Life Choices, Big God, Little Stones And More... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* 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! ================ >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This sizzling hot new page is from our friends Jo Ann and Geniann. It is one that is sure to tickle your funny bone and give you plenty of smiles. Check it out here: .-. ( ( __ __ '-` ___/ _\.-./_ \ ////|//(@ @) \| //////// \./ | (_) |( _ ) ldb____|______|.m_m_______________________________________ Dog Days Of Summer 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogdays2.html --- ...Giggles! Love this! Thanks Ladies! ================ *~* Last Month We Had A Tremendous Month Of Caring And Sharing! ."";._ _.---._ _.-"". /_.'_ '-' /`-` \_ \ .' / `\ \ /` \ '. .' / ; _ _ '-; \ ;'. _.' ; /\ / \ \ \ ; '._;._ .-'.--. | / | \0|0/ \ | '-. / /` \ | / .' \ | .---. \ | | | / /--' .-"""-. \ \/ \ | \ \ / / / ( , , ) /\ \ | / \ '----' .' | '-(_)-' | | '. / / `'----'` | '. | `'----'` jgs \ `/ '. , .' `-.____.' '.____.-' \ / '-' >Be sure to View and Share all our newest pages: Antique Automobiles! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/antiquecars.html Humor With Golf! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/golfhumor.html Amazing Trivia Car Facts! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/triviacarfacts.html Fun With Seniors! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/seniorfun.html Cell Phone Madness 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/cellphone2.html Best Of National Geographic! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestnatgeo.html Best Of National Geographic 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestnatgeo2.html Best Of National Geographic 3! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestnatgeo3.html One Giant Spiral Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/onespiralart.html Pets Left Home Alone 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/petshome2.html Recycled Watch Vehicles! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/watchart.html ,_-~~~-, _-~~-_ / ^-_/ \_ _-~-. | /\ , `-_/ \ | /~^\ '/ /~\ /~\ / \_ \ \_/ }/ / \ \ ,_\ } Y / /~ /~ | Y \ | / | {Q) {Q) | | \_/ | \ _===_ / | / >--{ }--< \ /~ \_._/ ~\ / * * Y * \ | * .: | :.* * | \ )--__==#==__-- / \_ \ \ \ ,/ '~_ | | } ,~' \ {___/ / \ ~~~ / /\._._._./\ -Keely- 02/94 { ^^^ } ~-_______-~ / \ *~* BIG HUGS, GOD'S BLESSINGS, And THANKS To All Our Contributors! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: * An Award Winning Heartwarmer * ______ |o | ! __ |:`_|---'-. |__|______.-.'_'.-----.| (o)(o)------''._.' (O) LGB >HIS IRON CHARIOT by Shelley Madden My grandfather, Clarence Madden, had no life of luxury back in the late 1930s. Though he was born with a bad heart, he toiled relentlessly in the fields each day, coaxing crops from the parched soil to feed his wife and four children. He owned 60 acres of farmland in the heart of Texas. His summer days were spent on an ancient kerosene tractor, which sported a metal seat and matching iron wheels, guaranteed to sizzle your blue jeans into your hide the moment you perched on its throne. Kerosene in those days was a whopping twelve cents a gallon. It was used to fuel the tractor, and the little cook stove my grandmother could often be found hovering near, as she dabbed the sweat from her brow. When lunchtime drew near, she'd throw a white pillow on the roof of the low-slung farmhouse porch, signaling granddad it was time to eat. He'd watch for the pillow from the fields, park the tractor, and drive the half mile home for his meal. The aged car felt like a Cadillac to him, after spending half a day clinging to the bumpy tractor seat. There was no electricity on the farm, nor did they have the luxury of running water. It was stored in a large wooden barrel, which was kept under the water pump in the front yard. They'd bring a bucketful into the house, and set in on the table to dip from throughout the day, to quench their thirst. The ice man came round once a month, only then would the family indulge in the fine luxury of homemade ice cream. Bath time consisted of a short trek to the windmill, where they would soak in the large number three washtub beneath, once a week. The oldest kids got the bath first, moving right down the line until the youngest was squeaky clean. As the temperature soared day after day into the hundreds, the family struggled to stay cool in the little farm house. It was too hot to do much inside, and by bedtime, the heat drove them to the sleeping quarters on the unscreened front porch, where they hoped to catch a rare summer breeze. In those days, a screened porch to sleep under was a luxury. The boys slept under the stars out back, on army cots. Those kids, nor my grandma never complained. They were too eager to begin each day anew, to help out with daily chores, to feed the hogs and cows, and help in the fields and garden. They'd often sneak into the barn loft after shelling peas, and pinch a peanut or two out of the fresh cut peanut hay for a hearty afternoon snack. Back then, they thought they had it made. When I find myself toiling on my five acre farm in the summer heat, I can't help but think of my grandpa, driving his ancient tractor, fighting the heat and the sun and the bugs and the droughts to feed his family, all without a complaint. He had no choice. I do. No one twisted my arm to buy a hobby farm, along with a handful of ponies and poultry. We now live in the future. An era of electronics and sleek cars and cell phones and fancy kitchen gadgets of every kind to come home to. We have the oh-so-wonderful luxury of air-conditioning in our homes and cars. We don't have to throw a pillow on the porch at lunchtime to call grandpa home. We have a means to escape the heat now, unlike our forefathers in summers past. As I ride my little tractor with a cushioned seat in the summer sun, I think the mowing will never end. I stop for a moment to wipe my brow, and gaze into the horizon. When I peer through the clouds, I can see granddad on his ancient iron chariot in the sky, blazing across the heavens as he plows its barren acres into a bountiful harvest. He will inspire me to get through this wretched heat. His strength will be my strength. If he could do it with what he had back then, then I know I can do it with what I have now. As hard as it is, I won't fret about the heat, and the mowing and the seemingly endless outdoor chores. Because I know I can crawl into my house when the sizzling sun finally sets, and enjoy the luxury of air-conditioning, and a refreshing indoor shower. And, maybe even the quenching coolness of store-bought ice cream. -- Shelley Madden __________________________________________________ Shelley is an author who resides in Wise County, Texas, 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, is a guest columnist for a local paper, and is a frequent contributor to Heartwarmers and Petwarmers. Her short stories have also been published 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 LouiseAu :) ,w. ,YWMMw ,M , _.---.._ __..---._.'MMMMMw,wMWmW, _.-"" """ YP"WMMMMMMMMMb, .-' __.' .' MMMMW^WMMMM; _, .'.-'"; `, /` .--"" :MMM[==MWMW^; ,mM^" ,-'.' / ; ; / , MMMMb_wMW" @\ ,MM:. .'.-' .' ; `\ ; `, MMMMMMMW `"=./`-, WMMm__,-'.' / _.\ F"""-+,, ;_,_.dMMMMMMMM[,_ / `=_} "^MP__.-' ,-' _.--"" `-, ; \ ; ;MMMMMMMMMMW^``; __| / .' ; ; ) )`{ \ `"^W^`, \ : / .' / ( .' / Ww._ `. `" / Y, `, `-,=,_{ ; MMMP`""-, `-._.-, fsc (--, ) `,_ / `) \/"") ^" `-, -;"\: `""" `""" `"' `---" >Lions (By Ray Naidoo) "Be vigilant, watch. Your adversary {the} devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour." ~ 1 Peter 5:8 "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." ~ Daniel 6:22 I feel shame to admit defeat in my life but it has been the story of my life. It is always up and down without any sign of calm ahead. My faith has been sometimes almost non-existent and I question where I am going and where is God. But the startling revelation in all this is that God loves me but the devil hates me. I am a child of God and in all the struggles I faced, I gave the devil a foothold into my life. He took no time to make himself at home creating chaos. But another startling revelation was that it wasn't all the devil's doing, much of it was me. I moved away from God when things were tough. Then this scripture just kept on playing in my heart. I never thought of these two scriptures together before and how much sense it makes. The devil is like a roaring lion seeking his prey. When we let go of our Protector, God, we become helpless, we become easy targets. The devil's hunger is never filled until all of God's people are devoured. God is our refuge and shelter. He protects and provides for our every need. Jesus said that all the power and authority has been given to Him in heaven and earth. The devil has no power over you, no authority over your life. God meets us at our point of weakness while the devil tries to break us when we are already down and out. The devil is like a roaring lion but remember God can shut the mouth of the lion. So take time today and see where you are in your life. Maybe, like me, you need to return to where you are supposed to be... Remember: God does not move away from us, we move away from Him. Prayer: (Pray with me...) "Dear Lord, Thank you for your word today. Forgive us, Father, for not holding on to your love in our lives. Help us overcome our difficulties. Shut the mouths of the lions in our lives. Take full control in our lives today. In Jesus Christ's precious name...Amen." God bless you today. --- ...Beautifully said. Thank You LouiseAu! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: : '. _ .' -= (~) =- .' # '. /""""" | (')') C _) \ _| \__/ <___Y> / \ :\\ / | :|\ |___| :|/\ | | :|\ \ \ \ :| \ \_ \ \==L| \\\ ///` || | || | || | || | || | || | || [___]] jgs (____)) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >T H I N K A B O U T I T - Author Unknown We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less common sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast. We get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values, talked too much, loved too seldom and "lied" too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; added years to life, not life to years. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; done larger things, not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; more food but less appeasement; more acquaintances, fewer true friends; more effort, less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of more leisure and less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; fancier houses, but broken homes. These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the storeroom. . . . and yet the choice is ours. --- ... We can live life to the fullest with God or live life for our own selves and live a life that is unfulfilled. God gives us choice. -<>- _________ _____________________________________________________| __ __ |_____ ___----'// \ | '-. '-. | ___--- // \ | `-' `-' | ___--- //____ \ | SPEED | ___--- // /____\ \ | LIMIT | ___--- /// |==__==| \ |_________| ___--- /// ~||~~||~ \ | | ___--- //// ' \ | | -- //// // \ | | O'Neil //// \ | | >Life Choices Life has never been a straight road. In a lifetime, one comes across crossroads, potholes, u-turns, uneven grounds, and sometimes, to a dead end. I have been weighed down with such feelings lately. My life revolves around choices I could not think of as my own. Choices I must make whether big - small - easy - hard - or yet - painful. At the point I could say that I am faced with such. A crossroad - four paths going in four totally different directions. Right in front of me is this brand new road. Smooth, brightly lit, and awaits a promise of a whole new world of opportunities. Behind me is a war-torn battlefield. It's laden with obstacles and tormented with bloodied war memoirs. The road stretched on for miles and what used to be a glorious, mighty, formidable and highly respected place is now reduced to nothing more than ashen ruins. This is my past that has shaped the strong part of me. To the road at my right, a vast empty space spreads over the horizon. Not a single soul in sight. Just peace - plain perfect peace. A place that signifies the resting place of my tired soul. Peaceful indeed, yet empty. I rest there often, with my eyes closed and with a heart and mind praying deeply for that something I can't seem to find. On the left, I see all the things I've ever dreamed of. A life anyone would dream of. Love's promise of eternal contentment waiting to be received. Yet I hesitate - because nothing in this world is permanent. In the end, it may just be another short-lived mirage. Choices. Crossroads. We are all made to inevitably make choices. We have always been the masters of our souls. And whether or not these decisions make or break us, one fact that hurts so much is that nothing can take it back. No rewinds. No going back. Time won't stop. And what hurts even more is that time may not be enough to patch our deeply cut wounds. I feel like I'm in a mudslide sinking deeper day by day. Life is more than just the decisions you make. More than what the most experienced people say it is. More than our every day encounter with the world. For me, life is what I have right now. It can never be completely mine. Yet I hold on to what's keeping me alive and what's giving me strength each day because I'll never know when I'll truly smile again. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Return To Me - God http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/return.html Straying From The Light http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/straying.html Attitude Is Everything 3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude3.html Bible: Who Is Jesus Christ? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/whoisjesus.html Aww Animals http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animals.html Back In Time http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/backintime.html In Days Past http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dayspast.html Woman - Darkest Before Dawn http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/womandbd.html Creation Museum http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/creationmusem.html Ohio Indians http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ohioindians.html World Of Wonder http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/worldofwonder.html Beautiful Flowers http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bflowers.html Life Is...Continued http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lifeis2.html Playing With Words http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wordplay.html Akiane Child Prodigy http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/prodigy.html Animated Comments - AGIFS Words http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/agifs_u-z.html Why Trump? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whytrump.html -<>- >Trump Offer: See Trump LIVE at the RNC Convention! This is your chance to watch Donald Trump become the official Republican nominee for President of the United States. http://tinyurl.com/josh2ts -<>- >From Our Friend Bunni :) She sent us one we have here... Moses Bridge http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mosesbridge.html --- ...Love this one! Thanks Bunni! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) Every magician likes to involve a pretty girl in his magic tricks but it's not often that the pretty girl is also a magician herself. This magic duo performs a stunning illusion during the World Magic Awards in 2009 that will leave you wondering exactly how they pulled this trick off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QqISsXkkBlM An interesting look at the 25 Most Intelligent Animals On Earth that animal lovers should enjoy watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnMkvpCT8IA&feature=player_embedded This video is as High Definition as I've ever seen on a computer.... almost 3D. Be sure to watch on full screen. Extremely well done and every scene leaves you wanting to see more. http://www.youtube.com/embed/ThFCg0tBDck But just like humans can be extremely annoying, so can animals. This video is a compilation of some very annoying behaviors displayed by animals that are not in any way dangerous, but WAS quite annoying to the people there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jfOxPp-KqXI --- ...TeeHee! 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 LaughAndLift: _.-----. _.-----. , .-' .--. \ .-' `-. (c__ .' ( `-)----' `. / `-._.' (\ VK "Big God, Little Stones" (By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of "The Lutheran Hour") And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. ~ 1 Samuel 17:42 Goliath dismissed David because he was a mere youth; Goliath made a big mistake. New Castle, Pennsylvania's Jerry Brown Jr. dismissed an 89-year- old woman when he stole her friend's purse. His was also a big mistake. Now it's true, this lady didn't have David's sling and three, smooth stones taken from a riverbed. On the other hand, she did have her cane. Stones or cane, both can come in handy when bringing down a bad guy. This lady rather than standing there looking all frail and helpless gave a whack to Brown's getaway car. She gave it such a whack she scratched the paint and left a dent in the vehicle. Between the dent, the scratch and the description of the robbers, the New Castle police were soon able to arrest Brown and an accomplice, Tatiana Vargas. Over the years I've noticed the forces of evil tend to dismiss and discount God's people. We don't look like much; we don't sport halos like the saints do in the artists' depictions and most of us don't perform miracles. Even so, God's people, the young and old, the weak and the frail can accomplish great things when they put their trust in the Lord. According to Scripture, it was in the Lord -- not those stones -- that David placed his trust. Indeed, he said as much to Goliath when he shouted, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." Now I don't know which evil giant is coming against you. I don't know what force of evil is going to try and intimidate you, frighten, bully and terrorize you. I do know that when you stand by the side of the Lord, you need not be afraid. Indeed, as St. Paul said, it is because of the crucified and risen Savior's victory that the Lord's saved people are "... more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37b). Even when they're up against Goliaths. THE PRAYER: "Dear Lord, God of grace, today I give thanks. All around me there are forces of evil. They would undermine my faith and paralyze me into inaction. May I, trusting in the presence and power of your Holy Spirit, move forward in faith. May I give to all a witness that in Christ, God's people are conquerors. In the Savior's Name, Jesus Christ. Amen." _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 --- ...My two cents: I think God lead me to this teaching to help us with the latest great disappointment we as a nation have had to endure with Obama as our President. Be sure to watch the video here: http://www.westernjournalism.com/judge-jeanine-dark-day-department-justice/ See also: Judge Jeanine Pirro on Facebook: My reaction to the FBI recommending no charges for Hillary Clinton... https://www.facebook.com/judgejeaninepirro/?pnref=story ============================================================= .-~-. .' '. / \ .-~-. : ; .' '.| | / \ : : ; .-~""~-,/ | /` `'. : | \ \ | / `. .' \ .' jgs `~~~` '-.____.-' >Book Return Story Editor: The Lender Joyce Schowalter USA Moving west after attending university, I lived in a smallish town in the middle of Washington State. It was hot and dry in the summer, surrounding agricultural farms were supported by gravity-fed irrigation water from the Cascade Mountains. It was cold with crunchy snow underfoot in winter, with definite spring and fall. It was the mid 1970s. There was a college they're, since upgraded to Central Washington University. I ran with a creative crowd, mostly attending the college. We also socialized with a few younger college professors, including from the Ethnic Studies and Sociology Departments. Some of my friends took modern dance classes and gave performances. One friend owned a bicycle shop downtown. Once I purchased a bicycle there with a guarantee tag stating, "15 minutes or 15 centimeters, whichever comes first". Some of our friends had grown up locally, so we had ties to local farming families. Heck, in small towns, you're tied to almost everybody, almost every institution. That's the beauty of small town life. It fosters deep relationships because you see people often -- and also fosters diversity of relationships. Since people "just like you" are few, most people have diverse friendships. One gal I met was Diane. She was getting a degree in Elementary Education. We knew each other a little -- our social circles overlapped, but saw each other rarely. Diane once borrowed a book: "The Golden Egg Book" by Margaret Wise Brown and Leonard Weisgard. It was a talisman book from my childhood, with gorgeous, elaborate illustrations, and a poignant story about a lonely bunny who finds friendship. My parents had read that book so many times to myself and my siblings, the cover was tattered. The book was magical to me, cherished for its precious memories. One day there was a knock at my door. Diane said, "I'm moving to California, and I'm returning "The Golden Egg Book". I really like it, and I knew I could take it with me, because I knew you'd have forgotten who had it, all these months later. I kept feeling too busy packing to take the time to bring it over. But I didn't want to do that, because I knew how much it meant to you. So, here it is." I still tear up every time I tell this story. I'd spent hours listening to lectures about morality, why it's imperative to do the right thing. But that one small event changed my life. It demonstrated what living a moral life is, that it involves sacrifice at inconvenient times. When I'm faced with everyday moral choices, I know what I have to do. I have to make the kind of choice Diane did, so I can live with my own conscience, and so the other person feels the relief I did. Thanks to Diane, my own children were able to sink into that magical story, gaze at the mesmerizing illustrations, and turn the pages of the very same "Golden Egg Book". =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Our Friend Bunni :) __..._ _...__ _..-" `Y` "-._ \ Once upon | / \\ a time..| // \\\ | /// \\\ _..---.|.---.._ /// jgs \\`_..---.Y.---.._`// '` `' >Story Time My aging Saint Bernard, Buddy and six month old Beagle puppy, Snoopy Girl are doing their morning wrestling match as I write this. It is always such a joy to watch. Snoopy will stand on her hind legs to nibble on the hanging jowls of old Buddy and run in circles around him while he tries to pin her down with his big head and long legs. There is a lot of barking, playful growling, jumping, and bouncing around too. Sometimes the whole house will shake as they have their morning fun. It makes me laugh seeing the carefree happiness in them. It delights my soul as well seeing my little Beagle bring out the puppy that still lives inside my senior citizen Saint Bernard. Watching the two of them helps me see again that we really aren’t these aging bodies that carry us around but rather the shining souls that live within them. Never let yourself be fooled by that person in the mirror. Our bodies may wrinkle and shrink and our hair may gray and thin out, but on the inside we are as vibrant and beautiful as we ever were. Our souls are eternal. They may grow wiser and more loving in this life, but they will remain forever young. And while our bodies will all one day return to dust the souls within them will go on to an even greater life beyond this one. Don’t let yourself become an old dog in this life then. Let that young pup that still lives within you come out to play instead. Live from your soul and love from your heart. You were put here to learn, grow, and become. You were put here to create, enjoy, and delight in your life. You were put here to be the most loving, giving, caring, joyous, and beautiful person you can be. And you were put here to share that person with everyone you meet. Have the time of your life doing so and always remember that God loves you today, tomorrow, and forever. - Joseph J. Mazzella --- ...A good reminder! Thanks Bunni! -<>- ____ /^\ / -- ) / | \ (____/ / | | \ / / /_|_|_|_/ / | / / __ __ __ | / /__ __ __ [ ]__[ ]__[ ]. / /[ ]__[ ]__[ ] |__ ____/ /___ __| | / .------ ) | | / / / | | / / / | ~~~~~~~~~~~~-----------~~~~~~~~ldb~~~~~~~~~~~ A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was very large.) When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved... But his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration. All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow moved across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?" Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!" "No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me." With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox. Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is One who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need. _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ When we are broken in spirit and our strength is spent, we can turn to God our Father through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Matthew 7: [7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: [8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. [9] Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? [10] Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? [11] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? - Author unknown --- ...Another Excellent reminder! Thanks Bunni! ========================================================== >-->From Kidwarmers: _.-. ,'/ //\ /// // /) /// // //| /// // /// /// // /// (`: // /// `;`: /// / /:`:/ / / `' / / (_/ hh I hope you are surviving the hot days of July. We have our air conditioner running constantly. What a blessing it is. And what a blessing are the little ones in our life. They help us look on the light side of life... and that keeps us in good condition as we continue our journey to "grow young." A saying credited to Pablo Picasso states, "It takes a long time to grow young!" -- Grace Witwer Housholder >THE FUNNIEST THINGS KIDS SAY __,_____ (( __.==--" - - - - - - -------- ==> /\(-' `-)))/))) (((((\( )/)\)\\ ,//(((((\\. ((( (! !) ))) "bAd hAIr dAy" _))) - |(_ ._//\ O /\\_. `-'_/`,-.'\-`- ,' \/===\/ `. hjw While Tausha was at work one morning, her husband gave Kara, 6, a bath. When Tausha got home Kara was enthusiastically telling about her day. Then she said, "And Daddy gave me a bath and washed my hair. But he forgot to use air conditioner (hair conditioner)!" -- Tausha Mason of Kendallville, Indiana Joey, 2, usually climbs into bed with Mom and Dad in the early morning hours and most of the time he doesn't even wake them up. One morning he started poking his mother, saying, "Mommy, Mommy!" When she opened her eyes he said, "Your nose is very loud!" They couldn't stop laughing. What a great way to start the day! -- Kim Waldoch (mother of Joey) of Lannon, Wisconsin (Kim adds: Joey is our special angel. He was born on September 11, 2001. God has allowed us to meet people who have lost loved ones when the towers fell and he has really touched their hearts. When JoJean's grandson Tommy was just beginning to talk, he was looking through a toy catalog, picking out all the toys he wanted for Christmas. He would point to each item he wanted and say, "I want this..." followed by some words JoJean could not understand. Finally JoJean got down on the floor with him and listened carefully. What he was saying was, "I want this, batteries are not included!" He had heard too many commercials! -- JoJean of Rancho Cucamonga, California Jeremy, 5, was helping his mother Jenn to clean house. He told her she better get the webs that were in the corner of the steps to the basement. "The cobwebs?" asked Jenn. He replied, "No, the spiderwebs." She said, "Well, they are actually the same thing. Cobwebs ARE spiderwebs." He asked, "What's corn got to do with it?" (He was thinking about corn on the cob!) -- Jenn Wensink of LaGrange, Indiana .---. |_X_| ___ [_____] / _ \ // \\ | / \ | | " | || " || __\___/__ __\\_//__ /\_______/\ / | U | \/ _ : _ \ ( (|___|) )/ \ : / \ \ \_ / \ _/ \ /=====\ / / /| |\ './___:___\.' ; | | ; | | | | | | | | | | | \_____/ | |--|--| '._______.' |LI|LI| jgs \/ \/ \_/ \_/ Here's another story from Jenn. When she was in grade school she remembers that Billy F. always sang the Star Spangled Banner this way: "and the rockets red glare, pilgrims bursting in air..." Jaci was grocery shopping with her 5-year-old son. They were talking about the planets in our solar system. They got to the aisle where the paper towels and toilet paper are and in a very loud voice her 5-year-old said, "Mom, I would like to see Uranus!" Jaci could not keep from laughing as everyone within earshot turned to look at them! -- Jaci Boyd of Encino, California Lisa's nephew MJ, 4, was being taught the Apostles at church. When asked who the four main were he said, "Matthew, Mark, Jesse James and John." On another occasion MJ's dad was trying to teach him who the president is. When he thought MJ had learned, he asked MJ, "Who is the president?" MJ proudly proclaimed, "George Tree is the president of the United States!" -- Lisa Stormer (aunt of MJ) of BlackLick, Pennsylvania When Jason was four, he discovered how mixing colors can indeed create a new color. At this time his mother was using the blue tablets that you put in your toilet tanks to disinfect and deodorize them. Jason had just used the bathroom when he came out and announced to everyone, "Mom, blue and yellow really do make green!" He had the biggest smile on his face, like he just discovered something really cool! -- Deb Edwards (mother of Jason) of Allegan, Michigan \/ __.---;_ .' './'0)',\ |o) | | '; :'--; \.__/' ; ;.' ( | __.-' _.) | ---=="=----''' | ;^; . ^+^^; ;^ : : ^; \ { :_ / ^'-; :'--'^ ",,____,,-' __ _______ ______ ============(((=======(((============dlK Sarah saw that her mother was having a coughing fit because she had breathed when she should have swallowed. Sarah wanted to help and she asked, "Mommy, you want me to do the stress manure (Heimlich maneuver) on you?" -- Leah Clark (mother of Sarah) of Tampa, Florida (Leah writes that it had been a terribly stressful day until she and Sarah started laughing over the "stress manure!") Macie, 4, came to visit her newborn cousin, Hanna, for the first time. During the visit it became Hanna's feeding time. Because Hanna is breastfed, Macie had a lot of questions, such as "Where is her bottle? Where does she get the milk?" Trying to find an easy answer, Macie's grandmother pointed to the dog and her nursing puppies. "See how the puppies eat from their mommy?" she said. "That is how Hanna gets her milk, too!" Macie was greatly concerned. "From the dog?!!" Macie asked. -- Lela Siegel (mother of Hanna) of Mt. Enterprise, Texas Note: You are welcomed to use, copy and share these stories, but please reference http://www.funnykids.com as the source. ========================================================== . | . \ | / `. \ ' / .' `. .-*""*-. .' "*-._ /.*" "*.\ _.-*" : ; ____ """"': .. ; _.-*" \ `.__.' / "*-._ .' `-.__.-' `. bug .' / . \ `. / | \ ' | ` >God Hath... God hath not promised Skies always blue, Flower-strewn pathways All our lives through; God hath not promised Sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, Peace without pain. But God hath promised Strength for the day, Rest for the labor, Light for the way, Grace for the trials, Help from above, Unfailing sympathy, Undying love. Annie Johnson Flint, 1866-1932 American Teacher and Poet >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? 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