Happy Fourth Of July 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 ================ HAPPY, BLESSED AND SAFE 4th OF JULY WEEKEND! .-"""""""-. .' __ \_ / / \/ \ | \_0/\_0/______ |:. .' oo`\ |:. / \ |' ; | | |:.. . \_______ | |::.|' , \,_____\ / |:::.; ' | . '| ====)_/===;===========;() |::; | | ; ; | | # # # #:::::: /::::.|-| |_|-|, \ # # # #:::::: /'-=-'` '-' '--'\ # # # #:::::: jgs / \ # # # #:::::: # # # # # # # H A P P Y # # # # # # # # # # # # # # F O U R T H O F J U L Y # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) .-""""- F .-' F J I I L `. L `-._, `-.__.-' ## ### # #### _____ ## .---#####-...__ .--' `-### .--..-' ###### ""`---.... _____.----. ###`.._____ .' ####### a:f ### / -. ####### _.--- ### .( ####### # : `--... ###### # `. ``. ###### : :. ##### .' ) ### .' / ## _.' | .## ,:' | ' .' < ' | / | ' . Harvest Moonbow! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/moonbow.html --- ...I never knew about this before - Thank You Wesley! I also love the video - Harvest Moon brings feelings that Neil Young does well with and does not disappoint. Superb! -<>- .''. .''. *''* :_\/_: . :_\/_: . .:.*_\/_* : /\ : .'.:.'. .''.: /\ : _\(/_ ':'* /\ * : '..'. -=:o:=- :_\/_:'.:::. /)\*''* .|.* '.\'/.'_\(/_'.':'.' : /\ : ::::: '*_\/_* | | -= o =- /)\ ' * '..' ':::' * /\ * |'| .'/.\'. '._____ * __*..* | | : |. |' .---"| _* .-' '-. | | .--'| || | _| | .-'| _.| | || '-__ | | | || | |' | |. | || | | | | || | ___| '-' ' "" '-' '-.' '` |____ jgs~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *~* Last Month We Had A Tremendous Month Of Caring And Sharing! If You Haven't Already, Be sure to View and Share all our newest pages: Lenticular Clouds! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ufo.html Proud Of Troops 4! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops4.html Paper Sculpture! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/paper.html God's Night Lights! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/night.html World Of Peacocks! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/peacock.html Tale Of Two Swallows! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/swallows.html Thoughts Into Action! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/action.html Attitude Is Everything 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude2.html Floating Hotel! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fhotel.html Backpack Cat! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/backpack.html Birth Of An Elk! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/elk.html *~* BIG HUGS, BLESSINGS, And THANKS To All Our Sweet Contributors! ======================================= >-->From Our Friends At TruthOrTradition: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Understanding the Book of Romans, July Audio Teaching from Spirit & Truth Fellowship Hello and God bless you! We wanted to let you know that we have added our newest Teaching of the Month to iTunes and TruthOrTradition.com Title: Understanding the Book of Romans: Righteousness by Faith in Christ (July 2010) The book of Romans is the great doctrinal treatise that forms the foundation of the Christian faith and clearly sets forth that salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ. Many people are overburdened by sin because they erroneously think it puts their salvation in doubt. Christians who believe in Christ think that if they commit sin, then God will not allow them to live forever. The New Testament teaches a great message of blessing and hope that when a person has faith in Christ, he or she is righteous in the eyes of God, that is, he or she has "right standing" with God. To be righteous in God's sight was the great desire of God's people in the Old Testament, and Deuteronomy 6:25 says that if the Jews were careful to obey all the Law they would be righteous. Because "righteousness" was so important to the Jews and such a big part of the Old Testament, Romans couches what believers have from God as "righteousness," instead of the more well-known word, "salvation." Now, after the death and resurrection of Christ, people are righteous in God's sight by faith in Christ alone. In this teaching, John Schoenheit covers what “righteousness” is, how it was obtained during Old Testament times, how it is obtained today, how it relates to "salvation," and why so many Christians ignore the testimony of Romans and seek right standing with God by trying to do good works. Listen for free here: http://tinyurl.com/28zs4wg (Just scroll down a little bit to July 2010) or Here: http://tinyurl.com/2e2pzfw Also, here are some new 10-minute video teachings we have just added to our YouTube channel: "Some Helpful Hints to Reading the Bible" "An Overview to Reading the New Testament of the Bible" "The New Testament is the New Covenant" "Speaking in Tongues (What is it & How to do it)" To watch these short 10-minute video teachings (and many more) visit http://tinyurl.com/2cyvpt8 To subscribe to our video teachings in iTunes visit http://tinyurl.com/2ebx99v We are sure thankful for you! The Home Office Staff Spirit & Truth Fellowship International http://tinyurl.com/2g6mf5a 1-888-255-6189, M-F 9 - 5 (ET) International callers use 1-765-349-2330 ================================================================ >-->From Heartwarmers: ( (_) ### . (#c __\|/__ #\ wWWWw \ \-. (/. .\) /\ /`\/\ /\ |\/ \_) (_| `\.' ; ; `' ;`\ `\; ; . ;/\ `\; ; ;| \ ; .' ' ; / |_.' ; | /) ( ''._;/` | ' . ; |.-' .:) | | ( .' : | |,- .:: | | ,-' .;| jgs_/___,_.:_\_ [I_I_I_I_I_I_] | __________ | | || | | || | _| ||_|__|_|| |_ /=--------------=\ / \ | | American celebrates Independence Day on July 4. If you ever want to immerse yourself and experience what it was really like when the Founding Fathers decided to strike out on their own and start a new country, we heartily recommend the HBO series, John Adams, which you can get on DVD. It's probably the best and most accurate portrayal of what really happened during those amazing, and inspired days, of our nation's birth. You'll think you were right there when it happened! Have a safe and joyful Fourth of July! And remember our overseas troops who are paying the ultimate price for our freedom. >WHAT IS A PATRIOT? by Joseph Walker It was football season, about 20 years ago. My then-8-year-old daughter Andrea and I were watching the Sunday night news, which included a report of the day's NFL highlights. "...and the Jets cruise past the Patriots, 34-7. Meanwhile in New Orleans..." "Daddy," Andrea interrupted, "what are patriots?" "It's a football team, honey," I replied, absently. "Sort of." "I know that," she said. "But what does it stand for?" "The way they're playing these days, not much." "Huh?" Obviously, Andrea wasn't much on sports humor. "OK," I said. "A patriot was, you know, like in the days of the Revolutionary War. People who really loved their country, like George Washington, the Minute Men and stuff." "Oh." That was that, I thought, and I returned to the football highlights until... "Daddy, what happened to the patriots?" "I don't know," I said. "A bad trade, a couple of injuries, some lousy draft picks..." "No, I mean the patriots who lived with George Washington. What happened to them?" "Well," I said, "they won the war, they established a great nation and then they all died." "Oh," Andrea said. "So patriots are kind of like dinosaurs, and they're extinct now?" I was losing ground here. But what was I supposed to say? Patriotism hasn't been high on the list of politically correct postures for a few decades. So I turned to the dictionary. A patriot, I told Andrea, is "one who loves his country and supports its authority and interests." "Oh," Andrea said. "Like the man who lives over by the school who flies his flag almost every day? He told us it's because he's proud to be an American. Is he a patriot?" "Yes," I said. "I think you could say so." "And what about Mrs. Davis?" my daughter continued. "Last week at church she was teaching us that song about America, and she was talking about the purple mountains magically and the fruity plains and she started to cry. I think she loves our country too." "That's 'purple mountains majestie' and 'fruited' plains,'" I said, "and yes, I'm sure she does." "Then she's a patriot too! And Bryan (the neighbor in the military) and Rosa (the friend who was working toward U.S. citizenship) and Chuck (the teenager who... well, I wasn't sure)." "Chuck?" I asked. "He always has a flag on his truck antenna," she explained. "I guess that qualifies him as a patriot," I said. "Everyone I know is a patriot," she said, "because everyone I know loves America!" I could have told her that there are a lot of people who would be quick to point out all of the things that are wrong about America. But then it occurred to me that maybe they complain because they care. Besides, what could be more American than criticizing the government? It's a tradition that goes back a long way -- all the way to George Washington and his fellow complaining patriots. "You're right," I said. "We're a whole country of patriots, each in our own way." "Including those guys?" she asked, gesturing toward the Patriots on the sports report. "EXCEPT those guys," I said. Hey, there's nothing patriotic about losing football games. -- Joseph Walker __________________________________________________ Joe is a Heartwarmer Gem from Utah. ======================================================================= >-->From Laugh&Lift: The Lift For the lift today, I thought I'd share this excellent video called "Creation Calls"...it is visually stunning and definitely a worthwhile watch - turn up your speakers and enjoy! :) -Chris o /\ /::\ /::::\ ,a_a /\::::/\ {/ ''\_ /\ \::/\ \ {\ ,_oo) /\ \ \/\ \ \ {/ (_^____/ \ \ \ \ \ \ .=. {/ \___)))*) \ \ \ \ \/ (.=.`\ {/ /=; ~/ \ \ \ \/ \ `\{/( \/\ / \ \ \/ \ `. `\ ) ) \ \/ jgs \ // /_/_ \/ '==''---)))) Just click the link below and it should start playing: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=-KEwhLvIQrk ======================================================================= >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: .''. .''. . *''* :_\/_: . :_\/_: _\(/_ .:.*_\/_* : /\ : .'.:.'. .''.: /\ : /)\ ':'* /\ * : '..'. -=:o:=- :_\/_:'.:::. | ' *''* * '.\'/.'_\(/_ '.':'.' : /\ : ::::: = *_\/_* -= o =- /)\ ' * '..' ':::' === * /\ * .'/.\'. ' ._____ * | *..* : |. |' .---"| * | _ .--'| || | _| | * | .-'| __ | | | || | .-----. | |' | || | | | | | || | ___' ' /"\ | '-."". '-' '-.' '` |____ jgs~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ & ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ /| ejm97 ) ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ /|~ /_|\ _-H-__ -~-~-~-~-~-~ /_|\ -~======-~ ~-\XXXXXXXXXX/~ ~-~-~-~ /__|_\ ~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~~-~-~-~-~ ======== ~-~-~-~ ~-~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~~-~-~-~-~ ~-~~-~-~-~-~ I would like to wish our Canadian neighbors a Happy Canada Day! I am looking forward to tonight fireworks display! As we kick off our long Independence Day weekend I say a prayer that everyone celebrates safely. Please do not drink and drive and do not allow those celebrating with you to drive after they have had too much to drink. If you are going to give the little ones fireworks to light off please supervise them closely. Do not allow anyone to turn a celebration of freedom into a tragedy.. May God Bless and watch over all. Nancy --- ...Ditto! May God Watch over you too Nancy! -<>- _ (_) <___> | |______ | |* * * ) | | * * (_________ | |* * * |* *|####) | | * * *| * | (________________ | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | | * * *| * | | | | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | |~~~~~~| * | | | | |######|* *|####|##############| | | |~~~' | | | |######|########|##############| | | | | | | |######|########|##############| | |~~~~~~| | | | | |########|##############| | | '~~~~~~~~| | | | |##########JGS#| | | '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | >"FLAG OF PEACE' What makes America Great? God makes America Great! Without Him there would be no America, the land of the free, and the home of the brave. There would be no Statue of Liberty standing at the door, to welcome the world's downtrodden, friends or foe alike! Millions would not be fed food for their bodies and souls. There would be no freedom of the press. Last but not least, we would not have our Flag, to honor her greatness. I would like to share this poem I wrote about our flag. To me, it represents all that America stands for. She stands high up in the sky, Proudly waving, to and fro. A hope to all who pass her by, O'er a country that loves her so! Yes we love her, this flag of ours: Her Red, her White, her Blue We love her and we need her, To remind us to be true! She stands for peace and freedom, To all peoples, near and far. She gives hope, faith and comfort, When her soldiers go off to war! We see her fly against the Heavens, As the clouds around her roll, And when the sunbeams surround her, What a beauty to behold! We see her stars and stripes fly o'er us, In great beauty and great splendor, A reminder to all who see her, To love her and defend her! Yes, we love her, this flag of ours, Her Red, her White, her Blue. We love her and we need her, To remind us to be true! **************** Yes, God makes America great. Without Him we would not have the privilege to celebrate this FLAG DAY! We must always keep God in America--- And may we always honor, love and respect our Beautiful Flag!! -Christine -<>- .--. .--. / ' .\ |'. ( .-. \ \ . ` /\. /`. / ) ( `.' .' '--'` (\ \.' .' ) \`. \ _/ _..--' `. \ /`'<_/ : )"'``..`-3 : :. `"'. ) / |-.'' (_.-._ | / ( .'`--..J ' |-'( |_| | : >` '. .'' : | Y | < | : > ' \ `_ : '` \ / :- ' || : / ./: | \ .'J /_ ) : | '% | a:f /.-.`). : I | / ( \ ) : .^) `-' `..-' (`"' / ===' Hearts are not just a pump, an automatic blood pumping device that can be replaced by a gadget made of plastic. Some hearts are faint and some other hearts are stout; some hearts are open while some hearts are closed: certain hearts are clean and certain hearts are mean: also warm and cold, faint and bold: hearts are light and hearts are heavy, some as heavy as stone. They beat as one- two hearts in waltz time. Other hearts are lonely hunters. Hearts are whole and hearts are broken; politics makes some hearts bleed. Pierced by Cupid, some are saddened; some, like a singing bird, are gladdened. Some are worn upon your sleeve. Hearts can be anywhere. His heart was in his mouth; but soon his heart wasn`t in it anymore, because it has gone out of it. And whereever it goes your heart belongs to your sweetheart or daddy. -By Howard Bird -<>- . : . __________ '. : .' / /\__.__'.:.' . jgs \_________\/ . .':'. . .' : '. ' : ' >PICTURE THE MEMORIES By, Kathleene S. Baker It was another sizzling summer day in Texas, and then, there he was! He was looking down at me and he was laughing! Well, I couldn’t hear him laughing, but I could tell by the expression on his face that he certainly was. I had been admiring the fluffy, dancing clouds, when in the blink of an eye; there appeared a gigantic, laughing snowman. Suddenly the heat didn’t even seem so unbearable and immediately I realized how seldom I take time to view the clouds, unless a storm is in the making. Watching the “laughing snowman” aloft in the sky brought nostalgic thoughts to mind. I was once again a child lying in cool, green grass looking for pictures in the clouds. The pictures were always there; they were just waiting for someone to look up and enjoy! And they still are, if we only remember to look. By the time my “laughing snowman” melted into oblivion my mind raced with a montage of fond remembrances, all passions from my childhood. He had come with a gift – an avalanche of wonderful childhood memories. No wonder he was happy and laughing; it is always better to give than receive! My very next thought was of fireflies, although I haven’t seen one in years. An entire evening could zip by while I scrabled to fill my faithful mason jar; always with holes punched in the lid so they wouldn’t all drop dead. Before releasing them I would gaze into the twinkling jar; it was as if I had captured my very own piece of the nighttime heavens. Hopefully the kids of my generation didn’t catch all of them, every child should experience fireflies. They are magical little creatures. Then Big Chief tablets popped out of my memory bank. Each new one smelled better than the one before and the paper could never be duplicated. Somehow the soft texture, combined with my writing style, always made my cursive appear so very elegant. Well, at least I thought so at a young age. Not too many years ago I bought a Big Chief tablet, just to again have one in my possession. As I recall, I hid it once I got home! Next came visions of “gold stars” on grade school papers! Add one of those little gems to a homework assignment (that was completed on Big Chief tablet paper), and it was a thing of beauty. Maybe if they had continued passing out gold stars, I would have been more serious about my high school assignments. Somehow, receiving a written score didn’t pack near the thrill as gold stars, or even a silver one for that matter. And, jacks! Hours could zoom by without notice. It was a thrill when the oversized jacks first hit the marketplace, painted in striking iridescent colors. They were delightful as compared to the old original, drab-gray, metal jacks. Eventually the paint would begin to wear off and it was time for an exciting trip to the five and dime for shiny new ones. I can still feel the sensation of rummaging my hand to the bottom of the bin, raising it slowly, and letting them trickle through my fingers. Then came the serious and time-consuming job of picking out the perfect ones that had no chips on them already. Our garage floor was smooth like glass, which made playing the game with a golf ball ideal. Rubber balls just weren’t the same, and I think part of it was the lack of sound. Golf balls clicking with each bounce gave the game such rhythm. Naturally, memories of coloring books came to mind. They also had their own distinct scent and I always took a sniff or two before tackling the first picture. If I was fortunate enough to have a new book and new box of crayons at the same time, I might as well have been floating on one of those clouds. Oh, how I hated when the perfect points on the crayons wore down to a rounded stump. They were just never the same after being sharpened with a paring knife. Those stumps made staying inside the lines nearly impossible and I was not satisfied with imperfection! Last but not least, was remembering that mother taught me everything I ever needed to know about chemistry, and my experiments took place in the kitchen sink. I was in awe when she demonstrated how to mix vinegar, soda, and food colorings. I loved the sizzling sound, the smell, and the brightly colored volcanoes erupting from different shaped containers. I tore the poor woman’s kitchen apart looking for interesting jugs, pots, bud vases, and the like! The food coloring stains I left in the sink made me wonder if mother bought Comet by the case. She loved that stuff, to the point of even using it on me! She thought it could clean anything and everything, including my elbows. Mercy, she couldn’t have a little girl with dingy elbows. Today she might end up in court for child abuse—using a “caustic substance” on her child. Well, my elbows seem just fine and I chuckle at the memory. Yes, a laughing snowman visited and brought a simple gift, one of long ago memories. For a short while I was transported back in time with many of my favorite things. Compared to today’s standards they probably seem mundane, but to me they are priceless and I’m glad they are mine. For me, a laughing snowman was the key that opened my treasure chest of remembrances. The ever-shifting clouds are always there, and I plan to spend more time looking for pictures! When given the chance I never pass up coloring, and vinegar and soda still give me quite a “kick.” Actually, I have the cleanest disposal in town! Now if I just had some bugs, gold stars, and jacks… Lnstrlady@aol.com ű2005 Kathleene S. Baker Please visit my website: YELLOW ROSE @ http://www.txyellowrose.com/ -<>- >Links For Your Enjoyment: Spectacular Firework Display http://www.riversongs.com/days/skyfire.html USA http://www.alighthouse.com/theusa2.htm Red we miss you, you had to be one of the all time greats! http://www.poofcat.com/july.html Best Video http://www.buffaloschips.com/9262.htm Big Screen TV http://www.buffaloschips.com/9263.htm Bike Meets Post http://www.buffaloschips.com/9264.htm Billiards http://www.buffaloschips.com/9265.htm Black Diamond Cheese http://www.buffaloschips.com/9266.htm Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M Earth In Perspective http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/earth.html Military Motivational Pictures http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/military.html Heroes Truck http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/herotruck.html Daily With Our Troops 3 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily3.html Imagine http://www.wtv-zone.com/Mary/IMAGINE.HTML Visit our site at http://www.inspiredbuffalo.com If you are looking to join any of our other fine e-zines visit www.buffaloschips.com ===================================================================== >In an Instant Story Editor: By Brad Lymburner Joyce Schowalter Arizona, USA My parents were divorced when I was 2 years old. I stayed with my mom and didn't know what it meant to have a two parent home when I was little. Although my dad was a decent enough weekend dad, that was all he was. My mom worked her tail off raising me as a single mom, and made it so I never knew how broke we were or how tough she had it. My world changed drastically when I was 8. My mom met and fell in love with someone named Jim, and of course she and I were a package deal. When they married, we moved a couple hours away to Indianapolis. I left friends, family, school -- all I had known. Jim had been previously married and had two daughters, both of whom were grown with kids of their own. I didn't know what to expect or how we all would fit together -- what this man, already a grandfather, would do with a boy, 8 years old. What I did know, very early on, was that I became his son that very first day he fell in love with my mom. I don't mean that he tried to replace my father -- who was still a good dad -- in any way. But from day one, I was his son, both to him and everyone he knew. He never used the term stepson; it was just, "This is my son, Brad." He provided for us and made sacrifices. My mom became a stay-at-home mom when they married. Jim put me through private school, not because he was wealthy, but because it was his priority to give me the very best he could. Jim had such an impact on my life through his fatherly example and is significantly responsible for the man that I became. He taught me what it meant to work: I have earned income outside my home, in some form, since I was 9 years old. He taught me what it meant to sacrifice. As much as he tried to hide the fact, I saw him go without so I could continue through private school and on into college. I have my own children now and Jim couldn't love them more were they from his own blood. He is their Grandpa, and I can't wait to share tales about him with *their* children. I will never forget his broken wrist playing basketball, or his broken arm playing football, obtained only because he cared enough to be involved with me. His waking from anesthesia after having his arm set created its own set of family stories that I can't quote here. Most importantly, Jim taught me what it meant to love unconditionally. I could have been anything to him -- a nuisance, a tag-a-long, or a necessary burden. What I became to him, in an instant, was his son. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From SermondFodder: Faith in the 21st-Century Bible Belt [edited] In a country based on the idea that citizens can believe in any god or no god, what are the right rules to live by? ()__ ||**Z__ ||**|**=Z____ ||**|**=|====| ||==|**=|====| ||""|===|====| || `"""|====| jgs || `""""` >God's Country Sept. 6 — America got its start in the climate of 18th-century secularism an intellectual atmosphere that led our Founding Fathers to produce a Constitution that not only ensured, but enshrined, the notion of religious tolerance. A little more than two centuries down the road, some Americans are asking if the nation has strayed from tolerance to "anything goes." Residents of Aiken, S.C., "in the heart of America's "Bible Belt" are among those who are wrestling vigorously with that question. The churchgoing majority has always dictated the basic values on which most people here rely in their daily lives. There are no fewer than 70 churches in Aiken, and on Sunday most of their seats are filled. When the city was originally laid out in an English grid style, each denomination was given a whole city block to start its church. "If we have parking problems on Sunday around churches, we can deal with those. That's a good thing," said Pete Frommer, who is chief of Aiken's combined Police and Fire Department. Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh and his wife, Lee, say their successful public life would not be possible without their faith. For Mayor Cavanaugh, a spiritual life and a public life cannot be separated. "We have to have something that we can hold onto, and I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is that leader," Cavanaugh said. Social Schism While faith seems to be intertwined with so much of public life in Aiken, some citizens who share the same faith have always prayed separately. Still, they all pray that America will aspire to the highest moral values. Religion has not made Aiken immune to the problems common in modern American cities — crime and racial tensions. "I have a member of my congregation who says that Aiken is a fantasy land," said Doug Slaughter, pastor of the Second Baptist Church, Aiken's largest African-American congregation. Sadly, the reality is not that simple. On one side of town, Slaughter notes, there are wealthy communities with parks, arts, horses and sports. On the other side, Slaughter said, there are hungry kids, troubled schools and "people living in houses that the wind blows through." Slaughter, who came to Aiken from Brooklyn in New York City, said he feels that he has to confront a word that he feels "church folk don't like" — hypocrisy. Slaughter said he's frustrated by what the city perceives as major social issues. He cited a recent uproar that broke out when more than two dozen local society women over the age of 60 posed for a calendar to raise money for the local Council on Aging. "But having a jail 90 percent full of young African-American males is inconsequential" in Aiken, Slaughter said. "I can't get upset over a calendar when that kind of stuff is OK. And when you point that out, then it's a racial thing. And I'd say, no, it's a morality thing." Others point out that blacks and whites tend to attend different churches. "It is still a grief that 11 o'clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America and in Aiken," said Fred Andrea, pastor at the First Baptist Church of Aiken. The Cavanaughs know that Aiken is not insulated from modern troubles. "We have problems in this town. We all have friends who have been through rehab, are getting divorced. I mean, there are all kinds of situations. We're just not this perfect little under-a-glass-dome community," Lee Cavanaugh said. Three years ago, in response to concerns about an erosion of public morals, Mayor Cavanaugh launched "Character First," a campaign to encourage "good character" among Aiken residents. The campaign was developed by a Bible-based organization in Oklahoma City. The plan is careful not to mention religion, but it promotes character traits where no one can miss them. Character-building messages hang from lampposts and are printed on everyone's public water bill. City officials attend various motivational seminars. But like many other Sun Belt cities, Aiken now has more people moving here from other places, which means they often bring different customs and ideas about morality and religion. "I had to be very clear about who I was and what my beliefs were and be very very open with my lifestyle," said Francesca Pataro, who teaches English as a second language. Pataro and her family practice Unitarian Universalism. Unitarians often claim Thomas Jefferson as one of their flock. Although he didn't belong to the church, Jefferson, like most Unitarians, preferred to think of Jesus as a great moral teacher and son of God, but not the divine God. Pataro said neighbors tried to persuade her and her children to reconsider their faith, but accepted her decision not to do so. Pataro said she and her neighbors focus, instead, on the things they have in common, particularly the challenges of parenthood. "We ask each other for advice about raising our kids. We have exactly the same problems. There are so many problems that the churches aren't solving," Pataro said. Blinded by Bad Science? Many people thought the debate over evolution had played itself out in the 1920s with the Scopes Monkey Trial, which riveted the nation. The trial had seemed to make fools of those who stuck to the literal biblical story of creation. Since then teaching the science of evolution has become the norm in American schools. Aiken resident Glenn Wilson is on a mission to put the biblical story of creation on an equal footing with Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in Aiken classrooms. The irony is that Wilson himself is a man of science. He teaches basic nuclear theory at the Savannah River Site, a U.S. government facility built in the 1950s to make plutonium for hydrogen bombs. Wilson and his attorney have made their case before the Aiken County School Board more than 25 times in the past two years. "We really should not be teaching either view in science class," he said. "But if we are gonna teach one, then we have to teach both, just to be fair." Wilson is far from alone in his belief in creationism. While some 95 percent of Americans profess to believe in some kind of God, almost half — 47 percent — believe in the biblical story of creation, and 44 percent, including President Bush, describe themselves as "born-again" or "evangelical" Christians. Wilson has some support among some people in Aiken. "When you take the Creator out of the recipe, you're going to have all sorts of problems. There are no moral absolutes anymore for people," said Diane Day. Mayor Cavanaugh also thinks creationism and evolution should be taught side by side in the classroom. "If you're going to teach kids one thing, then why not teach them both things and let them make up their mind? And I think facts lean on the side of creation myself." Others, like Pataro, rankle at such a notion. "What creation story are you going to teach? How many of the 2-, 3,000 creation stories that exist in the world are you going to teach?" said Pataro. The school board recently voted unanimously to reject Wilson's plea to have creationism taught in Aiken schools. Wilson was disappointed, but undaunted. He is asking people to vote for him as an independent write-in candidate for Congress in this fall's elections, and he is urging Christians who agree with him to run for the Aiken County School Board. Tragedy Lends Perspective The Sept. 11 attacks put a lot in perspective for people in Aiken. Mayor Cavanaugh said the community rallied around his "Character First" campaign. Wilson saw the attacks as a sign that the end of the world was near — the apocalypse foretold in the last book of the Bible. He believes people need to reflect on their lives and either strengthen or find their faith in Jesus. In a spirit of tolerance, Pataro said she disagrees with Wilson, but respects him. "I think some of his ideas are ridiculous, but I still respect him for speaking out," she said. "And that is what is important about America … this is a forum. The United States is a forum for discussion." http://www.abcnews.go.com/onair/DailyNews/ISOA_godscountry020906.html =================================================================== _..._ ||||||| ||||||| _|*****|_ ( '-...-' ) {`;-----;`} GOD BLESS AMERICA! {(| a a|)} \| _\ |/ \ - / jgs '{_}` Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty. -- John Kennedy >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! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->Pass this on as it should be of interrest to all who served. The study was carried out in Austrialia on their Vietnam Veterans. ABC Nat. Radio Health Report Autralian Vietnam Vets: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/HealthReportVV.mp3 VV ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->This is for all you who love food andd DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do :) Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ************************************************************************ >TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************