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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! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: We who are left, how shall we look again Happily on the sun or feel the rain Without remembering how they who went Ungrudgingly and spent Their lives for us loved, too, the sun and rain? -- Wilfred Wilson Gibson Memorial Day will be here soon, and Shelley shares her observations about liberty and the price others have paid to insure our freedom. It really is a "home that soldiers built" for us. \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz >A HOME THAT SOLDIERS BUILT by Shelley Madden The colors of the American flag ripple above as the winds toss and snap it, demanding my attention. I gaze at it in awe as it waves proudly against the cobalt sky. Mesmerizing colors melt and swirl together until they are one. They quickly reform with the next breeze. My mind journeys back in time as I watch it. Red might be the blood lost in battle so we could have our freedom. Blue could be the blue-eyed soldier standing on the battlefield ready to give his life for ours. White may be the color of angels who ultimately guide our nation's heroes to the next and final frontier. A frontier where there are no battles. Highways and bi-ways moan and groan under the weight of thousands of motorists as they journey home in a never ending rhythm of gleaming steel and metal. Malls full of shoppers haggling over goods and rushing to sales. The farmer plowing a field in endless rows, praying for rain. The roar of the buses and trains and planes. Tiny windows glittering amber light within the towering skyscrapers overlooking it all. Our land. Our freedom. Our country. Home after home I passed, as I commuted to my destination. Maybe someone in that endless row lost a father or brother or son or even a daughter. A life given so I could have mine. A century of lives given so we could have futures. Thousands of soldiers who now lie forgotten in cemeteries washed away by time. Granite markers long gone, their names crumbled away by the winds and the sun and the rains. The once dotted hillside no longer carries the scars of their fight for ours. It has become smooth again, only rolling fields of meadow grass dotted with the occasional wildflower, rippling in the silent winds. The same winds that whip the flag above me. I gaze at the flag as people hustle by. They rush back and forth, reminding me of a million ants in an ant farm. One day a year set aside to remember them. One day. A day off work which has become a day for many to lie in the sun at the beach, or indulge in an enormous meal of BBQ and beers with family and friends, laughing the day away. Day after day they fought for us, year after year. Battle after battle was won, so we'd have a home to come home to, and food on the table. So we could have malls and trains and buses and planes. So we could indulge in the frivolities of existence. I shed a tear to the beat of drums in the distance, as the majestic flag is lowered. It is carefully folded by two misty-eyed soldiers while dozens of watery eyes watch in hushed melancholy. They slowly march to the grieving widow, and solemnly present it to her in unison. Her dark glasses hide her misery. Another life forever changed. Another life given so we could have ours. The sun is setting on my meager home when I return. Golden hues gently light the familiar weathered wood and sagging sills. But today, somehow, it looks different. It looks better. It is a home that the soldiers built. Maybe not by hand, but definitely by spirit. A home within a city, within a state, within a great country. A country the eagle proudly soars over -- an icon of the sacrifices made for our land, for our homes, for our freedom, for our very existence. I will make it a pact to remember the soldiers, and thank them for what they have given us, every day. -- Shelley Madden __________________________________________________ Shelley is an author who resides in Wise County, Texas with her son, Dustin, along with her ponies, poultry, dogs and cats. She enjoys writing, fishing, shooting her pink guns, and falling off her horse, Diamond. She writes a weekly column for an Entertainment magazine, and is a frequent contributor to Heartwarmers and Petwarmers. Her short stories have also been published in newsprint and on numerous websites and e-zines across the nation. She aspires one day to learn how to change the light bulb in her gun cabinet. =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Fran :) .-. | | |=| |=| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |=| jgs |=| |_| .=/I\=. ////V\\\\ |#######| ||||||||| ||||||||| ||||||||| >Touch a Life In the summer of 1983, I worked at a camp near Lake Arrowhead in Southern California. This was the last summer of my college years and would likely be the last I could afford to spend at a camp. At 22, I was among the more senior staffers in age. The camp director, Norman, was not only my boss that summer, but had been director at a camp I attended as a child. In 1982, when we met after many years, Norman was recruiting for positions of counselor, unit head, specialist, and a maintenance crew. Norman's goal was to put an all-Jewish staff in place for this Jewish summer camp. Never before had the camp's entire maintenance crew been Jewish. I had the skills needed, and gladly accepted his offer. I proudly served as a camp maintenance man in 1982 and 1983. As staff members, we were encouraged to participate in activities for the kids. In 1983, Norman went one step farther. The night before the first session of the summer, Norman challenged each of us to "touch a life." He said that if each of us could walk away from the summer having touched the life of just one child, we should consider the entire summer a success. As a maintenance man, I faced a challenge. How could I touch a life by hauling trash, setting up a room, or plunging a toilet? The call to action was clear, but how could I make it happen within the confines of my job? One day after lunch, one of the kids sat down next to me and asked, "Are you really Jewish?" I told Roger that I was indeed Jewish. He asked how I knew how to fix and build things. He asked how I learned painting, electrical, and plumbing. In his frame of reference, an affluent Jewish family in Southern California, he how ever encountered Jewish manual laborers. I told him about shop classes in high school, about training and working at a different Jewish camp. I told him how I had worked on a kibbutz in Israel for five months as the facility manager's assistant. Norman must have hoped this type of interaction would take place. It was indeed an important lesson to demonstrate to the kids: that *everyone* can learn to work with their hands and body. And that no task should be thought of as being "below" us, not even collecting the trash. I knew from that moment that I had definitely "touched a life" and that I did so every day that the kids saw me working around them. I retain that concept to this day and use it when faced with ethical challenges. I ask myself, "What example would each choice set for children?" What I didn't realize until later was that Norman touched MY life that summer with his challenge, and I'm a better person for the experience. - by Joe Blachman --- ...Wonderful Story! Thanks Fran! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: . __..,,... .,,,,,. '''' ,' ` . ,' ,. .. ` . `.,' .. ` __..,. . .. . ` . . `. .` ` , `. `. `._|,.. . `. `..' ` -'`'' >The Power of Holding Hands - (Mar. 11, 2003) I was sitting on a beach one summer day, watching two children, a boy and a girl, playing in the sand. They were hard at work building an elaborate sandcastle by the water's edge, with gates and towers and moats and internal passages. Just when they had nearly finished their project, a big wave came along and knocked it down, reducing it to a heap of wet sand. I expected the children to burst into tears, devastated by what had happened to all their hard work. But they surprised me. Instead, they ran up the shore away from the water, laughing and holding hands, and sat down to build another castle. I realized that they had taught me an important lesson. All the things in our lives, all the complicated structures we spent so much time and energy creating, are built on sand. Only our relationships to other people endure. Sooner or later, the wave will come along and knock down what we have worked so hard to build up. When that happens, only the person who has somebody's hand to hold will be able to laugh. - By Rabbi Harold Kushner -<>- .---. /_____\__ .===. _ _ `\/6.6\/--` / _/\ \ / )%.===.%( \ ( _ ) \/6.6\/ | // ,,, \\ | ,'---', ( _ ) \/ \/6.6\/ \/ .===. / _ \ _)---(_ /\ ( _ ) /\ / ,,, \ /\/ (_) \/\ / `~` \ ^^ /()-()\ ^^ ( /6.6\ ) .=@=. \ | (_) | / /\/ \/\ / /o o\ \ )( _ )( / \ \| |/ \ | | / (._\ Y /_.) (_/;---;\_) \ 6.6 / |_____| \|_____|/ (O_`&`_O) / `"*"` \ ( _ ) | | | | L | / / \ \ ( (_.@._) ) .-'---'-. | | | |__|__| / ()/^\() \ /'._\|/_.'\ / . . \ \__|__/ | | | /. . . . . . .\ /. . . . . .\ _/ /| , |\ \_ |_|_| |_|_| `"`"`|`|`|`"`"` `"`"|"|"|"`"` (__/{`"==="`}\__) jgs _|_|_|_ _|_|_|_ _|_|_|_ _|_|_|_ /\_ _/\ (___|___) (___|___) (___|___) (___|___) _| /`"`\ |_ ( \ / \ / ) \_/ \_/ >The Crux of the Moment All of us have been exposed to a `moment of truth', a moment where one's life can turn on a decision, an action, a happening. For better or for ill, my life seems to be one long series of moments that have changed my life and my perspective of what is important in this world. One of the first moments occurred during my college days. I worked at Boeing in Wichita, Kansas while attending full time classes in El Dorado, Kansas. Also, I was dating a sweet young thing at school. We would baby sit for a lady who had five children. Her name is withheld for privacy reasons. My girl liked to dance and I had two left feet so, the mother of the children, we will call her Rosie, taught me to dance after school and before I had to be at work. After a few weeks she had me dancing very well. We became friends during this time. She was a single mother trying to raise five children while on welfare. A tough load. She hated welfare, but where could she get a job and pay the huge bill for someone to watch her children? One day she phoned my house in Wichita and asked if I could help her with a small problem. A stray dog was hanging around her home and she couldn't afford to keep it and would I take her to Wichita so she could take the stray to the animal shelter. On the way to Wichita, driving at about 70-75 mph(before the 55 mph days), Rosie tried to open the passenger door and tried to jump out of my car! I kept driving fast as the wind was too strong to allow her to open the door. I told her to stop that she would kill me as well. She broke down and cried. I slowed the car down and pulled over so we could talk. She was without hope, she hadn't been eating so as to feed the children. She did not know how she could make it. I took her to the local hospital in El Dorado, where she received IV's to make her stronger. I made her promise not to do anything drastic. I went to the local grocery store and filled my car with groceries and took them to her home. I stayed in her home with her kids(remember I am little more than a kid myself) and made certain they went to school. The eldest child had to be the parent while I worked in Wichita. I paid her phone bill and inventoried her home for necessities and took care of her needs. I gave her a ride from the hospital to her home. When she entered her home, she cried when she saw her cabinets full, her children happy. She asked me to take her to the local catholic church to offer prayers and to light a candle. What happened next, I do not expect people to believe. Evening was upon us as we walked the two blocks to the small church. We entered and she proceeded to light a candle. I wandered around the church. I became fascinated with all the statues and with the large cross/crucifix at the front of the church. Nobody else was in the church. Then it happened! While looking at the crucifix, it seemed to me to move and I heard a voice, the voice, said, "You have done well and I am pleased." The crucifix became a crucifix again, unmoving. Rosie, ran down the aisle and started to kiss my feet and saying, "You have been blessed." She heard the words also. I looked around, still nobody was there. I was confused, bewildered, but at the age of 22, filed the happening as an illusion ??but was it? I think not. I believe in extreme times, during extreme events, we are not alone. Perhaps this event affected my life, perhaps? no it did affect my life. I never wrote about this event before until today. But people need to know. Rosie, survived got married to a friend of mine and lived a good life. My life went through many trials, but I have had a good life?. Because I know I am not alone. BJ Cassady Guthrie, Oklahoma -<>- ___ (___) /` `\ / /"\ \ \_/o o\_/ ( _ ) `\ /` /\\V//\ / /_ _\ \ \ \___/ / \/===\/ || || || || ||___|| |_____| jgs ||| / Y \ `"`"` >Attitude The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight- year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ... "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account .. you withdraw from what you've put in ... So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Attitude Is Everything http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude.html Beautiful Birds And Words http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/birdsandwords.html Blind Woman Sees http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/blindsees.html The Blue Ribbon http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/blueribbon.html Inspirational Life Quotes http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/lifequotes.html Life Is... http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lifeis.html Short Life Stories http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/lifestories.html Diddi 3D Drawings http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/diddidrawings.html Sand Sculpture Art 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/sandart2.html Albino Hummingbird http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ahummingbird.html Animal Friends 4 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animalfriends4.html Big Baby Big Dogs 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bigdogs2.html Cat Motivational Posters http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/catposters.html Dog Rescue Stories http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogrescues.html Just Have Faith http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/faith.html God's Most Beautiful http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mostbeautiful.html Inspiring Seniors http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/inspiringseniors.html Moms And Dads INDEX! https://tinyurl.com/y4xyz2w8 -<>- What does the Bible say about Lying? https://tinyurl.com/y62pue6m The Full Sower Magazine http://thesowermagazine.com/ Hunger Site - Click to Give for Free https://tinyurl.com/y38c65w Teach Your Kids About Online Scams https://tinyurl.com/y5trt2nm -<>- >In The News: Did you see this? In a podcast for Yahoo News released on Saturday, Tlaib said, "there's always kind of a calming feeling," when she thinks about how her Palestinian ancestors provided a "safe haven" for Jews when the state of Israel was officially established in 1948. I don't know about you but when I think of the Holocaust I do not have a 'calming feeling'. I am extremely saddened as the vision that is in my mind's eye is the heap of naked dead bodies piled on top of each other from the genocide of the innocent men, women, and children of Jewish decent by Hitler. It was a mass slaughter and nothing calming about it! She would have done better to keep this to herself rather than make such a sickening and offensive statement. Radical Dem Denies Significant Holocaust History https://tinyurl.com/yyelcgav “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is right: We are in the midst of a ‘constitutional crisis.’ It has nothing to do with President Donald Trump’s jousting with Congress over subpoenas, however; the crisis is fully one of the Democrats’ making as they — unfortunately aided by special counsel Robert Mueller — continue to disregard the pillars of justice and fairness that have underpinned America since its founding,” CNN contributor Scott Jennings writes in the Courier-Journal. https://www.whitehouse.gov/westwingreads/ Real stories from our southern border https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From USA Wire https://theusawire.com/ 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, Salad, Fish, Raisins http://www.emergencyemail.org/products/?fmt=text Latest Health Alert: CDC Warns about Chicken and Food Poisoning http://www.emergencyemail.org/health/?fmt=text -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) In Memory of Tim Conway... Harvey Korman has a toothache and needs a good dentist to end his pain and suffering but gets Tim Conway instead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IUSM4EKcRI Tim Conway displays his pure comic genius as he tells his Elephant Story on the Carol Burnett Show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qqE_WmagjY Tim Conway demonstrates his technique for winning the hearts and minds of the ladies in this funny clip from The Carol Burnett Show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpUlvfReduQ One of the funniest outtakes I've ever seen from The Carol Burnett Show featuring Tim Conway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJIh70IZua8 --- ...One of our great comedians! He will be missed. Thanks LouiseAu! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseAu :) .-""-._ / ___/ \ _&_ _.--""|/ `\| // \\ .' ( ^/ ^ )'. / / \ \ / | _ | \ // / \ \\ | _\____/ | /_/_/_\_\_\ | .' \____/-._ | .-"-. | / `; /# \ | / / _|_.---\ | | |.-.; :--.-(_/.____/.-""\___/"-. / \ / ~~/ /\ \{"=.______.="} /--. ; /___/_~~/ ; .--\"=...__...="} / \-/ `\______|/ \-.______..-; | /`| | \ | |||| || | /_ | |_______/ | |||| || | \_/| |-------' |--'||'--._|| | | | | || |> |______| |____________|._ || _..-;| | [___] | `||() || |______ |\/|____________|jgs|| () (__) \__/ (__) () >Five Lessons #1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady. During my second month of college, our professor Gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student And had breezed through the questions until I read The last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the Cleaning woman several times. She was tall, Dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question Blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if The last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely, " said the professor.. "In your careers, You will meet many people. All are significant.. They Deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello.." I've never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her Name was Dorothy. #2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's' bedside just before he passed away... God Bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving pthers." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole. #3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those Who serve. In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and aat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip. #4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path. In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition. #5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts... Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away". Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her. Most importantly.... Live with no regrets, Treat people the way you want to be treated, Work like you do not need the money, Love like you have never been hurt, and Dance like you do when nobody is watching. NOW more than ever - Please... Pass It On... You never know how or when you'll be paid. --- ...Aww, such a sweet one! Thanks LouiseAu! ========================================================== .______________________________________________________________________________. | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | | /} \/}/ /} \/}/ /} \/}/ /} \/}/ /} \/}/ /} | |_/|\_ |_ _/|\_ |_ _/|\_ |_ _/|\_ |_ _/|\_ |_ _/|\_| | / \ | \ / \ | \ / \ | \ / \ | \ / \ | \ / \ | |vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv| | | | EGYPTIAN NIGHTS HOTEL CHAPEL | | | | _ _ | | /_\ /_\ | | =|= =|= | | .*. .*. | | ;(;);________________________________________;(;); | | |;;; _ _ _ _ _ _ ;;;| | | | ;/} \/}/ /} \/}/ /} \/}/ /; | | | |_/|\_ |_ _/|\_ |_ _/|\_ |_ _/|\_| | | | / \ | \ / \ | \ / \ | \ / \ | | | __|vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv|__ | |___________|______________________________________________________|__________lc >Smiles and Extended Hands Story Editor: by Tim Miller Joyce Schowalter Texas, USA It was a tumultuous time. In 1986 I was an American living in Cairo, Egypt. America had just bombed Gaddafi's tent compound in Libya, and Gaddafi had issued a death threat to all Americans in the region. Internal strife in Egypt was building, too, from changes initiated by Hosni Mubarak after Anwar Sadat's assassination. Next, the Egyptian military police rioted and burned down the Holiday Inn complex by the Giza Pyramids. In spite of the unrest, I still felt safe walking the Egyptian streets. But after the bombing and riots, it seemed more and more folks stared or frowned at me. Maybe they assumed I was an American who thought I was somehow "better off" than they were. Probably my self-conscious expression didn't help. At dusk one evening, I headed along a dimly lit sidewalk towards a local grocery. Cairo sidewalks were always lined with Egyptian men -- socializing, sharing cigarettes, and talking of the day's events. This night, it seemed as if their mood and conversational tone changed just as I approached. I felt negatively judged. Worried, I avoided eye contact and looked away as I quickened my pace towards the grocery. Then, wham! I slammed face-first into the sidewalk. I was so busy *not* looking I missed a step. I was immediately surrounded by several men. Being used to city streets in America, I must admit my first thought was they were going to take my wallet. Then I realized they were just lifting me up to set me back up on my feet. They brushed me off, straightened my clothes and asked if I was hurt. I said I was fine, smiled at everyone and shook their hands to thank them for their help. I suddenly realized these men were all smiling back. In fact, as I turned to see other men, women, and children along the sidewalk, they too smiled and asked if I was OK. I smiled, nodded, thanked everyone for the help and concern, and headed on. But now, something was different. Everywhere I went, every Egyptian was smiling. In fact, I couldn't find stares or frowns anywhere. For the first time, I felt not a foreigner in a foreign land, but rather a friend among friends. I suddenly felt at home, though over 8,000 miles from my family. That night the Egyptians showed me what humanity really is. In spite of regional political and economic upheaval, they refused to judge me because I was an American. Their reaching out to me with helping hands and smiles made me realize that maybe they were "better off" than I was. That night, I learned that a smile is an important gesture in our universal language, a simple act of kindness that transcends cultural and language barriers. Today I'm so very thankful for that brief moment in time. A moment where a simple smile enabled an Arab and an American to understand each other, and where I came away a changed man. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From LaughAndLift: The devil is bad. God is good. Do not confuse the two. * * * * ) (\___/) ( * /( \ (. .) )\ * # ) c\ >' ( # ' )-_/ ' \\|, ____| |__ ,|// \ ) ( ` ~ ) ( / #\ / /| . ' .) \ /# | \ / ) , / \ / | \,/ ;;,,;,; \,/ _,#;,;;,;, /,i;;;,,;#,; (( %;;,;,;;,; )) ;#;,;%;;,, _// ;,;; ,#;, /_) #,; // // \|_ \|_ |#\ |#\ -" b'ger -" >The Boundary Line (By Steve Troxel, God's Daily Word Ministries) [Edited] The devil began his deception by causing Eve to doubt what God said; "Did God really say, 'You must not eat...'?" (Genesis 3:1). He then said God had lied and was actually keeping Eve from something beneficial; "God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). The devil convinced Eve that disobeying God (in just this one instance) would be the right thing to do. After all, she would become more like God...and that MUST be the proper path to follow. Genesis 3:6 "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it." Eve had seen the fruit before this encounter with the devil, and she already knew it looked good. But God had established a boundary line which, until now, she had never crossed. However, when the devil presented his twisted version of the truth, this line began to shift. Eve became unsure about absolute right and wrong and saw the line as something she could control. She adjusted God's path to align with her own desires and, in the process, she violated God's command. God has shown each of us the boundary line between right and wrong - we KNOW the truth. God's line is not subject to our control, and we are not given the freedom to cross the line depending on our circumstances or perceived benefit. We are often deceived by simple justifications: "I know this is wrong, but my increased wisdom from this experience will eventually be used to help others." Or, "I know this is wrong, but what else can I do? God surely wants me to eat and pay my bills." Or, "I know this is wrong, but at least it's not as bad as ...." Or the common deception; "I know this is wrong, but we really love each other." It's God's desire that we trust Him with all our heart and follow His path each and every day, without ANY shortcuts or deviations. As we follow His leading, we will face many decisions - many places where the path divides - and we must decide which direction to turn. Fortunately, we can depend on God to NEVER direct us into sin. If a path contains sin, we can be sure it is NOT God's path - not the path we ought to follow! Let's trust Him to absolutely direct our every step. Let's draw so close to our Heavenly Father that all deception is exposed. Let's walk His path without compromise and refuse to shift, or cross over, His boundary line of truth. -<>- Even in this age of inflation, the wages of sin are the same. __.------. (__ ___ ) .)e )\ / /_.------ _/_ _/ __.' / ' `-.__ / <.--' `\ / \ \c | / / ) GoT x \ | /\ |c / \.- \ \__/ ) /( ( \ <>'\ / _/ _\- `-. \/_|_ /<> / /--/,-\ _ \ <>.`. \/`--\_._) - / `-/\ `.\ / `. / ) `\ \ \ \___/----' | / `( ___________ \ ./\_ _ \ ______________ / | ) '| __________________ | / \ \ ___________a:f / | |____.) / \ a88a\___/88888a. \_ :)8888888888888888888a. /` `-----' `Y88888888888888888 \____| `88888888888P' >The Thief Who Robbed Himself (Author Unknown) Back in 1887 in a small neighborhood grocery store, a middle-aged gentleman named, Emanuel Nenger, gave the assistant a $20 note to pay for the turnip greens he was purchasing. When the assistant placed the note in the cash drawer, she noticed that some of the ink from the $20 came off on her hands, which were wet from wrapping the turnip greens. She'd known Mr. Nenger for years and was shocked! She ponders, "Is this man giving me a counterfeit $20 note?" She dismissed the thought immediately and gave him his change. But $20 was a lot of money in 1887, so she notified the police who, after procuring a search warrant, went to Emanuel Nenger's home where they found in his attic the tools he was using to reproduce the counterfeit $20 notes. They found an artist's easel, paint brushes, and paints which Nenger was using to meticulously paint the counterfeit money. He was a master artist! The police also found three portraits that Nenger had painted - paintings that ultimately sold at public auction for just little over $16,000! The irony was that it took him almost as much time to paint a $20 note as it did to paint the three portraits that sold for more than $5,000 each. The man that robbed Emanuel Nenger was himself! We do the same whenever we cheat or break the law - including God's laws - for illegitimate gain. While most of us wouldn't rob another person of his or her material possessions, it is very easy to rob a person's reputation through idle gossip. We also rob and cheat ourselves when we don't give to God and to others in need . . . whether it is of our time, talents, resources or love. "Be sure your sin will find you out." Numbers 32:23 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 ========================================================== ,-`"-=') =/////// ,== _,_(((((-`6\ ==.| /,,...\\\C _| .--. ((((\\\\\` _, /;_| )9 )))))./ `. / } _\,_ ,-'))) \ / /=-. ,-./ \/ '))) . /\_/ / \ (,-.%\ / /-' ') \/\ / ( \ (/ \ ' /( ' `-/ \( \ ,- / ( `-' \ . / / \ \ &_) /\ \ | ( /--.- \ \----,------=;% | _/ _); `. ` `-. .`\ ) +++/ \ ,," %&-. ; \\| `-` `-=.;_,.__.__\_,/ )_/___+_/_________\,"(_//_(__)______:-._) gpyy >-->Kindred Hearts Poetry - Beyond Measure Connie Cook - Apr 29, 2003 God knows what the future holds As we go on our way, And our Lord hears our every word Before we even pray. He watches where the sparrow falls And where each foot has tread, He even knows the number Of the hairs upon each head. He makes the clouds His chariot And Heaven is His throne, He walks upon the wings of wind Where eagle has not flown. The Lord is clothed with majesty, He cloaks Himself with light; He sits upon the vault of earth And none can match His might. The Lord's voice makes the deer to calve And wilderness to shake, The Lord's voice hews out flames of fire And makes the cedars break. The Lord takes pleasure in His own, Their praise is His delight; He hearkens to their every cry And puts their fears to flight. He bottles every tear we cry, So special is His care; He promised not to leave us, To go with us everywhere. Creator of the universe, The Lord of wisdom knew ~ He blessed me beyond measure On the day that He made you! "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you..." (Philippians 1:3 KJV) >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. 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