More Than Conquerors & More ... :) Shangy! >-->Hot off The 'Shangy' Press :) This page comes to us via a forward from our friend Becky. A few added pictures and it made a delightful collection of 'KID SMILES' for all of us to enjoy! __,=,__ .~`` .` `.``~. | . . |____ `-;=============;""""` ( (. _).) \ | | \ `-.___.' / '._ _.' /`''''\ / \ | |/\/\/\/|.-. |-|/\/\/\/|;' ) (__/_______| _) #########'._) jgs |==|=|__ ,,,(______)_),,,, ,,,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,,, ,,,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,, ,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;, Visit here for Kids Being Kids: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/kids.html Thanks Becky! ==================================================================== >-->From Our Friend Tony In Australia :) >Are you a quitter? Young guy wakes up on a Sunday Morning and he really doesn’t feel like getting out of bed…..getting showered……finding his shirt and tie, and his trousers of course! And his Mom knocks on the door and says, ”Come on son, or you will be late for Church”! “AWWWWWW Mom!, don’t feel like it today! I think maybe I will stay home..” “I don’t thinks so!“ Mom says! “Why don’t you want to go anyway?” “Well I am tired and I am fed up! I don’t think anyone likes me there and I don’t feel anyone encourages me, especially that Sister ‘whats her name!”. “Well son, you have to go !” “But why Mom?” “Because son…… you are the Pastor!” Yes, Pastors, Ministers, Church Administrators, Fund Raisers, Door Keepers! We all get that feeling , especially on Sunday mornings, that we just want to stay home instead of go to Church , when once, ages ago it seems, all we wanted to do, was ‘get there”! Some can, some can’t…but ALL have that choice. “Oh I don’t have to go to Church to be Christian!” How many times do we hear that? My answer? “It helps!” “Why do we have to get married? Its only a bit of paper!” If it’s only a bit of paper, why is it such a big deal! Get Married! “I prefer the music at ‘so and so’ Church…..” Well, if that’s what you go to church for..stay at home! Listen to the radio! I can tell you, you WON”T be missed! You ever get to church and you sit next to someone who just ‘whinges’ about the service, the music, the preaching… Move away from them! They will bring you down to ‘their’ level! (Do you ever feel people ‘moving away’ from you?....) Think about that….. Many churches today are losing touch with their purpose… “Church” is NOT just a building, it’s a ‘body of people’. It’s a body of “Christs” people, gathered together ‘in one accord’…and that is to ‘worship’ God! There’s nothing wrong with ‘lively’ music! As long as it’s ‘worship’ music! There’s nothing wrong with ‘tapping your feet” theres nothing wrong with picking those feet up off the floor and putting them down again in time with the music! Its called “ dancing!” and DAVID danced! God loved David and David loved God! YES! He did some things that God hated, but God NEVER hated David! “I am to tired to study and preach! No one listens anyway! They all KNOW that God will save them if they want to be saved!” Mmmmm is that so? Think about this…. Noah didn’t get tired of working for the Lord and preaching! He did it for over a 100 years! And all those who had hearts for God, gave those hearts freely…WERE SAVED! One family! That’s all folks! ONE FAMILY….. And everyone else perished! (\ _\_(`\_ `/` _ `/,-'=/` _,'|`._ /' `/` ,-' |||._ `-._ i_i _,-' ,-' || `__ `-._ "=(. .)=" _,-' _,-' --||- (..=`/._ `-/#\ ( i_i ,\ _,-' | )|_|-==` \_)`-/ /v "=(. .)=" ,' ,|/ \ |__||\ //|\\ / / #/ ,/ \ ( ,' ,' ((_.--._)) || )(/|\)' /# ; ,/ #,/v ,' ,' |`- -' ||/ (/\\ / #; ,/# ,/ ,' ' / | \ */"-._ |/ _____,-''"/_)/__ / ,',---|((_.--._(__/ _.--""_____)-//_______"-. (,-.)| `- -( _,"_.--"" |||(( __ "-.: ___,/ ;| \ */ _\'_," (\__/) |||\\\ |__`,()() . \ (,_.) (_| (__/,'_,' /_/)=\.\. = |||||| | `( ` ``\|\)\ ( ;.__| _,-'_,' =//. ==> _7)< |||||| |`` , ` * "") ___\ _,--'_,-' //_(7__/) ////\ |||||| |``` \___.--' \_"""_,--' <*)_//'"" )/_/-"""":|||||,""""(("-._/ | """" ) ( _(-' _.---"\___,----. |||||| | ,' "`._ ,(( | ) ( \_/' ,' _"" "_ `.||||| |,"\\'--._) "._ \ \_/<. .>""( ( . .) )|||| |\\ \/,"\\ /`--._) <. .>|_/\| \/ ) \,-( \(||||| | \\)"\\ \) ||_/( ( | |\/ /, \ \ )\\(:|||||,()""""-.:| | \ `-\ | |__\/, :`/-`._____,-""_,' ctr:| |"""\___,""""""""""""""\(_,( (__,-"||---""""""; \---""""---------""""""""````/////))----""""/ ~~~\ ~///////~ ~/~~~~~ \ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ /~~~~/ ~~/ ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All that work! That Noah did…..but he didn’t quit! He didn’t sleep in! Oh he got drunk once or twice maybe and God would have whinced! For sure!..... But Noah didn’t quit on God and God didn’t quit on Noah!.... and the very first thing that Noah did when his feet touched the solid ground….. was build an altar to worship God!... Folks, if you feel like quitting… think of those who have gone before you and how the world would have been had they quit! If Columbus hadn’t set sail, where would America be today?If Cook hadn’t set sail, where would us Aussies be? If it wasn’t for men like Galileo…. Da Vinci, Mozart and Verdi, Richard the 3rd and Henry the 8th!.... Franklin D.! Winnie!( not the pooh!) Churchill! Where would the world be? Had these guys quit? We would still be believing that the earth is flat! And we would have never known that Pies are squared had it not been for Pythagorus! The past 2 years, I have been tempted to ‘pull the pin’….’throw in the towel’….’jump the gun’…. Get off the merry go round….and I am still here! Does that mean I am a hero? Nope….probably means I am too darn stubbon or stupid yes? You tell me!..... I stay because God wants me to, even when I don’t…. I stay because He wont let me down , even though there have been times when I have let HIM down and I know, if I let YOU down….. You may just get tired of me..then? Comes the knock at the door…… “ Time to get up Tony”…..followed by……” Awwwwww”…. Do it !…..whatever it is makes you say 'Awwwwww '....just do it..and its done! Br Tony Sorrow looks back, worry looks around and FAITH? Faith looks UP --- ...Praise God! Thanks Tony! It is like my teacher in the Word always taught us... When you think you can't handle something. When you think you can't do it. When you want to give up trying... - THINK FIRST - What does God say about it? Remember? God says you can do all things through Christ. ALL THINGS - not just one thing or this thing or that thing - but ALL things through Christ - as long as it is Christ Approved - YOU CAN DO IT! So what are you going to do when you say you can't and God says you can? Are you going to sit there and call God a liar? OR are you going to be who God says you are and who God says you can be? The choice is all yours! Romans 8:37 "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." ====================================================================== >-->From CES: Hello and God bless you! We wanted to remind you about the upcoming Expressions of Praise and Worship Conference at Camp Vision in Bloomington, IN, Aug. 23-26. The early registration discount is only good through August 2nd. Please visit www.STFonline.org/register for more information. We would love to see you there! Also, we have built a new topic on TruthOrTradition..com that we think will be a blessing to you! The topic is called Passover and one of the articles listed is: >How can a man atone for the sins of mankind? The following article was taken from Chapter 1, footnote 16 of our book “One God & One Lord” .======. | INRI | | | .========' '========. | _ xxxx _ | | /_;-.__ / _\ _.-;_\ | | `-._`'`_/'`.-' | '========.`\ /`========' | | / | |/-.( | |\_._\ | | \ \`;| | > |/| | / // | | |// | | \(\ | | `` | | | \\jgs _ _\\| \// |//_ _ \// _ ^ `^`^ ^`` `^ ^` ``^^` `^^` `^ `^ FAQ: If Jesus is a man then how can a man atone for the sins of mankind? Thank you for asking this question. It is common for Trinitarians to argue that Christ must be God because “a man could not atone for the sins of mankind.” Theologians through the ages have varied greatly in their opinions of exactly how Christ could accomplish redemption for fallen man, and these theological musings can be found in any good theological dictionary under the heading of “Atonement.” However, a standard argument goes something like this: “Mankind has sinned against an infinite God, and therefore the sin is infinitely great. It takes an infinite being to atone for infinite sin, and the only infinite being is God. Therefore, since Christ atoned for sin, Christ must be God.” This argument, which seems reasonable to some people, is man-made, and nothing like it can be found in Scripture. What can be found in Scripture is simple and straightforward: “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19). There is not a single verse anywhere in Scripture that hints in any way that “God” was a sacrifice for sin. “The Church Fathers” tried to explain in great detail how Christ could atone for the sins of mankind, and offered many different theories as to how atonement could be accomplished. Origen, Augustine and others believed that Christ was a payment made by God to Satan. Others taught that Christ was not a substitute for man, but rather a representative of man, and somehow the effect of his sufferings and resurrection extend to all mankind. In the Middle Ages, Anselm taught that mankind’s sin offended God, and that Christ’s redemption was an act of “satisfaction,” to appease God. Abelard explained Christ’s atonement in terms of love and the response of love elicited from the sinner due to Christ’s example. The list of man’s theories about exactly how our atonement was accomplished is long, and entire books have been written on the subject. The reason for the varying theories is that the New Testament does not set forth a “theory of atonement,” it just states the facts of the case, i.e., that Christ’s death paid for sin. Scripture makes many and varied references to the atoning work of Christ. Christ is called a “sacrifice” (Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:26), a “sin offering” (Isa. 53:10; 2 Cor. 5:21 [NIV alternate reading]), a “ransom” (Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 9:15) and an “atoning sacrifice” (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). We do not see the need or reason to build a “theory of atonement” when none is offered in the Word of God. The words of the Word are sufficient. As far as the subject of this article is concerned, the most important conclusion that can be drawn from what is revealed in the Word of God is that it is unbiblical to assert that Christ had to be God to pay for the sins of mankind when the Bible explicitly says that payment for sin came “by man.” See also Chapters 16 and 17 of our book One God & One Lord. [For further study, please read Christianity 101: Two Adams.] >This fine teaching is from: http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=841 The rest of the articles are: What is the Passover? The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Why Did Jesus Have To Suffer And Die? Are Christians required to observe the feasts of the Old Testament? For the joy that was set before him To read these articles, please click or cut and paste the link below into your address bar. http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=80 Did you know? You can listen to our audio teachings free of charge by going to www.STFonline.org/podcast You don't need an iPod...just a computer! God bless you! The Home Office Staff 1-888-255-6189, M-F 8:30 - 5 (EST) ====================================================================== >-->Here's a sweet fun one from our friend PurchasePal :) >Smiles from the Bible , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' It doesn't hurt to have a little biblical humor to start the day......yes, yes Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth? A. Ruthless. Q. What do they call pastors in Germany ? A. German Shepherds. Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible? A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation. Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible? A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet. Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible? A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord. Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible? A. Samson. He brought the house down. Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ? A. Your mother ate us out of house and home. Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible? A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once. Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy? A. The area around Jordan . The banks were always overflowing. Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible? A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep. Q. Which Bible character had no parents? A. Joshua, son of Nun. Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark ? A. Because Noah was standing on the deck. ( Groan...) PS... Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee? Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . . . "He-brews" --- ...HaHa! Thanks PurchasePal! ============================================================= >-->A Thoughtful one from our friend Steve :) _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` >ROAD RAGE FOR JESUS Let me start off by saying that I am usually the most calm, easy going driver on the road. Traffic jams, accidents, school zones…no problem. Until today…. So I’m driving down the road, singing along to Walk This Way, the Run DMC/Aerosmith version (doing vocals for both bands because I am a little hip hop and a little rock n’ roll) when I come to a red light. I want to turn left so I have to wait for the green arrow. In front of me is this vehicle and it's plastered with Christian bumper stickers. Not just one or two on the bumper either. I mean ALL OVER the whole backside. Windows, tailgate, bumper…the works. I read so many Bible verses during this long a@# red light that I could have given a long sermon tonight. Finally, we get the arrow. But the guy in front of me isn’t moving. I thought maybe he was deep in prayer. So I wait a sec and then give the horn a light tap. , |\ ____ \ \.-./ .-' T \ _ _( /| | |\ ) | .)(./ | | | | \( \_|_/ ( | \ | ) | \VvV | ( | |\,,\ | BBBBbbbeeeeep ) | | ^^^ | ) ( | |__ | ( ) / `-. _| ) ( / / `\ / ///_ | /jgs (((-|' ```| My horn must have been really demonic sounding because instead of making the left turn this big redneck, who had the hair of Billy Ray Cyrus and the face of Billy Bob Thornton, jumps out of his truck and starts screaming profanities at me at the top of his lungs! I’m thinking, Wow…he must be a member of Our Lady of Tourettes Christian Ministries or something. So I calmly roll down my window and ask him to get back in his truck. Well Ok, I smirked when I did it. Well this was FUNNY. He takes a step toward me so I immediately step out of my vehicle because I am not gonna be a sitting duck for some psycho. He stops short and yells, “WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?” So I fairly calmly replied….“DOES JESUS KNOW YOU’RE BEING AN A@#?” I half expected him to charge me but instead he lowered his head like I just took away his Pope Action Figure, turned and got back in his truck. Just in time for the next red light. And I laughed for the next 3 miles. ~~~ I guess the moral of my story is: If you’re gonna represent a certain type of people, you better act like it. I wouldn’t have even thought about this little episode of Slingblade jumping out and yelling at me if his truck was plastered with stickers that said “Nice People Suck”, or somehting about “Your Mom” or “I voted Bush”. But you just don’t expect that from someone who claims God is his Co-pilot. ---- ..A Good lesson for us - Thanks Steve! 1 Corinthians 6:12a "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient:" While losing our temper 'is lawful' for a Christian - it won't send us to hell - but it just is 'not expedient'. In other words, it isn't a good witness for God and won't win souls for our Lord Jesus Christ. ====================================================================== >-->I love this classic from our friend Betty :) _.--. ;.-'i.`._.--, {(;{} y`-.`,_`--. <`~;`-( _.'`.~`.' \ \ `i.' ` Y },-,) .j~. | ; / _j\ <_ `! ;_.'( / >-, `---.,' .'-j / `. ,<_ ( `. \ `=-j\ `-Quilt of Holes As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life. But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all. I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air. Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me. And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you." May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through! Please share this with someone you love, care about or even someone who needs Jesus in their heart. They may scoff, but at least the seed has been planted, and God will do the rest. May God bless you today and Forever! And so ye are blessed! RECIPROCATE PLEASE! God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go." When there is nothing left but God that is when you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds and give this a shot! All you do is simply say the following small prayer for the person who sent you this. Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that you know they may need this day! May their life be full of your peace, love, prosperity and power as he/she seeks to have a closer relationship with you. In Christ's Name Amen --- ...Amen! Thanks Betty! ======================================================================= >-->From InspiredBuffalo: --------------------------------------------------------- 1 U P H I G H S C O R E ______3_4_0-0._________5_0_0_0_0_______.--.___________ [%%%%%%%%%%[CJ]%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%[CJ]%%%%%%%%%%%] /"\ A /"\ === /_\ A === \_/ __ /_\ \_/ |%| __ __ __ [%%] __ __ __ |%| /"\ __ [##][##][##][%%][@@][@@][@@] __ /"\ === [##][##][##][__][__][__][@@][@@][@@] === \_/ __ [##][##][__][__][__][__][__][@@][@@] __ \_/ |%| [##][##][##][__][__][__][__][__][@@][@@][@@] |%| |%| [##][##][##][__][__][__][__][__][@@][@@][@@] |%| /"\ [##][##][##][__][__][__][__][__][@@][@@][@@] /"\ === [%%] [%%] [%%] [%%] [%%] === \_/ [%%] \_/ |%| [%%] |%| |%| __ [%%] |%| /"\ [%%] __ [%%] /"\ === [%%][%%][%%] === \_/ [%%] \_/ |%| O |%| |%| |%| /"\ /"\ === === \_/ \_/ |%| |%| /"\ ______ /"\ === (______) === \_/ \_/ |%| {=}{=} |%| --------------------------------------------------------- >SET FOR LIFE By: Joseph J. Mazzella I saw an advertisement for a new game show on television the other day. It was called "Set for Life" and people in it will compete for a monthly check that will supposedly "set" them for life. For some reason seeing this advertisement reminded me of a moment when my own family was definitely not set for life. It was just after a fire had destroyed our home when I was a boy. We had no insurance and the fire had taken everything we had except our own lives. When my Dad looked through the ashes he could only find one thing: the plastic case that my Mom always kept her wedding and Mother's rings in. It had melted around them and saved them from the flames. I can remember Mom crying when he brought them to her. They were not worth much money, but they symbolized the priceless love and joy that our family shared. I can see now that this love and joy were our true treasures. They were all we really needed to be set for life. When it comes to truly being set for life we have to look away from our paychecks and look within ourselves. Making a living is not the same as living. Money and stuff may be nice to have, but the pleasures they bring are momentary and fleeting. True happiness comes from real treasures and the real treasures in life are the treasures of Heaven. They are the treasures that lie in each of our souls. They are the treasures that bless ourselves, our families, our lives, and our world. They are love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, and oneness with God. Don't keep looking for the spare change that this world gives you when you have a treasure box of priceless gems within yourself. If you want to be set for life then get yourself set to live. Give your love, share your joy, and shine your light to everyone you meet. Pray and thank God for your life everyday. Smile, laugh, sing, hug, and help everyone you can. Enjoy the true treasures of your soul and let others do the same. Then you will be set for this life and the next. -<>- >A BALLAD TO LADY BIRD By Sidney Fly Driving through the state I love I stop at every bend to look at the flowers dancing in the wind. They dance for the love of a Lady Her vision has come true. She's painted the roads of Texas for me and you. While you're out on the road Between the color and the sky Take a look at the dreams of a Lady passing by. We bid farewell to Lady Bird—and offer many thanks for her steadfast dedication in the nurturing of our homeland. ©2007 Kathleene S. Baker Lnstrlady@aol.com YELLOW ROSE www.txyellowrose.com Subscribe send a blank email to: the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ===================================================================== >-->From SermondFodder: Faith-based builder blesses elderly couple Longtime Franklin residents given new home to ease burden of their poor health By DOUG WATERS, The Daily News, dwaters@bgdailynews.com Friday, January 12, 2007 11:10 PM CST FRANKLIN - For many years, a Simpson County couple's declining health has been compounded by a deteriorating house. Franklin residents James "Spike" Mallard, 73, and his wife, Leonia, 69, have lived in a crumbling trailer for 27 years - more than half their married lives. But a benevolent home-building company, Tennessee-based New Hope Construction, is working to rejuvenate their spirits. The nonprofit Christian builders broke ground Friday on a new 800-square-foot home on Filter Plant Road in Franklin for the couple. Their son, David Mallard, 46, of Franklin said his father's severe respiratory problems make it hard for him to walk; repairing the trailer, which isn't friendly to his wheelchair, would've cost more than buying a house. Thus, the Mallards' predicament has been stressful to the family, added their daughter, Linda Osborne, also 46, of Hendersonville, Tenn. She expects her parents to move into their new home by March. The couple will have a zero percent mortgage on the volunteer-built home. "They definitely will have a better life. They will be happier here," Osborne said. "I've been praying for mom and dad to be in a decent home for at least 10 years." On Friday, a contingent of New Hope representatives, Simpson County Judge-Executive Jim Henderson and others gathered to break ground. "You don't want to build your house on sandy soil," Henderson joked while shoveling soft sand beneath a morning drizzle. Henderson said he's known the Mallards for years and used to work with Spike Mallard in the funeral home business. Sometimes people expect the government to cure social ills, he said, but communities coming together is the most effective way to meet needs. "It's part of the spirit of America," Henderson said before praying for the couple. Leonia Mallard said she met New Hope's founder, Russell Meade, last year at his son's funeral in Tennessee. She could relate - she lost her youngest son to a heart attack. "Everything has just caved in on us the last two years," Leonia Mallard said, noting that she doesn't feel worthy of the new house. "I can't understand what I've done to deserve it. It's been a blessing in disguise for God to send these (house builders) into our lives," she said. Realtor Jerry Summers, a former Franklin City Commissioner, assisted in acquiring the Mallard's land, building permits and finding subcontractors. He said New Hope's energy-efficient homes are assembled and shipped to the job sites from Hendersonville. New Hope, founded in 1996, has built more than 600 homes through churches, grants and nonprofit organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, for low-income families, including some for displaced Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans and Mississippi. Patti DeFeo, architectural designer for New Hope, said the homes can be customized depending on recipients' situations. They're constructed in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines and are fully accessible to wheelchairs. The group recently embarked on a "Seniors at Home Project" by building five homes for low-income seniors in Dunlap, Tenn. The goal is to build 100 homes for seniors in the next three years. DeFeo said she hopes the Mallards' house, which is the first for the program for Kentucky, will "serve as a catalyst" for the region. The senior-citizens program was erected from Meade's childhood memories. He grew up in rural eastern Kentucky and observed the struggles of senior citizens, many of whom live on fixed incomes, she said. "Instead of saying, `How sad, how bad,' we wanted to make a difference," DeFeo said. "It's just not right to leave the people, who've had so much to do with who we are today, to live in such unsafe and unhealthy conditions." - For more information about New Hope Consttruction, call (866) 396-4673. ================================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE by Stephen Banko I went to a rather unusual movie recently. It was unusual because there was no sex or violence or anything we good Catholics would even have to confess, except for the occasional swear word. The movie was called "Once" and it is little known, but critically acclaimed. In essence, the story is about two complete strangers, one Irish and one Czech, who meet on a Dublin street and forge a bond because of their mutual love of and commitment to music. Throughout the movie, an odd mix of characters come together, bond and blend their talents through the universal language of music. It was one of those movies that makes you feel strangely good about having seen it. In thinking about the movie, I was taken by the extraordinary gift that is music. Even when language separates, music unites. The hero plays a beat-up old guitar and sings sad dirges of love lost. The heroine plays Mendelssohn on the piano with gifted fingers. They recognize the beauty in each other's song and they blend their talents to make the song even richer. And somewhere along the way, it made me thing that religion is supposed to do the same thing. The moral core that is our essence is also the essence of most religions throughout the world. Our understanding of a just and loving God transcends the depth of our human understanding and calls us to unite in our love for one another. That call is not the singular call of Christianity. Virtually every religion in the world is based on that single premise -- that our earthly world is made more perfect through our love and caring and commitment to each other. Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims all believe in the inherent goodness of man and search for a way to a more perfect life of peace and harmony. They all strain for peace and for the fellowship of human kind. So why can't religion act as a unifier instead of a divider in our world? If music can provide musicians with a universal language of beauty and harmony, why can't our belief in peace, our commitment to lead ethical and moral lives and our dedication to the love of humanity serve the same function? Why does religion, instead, serve to divide the people of our country and of the world? Why do people kill in the name of their God? Beliefs may, and do, vary. Buddhists seek nirvana. Hindus seek the ways of action and of wisdom. Christians are commanded to love one another. Our Jewish brothers and sisters embrace not just a religion, but a way of life to guide them on a moral path. Muslims are also seeking eternal reward through peace and ethical life. But repeatedly throughout history, these major religions of the world have been used as tools to turn people against one another. Jews and Arabs kill each other over a patch of desert. Muslims kill Muslims in Iraq because of slight differences in religious belief. Christians and Catholics have killed each other for centuries in Northern Ireland. Hindus and Sikhs kill each other on the Indian sub-continent. This prostitution of religious belief to feed war and death and destruction is a sad and heinous perversion of what we are called to be. Strange, isn't it, that we never see blues musicians at war with classical musicians? Rock and roll artists never fight with jazz players. Music is a universe unto itself. Music is what religion is supposed to be. -- Steve Banko ___________________________________________ Steve lives in and writes from Buffalo, New York. He spent 16 months in Vietnam combat and 30+ years in government service. ============================== >REMEMBER by Frank P. Cotter Remember orange sherbet served in a white paper box. Remember family TV with Sandy Becker and Sonny Fox. Remember wax lips and candy dots, waxy juice bottles that you bite off the top. Remember those mimeographed copies we loved to smell so. Remember transferring Sunday comics with balls of Play-Dough. Remember when playing Cowboys and Indians didn't offend. Remember when school chums were your best friends. Remember when it was ok to ask for a ride. Remember when it was cool to have dad at your side. Remember the smell of a new baseball mitt. Remember the thrill of a new sneaker fit. Remember making Kool-Aid as a special summer treat. Remember running the hose over tanned, tired feet. Remember when any grown-up could help you to cross. Remember when every kid believed in Santa Claus. Remember when stores were closed each Sunday all day. Remember when parents knew just what to say. Remember when you knew just what you would be. Remember when a Band-Aid could cure a scrapped knee. Remember when everyone had just one phone. Remember when it was possible to just be alone. Remember your bicycle with streamers and tails. Remember when parents and nuns would not let you fail. Remember when clean was one bath a week. Remember when it was fun to hide, but not seek. Remember for just one minute all the fun that we had. Remember how safe we felt with Mother and Dad. -- Frank P. Cotter ================================================================= A Christian man is most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone. -- Martin Luther ---> Visit my CyberHome - ALWAYS OPEN HOUSEE :)Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/index.html Shangrala ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales & Seervice You can trust us to provide you with quality computer sales and repair. We've been servicing the Van Wert area since 1981 and can help you with all your computer needs. Please phone us at 419-238-5806 ************************************************************************ -->This is for all you who love food and DAARE 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: a href="http://tinyurl.com/2vrfzv">This Weeks regular Shangy emails ************************************************************************ -->Want to ADVERTISE in The Shangy FUN Listt Publication? >To ADVERTISE: Advertise ************************************************************************ -->Missed Any of These Teachings? 'BABES INN CHRIST','IN The Beginning', 'Crossing The Line','NEVER Give Up', 'FEAR - Feeling Kind Of Buggy', 'HAUNTINGS', 'Christianity And The Renewed Mind', or 'Curse Of The Law' --BE SURE TO Tell me which one you want or you'll get them all :) >For a Lesson: Teaching ************************************************************************