They have a happy home, may be a poor home, They enjoy things they do have. They live a simple life. Maybe they never get to the other side of the mountain. But their happy with the side their on. Maybe it is by grace they have what they have.. They have something called happy times. While the other fellow has to worry about wife finding out about the two girl friends. Maybe she has a small problem too. She tramping also.. They have no happy times other then what looks great to others. So maybe it is the ones on the lower end of things that has the most blessings and grace. Maybe in the end they keep their heads. Someday they too will eat at the big table, with the master. I remember reading about a man who asked for a lot. He asked, never got what he asked for. His last lines was he was most richly blessed. I think that is called GRACE. I have read about a man who also had very little while here on earth. He was/is the most important man to ever walk on this earth. God's HOPE, CHARITY, LOVE, FAITH, and GRACE sent him to do a job. You see I believe God has hope yet for you and I. He also has much in the way of charity for you and I. He still has love for you and I. He has faith that you and I will do as he has asked us to do. Grace, again last, sure not least. It all boils down to by his grace. We have what we need. It takes all of those words. HOPE, CHARITY, LOVE, FAITH, and GRACE in this life. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Easter Index http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/easterindex.html Life's Little Oops 3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whoops3.html The Sleep Metaphor http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/sleepmetaphor.html Never Give Up http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/nevergiveup.html Beautiful Bridges http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bridges.html Amazing Bus Stops http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bus.html Miracle Coyote http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/coyote.html Koalas In A Heatwave http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/koalas.html Koalas In A Heatwave 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/koalas2.html Ten Life Tips http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lifetips.html -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseA Do you want a few minutes of uninterrupted happiness? Then take a minute to enjoy the company of the cutest, furriest little golden Labrador puppies. They are so full of life, love and happiness, it's impossible not to catch it. http://tinyurl.com/mj4bchy As every pet owner knows, there are few things more fun than pampering, hugging and kissing our beloved dogs and cats. However, cats, and even dogs, don't always love this weird human custom. This hilarious selection of videos shows dogs and cats who'd really prefer it if their owners kept their lips to themselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YPnKG6f44fk The Great Dogzini is a dog magician extraordinaire who will amaze you with his magic tricks that require a high degree of slight of paw. The Great Dogzini has the help of Magician Jose Ahonenan as his assistant to help him perform his magic tricks. I'm pretty sure if a plate of food was put in front of The Great Dogzini he could make it disappear in about 3 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=szahh4P2G6Y Comedy illusionists Scott & Muriel entirely amazed the audience and judges at the 32nd Monte Carlo International Circus Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwnXwIGaXco&feature=player_embedded --- ...TeeHee! Sweet ones! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- >From Our Friend Melody :) Are You a Yankee or a Rebel? http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/yankeetest.html It All Started Here - Answers.com http://tinyurl.com/p8eachx --- ...Good Ones! Thanks Melody! -<>- >From our friend Linda :) Just click on the song you want to hear. At the bottom of first page you can click on the year you may want to change to. Songs from 1960-2013 http://thenostalgiamachine.com/years/1960.html You Can - A MUST WATCH Fasten your seat belts and click https://www.youtube.com/embed/VWf8CXwPoqI --- ...Awesome! Thanks Linda! 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 LaughAndLift: __ _ / \_/ ) \ ` `\ ; a `-. | ) \ _..' /` <._._ / .'';_;'` \ .' : _/ / '. __..-` / | | \/\ \._ \ \ | ``--J \ | / \ | jgs \__.'-._____.' >Holding The Hands Of God (By Milton C. Gardner, Jr.) Hand-holding is, I believe, a tradition as old as the creation of mankind. Somehow, I can imagine that Adam and Eve must have held hands as they walked through the Garden of Eden. Through the centuries, lovers have held hands as an expression of fondness and devotion. In times of distress--even pain and anguish-- caring people have reached out to hold the hands of the afflicted and in this silent way have said, "I care." Often, God's people hold hands as they sing or pray. Thereby, they form a "bond of love" and forge lasting bonds of brotherhood. Sometimes parents hold the hands of a child who is dreading some pain-- perhaps a shot or a medical procedure. Hand-holding is reassuring and comforting. "Let me hold your hand," we say to a child when we cross a busy thoroughfare. Hand-holding affords protection. As the family of God, we have the blessed assurance of God's hand to steady and secure us. He offers His hand as an expression of His tender devotion and constant love. Isaiah sings: "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee" (Isaiah 41:13). In times of loneliness and pain, we must needs slip our hands into the strong but gentle hands of God. He loves, He cares, and He protects His own. -<>- __ _ / \_/ ) \ ` `\ ; a `-. | ) \ _..' PLEASE /` <._._ FORGIVE ME / .'';_;'` \ .' : _/ I'M SORRY / '. __..-` / | | \/\ \._ \ \ | ``--J \ | / \ | jgs \__.'-._____.' >Let It Die (By Steve Troxel, God's Daily Word Ministries, www.gdwm.org) During the three short years of Jesus' earthly ministry, He performed many miracles and preached to crowds large and small. But the moment of greatest acceptance came the week before Jesus was crucified as He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. A large number had gathered from all over Israel in preparation of the Passover: "They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting 'Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!'" (John 12:13). Many would view this as the high point of Jesus' ministry. He had gained a great following and the people even hailed Him as the new King of Israel. But Jesus knew this was not His Father's will. Jesus came for a much greater purpose than to be a temporary king; He came for an eternal glory which required His death. John 12:24 "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." Jesus spoke these words in reference to His sacrifice on the cross which would occur in a few short days, but His message of death was also intended for us today. Obviously He's not saying we should all be physically crucified, but Jesus IS saying we must experience a death; "whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it" (Matthew 16:25). Paul explains this even more directly; "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" (Colossians 3:5). Our earthly nature is home to all our sinful desires, but it is also the source of all the ambitions and dreams not formed by God. When we tightly hold to our dreams and are driven (or drive others) by our own ambitions, we choke what God desires to accomplish and never see the full potential of Christ - never see the abundant life God desires us to live. We have a tendency to dream and make plans, and then spend our time and energy pursuing the dream rather than truly pursuing Christ. Our dream may even appear very Godly - we may strive for a dynamic ministry or children who love and follow God - but until we allow EVERYTHING within us to die and be replaced by the love of God, we will never experience His very best or witness His most beautiful fruit; "and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). Let's allow the plans of Christ to reign absolutely supreme. We were created for so much more than we can imagine! Let's cast off all sin and leave ALL we hold dear at His feet. He will raise up what He desires to use for the glory of His name, but first we must resolve to let it die. 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 =========================================================== __..._.-. .-._...__ /.-. '-.) (.-' .-.\ \', \ / ,'/ | o'--D c--'a | \ / | | \ / ;._ _\ '-/ \-' /_ _.; .' __ `\`.-"-. .-"-.`/` __ '. .' .' '.|' ' '|.' '. '. / \ '._, ,_.' / \ ; '-._ \ / _.-' ; (| /'-.__/ \__.-'\ |) \ __ ,' '-. .-' ', __ / `/ `\.-'| '.' |'-./` \` | | '-. .-' | | | '-. ) ( .-' | jgs \ )-' '-( / '-----' '-----' >This is For Her Story Editor: by the Michigan Father Joyce Schowalter where December. 2011. Michigan. Times are tough, especially in small areas. I drove to a blighted part of the city with boarded-up homes. We were five months behind on electric payments and I'd been calling to delay the shut-off for one more week. Twice they delayed payment. At the zeroth hour I pulled up to the building, preceded by a black woman driving a rusted, crumbling beater that shuddered to a stop. I walked in behind her, cash in hand, and waited in line. My children bounced on chairs nearby. Two women behind bulletproof acrylic windows took money. But only one line moved. Delaying the other was a long conversation from a young white mother with a baby on her hip. She wore pajamas and a sweater, was good-natured and laughing. "Well, so..." she said, "you know how it is. I mean, they just sit there in a pile, right? I don't know where they go. I don't know, I probably lost it." The woman behind the two-inch thick bulletproof Plexiglas nodded, unspeaking. Her nameplate said "Ella". The young patron continued," I mean, I GUESS the payment plan is good. But that's... how much again??" "Fifty dollars," the woman behind the Plexiglas prompted. The young mother said, "Yeah... fifty. Dollars, I mean. And if we miss that today then what? Fifty?" Ella confirmed, "Yes, fifty. The payment plan we arranged." "Boy, how could it be so much?" A long pause. "So what happens if we don't have the...?" Ella: "Fifty dollars. Well, that's when the account needs to be discontinued." The woman with the baby on her hip looked at the floor during the whole conversation. Talking in a low voice, but in a silent room of people waiting. She talked as though every second she talked was another second the power stayed on. As though somehow in this circular conversation the situation would resolve itself. Momentarily irritated one woman was taking so much time, I then felt some shame. I'd just wait calmly. Clearly the young woman with the baby was just buying time. Seconds. Moments. Avoiding the inevitable: her power would be shut off in the morning. Slowly the line crawled. My children became more animated and impatient. The woman with the baby kept talking. Then the woman in front of me went up to the counter -- the woman who drove the rusted beater. She handed the teller a check. "This is for her," and pointed at the young mother with the baby. The woman who wrote the check left. She bee-lined to her beater and drove off. The two tellers looked at one another confused. One said to the young mother, "Well, I guess, Merry Christmas." The woman with the baby looked at the floor, "I don't think she pointed at me. I don't know her." "She paid your electric bill," said a teller. "Next!" And the people in line who'd been staring blankly burst out in a joyous murmur. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Kidwarmers: ) ( ( ) ( ) ( ) ) ( ) ( /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ jgs (_K_) (_I_) (_S_) (_S_) (_E_) (_S_) >THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY! Dawson, 6, came running out of the bathroom, "Mom, toilets are amazing! They're like tornadoes. They just suck up anything you put in there!" - Quinn Ward of Indiana Beth was explaining to her daughter Della, 5, why she is not a fan of the circus. Della said, "Don't worry, Mom. Some animals are very talented; it's their calling. - Beth Munk of Kendallville, Indiana __________________________ |.-----------..-----------.| || || || || || || || || || || || || ||_ || || || '. || || |||\ \ || || ||;_\_;______||___________|| ||--,-.------..-----------.| || \| | _.||"'--. || ||\ | | _." .||-"_) `) || ||_) `" .-.|| __.-' || || ( ||` || || ' . | || || || () \ || .-. || ||\/_ | _||' _;\ || ||_`_____/_'_||____/______|| '---------------------jgs--' Shirley Strayer of LaGrange, Indiana, shared these stories, beginning with this note, "Here are some things that my grandchildren said to me so I wrote them down in the back of my Bible." It was thundering and a severe storm was coming when Shirley's granddaughter, 3, said, "I hope Jesus doesn't come today." Shirley asked, "Why not?" She replied, "Because it's raining and He will get all wet!" Gavin, 6, said, "Grandma, I wish Jesus would come out on a cloud so I could see Him." Addy, 3, came home from day care about two weeks before Christmas and said to her mother, "Mommy, all the other little girls in day care have a baby sister, and I want one for Christmas!" One evening Shirley was babysitting for the grandchildren. It was quite late and the children were getting ready for bed. The cats were chasing around in the house, hollering, and it was getting very disturbing. Shirley said, "I wish those cats would stop. The one must be in heat." Josh, 5, said, "I didn't do it!" When anything happened he must have been the one who got blamed for it! __ __ /`_ \ / _`\ |':\ \ / /:'| \':\ \ / /:'/ \':\ \ / /:'/ \':\ \ / /:'/ \ `\ \/ /` / > < / \ .' '. / 0 __ 0 \ >| _ \/ _ |< \ \ / / '._ '----' _.' /` '. __ .' `\ | |-. `| | _\_(_(_/ \/\_)_)_/_ / ` /\__/`\__/`\_\ ` \ | / () (\ | | ; (), , () , ; | ; | /^\ /^\ /^\ | ; \|\/ \/ \/ \|/ | /`\ /`\ /`\ | ;\/ \/ \/ ()\; jgs _\ () /_ _.-'` '._ () _.' `'-._ /` .'` ``""""`` `'. `\ \_(_(,'` `'.)_)_/ Connier Kaiser of Albion, Indiana, remembers when their son was very young he told her that he didn't want to grow up and leave her because when she got sick, "Who would fix your beef and noodles?" Linda of Kendallville, Indiana, wrote, "I want to share this from a friend (Michele) in Tennessee, regarding her 13-year-old daughter, Katie. From Michele: "My daughter texted me and said she made Cow Zones'for supper tonight on her daddy/daughter annual camping trip. They made calzones. Gotta love her." ,_ ,_ __ | '. '. / `\ \ \ \ | ) '.__\_|_ _.=====.\ _/_ /` '. ,;' )(_) `'. / ^ ) // (( '._ \ / __.' || .--. `) ||\__/ .' (_ || .-; `\__ || .' \'-._||_/ ;-./` '|| / '.__)| './ \.--.|| ; .-. '.|\____|___/____/| /`| / '._)=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=| | \ /--. ;#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#; '--'\ '-.__) \#=#=#=#=#=#=#/ jgs )_____) \#=#=#=#=#=#/ `"""""""""` Donna Gerken of Fort Wayne, Indiana, shared this story about their grandson. While eating dinner at the dinner table, Jay, 5, stopped and said, "Mommy, sometimes when I drink water, it goes in to my heart. But, that's OK because sometimes God gets thirsty, too!" Jane, a preschool teacher in northeast Indiana, stopped to purchase two preschool items for a science experiment and decided to buy a few groceries as well. While opening her wallet, she discovered a small amount of cash and her checkbook. She asked the cashier if checks were accepted; she regretfully said they only accepted cash or debit. Since Jane does not have a debit card, she decided to sort through the groceries that she could pay cash for, and leave the rest. She purchased the items selected and then discovered her recyclable bag had fallen out of her cart. The cashier watched her cart of purchased items while Jane left to go where her bag had fallen. When Jane returned, the smiling cashier informed Jane a gentleman paid for the two items that Jane had decided to purchase another time. The cashier said she was asked by the gentleman not to tell Jane until after he left the store. With tears in her eyes, Jane thanked God for the kindness of strangers. _ \`\ _ \ \ /\ \ \ V /\/ ___ /. .\ .'__(>@<) =\_T_/= /.' /|\ / \ || || (( )) ||oO0oO|| {/\) (/\ |-=-=-=-| __\ /__ \=-=-=-=/ jgs (____/^\____) '=-=-=' Q. What does the Easter Bunny get for making a basket? A. Two points... just like anybody else! Belinda's son, Cory, and his daughter, Maya, came up from Bloomington, Indiana, to visit. Cory and his dad, Brad, decided to go out fishing so Maya and Belinda decided to bake cookies. A little while later Cory came back to the house for something and decided to sneak in and scare them. When he jumped out at Belinda and Maya, the surprise was so great that Belinda said he almost gave her a heart attack. About 20 minutes later, Belinda asked Maya if her daddy really scared her. Maya looked up at Belinda, put her hand on her chest and said very seriously, "Oh yes, Mamaw, my heart is still attacking." - Belinda Wilson of Kendallville, Indiana Cohen, 6, and his mommy were riding in an elevator. When the elevator doors opened at their stop, Cohen said, "We have arised at our destimation!" - Susan Meadors (granny of Cora and Cohen) of Georgetown, Kentucky Cora, Cohen's 8-year-old sister, was watching a nature program on television. They had some film of a man milking a goat and then drinking the milk. "Oooh, Mommy, that man is drinking the goat's pee! He's drinking pee!" she said with alarm. Cecelia's 4-year-old nephew got his suitcase out of his closet and put a few things in it. Then brought it downstairs and told his mother he was "going on vacation." He went in the other room and watched TV and played some games. Then he took the suitcase back upstairs and hollered, "I'm back!" When he came downstairs again he told his mother, "I needed a break." When his older brothers came home from school he pointed out that he had gone on vacation while they were in school. - Cecilia Demaree of Culpeper, Virginia \ / \\ // _______ )\-/( (M==M=M=)/e e\ .-'"-\=N==N/( =Y= ) .-'(___.-'\M=M/ /`---'\ (______(____)=(_/ /___\ \_ (M==M=M==M=M==M'''M=M=```M) \=N=N==N=N==N=N==N=N==N=/ \M==M=M==M=M==M==M==M=/ \N=N==N=N==N=N==N=N=/ jgs \M==M==M=M==M=M==M/ `---------------' One evening Hailey, 3, seemed rather concerned about something she had been told in pre-school earlier that day. As Sandie was putting her to bed, Hailey said, "Mommy, teacher told us something today and I don't know if it's true." Sandie said, "What was it, Sweetie?" Hailey replied, "Teacher says that we are all … human BEANS!" Stifling laughter as best she could, which was not very well, Sandie explained to Hailey that the teacher had actually said "beings" - which, of course, sounds very much like "beans." - Sandie Benedict of Huntertown, Indiana Another evening as Sandie was getting Hailey ready for bed, Hailey insisted that she must first name all the pictures that were on her wall. So Sandie listened as she named each one. There was her little mermaid poster, a picture of a teddy bear with the inscription, "Jesus loves me" and a couple of other ones. And then she came to a picture that Sandie had embroidered for her when she was just a baby. It was a Mommy bear, a Daddy bear, a big brother bear and a little sister bear. Sandie had always told her that she had embroidered this picture just for her and that it was just like their family, with Mommy, Daddy and a brother and a sister. As she was naming her pictures, when Hailey came to this one, she very casually said, "And that's us when we were bears." Zeta, 9, had a melt down after finding out school was not cancelled - there was only a three-hour delay. "Why does school have to be so much learning things that everyone will just end up forgetting!?" she asked. "This is all the government's fault! They tell the school the boring stuff they think we need, then the schools have to teach that and it only results in shorter recess time! Ugh! I do not like our government!" - Retta Lewis (mother of Zeta) of Fremont, Indiana __ __ | _'-._ _.-'_ | | '::. '. .' .::' | \ '::\ \ / /::' / \ ':\ | | /:' / '._ ` '---' ` _.' ) __ __ ( / / \ / \ \ / \_0/ \0_/ \ =/ .-. \= =| .' \_/ '. |= _ =\ ' | ' /= \`-._ '.__ `--'--` __.' /-_^-'-._ /` \_______/ `\ >-"=_=_-~_`=.,==,=| /==,==,=\ |.,_ \~- >_<_"-~-/ / /\,,,/ / / \,,,// /`"=._ <_"- ~-_>-"; ; _; _ ; ; ; ; ; _; _: / /`;=,__, /=~_->"-_~-; |_/ \| \| | | | |/ |/ \_ ; : ; _,=' >-"<^-^">_"; / \()()|; ; ; ; ;|()()/ \ \ _;="` \-_~-_>~-_.=\ \() _ | \ \ \ \ | ()/="` <,jgs_.-` `=\ / `\|==`==`==`==`=|/` \ / /_.-' \\ || || // \'-'/ \'-'/ `"` `"` Shala was shopping with her children. Looking at the Christmas cactus, Lincoln asked, "Mom, can I touch it?" She replied, "I don't care, but you'll get hurt." Lincoln told his brother, with excitement, "Mom said we can touch the cactus! Touch it and see if it hurts!" - Diane Schlemmer (friend of Shala) of LaGrange Here is another story from Diane, Jen's aunt. Wesley, 2, was watching closely as his mother, Jen, applied her eyeliner. "You putting on make up, Mommy?" he asked. Then he added, "That's disturbing!" I have to thank Jerry and Wanda Davis of Kendallville for connecting me with their granddaughter, Kathryn White of Valparaiso, Indiana. Kathryn and her husband, Dan, are the parents of Elizabeth, 5. Kathryn has been writing down Elizabeth's funny comments and observations. Kathryn told Elizabeth, "We have to skip frozen blueberries tonight because there is a dead mouse on top of the (garage) freezer. I can't take care of it right now." Elizabeth replied, "What color are its eyes?" Kathryn said she didn't know. Elizabeth asked her to go look, but Kathryn said she didn't really want to. Elizabeth insisted, "You always have to know the color of his eyes. You have to look. That's how you know what to name it." After bedtime prayers Elizabeth asked, "Where is God?" Kathryn replied, "He lives in Heaven, but when we're Christians, God gives us the Holy Spirit to live inside us, too. That's kind of like a little part of God." Elizabeth continued, "With the germs?" Kathryn said, "What?" Elizabeth explained, "I learned on Curious George that we have germs living inside our body. They are like little things that sing and play banjos. Is the Holy Spirit living with them?" /`\ / : | _.._ | '/ /` \ | / | .-._ '-"` ( |_/ / o o\ | = () )= \ '--`/ / ---<` | , \\ | | \\__ / ; |.__) (_/.-. ; { `| \_/ '-\ / | | / | / \ '-. jgs \__|----' Here are some of Elizabeth's most recent conversations. Bank teller to Elizabeth: Don't forget to have your mommy bring you for customer appreciation day. We'll have lots of food to eat! Elizabeth: Will you have pumpkin pie? Bank teller: No, not pumpkin pie … Elizabeth: Oh, that's good, because pumpkin pie makes my daddy go crazy. He usually uses good manners, but you never know! "Mommy, I know you probably heard the refrigerator door. But I didn't eat anything I wasn't supposed to. I only opened it to look and see what was in there that I wasn't supposed to eat." When a neighbor said to Elizabeth, "It looks like your baby brother is teething! Does he chew on everything?" Elizabeth replied, "Yes, my mommy gives him rotten potatoes to chew on." (Kathryn gives him /raw/ potatoes!) , ,_ )\ \". / ) ) \ / / / / | | / / \ | / / \|-""-//` / _ _ \ _| / \/ \ |_ / `-\0||0/-' \ =\.: ,_()_ :./= jgs `-._\II/_.-' `""` When a man was giving out Twix and Snickers for Halloween, Elizabeth said to the man, "Oh, I bet my mommy would like some! Those are my mommy's favorite! One time, she bought some on sale at Menards and ate almost the whole bag all by herself!" After she came back from playing with the neighbors Elizabeth told Kathryn, "I asked if I could eat dinner with them, but they said not tonight." Kathryn replied, "Honey, it's poor manners to invite yourself for dinner. We only eat dinner at people's houses if they ask us. We don't ask them if we can come." Elizabeth replied, "I didn't! I only asked if /I/ could come. I didn't even want you and Daddy to come." Elizabeth said to Kathryn, "Mommy, what do you think your MAN is good at?" Kathryn replied, "Are you talking about Daddy? My husband?" Elizabeth said, "He's your MAN, Mommy. Your MAN. Just say it, Mommy. My MAN." Emerson, 8, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He asked for doughnuts and milk for breakfast on the way to school. Because they were out of milk, Janet asked if he wanted a Dr. Pepper. He replied, "Mommy, I am ADHD -shouldn't I have a Mt. Dew?" - Janet Funk of Arkansas Eli, 4, and Amelia, 6, are the niece and nephew of Emerson, 8. A little girl at school told them they were not niece and nephew - they were cousins. When they got in the van everyone was upset and wanted Janet to write the little girl a note telling her that Emerson was their uncle. Janet asked if she could just tell her when she walked them into school the next morning. They said no it would need to be a note and Janet needed to sign it and so would all three of them. When Janet asked why they all needed to sign the note the children explained that they needed it to be "official!" .--. /``'. /wwww\ .---. |* * \ |-=-=|/ ^ ^ `;--. *| \wwww/\^ ^ ^/~~~~\.' __ '--' '----| | .'-=\ jgs .'``\ \~~~~/ .-""-:=-=-=| / * | '--' /><><><\=-=/ |* / .-""-.<><>-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) . | . \ ' / '-. | .-' --= --|-- =-- _. _|_ | _|_ ._ ' _|__|__|_ ' ____/HEISRISEN\_____ >Little Things Too often we don't realize what we have until it's gone. Too often we wait too late to say "I'm sorry - I was wrong." Sometimes it seems we hurt the ones we hold dearest to our hearts. And we allow foolish things to tear our lives apart. Far too many times we let unimportant things into our minds. And then it's usually too late to see what made us blind. So be sure that you let people know how much they mean to you. Take that time to say the words before your time is through. Be sure that you appreciate everything you've got. And be thankful for the Little things in life...that mean a lot. --Author Unknown --- ...So true! Thanks LouiseA! >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? 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