In Loving Memory & More ... :) 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 ================ >OoooWEeeee!! (>, oo / 8 "} > @ < |`.8 .-._/| `-.'`')`_.' ) / / |__, | ( / .' , / `._/ '`- \| -- -`' - --- VK/ejm I'm doing the 'Happy Angel' dance! Why? Because Shangrala has been blessed with another Angel! Rita K Woodman has joined forces to help Keep Shangrala Alive this year with her sweet donation! Please Bless her in return and visit her site here: http://www.cinnamonandspice.com/ If you'd like to help too 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 ALL OUR ANGELS MOST ABUNDANTLY! ================ >-->Hot Off The 'Shangy' Press... Here's a super duper piping hot one! It comes from two of our friends Sandi and Jo Ann. I combined their forwards together into one sweet page in honor of our troops! Check it out here... Proud Of Our Troops http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops.html --- ...A Sweet Tear Jerker! Thanks Ladies!! -<>- >-->9-11 In Loving Memory For WE SHALL NEVER FORGET! W .__. .__. [ ] |::| |::| E ._. |::| |::| ._. |\ |:| ._. |::| |::| |/| \ \\|/ |:|_|/| |::| |::|_ |/| |-( )- |:|"|/|_|::| |::|\|_|/| _ | V L |:|"|/|||::| |::|\|||/||:| \ ` ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | \/ / ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~pwh Where Was God? http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/where.html Bleed America http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bleed.html Freedom Isn't Free http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/freedom.html Lest We Forget #1 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lestweforget.html Lest We Forget #2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lestweforget2.html HERO! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/hero.html Why My Son? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/why.html Rolling Memorial http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/trucking.html USS New York LPD-21 Tribute http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ussny.html Hero's Truck http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/herotruck.html Daily With The Troops #1 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily.html Daily With The Troops #2 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily2.html Daily With The Troops #3 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily3.html Humor With The Troops #1 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor.html Humor With The Troops #2 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor2.html Humor With The Troops #3 http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/humor3.html Sleeping With The Troops http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/sleep.html Friendly Fire! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/friendly.html *~* PLEASE Share These With All You Love - God Bless You! GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz AND GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS! ============================================================ >-->From Heartwarmers: >NEVER LET A DAY GO BY by Heidi Lynn Poakeart I can remember it as though it was yesterday. __ __ |. ||. | .| || ||| | | | W |: ||: | |'| [ ] ._____ | || | | | .--'| 3 .---"| |. |' _ | || |-. | | __ |. | /| _|__ | || |__ .-'| _| || | || '- | || \|// / | |' | | | |' |' | |.| || | || '-' -( )-| | | | | | | __| '-' ' '' ' "" ' J V | ` - |_' ' |__ ___ ' / \ \/ | Hilsen, Peer W Hansen-- September 11th, 2001 -- a day never to be forgotten. I will forever visualize, time after time, watching on television the horrific images as the planes crashed into the towers, the Pentagon and an abandoned field. It didn't even seem real, but it was oh so real. Lives lost, innocent lives lost, and for what? It was all for absolutely nothing. Living in Westchester County, and only a brief half hour train ride into New York City, made me even more aware of how real it all was. I sat there, as the news spread, just waiting for a plane to crash into my house. Anything was possible, at that point, I thought. And, of course, I was concerned for my family and best friend, living in Baltimore, and not far from Washington, DC. I felt such trepidation to think what could have happened next. When it all seemed to be over, after calling my husband at work in Connecticut, and loved ones in New York and Baltimore, I felt better knowing they were safe. Yet, a deep sense of sorrow came over me as I thought of all the lives that were lost that day and how their families were changed forever. I was in mourning, for people I did not even know. But I couldn't help feeling that way. I felt relieved not to have known or loved anyone who died that day, but I still could not get out of my mind those who did, and how they must have been feeling. I was born Jewish, but did not practice my religion while growing up or as an adult. However, throughout the years, I have become a very spiritual person, believing in God, Heaven and angels. After this tragedy occurred, I felt the need to go pray -- pray for all the lives lost and for those left behind to grieve. I went to my favorite, relaxing haven, called Kensico Dam, where I lit a candle, prayed and cried, as I thought of the gloomy, sad state of the world and all the innocent people who died that day. It did not matter that I didn't know the victims personally, as I believe we are all united, especially after that horrific day. It didn't matter that it was not my husband who was a firefighter and lost his life that day trying to save someone else. It didn't matter that my sister was not a stewardess on one of the flights that day. It didn't matter that my mother wasn't working at the Trade Center that morning. And it didn't matter that my daughter wasn't a passenger on one of the flights that hit the towers. What DID matter was that it was somebody's husband, sister, mother, and daughter, and I felt heartbreak like never before. Every year on the anniversary date, I go to the Dam and light a candle for those lives lost. Three years ago, they built a beautiful, striking monument called "The Rising" to honor those from Westchester County who lost their lives that day. It is an 80-foot, high steel structure which commemorates the 111 Westchester residents who died in the September 11 attacks. It is one of the most stunning visions I have ever seen, as the steel structures intertwine with one another, raising into the sky of eternity, symbolizing each person who lost his or her life. We are all human beings put on this earth to love one another. Nobody will ever understand why it happened, but perhaps now we can be more compassionate toward each other and never let a day go by where we don't say I love you to our loved ones. You never know when it could be your last time saying it. I hope everyone can take a moment and reflect upon how special life is and take nothing for granted, for as we can all see, it can be taken from us in a split second. My heart will eternally go out to everyone affected by that terrible day. I can remember it as though it was yesterday, as it is truly a day never to be forgotten. -- Heidi Lynn Poakeart ______________________________________________ Heidi says, "I will be 39 years old on September 12th. I live in Westchester, NY, with my husband and our lovable cat. I recently celebrated my 20th year anniversary of being a cancer survivor. My husband and I honored it by going to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN, and visited the children, bringing them toys and a money donation. We raised almost $4,000. I am currently writing my autobiography. I have a few stories published on Heartwarmers as well." You can see a picture of The Rising in Westchester County here: http://tinyurl.com/nqy8vu ================================================================= >The Wisdom of Hesitation Story Editor: by Jim Shaver Joyce Schowalter West Virginia, USA On a cross-country journey in the summer of 2009, I stopped at a rural New Mexico freeway rest area. I noticed an elderly gentleman with a small dog climb into his pickup truck and leave. Moments later an elderly woman approached the parking space with a confused expression. I asked if she was looking for the man in the white pickup. She confirmed and I explained I'd watched him drive onto the highway. It was her husband; she asked to use my cell phone. When she dialed his number his phone rang in her purse; she was unable to call him. For nearly an hour, I and several truck drivers patiently waited with her. Quite a crowd gathered. At times, she appeared angry and frustrated, other times more confused and worried. Finally, a truck driver and wife escorted her to their rig for coffee, while he used his CB to notify other drivers to be on the lookout. Then I saw the white truck pull back into the same parking spot. A frantic elderly man jumped out. I let him know where his wife was. I let his wife know her husband had returned. They both hurriedly approached each other from across the lot until only a few steps apart. Suddenly, they both stopped and just looked at each other. The standoff lasted several seconds, neither uttering a word. Then the man began to weep. He ran to her arms and sobbed uncontrollably. After several attempts of his unintelligible attempts at speech, she gently took her husband's cheeks into her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. Over and over she said, "It's OK." I looked around through my blurring eyes to see numerous tears flowing in the nearby crowd. After a few moments of tears and hugging, he regained enough composure to explain he'd realized his error within seconds of merging onto the highway. However, there was no safe place to turn around on the divided highway until the next exit, 12 miles away. Needing to backtrack again, he'd driven 48 miles to return. The wife is the real hero in this story. When the couple both first saw each other, she had every right to unleash her anger for being forgotten. She had every right to chastise, and belittle until her heart was content. Most people would have vented anger on first seeing the perpetrator. But at that moment, even though she had every "right" to lash out, she hesitated. By delaying her tirade, she transformed a situation of anger and bitterness into one of unforgettable mercy and kindness. Even though only observers, those of us who witnessed this event were graced by her demonstration of forgiveness and genuine love. To this day, whenever I feel slighted and ready to lash out, I think of this experience and hesitate. Just because I have every right to be angry, doesn't necessarily mean it's the best choice. =======HeroicStories======= >-->[Archives from 9/12/01]From InspiringWords: W .__. .__. [ ] |::| |::| E ._. |::| |::| ._. |\ |:| ._. |::| |::| |/| \ \\|/ |:|_|/| |::| |::|_ |/| |-( )- |:|"|/|_|::| |::|\|_|/| _ | V L |:|"|/|||::| |::|\|||/||:| \ ` ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | \/ / ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~pwh >911 Is it a coincidence that the tragedy that occurred today happened on September 11 or 9-11 of 2001? Words cannot express the emotions that I felt as I sat transfixed to my TV this morning. Connor, my three-year-old sat on my lap as we watched America change before our very eyes. To Connor, the scenes on the TV were no different from the black and white Godzilla movies he and his six-year-old brother, Caleb, have been watching lately. Buildings collapsing, people running from the carnage, explosions, and billowing smoke. To him it was just pretend -- a movie that he could stop with the remote at anytime. It was unreal to me also as I tried to deny what was actually happening. But reality sunk in as I saw people jumping to their deaths to escape the fires, people running for their lives as thick billowing smoke and debris chased them down from behind. Palestinians celebrating that the U.S. had been attacked by dancing in the streets and handing out candy to their children. As the minutes dragged into hours, my mind and body went from the numbness of denial to the deep ache that I continue to feel now. Not only has my life changed, but the lives of my children have changed forever. I don't have any pat answers nor words of wisdom for all of you today. I wish I did... If anything I realize that I am powerless to affect the world -- to change it in any way. However, the Lord did give me the power to affect my children. To influence them on a daily basis. To make "their world" a safer to place to live. To live my life in such a way that they will see the Lord in my life and want Him in their lives also. And when that occurs, I will know without a doubt that no matter what happens here on earth, I will get to spend eternity with them in a place that is free from the terrible things I saw on TV today. How about you? Are you placing your trust and faith in a world that seems caught in a downward spiral, or have you placed your faith and trust in the One who has prepared a safe haven for you beyond the clouds if you only accept the free gift He has offered? Time is running out for those of us here on earth, and I believe that the scenes that filled every TV across the world today will become more and more commonplace as we approach the end times... Today, Phil Ware shares some insight on this Day of Terror. May his words touch your heart and start the healing process in all of our lives... From my family to yours, Michael -<>- >Woe to Me! By Phil Ware "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." ... Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:5, 8) Tragedy that has ripped through the hearts of so many across the world has hit very close to home for many of us in the USA. During this time of horror, shock, injury, and death, how are we to react? While many thoughts come to mind, a few seem clear to us. We must pray. We must pray for the President and for other world leaders as they deal with these series of attacks and the horrible toll on lives of so many people. We must pray for the families of those directly impacted so tragically by the hijacked planes and their targets. We must pray for those who are involved in the rescue efforts and who try to deal with the horrific carnage and destruction to human beings. Pray! Pray in your office. Pray in your home. Pray in your church. We must take a firm stand against prejudice and improper "hurry to judgment" against people simply because of their national descent or race. It is so easy to for us to lump together people of race, geographical, or national origin because of the actions of a vicious few who do not represent them. The Kingdom of God is made up of all peoples and races, and we must be a haven of protection and grace for those who might be treated unfairly because of prejudice and reactive hate. Let's also hear this as a vivid reminder of Isaiah's poignant and sobering words. We live in a fallen world with a dark evil prince who seeks to destroy people and ruin lives with hate and death. In the midst of such a world, let's also live under the strong conviction that the only hope for our world is redemption and unification in the grace of God. After the horrors of World War II, many of those who had been involved in these horrors and brutalized in concentration camps led the Church of Jesus into unprecedented outreach through world missions to the very people who had mistreated, tortured, and imprisoned them. Our call is to redeem a fallen world. This is a sad and sobering remind of just how fallen it truly is. Those of us who still have grave concerns for friends and loved ones who were working at the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, or in the air as passengers, flight attendants, and flight crews request your prayers for their families and us. We are citizens in the world and called by Jesus to redeem the world. Our ultimate citizenship is in heaven, but our heart breaks, along with God's heart, for the destructive hate that still permeates our world and is the tool of the evil one to wound, maim, and kill people who are precious to God. As long as the memory of this horrifying day lingers in our hearts, let's also commit to make a difference in our world by sharing the grace of Jesus. This is a horrible, tragic, and terrifying time. It is also a time for God's people to show who we are with courage, empathy, compassion, grace, and faith as we seek to serve and to be a blessing in such shocking and painful times. Phil Ware phil@heartlight.org Write Phil and let him know how his words affected you today... (c) 2001 Heartlight, Inc. ________________________ Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin, Texas. For the past five years, he has also been coeditor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. Check out Heartlight Magazine at the following link: http://www.heartlight.org RELATED LINK: * Woe to Me! Thought Journal http://www.heartlight.org/woetome ============================================================= >-->From Our Friend Tony In Australia :) , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >David? David Who?? David uh? Yu sure??? What was so special about David? He was no ‘big guy’, well leastways not in ‘size”…how do I know that? Well…has to do with study and re study…..fact finding etc…. It’s kinda like reading the manual that comes with your car if you want to save money, time and anguish, getting it started and keeping it running…..! An engine is just like our minds! We have to keep the engine ‘well oiled’ to keep it in tip top condition, much the same as our minds..we need to keep them ‘occupied’ Amen? To keep them working…. Lets forget about David for the time being, and talk very briefly about Saul…..what do we know about him? Well one of the things the Bible teaches us is that Saul, stood head and shoulders above’ common’ man…and yet….armour…said to have belonged to Saul, thigh protection and arm protection with inscriptions by the ‘maker’ and the owner( Saul) seem to allude to the wearer being probably no taller than 69 inches( 5 Ft 9ins) !and weighing possibly little more than 140 lbs( 10st)…..! amazing uh? Saul! The Greatest Warrior of his time, was probably a ‘shrimp’ of a man…..but then, no more no less than Napoleon or Adolf Hitler…..mere ‘tadpoles’…..by todays standards of ‘giants’….. Now David, the Shepherd, the herdsman….was also of a ‘smaller stature, according to records…. The average Israelite height! ( wow what a mouthful!) was around 63-64 inches in height…so Saul, in comparison to David.. was quite a ‘large’ man..!So here we can visualize David standing alongside Saul his King, and being ‘overshadowed by Saul’s stature! But what about the day that David stood with a slingshot in his hand, facing a “ giant’ of a man…. Goliath!....heres David, a little guy physically, probably no more than average height as determined by archaelogists, as being probably 63 inches in height! Facing a guy who is said to have been considerably larger, pure conjection on my behalf, but maybe 78 inches high! Then Goliath is something like 20 percent larger! Bigger! Stronger! Than David…..Amen? But David ( But God!) takes him out….in one second flat…. A pebble did the trick, well planned and well aimed never the less, but ‘guided’ no doubt, by Gods command…. A sling shot and a pebble, and a mind for God is all it took to attain a great victory which David ascribed to God….. Dear brother or Sister, whatever trouble you are faced with, whatever you feel confronted by, be it finance, physical, emotional, family ,friend or foe….Do what Our friend David did…he prayed! Oh Yes! He prayed and he offered thanks galore! To a God He knew….he could trust to lead him….That God that David had, is the same God you and I have….nothing about God has changed! And! We can still ‘do away with’ giants…that come against us,. Hackers who would ‘hack’ into our private affairs, people who would do all within their power to bring about ‘disbelief’ in the very ‘person’ who IS our strength! Jesus Christ!..... You know something? You and I don’t have to be ‘big’!..... Our God! Our Father! Is THE biggest! Aint no one nuthin! Bigger’n He Amen? We, you and I,,are the ‘Davids” of today… WE! Can help save nations! But we need to do it one person at a time! And we WILL become’ achievers!” Br Tony --- ...So True! Thank You Tony! ================================================================ >-->BE ALL THESE THINGS: ()_()()_() / ..)(.. \ __/ ( || ) \_ (_/ * * (_) | | | || | | | \_/| \__/ | | > \ / <__,--,__|/|_> unknown Be understanding to your enemies. Be loyal to your friends. Be strong enough to face the world each day. Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone. Be generous to those who need your help. Be frugal with what you need yourself. Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything. Be foolish enough to believe in miracles. Be willing to share your joys. Be willing to share the sorrows of others. Be a leader when you see a path others have missed. Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty. Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds. Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails. Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble. Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way. Be loving to those who love you. Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change. Above all, be yourself. --- Author Unknown =========================================================== >-->From Laugh&Lift: IMPORTANT: The 9/10/09 issue will be the last issue of Laugh & Lift for the foreseeable future. Laugh & Lift will resume when I am able. It looks as though I will be traveling out of the country with my mother to seek an alternative health care option. The doctors here have basically given her a death sentence and basically just implied she should just wait and die. While this may end up being what happens, we have made the decision to do everything that we can for life here. We were presented with an option to travel over the border to a hospital that specializes in working with late stage cancer patients using various treatments and a very strict diet, and we are planning to do that. I would covet your continued prayers as often as you are able for: 1) that my mom's tumors and associated fluid would be eliminated 2) peace for both of us 3) strength (both physically and spiritually) for both of us 4) that our faith would be strong 5) that if God is going to take my mom, that it would be done gently and beautifully, without pain. Also, the last thing I want is to be alone in a strange land with my mom having gone, but if God wants to do that then so be it...I am praying that God will just take care of both us - we know that we are both in His hands. We are still praying for healing here - we don't believe it is over until God says it is over. 6) pray that we will not grow weary, discouraged, or in any way allow satan any place in our hearts and minds 7) that the Lord would protect us during our trip Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Laugh & Lift will resume when I am able. It could be days, weeks, or possibly months. I just don't know how long it will be. If any major events occur and I am able, I will try to send a note to update you as to status. In Christ's love, Chris Long Laugh & Lift -<>- The Lift Energized (By David Jeremiah, http://www.turningpointonline.org) ___ . _~"| ~~ ~.\.~ / : / / \_ ?"" ; ` ,' ) /-, / . . . | / ~-_ / dp . . | .%"": .? |: . . . | % '. . \|:. . .. . . / / '. '.: : :| : .. . . _/ / ~~~::. .:: ::. . .::.:. ..'~ \::... `'.. : : : " . :. . ~~| _____ (:::. .. '.: .:.::. : . : "/__-"" -- )"".> --~~~__. ::::*## :.:.:) : .:` ~\ |..::' >> ####### '.: .' . .` ? \_.___ :''> ######### ::.". ~ ..~'" |, _">~____~~::. #* )#### : ..~ . ) /:.:'';.:::_- _-#####*:;: ::>,, } o__o___q~_-" _-"###### .:.'' ..~~ ~ | ( o() &@&__--" *::####::" ";.. ~~...::.) (o& O& O?S).` .:':::*: : ~~~... "/ oS %@&>/ .:' ::::: :. .~ "'. { \~*~~"" __:/ "::::..L ~ ''/ |::' /##) :':::::\ . % \:; . |#/ : :::::::-___ -" \::::: | : :::::::::::\----" \::::::|:. : :::::::::::| \::::::|' . : ::::::::::::| -::::/ \ :.'::::::::::::/ ~__/ \. ;:.::::::::::_/ Eric Berger \::.::::::::::::/ --_;::::::_-~/ """""" "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13 A man flying home from a mission's project was weary. He worried that his overseas trip had been only partially productive, and he dreaded coming home to his desktop of work. Pulling out his Bible, he began thumbing through it; and, like a flash, certain verses about joy came to mind. He reached for a pen and paper and began writing them down: In Your presence is fullness of joy. . . . These things I have spoken to you, that . . . your joy may be full. . . . The joy of the Lord is your strength. . . . By the time he finished, he had a list of fifteen "Joy Verses" from the Bible, and those verses energized him like a divine tonic. He knew the Lord wanted him to return home and plunge into his work with joy. We often need a jolt of energy to make it through the day, and the power of God's Word applied by God's Spirit gives us the continual strength we need. He energizes us. Perhaps that's what Paul had in mind when he spoke of God's "energy, which so powerfully works in me" (Colossians 1:29 NIV). Do you need renewed strength today? Remember that spending time with Jesus energizes the soul. Recommended Reading: Colossians 1:24-29 SUBSCRIBE INFO Want to receive a Christian inspirational item AND great clean humor in an email to you each day of the week? It's easy and FREE! Read all about Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com =============================================================== >-->From InspiredBuffalo: Yesterday was spent being poked and prodded again. Got all of my staples out and am good to go.. Waiting to hear from the cancer hospital for the next stage of treatment.. Nancy --- ...Please Keep Nancy in your Prayers for a complete healing through Christ Jesus Our Lord. -<>- >FATHER ED By: Joseph J. Mazzella Father Ed, the priest of the church I attended as a child passed away this Summer. He will be missed by many including me. I can still see him so clearly in my heart and mind. Tall, thin, quiet, friendly, and smart with thinning hair and thick glasses, he always looked more like an engineer than a priest. He was a great lover of classical music. One of my most vibrant memories of him was a long trip we took together over curvy, mountainous roads. Father Ed was steering the car with one hand and directing with the other while Beethoven’s 9th symphony serenaded us from his cassette deck. Looking back now I can still feel his spirit swaying in his body while the music played. Father Ed’s greatest love, however, was the tireless work he did for God. He preached, wrote columns and books, visited prisons, taught in schools, and ministered everywhere for the love of God from the streets of Indianapolis to the hills of West Virginia. It was these mountains and their people that touched his heart the most deeply, though, and I am happy that he was able to end his work on Earth here. He did the very best work he could every single day. Even though his body aged, wore down, and finally surrendered to death, his spirit never did. Father Ed may have left us now, but his work goes on. The work we do for the love of God never ends, but thankfully God’s love for us never ends either. God’s love not only produces the best work but also the best people. Father Ed was one of them. Thinking of Father Ed reminds me that we are more than just these bodies that carry us around. We are spirits dancing in the flesh. We are more than just the work we do. We are the love of God working inside of us. We are more than just these lives we live. We are the love we give and the joy we share every moment of them. God bless you Father Ed. We miss you. -<>- >LOSING THE DEAD PART I am discovering that many people want, above all else, to live life fully. But sometimes the past prohibits our living and enjoying life to the utmost in the present. A schoolteacher entered his room a few minutes early and noticed a mealworm laboriously crawling along the floor. It had somehow been injured. The back part of the worm was dead and dried up, but still attached to the front, living part by just a thin thread. As the teacher studied the strange sight of a poor worm pulling its dead half across the floor, a little girl ran in and noticed it there. Picking it up, she said, "Oh, Oscar, when are you going to lose that dead part so you can really live?" What a marvelous question for all of us! When are we going to lose that dead part so we can really live? When are we going to let go of past pain so we can live fully? When are we going to drop the baggage of needless guilt so we can experience life? When are we going to let go of that past resentment so we can know peace? Have you been dragging something that is dead and gone around with you? Are you ready to "lose that dead part so you can really live"? From RICHES OF THE HEART by Steve Goodier -<>- .. |\\ .====^^\\==. |\ || |\ kya :X"====^^====' \|XXXXXXXXXX| """"""""""" >The Wicker Basket The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could. One day the grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?' The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.' The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You will have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home. out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Papa, it's useless!' 'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean. 'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when as you read it, it grow on you and it will change you from the inside out.' Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God's word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't think it is doing any good. Thought for Today: God's Love is like the ocean, you can see its beginnings but not its end. -<>- Links for Your Enjoyment McRonalds http://www.buffaloschips.com/2wds.htm My First Rescue http://www.buffaloschips.com/yh.htm Never Underestimate An Old Girl http://www.buffaloschips.com/67t.htm Obongo 08 http://www.buffaloschips.com/iuhj8.htm Oeufs Poussins http://www.buffaloschips.com/trfu.htm Is God in Control oF Everything? http://www.truthortradition.com/audio Health Care Survey http://tinyurl.com/kr4pah Subscribe send a blank email to: the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com =============================================================== >-->From Our Friend Jo Ann :) |\ /| |\ /| | \ / | |\\ //| | | | | | \| |/ | \ | | / \ || || / \ |_| / \||_||/ .' '. .' '. | | |o o| / \ /= Y =\ `'-. .-'` `'-.^.-'` _| |_ _| |_ /` `\ /` `\ | / \ | | | |/ \| | ( ) | / \ /\ \ / /\ | .-~-. | | '._)_.' | \ { } / \ / jgs \ '-=-' / \ '.___.' / .--' ;---; '--. .--' \---/ '--. `-------' '-------` `-------' '-------` NO ONE falls in love by choice, it is by CHANCE. No one stays in love by chance, it is by WORK. And no one falls out of love by chance, it is by CHOICE If you love the man Jesus Christ please forward to 10 people. He did something for you, now do something for Him. Spread his word, and you'll be rewarded. How? Matthew 10:32... 'Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will acknowledge him before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him before My Father in heaven.' God is going to shift things around for you tonight & let things work in your favor. If you believe, send this to ten people. Do not ignore him. You must have unwavering faith. God bless you! -<>- _ " _ _ " _ (_\|/_) (_\|/_) _ " _ _ " _ (/|\) (/|\) (_\|/_) " _ (_\|/_) (/|\)_\|/_) (/|\) ejm97 (/|\) >Eight Gifts Below are eight gifts that don't cost a cent to give. 1) THE GIFT OF LISTENING... But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening. 2) THE GIFT OF AFFECTION... Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends. 3) THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER... Funny pictures. Share articles, funny stories and funny greetings. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you." 4) THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE... It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life. 5) THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT... A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day. 6) THE GIFT OF A FAVOR... Every day, go out of your way to do something kind. Helping elderly cross the road can be nice. 7) THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE... There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others. 8) THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION... The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it's not that hard to say, Hello or Thank You. -Author Unknown -<>- _--_ _--_ /#()# #\ 0 0 /# #()#\ |()## \#\_ \ / _/#/ ##()| |#()##-=###\_ \ / _/###=-##()#| \#()#-=## #\_ \ / _/# ##=-#()#/ |#()#--==### \_ \ / _/ ###==--#()#| |#()##--=# #\_ \!!!/ _/# #=--##()#| \#()##---===####\ O|O /####===---##()#/ |#()#____==#####\ / Y \ /#####==____#()#| \###______######|\/#\/|######______###/ ()#O#/ ##\_#_/## \#O#() ()#O#(__-===###/ _ \###===-__)#O#() ()#O#( # ###_(_|_)_### # )#O#() ()#O(---#__###/ (_|_) \###__#---)O#() ()#O#( / / ##/ (_|_) \## \ \ )#O#() ()##O#\_/ #/ (_|_) \# \_/#O##() \)##OO#\ -) (_|_) (- /#OO##(/ )//##OOO*| / | \ |*OOO##\\( |/_####_/ ( /X\ ) \_####_\| /X/ \__/ \___/ \__/ \X\ (#/ \#) unknown >God bless. Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith... My instructions were to pick four people that I wanted God to bless, and I picked you. Please pass this to at least (4) people you want to be blessed and a copy back to me. This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive.. There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another. The prayer: Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' precious name. Amen. --- ...Amen! Sweet! Thanks Jo Ann! =============================================================== >-->From CupO'Cheer: _ /_/_ .'''. =O(_)))) ...' `. jgs \_\ `. .''' `..' >NEVER OFF DUTY By Randy Kilgore Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. - II Corinthians 5:20 Someone I love very much is fighting a desperate battle with cancer. I hate flying. Absolutely hate it. It isn't that I'm afraid. It's that flying makes me lonely, traps me away from the people and things I love with little to distract myself. On this occasion, the very thing I hate---flying---also makes me sad, because I'm flying to be with someone I love very much who is fighting a desperate battle with cancer. Sitting on the plane, I want to be left alone. God has other ideas. "What do you do for a living?" the attorney asks. I sigh inside because every answer I give always leads to the same place. If I say "workplace chaplain," the discus- sion takes us to Christ. If I say "writer," they always follow with "What do you write?" It always takes us to Christ. Most days I love this, but not this one. Today I want to be left alone to deal with my own feelings. I don't wear a collar, and I don't put "Rev." on my business card. Surely this one day I can be off-duty, Lord. God has other ideas, of course, and soon the conversation takes precisely the turn I knew it would. It isn't long before it's not just the attorney and I, but a small group of people in the seats around us who are talking about God. The idea that God cares about work has so intrigued them they're willing to set aside their fears that I'm going to ask them the BIG QUESTION (Do you know Jesus?). We're so engrossed in discussion I forget that I hate flying, forget that I'm lonely, forget that I'm sad. "Now I'm off-duty," I tell myself as I step off the plane. Thousands of miles from Boston, I take off my "chaplain" hat and put my "family member" hat on as I walk the halls of the oncology wing of the hospital, talking to other patients and their families, or nurses and doctors. You probably know what I'm going to say next. Eventually somebody asks me what I do for a living. I sigh inside because every answer I give always leads to the same place. Unlike the plane, though, the questions here are harder. "Why does God..." "I'm so mad at God right now..." "Can you tell me..." Some are angry and need a place to vent. Most are afraid and need some comfort. Others just want somebody to listen. Here, eternity isn't a philosophical discussion. It's the great unknown, a reality being forced in the faces of people not ready to confront it yet. I may be miles from Boston, but I'm certainly not off-duty. "These people need more time, Lord," was my most pressing prayer. "Give them more time, please." It suddenly occurs to me that the last thing I want right now is for Jesus to come back to Earth. In a sermon later I heard it expressed perfectly. "When Jesus stands up this time," my pastor said, "it won't be to open the door. It will be to close it." I don't want the door closed yet, Lord. Too many people I love aren't ready for eternity. Too many people I like aren't ready for eternity. In fact, Lord, too many people I can't stand aren't ready for eternity, either. Give us time, Lord. Give them time. I'm a workplace chaplain and a Christian writer. I teach people that God cares about their work and that they can honor Him in the things they do while earning a living. Workplace faith isn't only about evangelism. But it isn't NOT about evangelism either. When your coworkers face eternity, they aren't going to care that you built a better mousetrap; or that you built that mousetrap ethically; or that you built that mousetrap responsibly or profitably. They're only going to remember that you never mentioned this moment, when they come face to face with Jesus with no answers to His questions. We must live to glorify God in the places where we work. But we must never take evan- gelism out of our job description. Being good workers isn't enough. When it comes to talking about our coworkers need for Christ, we are never off-duty. There's simply too much at stake for us to be spectators. _ /_/_ .'''. =O(_)))) ...' `. jgs \_\ `. .''' `..' A WORK PRAYER Holy Lord, this subject can be a challenge. Please help me to take the initiative when moments to talk about You come along. And what I say may not sound polished or know- ledgeable - but I know the ultimate result is in Your hands. That makes it a lot easier. Thank You in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. as seen in The Bread To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316@sc.rr.com. ============================================================= >-->From SermondFodder: _,__ .: Darwin <* / | \ .-./ |. : :, / '-._/ \_ / ' \ .' *: Brisbane .-' ; | | \ / | / Perth \* __.--._ / \ _.' \:. | >__,-' \_/*_.-' Melbourne snd :--, '/ >JUST PART OF THE JOB A resourceful doctor in rural Australia saved a boy's life with a handyman's power drill a gre weeks ago. Hailed as a hero when the story broke globally, he reacted modestly. "It was not a personal achievement," he said. "It is just a part of the job, and I had a very good team of people helping me." Dr. Rob Carson diagnosed a 12-year-old boy brought to a small hospital's emergency room with a soon-to-be-fatal brain bleed. Nicholas Rossi had been riding his bike and took a fall. His mother, a nurse, realized the bump on his head could be serious and insisted on taking him to the hospital. By the time they arrived, Nicholas was already slipping in and out of consciousness. Dr. Carson made the correct call on what was happening and knew he had a very short time to take decisive action. He made two decisions. First, he sent to the maintenance room for a drill, for the rural hospital didn't have sophisti-cated neurosurgical tools. Second, he called a neurosurgeon in Melbourne to ask help with his dilemma. With an ordinary household drill in hand, he followed the specialist's guidance through a procedure that worked flawlessly. "General practitioners in country towns do procedures all the time," said Dr. Carson. But a father's reaction to that modest take on what happened was very different. "He saved our son's life!" declared Michael Rossi. Nicholas was released from the Melbourne hospital to which he was later transferred on May 19. The date is significant because it was his 13th birthday. Some of us would do well to follow the good doctor's example and learn to be a bit more clever, gutsy, and inventive in our lives. Are you a sales person who sits for long periods waiting to see clients? Keep a Bible or some other good book with you to read instead of old magazines. Are you a commuter? Rent a book on tape as an alternative to radio trivia. Can't afford a week at the beach with your family? Explore interesting places within an hour from home. Has the tough economy challenged your company's customary client base? Has illness altered the way your family functions? Has the community around your church changed radically over the past few years? Every challenge is a disguised opportunity for creative adaptation and productive learning. Gideon used clay jars and trumpets to rout an army. Samson used the jawbone from a donkey's carcass to defeat his enemies. Jesus used a little boy's sack lunch of bread and dried fish to feed thousands. In these biblical episodes, people took was at hand and put it into God's hands - with amazing outcomes. Creativity often comes not from seeing the light but from feeling the heat. Maybe it will be that way with the challenge you are facing today. Your task is not to guarantee outcomes with certainty but to address problems with courage as seen in The Fax of Life ================================================================== ( (_) ### (#c _\|/_ #\ wWWWw \ \-. (/. .\) /\ /`\/\ /\ |\/ \_) (_| `\.' ; ; ;`\ `\; ; . ;/\ GOD BLESS AMERICA!! `\; ; ;| \ ; .' ' ; / |_.' ; | /) ( ''._;'` | ' . ; |.-' .:) | | ( .' : | |,- .:: | | ,-' .;| jgs_/___,_.:_\_ [I_I_I_I_I_I_] | __________ | | || | | || | _| ||_|__|_|| |_ /=--------------=\ / \ | | Our enemies have made the same mistake that America's enemies always make. They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness. -- George W. Bush >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->This is for all you who love food andd DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do :) Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ************************************************************************ >TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************