Happy Blessed New Year's 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 or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* Please Consider Giving To ShangralaFamilyFun.com The cost of the website has gone up dramatically due to the ever increasingly wonderful pages and photos being added each week to entertain you and our fellow Christian families. While the ads on the website do help, I don't want to drag the site down with tons of them to pay for it. I need your help! "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, the easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure. Please visit the site, scroll down and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL form page comes up. NOTE: Paypal will generate a 'Quantity 1' and 'Price per item' form. Just ignore the price per item and put whatever it is you desire to give in there. With Paypal, you will have your normal receipt for your 'payment' donation in USD (United States Dollars). You can put a memo in there if you'd like. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU MOST ABUNDANTLY FOR YOUR GIFT! ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND For Google Plus Users: You can find me here... Shangy Bigham https://plus.google.com/106648555948034085752/posts AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! :) -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) Our first too hot to handle new page comes from our friend BillR. This was one, like the one we already had on the website, made me stop and think and take pause. It is a good reminder to spread the Gospel to all those we hold near and dear. Be sure to turn up your sound and check it out here... ______ '-._ ```"""---.._ ,-----.:___ `\ ,;;;, '-.._ ```"""--.._ |,%%%%%% _ , '. `\;;;; -\ _ _.'/\ .' `-.__ \ ,;;;;" .__{=====/_)==:_ || ,===/ ```";,,,,,,,;;;;;'`-./.____,'/ / '.\/ '---/ ';;;;;;;;' `--.._.' / ,===/ '-. `\/ '---/ ,'`. | ; __.-' \ ,' jgs \______,,.....------'''`` `---` Twas The Night Before Jesus Came! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ChristReturn.html --- ...Definitely a keeper! Thanks BillR! Our next flaming hot new page is from our friends Melinda and LouiseAu. I've had this from Melinda for a while and recently ran across it in my email forwards archives. Like before, I really liked it and tried to check it out. It being in another language, however, I was not quite sure of it. So, like before, I put it on the back burner. I generally ask God to help me with my web work so I know I am giving Him the Glory and am doing as He pleases. God being the awesome Father He is, worked His magic and the next day, in comes an email from LouiseAu. It settled my mind so that I had no doubts and could do the following page on it - be sure to turn the sound up and watch the video here too: _.-"""-. .' \ `\ .' .-' '. _ | /.__ ) C, ^ \ .' `'-. ( ;-.-' / '. ) | / \ / _., ; . ';-"`;_.'\ | '. \ | / .* ** *, |___ `'-..___.|__/--' * .--. * | ```"""-----'/ '*/_ _`\*'`\ )"""----....___.; _.`.|^.^ ?;` .' .' '.`'. .;-.-'\_- /-.',( / '. \ /_.' ;.| |'--....___ ___..--` \ .;' .-' .; L.._ __ ```` __..-' /; / `.' / ;._`__````""--""`` \ .'( _.'`.' /` 7 | ``""";--.._ | /`,'`'"".`"` '.' .' | 7 | | `' | \__.` '. _`;.' .' \__| .--'._; / |_`""-'` | .' \__/` jgs `'-.___.; .-; `\...._/-' {_}-' \ \ `-.._ | / `"-' Santa Land Up North! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/santaland.html --- ...So Stunning! Things we seldom see! Thanks Ladies! * A Little Note Here: What Father did was how He often works with us, His children. Because of our spiritual connection of God in Christ in us, Father is able to link us like one big family unit. He can work through each of us bringing us closer together to help each other solve problems. I am sure LouiseAu had no idea she was led to that particular video at that particular time to share it with us by God Almighty! Just one of the many awe inspiring things God does for us. :) =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: ,-.-. / ,-. \ ,-. ( |a a| ) ,-. : `( : o ; )' : ____|____(_.>-<._)____|____ (_| / \ |_) || : `.|,' : || '|___..--|_\_|_/_|-...___|' ; | /SSt\ | : / ; ;| ,'|`. |: : \ / /| /|;._____.:|\ |\ \ / ,' `' / ;| |: \ `' `. \ `' / / | | \ \ `' / / ; : \ \ / / /| |\ \ \ / / / | | \ \ \ / / / ; : \ \ \ / / / /| |\ \ \ \ ( / / / | | \ \ \ ) `(_ / / ; : \ \ _)' `'.(_./___\._).`' >ORDINARY PEOPLE by Nancy B. Gibbs As the Christmas season of 1996 was quickly approaching, I wasn't listening to Christmas carols, decorating the house or baking Christmas cookies. As a matter of fact, I dreaded Christmas. Two months earlier, my father's doctor informed us that Daddy probably wouldn't live another twelve months. If the doctor was right, this would be Daddy's last Christmas. While I wanted to make the best of the holiday, the dread of the coming event filled my soul. Because Daddy needed around the clock medical care, he resided in a long term care facility. "Everybody needs to be able to go home for Christmas," I told my husband, Roy. We evaluated how much money it would take for Daddy to spend the day at home. We would have to rent a hospital bed. Daddy would have to be transported by ambulance, since he couldn't ride in a car. We would have to hire a nurse to come to stay with him. After the figures were totaled, I realized I didn't have nearly enough money to bring Daddy home for Christmas. One morning, as I drove the sixty plus miles to visit with Daddy in his nursing home room, I heard an important announcement on the radio. The deejay mentioned that the station would be making twelve wishes come true that Christmas. "My dream is simply too big," I said aloud in my car. Then the Bible verse in Luke 1:37 came to my mind: "For nothing is impossible with God." As I drove the remainder of the way to the nursing home, I prayed. "Please God, help me to take Daddy home for Christmas." That night after I returned home from my trip, I wrote a letter to the radio station. I explained my father's terminal illness, how we had always spent Christmas Eve together in his home, and how my greatest wish was to bring Daddy home one more time. I listed what it would take to make my wish come true. The next day, I said a prayer and dropped my letter in the mailbox. Several days passed. I received a telephone call at work. "Your wish is coming true," the deejay announced. For a few seconds I was speechless. All the plans to bring Daddy home for Christmas were already made! A medical supply company would donate a hospital bed. A medical transportation company had agreed to take Daddy home that morning and then back to the nursing home that night. A nurse, who was also a young mother, agreed to spend Christmas Eve with us that year. A few things happened health-wise with Daddy that caused us to worry that he wouldn't be able to make the trip. Daddy spent several days the week before Christmas in the hospital. But two days before Christmas Eve, God performed a miracle. He made Daddy well enough to come home. On Christmas Eve morning, I met the ambulance at the nursing home. I rode along humming Christmas carols. My heart felt like it would explode with joy. My greatest wish was coming true. My mom had gotten busy and decorated the house. When we arrived, I walked beside the stretcher as the technicians carried Daddy inside. When Daddy saw his home, tears filled his eyes. There wasn't a dry eye in the house, including the eyes of the nurse and the medical technicians. That Christmas Eve was a day that I will never forget. I saw an awesome amount of love as it poured from the hearts of many people. The deejays, a young nurse, two medical technicians, and the owners of a medical supply company, gave freely of their hearts to make my greatest Christmas wish come true. I was then, and forever will be, grateful for their generosity. I experienced what I already knew in my heart -- that God uses ordinary people like you and me to make heartfelt Christmas wishes come true. Maybe this is the year that God would like to use YOU to make someone's greatest Christmas wish come true. Are you willing to freely give of yourself to bring joy to another person's life? -- Nancy B. Gibbs ___________________________________________ Nancy is a mother, a grandmother and a writer living in Georgia. Her stories have appeared in over 50 anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Guideposts Books and Stories for the Heart. She is the author of four books, a regular writer for TWINS Magazine and has been featured in numerous national magazines. You are welcomed to visit her website at: http:/www.nancybgibbs.com or email her at mailto:daiseydood@aol.com -<>- .... .: :..:::::' ..:.::'''' ''' .. . . .':: ::'' .. .. .::'' ''' ':::' .::.':: .'..::::::. ..:.::::: '.. :.'.:''' ...:''' '':'::':' '' :^ ^ 'o> .:''' :..' '. ''''':: ': ......... : :. ...::''' ' ' '''::. .:: ':::.:':''''' :::':. .::' ::: ::' ::. ...::. .::' . '''.' . :. '::. ::... . .'.''':::. ':. ....:::::':::::. ':::.. .:' .:'.:.'::::::' ' ':::.. ':::::. ....:::::.. .:::::::'' ' '':. '':' .':.:.:::::::'. ...:: '' .'.'' .':'::' LGB .::' .'':: ' ':':'.. . '''.' >LIKE HINDS' FEET by Lee Simonson Joanna likes her tattoos. The young woman from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was a student at UCLA a few years ago and became quite the athlete. After she won some races, she went out and got a tattoo of a dove placed on her upper right thigh. And why not? Her grandmother's name was Dove, and Joanna's middle name is Dove. She even has the ceramic dove her grandmother gave her when she was a girl. But there is more to the story. She was a rising track star, specializing in sprints and hurdles -- very fast races that saw the runners cross the finish line in seconds. The dove also represented the birds that are released during the opening ceremonies at the Olympics. In fact, she had the Olympic rings, drawn in black, etched into her skin next to the dove. She told everyone that if she ever realized her Olympic dream, she would add color to the dove and the rings. But fate took a cruel turn, and Joanna wasn't good enough to qualify for the 2000 Olympic games. Despite the best coaching and training, she missed out. Moreover, she didn't compete the year after because of an injury. And, she decided to take the next season off to work a Boys and Girls' Club. Joanna was out of sight, out of mind, and getting older. Not a good thing in a sport that is constantly seeing ever younger competitors grabbing the spotlight. But her tattoo was a constant reminder of a dream she refused to give up. As a young girl she grew up idolizing five-time Olympic medalist, Florence Griffith-Joyner, who died in 1998. Joanna had told friends that "Flo Jo" was the most beautiful and glamorous woman she had ever seen and was her inspiration for running. Joanna would keep trying. Last year, Joanna got back in the game and ran as fast as she could. She came in 2nd place at the U.S. Nationals, and won the competition at the 2003 Pan Am Games. Like a phoenix, she was rising from the ashes, and back with a vengeance. Soon after, she finally qualified and earned her right to represent the United States on this year's Olympic team. After waiting so long, could anyone actually stand in her way? Could anyone steal her dream? Well, yes. She wasn't the only fish in the big sea of track and field. In a sport that separates the winners and losers by hundredths of a second, Joanna wasn't even favored to win in Athens. Joanna, at age 27, was good, but maybe not good enough. There were several athletes with equal or better records, including Canadian Perdita Felicien, ranked #1 in the world. Perdita was not only 4 years younger, but she even participated at the 2000 Syndey Olympics. She is a celebrity in Canada and she was setting records all over the place. The icons of the track world were crumbling at her feet. Last week, the runners finally met on the track in Athens. The best runners in the world were all in the same place, at the same time, and about to do what they do best. All eyes were on Perdita, and Joanna was just another face at the starting line. The race would be finished in less than 13 seconds, and the world would know who would take home the gold. The runners heard the starting gun and they were off their marks in an instant. But something bizarre happened. Despite practicing it thousands of times, Perdita tripped over the first hurdle. Her sights were set on the finish line, and yet, her foot caught on the hurdle and she fell to the ground. A moment later, Joanna Hayes dashed across the finish line and set a new Olympic record of 12.37 seconds, breaking the previous 16-year record by 1/100th of second. She didn't even know that Perdita had fallen until after the race was over. Amazingly enough, the favorite in the men's hurdles, Allen Johnson, representing the USA, had a race the next day. He experienced the same fate as Perdita, tripping on a hurdle near the end of the race. He was sprawled on the track as he watched his opponents cross the finish line. The man who went on to win the gold medal in that event, Liu Xiang from China, actually asked Allen for his autograph a few years ago. Now maybe Allen will be asking Liu for his autograph! Two champions -- Perdita and Allen -- both defeated by the hurdles they had spent years mastering. The heartbroken Perdita will no doubt see brighter days ahead. One of her friends said the experience would spur her on to prove she can break the world's record. And in four years, she will have another shot at the gold when the Olympics are in China. Sports are unpredictable. Life is unpredictable. Anything can happen to anyone at anytime. The strong can become weak, and the weak can become strong -- in the blink of an eye. It's the reason why "hope" is the most powerful word in the English language. Sooner or later, we all have a shot at the gold. Yes, Joanna likes tattoos. And she will color in the dove and the Olympic rings. She also has another tattoo on her swift legs. It is a passage from the second book of Samuel. It reads, "He maketh my feet like hinds' feet and setteth me upon my high places." (A hind is a female red deer.) She learned that passage when she was younger and has used it for inspiration since. She never lost hope. Today, she wears her gold medal with pride and honor. -- Lee Simonson, Publisher, Heartwarmers ___________________________________________ You can read more about Joanna's incredible race at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5809370/ --- ...This reminds me of this from the 'Synchronized Life' teaching... , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' "Psalm 18: 33 -- He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. A hind is a mother deer -- it is one of the most sure-footed animals in the world. When she is going up the side of a mountain with her young following her, she takes her back feet and places them exactly where her front feet were first placed to test for loose stones on the slope. If she did not test the rocky incline with her front feet, the loose stones would cause her to slip and fall down into the ravine below. This exact tracking means life and safety both to the hind and to her young. We can use this illustration pertaining to our stand upon the Word of God. "He maketh my feet like hind's feet......" God makes them that way. That is, He makes it so that I may learn to walk by the Word of God so that my "hind feet" will track with my "front feet" -- representing the Word. This means that where the Word has set it's feet, there also will I put my feet. If you stand upon the Word of God and you confess with your mouth what the Word of God says, then you will absolutely manifest the more than abundant life and you will become what the Word of God says you are. This is The Synchronized Life. [It is The Law of Believing studied in more precise detail. What we believe = What we are.]" http://www1.itech.net/~ydl/THE_SYNCHRONIZED_LIFE.htm Check out this page and you will see why goats too have to have such sure footing and why the bible gave such an exact comparison for us to follow... Mountain Goats http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mountaingoats.html , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' See also these teachings... Doing All Of The Word [All Of The Time] http://www1.itech.net/~ydl/Doing_All_the_Word.htm Words Of Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort http://www1.itech.net/~ydl/Words_of_Edification.htm Standing And State http://www1.itech.net/~ydl/STANDING_AND_STATE.htm =========================================================== _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | | /| |\ |\ |\ / |\ |_| |___| _ _ _ | \ | _ / | _ _ ,_ _ | | / | | \ | \ / | | \ | /_\ / / | \___|//_\ / | | ` / \ \| |/\_|/|_/_/|_/_/\_| \| \| \__/\_\_| /| \__/\_|/| \_/ ' | | /| ` ( | | | \| \| . `: : : . : . [""] | | | | | | : .'--`. _..-~-.._ : .: /`.__.'\ .' `. : . / \ .' .-'''''-. `. ,-'``'-. ; ; / ,' XII `. \ |`-..-'| | ,--. | / / /|\ \ \ | . :| |_.','`.`._| | ; | ; | | . : | |--'2019`--| | |IX o III| | |`-..-'| || | | | | | ; ; | \::::::/ ||)|/|)|)|\| | \ / | `::::' |._ ~**~ _.| ------| `. V I ,' |----)(----| `-..-' |------- _____j `-.....-' | )( | |,--. ____/ / /\\ ,-._.--------.-.-' ,-')('-. | |\`;/ .-()___ : |`.!,-'`'/`-._ (___) ( ' ` )`-._ _.-'|;,| `-, \_\__\`,-'>-.,-._ `-....-' ```` `--' hjw `-._ (`- `-._`-.` >-->Wisdom For Today And The Coming New Year: Take the present moment and find something to laugh at. People who laugh, last. ''When you live in the present moment, time stands still. Accept your circumstances and live them. If there is an experience ahead of you, have it! But if worries stand in your way, put them off until tomorrow. Give yourself a day off from worry. You deserve it. Some people live with a low-grade anxiety tugging at their spirit all day long. They go to sleep with it, wake up with it, carry it around at home, in town, to church, and with friends. Here’s a remedy: Take the present moment and find something to laugh at. People who laugh, last. '' -- unknown -<>- No one else can guarantee that you will be successful or fulfilled in your life. And that’s what makes success and fulfillment so desirable. If you wish to experience life’s true richness, you must make your own way toward it. Others can lead you and guide you and encourage you, yet no one can do it for you. You are blessed with the magnificent opportunity to express what it means to be alive in your own unique way. The fulfillment of that opportunity, by very definition, must come from you. The real meaning of accomplishment is not what you get. Accomplishment has value because of what you put into it. Though no one else can guarantee your success, you can guarantee it by making the commitment to do whatever you must do. You can guarantee it with your intention, your focus, your action and your persistence. Today, tomorrow, in any place, whatever the situation, you can make a difference, for your own life, and for your world. Grab that opportunity, make the most of it every chance you get, and you’ll guarantee your own success. - Ralph Marston -<>- >Thoughts Wouldn't you rather live your life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live your life as if there isn't, and die then find out there is? How well I have learned that there is no fence to sit on between heaven and hell. There is a deep, wide gulf, a chasm, and in that chasm is no place for any man. - Johnny Cash America's greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over, that things can be made better. - Anthony Walton Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time. - Wise Saying =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: >Where did the year go? Suddenly it is December ......again - and we realize that with giant strides we started in January and within a blink of an eye, the year is on its back! A big "Thank You" to each and everyone of you, for the impact you had on my life this year. From my side I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas Season filled with Loving Wishes and Beautiful Thoughts. May the New Year mark the beginning of a Tidal Wave of Love, Happiness and Bright Futures. And to those who need someone special, may you find that true love. To those who need money, may your finances overflow To those who need caring, may you find a good heart To those who need friends, I am still here for you . ALL THE BEST and A very Healthy and Prosperous New Year! **(if we are healthy and properous we will be happy.) **{BTW, yes. I have found that money does buy happiness! It doesn't do away with all problems but it sure does away with those problems! I've had it and I've not. It's waaay better and happier when I had it. So those that say "Money does not buy happiness, are just wrong! :) They do not know where to shop.} Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Seasons Greetings! and a very Happy Healthy Prosperous Safe New Year to come! --- ...Father said it best... 3 John 1: [2] Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Beloved - [that's YOU - Christians] - I wish above a couple things - NO! - God says Above ALL Things - that thou - [that's YOU] - may be poor - NO! - mayest PROSPER - and be in health if I determine you are worthy of it - WHAT? - NO! - be in health even as your soul prospereth - Even as you are breathing! So if you are alive and kicking, God wants you to be prosperous and healthy! Not only does God want this for you, He wants this for you above ALL THINGS. Wowsers! __, ,__) __, ,__) __, ,__) (--|__| _ ,_ ,_ (--|\ | _ (--\ | _ _ ,_ _| |(_||_)|_)(_| _| \|(/_(_|_) \|(/_(_|| ( | | ,_| ( (__| Happy Blessed, Prosperous And Healthy NEW YEAR! :) -<>- ^ _...._ ^ .' '. _...._ ^ / \' '. |X / \ -. \ |X | ^ .-. |'.-. .' \ / \;/ `/\` '. .' / \ ( `/\` / \ \ ^ `) ^ / \ ) ( ^ /'-...-'\ ( \ /-.__ __.-\ ) jgs '._ ` _.' ^ / `"""""` >New Year's Resolution By: Katherine Kehler [edited] "Because the Lord God helps me, I will not be dismayed; therefore, I have set my face like flint to do his will, and I know I will triumph" (Isaiah 50:7). Affirmations: Marvin and I were driving home from a wedding just west of Olympia, Washington. As is our habit when we drive, we began to talk about things that are important to us. This day we were discussing the New Year - goals, resolutions and plans. Because the previous year had been a year of transition for us, we decided to discuss and re-affirm the commitments we had made to God many years ago. What was it we would continue to do with all our hearts and minds and souls? What would we pour our lives into this year? Here are some of the affirmations we made to God and to each other for the year: 1. We will continue to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and strength. 2. We will continue serving Him - our aim is to please Him in all of our ways. 3. We will continue to use (read and obey) the Bible as the standard for our lives. 4. We will continue to love and be faithful to each other. 5. We will continue to love and be faithful to our children and grandchildren. 6. We will continue to give our tithes and offerings to the Lord. 7. We will continue to work hard and do the best we can to win people to Christ and help the unfortunate around the world. There were more, but these were the most important to us. How about you? Do you write out your commitments to God? If not, I Encourage you to do so. Keep them in your Bible, so they are always before you. Father, we love to do Your will! We love to serve You! Thank You for giving us the grace, the will and power to follow Your Son's ways. In our hearts we say, "Yes Lord, yes!" In Jesus Christ's Name, Amen -<>- >Let Go of Your Grudges As we approach the New Year, it’s a good time to clean out the clutter in our lives. That means disposing of useless papers and unused stuff but also throwing away old grudges. The prevalence and durability of grudges proves Maya Angelou’s observation that people don’t always remember what you said or did, but they do remember how you made them feel. Grudges are nothing more than toxic memories of how someone made us feel. But Confucius taught that “To be wronged is nothing unless we continue to remember it.” So why do so many of us choose to consciously preserve and revisit toxic feelings that detract from our happiness? Perhaps we fool ourselves into thinking we can inflict some sort of pain on the person who wronged us. In fact, holding on to a grudge is like holding on to a hot stone. It doesn’t hurt the stone or the person who gave it to us; it only hurts the one holding it. Carrying a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee. It doesn’t matter how justified the bitter feelings are or how right we are. Holding on to a grievance turns pain into suffering. In a peculiar way it empowers the wrongdoer to hurt us again and again. So start out this New Year by giving yourself a great gift. Muster the good sense and strength to root out and release deep-seated and long- held resentments. If you can, forgive and forget. But all that’s really necessary is a firm decision to let go of -Michael Josephson -<>- __________________________________________________________________ //" .__"===>_|===============|__\\____. _________________________ ||_| | | Amtrak | | |_||@| __ |====|=|========915========|=|====|@||[]|===[|]=[|]=[|]=====[| `\___|_|___________________|_|___/'@||__|_____________________ // ( )--( ) +---------+ ( )--( ) \\==|==|( )===( ) ================================================================== -Peter G. Chase- >There Is A Reason You Are There "Journeys of the Heart" The author wishes to remain anonymous Edited by Shmuel Greenbaum Printed with Permission of http://www.PartnersInKindness.org I was riding on an Amtrak train from Albany New York to NYC in the Café Car and began to overhear an increasingly heated argument ensue between a distraught passenger and an exasperated conductor. The woman, who had boarded the train with $173 worth of tickets for herself and her two children had lost them. As getting to her destination was essential for her family, she insisted that the conductor call the Amtrak computer system to establish that she had truly purchased the now lost tickets. He in turn said he couldn’t call, and that even if he could, she should have been more responsible. She insisted, he resisted, and the exchange heated up some more. She asked him for a cell phone to call Amtrak herself, but he said he didn’t have one. She asked for the number and he gave it to her. She said she didn’t need him anymore and would call herself, at which point another passenger lent her a cell phone. By this time she, near hysteria, had forgotten the number and again asked the conductor for it. He, having heard her say she didn’t need him anymore refused to give it to her. She called him a name at which point, as she was handed the other passenger’s phone, he called ahead to have the police remove her at Croton. At this point, with only about $20 in my pocket, I asked my traveling companion whether Amtrak took credit cards on trains. When he replied affirmatively, I entered the drama, and asked the conductor to call off the cops and allow me pay for her ticket. She insisted that I not buy her a ticket because she had already purchased one and wanted this to be recognized. She obviously was not a frequent train rider because she was still trying to get Amtrak on the phone for long distance resolution of the matter. I gently held her by the shoulders and tried to calm her and told her that her approach was not going to work. With the conductor agreeing to cooperate in calling off the police, we removed ourselves to the car where her children were. Another sympathetic man who had been observing all this met me there and offered to pay half the fare. Together we searched for the tickets on the floor of the car in which she and her children had been riding. Other passengers took an interest and in the service of adding a little levity, I jokingly said to her daughter "so where did you put those tickets." Quite seriously she replied that she thought they had been accidentally thrown in the trash receptacle at the end of the train car. The other man and I went to look, but the trash receptacle lid opened only on a dark hole. I fetched the conductor with a request to open the locked trash door which he willingly did and the young girl and I started looking through the bin. The tickets were there. I embraced the hysterical mother, who seemed now relieved and tried my best to reconcile her with the conductor. She was on her way to a court date for the settlement of a claim. She had waited four years for that day and had been told she needed to be in court that day at 11:00 am. Ironically her destination was Croton, but she probably arrived at court in a better frame of mind than she would have had the police met her at the Croton station. -<>- reICareI reICareIC ICareICareICar ICareICareICare reICareICareICareI reICareICareICareIC CareICareICareICareICa reICareICareICareICareI ICarICareICareICareICareI ICareICareICareICareICareI ICarICareICareICareICareICare CareICareICareICareICareICare ICareICareICareICareICareICareI CareICareICareICareICareICareICa ICaICareICareICareICareICareICareI ICareICareICareICareICareICareICar eICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICar ICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICar ICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareIc eICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICa ICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareI reICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICare ICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICa reICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareIc ICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICareICare reICareICareICareIICareICareICareICareIca ICareICareICareICareICareICareICarICa reICareICareICareICareICarICare areICareICareICareICareICa ICareICareICareICare areICareICareICa eICareICareI -Grim CareICar reIC eI >Christmas Is for Love - Author Unknown Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas. Mark was an 11 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him. As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?" I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise," he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that. Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present," he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box. "Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. " "Oh you can't see what's in it," He replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone." I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love," he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room. So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it. Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love. -<>- ,/ \. |( )| \`-._:,\ /.;_,-'/ `.\_`\')(`/'_/,' )/`.,'\( |. ,| :6) (6; \`\ _(\ \._'; `.___...---..________...------._ \ | ,' . . . . .`:. \`.' . . . . . . . \\ `. . . \ . . ..::: . :: \ . . . ..::::::::'' ': . || \ `. :. .:' \ '. . ;; `._ \ ::: ; _,\ :. |/( `.`::: /--....---''' \ `. :. :`\` | |:': \ `. :.\ | |' ; \ (\ .\ | |.: \ \`. : |.| | ) / :.| | |.| /./ | | |.| | / / | | | | | /./ |.| ;_;_; ,'_/ ;_| '-/_( '--' /,' SSt >I'll See You by: Marla Poncsak, There are many occurrences in our day to day lives that go unnoticed, but there is one which will remain clear in my mind for the rest of my life, and I would love to share it with you, as a Christmas story. Throughout much of 1996 and 1997 I was forced to watch helplessly as Parkinson's disease claimed my father. It is a horrible disease which strips its' victims of their dignity, but not their will to live. My father had not lived an easy life, but he never complained or tried to lay blame elsewhere. He was a warm and loving father and husband who would spend many hours of every day working on our farm, but each fall he loved to take a breather and enjoy his favorite sport, hunting. It was like he was totally transformed when hunting season opened. It was his holiday and you could see how much he loved to get out with some of his friends or my brothers for a few days away from the daily demands of farm life. He was always happy if lady luck smiled on him and he were able to bring home a nice deer, but it was just the release that brought out that special something in him at that time of year. Then as he got older and hunting became too hard for him he would spend hours going for drives in the evening just to see if he could catch a glimpse of some deer. He loved to sit and watch them graze and see if there may be a fawn appear with the doe. Towards the end, he was confined to hospital for a long time and there were days when he would simply lay there looking out the window towards the hills, and you could see a tear trickle from his eye. I often thought that he must just be wishing he could be out there again, but it was not to be. He passed away on October 22, 1997, and just before he died he looked directly at me and with a final effort said, "I'll see you." My father and I had always been especially close, and it was so hard for me to accept he was finally gone. The thought of getting life back to normal just didn't seem possible. Then before we knew it, it was time to begin preparations for Christmas. That winter proved to be a harsh one and we were buried under mounds of snow. Time slipped away and when Christmas day arrived a storm made travel very difficult and we decided to stay home. All day I kept busy with preparations, and by early afternoon the storm seemed to subside. Just before supper the sky cleared, the wind died down, and everything was so still. Then, just as I was about to call everyone to sit in to the table, I looked out our big living room window. I was nearly blinded by the brilliance of the sunset on the fresh snow, but out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement. It was a beautiful whitetail doe, and she seemed to have her mind set or at least her eye set on something. She had her head held high, and she jumped the fence and plunged through the heavy snowdrifts heading directly towards the house. I called for everyone to come and see her. She didn't stop until she was right up to the window. We all stood side by side at the window looking face to face at her only three feet away. Then she took a step to the right and it was like she was staring straight into my eyes. In that instant, and I do not know why, it was like my mind was bombarded with this intense image of my father saying "I'll see you." We stood there in such close contact with this beautiful creature for several minutes, and then she just slowly turned and went back the way she had come. No one will ever know why she paid us that special visit, but in my heart and in my mind I will never forget the impact it had on me, because I had been wishing all day that my Father were with us. It will remain a cherished memory for me throughout my life, a wonderful Christmas gift. -<>- . ' . ' ' . ' . . . . . .; . .': . .' : . : ; . \./ . .' . :;|.;: . 'd '' |' |' .| | | | | :. ' | | | | | | | __| :|__ .-"" .| , |. ""-..-"". ::.--""|. |""--.:: : :. '.;:__.+:. .:"__:' : "-.._" " _..-" : "" ".. """""" .." ""--....--""grp >WHO REKINDLES YOUR LIGHT? An insightful woman, who had lived through numerous dark nights and days, once taught me about getting through difficult times. "I appreciate your outlook on life," I commented to Mrs. Tucker. I was in my twenties and she was fifty years my senior. She exhibited a remarkable attitude and strength of character, which had probably carried her through those painful experiences. "Well, I have been through a lot of tough times," she told me. "In fact, sometimes it was awfully hard for me and my husband. He couldn't always find work. Some days he would come home horribly depressed and say, 'Things are so bad I don't know if I can take it.' And I would say to him, 'Well, you know, things could be worse.' And once he said, 'I've heard that so many times I think I'm gonna die!' I was hurt...but I just hated to see him so depressed. I didn't know what to say. Later he confessed that if I would have wept in despair, he wouldn't have been able to make it. He needed me during those times." Over the years, it has occurred to me that HOW she responded to her husband's pain was probably not as important as the simple fact that she was there and cared. He knew he could always count on her to be a ray of light in his darkness and a strong hand to lift him when he stumbled or to soothe his hurts. He needed her...and for similar reasons, she needed him, too. Albert Schweitzer said so well, "Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." During those difficult times they rekindled one another's light. Who rekindles your light? Who blows your light into flame when it threatens to flicker out? Sometimes this person is a relative, sometimes a teacher, or a minister, or a special friend. If you need the light of your spirit rekindled during this bleak time, there are those who will listen and care. Likewise, a great and wonderful gift you can give is to fan into flame the spirit that is in another. Rekindling someone's flame is an important task we perform, for few of us can go it all alone. The greatest weapon against darkness is, and always has been light. Even one small light is stronger than any darkness. -- Steve Goodier -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Christ's Bell http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bell.html I Believe... http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/believe.html Keep On Smiling http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/smiling.html Maria The Goose http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/goose.html Toothpick Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/toothpick.html Dogs As Best Friends http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestfriend.html Naval Fleet Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/navalart.html Value What You Have http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/value.html Animals First Snow http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/animalsfirstsnow.html Rainbow Mountains http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rainbowmountains.html Buttons The Elk http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/buttons.html Puppy Days Of Christmas http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/puppychristmas.html Dogs VS Elf http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogsvself.html Rainbow Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rainbowart.html Tornado And Rainbow http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/tornadoandrainbow.html About Dogs And People http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/aboutdogs.html How True It Is http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/nyear.html Yearly Friendship Renewal http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/renewal.html Festivals Around The World http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/worldfestivals.html Shangrala's Full Christmas And New Year Index!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/christmasindex.html -<>- Some of Shangrala's Best Pages http://www.amazafamily.com/index.html -<>- >From TruthOrTradion.com - Where is Your Focus? When I was a child, my Dad had a very nice camera and his own darkroom, https://tinyurl.com/yd2fphyo >From Hillsdale College: Early in his presidency, President Donald Trump highlighted the importance of our "Western tradition"—meaning the foundation of Western Civilization—in a speech to the people of Poland. The media took issue with the phrase "Western tradition," accusing him of promoting an "alt- right manifesto" that only celebrates dead white men. While the media reacts strongly to anything Trump says, this particular response shows that there is a great misunderstanding of the meaning of Western heritage and its foundations. You cannot call yourself educated unless you know the story of Western Civilization. That is why we are offering our free online course, "Western Heritage." Activate your FREE “Western Heritage” course now! https://tinyurl.com/ybakfhqu A list of President Trump's Accomplishments in less than 2 years (Compiled by The Washington Examiner) https://tinyurl.com/y9rbhwhg Sean Hannity With Facts on Our Border Crisis 12/26/18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbJ8dBLVrIU How Trump Will Help Americans During The Schumer Shutdown The Democrats are selling America for illegals https://tinyurl.com/ycnr39cb President Trump Signs $867 Billion Farm Bill “We are ensuring that American agriculture will always feed our families, nourish our communities, power our commerce and inspire our nation,” the President said. The bill will improve crop insurance, disaster relief programs, and access to rural broadband, among other provisions. https://tinyurl.com/ya9hbacs DHS to Make Asylum-Seekers Wait in Mexico in Attempt to End 'Catch-and-Release' Asylum-seekers crossing Mexico to reach the United States will now have to wait for an immigration court hearing before being granted access to the American homeland, Stephen Dinan reports for The Washington Times. https://tinyurl.com/ycwomkqp “Congress approved a sweeping bipartisan criminal justice reform bill on Thursday, handing President Trump a major legislative victory on an issue championed by his White House,” Adam Shaw writes for Fox News. “This is a great bi-partisan achievement for everybody,” President Trump tweeted. “When both parties work together we can keep our Country safer.” https://tinyurl.com/y8uvvxef WhiteHouseNews: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Students For Life https://tinyurl.com/yd5nxmu6 Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Today's Best Conservative Humor! https://theusawire.com/2018/03/8092-todays-best-conservative-humor/ RECALLS: Salads, Toys, Medical Supplies http://www.emergencyemail.org/products/?fmt=text Health Alert: CDC Issues Alert for Polio-like Illness https://tinyurl.com/yapm4ely -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) 10-year-old Kaylee Rogers, who has autism and ADHD, leads the Killard House School Choir in the singing of "Hallelujah". This beautiful music video was recorded at the Killard House School in Donaghadee in Northern Ireland. Leonard Cohen, a Canadian singer and songwriter originally wrote “Hallelujah” and many different musicians and bands have since performed their cover version of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_YzGBOqO6E A beautiful video of “Silent Night” performed By Sissel that is relaxing and enjoyable to watch. I love looking at all the wildlife and outdoor scenes as the song is sung. https://youtu.be/2EMH-3evZV8 Kelly Clarkson, Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood sing the classic Christmas song 'Silent Night.’ https://youtu.be/5BRVkgaIcaE --- ...Awww, love these! Thanks LouiseAu! A different kind of 12 days of Christmas compiled by Americas Funniest Home Videos - America's longest running funny video television program. https://youtu.be/9wBLwI5ZEjs --- ...Teehee! We and the grandkids love these! Thanks LouiseAu! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Linda :) \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz >Lest we forget... A Different Christmas Poem The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. "What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!" For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts... To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said "It¹s really all right. I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night. " "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times. No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am. I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son." Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us. " PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? New Year's will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U. S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. --- ...Amen! Thanks Linda! President Trump and First Lady visited the Troops in Iraq for a surprise Christmas visit and heartfelt Thank You then they went on to wish our troops in Germany the same great big Thank You! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU2PHxTWFd4 May God Bless our troops past and present and bless our President and all those who support him in the name of Jesus Christ our beloved Commander In Chief, Amen! ========================================================== _________________________________________________ /| | | || | | .----|-----,| | || || ==|| | .-----'--'| ==|| | |)- ~| ||_________________________________________________| | ___ | |____...==..._ >\______________________________| [_/.-.\"--"-------- //.-. .-.\\/ |/ \\ .-. .-. // ( o )`==="""""""""`( o )( o ) o `( o )( o )` '-' '-' '-' '-' '-' unknown >Without Saying a Word Story Editor: by Valerie Halder Clayton Bennett Michigan, USA Since my early teens my parents have been avid RVers, touring the country in their motor home. After I grew up and left home, they spent even more time on the road, sometimes traveling for months at a time. My father, who has a flawless driving record, was the driver, and my mother was his co-pilot and navigator. I never worried about them because they're two of the healthiest people I know, and take excellent care of their vehicle. I never thought about what could happen due to the negligence of other people -- or what would happen if they suddenly needed help. In late October 1988, my parents were heading home after touring the southern United States. My father was in the left lane, where the ride was smoother. He noticed an oncoming car across the median that was swerving and speeding up. Suddenly, the car crossed the median, launched into the air, and struck my parents' motor home in the side. The motor home tipped onto the passenger side and skidded down the highway, directly toward an overpass. Luckily, the motor home stopped before reaching the overpass, but the two passenger side doors were against the ground and the only other door was crushed on impact. My parents had been wearing seat belts, so they were badly bruised but alive. My mother's hand was smashed up because her window was down when they crashed, but the injury wasn't life-threatening. My parents heard people stop their cars and run toward them. My dad couldn't get the driver's door open, so they decided to wait for help to get out. Then they heard people holler that the motor home was on fire! They had on board a full load of propane for cooking and heating. My father tried to kick the windshield out; it wouldn't budge. My parents and the onlookers were growing frantic. Suddenly my parents heard people cheer and yell, "The fire is out and help is on the way!" Someone tore out the overhead sleeping compartment window and helped my parents escape. When outside and breathing fresh air again, they asked what had happened. A semi-truck driver had stopped to help. The driver jumped down, got a fire extinguisher from his rig, and fearlessly went about putting out the blaze that could have exploded at any second. When the flames were out, he simply climbed back in his truck and drove away. No one thought to get the license number or even notice what company the truck was from. This selfless trucker without a doubt allowed my parents to survive that accident. We never got to thank him for his actions, but we'll always be grateful. If you know this man please thank him for us. If you don't, please thank another trucker for us: for being out there, being prepared, and being willing to come to the aid of motorists in need, no matter what the circumstances. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From LaughAndLift: The freedom God gives has built-in limits for our good - laws that protect us from evil and safeguard our happiness. The Lift __, . .-.="j. "-:._.f "_ ." __."" "-'.;" "._f". .g88s..g88s.g88s..;g88s..g88s..g88s. 68888968888988889;688889688889688889 "^88^""^88^"^88^";:"^88^"^88^""Y888^" ft][tftf][ftt][tfjjd][jddj][jdjj][dj " ][ " "][ ""][ /\"][ "" ][" ""][" / \ / \ / \ fsc / \ >The Pathway (by Roy Lessin) One day a follower of the Lord knelt before his Father in heaven. With a prayer on his lips, peace in his spirit, and faith in his heart, he gazed into his Father's eyes. He noticed the Lord's eyes were clear, brilliant, and sharply focused. The follower turned to see the Lord looking out at a pathway. The pathway was only visible for a few hundred yards and faded from view behind a small hill. The follower noticed other pathways close by. It was at this time that the Lord spoke--- "The pathway you see is the path that I haven chosen and prepared for you. Follow it with confidence, trust, and courage. It will perfectly lead you into the plans I have for your life. If you ever wonder where the pathway is taking you, simply look down and you will notice my footsteps ahead of you and behind you. As you walk you will notice other pathways close to yours. Some will draw your interest and curiosity. You may be attracted because of flowers that border them, trees that shade them or the direction in which they are heading. What you don't see is the depth of the valleys, and the steepness of the mountains through which they wind. Those whom I have called to travel these other pathways will have my grace for their journey. I do not want you to waste your time imagining what it might be like traveling down someone else's path. If you choose another's path, you will not have my grace upon you, and the valleys and hills will burden you and create a weariness within you. The time and energy I give you will always be enough for each day's travel, and you will find many resting places along the way. Give yourself completely to the path I have prepared for you. As you do, continue to look upon My face, for My smile will be upon you. Never forget that everything is significant and working together for the good. I know where the path will take you, for I have already traveled it. Believe Me when I say that you can never imagine the incredible things that await you." 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 ========================================================== ________ .##@@&&&@@##. ,##@&::%&&%%::&@##. #@&:%%000000000%%:&@# #@&:%00' '00%:&@# #@&:%0' '0%:&@# #@&:%0 0%:&@# #@&:%0 0%:&@# #@&:%0 0%:&@# "" ' " " ' "" >-->I'll Paint You A Rainbow I'll paint you a rainbow to hang on the wall, To brighten your heart when grey shadows fall, On a canvas of joy outlasting the years. With a soft brush of sweetness to dry all your tears, I'll paint you a rainbow with colors of smiles That glow with sincerity over the miles. On a palette of words I will tenderly blend Tones into treasures of sunlight and wind. I'll paint you a rainbow that reaches so wide, Your sighs and your sorrows will vanish inside, And deep in the center of each different hue, Is a memory fashioned especially for you. So, lift up your eyes, for suspended above, Is a rainbow designed by the fingers of love. -Grace E. Easley >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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