Have A Happy Thanksgiving.... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* Please Consider Giving To ShangralaFamilyFun.com :) The cost of the website has gone up dramatically due to the ever increasingly wonderful pages and photos being added each week to entertain you and our fellow Christian families. If every one would chip in $25 or more, we'd be good for the whole year! So Please - I need your help today! "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, the easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure. Please visit the site, scroll down and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL form page comes up. NOTE: Paypal will generate a 'Quantity 1' and 'Price per item' form. Just ignore the price per item and put whatever it is you desire to give in there. With Paypal, you will have your normal receipt for your 'payment' donation in USD (United States Dollars). You can put a memo in there if you'd like. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU MOST ABUNDANTLY FOR YOUR GIFT! ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please 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! ================ .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. __, ,____) _______) (--| | (--| _, (_, |__| _, _ _ | |_ _ ._ |__) , _ ' ',_ _ _| |(_||_)|_)(_| _| | |(_|| || \ /_)(_||\/|| |(_| ( | | ,_| ( |_, \_, ,_| ,_| .:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:. *~* Have A Happy, Blessed And Safe Thanksgiving Celebration! :) Bible: Thankfulness: A Way of Living, Not a Feeling https://tinyurl.com/y6leyvql -<>- .========. .-| |-. .''-'`_.|__ __ __|._`'-''. / .--'` | [LI] | `'--. \ .' / _.--'''""""'''--._ \ '. /` .' .-' _.----._ '-. '. `\ | / / .' _ _ '. \ \ | | | | / `_ _` \ | | | / / '. | (o)(o) | .' \ \ | | '._| .-""-. |_.' | | | \ / | \ / | \ / | / / | / \ /\/\ / \ | \ \ | | / | '-.( ).-' | \ | | | | | / \`""`/ \ | | | \ \ / | _.-| |-._ | \ / / \ \ | / .' | | '. \ | / / '. './ | .' / \ '. | \.' .' '._| \/ \/ |_.' `'{` , , `}'` { } { } { } { } { } { } \,/ \,/ '. .' jgs '-.__ __.-' { _}""{_ } / \ / \ /=/=|=| |=|=\=\ \/\/\_/ \_/\/\/ >From The WH and President Trump: After a close vote, Americans chose "Corn," a 42 lb. bird from Iowa, as this year’s honoree. "Cob," the runner-up and first alternate, will join Corn for a well-deserved retirement at Iowa State University following today’s festivities. "The first turkey to dodge the White House dinner table received unofficial clemency when President Abraham Lincoln's son, Tad, begged his father to spare his new friend," President Trump said. Beginning with President George H. W. Bush, the National Thanksgiving Turkey now receives a formal pardon each year. "On behalf of the entire Trump family, I want to wish every American a healthy and very happy Thanksgiving," President Trump said. “Every American can be united in thanksgiving to God for the incredible gifts He has bestowed upon us - the blessings of family, community, and this exceptional, beautiful, and great country." https://tinyurl.com/y4e9p7m7 Thanksgiving at the White House, Then and Now https://tinyurl.com/y6yk9q9h Read more about the 2020 Turkey Pardoning https://tinyurl.com/y5lox34v -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >From Franklin Graham: 2020. A year like no other we’ve experienced. We’ve had a pandemic. We have been locked down like never before. We’ve seen incredible destruction from storms, fires, and flooding across the country. We have seen the president of the U.S. attacked from within like no other president in history. We’ve had an election with results still pending that causes great concern for many about the future of our country. But in the midst of this trying year, there is no better time than now to turn our hearts toward God, who is with us through the storms, and humbly thank Him for His tender mercies, His patience, and His gracious provisions for us. He is 'our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble' (Psalm 46:1). God's Word tells us to 'give thanks in all circumstances' (1 Thess.5:18). All means all-and that includes the circumstances of 2020. Why don't we each take a couple of minutes to give thanks to God for all that He has done for us, and share that with our friends and family. Most of all, I'm thankful for God's love and His saving power in my life and the life of anyone who will put their faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ - 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.' --- _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ ...Ditto! I'm also thankful to God for strong leaders like Franklin Graham and Pres. Trump who don't bow down to the devil when he throws his daggers at them and for all of you on this list and through my website who stand with me and support me. Dedicated and steadfastly you have been here with me sharing life's ups and downs. You mean so very much to me! Thank you every one! :) -<>- __ @@;, ( ; ? : ); _| |_ | | || | | _| |_ | \ \ \/ || \/ ___ / / | __| |\ __||____||___||______/| | ||| | |_______ _________| | ||| ||| |____ | | ____| ||| Design by \ \______ ) | | / ______/ / || | | | | | /___| || Samule J. Neptune || | | |_ /| | |\ _| || || || | \__, / | | | \<__/ | || >Last Minute Tips From HandyHints: While Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday if you are hosting this lovely meal it can be overwhelming and exhausting. Let's start with splitting up your supermarket trips. An entire feast's worth of grocery bags is a lot for anyone to carry, and if you try to buy all of your Thanksgiving supplies in one trip you're bound to forget an ingredient, or come across supermarket shelves so bare you'd think the apocalypse was here. Plan your time and split your shopping trips up, which will save you the pressure of trying to cram everything in the trunk in one trip. * Prioritize your freezer and refrigerator Sure you can cram all the food for your Thanksgiving meal into your fridge, but the question is...can you shut the door? Plan to go through your refrigerator one evening. Empty everything that isn't essential like jellies, salad dressing, or anything that is expired. Plan ahead and remember that you need extra space, and try to eat up as much leftover food as possible in both the fridge and freezer. * Designate a place for extra storage, and for dry goods Refrigerator space is crucial on Thanksgiving we all know that! Get creative if you run out of room. Store hearty product like apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cranberries in the garage or in the trunk of your car. Anything that needs to be chilled...use a cooler filled with ice packs to store casseroles, desserts, or anything else that needs to stay cool. Side note: A iced cooler stored in low temperature will keep your food fresh for at least 24 hours. -<>- ( ( ) ) ) ( ) ..... .:::::::::. ~\_______/~ (BZ Baker) >If You Are Looking For Some YUMMY RECIPES, Be Sure To Check Out Easy-Does-It Home Recipes! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/easy.html -<>- >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This flaming hot update is from our friend LouiseAu. All you space junkies will appreciate this video added to our great page from NASA's Curiosity. It is sure to bring the red planet Mars even more up close than you've seen before! Be sure to check out this page with its updated video here... . . + : . : _ . ! ' (_) ,|.' - -- ---(-O-`--- -- - ,`|'`. , ! . : : " . --+-- .: . ! O!o Mars Panoramic View http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mars.html --- ...An Excellent addition! Thanks LouiseAu! This too hot to handle new page is from our friend LouiseAu. We could all use more smiles during these trying times and this one aims to please with plenty of wit to tickle your funny bone. Be sure to check it out and the happy video here too... ^ ,' \ L""/ ` | J | J L | | . , | |.`v_L.' // ,>-(-\'_ \`' \ - /-. / /`""| ),' `- ( ,-' \ ) ,' ,' h / / / `)--.. \/ / \ <) < , L<' F/ _/ ,' L ,-' \ | ___L / ( F J ___,' L | ,' | F ,' | (_,--..__ mt-2|_ ,' `"`--.._\ ,' / \ / (_ (diddled by b'ger} Funny Liberty Arms Signs http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/signs2.html --- ...A fun one! Thanks LouiseAu! =========================================================== | /^\ / : \ ( ( ) / : \ ( ) / / : \ \ ( ( ) ) ( ) ( ) / / : \ \ ( ( ) ) ) ( ( ( ) / . : ' \ ( ( ) ) / . .: ' \ . ( ( ) / / . : . \ . / : . \ . / : . \ . / / , : \ \ . ' . ' / , : \ . . . / : \ . \ ` . ' ` / , / : ' . \ ) ' . ' . ' ' / , ' : . \ . \( ( , , . / , , / : , \ \ ( ' . .` ) , / / / , | \ ' \ \) ) ,) ) . ( ) / , / _/ \ ' ` \(, ( ( ) ( ( --------------------------------------------------------- >-->God's Instrument: The Story of Squanto Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving; at least, we know the Pilgrim version. But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint? No, I'm not talking about some revisionist, politically correct version of history. I'm talking about the amazing story of the way God used an Indian named Squanto as a special instrument of his providence. Historical accounts of Squanto's life vary, but historians believe that around 1608 -- more than a decade before the Pilgrims arrived -- a group of English traders sailed to what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. When the trusting Wampanoag Indians came out to trade, the traders took them prisoner, transported them to Spain, and sold them into slavery. It was an unimaginable horror. But God had an amazing plan for one of the captured Indians: a boy named Squanto. Squanto was bought by a well-meaning Spanish monk, who treated him well and taught him the Christian faith. Squanto eventually made his way to England and worked in the stables of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto's desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first vessel bound for America. It wasn't until 1619 -- ten years after Squanto was first kidnapped -- that a ship was found. Finally, after a decade of exile and heartbreak, Squanto was on his way home. But when he arrived in Massachusetts, more heartbreak awaited him. An epidemic had wiped out Squanto's entire village. We can only imagine what must have gone through Squanto's mind. Why had God allowed him to return home, against all odds, only to find his loved ones dead? A year later, the answer came. A shipload of English families arrived and settled on the very land once occupied by Squanto's people. Squanto went to meet them, greeting the startled Pilgrims in English. According to the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto "became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good. . . . He showed [us] how to plant [our] corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died." When Squanto lay dying of a fever, Bradford wrote that their Indian friend "desir[ed] the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen's God in heaven." Squanto bequeathed his possessions to the Pilgrims "as remembrances of his love." Who but God could so miraculously convert a lonely Indian and then use him to save a struggling band of Englishmen? It is reminiscent of the biblical story of Joseph, who was also sold into slavery -- and whom God likewise used as a special instrument for good. Squanto's life story is remarkable, and we ought to make sure our children learn about it. Sadly, most books about Squanto omit references to his Christian faith. But I'm delighted to say that Eric Metaxas has written a wonderful children's book called SQUANTO AND THE MIRACLE OF THANKSGIVING. I highly recommend it. It will teach your kids about the "special instrument sent of God," who changed the course of American history. For further reading: Bradford, William. HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. c. 1650. =========================================================== .----. | | | | __|______|__ >-->More Thanksgiving History Did you know that it was Abraham Lincoln who, in the midst of the Civil War, in 1863, established the annual celebration of Thanksgiving? Lincoln had learned how important it is to stop and thank God in the midst of great difficulties. "We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. It has seemed to me fit and proper that [the gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." Governor Bradford of Massachusetts made this first Thanksgiving Proclamation three years after the Pilgrims settled at Plymouth: https://www.ushistory.org/us/3b.asp This kids site has it too: http://www.appleseeds.org/thankgv6.htm Thanksgiving Articles and Stories by Ralph F. Wilson http://www.joyfulheart.com/thanksgiving/ ---> It goes like this on our History Lesson <--- The Mayflower Compact 1620 The Peace Treaty with Massasoit 1621 The First Thanksgiving Proclamation 1676 The 1782 Continental Congress Thanksgiving Proclamation George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation =========================================================== >-->From HeartWarmers: Heap high the board with plenteous cheer, and gather to the feast, And toast the sturdy Pilgrim band whose courage never ceased. Give praise to that All-Gracious One by whom their steps were led, And thanks unto the harvest's Lord who sends our "daily bread." -- Alice Williams Brotherton The First Thanksgiving Day _,, _.-'` ',\ \ .-;`'(,____ \.-'\ _\-` __.-; \_.-'_.-'0 \/ / .'0 __ | /_.' .'o \ / .-. ,;--._\___/--. __./ | .-/ \ ^_> |\ /\ \ / <;/ \ \_/ |___/__\__|` <; | |) \ o ( <; |__.\ |o \ <; \ \ / o _\ <\.)-'`| =====""` \ /\__/__/^\____.-; | | | | | / \____|\____/ |===||===| jgs __/[](_||__l[]_ / || '. \ '-----'-''-'-.__/ >GIVING THE LAW "A HEART" by Roger Dean Kiser In 1988, I was working as an administrative advisor in California for a county welfare rights organization and represented people whose welfare benefits were threatened. My client, an older gentleman, had been fired by the Salvation Army for having a beer with his lunch. If the charge against him was upheld, then he stood to lose his welfare because, in our state, indigent people without children had to work part time in order to quality for benefits. When the judge finally arrived, we entered the small side room which had been set up for the hearing. We took our positions at the various tables. As the hearing began, the first person took the witness stand. I could hardly believe the heartlessness of the woman who had fired this kind faced old gentleman. She went on and on about how disgusting this man was and how dangerous he was to himself and to everyone in the building who had to work with him. She told the court that he was slow in getting up and down the stairs and that he needed to be reminded, almost everyday, that it was time for him to go home and that the work day was over. Finally, I got my chance to question her. The first thing I asked was if she had ever had a drink with her meal while on her lunch break. She was very quiet and acted as though she did not want to answer the question. Then she finally said, "I never drink beer." "That is not what I asked you. I asked you if you had ever had a drink while eating a meal," I said. "Yes, I have a wine with my lunch almost everyday", she replied, in a harsh tone." "Then why is it wrong for this gentleman to have a beer with his lunch?" I asked. "Because people who drink beer are alcoholics," she told the court. "Then that must make you a wine-o," I said. Of course, the judge told me to tone down my comments and keep my personal opinions to myself. At that point in the hearing the woman started trying to change things around and told the court that the real reason she fired the old man was not because he had a beer, but because the old man was a danger to himself and to everyone working at their facility. She said that the old man was psychotic and depressing and that he could possibly hurt someone if allowed to stay on the job. The judge called for a recess and we retired for a one hour lunch break. I immediately drove over to the Salvation Army office and asked to see the old man's employment file, which the secretary denied me. I was told that I would have to request that information from her supervisor, who was presently appearing in court, and that she would not be back until after court was over. I asked the secretary her personal opinion of the old man and she told me that he was one of the most kind, sweet, and gentle human beings that she had ever met. I then asked her why the old man had been fired if he was so nice and kind. She told me, off the record, that the old man had taken several old stained mattresses from the dumpster and had given them to a woman and her two small children because they could not afford to purchase new beds. I could not understand why he would be fired for such a random act of kindness. It was explained to me that the law prohibited mattresses to be sold unless they had been sterilized. I understood what the woman was telling me. However, the mattereses were given away, not sold. This led me to believe that this was a matter of the Salvation Army losing a sale. That could be the real reason behind this whole thing. I told the secretary that the old man was going to be tossed out onto the street if we did not win this case. She then got up from her desk and walked over to a cabinet and took out a file. She put it on the desk and said she would return in 10 minutes. It was the old man's file and I read it as quickly as I could, noting that the gentleman had been working at the facility for about four years. He was a hard worker and had been known to spending his own money on those in need, even though he had very little. Before leaving, I noticed something in this file which I removed and stuck in my coat pocket. The hearing resumed at 1pm and the woman once again took the stand, and I began to question her. "So what you are telling this court is that the real reason that you fired this gentleman is not because he had a beer with his lunch but because he is a danger to himself, his work place, and all who work there with him. Is that correct?" "That is correct," said the woman. "What makes you think he is a danger at the work place?" I asked her. "Because I have had to take pencils away from him for fear that he might stab himself or somebody else on the job," she replied. "Why would he want to do that?" I asked her. "Because, as I said, he is a psychotic alcoholic and he cannot follow directions. He is just an old man," she said. I walked over to my coat, now hanging on the back of my chair, reached into the pocket and took out a piece of paper and began to unfold it. "So what you are saying is that you have dismissed this man because he is old, drinks beer and will probably kill someone on the job one day. Is that correct?" I asked her. "Yes, that is why I fired him," she told the court. I turned towards the judge and held up the front page of the Modesto Bee newspaper. On the front page was a large picture. I turned the newspaper toward the woman sitting on the stand and said, "Is this the man that we are talking about?" She just sat there not saying a word. Turning towards the judge, I showed him the front page of the newspaper. The large picture showed this same woman smiling from ear to ear while handing my client a large carving knife and fork. They were both standing in front of a long line of about two hundred people and were preparing to carve up fifty or so turkeys to feed the poor and homeless on Thanksgiving Day. I turned to the court and said, "Your honor I belive this vicious killer has a partner in crime." The judge looked directly at me, winked, smiled, and then said, "I think I have seen enough." He dismissed the entire case. I will never forget that case or that old man for as long as I live. He sat there in that court room being talked about as though he was nothing more than an animal -- smiling kindly at everyone the entire time. Though I spent most of my young life in an orphanage, reform school, jail and finally prison, I have always loved and respected the law. I just wish things could have been different for me as a young man. If I had the chance to go to college, I know that I could have grown up to be the kind of lawyer that could have given the law "a heart." -- Roger Dean Kiser ___________________________________________ Roger, a Heartwarmer Gem, recently received a full and unconditional pardon from the Governor of Georgia for the crimes he was accused of committing in the 1960s. He says, "As I stand here today I feel, for the first time in my life, that I can hold my head high. I know in my heart that I will never again violate the trust expected of me as an American citizen." -<>- ####### ##[_]## ,;###########;, <<:{{\|@___@|/}}:>> <<:{{| ( /___\\) \}}:>> <<:{{/\ \\___/( /\}}:>> <<<<:{{| \ _.| |(_\/ |}}:>>>> <<<:{{|`\,'| '-' |'./`|}}:>>> <<<:{{|`\/ \___/ \/`|}}:>>> <<<:{{ \// ) ~ ~ ( \\/ }}:>>> <<:{{`{///' ~ ^ ~ '\\\}`}}:>>> <<:{{,=`. ~ ^.~.^ ~ .`=,}}:>> `-,__.__,-' \ | / jgs // \\ .---'( )'---. `---'-` `-'---` >A THANKSGIVING I REMEMBER by Nancy B. Gibbs I vividly remember a Thanksgiving Day when I was a teenager. Our family had planned to go to my aunt's home in the country to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Unfortunately, that morning the plans changed. My mother hadn't planned to cook, so there was no food in the house. The grocery stores and restaurants were all closed. My father was determined that we would have something to eat for Thanksgiving, however. After riding around for about an hour, we discovered a hot dog stand, sitting just off the highway. God blessed us. The hot dog stand was open! Daddy purchased four dogs to go. Before long, we were sitting around our kitchen table, holding hands, and thanking God for our Thanksgiving meal. It has been many years since that particular Thanksgiving Day, but I remember it like just yesterday. Ironically, I cannot recall how we spent any other Thanksgiving Day when I was young. What is important about Thanksgiving is not the menu. The important thing is that we are thankful for whatever blessing God sends our way. Let's all decide to make this a Thanksgiving to remember, regardless of whether we feast on turkey or hot dogs! -- Nancy B. Gibbs ___________________________________________ Nancy is a freelance writer, editor and columnist who lives in south Georgia. She is a pastor's wife, a mother and a grandmother. You are welcomed to visit her new website at: http://www.nancybgibbs.com =========================================================== >-->From Daily Encounter , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Thanksgiving: A Lifestyle “Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me."1 David wrote the longest chapter and book in the Bible. Psalms is full of songs of praise to God. He was so full of gratitude and praise to God that in 2 Samuel 6, we see his wife, Michal, criticizing him for dancing in thanksgiving before the Lord. He was a warrior, but he was also a true worshipper. He was not perfect and committed many mistakes, but God called him a man after His own heart. In Psalm 103, he begins and ends with the words “Let all that I am praise the Lord." His gratitude for all God had done had inspired a lifestyle of praise and thanksgiving that flowed from his entire being. If we read this chapter in its entirety, we see David list reason after reason forgiving God praise. He starts by instructing his soul to praise God and never forget the good things God has done for him. He then goes on to thank God for all the privileges and benefits that God has provided. David was very thoughtful which led him to be very thankful. Towards the end of the chapter we see an invitation to everyone to praise God as well. He was a perfect example of living a life of thanksgiving. Tomorrow we will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in the United States. A day where we all make an intentional effort to be thankful. While it is important to come together with others and practice being thankful, for the Christian, it should be a lifestyle that we adopt every day. I encourage you to take a moment - could you list the reasons for praising God? Suggested prayer: 'Dear God, I thank you for who you are, for all you have done for me, and for your love. When I start thinking of all that you have done in my life, I realize that my heart truly abounds with gratitude. I pray that you would help me turn that gratitude into a lifestyle of praise that would create a ripple effect in those around me. You deserve all the glory, praise, and thanks forever. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen."Psalm 103:1-2 (NLT). When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International. =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >Giving Thanks to God by Matthew Spalding, Ph.D. November 26, 2003 When President Bush issues his Thanksgiving Proclamation—inevitably noting the many blessings, as well as the great responsibilities, of our liberty—he will be participating in a tradition that affirms once again that, while we are committed to upholding religious liberty, we remain one nation under God. This is because President Bush is following in the footsteps-and speaking in the voice of—America’s Founding Fathers, who saw religion as a necessary and vital element of their experiment in republican government. Founders' Original Meaning America's Founders sought the official separation of church and state, just as they favored government encouragement and support of religion in public laws, official speeches and ceremonies, on public property and in public buildings. They did not believe for a moment—concerned, as they were about the moral character of citizens—that government should be neutral toward religion. The United States Supreme Court has taken a contrary view, arguing that any endorsement of God is an unconstitutional establishment of religion; violating the vast 'wall of separation' it has built over the past half decade. The Court holds that government must be neutral, not just between particular religions but also between religion and non-religion—allowing no affirmation or endorsement of religion. Thanksgiving Proclamations, being official statements of the executive, underscore the American Founders' view of religious liberty and show how far our understanding has changed from their original meaning. The day after it approved the First Amendment and its protections of religious liberty, Congress called upon the president to 'recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the many signal favors of Almighty God.' President Washington responded by proclaiming November 26, 1789 the first official Thanksgiving, noting, 'It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly implore his protection and favor.' John Adams proclaimed, 'A day of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer; that the citizens on that day abstain as far as may be from their secular occupations, [and] devote the time to the sacred duties of religion in public and in private.' Thomas Jefferson was the exception, not the rule: his famous, and over-emphasized, 'wall of separation' letter was written to explain his refusal to proclaim days of prayer and thanksgiving. James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, and chief sponsor of the Bill of Rights, proclaimed as president that, 'The eyes of all should be turned to that Almighty Power, in whose hands are the welfare and the destiny of nations' and recommended that citizens should address 'their vows and adorations to the great Parent and Sovereign of the Universe' and 'render him thanks for the many blessings he has bestowed on the people of the United States.' Such proclamations are not limited to early presidents: In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Suggested a nationwide reading of the Holy Scriptures during the period from Thanksgiving Day to Christmas” so that the people “may bear more earnest witness to our gratitude to Almighty God.” Nor are they limited to one political party: President Clinton recommended, 'We set aside our daily routines to acknowledge the bounty and mercy of Divine Providence,' and urged citizens to 'gather in their homes and places of worship to express their heartfelt gratitude for the many blessings of our lives.' Ronald Reagan called on every citizen, 'To gather together in homes and places of worship and offer prayers of praise and gratitude for the many blessings Almighty God has bestowed upon our beloved nation.' Religion & Liberty Thanksgiving Proclamations recognize that, even though religion 'never intervenes directly in the government of American society,' as Alexis de Tocqueville observed, it determines the 'habits of the heart' and is 'the first of [our] political institutions.' In America, throughout its history, religion has flourished—and so has liberty. For that, and for the freedom to proclaim and testify to our faith, all Americans ought to the thankful. -<>- !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ >Thanksgiving in Culture Around the World From time immemorial, people everywhere have felt the need to give thanks. Gratitude is a basic human characteristic, the consciousness of benefit freely received. To express thanksgiving, people use words (thank you, gracias, merci, arigato, danke schoen); they use gestures (a hand clasp, an embrace, a deep bow). And, as people develop clans and tribes, kingdoms and nations, they develop feasts and rituals for giving thanks. These become celebrations because the act of thanksgiving, the gesture of gratitude is a joyful one. In one very beautiful Thanksgiving Ritual, that of the Seneca Tribe of the Iroquois Nation of American Indians, it is observed: Let there be gratitude; we are always going to be grateful, we who remain, we who claim to be happy. And give it your thought: the first thing for us to do is to be thankful to each other. And our minds will continue to be so. Very often Thanksgiving celebrations occur at harvest time, when the bounty of the earth is reaped and food is assured for the coming year. An ancient African tribal expression of gratitude states: The year has come around again, great Lord of our land – never can we thank you for your good deeds and all your blessings. Today there are some nations whose governments have an annual national thanksgiving day, among them Brazil, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and the United States. Many others celebrate days of thanksgiving as part of their religious or cultural heritage, a national, state or local level. In 1982 at the request of international religious and diplomatic leaders, Thanks-Giving Square drew up the first Declaration of World Thanksgiving. This was written by Fellows of World Thanksgiving – educators, philosophers, statesmen, and theologians – from around the world. Twelve internationally known leaders were then invited to approve the declaration by signing it. It was then presented to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the whole human family. Each year since, a new declaration has been approved by twelve more leaders. In 1997, through the efforts of Thanks-Giving Square, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a resolution proclaiming the year 2000 the International Year of Thanksgiving. In a ceremony in 1999 commemorating the UN stamp issued for that year, the United Nations emphasized, 'thanksgiving is basic in human nature and is observed worldwide. It ties human communities together and encourages brotherhood and sharing.' From Thanks-Giving Square Site http://www.thanksgiving.org/ -<>- ,(()). ,;;;;. __ ________ _____ ___ ((_ _));'_`'_( _| __ __ __ _| _| _| __ __ () \ /)\ ) / (_|__ _|-_| _(_|(_|(_|__ _|-- ((\ O(() \ O / _____(_|(_|_____________(_|_ SSt >"I'm So Thankful" - lets sing a little THANKS GIVING SONG!! Here's an easy tune the whole family can sing together! Lyrics to “I’m Thankful-so” to tune of "The Farmer in the Dell” By Rosie Stromberg Refrain The reasons I am glad The reasons I am glad Hi-O I'm thankful-so, For reasons to be glad I'm glad for my family, I’m glad for my family Hi-O I'm thankful-so, I’m glad that they have me. I'm glad for school and friends, I’m glad for school and friends Hi-O, I'm thankful-so, for learning never ends. I'm glad to do good deeds, I’m glad to do good deeds Hi-O I'm thankful-so, to help with people’s needs I'm glad that I am here, I’m glad we are here, Hi-O, I'm thankful-so, I’m glad that we are here. The reasons I am glad, The Reasons I am glad Hi-O I'm thankful-so, for Reasons we are glad! -<>- .--. {\ / q {\ { `\ \ (-(~` { '.{`\ \ \ ) {'-{ ' \ .-""'-. \ \ {._{'.' \/ '.) \ {_.{. {` | {._{ ' { ;'-=-. | {-.{.' { ';-=-.` / {._.{.; '-=- .' {_.-' `'.__ _,-' jgs |||` .='==, >BuffaloNews: * TIME OUT FOR HUMOR * The Latest From Dan Rather By Dave Barry The Buffalo News 10-21-4 Thanksgiving is that very special holiday when we take a break from our hectic everyday lives to spend quality time with our loved ones, rediscovering all the reasons why we don't actually live with them. But Thanksgiving is also a spiritual time of quiet reflection - a time when we pause to remember, as generations have remembered before us, that an improperly cooked turkey is - in the words of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - "a ticking Meat Bomb of Death." Yes, it is a tragic but statistical fact that every Thanksgiving, undercooked turkeys claim the lives of an estimated 53 billion Americans (source: Dan Rather). Sometimes the cause is deadly bacteria; sometimes - in cases of extreme undercooking - the turkey actually springs up from the carving platter and pecks the would-be carver to death. The only way to be sure you've killed all the bacteria in your turkey is to cook it until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast melts, indicating that the turkey has attained the same internal temperature as the sun. "Basically," advises the surgeon general, "you want to be serving your family a 16-pound charcoal briquette." Even then you should keep a flamethrower handy. Speaking of which: The "hot" new Thanksgiving culinary trend is to cook turkeys in big deep-fat fryers, which are hugely popular because they give guys an excuse to spend Thanksgiving outside drinking beer and messing around with a device that could potentially destroy an entire neighborhood. Now that guys have decided to become seriously involved in Thanksgiving food preparation, it's only a matter of time before they come up with a recipe for mashed potatoes that involves a grenade launcher. Of course not everybody is comfortable with the idea of eating turkeys, which are, let's face it, living organisms, like dogs, or celery. You may wonder: Is there a more humanitarian option that you can serve for Thanksgiving dinner? There certainly is: It's tofu, a semi-foodlike substance secreted by soybeans as a defense mechanism. Tofu can be used as a high-protein meat substitute, as well as a denture adhesive or tile grout. In its natural state, tofu is tasteless and odorless, but if you form it into a turkey-shaped lump, season it well, add gravy and bake it for two hours in a shallow pan at 350 degrees, you can also use it for minor driveway repairs. Of course, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without the pumpkin pie. Here's an easy recipe for this delicious traditional dessert: 1. Using a dangerous knife, cut the top off a large pumpkin. 2. Inside you will find a mess of stringy, stanky, slimy pumpkin innards. Scoop these out and discard them. 3. Now discard the rest of the pumpkin, because the simple truth, obvious to anybody with half a brain, is that NO PART of the pumpkin looks, smells or tastes ANYTHING like so-called "pumpkin" pie. This is why nobody actually makes "pumpkin" pie; everybody buys it at the supermarket. The question is: What does the supermarket put in there? The Food and Drug Administration is investigating this, and according to one informed source (Dan Rather) "they think it's tofu." But enough about food. Thanksgiving is not merely a time of eating until we are big fat bloated carbohydrate balloons lying motionless on the sofa watching the Detroit Lions while actual gravy oozes from our pores. Thanksgiving is also a time of giving thanks - as the Pilgrims did so many centuries ago - for the fact that the malls are open on Friday. Otherwise we'd have to spend another day cooped up with our loved ones, not to mention toxic levels of leftovers, and the number of domestic drumstick assaults would be even higher than it is. But in all seriousness, I want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. I personally am very thankful that I have readers like you who have terrific senses of humor and thus recognize that I am just "kidding around," especially if you are in the turkey, deep-fat fryer, tofu or pumpkin-pie industries. Also, even though I have "poked some fun" at Mr. Dan Rather, I sincerely believe he is a great journalist and a credit to his home planet. In closing, let's have a big group hug and join together in singing this traditional Thanksgiving song that we vaguely remember from childhood: "Over the river and through the woods, To grandmother's house we go! The horse is reluctant, And we can relate, Because grandmother's house has that weird smell." Copyright 1999-2004 - The Buffalo News Canadian officials warn drivers not to let moose lick cars https://buffalonews.com/ -<>- , _ )\ __`9) _,/^`^(G)-' < \(\a a ) / ) `(v__/` ,_ (_, ) mic `U) _,) )-(_/ (_/ (_/ >WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR LIFE By: Joseph J. Mazzella I have been blessed the last several days to awaken right as the sun was coming up over the mountains here. I have rushed outside with each new dawn to walk my dogs and to take in its wonderful beauty. It has been so glorious taking the time every morning to watch the night sky slowly turn blue; to gaze upon the morning star and smiling moon shining brightly; to see the clouds glow red, pink, and yellow; and to watch the golden sun rise majestically into the sky. Each sunrise has filled my heart and soul full of joy, love, and delight. Each morning has made me thank God once again for this glorious gift of life. Each daybreak has reminded me of just how much I am loved and watched over by God. Each dawn has given me a new desire not just to take joy from this gift of life, but to bring joy to it as well. Leo Buscaglia once said that, "Life is God's gift to you and what you do with it is your gift to God." I hope to make my own gift to God a fantastic one. That is why I have stopped asking what life can do for me and started asking what I can do for life. God has already given me all the love and joy I will ever need. Now all I want to do is to choose that love and joy and share it with everyone everywhere. Now all I want to do is show the rest of this world that they can do the same. Now all I want to do is let others know just how much God loves them and just how glorious, joyous, wonderful, and full of love life can be. Life gives us all so much. God gives us all so much. It is time we all give something back. Ask yourself what you can do for life. Ask yourself what you can give to others and the world. It can be as simple as a smiling face, a friendly attitude, and a gentle word. It can be as easy as sharing a sunrise, offering a helping hand, or doing a kind thing. Whatever you give will make life better and you happier. Whatever you give will bring joy to others and delight to God. -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >HE IS - He IS - GOD Almighty - He is the First and Last, The Beginning and the End! He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be ... Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone! He IS - The Christ, God's SON - He was bruised and brought healing! He was pierced and eased pain! He was persecuted and brought freedom! He was dead and brought life! He is risen and brings power! He reigns and brings Peace! The world can't understand him, The armies can't defeat Him, The schools can't explain Him, and The leaders can't ignore Him. Herod couldn't kill Him, The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and The people couldn't hold Him! Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him, The New Age can't replace Him, and "Oprah" can't explain Him away! He Is - God Almighty - He is light, love, longevity, and Lord. He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God. He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure. His ways are right, His word is eternal, His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me. He is my Savior, He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy, He is my comfort. He Is - The Christ, God's SON - He is my Lord, and He rules my life! I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life. I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and is to come. And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size - He Is - God Almighty who sent His SON THEIR goal is a relationship with ME! THEY will never leave me, THEY will Never forsake me, never mislead me, never forget me, never overlook me and never cancel my appointment in their appointment book! When I fall, He lifts me up! He Is - Jesus Christ my Lord. When I fail, He forgives! He IS - God Almighty, my Father. When I am weak, He is strong! When I am lost, He is the way! When I am afraid, He is my courage! When I stumble, He steadies me! When I am hurt, He heals me! When I am broken, He mends me! When I am blind, He leads me! When I am hungry, He feeds me! When I face trials, He is with me! When I face persecution, He shields me! When I face problems, He comforts me! When I face loss, He provides for me! When I face Death, He will carry me Home! HE IS - Christ, my Lord Living Lord and Savior. He is everything for everybody everywhere, every time, and every way. He Is - God, He Is faithful. I am His, and He Is mine! My Father in heaven can whip any father of this world. So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this... He said it and that settles it. God Is in control, I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul. Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is With Me! -- Author Unknown -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment :) Christ's Life!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesuslife.html Beautiful Roses!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/roses.html Rainbows Of Fall!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fall.html Who Is Jesus Christ!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/whoisjesus.html God's Most Beautiful!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mostbeautiful.html Our Valuable Anchor!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html Thank You Lord!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanks.html 90/10 Principle!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/giving.html Thanksgiving Through The Years!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanksgiving.html Easy Recipes!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/easy.html Fall & Thanksgiving Index! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanksgivingindex.html -<>- Thanks Giving Poem: http://www.wrensworld.com/thanksgiving.htm Thanksgiving Dinner: http://www.wrensworld.com/thanxdinner.htm The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength https://tinyurl.com/y2w4fujz Leaning on the Everlasting Arms https://tinyurl.com/y4ffjt6w Huge Crowd Descends on Washington, D.C. to Declare: 'God's Moving in America' / Meet the 5 Pro-Life Women Running for Senate / Matthew McConaughey Confirms Faith in Christ, Calls Out 'Hypocritical' Hollywood And More https://www.christianlifedaily.com/ Another State Rejects the Left’s Argument That Abortion Is a 'Right' And More: https://mommyunderground.com/ -<>- >In The News: Ben Carson: Donald Trump ‘Saved My Life'! http://trk.cp20.com/click/gcgd-2n4evn-89y7ww-f1amte03/ Latest from Reliable News https://reliablenewsnow.com/ Alan Dershowitz Discusses Odds of Eventual Trump Victory And More: https://americanactionnews.com/ Lin Wood Announces Sidney Powell Will File Major Lawsuit in Georgia https://www.tacticalshit.com/ EXPOSED: The 21 GOP Senators Who Have TURNED ON TRUMP! And More: https://independentminute.com/ AOC Just Announced HER Covid Plan And It Is BEYOND Insane! And More: https://threepercenternation.com/ Laura Ingraham: Trump will remain 'the most important person in American politics if he wants to be' https://tinyurl.com/yxt632rl Westwing News: https://www.whitehouse.gov/westwingreads/ WhiteHouseNews: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Students For Life https://tinyurl.com/yd5nxmu6 Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Latest Product Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/products/?fmt=text Latest Health Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/health/?fmt=text Click to Give Free https://tinyurl.com/y2abb8d2 -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) See a really sick Golden Retriever recovering from Kennel Cough and more cool and interesting videos. Fredão the Golden Retriever got sick and had to wear a respirator to help him breathe. He appears to be healthy and fully recovered now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZhf1JGDUWY See a man with really large hands and more cool and interesting videos as you get your Daily Dose Of Internet. Seeing the astronaut try to wash her hair is interesting and the dog that is confused by daylight savings time is just adorable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB5Vi6-0ZnM Take a short break from your day to watch some cool and interesting video clips as you get your Daily Dose Of Internet. Technology to make things invisible is certainly progressing and I’m sure will be commonplace someday. I’m glad the hunting dog wasn’t attacked by the wolf pack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RJZn3RgBAY See a whale watcher on a kayak almost get eaten by a whale and more cool and interesting videos as you get your Daily Dose Of Internet. Stick around to the end to see a turtle with a starfish taking a ride on his shell. The creator of This Is Your Internet just went over 10 million fans on YouTube so he has been quite successful since he began compiling these video clips and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpWqMd0pfbY --- ...Great ones! Thanks LouiseAu! Göbekli Tepe is the most astonishing archaeological discovery in modern times and the oldest advanced civilization on Earth discovered to date. https://youtu.be/9qyD3EjU0Gg --- ...Wowsers! Thanks LouiseAu! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== >-->From Sermond Fodder: _____ _____ ---' _ \______ ______/ _ `--- `-`_____) (_____'-' ._ ((___) (___)) _. -'((__) (__))`- ---.___((_) VK (_))___.--- >Blaming Others Blaming others is a national pastime. The talk show pundits do it. The candidates do it. Columnists sometimes make money blaming others. Children may be learning it at home from parents who do it, too. John Miller, a graduate of Cornell University, lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife, Karen, and seven children, including three whom they have adopted. If seven children are enough to give you pause, you can bet Mr. Miller has some down-to-earth thinking on parenting, including the idea that parenting is really all about teaching children personal accountability. Can we actually teach children to avoid the blame game that ensnares so many of us? To test Mr. Miller's premise that the secret to good parenting is teaching your kids personal accountability, answer honestly: When something doesn't go right, what do your children hear you say? Do you blame your boss? Is it the fault of a guidance counselor in high school who put you on the college track when you would have benefited greatly from technical school? Do you blame the pastor when things don't go your way at church? Miller points out that although we wouldn't be human if we didn't complain and blame sometimes, if our children hear us excessively blaming others, they will grow up to be blamers and victims. Miller outlines a fairly simple way to get away from blaming others. The "Question Behind the Question" is a method of taking a bad question and changing it into one that helps people claim their personal responsibility, take action, and fix a problem. "Personal accountability is not about changing others or controlling what you cannot. It's about making a difference by changing yourself," says Miller. Begin your questions with 'What; or 'How'. For example, ask, 'What can I do to make a difference in my child's education?' or 'How can I get to know my teen better?'. In his book, QBQ: The Question Behind the Question (Denver Press, 2001), Miller shares a story of entering a crowded restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. As he squeezed onto a seat at the crowded counter, a young man carrying a tray full of dirty dishes hurried past on his way to the kitchen. Catching Miller's eye, the young man asked, 'Have you been helped?' Miller answered, 'no', indicating that he only wanted a salad and a couple of rolls. The waiter said he'd bring it and asked Miller what he wanted to drink. Miller preferred Diet Coke, but the waiter responded, 'Oh, we only sell Pepsi. Would that be okay?'. Miller opted for water and the waiter promised to be right back. Indeed he was back in a minute with the salad, rolls and water. As Miller began to eat, a few minutes later the waiter reappeared bearing a twenty-ounce bottle of cold Diet Coke. 'Wow!' said Miller, thanking him, and then added, 'I thought you didn't sell Coke?' The waiter replied, 'We don't. It came from the grocery store around the corner.' Miller, almost in shock, asked, 'But you've been awfully busy. How did you have time to go get it?' 'I didn't, sir. I sent my manager!' To Miller, that was an excellent example of management empowering workers to serve the customer at all costs, and taking personal responsibility for seeing to it that people were treated right. Miller points out that the waiter could have blamed any number of others for the situation, such as whomever was supposed to cover the counter area, questioning why only one cola was on the menu, asking why the restaurant was short staffed, or complaining that customers ought to read the menu. Instead, his attitude was 'What can I do to make a difference here?' Wouldn't we all like to be surrounded by such people in our workplace, at home or at school? The answer, of course, comes right back at us: 'What can I do to make a difference here?' Teaching personal responsibility to our children is easier when we take personal responsibility ourselves. It's an important part of the Christian life. == Contributed by Melodie Davis from her weekly column ANOTHER WAY -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Life, With Thanksgiving [edited] I love the Bible search engines available for most computers. Every once in a while, I like to just put in a phrase and see what rolls out. Since Thanksgiving in the U.S. is approaching, I thought I would do a thanksgiving search -- not about the holiday, but about the attitude, the lifestyle, of thanksgiving. So I checked out the phrase "with thanksgiving" and this is what rolled out: * I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30 * Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Psalm 95:2 * Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 * Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. Psalm 147:7 * Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 * They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving... 1 Timothy 4:3-4 As I examined these "random" passages, they taught me several powerful lessons. First, when we talk about going into the presence of the Holy, Almighty God, we go with thanksgiving. We don't go with fear, regret, dread, sorrow, anguish, but with thanksgiving. Now don't get me wrong, we approach God with a deep and reverential awe. We also go with the things that are on our hearts, small and large, good and bad. We approach him out of the place we find ourselves in our lives and he meets us there. But, for God, the key to our approach is thanksgiving and praise. No matter where we are in our walk through the world, we know our destination, we know our victory lies ahead around God's corner, and we know that God's grace has triumphed over our doubts and defeats. So when we approach God -- whether in prayer, song, or meal -- we go with thanksgiving! Second, thanksgiving before God is not just about things we consider "normal worship," like prayer and song, but it also involves our food. We remember Jesus' example when he broke bread and blessed it (cf. Matthew 15:36). We know the disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus as they ate together with him (see Luke 24:35). In fact, if you listen closely to Luke's story of Jesus and the Early Church (in Luke and Acts), you can tell his story around the meals that are mentioned. Eating food with thanksgiving along with those that love us and that love Jesus is very much a part of worshiping God (Acts 2:46). Maybe that is why one of the words for the Supper of the Lord is The Thanksgiving (eucharisteow from which the word Eucharist comes -- Luke 22:17, 19). Third, a crucial part of a life that is triumphant over difficult circumstances is the ability to give thanks to God. This thanksgiving, offered even in the middle of difficulty and hardship, helps ransom our situation with the promises and grace of God. As Paul put it, "if God is for us, who can be against us?" (cf. Romans 8:31) Approaching God with thanksgiving in our songs, our prayers, and our meals helps us rise above the mundane and catch a glimpse of the glory our God longs to share with us. So, whether you're from the U.S. or not, why not take this week and dedicate it to giving thanks. Heaven will be a little closer, the hardships of this world will be a little more bearable, and the Father who waits to bring you home will definitely be near, enjoying it even more than us! By Phil Ware ========================================================== .--. .--. / ' .\ |'. ( .-. \ \ . ` /\. /`. / ) ( `.' .' '--'` (\ \.' .' ) \`. \ _/ _..--' `. \ /`'<_/ : )"'``..`-3 : :. `"'. ) / |-.'' (_.-._ | / ( .'`--..J ' |-'( |_| | : >` '. .'' : | Y | < | : > ' \ `_ : '` \ / :- ' || : / ./: | \ .'J /_ ) : | '% | a:f /.-.`). : I | / ( \ ) : .^) `-' `..-' (`"' / ===' >-->Everyone Needs Someone People need people and friends need friends, And we all need love for a full life depends Not on vast riches or great acclaim, Not on success or on worldly fame, But just in knowing that someone cares And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers - For only the knowledge that we're understood Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good. And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed The outstretched hand reaching to find A kindred spirit whose heart and mind Are lonely and longing to somehow share Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware That life's completeness and richness depends On the things we share with our loved ones and friends. By Helen Steiner Rice -<>- _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >WHO PRAYS FOR WHO? I went to church this morning, I heard the organ play, I bowed my head, as the preacher said, And listened to him pray. When he finished up his sermon, I felt a little blue, For he had posed this question: "Who's there to pray for you?" That opened up my thinking, It made me search my mind, I wondered who'd speak up for me, Just who would take the time. I haven't many relatives, My friends are very few, The question still preys on my mind, "Who's there to pray for you?" Now for myself, I pray a lot, I seek answers from above, I ask God for the things I need, I ask Him for His love. My prayers are filled with "I, my, me's," They overflow with self, I wonder if the time has come, To place "poor me" up on the shelf. Perhaps before I question, "Who'll pray for me?" anew, It's better that I ask myself, "Just who should pray for who?" For how dare I ask another, To bow his head for me, If I don't go to God for him, And get down upon my knee? Dolores -<>- . | . \ | / `. \ ' / .' `. .-*""*-. .' "*-._ /.*" "*.\ _.-*" : ; ____ """"': .. ; _.-*" \ `.__.' / "*-._ .' `-.__.-' `. bug .' / . \ `. / | \ ' | ` >Thank you, God, for everything... By: Helen Steiner Rice Thank you, God, for everything, the big things and the small. For "every good gift comes from God"... the giver of them all. And all too often we accept, without any thanks or praise, The gifts God sends as blessings, each day in many ways. And so at this Thanksgiving Time, we offer up a prayer... To thank you, God, for giving us a lot more than our share. First, thank you for the little things that often come our way, The things we take for granted but don't mention when we pray, The unexpected courtesy, the thoughtful, kindly deed, A hand reached out to help us in the time of sudden need. Oh, make us more aware, dear God, of little daily graces That come to us with "sweet surprise" from never-dreamed-of places. Then, thank you for the "Miracles" we are much too blind to see, And give us new awareness of our many gifts from Thee, And help us to remember that the Key of Life and Living Is to make each prayer a Prayer of Thanks and every day Thanksgiving |_| _, _ _ ___ | |(_||_)|_)\_| .'=:-\ ___ | | ._| /.='( ` | |_ _ ,_ |/ , _ . .,_ _ /. ^=.'-._..---. | | |(_|| ||\/_)(_|||/|| |(_| | =^.'=.'^//"(_`\\)8, ._| ._| |^.'=' .=||/' `\||;8.-' \'.^,=^'.||; ; ||8/:_,_ give thanks... './-`\= \\\.-./;//,_/`- \ jgs \__/-/'-\888::((()),_ /:. .O__/ (_88:::(())):. `8':. ' >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->ShangyFunList AD RATES: $20 will get your a message (of up to 40 words) out to all self-subscribed readers and $5 more will give you the same message also put up for all web site readers. Email me to secure dates. Ad Request ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->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? 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 **********************************************************************