I Have A Problem... :) 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 ================ "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo | ,' `. / \ /-,-,-,-,-\ | J .--. | / oo \/ ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ / -- | < \ / [] `--' || /''\ *~* WE NEED MORE 2009 CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a 2009 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 YOU MOST ABUNDANTLY! -<>- >-->Comments & Prayer Request: !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ >From Our Friend PatW :) "I just wanted to say heartfelt thanks for the laughs...in this case, the "Lion" guarding the Mexican store"! I got a huge kick out of it. Laughter is definitely good medicine. On the serious side, however, I am faced with knee replacement surgery sometime this fall. And because of that after 22 years as Admin Assistant to two academic Divisions at Holy Names University (which has a website), I am very much afraid retirement may be in the not too distant future. Mentally, I am not prepared for the change. I could definitely use some prayer support. SOoooooooooo, thank you in advance." --- ...Yes Thank You dear friend! You are in my prayers! >For More SMILES visit these pages: _____ _ _____ ____ /_ /, | ,-, ) /'_`\ |_ _| | __| \ \> | `-'< | (_) | | | | _| ) )__ ,_ |_|`\_\ \___/ |_| |_| (_.-'_)__$ ;-'' pb Mexican Lion http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lion.html Life's Little Oops! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whoops.html God's Stickers: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/gbumper.html Top Reasons To Smile http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/smile.html Here's Your Frog http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/frog.html New Office Policy http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/office.html Truth about Work http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/work.html Picture This http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/picturethis.html Tech Horror Stories http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/tech.html Worms! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/worms.html -<>- >-->From InspiredBuffalo: Funeral arrangements are made, obituary done and ready for todays paper, flowers ordered, headstone ordered, and menu set for meal afterwards. Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday were spent in bed waiting for fever to break and dizziness to pass. I discovered fast how much your stress level can affect your health. My immune system aparently took a Bahama's vacation without me and left me with a raging infection. With the prospect of winding up in the hospital I decided I had better hit the E.R. Sunday morning.. By Sunday night the antibiotics were kicking in and after spending 12 hours under three blankets and a comforter, freezing and unable lie in all but one position, my fever broke.. Not feeling fantastic but can do what needs to be done.. Everything will be hit and miss on my postings for the next week yet as family arrives and everything get wrapped up. I will post as time allows. Nancy --- !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ ...Please keep Nancy in your prayers too. *~* God Bless Them BOTH In The Name Of Jesus Christ! -<>- , |`\ /'_/_ ,'_/\_/\_ , ,'_/\'_\_,/_ ,'| ,'_/\_'_ \_ \_/ _,-'_/ ,'_/'\_'_ \_ \'_,\ _,-'_,-/ \, ,' /_\ _'_ \_ \'_,/ __,-'<_,' _,\_,/ ( (' )\/(_ \_ \'_,\ __--' _,-_/_,-',_/ _\ \_`\> 6` 7 \'_,/ ,-' _,-,'\,_'_ \,_/'_,\ \/- _/ 7 '/ _,' _/'\_ \,_'_ \_ \'_,/ \_'/> 7'_/' _/' \_ '\,_'_ \_ \'_,\ >/ _ ,V ,< \__ '\,_'_ \_ \'_,/ /'_ ( )_)\/-,',__ '\,_'_,\_,\'_\ ( ) \_ \|_ `\_ \_,/'\,_'_,/' \\_ \_\_) `\_ \_) > `\_ / `, |`\_ / \ / \ `\ / __/| / / `\ (` ( (` (_ \ / / ,/ | / / \ / ,/ | / \ `\_ _/_/ |/ /__/,_/ mic /_( /_( >Something you need to know One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't "anymore". No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute." Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say "I love you." So while we have it, it is best we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage ... And old cars ... And children with bad report cards, dogs with bad hips, family and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what. Life is important, we only have one, we only have one mom and one dad, one unique brother or sister or friend. Suppose one morning you never wake up, do all your friends know you love them? I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said. Let every one of your friends and family, know you love them. Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do. And just in case GOD calls me home. I LOVE YA!!! :-) Live TODAY to the FULLEST because tomorrow is not promised. -<>- /"""""/""""""". / / \ __ / / \ || /____ / \ || | | In Loving | || | | Memory | || | | | || | | 3/4/65-2/9/09 | || | | * * * * | _||_ | | *\/* *\/* | | TT | | | *_\_ / ...""""""| || |.""....""""""""."" | | \/.."""""..."""\ || /.""".......""""... | |...."""""""........""""""^^^^"......."""""""".." |......"""""""""""""""........"""""...."""""..""-Ray W. After hearing so much about the need for big splashy memorial services. How about a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers. Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them. I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat. Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made. Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my heart skipped. At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped. I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland , into Arnhem ." I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day. I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say. I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach. He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this. Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer. There was no parade. No big event in Staples Center . No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage. No weeping fans on television. And that's not right. Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans. Rest in peace, Shifty. "A nation without heroes is nothing." Roberto Clemente --- ...This one came in from our friend Viv too! -<>- ._ _ | \ / | |__/ |\ .' / `. / / (/) _.-------------------._ () .-' `-. \ .' O `. `.___ .' O `. `. / o \ / | . /| | J L . .-'' ''\/| _ _ j | | < ' |/.\ /.\ | | | __ '--. |../\|...\ /...\ | `. L \ / ' /.....\ /.....\ J \ | \__/ _/ | | | | | ) \ \__/ | O |-'-'-'-| O | / / `. __ \ ___ | . _ . .' / `. \__\/ \ | . / \ . .' / / `-. |_ | . | |.-' .' ( `-.___\_____||^||_|/iwO (______) (rediddle by VK) >-->"Just Because" Just because no one has been fortunate Enough to realize what a gold mine you are, Doesn't mean you shine any less. Just because no one has been smart enough To figure out that you can't be topped, doesn't Stop you from being the best. Just because no one has come along to share Your life, doesn't mean that day isn't coming. Just because no one has made this race Worth while, doesn't give you permission To stop running. Just because no one has realized how much Of a woman you are, doesn't mean they can Affect your femininity. Just because no one has come to take the Loneliness away, doesn't mean you have to Settle for a lower quality. Just because no one has shown up who Can love you on your level, doesn't mean You have to sink to theirs. Just because you deserve the very best There is, doesn't mean that life is always fair. Just because God is still preparing your King, doesn't mean that you're not already A queen. Just because your situation doesn't seem To be progressing right now, doesn't mean You need to change a thing. Keep shining, Keep running, Keep hoping, Keep praying, Keep being exactly what you are already - COMPLETE! --- ...Check out this teaching... , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Romans 12: 1, 2 -- I beseech [beggingly implore] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [rational/logical] service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. You in Christ must be distinguished from Christ in you. The latter is in reference to being born again of God's Spirit. Romans 10: 9, 10 -- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The Christian can only recognize his position if he or she is renewing their mind to God's Word. Despite what some people erroneously teach, the mind DOES NOT change after a person is born again of God's Spirit. By studying this teaching, you are renewing your mind and are putting on the mind of Christ. http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/christianposition.html also see... , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Christian Stand http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/christianstand.html Christian Walk http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/christianwalk.html Renewed Mind http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/renewedmind.html -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment Pigeon http://www.buffaloschips.com/qwda.htm Ping Pong http://www.buffaloschips.com/jlkfd.htm Ping http://www.buffaloschips.com/fjdks.htm Piscina http://www.buffaloschips.com/fgdw.htm Rabbit VS Snake http://www.buffaloschips.com/asdasc.htm Rally Flip http://www.buffaloschips.com/dasms.htm =============================================================== >-->From Our Friend Jo Ann :) /"""""/""""""". / / \ __ / / \ || /____ / \ || | | In Loving | || | | Memory | || | | | || | | 3/3/45-2/9/09 | || | | * * * * | _||_ | | *\/* *\/* | | TT | | | *_\_ / ...""""""| || |.""....""""""""."" | | \/.."""""..."""\ || /.""".......""""... | |...."""""""........""""""^^^^"......."""""""".." |......"""""""""""""""........"""""...."""""..""-Ray W. >Another great man - Ed Freeman You're a 19-year-old kid. You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you're not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day. Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter and you look up to see an unarmed Huey, but it doesn't seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it. Ed Freeman is coming for you. He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come. He's coming anyway. And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire as they load 2 or 3 of you on board. Then he flies you up and out, through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses. And he kept coming back, 13 more times, and took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out. Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died on Wednesday, June 25th, 2009, at the age of 80, in Boise , ID. May God rest his soul. Medal of Honor Winner Ed Freeman! Since the media didn't give him the coverage he deserves, send this to every red-blooded American you know. THANKS AGAIN, ED, FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR COUNTRY. RIP --- ...Sweet! Thank You Jo Ann! =============================================================== >-->From Our Friend Viv :) ... /o o\ ( - ) \ O / _\_/_ _/__|__\_ | | | ___ | | | | | ________|__|_|__|________ |"""""""""""""""""""""""| >A bit lengthy -- Lee Iacocca Below are the words of Lee Iacocca. The story tells all! Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He's now 82 years old and has a new book, 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?'. Lee Iacocca Says: 'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.' Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the darned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!' You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom- poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the 'America' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you? I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.) Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down. On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership. But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point. Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened. Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time. Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it? Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America. In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a "Call to Action" for people who, like me, believe in America'. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.' Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake!! --- ...Interesting reading - Thanks Viv! It is up to us to Do Something! , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' See these teachings: God Moves WHEN YOU Move! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/godmoves.html Taking ACTION! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/takingaction.html You are The ONLY YOU God Has http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html ================================================================ >-->From Heartwarmers: _,,,_ _ /////\\ _ |\ | \|\ _ // e e \\ / `|~\|_/|~\|_) _ (" > ") _ \_, |_)|_) \\.=-=.// \/ ) _ |\ / | \|\ \--\\\7///--/ /\/ _ |_)|~\ |~\ /`--`"""`--'\/ / |_)| \ / : \ / |\ |_) \ '-.,_ `-' |~\ `-._/__)======_____, jgs ((=====)) _ |`"""`| _// `\,_('> |= | (') \~_) |= | ( '-. -'= `-...-` _/-_(_)o >MAGICAL TIMES OF A LOST ERA by Chris Smith Thoughts of summer remind me of my childhood at age eleven, my most memorable summer. Even now, if I close my eyes and remember, certain smells and sounds become vivid in my mind. In our small rural East Texas town most people earned a living in the agriculture industry. We had a small farm which produced enough food for our family and plenty to sell for our livelihood. My best friend lived across the road. On hot summer days we rode our bikes all over the countryside. Her dad had a huge watermelon patch. When we became overheated from our exertion, she and I would ride by that patch and help ourselves to a watermelon. Each of us would pick out a juicy, ripe one. We would lift it above our heads and let it drop to open it. That first bite was pure sweet nectar. Sweet, sticky juice would ooze through our fingers and drip from our chins as our throats were cooled and our thirst was quenched. Occasionally my dad would take me to town for a root beer served in a frosty mug. But not even a frosty root beer could have topped our raid of the watermelon patch. When evening came the whole family would sit on the front porch with bushel baskets of fruits and vegetables. We husked corn, shelled peas, snapped green beans, and sliced squash, okra, and fruits for freezing or canning. This was done outdoors around sunset because it was cooler. No one had air conditioners. Many times our neighbors would see us and join us. Adults told stories which could bring a tear to your eye or have you rolling in laughter. More likely than not, someone would start singing a gospel hymn and, one by one, others would join in. One song would lead to another. Before long, the work was finished. We would thank all our helpers by making homemade ice cream. It was made in a freezer that you had to turn by hand. That task always fell to the children. If we had a large crop to prepare we would start at dusk and have a neighborhood "fish fry" as several families would volunteer. The children would help for a while then be allowed to play. One of our favorite games after dark was chasing fireflies, or lightning bugs, as we called them. We put them in a Mason jar with a lid and watched them light up the night like a lantern. Soon, we would set them free and chase down some more. Surrounded by the twinkling fireflies and the night sounds of frogs, locusts and crickets crying for rain, it seemed we had entered a magical land. We played games long forgotten by today's generation -- Red Light-Green Light, Red Rover, Mother May I? King of the Mountain, Chase, and Freeze are a few I can remember. We certainly worked up an appetite for that homemade ice cream. Closing my eyes I can still feel the first velvety spoonful filling my mouth and sliding gloriously down my throat. It was almost a spiritual experience as I cherished each bite. Sometimes, before dark, the adults would join us in one or two of our outdoor games. We had a huge thick jump rope and we'd take turns turning it while others -- adults and children alike -- jumped two and three at a time chanting, "Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs..." It was such fun! Sometimes a sudden rain storm would come and we would run for cover. Then as quickly as it came, it would be gone. If I had to name one of my favorite memories from childhood, it would have to be the smell after a summer rain. The hot earth barely dampened by the brief downpour gave the soil a refreshing, yet heavy smell you could almost taste. These were the magical times of a lost era. Many of the folks have gone to see their Maker. Still, each memory is embedded in my heart and in my mind forever. -- Chris Smith ================================================================= >-->From Our Firend James :) ____ ____ _,',--.`-. _,',--.`-. <_ ( () ) > ( <_ ( () ) > `-:__;,-' \ `A:__:,-' \ / \ (( ) \-' \ \ ( ) -Shimrod `-'"`-----' Jesus said, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" – John 20:15 I can only imagine the despair of Mary Magdalene when she found the tomb empty. As if she has not been hurt enough at witnessing her beloved Lord's death on the Cross, did they have to take away His body, too? As she wept, Mary heard Jesus tenderly speak her name. She knew in her heart it was He. And she continued to weep, this time tears of joy, because she found the One she had been looking for. Just like Mary Magdalene, I cry when I'm sad and when I'm happy. I cry when someone I love dies and when a baby is born into our family. I cry when I am misjudged and when others recognize the good I do. I cry when I fail and when I succeed. I cry when I am faced with my sinfulness and when I am forgiven. I cry when I feel the Lord has left me on my own and when I sense His powerful presence. Whenever I cry, I believe some part of me is being healed. I know the Lord is mending my brokenness within. I also know that Jesus reaches out to embrace me. My tears of sorrow become tears of joy because finally, I found Him just where He has always been — beside me. Dina Pecaña REFLECTION: "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you." (2 Kings 20:5) Jesus, I cry out to You. Comfort me with Your presence and heal me with Your perfect love. Let my tears of sorrow become tears of joy, for You are always with me. --- ...So true James! What gets me is a simple line in the bible that gives all of what our Lord was feeling when his friend Lazarus died... John 11:35 "Jesus wept" Jesus knows how we feel. =================================================================== &&&&&&& &&(+.+)&& ___\=/___ (|_ ~~~ _|) )___( /' `\ ~~~~~~~~~~~ `~//~~~\\~' ejm97 /_) (_\ >-->GOD'S AMAZING ANSWER by Helen Roseveare One night, in Central Africa, I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward. But despite everything we did to save her, she died leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying, two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive. We had no incubator. We had no electricity to run an incubator, and no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. A student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and for the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly, in distress, to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. "It was our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. Well, as they say, it's no good crying over spilled milk, or in this instance, a burst water bottle. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. "All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can. Sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm." The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with many of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could easily die if it got chilled. I also told them about the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, a 10 year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt consciousness of our African children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God. The baby'll be dead. So, please send it this afternoon." While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of corollary, " ...and while You're at it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?" As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen?" I just did not believe that God could do this. Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent to me that there was a car at my front door. By the time got back home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel! I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then, there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children began to look a little bored. Next, came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - - that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. As I put my hand in again, I felt the... could it really be? I grasped it, and pulled it out. Yes! "A brand-new rubber, hot water bottle!" I cried. I had not asked God to send it. I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out a small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone -- she had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?" That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday School class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. One of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child -- five months earlier in answer to the prayer of a believing ten-year-old to bring it, "this afternoon!" -- Helen Roseveare ______________________________________________ Helen is a retired missionary from Northern Ireland and she included this true story in her book, Living Faith published in 1988. You can learn more about her fascinating life here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Roseveare =================================================================== .;';. ';. ';..;' ' ';. ' ' .;' .;' - = .;' .;', , , :: .;'.;'.;'.;' .;' .;'.;'.;'.;' .;' AsH ';.';.';.';.;' >Hurting Hands Story Editor: by Scott Hewett Joyce Schowalter California, USA During the winter of 1986 I was working in construction near Oakland, California. It is not unusual for construction workers' hands to become very painful during the winter season from working with concrete, wet lumber, mud, etc. My hands were no exception that year. They were literally cracking open and bleeding at the joints in the fingers and thumbs. Stopping work because of hurting hands is simply not an option in the construction industry. You grit your teeth, keep working, and finish the job -- but do further damage to your hands in the process. The only respite occurs on weekends. My co-workers and I had been consoling each other daily on how bad our hands had gotten. The pain is similar to "paper cuts" occurring many times an hour. One morning I left for work at 5:00 a.m. to pour concrete, and pulled into a gas station to fuel up. As I got out of my truck, I noticed a newspaper delivery van and the driver struggling with bales of daily newspapers. I took a second look, and noticed that the man had some sort of birth defect and had no forearms. At the area where most people have elbows, he had appendages that looked more like an otter's flippers than hands. I was amazed to see him doing a job that would otherwise require a very physically gifted person. Still, he was somewhat struggling with the larger bundles, because his arms simply weren't long enough to encircle the bales. Instead he had to "pinch" the bundles and lift them with his stubby arms. On my way to pay for the gasoline, I stopped and asked him if I could help him in any way. He politely refused my offer. A few minutes later while I was refueling, he exclaimed, "Hey buddy, I could use some help. Would you mind tying my shoes for me?" As I was tying his shoes, he went on to explain that tying his shoes was the *only* thing he couldn't do for himself. He thanked me as I got in my truck and started to drive away. I came to a full stop and looked back at him as he was getting into his van. I looked down at my hands. Suddenly it hit me: I had been complaining about my hurting hands for weeks. That man back there would do anything, anything at all, to have my cracked and bleeding hands. Every winter when my hands start cracking and bleeding, I think back to that chance encounter in 1986. That man would do anything to have these hands. And just like magic, they stop hurting. ======HeroicStories====== _...._ .'.o' o.'. /o o .o' o'\ |'.o 'o. o'.o| |o. o' o 'o .| \ o .o.'o'./ '._o__o_.' \ / || || || || || jgs || \/ >-->The Barefoot Golfer After the first hole, he always removed his shoes. He owned the finest golf shoes but preferred grass to leather. He was the barefoot golfer. He was my father. If you are not familiar with golf, it is played in shoes with cleats, metal or plastic spikes that helps keep your feet firmly planted. My father wouldn't wear golf shoes. As soon as he played the first hole and was out of sight of the clubhouse he removed his fancy shoes. The golf course had an unspoken "no shoes, no service" policy. Why did my father play golf without shoes? It began with something that he read. I don't know where he read it, his room was a jumble of books on every subject that could improve life. He said that every organ in the body has nerve endings that terminate in the feet. When you walk on the ground, especially if dew is still on it, it creates a very small electrical current that energizes and helps the whole body. My father in his 70's would walk each morning in the wet grass right after he finished standing on his head for 30 minutes. Yes, he was a very unusual man. He was by average terms a wealthy man. He had built a very successful business. He had six sons (four became ministers) and a wife that he had been married to for nearly 40 years. He was one of the most highly respected businessmen in the city. Yet, he played golf in bare feet. He understood some things about being grounded that you would do well to learn. Shoes won't do it. Yes, they help to firm up your stance and theoretically should help your golf game, but shoes don't make the difference in the real game of life. My father was a physically small man. He stood about 5' 7" tall. He moved the scale to only 145 pounds. He had an extremely outgoing personality and could befriend anyone anywhere. He found golf partners no matter where he traveled. He didn't even have a fancy golf bag or a full set of clubs. He carried only the bare essentials. He would team up with strangers and join their group. They would eye him as someone that would probably slow them down and diminish from the challenge and fun of the game. On the second hole when they saw him remove his shoes they would glance at each other and wonder, "what kind of country player is this?" His swing wasn't even standard. My father's right shoulder was higher than his left. It came from many years of delivering newspapers in his youth with the heavy bag of papers slung over his shoulder. He compensated for his shoulders with an awkward looking swing. The other players thought at least he'd be fun with his wit and smile if not a challenge. The thing is, 95% of the time, he won. By the time they got to the last hole, they knew that this little man in bare feet was something to reckon with. My father taught me that more often than not, the best way would be different from the way of the crowd. "Learn truth my son, and learn to walk in it," was his constant message to me. That same message is constantly imbedded in MountainWings. Has life's burdens and circumstances made one of your shoulders higher than the other? You can still win, even with a handicap, you just may need to swing differently. So what if you don't have the fancy stuff? You can still win. So what if you don't even have any golf shoes? You can still win. Tensed up and stressed out? Take a bit of advice from my father, the barefoot golfer. Get up early in the morning while the grass is still wet. Take off your shoes and spend ten minutes walking in the grass. It's free. If you don't feel better - then what have you lost? I recently bought a set of golf clubs to begin playing again. I also bought a fancy pair of golf shoes. I will wear those fancy shoes when I play, On the first hole. ================================================================ ------ _____ / \ ___\ ___/ ___ --/- ___ / \/ / / / \ / / \__ //_ \ / \ / ___ | | ___ \/+--/ / \__ \ \ / \__ | / \ /____ / / | / _____/ ___ \/ /\ \__ / / | | / \____/ \ / // // / / // / /\ /-_-/\//-__- / / // / \__// / / / // // / / // / // / // / /// // / / / // / // // // // / // / / / / / / / / / / /// / / / // // / // // /// / / / / / / /// / // / / // / / / / // /// / /// / / / / // /// / unknown >-->I Have a Problem Father, I have a problem. It's weighing heavy on me. It's all I can think about, night and day. Before I bring it to you in prayer. I suppose I should pray for those who are less fortunate than me-- Those in this world who have hardly enough food for this day, and for those who don't have a roof over their heads at night. I also pray for families who have lost loved ones in sudden death, for parents whose children have leukemia, for the many people who are dying of brain tumors, for the hundreds of thousands who are laid waste with other terrible cancers, for people whose bodies have been suddenly shattered in car wrecks, for those who are lying in the hospital with agonizing burns over their bodies, whose faces have been burned beyond recognition. I pray for people with emphysema, whose eyes fill with terror as they struggle for every breath merely to live, for those who are tormented beyond words by irrational fears, for the elderly who are wracked with the pains of aging, whose only "escape" is death. I pray for people who are watching their loved ones fade before their eyes through the grief of Alzheimer's disease, for the many thousands who are suffering the agony of AIDS, for those who are in such despair they are about to commit suicide, for people who are tormented by the demons of alcoholism and drug addiction. I pray for children who have been abandoned by their parents, for those who are sexually abused, for wives held in quiet despair, beaten and abused by cruel and drunken husbands, for people whose minds have been destroyed by mental disorders, for those who have lost everything in floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. I pray for the blind, who never see the faces of the ones they love, or the beauty of a sunrise, for those whose bodies are horribly deformed by painful arthritis, for the many whose lives will be taken from them today by murderers, for those wasting away on their death beds. Most of all, I cry out for the millions who don't know the forgiveness that is in Jesus Christ... for those who in a moment of time will be swept into Hell by the cold hand of death, and find to their utter horror the unspeakable vengeance of eternal fire. They will be eternally damned and have to endure the second hand of death never to know life eternal and the true peace and love that you are waiting to give to all who only believe on you and your son. Oh God, I pray for them. Strange.... I can't seem to remember what my problem was,,,,,, In Jesus Christ's name I pray...Amen! ============================================================= Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer's year. It brings to harvest all the loveliest flowers of the soul. -- Billy Graham ---> Visit my CyberHome - ALWAYS OPEN HOOUSE :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/index.html Shangrala ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->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: This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR Send a BLANK email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************