It's What's Inside That Counts... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* Please Consider Giving To ShangralaFamilyFun.com The cost of the website has gone up dramatically due to the ever increasingly wonderful pages and photos being added each week to entertain you and our fellow Christian families. If every one would chip in $25 or more, we'd be good for the whole year! So Please - I need your help today! "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, the easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure. Please visit the site, scroll down and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL form page comes up. NOTE: Paypal will generate a 'Quantity 1' and 'Price per item' form. Just ignore the price per item and put whatever it is you desire to give in there. With Paypal, you will have your normal receipt for your 'payment' donation in USD (United States Dollars). You can put a memo in there if you'd like. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY FOR YOUR GIFT! ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ >-->3 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) Our first sizzling hot new page is from our friend LouiseAu. It's one to tickle your funny bone and give you plenty of smiles during these trying times of ours. Be sure to check it out here... .-""""-. |== ==|-. |~~ ~~~|`\\ |LILILI| || | |// | |/ | | jgs __|______|__ [____________] Funny Gas Station Signs http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/signs.html --- ...LOL! What a hoot! Thanks LouiseAu! Our next flaming hot new page is from our friend Linda. It is one to leave you a bit flabbergasted and stunned. This dog is truly amazing! Just check out the video here if you don't believe me... __ /\/'-, ,--''''' /" ____,'. ) \___ '"""""------'"""`-----' pb Amazing Belgian Malinois http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/belgianmalinois.html --- ...Wow! Thanks Linda! The dog reminds me of my Border Collie mix. He was super adept at going after tennis balls, but even he couldn't climb trees and walls! Amazing to say the least! Our last too hot to handle new page is from our friend LouiseAu. The time we are living in right now is one that will surely go down in history as being a very trying and unique time. It is well that we document it for next generations. Many think these times with us handling this pandemic will shape our entire future. Time will tell. Here is a page that just a few months ago would have blown our minds as not ever being possible - yet here we are. Be sure to check this one out and enjoy the awesome video here too: W .__. .__. [ ] |::| |::| E ._. |::| |::| ._. |\ |:| ._. |::| |::| |/| \ \\|/ |:|_|/| |::| |::|_ |/| |-( )- |:|"|/|_|::| |::|\|_|/| _ | V L |:|"|/|||::| |::|\|||/||:| \ ` ___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | \/ / ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~pwh Covid-19 Effect On US Cities! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/coronaviruscities.html --- ...Absolutely shocking and sad. Thanks LouiseAu! My sister's favorite group was the Rolling Stones. Love this video - I hope that they will be among the groups playing in heaven. My sister and I will love that! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: "When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." -- Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty Today we start our series of Mother's Day stories. Mother's Day is next month on May 10. We always enjoy read Joe Walker's stories and we're not alone -- he has legends of fans. Thanks Joe! ,"=-. / _),`'". ( /a( ), ) ) C = = ?/ ( )) (_ o-< ) ( `-' \; ( \_ ( | \ ) )| \_/} \ \ \(_;/-|_) )/) `._,--/ / / `!__!! ( (_o)) ---`-._, )--- ------( / |---- | ( | :__/|\_; \ |/ )(\_ /_)--` gpyy \_! >MOTHER'S DAY OUT OF CONTROL by Joseph Walker West Virginian Anna Jarvis is universally credited with coming up with the idea for an American Mother's Day in 1908. What isn't as widely remembered is that nine years after the first official Mother's Day in this country, Anna Jarvis became the nation's most publicly outspoken opponent of -- what else? -- Mother's Day. This is roughly akin to Santa dissing Christmas, or Punxsutawney Phil being a conscientious objector to Groundhog Day. This is Henry Ford urging the automobubbling public to park their Model T's, or Wilbur and Orville Wright coming back from Kitty Hawk and saying, "Never mind. They'll just start charging people extra to check their luggage." By all accounts (i.e., Wikipedia), Jarvis led a six-year campaign that eventually led to President Woodrow Wilson making Mother's Day an official national holiday in 1914. Her concept was a day to honor mothers in general -- and her own mother in particular -- in quiet, intimate and deeply personal ways. Within a few years, however, the commercialization of Mother's Day soured Jarvis on the whole idea. She hated Mother's Day greeting cards, which she felt were the lazy person's way out of writing a personal, heart-felt letter. She protested -- literally -- the growing influence of florists and jewelers on the holiday. In 1948, the same year that she died, records show that she was actually arrested while protesting against Mother's Day commercialization. It was as if the Easter Bunny had been jailed for protesting the coloring of Easter eggs. Jarvis' fight against Mother's Day lasted four times longer than her fight to make it a national holiday, and consumed whatever fortune she had accumulated in life. To her dying day she is reported to have said that she regretted the creation of Mother's Day because "it became so out of control." I know. In an era that features "Bad Girls Club," "Desperate Housewives" and "Girls Gone Wild," it is difficult to put the words "Mother's Day celebration" and "out of control" in the same sentence. But let's just assume for a second that Jarvis was on to something. Let's assume that the estimated $2.6 billion Americans will spend this year on Mother's Day flowers and the $1.53 billion they will spend on other miscellaneous Mother's Day gifts and the $68 million they will spend on greeting cards is... well... you know... out of control. Is there a better, more under control way to honor mothers on Mother's Day? A few months after my mother died, I spent a few evenings with my father sorting through some of Mom's things. It had taken him that long to reach the point where he felt he was ready to face the feelings and emotions that surely would come. We smiled a lot and we both shed a few tears as we made our way through a box of precious things that Mom, for one reason or another, had decided to hang on to. Among the keepsakes and souvenirs within that box were a dozen or so Mother's Day cards from her children and grandchildren. Keep in mind that Mom had eight children and 54 grandchildren -- she had received hundreds of Mother's Day cards through the years. But for some reason, she chose to save these particular cards. After examining them, it became clear why they were treasured. It had nothing to do with the design or intrinsic value of the card itself. In every case there was a hand-written message -- sometimes in childish scrawl, sometimes in careful adult script -- that expressed profound feelings. There were no cards that just said, "Love, Kathy" or "Love ya, Mom!" or even "Happy Mother's Day!" The cards she cherished were cards that explained, in the giver's own hand and words, why SHE was cherished. So, OK -- I'm not fully on board with Anna Jarvis. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy the Mother's Day flowers and gifts. Heaven knows, the economy needs that multi-billion dollar jolt right about now. But don't let your money do your talking for you. Don't assume the mother you honor will know how you feel by the simple fact of your gift. Tell her, in your own words, why you love her. Your message doesn't have to be long and flowery -- it just has to come from your heart. Write it. Speak it. Text it. Pray it. But for heaven's sake, share it. Those words, expressing those tender emotions, are what makes Mother's Day so sweet. And not quite so out of control. -- Joseph Walker =========================================================== >-->From Daily Encounter , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Never Give Up "It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his Good News to others], and so we never give up."1 A number of years ago I read the following story about Sir Winston Churchill in Our Daily Bread. Churchill attended grade school at Harrow where he was in the lower third of his class and showed no particular potential. After he graduated he went on to university and eventually became famous. On October 29, 1941, Prime Minister Winston Churchill went back to Harrow to hear the traditional songs he had sung there when a student and to address the student body. He was introduced as one of the greatest orators of all time. The students were told to take plenty of notes. In those sobering days of World War II included in his address Sir Winston encouraged the boys to: "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." I'm certain that none of those students ever forgot that advice. And that is God's advice and word to us. If we interpreted God's message to the Hebrew Christians fully, it would be: "God said, 'I will never, never, never, never, never [five times over] leave you or forsake you" or "I will never, not ever, not ever, leave you or forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5). This is the greatest reason why we, too, must never give up. Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for the wonderful assurance that You will never ever leave me or forsake me. Help me to never ever leave or forsake You ... not ever. Gratefully in Jesus Christ's name." 1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (TLB). <:))))>< , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Spring Cleaning of the Heart (Edited) “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."1 Springtime brings a sense of fresh energy and rejuvenation to most of us. In addition to the days slowly becoming warmer, the flowers blooming, and birds happily chirping, many of us also see this time as a great opportunity to clean,organize and rejuvenate our homes. AsI was going over my own “To-do list" for the Spring, a thought came to mind.What a great opportunity we have not only to clean our earthly homes, but more importantly, do a Spring cleaning of the heart as well! For some, it may be a spiritual practice we do often. For others, we may find that we often do a little maintenance here and there but need some detailed and intentional attention to our spiritual cleanliness and health. I would like to take a moment to share some suggestions to help begin this process of spiritual cleaning. First, we need to sort through and get rid of any sins, old attitudes, and habits that may be holding us back and allow ourselves the freedom to move forward openly seeking God’s will in our lives. Hebrews 12:1 reminds us to “Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." This requires us to be honest with God and ourselves and the courage to leave our hindrances behind us. Second, once God has brought our sins or hindrances to our attention, we need to ask Him to scrub our hearts clean again, as we confess our sins and ask His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 tells us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." After receiving God’s forgiveness, we need to forgive ourselves as well. Third, we need to clean out the negative thoughts we may have. At times it is easy to fall into old habits again because we allow ourselves to listen to Satan’s lies. He will do anything he can to keep us in bondage, but we have freedom in Christ! We need to daily proclaim the truth we find in John 8:36 where we read, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." We are victorious in Christ. Lastly, we need to take a close look at our spiritual routines and make improvements or modifications where needed.In order to keep our hearts clean, we must make sure our relationship with God is at its best. Do we need to spend more time with him in prayer? Are we failing to hear him because we have neglected reading his Word to us? Have we allowed other distractions to take priority in our lives when God should be at the top? I Chronicles 16:11 says, “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." These are just some examples of areas we can start spring cleaning of the heart, but I encourage you to talk to God and allow him to show you where to start. Suggested prayer: “Dear God, you love me too much to leave me the way I am, and I thank you for that. You are constantly working in my life and I lay my heart at your feet asking that you cleanse it and make the necessary changes to make me more like you. Thank you for your forgiveness and the freedom that you have given us in Jesus Christ. I look only to you my God and my strength and choose to seek your face always. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus Christ's name, amen."1. Psalm 51:10 (NIV). NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click on: http://www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or if you would like to re-commit your life to Jesus Christ, please click on http://www.actsweb.org/decision.php to note this. * * * * * * * Daily Encounter is published at no charge by ACTS International, a non-profit organization, and made possible through the donations of interested friends. Donations can be sent at: http://www.actscom.com ACTS International P.O. Box 73545 San Clemente, California 92673-0119 U.S.A. Phone: 949-940-9050 http://www.actsweb.org Copyright (c) 2016 by ACTS International. When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International. =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: ,---------. ( HAJIME! ) `---,-----' _____________/__________ /' / `\ / ,ssssssssssosssssssssss. \ / dSSSSSSSSSS/|\SSSSSSSSSSSb \ / dSSP' p / \ q `?SSb \ / dSSP /V\ /V\ ?SSb \ / dSSP /"\ /"\ ?SSb \ / dSSSssssssssssssssssssssssssssSSSb \ / dSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSb \ / \ `-------------------------------------------' pb >Character Counts Ogden High School`s wrestling team showed up for a wrestling meet at Humboldt High School . The home coach greeted them with the news that one of his wrestlers had Down`s syndrome. "He has no skill but loves to compete. You can pin him in seconds. He knows he`ll lose; he just wants to roll around on the mat for a little bit. Would anyone on your team be willing to wrestle with him?" First, there was silence. Then a lone voice on the Ogden team replied, "I`ll do it," and wrestler Lane Brueland stepped forward to grapple with the boy named Brent. The gesture alone was commendable, but what Brueland did next was exemplary. Instead of doing what the Humboldt coach requested, Brueland wrestled with the boy for the full six minutes. Not only that, he let the youngster score enough points to win the match. When Brent`s hand was raised and he looked up in wonder and said, "I won?" There wasn't a dry eye in the gym. Both boys got a standing ovation. From Character Counts.org https://charactercounts.org/ -<>- Flying pans _ ,io> /s~ .,a^ ,-'~~`+\#' .: cOMMOo |. _. :| tWWWMf ;; _ ,'~ `,_~~~~_:' ,io> __,---,_ ; ~~~~ /s~ /~~\ /~ _~'\ ,a^ | `._.' /~~ | ,-'~~`\d#' `\._ | | .: .'~~`.`|. ~: `\.__,-' _. :| : ; ;; _.' ,'~ `,_`--'_:' __,---,_ ; ~~~~ /~~\ /~ _~'\ | `._.' /~~ | `\._ | | ~: `\.__,-' _.' - a:f - >A Bigger Frying Pan Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan." Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith? Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way. You can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13). Nothing is too big for God. Stop telling God you've got big problems, but instead tell your problems to a big God! Jeremiah 33:2-3 "Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." James 1:5-6 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." -Author Unknown --- ...See these great teachings on this: First Thought http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Basics/FIRST_THOUGHT.htm Balance http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Basics/Balance.htm -<>- _.--. ;.-'i.`._.--, {(;{} y`-.`,_`--. <`~;`-( _.'`.~`.' \ \ `i.' ` Y },-,) .j~. | ; / _j\ <_ `! ;_.'( / >-, `---.,' .'-j / `. ,<_ ( `. \ `=-j\ `-Count Count your gardens by the flowers, Never by the leaves that fall; Count your days by golden hours, Don't remember clouds at all. Count your nights by stars, not shadows; Count your life with smiles, not tears; And with joy through all your lifetime, Count your age by friends, not years. -<>- It's an old story but the meaning is still true. A very wealthy man donated the money to a college for a new building. During the Depression he was wiped out. He was ridiculed by some friends for having given the building to the college. "That's not the way I see it," he said. "That building is all that's left from my lifetime of work. What I gave away has been saved, what I kept has been lost." -Submitted by R. P. Cly -<>- _______________ |,----------. |\ || |=| | || || | | || . _o| | | __ |`-----------' |/ /~/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / / ~~ Ojoshiro >Story Time: A REMOTE RISK By, Kathleene S. Baker Man and man’s best friend – no picture is more heartwarming! It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. My husband, Jerry, was stretched out in his recliner with Hank, the schnauzer, sprawled across his lap. Supposedly hubby was watching the Master’s Golf Tournament but I noticed a lot of catnapping going on as well. As I traipsed back and forth through the house, I kept an eye on my boys. At one point Hank had jumped down and was lying on the floor next to the chair. Jerry’s right arm dangled over the side as he provided a soothing back massage for the spoiled canine. Shiloh, the female schnauzer, was conked out on the couch with not a care in the world. Somehow all the snoozing and snoring didn’t seem fair as I hauled laundry to and fro, stopping now and again to add items to my grocery list. Eventually I ran out of “quiet” chores so began to empty the dishwasher very slowly, one piece at a time, so as not to awaken all my sleeping critters. On my next pass through the room, Hank was getting another back rub but followed me into the kitchen begging for a treat. “Gee, the life of my dogs must be great,” I mumbled to myself. He inhaled the treat, vanished, and I began cleaning the sink. “Crash, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. Woof, woof, woof. Yap, yap, yapitty, yap. Wh—wha—what?” I jumped straight into the air and out of my flip-flops with so many different sounds attacking my senses at once. I landed atop Hank’s singing bunny, which burst forth with: “Here comes Peter Cotton Tail ….” I raced to where the sleeping beauties were last located. Meanwhile in the kitchen that idiot bunny just kept on singing—too bad I hadn’t crushed him! Hank and Shiloh were in the middle of the room—the hair on their backs standing at attention. They looked just like two punk rockers ready to break loose with some weird song themselves! Jerry was still reclined, although his feet levitated several inches above the footrest. Both arms were stretched out to the side as if he’d been making snow angels, and he seemed to be a bit dazed. That’s when I saw it! In his left hand he held the remote control, and by the way, I’ve never understood how men keep “the death grip” on a remote even when they fall asleep. The “crash, tinkle, tinkle” had been the sound of him jamming it through the window next to his chair. “Good grief! What’s going on here? You broke the blasted window!” I think I was screeching. Actually, I am sure of it. It was several seconds before Jerry had his wits about him. Obviously he had been dead to the world. “The last thing I remember was something wet and cold on my right arm. I guess it startled me. Now I know—it was Hank! That’s what he does when he wants a back rub. It was his cold, wet nose!” Jerry was quick to blame the accident on man’s best friend — how dare he? “Don’t blame Hank, and don’t just sit there. I’ll get to work in here—you get busy cleaning up the glass on the patio,” I suggested between gritted teeth. “And just look. The hole in that window is big enough for a bowling ball, yet you’ve still got the darned remote in your hand!” Sheepishly he added, “I just picked it up from the floor. It must have bounced around and landed back inside.” It just figured—even after a catastrophe, he could not keep his hands off his prized remote. He had picked up his weapon again! I have no choice but to make some house rules around here, such as, “no death grips.” On the other hand, it could be permanently attached to a table with Gorilla Glue! Then again, maybe the manufacturers could add warning labels to those stupid things: MEN SHOULD NOT OPERATE DANGEROUS MACHINERY WHEN DROWSY! Oops, another problem just reared its ugly head—men never read instructions. Heck, maybe I’ll just put our trusty handyman on retainer—he’s already on my speed-dial. ©2006 Kathleene S. Baker Lnstrlady@aol.com www.txyellowrose.com -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Chalk Art 8 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/chalkart8.html Wedding Fails http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/weddingfails.html 90/10 Principle http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/giving.html I Believe!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/believe.html Let's Dance!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dance.html Liberty Air Show!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/liberty.html Attitude Is Everything 4!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude4.html Think Happy Thoughts http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/happythoughts.html Pay It Forward!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/payitforward.html Akiane Child Prodigy!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/prodigy.html Mom's And Dad's Index! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/momsanddadsindex.html -<>- How Great Is Our God/How Great Thou Art (Live)- Chris Tomlin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHAZGXsVF1k EASY: Making A Face Mask from a Scarf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGo5k6Ajcgo Thunderbirds and Blue Angels perform air show over New York City https://tinyurl.com/y745d6zb Found Sunken Crime Scene While Fishing - Cops Called https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZapklhahIXc -<>- >In The News: CDC Coronavirus https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html Facebook Portals for Veterans, VA Financial Relief Actions, VFW’s grant funds https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/bulletins/286b54c May 5 DEADLINE for Economic Impact Payments, Accessing VA Telehealth, Amazon Helps Veterans Start a Business, VA Home Loan Updates https://tinyurl.com/ybecxysu On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order to ensure all meat processing plants remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic. The order invoked the Defense Production Act and deemed the processing plants as critical infrastructure. According to AP News, 20 meatpacking plants have temporarily closed due to pressure from local governments and employees, two among them being “the nation’s largest.” “Such closures threaten the continued functioning of the national meat and poultry supply chain, undermining critical infrastructure during the national emergency,” states Tuesday’s order. https://tinyurl.com/yd47guce Timeline: Trump's actions to combat coronavirus | TheDC Shorts https://tinyurl.com/ybm7wlx3 DeSantis: ‘Everyone in the media said Florida was going to be like New York or Italy, and that has not happened’ https://tinyurl.com/y8wp397c Shutting down the media's comparison between Ivanka Trump and Hunter Biden https://tinyurl.com/y7xnrxx7 Supreme Court says Congress must pay insurers billions under ObamaCare Congress must keep its promise to give insurers billions of (taxpayer) dollars in unpaid ObamaCare funds, the Supreme Court ruled Monday https://tinyurl.com/ydyweb3m GOP Rep. Sues Governor Over Lockdown https://tinyurl.com/y85wd7o7 McConnell Defends Controversial Decision Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday pledged that the Senate will return to Washington, D.C., next week even as Democrats are accusing him of endangering the lives of his fellow senators and Capitol staff. https://tinyurl.com/ybkv29rs Great News Announced for Coronavirus Treatment https://tinyurl.com/y9uh7yfh Lawyer admits to paying over $250,000 in bribes to ICE, FBI agents https://tinyurl.com/yc2f2zuh Kayleigh McEnany calls out Politico for 'semi-baked story' on Bank of China https://tinyurl.com/yaqjow3e Americans Overwhelmingly Support A Temporary Immigration Ban To Fight Coronavirus, Poll Finds https://tinyurl.com/ycluehyy Westwing News: Sealing Borders Saves Lives During Coronavirus Pandemic https://www.whitehouse.gov/westwingreads/ WhiteHouseNews: President Trump is working with every state to defeat this virus - Reopening America, one step at a time! https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Students For Life https://tinyurl.com/yd5nxmu6 Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Latest Product Alert: Chicken, Fiber, Medications http://www.emergencyemail.org/products/?fmt=text Latest Health Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/health/?fmt=text Click to Give Free https://tinyurl.com/y2abb8d2 -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) Watch Taddy the Cat's amazing snow skating to the music 'Hustle to Meowtivate' by Ande Burman. https://youtu.be/YiE8V7sqjvw --- ...TeeHee! Too cute! Thanks LouiseAu! -<>- Revisiting... >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) The natural world is a world of balance, of yin and yang. There are the herbivores, the predators, and the insects and bacteria which recycle everything back into the elements. In this world of balance, all species are needed to maintain a healthy natural state. So, when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone park in the 1990s, their coming invoked a huge change - for the better. Watch this video and realize once again how magnificent the natural world is, and how smart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ysa5OBhXz-Q An interesting look at winter in Yellowstone National Park as seen through the life of the Winter Caretaker, Steve Fuller. He has been the a caretaker at Yellowstone since 1973. I'm sure he has some wonderful memories and experiences of living this solitary life for over 42 years in such a beautiful natural setting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UV10Wt30IGE --- ...Great videos! Thanks LouiseAu! Reminds me of these... Beautiful Wolves http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wolves.html Endangered Wolf! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wolf.html -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) This is really something and even if you not a sportsman it's still a must see if your going near it. Barring any unforeseen problems. It is going to be a destination site for any sportsman who gets near Memphis. https://vimeo.com/bassprovideo/review/119460678/63245d0b7d --- ...Paul would love this! Thanks Geniann! Here's the store updates on this... Bill Dance Takes Me Shopping in the Pyramid! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4JEM4mgBko Caught a Bass Inside Bass Pro Shops Pyramid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTalzkeL2ZA -<>- >From our friend Melody :) Potato Lollipops | mrfood.com http://tinyurl.com/kb94a9f journey through Asia on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/8728416 Shocking Before and After Photos of California Mega Drought! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drvsaJrebd8 --- ...Wow! Thanks Melody! -<>- >From Our Own Paul :) Paul sent me an email that tickled me. I had seen in the news where this group of Orphans had all been unharmed during the recent earthquake around Nepal and was most thankful and praising God for it. They only need to raise around $30,000 to rebuild the home. When he sent me this email, I immediately thought - 'Well Of Course They Did!' I didn't know the name of the orphanage until he sent me this... 'Really Brave' Orphans Knew What to Do When Quake Hit By James Novogrod and Henry Austin NBC News The children of Shangrila orphanage in Kathmandu knew immediately what to do when the quake hit. Read The Full Story! http://tinyurl.com/k4cd4wp --- ...Pretty awesome! I pray people chip in to help them rebuild :) * Here is an update: 2015 Nepal earthquake: Facts, FAQs, and how to help https://tinyurl.com/ybarfry6 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 ========================================================== #########::::::::::######## ##########::::::::######### ###########::::::########## ###########,---.########### ##########/`---'\########## #########/ \######### ########/ \######## #######:`-._____.-':####### ######::::: ( ) |::::###### #####:::::: ) ( o:::::##### ####::::: .-(_)-. :::::#### ###:::::: '=====' ::::::### ########################### M-K >This is For Her Story Editor: by the Michigan Father Joyce Schowalter where December. 2011. Michigan. Times are tough, especially in small areas. I drove to a blighted part of the city with boarded-up homes. We were five months behind on electric payments and I'd been calling to delay the shut-off for one more week. Twice they delayed payment. At the zeroth hour I pulled up to the building, preceded by a black woman driving a rusted, crumbling beater that shuddered to a stop. I walked in behind her, cash in hand, and waited in line. My children bounced on chairs nearby. Two women behind bulletproof acrylic windows took money. But only one line moved. Delaying the other was a long conversation from a young white mother with a baby on her hip. She wore pajamas and a sweater, was good-natured and laughing. "Well, so..." she said, "you know how it is. I mean, they just sit there in a pile, right? I don't know where they go. I don't know, I probably lost it." The woman behind the two-inch thick bulletproof Plexiglas nodded, unspeaking. Her nameplate said "Ella". The young patron continued," I mean, I GUESS the payment plan is good. But that's... how much again??" "Fifty dollars," the woman behind the Plexiglas prompted. The young mother said, "Yeah... fifty. Dollars, I mean. And if we miss that today then what? Fifty?" Ella confirmed, "Yes, fifty. The payment plan we arranged." "Boy, how could it be so much?" A long pause. "So what happens if we don't have the...?" Ella: "Fifty dollars. Well, that's when the account needs to be discontinued." The woman with the baby on her hip looked at the floor during the whole conversation. Talking in a low voice, but in a silent room of people waiting. She talked as though every second she talked was another second the power stayed on. As though somehow in this circular conversation the situation would resolve itself. Momentarily irritated one woman was taking so much time, I then felt some shame. I'd just wait calmly. Clearly the young woman with the baby was just buying time. Seconds. Moments. Avoiding the inevitable: her power would be shut off in the morning. Slowly the line crawled. My children became more animated and impatient. The woman with the baby kept talking. Then the woman in front of me went up to the counter -- the woman who drove the rusted beater. She handed the teller a check. "This is for her," and pointed at the young mother with the baby. The woman who wrote the check left. She bee-lined to her beater and drove off. The two tellers looked at one another confused. One said to the young mother, "Well, I guess, Merry Christmas." The woman with the baby looked at the floor, "I don't think she pointed at me. I don't know her." "She paid your electric bill," said a teller. "Next!" And the people in line who'd been staring blankly burst out in a joyous murmur. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From LaughAndLift: "Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened." - Winston Churchill , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >It's What's Inside That Counts (By Roy Irwin) I have a very good friend who is a Geologist by trade. I joke with him saying that he never grew out of playing in the dirt as a child. But the truth is, he knows a lot about rocks! I cannot tell one type of rock from another. However to someone like my friend with a trained eye - he knows exactly what to look for to identify a rock. Several years ago we were traveling together through the mountains of North Carolina. We started seeing road signs which read: "Diamonds! Rubies! Precious Gems! Follow the signs to our Gem Mine!" How could we resist the invitation? We followed the signs to a company that had set up a makeshift site where you could pan for gold and gems. Hopeful 'prospectors' could buy bags of dirt that had been mined from the mountains - each guaranteed to contain a precious gem! Patrons were then invited to wash the dirt they had just purchased in a shallow pan with water. Most people can identify precious stones by their color, but, like myself, can not identify a gem in the rough - it looks just like any other rock. 'Fortunately', store employees were on hand to answer questions and tell people what they had discovered. Visitors 'lucky' enough to discover a gem could then take their prize rocks into the store, and for a fee, have it cut or polished and mounted into a ring or pendant. And wouldn't you know it, the day we were there, EVERYBODY had struck it rich! My friend and I walked behind the store employee as he explained to each person what he or she had discovered. "That's a ruby and a nice one at that!" said the store employee. I looked at my friend the Geologist who whispered, "It's not a ruby - it's just a rock." "Wow, look at the size of that sapphire, it's a real keeper, probably worth a lot!" I looked at my friend who shook his head. "Another rock" he said. Though my friend's knowledge of rocks is bad for the tourist trade, it is of real value to people who want to buy or build on land. He is frequently hired by companies and banks to help evaluate the worth of land before it is bought. Looking at the land is easy - anyone can see the trees, terrain, location, and layout. But to determine the land's true value, you have to look a little harder. That's where my friend's knowledge comes in. He knows that the real value of the land lies beneath the surface. A core sample taken from various depths and areas around the site can reveal a number of things about the land: Does it have special minerals that make it valuable? Does it have large areas of rocks that will make it more expensive to dig through? Does it contain hazardous waste that will make it unusable and unsaleable until the land is cleaned up? His evaluation will ultimately reveal the true value of the land. This same friend introduced me to Geodes. What is a Geode? He showed me a large rock that was unexpectedly lightweight for its size. My friend was so excited, but to me, it was just a rock and an ugly one at that! It was only when he cut the rock in two revealing what was inside that I realized why he was so excited. As my friend cut the geode in half, water poured out of it. You see, a geode has a hollow core that is filled with water, making it lighter in weight than a regular stone of the same size. The water, along with minerals that leech into the geode, form beautifully colored crystal formations on the inside of the rock. My friend turned the cut halves so that I could see the insides - it was absolutely breathtaking! I would never have guessed that something that looked so plain and worthless on the outside could be so beautiful on the inside. One glimpse at the interior beauty completely changed my opinion! The thing with geodes is, you never know for sure what you've got until you look inside. The same is true with people. How easy it is to fall into the trap of judging a person by their outward appearance. How easy it is to be attracted to or pushed away from a person simply because of what they wear, how they talk, where they live, what they own, who they know, etc. We see examples of this all the time: The restaurant that looks run down on the outside yet serves great food; or the person who lived their entire life in anonymity who makes a large donation to an organization. Who would have guessed just by looking at the outside? Fortunately, God doesn't look at the outside, He looks much deeper - He looks into the heart of man. In I Samuel 16:7 we read: "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."(NIV) Why would God look at the heart of man? Because the heart reveals what is truly important to a person; it reveals their character and all that makes up who and what a person genuinely is. "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19 (NIV) Maybe that's why Jesus spoke so often about the condition of each person's heart. And why He chose to live in the hearts of those who have made him the Lord of their life. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 (NIV) What does your heart reveal about you? What treasure is found there? Would you find Jesus Christ sitting on the throne of your heart and life? If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and He is your treasure and your hope, then your heart and life will reflect the love that He has shown for each of us. Perhaps you have never invited Jesus to come into your heart and made Him the Lord of your life. What better time to do that than now? Jesus has promised "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;" Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) - a new life with Christ at the center! If you would like a changed heart and to know the love of Jesus in your heart, visit http://www.laughandlift.com/goodnews for more info. "O God, search me and know my heart. You are my greatest Treasure. Come and live in me, taking your place on the throne of my heart. Help me to live a life that reflects the love you have shared for each of us. Put a new spirit in me that embraces the whole of what you are - so that I can be more like you every day. Amen." [Copyright 1998 Argyle Giraffe Productions. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely copy (unmodified) without charge if reproduced in their entirety for non-commercial purposes. These documents may not be resold (or used for the enhancement of any product sold) without the written permission of Argyle Giraffe Productions.] 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 --- ...God's Awesome Geodes... How Do Geodes Form? https://www.fossilera.com/pages/how-do-geodes-form Very Pretty ones - Amethyst geodes https://tinyurl.com/yd8awvp9 ========================================================== | \_____________________/ |\ \ ||\ \ .__. || \ \ \ = \ . ~ ~ . || |\ \ \ \` ~ ' ~ ~` || ||\ \ \ = \~ ~ ~' -( ____ || || \ \ \ \~ ! . /= / || || \ \ _____ \ = \`:~; /= =/ || || ||\ .\===/ \ \--.=-. /_,_/ || || || \ | | \ = \ ) /"/ || || || \| | \ \ \__/ / @\`@ ~\@/ %| |____________\== \__._/__. ,_______________ @~ \%\|/@*/~@~| \___________\ \ % \|/ %|*/~@~\@| // \\ \ , @~ \%\/|@*/~/@*| .//________\\ \ \ @ \/ @<|/@<*`\@| // \\ \ \ `@*,\^@|/^@/| | .`'// \\. \ \ www @ *| www| |Pru `-._`------------''''.) \. ____________________________```-------'''----'|\__+________ ___________________________________________________________ >-->The Old Rocking Chair by Gerald R. Hill I remember Grandma When I was very small, sitting in her rocking chair in the parlor down the hall. Many hours she spent there all through her later years, sharing joyous laughter or drying little tears. The chair had been her mothers and held fond memories, when Grandma, as a little girl, had sat upon her knee. And rocked in that old rocker held close in loving arms. Enjoying her mother’s singing, kept safe from any harm. I also have fond memories when, as a little boy, of being held by Grandma with fondness, love and joy. Listening to her stories and songs that she would sing, caught up in contentment for the happiness it would bring. Now that great old rocker sits idle and unused, but never known by anyone to have ever been abused. When we find in years to come some memories we can share, a fondness there will always be for that grand old rocking chair. -<>- . | . \ | / `. \ ' / .' `. .-*""*-. .' "*-._ /.*" "*.\ _.-*" : ; ____ """"': .. ; _.-*" \ `.__.' / "*-._ .' `-.__.-' `. bug .' / . \ `. / | \ ' | ` >-->One Day at a Time By: Gert Holaday We worry about our tomorrows Oft' missing the joys of today Troubled about what may happen Yet tomorrow, may not come our way. Life's pathway is ever uncertain "Right now" is what's yours and mine. The future is safe in God's keeping We can live but one day at a time. >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->ShangyFunList AD RATES: $20 will get your a message (of up to 40 words) out to all self-subscribed readers and $5 more will give you the same message also put up for all web site readers. Email me to secure dates. Ad Request ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ********************************************************************** >TO SUBSCRIBE:Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************