Is That All There Is? ... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND For Google Plus Users: You can find me here... Shangy Bigham https://plus.google.com/106648555948034085752/posts 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! ================ >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) Our first sizzling hot new page is from our friend Linda. This artist has a unique style of painting and as such gives us most unusual and beautiful works of art. Check her work out here... |\ ___ | ) / '-. ||.+ L (__ \ || '-.\ ___)a \__ \ || `-. /.__ J__//--. |J `-. |_ '-._ \ _.------. | L ` L__. _/`----.____ / b a (__c> |J \ __,-_____ __._>\__/ ( c " h\ L L \ ./--+///___)_.--' /\ -. \ d e f g / J J | \\__// `--(_.( `--.....-' | \ J )_ _,- \__ \ `--' L | L ` )-)_/ \_._..--''-..) J | | \ [_._._,.. _] | | | ,,' _/ ( __ | _ | J ,' \ _________ / \ \ | _______a:f____ | J_.L_.' \ / _\_/\ ( L | \ / _| / \_ F J J ( (_ L `-. / L \ \__. `. \__ \ / J ^ \ ) \____ \ / L .---.-)_ _/ ) \ /_ | ( `-' \__/. L__\_\ | `-.__.--.___) --- / (_/ J |_ ( .-' --- `---' Incredible Finger Painter http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fingerpainter.html Our next flaming hot new page is from our friend Bunni. I find his work rather astounding. You have to see his beautiful iPad works of art here... Digital Finger Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/digitalart.html --- ...These two art pages are awesome! Thanks Ladies! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: ,///////. ./ -._ __,---//////////, ./// `-._ ,-' ) ) ) ) ) )''////_ ///// `-._ /) _,-' ))`. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )`-.////// `-. ,-=([= / ()_)))))\ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )//////// O/ \) \____ )))))) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) \\\\\\\\ \ _ Krogg `````.)))/ ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ),-`\\\\\\\ \ ) ___,')),') ) ) ) )_),,--' \\\\\\ \=(o)####HHF" (_______.\\)_),--'" `\\\\ -\\\ `\\\ \\\ `\ >THE CATCH OF THE DAY by Shelley Madden I'm a fisherman. No wait, a fisherwoman -- yes that's the correct term I believe. But not much of one, if I can be honest. During lunch, I like to sit on the boat dock, and, you guessed it, fish. I don't eat fish. When I do catch one, I just look at them a minute or two, swell up with pride, and toss 'em back in. Time ran short at lunch one day, so I left my pole in the water, in a rush to get back to work on time. After work, I rushed back to the river. I gazed into the water, and sure enough, my bobber was gone. I snatched up my fishin' pole, and reeled the line in, my heart pounding with anticipation. I thought it would be great to take that big fish up to the house in a bucket of water, showing my boy I can out-fish him any day of the week. And brag a little. That big fish had gotten himself snagged in the weeds on the opposite bank, and I could tell he was a big one, probably my biggest catch ever. I felt him pull, and twist, but no matter how I tried, I couldn't get him reeled in. Not wanting to hurt the big fella, I climbed into my paddleboat, pole and all. The boat sits low on the water, so I figured I'd be able to reach over and lift him into the boat. I paddled to the opposite bank of the river, while reeling my line in, and came up alongside the weeds he was snagged under. I could feel him tugging on my line. He was big and strong. I leaned forward in the boat, and began pulling weeds up from the river bottom, slowly untangling the line. My heart beat with excitement. I finally worked the line free of the weeds, and pulled the big boy up from the water, to come meet his momma. My blood ran cold at what came up out of that water. It was the biggest, meanest, ugliest snake I'd ever seen in my life. With my fishhook in his mouth he had the audacity to hiss at me! I screamed bloody murder, let go of that line as if I'd grabbed a prickly pear, fell back into the seat of the boat and paddled backwards as if my life depended on it. Which for all intents and purposes, it may have. The boat rocked and lurched from my backward dive to get away from that snake, threatening to throw me into that green mass of snake-infested water with the hissing Anaconda-sized reptile. As luck would have it (something I obviously have very little of) that fishing line found the perfect spot, the one spot, the only spot, and snagged across the front of the boat as I paddled like a madwoman in reverse. I was pulling the snake into the boat with each backwards stroke I took! I leaned forward, untangled the line, and freed the wriggling, spitting creature from the front of my boat. The moment I did, my boat hit the opposite shore from where my adventure began, throwing me forward, up alongside the reptilian bone crusher. We meet eye to eye. I don't remember how fast I got out of that boat, but it was real fast. My hands shaking, I called my boy to come down and help me out -- I'd finally caught the big one. "Is it a keeper mom?" he asked. "Well, no son," I muttered, "I caught a snake." He showed up real quick, jumped back into the boat and paddled over to free the fire-breathing dragon at the end of my line. "Hey mom," he asked, "why is the boat seat wet?" I blushed with embarrassment. "Never mind son, just get that thing off my fishin' pole!" A few minutes later, he had the giant constrictor freed from the line and held it up proudly to show me my catch of the day, still worthy of a picture, from a distance of course. My son assured me he was harmless, and put the legless lizard back alongside the river. "Hey," I asked too late, "why did you put it back in my river? Couldn't you put him in the neighbor's river?" We had a good chuckle and we headed back up to the house where I put on some fresh clothes. -- Shelley Madden =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseAu :) _ (_) - ' @_ _ ' )\/(@ ' __(/ \--._ (,-.---'--'@ @ )0_0( _ ('-') (_) ' _\Y/_ ' .-'-\-/-'-._ ' _ / '* \ ' (_) /) * .-.))>' ._/ \__*_ /\__'. '<((_' |__H/ \__\ / ,_/ |_| )-- / |x| \ _/ (_ x /_/ \_\@ /_/ snd /_/ /x/ (_ x \_\@ >The Brevity of Life (By Alan Smith) The court jester was overcome with grief. His world was at an end! For a long time he had served the Caliph at Baghdad and his court, keeping them amused whenever they called upon him. But in a moment of thoughtlessness he had displeased his ruler who had ordered that he be put to death. "However," said the Caliph, "in consideration of the merry jests you've told me all these years, I will let you choose how you are to die." "O most generous Caliph," replied the jester, "if it's all the same to you, I choose death by old age!" I suppose, if given a choice, that's the choice all of us would make. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), though, that choice is not ours to make. We know (all too well) the fragile nature of life. And perhaps it is for the best. If we were guaranteed 90 years on this earth, we would be mighty tempted to wait until the last year or so to get serious about God (just like putting off those term papers in college!). With a realization of the uncertainty of life, we recognize the need to be prepared at all times. "LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor." (Psa. 39:4-5). May you be prepared for the joys that await those who are prepared when this life is over! --- ,----------------. ( It's a thought `------------. > Just a thought and nothing ) ( but a thought... )-----' `---( )------' `-----(_)--' 0 o Ojo ...Thought provoking! Thanks LouiseAu! This has me thinking of the song - 'Is that all there is?' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRZZC-DH7M Looking at the comments here with this song surprises me even more! Trump fans were directed here - I guess... I am forever amazed at the 'like mindedness' of His Children - God keeps us connected through His spirit of truth and our Lord Christ Jesus! I thought of this song as this teaching left me with a touch of 'flatness'. I mean really. The thought that I am to think about the end of my life here on earth as to something I am supposed to be looking forward to and not relish every moment I have until then to enjoy what Jesus Christ said could be my 'more abundant life' seems like such a waste. , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' God has given me this time on earth to prove myself - to run the good race... 1Cor.9 [24] Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. To be all that I can be for Him and my lord and Savior Jesus Christ! My end is NOT All That There is to being here! I have this time given to me by God to strive for the mastery! 1 Cor.9: [25] And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. This is what 'Mastery' means: noun noun: mastery 'comprehensive knowledge or skill in a subject or accomplishment.' synonyms: proficiency, ability, capability; knowledge, understanding, comprehension, familiarity, command, grasp, grip skill, skillfulness, expertise, dexterity, finesse, adroitness, virtuosity, prowess, deftness, proficiency; informal know-how "they played with tactical mastery" the action or process of mastering a subject or accomplishment. [t][v][p][1] _.-`''`-._ ,` `. __________________________ | ,._-'''-. | | Ogladalnosc Serialu | | |,-. ,-.| | | "Plebania" wynosi 0,03% | |/' `-| < i nadal zajebiscie rosnie!| \ (_) / `--------------------------' \ ____ / \ `--` / _.--`/'|`-..-'|\''''`-. ,-' / |`._,' / \ \ | / \,/``\/ \ | \ | | '> |\,/| <' ,' \ | `/^)\ |/`\| / / \ / / / \ | | / | \ / / ,``, \ \ / / | \ ' | | \ \ / / |\_ \ / ,| _.' \ | | |__...-'` | \ / / `. | |````` | \ | / ,`') | |\ | | ,` ,/\ | _,:''`, | ---\,,.-'`---------| _/ ,` , \ ,'--gan---------- |_.------''/ /; ,` |/ `' ```''' I just started watching the new TV series 'Notorious'. I find it rather fascinating as it gives me a perspective of what I view as this world's 'rat race'. These people are so into their jobs that I think the devil is laughing at what he has made people wear. They dress in the most uncomfortable clothes with men wearing hot suits and the traditional tight noose around their necks while women are forced to wear revealing tight skirts or dresses and be on their tip toes all day long walking with stilts on their feet with ridiculous high heels. All of them are 'gorgeous' people who don't even remotely resemble the real world of us average looking folks. Again I am astonished at how stupid we can be as humans. But we do what we do all for the love of money. Pure and simple. Their goal in this show is to try to get the most inside flammable and humiliating news story or in the case of the lawyer, save some innocent jerk from prosecution, all while climbing the corporate invisible ladder to get to the top rung known as 'Success' - or as God puts it - to achieve a 'corruptible crown'. Yet in the real scheme of life what will this profit them? When Christ returns for us what will all this matter to our Lord as He reviews our life on earth and asks each of us 'What did you do for me? What did you do to further my Gospel? What did you do to lead others to life eternal? How well did you run God's race? How well was your mastery of the time you had on earth for God?'. =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: ( ) |\ _,--------._ / | | `.,' `. / | ` ' ,-' ' \/_ _ ( / (,-.`. ,',-.`. `__,' |/#\ ),-','#\`= ,'.` | `._/) -'.\_,' ) ))| / (_.)\ . -'// ( /\____/\ ) )`'\ \ |V----V|| ' , \ |`- -- -' ,' \ \ _____ ___ | .' \ \ `._,-' `- `.__,`---^---' \ ` -' -.______ \ . / ______,- `. ,' ap >The Devil’s Beatitudes Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church ~ they are my best workers. Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked ~ I can use them. Blessed are the touchy, with a bit of luck they may stop going to church ~ they are my missionaries. Blessed are those who are very religious but get on everyone's nerves ~ they are mine forever. Blessed are the troublemakers ~ they shall be called my children. Blessed are those who have no time to pray ~ they are easy prey for me. Blessed are the gossipers ~ for they are my secret agents. Blessed are those critical of church leadership ~ for they shall inherit a place with me in my fate. Blessed are the complainers ~ I'm all ears for them. Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people and not yourself ~ I've got you. - Author Unknown -<>- Have you thought lately about how powerful words are? A spoken word can change the course of history, alter a person's future, give someone a job, pass a law, or start a war. Words are powerful and may be used either for good or for evil purposes. , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Proverbs 12:18 "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Even though words can be destructive in relationships and hurt others, they can also be used for encouraging and blessing others. Warren Wiersbe said the following were words that dynamically changed the atmosphere of his home: "Please" "Thank You" "I'm Sorry" "I Love You" "I'm Praying for You" Of course, when you use these words, you need to make sure that you mean them! If you say "I'm Praying for you" make sure that you actually are... Try using these powerful words this week in your home, at your job, or at school. Make notes of how the use of these words affects those around you. -<>- __ /.- ______ // /______'/| [ ]| [ Grape ]| Grape Juice Instead? [ Juice ]| [ _\_ ]| [ ::: ]| [ :' ]/ jgs '-------' >[Mastery] Orange Juice One spring our family was driving from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida. As far as the eye could see, orange trees were loaded with fruit. When we stopped for breakfast, I ordered orange juice with my eggs. "I'm sorry," the waitress said. "I can't bring you orange juice. Our machine is broken." At first I was dumbfounded. We were surrounded by millions of oranges, and I knew they had oranges in the kitchen--orange slices garnished our plates. What was the problem? No juice? Hardly. We were surrounded by thousands of gallons of juice. The problem was they had become dependent on a machine to get it. Christians are sometimes like that. They may be surrounded by Bibles in their homes, but if something should happen to the Sunday morning preaching service, they would have no nourishment for their souls. The problem is not a lack of spiritual food--but that many Christians haven't grown enough to know how to get it for themselves. -Author unknown but appreciated -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Don't Wrap God in a Plain Brown Wrapper - L. Dylan Christopher I was in the bookstore buying a gift for a friend. As I stood in line, I saw a young girl approach the counter and whisper something into the sales clerk's ear. The clerk pointed to a shelf in the back corner of the bookstore and the humble-looking girl moved toward that corner. This scene aroused my curiosity. So, after making my purchase, I stuck around to see what the girl was up to. Shortly thereafter, the girl scurried up to the counter, looked around, as if to make sure no one was watching, pulled a small, black book out from under her arm and set it face-down on the counter. The clerk took her money, made change and quickly stuffed the little, black book into a paper bag. But, before he could get the book into the paper bag, I was able to catch a glimpse of the cover. It read, "Holy Bible". I turned to leave and found myself looking directly at a magazine rack. The rack openly displayed scores of "men's" magazines. That's when I made the connection. There was a time, not long ago, when pornographic magazines were wrapped in plain brown wrappers. If a person wanted to see a pornographic movie he would sneak off, "do his thing" and return home. He never mentioned the movie to anyone, save a few close friends who were "into" the same thing. In fact, he would probably turn red with embarrassment if anyone else found out. Today however, pornography is quickly becoming more available and less stigmatized. There are no plain brown wrappers on the magazines. X-rated movies are available at many video rental stores. In fact, pornography has become so widespread that many of us have become desensitized to it. We rarely think twice when we see it in an advertisement, on TV, or in print. We use vulgarity openly and without embarrassment. That which was deviance has become normality. There was a time, not long ago, when our nation's leaders bowed together in prayer. Families prayed together, asking God to guide and protect them. Children were allowed time to pray in school. Religion was discussed openly and without embarrassment. Spirituality was the norm. Today, however, the mentioning of God or Jesus Christ or the Bible often causes people to cringe with fear and embarrassment. It's not politically correct. People often go to church on Saturday or Sunday, but they rarely mention it at the office or in the classroom. If people feel the need to pray, I suppose they can sneak off to a church, "do their thing," and return home. I wanted to tell her to carry her Bible proudly. I longed to call out to her, "Hey! Don't let them wrap your God in a plain brown wrapper." -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Bible Study: Haunting! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/haunting.html Story: Feeling Kind Of Buggy! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/fearfeelingkindofbuggy.html Farmers Gone Wild! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/farm.html Extreme Pumpkin Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/pumpkin.html Beautiful Artistic Stairs! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/artisticstairs.html Blind Woman Sees! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/blindsees.html Ingenious Business Names! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/businessnames.html World's Fastest Plane! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fastestplane.html Inspiring Seniors! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/inspiringseniors.html Beautiful Bridges 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bridges2.html World's Tallest Wooden Building! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/tallestbuilding.html World's Largest Monastic Library!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/library.html Full Fall And Halloween Index http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/halloweenindex.html -<>- >In The News: SHOCK: 15-Year-Old Document Explodes on Hillary... 21 Children Died http://conservativetribune.com/document-hillary-children-killed/ Megyn Kelly's Clash With Newt Gingrich http://tinyurl.com/japsu65 --- ...Yes, I'm going to RANT!... She has gotten so far 'Left', I don't even watch her any more. My son told me about this one! Megyan talks about 'women' but really? Hillary is about the worse role model for women as I can think of. Her character is flawed. She is two-faced. She is hypocritical. She says she is a church goer but you couldn't tell it or her being Christian by her works or her actions. She is a liar. She spends tons of money on fashion and her own self interests. She treats those who work for her as underclassmen and has her nose up in the air saying she can't relate to ordinary Americans as she thinks of herself as above them. She should have divorced her husband or at least had many sessions of marriage counseling to fix her terrible marriage with her cheating man but instead she went for defending him, bashing his women victims and going with an open marriage so she could cheat on Bill as revenge. She gets a terrible child rapist off while working as his lawyer and brags about it. She lies to all us Americans and the world over and over again to cover up her horrible leadership as Secretary of State that got 4 Americans killed and to cover up her greedy self-centered use of her US government power and authority with her pay-to-play actions and her high security risk possibly putting our undercover agents and government in extreme harms way with her private server. So Megyn has the nerve to grill Newt on allegations that Trump may have been inappropriate with some women decades ago saying women are concerned about him being in the White House! Really? Wow. Maybe she should do as Newt suggested and start letting these 'concerned' women know just how wicked and money grubbing Hillary is! Women should be concerned about HILLARY and BILL being Back in the White House to further their sordid and greedy con on the American people and on our Government! Bill was doing his dirty deeds with a new woman about every day when he was in the White House says one of his Secret Service men. And he also said he often had to clean up Bill's messes - including his towels he left in the room! Why would we want Bill or lying Hillary back in the White House? This is why I stopped watching Kelly. She is clueless! Ivanka Trump is a far better role model for women than Hillary! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) Mr. Bean, Don't Sleep in Church! This one will really make you laugh! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh__g-ZZ6WA Compassion is one of humanity's best qualities. The will to help those who cannot help themselves, to console those who are suffering and to risk life and limb to save others. When people save animals, it's an even higher level of compassion, because most animals won't show gratitude, while others might actually attack their rescuers. That's why the people in this video are REAL heroes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kLMbePMdNOY Seeing Mr. Bean at the 2012 London Olympics reminded us of countless moments of laughter and enjoyment we've had over the years with the antics of Mr. Bean. A multinational icon, rude and crude Mr. Bean has managed to delight countless people around the world. This following scene was voted as one of the funniest Mr. Bean moments of all time - The Case of the Missing Pants. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d2nl9FtXxTs This amazing video is completely made of shadow hands, making beautiful and poetic scenes to delight the eye and astound the mind. This is surely art, and surely performed by very talented individuals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ryFQFzN6AMk --- ...Awesome! 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 ========================================================== .-'`"'-. _.---. .' \ .' '. / \ / \ | __ Y __ | | .'` '-./ .-' `'. | \ / ',,' \ /-. \| .-"()"-. |/--.`\ | /` /||\ `\ | \ \ \ | | / ; ; '--`\ /`--' | | '-.__.-' ; ; __ / / .-'''-` '. .-. _ /`/` (_ .--..._ `-' \_| \ /`/` '.__. `---._ |/`/` `) _.. '-./`/` (__.-' _) /`/` jgs `--`/` ` >Pansies Story Editor: by Brandy Gerhardt Joyce Schowalter Missouri, USA It was my day off and I was browsing a thrift store when I came across a beautiful dress. A dress to make one linger and mutter hopeful promises: "Well, I'll get it and then lose twenty pounds!" Reluctantly, I dragged myself away, but the cascade of pansies in purple and sunshine drew me back. Five minutes later I headed back to my car, the shocked and foolish owner of a dress two sizes too small! Before going home, I decided to visit a new client on my way. The pansy dress lay in its bag on the seat beside me. I glanced down at it, baffled by my foolishness. Whatever had possessed me? I could hear the slow shuffling thump of a walker on the other side of the door as I waited for Ms. Smith to answer my knock. Finally, the door opened and she awkwardly hopped her walker back to let me in and offered a small, worn smile. I followed her into a tiny, tidy living room where she sat down with a weary sigh. Her right leg was in a cast from the knee down. I settled in on the couch across from her and glanced around. A wall hanging caught my eye. "My goodness! That looks exactly like a dress I have," I said in amazement. Ms. Smith followed my gaze and brightened, "Oh, yes! Those are my favorite colors and pansies are my favorite flowers." On impulse I ran out to my car and got the dress to show her the perfect match. Then I busied myself with her assessment, the dress lying forgotten beside me. Pen poised, I glanced up at Ms. Smith who seemed quiet and a bit unresponsive. She was gazing at the pansy dress. Slightly embarrassed, she looked my way. "Would you...do you mind... if I try it on?" she asked in a timid voice. It took a split second of silence for me to recover, "Oh. Yes! No! Please do!" She positioned her walker and, with difficulty, rose from her chair. I handed her the dress and she slowly thumped part way into her kitchen. Getting out of one dress and into another when you have s ix legs and a cast is no easy feat, but we managed. I zipped her up and stood back. She maneuvered her walker around and slowly shuffled toward the bedroom mirror. Watching her, I swallowed over the lump in my throat. What on earth had made me think that because my clients are so often stuck at home with bodies that betray them, they have lost their longing to look pretty in pansies? Maybe I wasn't shopping for myself that day, after all. Because Ms. Smith looked marvelous in her new pansy dress! =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Laugh And Lift: The Lift .:' Dragon `:. ::' Art by `:: :: :. Ronald Allan Stanions .: :: `:. `:. . .:' .:' `::. `:: ! ::' .::' `::.`::. .' ! `. .::'.::' `:. `::::'':!:``::::' ::' :'*:::. .:' ! `:. .:::*`: :: HHH::. ` ! ' .::HHH :: ::: `H TH::. `!' .::HT H' ::: ::.. `THHH:`: :':HHHT' ..:: `:: `T: `. .' :T' ::' `:. . : : . .:' `::' `::' :' .`. . .'. `: :' ::. .:: `: :' `::: :::' `: `. `` '' .' :`...........': ` :`. .': ' `: `"""' :' >What to Do About Halloween (By Dr. James Dobson) [This article was excerpted from Complete Marriage and Family Home Reference Guide by Dr. James Dobson with the permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Copyright 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.] Q. Is it wrong for Christian families to celebrate Halloween? A. Whereas it can be argued that Christmas is a Christian holiday with Christian origins that has suffered the effects of growing secularism, Halloween can be traced to distinctly pagan sources. It is reasonable, then, that many believers would find some aspects of its celebration disturbing. I agree with them in that regard. The traditional emphasis upon the occult, witches, devils, death, and evil sends messages to our kids that godly parents can only regard with alarm. There is clearly no place in the Christian community for this "darker side" of Halloween. Even here, however, there is a place for some harmless fun. Kids love to dress up and pretend. If the Halloween experience is focused on fantasy rather than the occult, I see no harm in it. Make costumes for your children that represent fun characters, such as Mickey Mouse or an elderly grandmother, and then let them go door-to-door asking for treats. This side of Halloween can be thoroughly enjoyable for the little ones. Let me add, again, that I've given you my personal opinion. I realize that the topic is controversial among committed Christians, and I'm sensitive to the reasons for their misgivings. My final word to parents on the subject would be "Stay true to your own convictions." -<>- Think of our Two Political Choices today - Trump VS Hillary with the following: (_( ('') _ "\ )>,_ .--> _>--w/((_ >,_.' /// "`" -Naughty "Indifference to evil is evil." - Elie Weisel Many people ask, what is integrity? It means a person is the same on the inside as he or she claims to be on the outside. A man of integrity can be trusted. He is the same person alone in a hotel room a thousand miles from home as he is at work or in his community or with his family. We have seen the tragic results of moral breakdown and shattered trust in people - from leaders in business and government to well-known sports figures, to husbands, wives, and families and, yes, even the church. The erosion of basic moral and spiritual values seems to be getting more serious at every level of society...It's easy to point the finger at prominent people accused of corruption. We can easily see their sins and the results. But a careful look reveals that the same poison of self- gratification and greed exists in our hearts as well. We all make decisions based on what we truly believe. Many people today wonder if there is absolute truth. They say there is only perspective, that truth is whatever you perceive it to be; whatever works for you. If that is the case, then there is no right or wrong, only differing opinions, and one is as good as another. But God's standard is expressed in the Bible, and the ultimate example of that standard is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, 'You will know the truth and the truth will set you free' (John 8:32). When we live by this truth, we possess integrity...I believe integrity can be restored to a society one person at a time. The choice belongs to each of us." - Billy Graham "Make no mistake. We are not powerless. We are not too remote and removed to make a difference. And we are not a few. If we would but get over our own quarrels and come together on our knees, seeking forgiveness for ourselves first and our country second, dust would fly. Change would come. And to us first." - Adrian Rogers _|_ | _|_ //_/\ __| ||____ ////////////\ /////////////\\ |^^^^^^^^^^||+| | # # # |||| .... ....". ||||||||||||||||| unknown >The State of Today's Church (By Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.) [Taken from A Birmingham Jail Cell Letter to Clergymen) ...In deep disappointment, I have wept over the laxity of the church. But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church; I love her sacred walls. How could I do otherwise? I am in the rather unique position of being the son, the grandson and the great-grandson of preachers. Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scarred that body through social neglect and fear of being nonconformists. There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period when the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Wherever the early Christians entered a town, the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators." But they went on with the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," and had to obey God rather than man. They were small in number but big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." They brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contest. Things are different now. The contemporary church is often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the arch supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are. But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. I am meeting young people every day whose disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust. -<>- The beautiful thing about new beginnings in Christ is that we're one confession away from being able to say, "That's the old me." - Beth Moore The Lift ____ ____ | / + \ || || /+ . \ | |o x.| =**= _ =**= | o x| | |____| || _( )_ || |____| | || /_____\ || | ______________//| |/__________________ |_______^________/ | + | /____^_____ _U_ / |___| // _U_ | /_______________________________________// | /|\ |______________________________________|/ /|\ >"Christians...Rise!" (by Jeanne, as posted in Words For Life, a once-per-week devotional.) [Edited] "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity." Prov. 24:16 This is one of my favorite scriptures. I came across it last year in a Bible study class and have brought it out again and again. Why do I like it so much? Simple...I fall. I fall today, I fell yesterday, and I will most likely fall again tomorrow. Oh, I don't set out to make mistakes or sin. It just happens. I feel like Paul when he said in his letter to the Romans, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not, but what I hate, I do." (Rom. 7:15) I just don't understand why I can't make myself act like I know I should. As a parent, I want my kids to see me in the best possible light, but that doesn't always happen. Sometimes I blow it. I yell, I don't listen, or I just make the wrong choice in plain view of the whole family. It's good to know even Paul struggled with his flesh and sinful nature. If Paul, who was used so mightily of God, struggled, why should I expect that I won't? As Christians, I think we can sometimes be our own worst critics. We know Christ, we know Scripture, we know what is right, so why do we still sin? We sin because we have a sinful nature and live in a sinful world. We were born into it. We will not escape the temptations of the world until the day we come face to face with our Creator and Savior. It just ain't gonna happen. That's not to say that we can't overcome temptation. God has given us all the tools we need to overcome. But since we are not yet perfected, sometimes we may fail and sin. And that is why I love this Scripture. It doesn't give me an excuse to sin, but it tells me that when I do sin, I can repent of it and then I can get back up and start over fresh and forgiven. God knows my struggles, He knows my heart. He will forgive. Our holy spirit will convict us to bring us to repentance, but God will not condemn us. We don't have to beat ourselves up over our failures and walk around feeling guilty. Jesus paid for all my sin on the cross and I am no longer condemned. Once I accepted His sacrifice, God marked my debt PAID IN FULL. So next time you fall, remember that you can rise again! Your debt to God was already paid. Pick yourself up, ask for forgiveness, and start walking again with renewed determination. 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 Kidwarmers: ___ ___ .'` `""--.._..--""` `'. / .-""-"-""-. \ | / \ | \, | .--.-.--. | ,/ (_'- |` > `| -'_) / | < | \ | (__..---..__) | | (`|\o_/ \_o/|`) | | \( > )/ | | [>=| --- |=<] | | ,\__\ /__/, | |.____.|\==='-'===/|.____.| \_____;_\=======/_;_____/ | _)'.===.'(_ | ; \-._\_/_.-/ ; /\_\_\_\ () /_/_/_/\ '-.._____.-'-._____..-' | /`\ | |_ | | _| _.;____ | | ____;._ jgs /` `| |` `\ '------'--' '--'------' >THE FUNNIEST THINGS KIDS SAY Aunt Elaine went to help out with the Davidson kids while Kim was traveling on business. The Davidson house is decorated for Halloween with a bale of straw, pumpkins and a scarecrow in the front yard. On Monday, the kids were excited to come home to find a digger, dump truck, and a couple small holes in the front yard to fix a water leak which escalated into the sewer line as well. Tuesday, it rained ALL day and let up just before Aunt Elaine picked up the kids from school. Aunt Elaine went inside the house while the boys checked out MUD and holes. Little Katie ran to give the scarecrow a hug. Pretty soon she came running to the front door shouting, "Aunt Elaine, the scarecrow peed his pants!" -- Aunt Elaine of Indianapolis (sister of Mike Davidson of Kendallville) Logan, 5, is a very serious child. He went shopping with his grandmother and mother. As they drove around looking for a parking space, they decided that Logan's mom would just jump out and run into the store. Logan said, "Oh, by the way, you need to go back there and get that person out of the trunk of the car back there. The arm is hanging out and it's all bloody!" It was one of those fake arms that people use for Halloween decorating! When the adults burst out laughing Logan continued, "It's not funny! Get that person out of that trunk!" -- Lesa Price (grandmother of Logan Moore) of Pleasant Lake Sabrina, 9, awakened one morning and asked, "Mommy, do your eyes roll back when you sleep so that you can see your dreams?" -- Bonnie Scarlett of Tacoma, Washington .--. .--. | = o\ | = o\ \= =_/ \= =_/ )= \____ )= \____ ; = _|__-\ ; = _|__-\ |= ----.\ |= ----.\ ('.==| ('.==| / \=\=\ / \=\=\ _.' /=/\=\_ _.' /=/\=\_ _jgs_..-' /__) \__)__..-' /__) \__) Here is another one from Bonnie. Hayley, 4 is a complete tomboy. She has an older sister and brother-in-law who enjoy watching boxing. At the store one day, they found some boxers on sale with the characters from the movie Cars on them and bought them. When she got home Haley ran to her room, took off all her clothes, and put them on. She came down the stairs and declared proudly to Daddy, "Look at my fighting pants!" Last week on the morning of the first visible frost Jared, 4, exclaimed, "Mommy, Mommy, look! Jack Frost was here and he blew his cold breath on our car windows... I wonder if that means Santa really is watching me like you say he has been? Do you think I'm in trouble, Mommy?" His mother Debbie was at a loss for words! -- Debbie Pipkin of Michigan Pnina, age 3 1/2, loves to read. Among other things, she is very familiar with the Torah (first five books of the Bible). The week that the story of Noah was read in synagogues, it was cloudy out. Pnina looked up and said that there were gray clouds, so it was going to rain for 30 days and 30 nights. Her mother Brandel suggested that she reread the story. Pnina replied, "No, for 10 days less! God promised that he wouldn't do that again!" -- Brandel of Jerusalem, Israel .-:::::::::::::-. .:::''':::::::''':::. .:::' `:::' `:::. .'\ ::' ^^^ `:' ^^^ ':: /`. : \ :: _.__ __._ :: / ; : \`: .' ___\ /___ `. :'/ ; : /\ (_|_)\ /(_|_) /\ ; : / .\ __.' ) ( `.__ /. \ ; : \ ( { } ) / ; : `-( . ^"^ . )-' ; `. \ .'<`-._.-'>'. / .' `. \ \;`.';/ / .' jgs `._ `-._ _.-' _.' .'`-.__ .'`-._.-'`. __.-'`. .' `. .' `. .' `-. .-' `. Ginger was walking with her great-nephew Jordan, 5, to visit the home of a relative. They told Jordan his aunt was probably in Minnesota. Jordan said, "Why do they call it Minnesota? Is it because they have a lot of many sodas?" -- Ginger Thomson of Waterloo, Indiana Several years ago Shirley worked for a dental laboratory making deliveries of dentures and other supplies. One day some young children saw her carrying a box into a dentist's office. One of them asked her what was in the box. When Shirley said, "Teeth," the response from the child was, "Oh, you must be the Tooth Fairy!" -- Phyllis Myers (sister-in-law of Shirley) of Indiana Sally and her husband are in the process of adopting their granddaughter, Danyelle. As part of the process they went for fingerprinting. The technician was reading the vital statistics from a paper and typing them into the computer. "Hair color? Eye color?" The technician turned to Sally's husband and asked, "6 feet?" Danyelle quickly interrupted, "He doesn't have six feet. He only has two feet." -- Sally Morris of Wellington, Florida ,____ |---.\ ___ | ` / .-\ ./=) | |"|_/\/| ; |-;| /_| / \_| |/ \ | / \/\( | | / |` ) | / \ _/ | /--._/ \ | `/|) | / / | | .' | | jgs / \ | (_.-.__.__./ / Nathan, 2, stays with Linda and her husband on weekends. Daddy is a volunteer firefighter so needless to say Nathan loves anything to do with firetrucks and he even sleeps at his grandparents' house in a firetruck bed. His grandmother, Linda, had put him to bed and a while later she thought she heard him get up. She went to check on him and he was sound asleep. She adjusted his blankets and was getting ready to walk out of the room when she heard in this very soft, sleepy voice, "beep beep beep, firetruck, beep beep." (The beep beep beep is the back up noise they make.) A true future firefighter! -- "Grammy" Linda Davis of California, Pennsylvania Mackenzie, 6, was being picked up at school by her mother. Mackenzie saw a lawman picking up his little boy. Mackenzie asked her mother, "Why are the lawmen here?" Her mother said, "They are picking up their kids." Mackenzie asked her mother, "You mean lawmen have youngens?" -- Myrle Brown (grandmother of Mackenzie) of Georgia Taylor was riding along in the car with her mom singing a song that went like this..."Little Ms. Muffet sat on her tuffet eating her turds and way!" Taylor's mom told her that it was kurds and way. Taylor then put her hands on her hips and said that "Maw Maw" told her it was "turds and way" and Maw Maw is always right! -- Cristy Hazelwood (Taylor's mom) of Peterstown, West Virginia .:\:/:. .:\:\:/:/:. :.:\:\:/:/:.: :=.' - - '.=: '=(\ 9 9 /)=' ( (_) ) /`-vvv-'\ / \ / /|,,,,,|\ \ /_// /^\ \\_\ WW( ( ) )WW __\,,\ /,,/__ jgs (______Y______) Weston came home from kindergarten and asked his mother if dogs could talk. She told him no, they couldn't. Then he asked if they could talk on the phone. She told him they couldn't talk with or without a phone. He thought for a minute and then said, "Then why do they keep making us sing that song... 'Knick-Knack Paddy-whack give the dog a phone.'" -- Kas Quimby (grandmother of Weston) of Elma, Washington Savannah, 6, is usually known for cutting her own hair. This time she did things a little differently. She cut their cat Outlaw's whiskers off. When asked why she would do such a thing, she replied that she was just getting rid of the split ends! -- Susan Wilkinson (grandmother of Savannah) of Alton, Illinois While cleaning out drawers Doris ran across some old keepsakes including this poem her grandson wrote when he was 12. He is now 31 years old. I go to school and listen to teachers They sound a lot like preachers All I hear is do your math do your spelling and don't be bad or I'll start yelling It's bad enough to eat the lunch yes you know it I don't like it much But still yet I'm not a fool I'll just be good and go to school. -- Doris Reesor of Battletown, Kentucky .-. heehee /aa \_ __\- / ) .-. .-. (__/ / heehee _/oo \ _/ ..\ / \ ( \v /__ ( \ u/__ / \__ \/ ___) \ \__) \_.-._._ ) .-. / \ / \ `-` / ee\_ / \_ __/ \ __\ o/ ) \_.-.__ ) ( _._.-._/ hoho (___ \/ '-' jgs '-' / \ _/ \ teehee ( __.-._/ '-' Tatum, 5, and Kaelyn, 2, were visiting Grandma Brenda and Grandpa Ruben. The girls were playing in front of the house and being giggly. The next door neighbor's son Keeton, 6, came over and asked who the girls were. Brenda told them they were her granddaughters. Keeton looked at Brenda very seriously and said, "Now I know why your hair is white!" -- Grandma Brenda Motsinger of Grand Prairie, Texas Note: You are welcomed to use, copy and share these stories, but please reference http://www.funnykids.com as the source. ========================================================== _________ '. .' _\:. /_ //|:: |\\ \\|::#1 |// `\::. /` `\ /` T __/ \__ | | jgs _|WINNER!|_ | ~~~~~~~ | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >-->Don't Quit When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all up hill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a person turns about, When they might have won had they stuck it out, Don't give up though the pace seems slow, You may succeed with another blow. Often the struggler has given up, When he might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out, the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, It is when things seem worst that you must not quit. - Author Unknown >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? 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 ************************************************************************