Happy Mother's Day 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 ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! :) -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ *~* Wishing You A Happy, Safe And Blessed Mother's Day Weekend! :) .=.A.=. __.=./\ / \ /\.=.__ (-.'-; | | ;-'.-) \ `\/ \/` / ; `\ /` ; | | | | ;,"-.-"-.-",; \\/^\ /^\// \ ` / jgs ',___,' \\V// ||| ||| ||| >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This hot new page is from our friend Geniann. Totally awe inspiring! Check this out for the latest and greatest mind blowing tech devices. Hard to imagine what may be in store for us in the next 10 years! Give this one plenty of time to load. ,.-""``""-., / ,:,;;,;, \ \ ';';;';' / `'---;;---'` <>_==""==_<> _<<<<<>>>>>_ .'____\==/____'. |__ |__| __| /C \ |..| / D\ \_C_/ |;;| \_c_/ |____o|##|o____| \ ___|~~|___ / '>--------<' {==_==_==_=} {= -=_=-_==} {=_=-}{=-=_} {=_==}{-=_=} }~~~~""~~~~{ jgs }____::____{ /` || `\ | || | | || | | || | '-----''-----' High Tech Toys 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/techtoys2.html --- ...Super impressive. The virtual store idea is cool! Thanks Geniann! -<>- >-->From AFA: _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ National Day Of Prayer - Thursday May 7th: Here's a guide to the 'National Day of Prayer' events in your area http://tinyurl.com/ot6y8mk -<>- >>> READER COMMENTS <<< We got this from BeverlyA: On your posting of today, May 6, 2015, the following is stated..and I quote: "This song was found in the Elvis Presley archives. You must listen, it's beautiful. Even if you are not a fan of his, the song definitely is worth listening to.......... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200715678792401 " This beautiful gospel was and is sung by Carroll Robertson and might have also been written by him. It was never sung by Elvis Presley. This video should either be properly credited to Carroll Robertson or all reference to Elvis Presley should be removed. As mentioned, I have been a fan of Elvis Presley since the very beginning of his career. Elvis enjoyed singing and performing many great gospels songs but "One Pair of Hands" Elvis NEVER did. Please make a correction on your site, if nothing else, and correct your poster. Thank you. Sincerely...............Beverly. --- ...Thank you so much BeverlyA! I listened to this again, and again I thought it was Elvis so had to do some research on it. I found you are correct. But the author and singer's name is Roberson not Robertson. I found by listening to a couple of his other songs, that yes, there was a big difference between him and Elvis. Just this one song tends to fool many of us. Both are awesome singers! I do so appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Please visit his web site here... Carroll Roberson http://www.carrollroberson.com/ Listen to his songs here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpK6lNfrJDw&list=RDHpK6lNfrJDw#t=16 If you just let it play after it is done with 'One Pair Of Hands', it will continue playing some of his other favorite songs. =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: __ Happy Mother's Day \_/ ((6} Relax and smell --(_)-- )( some roses. / \ \(\) \.'-b____q <@l> <@l><@l> ;;---------;; \)/ \(/ \(/ """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""ldb >GARDENING, WITH PEN IN HAND by Eva Shaw, Ph.D. I am asking you to look at keeping a garden journal. It's good for the soul, it's good therapy, and it's a good way to grow. Just today I've received a new one -- a hard cover that's stripped like garden onions, with a silky marigold-colored ribbon to mark the progression of my journaling. The journal is pristine, clean and fresh, much like my cutting garden was less than a year ago. Soon, the journal will be spilling over with words like my new garden. Gardens and journals are much the same -- they start with dreams. The one in my front yard was a birthday present from my husband. He hauled bricks, sweated over cement, wheeled in topsoil, all in the name of love. I choose the flowers. I dug in the dirt to create a bit of paradise joining with nature. I planted sweet peas for fragrance, and since their season is short, they tell me to cherish life, reminding me that we do not know the number of our days. I planted bulbs by the dozen. I loved their surprise factor. I can never remember just where I've planted them and BAM! They pop up in unexpected places. They take me to a time when as a child I was ill, feverish and miserable. Mama arranged a handful of King Alfred daffodils in a crystal vase and placed them near my bedside. It was my first grown up bouquet and formed a part of me that continues, now these years later, to share her "flowers make you feel better" philosophy as I give bouquets away. Daisies are in the garden because they're part of my history. When Joe and I were first married, barely making ends meet, he splurged one payday showering me with a small bouquet of daisies. In our 31 years together, I've received more expensive gifts, but the daisy remembrance is wrapped in the velvet of precious memories. I must ask him if he remembers. I am sure he does. Sunflowers are in my cutting garden although I cannot get myself to cut these beauties as they tower over the garden fence and flaunt their faces to the world. They tell me it's good to be sturdy and stand out from the crowd. A journal is like a garden where we "plant" our ideas, some perhaps too dear to share and some that are better left as secrets. We can place words on paper to write out, scratch out, rewrite and ponder at silent moments. There are no rules to journaling as there are no right or wrong ways to garden. Someday when I'm older, I may want to think back and marvel at my (possibly misspent) youthful middle age, juggling writing projects with a garden full of marauding slugs barely waiting until twilight to pay a visit. Taking time to write in a garden journal feels odd, especially if we're not practiced at jotting down thoughts, plans and even jumbled ideas. Knotty memories may shoot up and we may wonder if they're weeds or the sprouts of something to be cherished. Sometimes we have to wait and see. In our garden journal we need not censor or explain. The book can be for our eyes only, to be hidden away from others. That's the "job" of a journal. Journaling about the garden isn't great literature. It's simply a reflection of me. Oh, how I wish my grandmothers had kept journals. So if for nothing but the future, I'll write. Someday, perhaps from this beautiful new journal, a yet unborn child will say, "I'm planting sweet peas. Great Grandmother Eva adored them." This reader will know that in 2005, only lavender sweet peas produced flowers. That "fact" will disappear unless it's in my journal. I'm going to press flowers between the pages, a snapshot of my garden, maybe a bit of poetry, a photograph of my Welsh terrier, Buttons. I will add garden-variety quotes to stir me and thoughts I cannot do without. What will I write? What will YOU write? I'm a simple person and will scribble, "Today I've started this garden journal. With paper and pen I will tell myself about my garden." It's my hope you write about the breezes on your face, the soil on your fingers and the sunshine on your back, among other miracles. I pray you'll take up gardening with pen in hand. -- Eva Shaw, Ph.D. ___________________________________________ Eva is a woman who lives to write, garden and mentor. She teaches writing online, speaks nationally on grief and recovery and is the author of the just released, What to Do When a Loved One Dies: A practical and compassionate guide for dealing with death on life's terms. ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Jacinto :) ,,;;%%;%;` ,;%%%%%`%%%%%%,;%%%%` O ,;%%%%%;` ,;%%%%`;%%/,;%%%%%%%%` / \ ,;%%%,%%%%%%%`` ,;%%%%\%%%%%,%%%%%%%%%%%;` |_| ,%_,%%%%%//-;%%%%%%%` ,;%%%%%%%%\,%`,%%%%%//-;%%%%%`.'|'. ,;%%%%%;% %%_%%%%`%%%%%%` ,;%%%%%;% %%_%%%%`%%%%%%%``.' | '.;%%%%%;% %%`%%%%`%%%%%%`` ,%%%_;%%%%%/_.,%%%% ;%%%;.' | '.%_;%%%\ (_.,%%%%;%`` %` ,%%%%%,-,%%%%;%%%%,`` %%%.' | '.,-,%%%%;%%%%,`` %%%%` ,%%%; ,%%%%%%;\-;%%%%%%.' | '.%%%;\-;%%%%%%``%%`%` ,;% ,;%%%%%\\%%`).-%%%.' | '.%%%\\%%`).-%%%%%`%` ,%%; %%%%``/-%%%.'\_________,;@;,_________/'.%%%``/-%%%%%%`` ` ,;%%%' / `/ `|\_________;_;_;_;_________/|%/ `/ `%%%`%` / ( %%@, |||%` || ; ; ; ; || ,%|||/ ( `%%`%` / ;#%@%%%,|||` || | | || |||,%`/ ` __lc%#%@%#%;%%@|||%%,|| ;@#%| | ,@%;||%@,|||%@%;__ %#@%%#%#,@%%#|||#@#||%%#%@| |#@%#@||%%#|||#%%@` ,@%%%#%#%;%%#%%;||___||_____| |_____||___||;@%#%%, ,;%#%%@%%@%#%#%%@||!!!||!!!!!| |!!!!!||!!!||#%%#@#;,%@, ~^,#@%%##%@%%%@%%||!!![]!!!!!| |!!!!![]!!!||@%#%%%@%%#% ~"^,@%#%%%@%#%#|| | | ||#%#@%#%#%%%; ~"^;@%#%%%#@[]_________[___]_________[]%@#%##%%@#%, ~"^"~"^"~[_________________________]~"^"~"^"~"^~ ,;@;, [___________________________] ,;@;, ;[;_;]; ;[;_;]; | |/ \| | | | | | | | | | | | | | [___]_______________________________[___] ~"^"~ ~"^"~ >Thoughts "Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye." ~ Helen Keller "Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults." ~ Antisthenes The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. ~ Jack London Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow." ~ Mary Anne Radmacher Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called Present. ~ Anonymous "Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny." ~ Carl Schurz "Who dares nothing, need hope for nothing." ~ Johann von Schiller Happiness is often the result of being too busy to be miserable. ~ Unknown Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation. ~ William H. Sheldon There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work. ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon Happiness is mostly a by-product of doing what makes us feel fulfilled. ~ Dr. Benjamin Spock All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners... Looking for new skills, insights, and ideas. If they're not learning, they're not growing... not moving toward excellence. ~ Denis Waitley I believe the recipe for happiness to have just enough money to pay the monthly bills you acquire, a little surplus to give you confidence, a little too much work each day, enthusiasm for your work, a substantial share of good health, a couple of real friends and a wife and children to share life's beauty with you. ~ J. Kenfield Morley --- ...Good Ones! Thanks Jass! ======================================================= >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: _.--. ;.-'i.`._.--, {(;{} y`-.`,_`--. <`~;`-( _.'`.~`.' \ \ `i.' ` Y },-,) .j~. | ; / _j\ <_ `! ;_.'( / >-, `---.,' .'-j / `. ,<_ ( `. \ `=-j\ `-Roses for Mama by: C.W. McCall, Source Unknown A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away. As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars." The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose." He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers. As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home. She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother." She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave. The man returned to the flower shop, cancelled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's house. -<>- From Sandra This is an actual letter that someone's brother sent to his mother. She said that it brought her to tears, and someone sent it to me. Dear Momma, I had to fix my dinner tonight since Stephanie is still recovering from Pneumonia. I heated up some vegetable soup and was preparing to make some cheese toast with it. It had been a very long time since I had eaten any cheese toast. As I was putting the butter on the bread and applying the cheese, I thought about all of the mornings that you fixed this for us before going to school. I remembered the cheese toast, the oatmeal with raisins, the buttered toast with syrup, the shredded wheat with bananas, and the heated orange juice. It wasn't until I had to go through the trouble of preheating the oven, getting out the bread, butter and cheese, aluminum foil, and fixing everything that I stopped and realized the daily effort you spent fixing our food. I thought back to all of those mornings and the love that went into everything. We ate very simple; but as I thought about all of the cornbread and syrup, beans and rice and stir-fried vegetables, I realized that everything you cooked I thoroughly enjoyed. We still eat a lot of bread now because Momma fixed us all sorts of bread, and we enjoyed it. I remembered eating these items every morning, but I couldn't remember saying “thank you.” Even if it took me 35 years and a sick wife to realize the labor of love that you gave six sons every day, I want to say thank you now. I can never remember a time when I needed to talk and you weren't there. I can't remember needing a mother and you weren't there. I can't remember needing prayer and you weren't there. I can't remember needing a friend and you weren't there. I can't remember needing a supporter and you weren't there. We all get busy with the issues and responsibilities of life, but we should never get too busy to stop, take time out and say thank you. You are and have always been a remarkable mother. Even now just to hear your voice holler in the audience as we speak, I say thank you for your support and encouragement. We are who we are because of whose we are and from whom we came. This includes God, you, and daddy. I will never forget that. Even though this is not Mother's Day, Christmas or your birthday, I wanted to take the time out at midnight before I went to bed to write this because you mean that much to me and, you are somebody special. Out of all of the women I've met in my life, no matter how beautiful or powerful, I've never looked at another and said I wish that was my mother. I have always truly looked at myself as having the best mother in the whole world. I just started writing this really to say thank you for the cheese toast, but the rest just came out as I wiped the tears from my eyes. I love you Mother and think the world of you. I did the best I could to find the closest I could to you for a wife because I saw what the pinnacle of being a mother and wife was. Good night, Love, James March 19th 2009, 12:15AM -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Links for Mother's Day http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/momsanddadsindex.html Directions Home http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/home.html Jesus Laughing Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/Jesusart.html Love Thoughts http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/love.html You Have Six Minutes! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lovetest.html Who Is WE? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whoiswe.html Up Close and Personal! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/personal.html Building Advertising Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/buildingads.html Thoughts For Today http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thoughts.html The Blue Ribbon http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/blueribbon.html Freaky Art Vans! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/artvan.html Rules For US Citizens! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rules.html God's Water Paintings http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/water.html Wall Mural Art 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wallart2.html Expensive Hotels! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ehotels.html Pay It Forward http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/payitforward.html Wild Ones! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wildones.html -<>- >From Our Friend PatDeE :) He sent us one we have here Better get back to the Crayons http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/crayolaart.html And here... http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/crayolaart2.html Rain http://tinyurl.com/43foao3 --- ...Beautiful! Thanks PatDeE! -<>- >From our friend Geniann :) SPECTACULAR - Illegal drone photos http://tinyurl.com/nzsqpn7 --- ...Very nice! Thanks Geniann! -<>- >From Our Friend Melody :) Random Acts Of Kindness http://www.daretobeanangel.com/tasklist.php --- ...Sweet! Thanks Melody! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseA :) Animals can be silly sometimes, and when that happens, it's often incredibly funny. In this video, you will find plenty of animal silliness that is guaranteed to make you chuckle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BkmOpqSuWmE A mountain range in South Asia, the Himalayas separate the Indo-Gangetic Plain from the Tibetan Plateau. This range is home to nine of the ten highest peaks on Earth, including the highest, Mount Everest. Fly among these giants of the earth, and witness their age old beauty, undiminished by the passing of time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w2IBm9LUuQ&feature=player_embedded I watched this whole video in a kind of stunned silence, and I'm pretty sure you will, too. Most of the photographs from immediately after the end of WWII are in black and white. But this video footage from the ruins of Berlin in July 1945 is in color. It's a stunning, sobering, fascinating glimpse back in time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5i9k7s9X_A&feature=player_embedded --- ...Wow! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== >-->From LaughAndLift: Note from Chris In light of all the talk in the last several days regarding Obama's supposedly new support of "gay marriage" (anyone who didn't already know he has majorly supported it for years must have had their head in the sand) and the fact that he apparently evoked the name of Jesus in doing so, I would recommend for any who want to examine what the Bible (i.e. God) actually says, to read the following article: http://www.laughandlift.com/personalarticles/rationalizingsin.html And the follow-up to that article which delves even deeper into the REAL reason why many are comfortable merging Christianity with homosexuality. The last time I shared this, I received feedback that this follow-up was a very helpful and important article (even outside of the homosexuality arena). http://www.laughandlift.com/personalarticles/rationalizingsinfollowup.html Blessings, Chris "We should not adjust the Bible to the age, but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible." - Charles Spurgeon -<>- >Thought for Today Seen on a church sign: "If evolution is true, how come mothers still have only two hands?" >The Laugh (.,------...__ _.'" `. .' .' `, `. `. ` . .' .'/''--...__`. \ . .--.`. ' "-. '. | '' .' _.' .()) .--":/ ''( \_\ ' (()( ''._' ( \ ' ' `. `--' ' `.: . `-.___.' ' `. . _ _ .' ) .____.-' .'`. (--.. .' \ /\ / / `. .' \( \ /|/ `. .' \__/ `. / | o | \ | | | jro No One Is Smarter Than Mom My son came home from school one day, with a silly grin on his face, He thought he was smarter than me, his Mom, and could put me in my place. HE SAID: Guess what I learned in Civics Two, that's taught by Mr. Wright, It's about the laws of the land today, its called THE CHILDREN'S BILL OF RIGHTS. IT SAID: I don't have to clean my room, I don't have to cut my hair. Nobody can tell me what to eat, My freedom of speech is guaranteed. Its my choice of what I read, or watch on TV. I have freedom of religion, and regardless of what you say, I don't have to ask your God for help --- I DON'T HAVE TO PRAY. I can wear an earring in my ear, And, if I want, can pierce my nose. It's my choice if I so desire, to tattoo Satan's numbers across my toes. AND if you try to spank me, I will charge you with the crime, and I can back up all my charges, with the marks on my behind. HE SAID: Don't ever touch me, this body is only for my use, not for your hugs and kisses and stuff, that's just another form of child abuse. HE CONTINUED WITH: Don't fill my head with morals, like your mama did to you, That's what's called mind control, And it's illegal too! Mom, I have these children's rights, you can't do a thing to me, I can call Children's Services, better known as C. S. D. MY TURN!!!! My very first impression was, to toss this boy out the door, But here was a chance to teach him a lesson, for once and ever more. I took my time and mulled it over, I couldn't let this go. This kid of mine didn't realize, that he was messing with a pro! AND AWAY WE GO............. The next day we went shopping, and in spite of every plea, I didn't buy him 501s or shoes designed by Nike. I had called and talked to C. S. D., they said they didn't care, if I bought him K-Mart shoes, or a pair of Nike Airs. AND THEN: I canceled his appointment to test his driving skills, I'd probably be dead by now, if only looks could kill! I SAID: There's no time to stop and eat, or pick up stuff to munch, I think you should follow C. S. D.'s advice, And make yourself a sack lunch. So, what if you are too hungry, to wait 'til dinner time? Well, we're having liver and onions, Cause it's a favorite dish of mine. He ASKED: Can we stop to get a movie, so I can watch it on the VCR? Absolutely not! I sold the TV in your room and bought new tires for my car. I also rented out your room, you really don't need a bed. C.S.D. says all that's required of me is to put a roof over your head. I only have to buy your clothes, and the food that you must eat, The money you used to get for an allowance, will buy me something neat. No more eating after we shop, no more joking along the way, I too have a BILL OF RIGHTS, that goes into effect today! What's the matter, are you crying? Are you down on your knees? Why are you asking God for help? WHY NOT CALL THE C.S.D.? (Author Unknown) The moral of the poem is that no one is smarter than mom. -<>- >Thought for Today Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham, speaking of her parents said: "They set the tone for our lives by the way they lived theirs. Their depending on God was obvious - Mother's light would be on late at night and early in the morning as she studied her Bible and prayed. And Daddy, even though the world acclaimed him as a great man, and so many sought him for advice, would still get on his knees and humbly ask the Lord for His guidance. Through all of this we learned that seeking God was not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength." >The Lift ,"=-. / _),`'". ( /a( ), ) ) C = = ?/ ( )) (_ o-< ) ( `-' \; ( \_ ( | \ ) )| \_/} \ \ \(_;/-|_) )/) `._,--/ / / `!__!! ( (_o)) ---`-._, )--- ------( / |---- | ( | :__/|\_; \ |/ )(\_ /_)--` gpyy \_! A Mother's Influence (by Barbara Rainey) Proverbs 1:8 And do not forsake your mother's teaching. As a mother, I have my days when everything is relatively easy and I wonder why I ever struggle. The children are loving to one another and circumstances seem to flow smoothly. But there are other days when I wonder if it will ever be fun again. I struggle with guilt and discouragement. Will these children ever grow up to walk with the Lord? Am I ruining my kids for life!? Because of my humanity, my identity is subject to attack by my emotions, by other people's perceptions and expectations, and by my abilities and failures. Learning the truth about myself and standing on that truth is a lifelong process. I believe that if I persevere, God will give me a ministry of influence to the next generation. Most ministry activity is by adults to their own generation, but mothers can literally shape the future. President Teddy Roosevelt once said: When all is said, it is the mother, and the mother only, who is a better citizen than the soldier who fights for his country. The successful mother, the mother who does her part in rearing and training aright the boys and girls, who are to be the men and women of the next generation, is of greater use to the community, and occupies, if she only would realize it, a more honorable as well as more important position than any man in it. The mother is the one supreme asset of the national life. She is more important, by far, than the successful statesman, or businessman, or artist, or scientist. To have that influence on the future through my children demands that I objectively evaluate my life as a mother in light of that goal. Prayer: That God will give you a vision for the type of influence you can have in the future through your children. -------- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Honoring My Bestest Ever Bible Teacher (By "Kerry Bug" Doyal - Grace Ev. Free Ch. www.GetGraced.org) This being Mother's Day weekend allows me to write a tribute to my sweet, godly Mom. Raising her three sons and daughter, she can laugh at the puny challenges contestants endure on TV's "Survivor". That would have seemed a tropical vacation to her at times. While I could highlight many of Mom's attributes - an ardent prayer- warrior and selfless servant - allow me to share how she taught me scripture as a child. Not only did she and Dad have us in church, Sunday School, Training Union, prayer meeting, VBS & backyard Bible schools, she shared scripture with us often from her worn out Bible. Mom often wrote out notes with verses and left them on my pillow. Some of which I still have and now treasure. Her most effective Bible teaching technique was quoting scripture to us. I heard some verses so often that I did not need to apply any memory work to get them to stick. I just knew them. The first verse that comes to mind of her teaching through repetition is 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Why I heard this so often as a child, I'll never know, but it stuck. Maybe I was overhearing her say this to my brothers or sister. Yet, I have discovered that for those who need this verse, as my brother Kevin would say: "It's a good 'un". It comes in handy as a Pastor. Going around with unconfessed sin is like dragging weights through life - wearisome and putrid ones. As Mom said - teaching me more of the Word - sins not 'fessed up are rottenness to the bones (see Psalms 32 & 51). On the occasion I have needed 1 John 1:9, it has served me quite well. In true Dr. Mom fashion, this verse is a cure for skinned-knees of the soul. When I trip or dive into sin, this verse is a trail back to God's path. How good it is to know we can be cleansed from all our sins. By the way, it doesn't hurt a boy for his mom to assume he is a sinner. Since his sinfulness is a given (my sister Kara's too - ha), it is gracious to help a lad know what to do when he finds he has failed. Another verse Mom taught me - also a mystery as to why I heard it so often - is from Proverbs. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." More great advice needed by so many. As a Pastor, I have observed that as people follow this wisdom, it greatly benefits their lives. It goes well with this other verse she learnt me: Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. As a disciple, I have - a time or two - needed and been blessed by these rock solid truths. Pride is no attitude to cultivate or allow in our lives. It brings pain and tells God to back off. As Mom said "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." She must have been preparing me to pastor. Though, admittedly, I've been helped when I too remember that self-reliance is insulting to God. Haughty spirits, proud eyes, are not attractive. And it is profoundly dumb to tell God to give you room. We should instead - as Mom so often said - humble ourselves before God's mighty hand that He may lift us up. To be fair, I did learn a few other verses that were "more positive." For God so loved the world (John 3:16); trust in the Lord with all your heart (Proverb 3:5, 6); the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23); yet, some of the words of chastening, reproof and correction were as helpful as any other verses. Mom, your sweet voice quoting 1 John 1:9 is lodged in my soul. As my brother Ken would say, "Ya done good." The kind tone you used to teach that verse made it a sweet appeal from the Lord to keep short accounts. I honor you, as do all your Kids (the 4 K's) and many of our neighborhood friends that you led to the Lord. I thank you for doing so much right in reining in your rowdy bunch. Despite our haughty, rolling eyes, we heard you and you blessed us. So Mom, we rise up and call you blessed, as my children shall do for their mom. Oh no - it happened - I married my Mother! Praise God and count my children blessed too. My Wife would rightfully add an "Amen" for her mom too. >The Laugh |^^^^^^^^| | | | | | | | _ _, .---------------. | (.).) | | | .-^--_ | ACK! Not To MOM!| \ ' _____) | | | \ (__ /_-----------------' / -__/ / \ / / . | / / / | / \ / ' / \ / / / . / / / X / / / / |--| |____ \/\_/ |--| ----. / |\ \----' / /| | \ \ `_/_|_. `- unknown TOP 7 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY ON MOTHER'S DAY 7. Boy That Is A Nice Jackhammer You Got MOM! 6. Dad and I are going fishing. 5. You look great...for your age. 4. Mom, when you get done with those dishes, would you iron my clothes for church tonight? 3. Mother, What are you cooking for lunch? 2. Happy Mothers Day Dad. AND THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY ON MOTHER'S DAY 1. Mom, aren't you putting on a few pounds? 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 ============================================================= __-----__ ..;;;--'~~~`--;;;.. /;-~IN GOD WE TRUST~-.\ // ,;;;;;;;; \\ .// ;;;;; \ \\ || ;;;;( /.| || || ;;;;;;; _\ || || ';; ;;;;= || ||LIBERTY | ''\;;;;;; || \\ ,| '\ '|><| 1995 // \\ | | \ A // `;.,|. | '\.-'/ ~~;;;,._|___.,-;;;~' ''=--' - Daniel C Au - >Three Penny Momma Story Editor: by Don L. Creacy Joyce Schowalter Kentucky, USA The year was 1958 and I was seven years old when I first met my Momma. It's not important how we three children fell into the child-care system, nor how we came to live at that orphanage. Simply stated, the man our birth Mother had run off with didn't want to raise three hungry children after she was killed in a car accident. So there we were. I vividly remember holding each sister's hand through a chain link fence: separated on the boys' and girls' sides. It remains important that we three children stayed close. One day they got us all "fixed up" and took us to the courthouse to see the Judge. To insure good behavior, the social worker gave me three pennies for the gumball machine... "if we were good." When we arrived they walked us right past the gumball machine and, to our great joy, into a room with our biological Dad. The Judge told me, as the oldest, that if I wanted, we could go with our Dad and the new Momma he had for us. I looked her over, a large sweet-smelling, pillowy woman in a flowery dress. I reached into my pocket, pulled out those three pennies and asked her, "If I give you these three pennies will you take care of them?" Somehow she understood I meant a different kind of question. She replied, "Yes Honey, I will." I turned to the Judge and told him we would go with her. For the next twenty-five years she cooked and cleaned and slung hash at the Calico Kitchen all night long only to come to three more hungry mouths. She wasn't perfect, I don't know anyone who is, but she raised and reared us when necessary. Finally, we were all three out of the house and married and raising families of our own. Life was good. Then Dad chose to leave with another woman. We kids were devastated. I wanted to show Momma my support, love, and appreciation for all her gifts and sacrifices. I wrote her a letter and told her that no matter what happened or what anyone else in the world did, she would always be our Momma. To emphasize my point, I taped three shiny new pennies into a card and sent it to her. She called. "I don't need three pennies to remember you children. Besides, I still have the first three." That was fifteen years ago. Momma died this spring, we buried her on Good Friday, but because of her, we will never again be motherless children. As we sorted her things out, I opened her jewelry box drawer. There in tiny individual plastic bags, lay three pennies, dated 1957, 1957, and 1958. I have them in my pocket at this moment. No one will ever make a movie or write a book about her, but to me and my sisters, she is the world's best Three Penny Momma. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Kidwarmers: .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. _ _ _(_)_ wWWWw _ _(_)_ @@@@ (_)@(_) vVVVv _ @@@@ (___) _(_)_ @@@@ (_)@(_) @@()@@ wWWWw (_)\ (___) _(_)_ @@()@@ Y (_)@(_) @@()@@ wWWWw (_)\ @@@@ (___) `|/ Y (_)@(_) @@@@ \|/ (_)\ @@@@ (___) `|/ / Y \| \|/ /(_) \| |/ | / Y \| \ | \ |/ | / \ | / \|/ |/ \| \|/\ | \ |/ | jgs|// \\|/// \\\|//\\\|///\|/// \\\|// \\|// \\\|// |// \\|/// \\\|/ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY Zackery is in kindergarten and his uncle asked him how he was doing in school. Zackery said he was doing fine, and his uncle asked him if he was making A's and B's. Zackery looked very disgusted and said, "I am 5 years old! I know how to make all my letters!" -- Betty Baker (grandmother of Zackery) of Dodd City, Texas Jennifer works at a child development center. Her classroom has ages 3-5. One day when she got to work, one of the little girls came running up to her. She hugged Jennifer and said she had missed her. "I missed you, too," Jennifer said. Her playmate looked up, thought for a moment, and quite seriously told Jennifer, "I almost missed you." -- Jennifer Paris of Lincoln, Nebraska _._ .' '. / \ ___ _.. _.--. | / |.' `'. ;-._ .' `\ .' `\ \| / \ .' `\/ ; / _ \.=..=./ _.' / | `\.---._| '. .-'-.}`.<>.`{-'-. / .--; . ( .' '. \ .---.{ <>()<> }.--..-' / _ \_ './ _. `-./ _},'<>`.{_ `\ ( = \ )`""'\;--. / .-'/ )=..=;`\`- \ {= (| ) /`. / / /| \ ) ( =_/ )__..-\ .'-..___.' : '.___..-' \ }/ / ;.____.-;/\ | ` | '--' | .' | \ \ /'. _.' \ ' / |\.\ ; /`--.-' ) .'`-. / \ \ |`| /__.-' \_.'jgs \ \ |-| Grammy told Zach, 5, that when he could write his last name she would take him to the library to get his own library card. Within two days he accomplished this feat and he and Grammy were off to the library. Zach's Dad said, "Zach, even Daddy doesn't have a library card." To which Zach responded, "Don't you know how to write your last name?" -- Sally Hershiser (Grammy) of Kent, Ohio One of Sally's math students stayed after school to get some extra help. Sally's school backs up to the high school. The little girl looked out the window at the field between the two schools and all of a sudden she said, "OH!" and her face brightened. "What are you so happy about?" Sally asked. The student replied, "My brother might still be at the high school because he had after school 'attention' (detention) today!" -- Sally Stolz (sister of Grace Housholder) of Rockville, Maryland Alex, 8, was getting his hair trimmed. He was shirtless, so his mom just wrapped a towel around his shoulders. During the course of the trim, the towel slipped down so hair pieces were sticking to his shoulder and chest. When Alex took the towel off and saw the hair on his upper body, he said with disgust, "Oh great. Now I look like an adult!" -- Sandi (mother of Alex) of Florida , , /| _,_ |\ | \.'` \ `'./ | | / /`> \ | ; | / |o| \ | ; \_\ /.8.\ /_/ _.-' .'/ \'. '-._ \__.' | | `;.__/ / | | ; | | \ | \ '._.' | | \ \ | | / / | | | | / / | | | | | | \ \ | |/ / \ \| / / jgs `\ \ | / \ `;/ `| | Moushumi was teaching her daughter at home and ended up doing a vocabulary lesson with her. Moushumi asked her if she could explain what cooperation meant, and she replied: "Grandpa had a cooperation and he died!" -- Moushumi Maharaj of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa When Meghan was small, she spent a lot of time with her Aunt Mary. One day Meghan was driving with her mother, Amy, and they were reviewing what the colors on the traffic signals meant. Green - Meghan said that is for go. Red - Meghan said that is stop. Amy did not think she would know about yellow, so she explained that yellow meant to slow down, and be careful about driving on. "Oh, no, Mommy!" Meghan said. "Aunt Mary says yellow is to hurry and get across the street before the light gets red!" -- Amy Little of Kansas Tracy was driving her adopted daughter Juanita to school when she asked what an "osakin" was. Tracy had to confess that she had never heard of an "osakin" before, and she asked Juanita for more information. Juanita promptly stated, "People usually see it by the dawn's early light!" -- Tracy Grondahl of Norton, Virginia _ /_) (8_))}- . \_) '. .--. . , .-.-,_, : '. .' )`-.>'` ( '---'`; / `\ | . | | | _.' \ / / .' `=(\ /.=` ' `-;`.-' '._ `)| , ` ' ' ' ' ' || .-'| ,_|| \_,/ , \|| .' |\|\ , ||/ ,_\` |/| |Y_, '-.'-._\||/ >_.-`Y| ` ,_|| \|| || jgs || |/ Susan was babysitting her two nieces when Kiera, 5, out of the blue hit her sister Mallarie, 13, over the head. When Susan asked Kiera why she hit her sister, Kiera thought for a minute and then replied very seriously, "Because she was there!" -- Susan Beasley of Fernandina Beach, Florida Early one morning, Wendy found her daughter Olivia, 2, standing beside the bed, admiring her sleeping father. With a glow on her face, Olivia turned toward Wendy and said, "Mama, just look at this beautiful baby boy!" -- Lottie Royal (great-grandmother of Olivia) of Wray, Georgia ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) ...:::::::... ...:::::::... .:::::::::::::::::. .::::::::::::::::::. .::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::. .:::::::::::::::::::'.-=.-~, ':::::::::::::::::::. .:::::::::::::::::::' /{,_;--'},'::::::::::::::::::::. .:::::::::::::::::::: | .=~`|//| :::::::::::::::::::::. .::::::::::::::::::::: | / ; \ | :::' __, '::::::::::::. .:::::::::::::::::::::' || | | | :' .' \/\ ::::::::::::. .:::::::::::::::::::::: |\| | | |\ / \ /_| :::::::::::::. ::::::::::::::::::::::. \ | | /|'/ / | \ /_ | :::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::' ,_ '::: `\ \/|/ / /`.: \ /__/ ::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::: /\/`'. ':. `\ `./.'/\ : /.--' .:::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::: |_\ / \ ::. '. ,/|\/| // '''''::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::: | _\ / | .:: | | \ \/// .""'-. ::::::::::::: :::::::::::::: \__\ / .: .'/| | `)`/__//_/_/_\ :::::::::::: ':::::::::::::: '--.\ : /\/_| |} /.---. \ \ \ / :::::::::::' '::::::::::::'' \\ |\/_/| | //` . `'...-' :::::::::::' :::::::::: .-""'. \\\/ /{| |// .:::::....:::::::::::::: '::::::: /_\_\_\\__\`(` | '/ :::::::::::::::::::::::' ':::::: \ / / / .---.\ | | :::::::::::::::::::::::' '::::::. '-..,'` .:.`\\ | |} ::::::::::::::::::::::' '::::::......:jgs:: \\| | ::::::::::::::::::::' ':::::::::::::::::: \` | ::::::::::::::::::' ':::::::::::::::: | | ::::::::::::::::' ':::::::::::::: {| | ::::::::::::::' ':::::::::::: | | ::::::::::::' ':::::::::: | | ::::::::::' ':::::::: | |} ::::::::' ':::::: | | ::::::' ':::::. |/ ::::::' ':::.....:::::' ':::::::::' ':::::' ':' >Your Mother is always with you. Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street. She's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore. She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well. She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow. She is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. She's crystallized in every teardrop. A mother shows every emotion...happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow...and all the while hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love; your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...not even death! --Author unknown --- ...So True! Thanks LouiseA! >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? 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