Happy St.Patrick's Day ... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an adult club in the love and romance directory so you will have to confirm that you are an adult when you go here. I still have no idea how to change this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try! or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! ================ "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ === (`\,;+++;,/`) (- (((^.^))) -) (- ))\-/(( -) (- (() ()) -) \ `/`@`\` / \ / \ / \/ \/ / \ /_/_/_|_\_\_\ ldb *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels For 2011 *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a 2011 Shangrala Angel, please visit the site and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL page comes up. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS ALL OUR ANGELS MOST ABUNDANTLY! ================ >-->PRAYERS PLEASE: As The Tragedy In Japan Continues To Unfold, Please Pray for the innocent. May God look out for them and help each of them In The Name Of Jesus Christ according to His Sweet Will! Amen! ================ *** *** ***....** **...*** **........** **.......** *** **..........*.........** *** **.....** **..................** **.....** **.........** **..............** **.........** *..............* *..........* *..............* **..............* *......* *..............** **..............** *....* **..............** *......................................* **..............**........**..............** **..............* *....*....*..............** *..............* *........* ...*..............* **.........** *............* ...**.........** **.....** **...............**....**.....** *** **...................**...* *** **...........*...........**...* **.........* *.........** *...*..*..*..* *......** **......* *........* ** * * ** *...* * _ _ _____ ____ ____ _ _ ( ) ( ) ( _ ) ( _ \ ( _ \ ( ) ( ) | |_| | | (_) | | |_) )| |_) ) \ \_/ / | _ | | _ | | ,__/ | __/ \ / | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) ____ _____ ____ _____ _____ ____ _ ___ _ _ _ ____ ( _ \(_ _) ( _ \ ( _ )(_ _)( _ \ ( ) / _ \ ( ) ( )( )( _ \ | (_(_) | | | |_) )| (_) | | | | (_) )| || ( (_)| |/ / |/ | (_(_) _\__ \ | | | __/ | _ | | | | / | || | _ | , < ' _\__ \ ( )__) | | | _ | | | | | | | | | |\ \ | || (_( )| |\ \ ( )__) | \_____) (_)(_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_) (_)(_) \___/ (_) (_) \_____) ____ _____ _ _ __ ( _ \ ( _ )( ) ( ) ( ) | | \ \ | (_) | \ \_/ / | / | | ) )| _ | \ / |/ | |_/ / | | | | | | _ (____/ (_) (_) (_) (_) *~* HAVE A SAFE, HAPPY AND VERY BLESSED St.Patrick's DAY! *~* May your blessings outnumber The Shamrocks that grow. And may trouble avoid you Wherever you go. ================ >-->From Heartwarmers: .sSS$$p. d$$$SSS$$$. .SSS$$$$SSS$$b-' .S$$SSSS$$$$SS$$b :SS$$$$SSSS$$$SS$$; TS$$S$$$SSS$$$$S$$ SS$$SS$$$SS$$S$$$b :SS$$$SS$$$S$$S$$$b- `TSS$$$SS$$$$SSJ" `TSS$$SSS$$" "-. _.-.-"""^$^^$' \ .'.-" `y \ / / / t : : .' :; ; : .' ;: : \ .' .- / : ; \_.' .' `-..-' ; ; ' .' : /: .'-. ; : ; .' .-."-, : ; : .'.`-."-(" ; :.' \ .'\`."-."L_: : / `--' ; "--' ; >THE WAITING GAME by Kathe Campbell Nature had shaped my face at 20, and a good life reshaped it by 50. But at 75, instead of charismatic laugh lines about my mouth and eyes that twinkled charm, energy, and youthful ideals, worry wrinkles were haunting me. Coping with a bad case of jitters, I picked up the phone to make an appointment with my doctor, for I had found a good size lump on my thigh. A lump, I pondered. Just what I need. I've lost an arm, now I'm about to lose a leg. How wonderful, as I pictured myself a sorry crippled old prune keeping my little ranch and stock in good fettle. Along with rheumatoid arthritis and spinal stenosis, just one more thing to raise my walking drugstore status. My doctor inspected the lump and advised sending me headlong under a gargantuan machine resembling some medieval torture device. "I really don't think it's anything to worry about, Kath," he remarked as I pulled on my jeans to begin that awful waiting game. Whether my doctor was worried about me or not, those were the words I liked hearing. It was an expression of reassurance that allowed me to return to daily routines without anxious wondering what lab reports would bring. When feeling uptight, I'll simply take deep breaths to avoid sleepless nights and panic, and probably heal easily in these days of modern miracles... or so I told myself. But, alas, unable to think past worrywart butterflies, I pushed in a half dozen CD's and plunged into a major kitchen and pantry make-over. Saving aside a box for the food bank, and reorganizing drawers and cupboards made one afternoon fly. The next day I tackled the linen closet, and day three found me fine tuning two bathrooms. Physical exercise and wearing myself to a frazzle left me gratified, and did wonders for my disposition. Now if I should suddenly call it a day, the grandkids could say, "Yes, our Granny kept such a lovely home!" Four eternal days passed with fear creeping in like hoar frost, characterized by episodes of chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath and profuse sweating. Should I call the doctor's office? How long can it take for a lab crew to check out those samples? Surely the old adage, "no news is good news," has merit. There was no doubt about it, despite my doctor's reassurances, I was dying. Still a miserable wreck, I crawled into bed exhausted, but woke up wired in the middle of the night, pacing about, my befuddled canine pal dogging my every step. Wooziness and nausea consumed me, and I had trouble reading the newspaper or absorbing a movie on TV. My imagination was on a rampage again, and if I wasn't sick before, I was doing a bang-up job giving myself a full-blown panic attack. The following day I again bugged my sweet daughter with my tale of woe, did my volunteer duty, and the dog and I took a little ride in the truck to drive out worry demons. But in the end, can the amazing truth be that the God of the whole world might be interested in little ole' me? It must be so, for He said, "fear not," and I knew somebody up there had His eye on this pitiful sparrow. When I heard the doctor's nurse on the phone, I froze. Why was Maura calling, and not my doctor? "The x-rays, ultra sounds, and lab results show nothing, Kath. Doctor says all is well. It's just a large non-invasive fatty lump. Watch it, and if it changes, be sure to come in, OK?" Heaving a giant sigh, worry wrinkles gone in a flash, and feeling like a kid again, I trumpeted aloud to my faithful pooch as he felt my relief and jumped in circles... "Now wasn't that just the dumbest? Getting myself all tied up in a dozen knots over this crazy thing, Corky? I'll not be putting us through that again!" Wanna bet? -- Kathe Campbell __________________________________________________ Kathe lives her dream on a Montana mountain with her mammoth donkeys, a Keeshond, and a few kitties. Three children, eleven grands and three greats round out her herd. She is a prolific writer on Alzheimer's, and her stories are found on many ezines. Kathe is a contributing author to the Chicken Soup For The Soul and Cup of Comfort series, numerous anthologies, RX for Writers, magazines and medical journals. ============================================================= >-->From DevineHalowings: ______________________ |,----.,----.,----.,--.\ || || || || \\ |`----'`----'|----||----\`. [ | -||- __|(| [ ,--. |____||.--. | =-(( `))-----------(( `))== jrei`--' `--' >I believe In the fall of 1996 I was on my way home to Nampa, driving on I-80 from Boise, Idaho. It was sometime after 10 pm and I had just left the chapel of a medium security prison. We had had a great service. God had moved mightily and I was so excited! The flow of traffic was heavy - about 70 mph. Suddenly I noticed that cars ahead of me were suddenly changing lanes, swerving erratically. Before I knew it, I was driving headlong into the back of a school bus that had just merged into traffic. For some reason the bus crossed over into the middle lane at a crawl. The other cars ahead of me were able to swerve around it, but I had no where to go. A pickup truck, oblivious to the predicament ahead of me, came flying past my car close to 90 mph. To avoid crashing into the back of the bus or moving into the path of this speeding pickup, all I quickly cranked the steering wheel to the right, as far as it would go, slammed on the brakes, and shouted out the name of Jesus. The car slid sideways, as the headlight beams of fast moving traffic blinded my eyes. I turned the wheel to the opposite range, and did a complete 180 in the middle of the interstate, sliding again, and shouting the name of Jesus. Somehow, to my amazement, I was able to drive out of what could have been a horrific car crash. I prayed to God no one would smash into the slow moving bus! It was all a whirlwind; it was surreal, like a dream. How did I get out of that? The world around me kept moving like nothing had ever happened, yet I felt like I had crossed in and out of some kind of parallel universe. I was in shock and had to pray for God to help me drive home. I had a few miles left to go, and I was profusely thanking Jesus for allowing me go home that night to my three children. I also had to wrap my brain around the other thing that occurred in the car. During the peak moment of God's divine intervention to save my life, while I was cranking the wheel of the car and shouting out the name Jesus, it was if time had stood still when I saw an angel sitting next to me in the car. He was sitting quietly, with his hands resting on his lap. And even though I always imagined that they would dress like modern man, he was wearing a robe. He had the face of a man, with normal male features, but above his temple and forehead, his head flanged out into the shape of a crown. I'm not saying that he was wearing a crown, rather, his head opened up and out like a crown. He was not a solid 3D figure, but was more in an outline form; the color of mist. The crown like flanges wisped out and then vaporized. He just sat there the whole time, quietly, next to me, shoulder to shoulder. Later that night at home, still shaking my head in utter amazement. I began to ask God about the Angel. Why was he so still? I mean, you would think he would have been doing something dramatic, like maneuvering the car around, or covering me up with wings or something. And the shape of his head ... ? To this day, I really don't understand all of what this angel was, but there are some things that God showed me later. He reminded me that there are different angels with different assignments. He said that the enemy was very upset with me that night at the prison because of the breakthrough we had had at the services. Satan was trying to kill me. God told me that the angel I saw was not the only one that was on assignment that night. The Lord showed me that the warring angels fought for me, before the accident had even begun to occur. The Lord said that the angel I saw was the angel He had assigned to me, to assist me in ministry - he works as a messenger angel. He hears only what God says and that is why his head is flanged open, as it were towards heaven, hearing and speaking only the Words of the Father. He assists in sending out words of wisdom. And I believe he did just that! Only God could have given me the wisdom I needed to handle that car like a stunt woman from Hollywood in a scene out of Vanishing Point! I have a hard enough time parallel parking! On the outside of the car was another story as he kept it from rolling and hitting numerous cars that were all around me. The second miracle that night was that my spun out tires made it all the way home. The next morning in the driveway they were completely flat! Praise God for his mercy endures forever! Deana barnespaths@hotmail.com North Carolina, Sep 2006 ============================================================== >-->From CupO'Cheer: ,`/ /L',_ _ ,\',` \ `;--` ,V ||/ `--' \ ,( / \ /, ` \ /' '| / | / | ejm `-. -._ >WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? By Rick Ezell "Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah" (Judges 16:4 NIV). Tiger Woods was a child prodigy. He first broke 80 at age eight. He has dominated professional golf since turning pro in 1996. He has more career major wins and career PGA Tour wins than any other active golfer. Adjectives used to describe him are: Amazing, blessed, supernatural, awesome. He is a man who has reached the pinnacle of his career, having accomplished everything a golfer would want to accomplish. His name is a household word. His picture graces the covers of magazines. His deeds, especially on a golf course, are the stuff of legends. He has it all. Talent. Popularity. Money. Power. Success. Yet on a November night in 2009 another side of his life emerged to the public that had been hidden. In the days and weeks that followed, it was revealed that he is a man with an insatiable and apparently uncontrollable appetite for sex. Through many worldwide media sources, multiple infidelities were revealed by over a dozen women. He had been caught, proverbially and literally, with his pants down. His story reminds me of another man who having reached the pinnacle of his life, having accomplished everything a man would want to accomplish, in a series of events went from the top right down to the bottom. His name: Samson. The name conjures up images of a strong and handsome man. Obviously, he was a blessed man, referring to his well being, sound physical develop- ment, and extraordinary strength, recognized by all at an early age. The Lord had imparted power and strength and capacity on Samson. God had empowered Samson for a significant and specific purpose. He, too, was a prodigy. He, too, had it all. But, he, too, had a problem. Like Tiger Woods, he had a problem with women. Womanizing had been Samson's problem from the beginning of his life. It was a fundamental trait of his character. He never liked the Philistines, but he could never stay away from their women. He was a he-man with a she-weakness. He got involved with the wrong relationships. He toyed with temptation when he should have run from it. He trifled with his vows. He became so spiritually insensitive that he didn't miss God's Spirit when it left him. And it cost him severely. He was captured, his eyes gouged out. He was forced to grind grain in prison, the work of slaves and animals. Unless we deal with the real with our problems, unless we get down to the level of "this is what I'm really like," until we do that, those problems will come back again and again and again. The real problems in life-like anger and bitterness, like an unforgiving spirit, like an undisciplined life, and like lust and uncontrolled passion-will return again and again if not deal with. Too often we lift up the carpet to sweep it under the rug. We may say, "That hasn't bothered me for four or five years or six years, so I'm basically okay now." I beg you not to say that. Some of us need to take a good look in the mirror and see the way we really are. The hardest thing you'll ever say is, "I need help; I've a problem I can't handle." But isn't that the first step in any recovery program? Step Number One: Admit you have a problem. You'll never get better until you are willing to say, "I really need help in this area of my life." Unless we learn to deal with our problems now, we are going to deal with them later. They're going to come back to haunt us again and again. And, when they do, we risk falling prey to the Delilahs of this world. Copyright 2011, Rick Ezell. as seen in One Minute Uplift -<>- ___ .-' `'. / \ | ; | | ___.--, _.._ |0) ~ (0) | _.---'`__.-( (_. __.--'`_.. '.__.\ '--. \_.-' ,.--'` `""` ( ,.--'` ',__ /./; ;, '.__.'` __ _`) ) .---.__.' / | |\ \__..--"" """--.,_ `---' .'.''-._.-'`_./ /\ '. \ _.-~~~````~~~-._`-.__.' | | .' _.-' | | \ \ '. `~---` \ \/ .' \ \ '. '-._) \/ / \ \ `=.__`~-. jgs / /\ `) ) / / `"".`\ , _.-'.'\ \ / / ( ( / / `--~` ) ) .-'.' '.'. | ( (/` ( (` ) ) '-; ` '-; (-' >THE OCTOPUS Matthew 22:39-40 And the second is like it:"Love your neighbour as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. I have several varieties of octopi in my house and I absolutely love them! Each one allows me to plug 6 - 8 electrical cords into the same outlet at one time. As I was cleaning the other day and moved some furniture to dust an octopus, I found myself musing on our life in Christ as Christians. Jesus said: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37 NIV I find that loving God means that all of me needs to be plugged into the power of His spirit, all the time if I want to experience his fullness in every dimension of my life. Much like an octopus which has several plug outlets, but only one plug in that feeds power to each separate electrical cord, the Holy Spirit is able to empower each individual part of me, heart, soul and mind to love God as I plug into His presence and leading. The emotions of my heart, the ponderings of my mind and the yearnings of my soul all express my love for God when they are centered on His will and way instead of my own. And the disciplines of prayer, praise, Scripture reading, memorization, fellowship with other believers, hymns or chorus singing, meditation and fasting are all tools which the Lord has given to us so that we might focus heart, soul and mind on Him every day in every way. These disciplines are not legalistic tools to keep us in line, rather they are gracious gifts offered to us by our loving Lord to open the way of freedom and empowerment in His Spirit. In fact as we employ them, the Spirit is able to lead us to the best discipline for each and every life situation enabling us to hear and know the voice and wisdom of God in a clear and personal way, allowing us to not only love God, but also our neighbours as ourselves. Yes, I love my octopi for every time I see them I am reminded of the need to love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind that my life in Him may be experienced to the fullest. Prayer: Father God, thank you for life in Jesus Christ. Thank you for spiritual disciplines which open the way of freedom and empowerment in your Spirit that we might each experience the fullness of the Living Lord in every dimension of our lives. In Christ name we pray. Amen. Lynne Phipps Atlin, BC as seen in Illustrator -<>- ,-. ,-. ||,\ -=- /,|| F'\\\,o8o,///`J J'J`,\(".")/,'F`L |F||\ \>PVANGEL COMFORT An angel kissed my tears away today when I was sad I wasn't feeling quite myself my day had been so bad. I felt a warmth brush by me that quickly dried my tears A gentle kind and loving touch that seemed to hold me near. Immediately, I felt so much better and the day seemed much brighter too- I guess that’s just the way you feel when an Angel comforts you. - author unknown -<>- _ca______ |_________\ 88 88 ___ _88___"8" |________/ 88 8 88 .8. 88 | | 88 | | 88 |_| 88 88 sm >PREVENT VIRTUE FROM BECOMING VICE Steve Diggs Have you ever stopped to wonder just exactly what the devil has to work with? After all, if we believe that God made the world; and that God made all the stuff in the world; and that all the stuff God made is good stuff—then it begs the question, "What's the devil got to work with?" The fact is, all the devil has to work with is the good stuff that God has made. We talk about this in the No Debt, No Sweat! Seminar and Retooled and Refuled. Satan simply takes God's good things and twists them just a little, and perverts them—then he tries to sell them back to us. Sex is a party provided it's within the bond of marriage. But outside of marriage, God's ultimate purpose for the sexual relationship is cheapened. Ambition is a wonderful attribute if we use it to bring out our peak performance. But if we use it as an excuse to claw over other people to selfishly get what we want, then it has become a bad thing. A healthy interest in our money is right and proper. Christians have every good reason to be interested in how to get it, give it, and grow it. But, if we let our interest in money morph just a little bit, it can become greed. Greed is a killer. It kills both temporally and eternally. King Solomon (arguably the richest guy who ever lived) could have bought and sold Bill Gates twice in a day's time with the change that fell through holes in his tunic. This guy knew his way around money. Here's what he had to say, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income" (Ecclesiastes 5:10, niv). Greed leads a lot of God's best and brightest into tremendous sin and bondage. In the South we have an old saying, "The pigs get fat and the hogs get slaughtered." Big picture thinking has a lot to do with stewardship. As a follower of The Way, God expects me to redeem all the gifts he has given me to his glory. There's nothing wrong (and everything right) with enjoying the blessings God gives us. The trouble comes when we use them the wrong way. And convincing us to use God's blessing inappropriately is the devil's stock and trade. In fact, the devil is a very easy master to please. He really doesn't care which sin we choose. He's cool with whichever side of the road we run off. His job is simply to get us bogged down in the mud. But life is too short to spend it in a ditch on either side of the road. What if we concerted our efforts to find glory and joy in whatever gifts God has blessed us with? For instance, if you have a high intellect, congratulations. Your intellect is a gift from God. The basic question is: How will you use it? On the one hand, you may allow it to become a source of pride and arrogance. You find yourself unsettled when someone fails to introduce you properly without citing your academic achievements, referring to you as Dr. So and So. Or you may go off the road in the other direction. This would be when false modesty becomes your drug of choice. You fail to develop and use your intellect. You may wrongly believe yourself to possess a greater level of spirituality by demeaning the gift God has given you. In either case the devil is grinning. Yet, on the other hand, you may select to foil the devil and make God smile by humbly acknowledging your abundant gray matter for what it is: A wonderful gift from God. Then with single mindedness, you determine to use it to his glory. You never brag or make others of us who are less endowed feel small or foolish. But you never hide or deny your talent either. You take rightful joy in being able to lead, advise, and assist others who need your wisdom. The devil is the god of extremes and bi-polar spirituality. Our God is the Master of balance. Steve Diggs is best known for 2 internationally acclaimed seminars that he has presented at nearly 500 churches. Steve can be reached through either of the websites below, or call him at 615-300-8263: To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316@sc.rr.com. ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Sandi :) .-""""-._.'| / '.| | / | / | -= | /| ( | |/`< ) ) ( ; -=| _| ) \ \ / ____ /) '._ _.-""-.< .' `\/) / / \ / _ .'`/| _ / | '-._( __\ (__/_/=, ( \| \ -=/ /--;==========` ._,;'\==='-,..__/__/__.' `'--/,/ || ' \ / | / || ' \ \/ . || ; jgs / / || | | . || | / '=------| / ' ; ; ;| `-.___.___.___.___._/ >Grandma's Apron Oh how well I remember my gramma's and my mom's aprons. I still have some of them put away with my keepsakes. I don't think our kids know what an apron is. The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes. REMEMBER Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love... Her granddaughters now set theirs on the window sill to thaw. --- ...Thanks Sandi! Yes. Grandma had the best bread! No running water but awesome food! As soon as she'd see me she'd say 'I know what you want!' and she'd prepare me a thick piece of homemade bread with melted butter and brown sugar spread on it. Never any better then from Grandma! =============================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: *** *** ***....** **...*** **........** **.......** *** **..........*.........** *** **.....** **..................** **.....** **.........** **..............** **.........** *..............* *..........* *..............* **..............* *......* *..............** **..............** *....* **..............** *......................................* **..............**........**..............** **..............* *....*....*..............** *..............* *........* ...*..............* **.........** *............* ...**.........** **.....** **...............**....**.....** *** **...................**.....*** **...........*...........**....* **.........* *.........** *......*..*..* *......** **......* *........* ** * * ** *...* * unknown >"To Believe" To believe... is to know that every day is a new beginning. It is to trust that miracles happen, And dreams really do come true. To believe... is to see Angels dancing among the clouds, To know the wonder of a stardust sky, And the wisdom of the man in the moon. To believe... is to know the value of a nurturing heart, The innocence of a child's eyes and the beauty of an aging hand, For it is through their teachings we learn to love. To believe... is to find the strength And courage that lies within us. When it is time to pick up the pieces and begin again. To believe... is to know we are not alone, That life is a gift and this is our time to cherish it. To believe... is to know that wonderful surprises Are just waiting to happen, And all our hopes and dreams are within reach. If only we believe. --Author unknown -<>- _ _ | | | | =H| |========mn=======nm========| |H= |_| ( \ / ) |_| \ )(")( / ( /\_/\ ) \ / )=O=( Had To Be A Muscle Man / _ \ Back In The Old Days! /__/ \__\ | | | | |_| |_| (_) (_) ======================================================David Riley >THROUGH A WRINGER By: Joseph J. Mazzella When I was a little boy we used to have an old fashioned wringer washing machine. This was an early type of washing machine in which you had to hand feed the freshly washed clothes through a pair of moving rolling pins to squeeze the extra water out before drying. I often wondered how those clothes felt going through them. This curiosity was painfully ended one day when I was helping my Mom feed the clothes into them and got my own fingers caught instead. Needless to say, I was far more careful after that. Usually after we finished washing the clothes my Mom would hang them out on the clothes line to dry. I would hand her the wooden clothes pins as she hung them and help her fold the freshly dried clothes a few hours later. I can still remember how wonderful they smelled after warming in God's sunshine all afternoon. I would hold them up to my face and delight in their warmth, cleanness, and Heavenly scent. I know that sometimes it can feel as if life is putting us all though a wringer washer. The troubles and stresses of life always seem to want to squeeze and flatten every bit of peace and happiness out of us. Sometimes our whole day feels like my fingers did that time when I was a careless young boy. It is up to us, however, to not let ourselves stay flattened like an old, wet pair of pants. It is up to us to pick ourselves up and warm our hearts and souls again in the sunshine of God's love. It is up to us to choose the Heavenly scent of love and joy moment by moment to refresh our lives and to share with the world. I hope then that no matter how flattened you get by life at times you can still rise up to choose more joy and love. I hope that no matter how many times you are put through a wringer you can still come out stronger, better, and closer to God. -<>- .--. .--. / ' .\ |'. ( .-. \ \ . ` /\. /`. / ) ( `.' .' '--'` (\ \.' .' ) \`. \ _/ _..--' `. \ /`'<_/ : )"'``..`-3 : :. `"'. ) / |-.'' (_.-._ | / ( .'`--..J ' |-'( |_| | : >` '. .'' : | Y | < | : > ' \ `_ : '` \ / :- ' || : / ./: | \ .'J /_ ) : | '% | a:f /.-.`). : I | / ( \ ) : .^) `-' `..-' (`"' / ===' >The Hug of a Child By Victoria Harnish Benson As we drove across town, I prepared my two children for what they were about to see. A lady from our new church was dying of cancer, and I had volunteered to help her with the housework. "Annie has a tumor in her head, which has disfigured her face," I cautioned them. Annie invited me to bring my children with me one day, as I had told her so much about them. "Most children are frightened by my appearance," she said. "But I will understand if they don't want to meet me." I struggled for the words to describe Annie's appearance to my son and daughter. Then I remembered a movie I'd seen two years earlier with my son, when he was ten. I wanted him to understand that disabled people are like anyone else - their feelings can be hurt, too. "David, remember the movie Mask about the boy with the facial deformity?" "Yes, Mom. I think I know what to expect." His tone told me it was time to stop mothering him so much. "What does a tumor look like?" Diane asked me. Answering my nine-year-old daughter would be tricky. In order to prevent Diane's revulsion when she met Annie, I needed to prepare her just enough but not too much. I didn't want to frighten the child. "Her tumor looks like the skin on the inside of your mouth. It sticks out from under her tongue and makes it hard for her to talk. You'll see it as soon as you meet her, but there's nothing to be afraid of. Remember, don't stare. I know you'll want to look at it . . . that's all right . . . just don't stare." Diane nodded. I knew she was trying to picture a tumor in her mind. "Are you kids ready for this?" I asked as we pulled up to the curb. "Yes, Mom," David said, sighing as only a preteen can. Diane nodded and tried to reassure me. "Don't worry, Mommy. I'm not scared." We entered the living room, where Annie was sitting in her recliner, her lap covered with note cards for her friends. I stood across the room with my children, aware that anything could happen next. At the sight of my children, Annie's face brightened. "Oh, I'm so glad you came to visit," she said, dabbing a tissue at the drops of saliva that escaped from her twisted mouth. Then it happened. I watched David stride across the room to Annie's chair, wrap his arms around her shoulders and press his cheek to her misshapen face. Smiling, he looked into her eyes and said, "I'm happy to meet you." Just when I didn't think I could be more proud, Diane copied her big brother and gave Annie the precious, accepting hug of a child. My throat tightened with emotion as I saw Annie's eyes well up with grateful tears. I had nothing to worry about. -<>- + A_ /\-\ jgs _||"|_ ~^~^~^~^ >Two Churches by Ed Price There once were two churches. One day, a homeless man came into town. He had not eaten for many days and was very hungry. He thought that he might be able to get a morsel to eat at one of the churches. The first church was huge -- a Gothic masterpiece, built of solid limestone, with a spire that seemed to reach into the heavens. When he tried to open the massive front door he found that it was locked. Then he saw a sign that said "Office" with an arrow pointing to his right. When he walked into the office, he found himself in a large, well- lighted room. A secretary sat at the front desk, typing the church bulletin onto a computer. She looked up at the shabby man and frowned. "May I help you?" she asked crisply. "Yes ma'am," the homeless man answered. "I am very hungry. Do you have any food here?" "Indeed we do," the woman answered proudly. "This church has the largest food bank in the state. People from far and wide donate to it. It's been written up in all the papers." "Then," the man said, "may I have something to eat?" The woman looked him up and down. "Do you live here in town?" she asked. "I've never seen you before." "No, ma'am. I'm just a traveler passing through." The woman turned icy. "I see," she said, reaching into her desk drawer. She pulled out two sheets of paper and handed them to the man. "Please fill this out and bring it back to me. It's an application for assistance. The church board demands that everything be done properly and in good order here." The homeless man took the papers, walked over to a small desk, sat down, and filled them out. Then he returned the application to the secretary. She looked over the papers and said, "Before we can give you anything, our Executive Board has to approve this. You're in luck. They meet tomorrow night. Come back Wednesday morning and we'll see if we can do anything for you." "But I'm so hungry," the man said. "Maybe the minister can help me. May I see him?" The secretary was clearly becoming agitated. "Do you have an appointment?" "No, ma'am." "You must have an appointment. Our minister is very busy. Right now he's meeting with the mayor and the committee to beautify our town. The pastor is a very important man. He's been written up in all the papers. You come back on Wednesday and maybe we can feed you. You don't need to see the minister about this." The homeless man walked out of the church office and continued down the street. A few blocks later, he saw another church. This one was small and made of wood. It looked very poor. Inside he found a young man sweeping the floor between the old wooden pews. The young man looked up and smiled. "Welcome stranger," he said brightly. "What can we do for you?" "May I see the minister or the secretary?" the homeless man asked. The young man chuckled. "We don't have a secretary, but I'm the minister." "Then," the homeless man said, "can I get something to eat from your food bank." "I'm afraid we don't have one of those either," the minister said. "This church is so poor that our members barely have enough to feed themselves." The homeless man turned to leave but was stopped by the minister. "But," the young man said, "my wife is fixing me lunch right now. It's not very fancy, but I'd he honored to share it with you. She will bring it to my office in a few minutes. Come in and eat with me." A half hour later, the homeless man was just polishing off the last of a thick ham and cheese sandwich and a steaming bowl of homemade vegetable soup. Then the preacher's wife produced a small paper sack and an old thermos bottle. "Here are a few more sandwiches, sir, some cookies, and some hot coffee. You can return the thermos to me whenever you come back through town." _ ///-._ ////////-._ /////////////-. ////////////////`. //////////////// .'`. //////////////// . '.'`. '|`'//////////// . .'.::|` : `'/////// . '.':| | . . `'// ' _|- ::| |. .-._ . | . | .':: | |:|:| | ' ' '.::| | |:|:| :. . .'.':| | . |:|:| . | .._.::: : `':| | ' ////-:| |. . | '/////////-._ | . . : .//////////////-._ : : ///////////////////-._ |. |////////////////////////-._ | . . :`'//////////////////////////-._ | . _.-\\\\``'//////////////////////////-._ | /\\\\\\\\..``'//////////////////////////". : . . /. \\\\\\\\\. .``'///////////////////// .'`. : / _ \\\\\\\\\. ``'//////////////// . .'`. | . / (@) \\\\\\\\\. . . ``'/////////// . '.'::|. {`)._ '| _` .\\\\\\\-`:|#| . . ``'////// '. .'.:| `-{_/`| ||::. \\'`.:|:.|#| |#| . ``'/ ' .##:'::: `-| ||||| |`.'::|::|#| |#| |#| . . '| . .|##|'.:| pils | ||||| : .'::|:.'#| |#| |#| |#| | |##|'::| | ||||| .| .'.:|::.'' '#| |#| |#| . : ' |##|'.:| {`\:|||| : .'::|:_.:. . '#| |#| | .|##|'::: `-{_/'|_ |_.-'/}_/'-._ '#| :. |##:'.:| `'{._('}_)-' `-}_}(-._ . . | ' '` .'::| `-' `-.} /-._ . : .'.'_:-'\ `-}_}(-._ | . _.-')_(-' `-/_)`-.:.-{ \{-' `-{_'_)-'' ^ As the homeless man walked out of the town, He looked back to see the spire of the big church rising high above the rest of the buildings. He could not see the small church at all. Yet, He knew that it was there and praised His Father for the kind young minister and his generous wife. He would not forget them -- ever -- and neither would His Father. The thermos bottle was, even then, sitting on the stoop of the little church. But instead of containing coffee, it was now overflowing with God's blessings. Copyright Ed Price About this author: I am a semi-retired freelance writer with 16 books and over a thousand articles to my credit. My little office is tucked away at the head of a hollow in the shadow of Clinch Mountain near Gate City in Southwest Virginia. The place is overrun with deer, possums, racoons, rabbits, chipmunks, vipers, and four very demanding office cats. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment Amazing what a little chocolate will do for you http://www.buffalosjokes.com/12147.htm Bus Duck Don't try this one at home http://www.buffalosjokes.com/12145.htm Honda SUV with a unique way of repelling Dogs http://www.buffalosjokes.com/12148.htm Our Gifts And Callings http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/giftscallings.html You are The Only You God Has http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html Attitude Is Everything 4 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude4.html Last Day http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/lastday.html Old Barns, Old People, Old Friends http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/barns.html What Friends Are For http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/poems/whatfriends.html Wall Mural Art 3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wallart3.html Butchart Gardens http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bgardens.html Visit our site at http://www.buffalosjokes.com/inspired.htm If you are looking to join any of our other fine e-zines visit www.buffalosjokes.com ================================================================ >-->From Big Dog's Story Contest: __ /\/'-, ,--''''' /" ____,'. ) \___ '"""""------'"""`-----' pb >NATCHEZ Big Dog: Natchez My big ol' mutt, Natchez has become my third child, so it's no wonder how much I love him. The story is that Natchez ran out in front of my son's car while he was driving on the Natchez Parkway one night, hence the name. Natchez was just a pup, covered in brambles and briars, and he was so small, my son thought actually thought he was a rabbit at first. But when he realized he was a puppy, my son picked him up and put him in the car where all he had to offer him was a soda and bag of chips. Natchez ate the chips and drank the soda like he hadn't eaten in days. He became a permanent resident as soon as our son brought into our home that fateful night, three years ago. Eighteen months ago, my son enlisted in the United States Air Force, and my daughter quickly followed suit, leaving us with an empty nest other than our Natchez. With my son and daughter so far away, he fills a void for me. He really is my child, my friend, and my comfort as I face this next year, with deployments likely for both my children. I am so proud of both my son and daughter and the career path they have chosen. Still there are moments of sadness, knowing they are so far away and could possibly soon be in harm's way in order to protect us at home. Those sad moments are easier to work through with Natchez around. Natchez is always happy, ready to play and has a true love for his family and home. You can see his happiness and depth in his eyes. He is such a blessing to me, and I cannot imagine not having him with us. He has never done any official heroic deeds, but he is our hero in a time of need. He is such a sweet natured dog, eager to please, and offers nothing but love. For a military mom like me, Natchez is the medicine I need to handle the big stuff. He's my light when I have a dark day, and my best friend. from LD, AL -<>- .--. .---. /:. '. .' .. '._.---. /:::-. \.-"""-;` .-:::. .::\ /::'| \/ _ _ \' `\:' ::::| __.' | / (o|o) \ `'. ':/ / .:. / | ___ | '---' | ::::' /: (._.) .:\ \ .=' |:' :::| `""` \ .-. ':/ jgs '---`|I|`---' '-' >MAX Big Dog: Max When someone says Border Collie, you don't think of a Big Dog, until they see Max. Six years ago, I was looking for an agility dog and contacted Arizona Border Collie Rescue for a rescue dog. BC's and agility go together like peas and carrots, and I just loved the breed. I was told about Max and went to go meet him at his foster home that was down past Phoenix. He was 10-months-old, barked constantly and ran around recklessly. I adopted him immediately, anyway! A couple of weeks later, I noticed that Max's gait was off and he was falling UP stairs. An evaluation and X-rays from the vet confirmed that he had severe hip dysplasia. I was devastated; this was my agility dog that would never be. Then I looked back at my application; when it came down to it, did I want an agility dog or did I want a great companion? My biggest request was that he play ball and be loving. That made my decision on Max's ailment easy. Max went through two hip surgeries - one each year for two years. My entire family helped him in therapy and recovery. We waded with him in a blow-up kid's pool, monitored his leash walking and loved every minute of helping this awesome dog. Ever since then, Max has made the most of his second chance at life. I joined the rescue effort and became a foster home and advocate of the rescue movement. We have had dozens and dozens of foster dogs over the past few years with Max becoming the role of "Uncle Max" to all the confused, scared, and youngsters that stay with us until they find their new family through adoption. He is patient with the younger dogs, a companion with the older ones and a mentor to the pups that come to stay with us. There is always a place next to Max for one of our "kids" to feel safe. Max is one of our representatives; adults and children love him. Residents of nursing homes enjoy a wet kiss from Max, and Max loves his job! So Max isn't my agility dog; he's so much more than that. He has far exceeded any expectation I had for a pet. But most importantly, Max gives me a reason to smile and laugh every day and he has made an impact on so many lives. So do I live with a Big Dog? Absolutely, and I am so proud of him! from RR, AZ =============================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: .-. .-. ( | ) .-.: | ;,-. (_ __`.|.'__ _) ( .'|`. ) `-'/ | \`-' ( ! ) `-' `-'\ \ hjw ) >CLOVER ALERT by Kay Seefeldt Since childhood, I have had this special "gift" of finding four leaf clovers wherever they may be lurking. One sweet summer vacation day, several of my childhood friends and I were playing in a field filled with daisies, when I discovered a four leaf clover -- and then another, and another. The hunt was on. While my friends were unsuccessful, it wasn't long before I had bagged several four leaf clovers and a five leaf clover! Then I found a six leaf, then to my surprise and delight, a seven, an eight, and a nine. Many years later, upon opening my childhood Bible, dozens of dried, brittle memories of that day fell out bringing a smile to my face. I'd forgotten putting the clovers there for safe keeping. After marrying Roy, my second husband (another stroke of "luck") and moving to the house we live in now, he was working on his motorcycle in the front yard. When I took him out a glass of iced tea, I discovered he and the bike were practically rolling in a bed of four leaf clovers. Up to this point, Roy had never found a four leaf clover. Here was a prefect chance. How could he miss? Four leaf clovers were popping up everywhere. All he had to do was reach down and pick a clover, any clover. But try as he might, he couldn't see even one! Finally, I pointed my toe at the biggest one in the lot. At last, now he could say he'd at least picked one. Another time, while Roy and I were "flying" along the break down lane of Route 2 on our ten speed bikes, I squealed, "Hey, there's a four leaf clover!" He had the audacity to question my ability to recognize a four leaf clover while riding a bike. "As if you can see a four leaf clover doing forty miles an hour!" "Oh yeah, well let's turn around right now," I demanded and pedaled back to where I'd seen the clover. Standing there triumphantly, I crowed, "Here it is. Just like I said. Come see!" Looking down to where I held it between my fingers, Roy relented, "That's unbelievable!" He never questioned my unique talent after that. Last year, I spied a four leaf clover by the walkway as we carried groceries into the house. "Clover alert!" I chirped, and pointed in the general vicinity of where it was nestled among a host of threes. After staring at the ground for what seemed like an eternity, Roy finally "found" the four leaf clover. I am still hoping for the day when I can claim finding a ten leaf clover, and Roy finds a four leaf all on his own, without the assistance of the "lucky eye" he married. Do I believe in luck or coincidence? No way! Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights (James 1 :17). He puts the opportunity out there for us. It is up to the "lucky ones" to take advantage of this seeming serendipity. -- Kay Seefeldt ___________________________________________ Kay and her husband Roy live in Maine and share their home with six "lucky" and very spoiled feathered kids (fids). Kay paints landscapes and abstracts in watercolor and considers herself an experimental artist, as well as playing with new paints, papers, and delving into encaustic painting using an iron for a paint brush. She also teaches adults the basic techniques of watercolor and believes anyone can learn watercolor who has the desire. Kay feels she is truly blessed by God and hopes she doesn't take even the smallest blessing for granted. =========================================================== _____________ ( ) | | ( ) %%%%%%% |____-----____| ( ) %%%% %%%% | \___/ | ( ) %%%% %%%% _______________________ ( ) %%% %% %%% \\ // ( ) %% %% (o)(o) %% \\__~~~_______~~~__// ( ) %% ____ %% / \ %% |\ |(0) (0)| /| ( ) % / __ \ %% / \ .. ) % |\ \| (. .) |/ /| ___ %% / / \ \ %% /\__/ %% \ ||| , ||| / [ ] % ( \ \ \/%% / % |||| \_______/=============| | %% \ \__ \/ %% __ %% ||||| --- ||||| \_/ % \ \/ /%% /__\ % ||||| ||||| ||||| %% \__ ' /\ %%// \> %% ||||||||||||||||| %% \ /\ \_%% %% ||||||||||||| %%% \_/ \__/%% %%% ||||||||| %%%% %%%% ||||| %%%% %%%% %%%%%%% >-->IRISH BLESSINGS May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through. -<>- May you always have work for your hands to do. May your pockets hold always a coin or two. May the sun shine bright on your windowpane. May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you. And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. -<>- May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, May good luck pursue you each morning and night. >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->BECOMING A CHRISTIAN HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->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 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 ************************************************************************