Never Give Up... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* Please Consider Giving To ShangralaFamilyFun.com The cost of the website has gone up dramatically due to the ever increasingly wonderful pages and photos being added each week to entertain you and our fellow Christian families. While the ads on the website do help, I don't want to drag the site down with tons of them to pay for it. I need your help! "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ . , )). -===- ,(( ))). ,((( ))))). .:::. ,(((((( ))))))))). :. .: ,((((((((' `))))))))))). : - : ,(((((((((((( ))))))))))))))))_:' ':_(((((((((((((((' `)))))))))))).-' \___/ '-._((((((((((( `))))_._.-' __)( )(_ '-._._((((' `))'---)___)))'\_ _/'((((__(---'((' `))))))))))))|' '|((((((((((((' jim `)))))))))/' '\(((((((((' `)))))))| |(((((((' `))))))| |((((((' /' '\ /' '\ /' '\ /' '\ '---..___..---' *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, the easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure. Please visit the site, scroll down and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL form page comes up. NOTE: Paypal will generate a 'Quantity 1' and 'Price per item' form. Just ignore the price per item and put whatever it is you desire to give in there. With Paypal, you will have your normal receipt for your 'payment' donation in USD (United States Dollars). You can put a memo in there if you'd like. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 *~* THANK YOU! MAY GOD BLESS YOU MOST ABUNDANTLY FOR YOUR GIFT! ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please 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 red hot new page is from our friend Linda. Most of us are aware of the monarch butterfly and its migration every year, but to actually view them up close like this is certainly mind boggling. Be sure to check out the video here to get a sense of how awesome God's wonderful little insect is. I'm sure he gave them to us just to thrill us! __....__ _..-'"`""+"'-. ."`.._____`"-._ _.-"__...-----\""'\ ,'..._ '""-.`._ _.'_."' __..\---| ( : "..__ _,'."-._ ,'_.'__`.----""' \ / . \ `",+'--.+`-..`. o o .'-" \ _.".-"''"""`"'/ \"`.+"'----+----.' `. . .' ,' .'" ___"._____,'. \ . __/......`.__ `. `. ' ." __..--'"+'"" \ :-| \-:--" : /__ `'"-.._ \ \ / /.-'__..---""`."'----.\___; ' .: _..+.--"'"/ `"--..__`_`. \ / /.-'" `. : :7 ':" .' .'--------""' `.(_X_)'"'"'"`----""'`'--`-''".--.' \._.'-'""/ ______ / ^ \ _....--------...__`._'_." `.\_`."_..."",---. `""`'"": / \ :____ .""`"._ "-." `"",._...'" '__..-''"`j \'. `"-; ,`"""`.`. ,".' : \ .'.| " |\ `. / ` \ \ '.'...--". \ ,' / | - | . "-/ ."`-.._ : . j": _,'_ .' / | = | ' / ,-\ `.:.| | . _.' ; : / } = { \ j _\ `._ ' : | '," .'". ./ `._,' ': : \ "._: j '.': ," ,". . \ ,-. `._ '"| \ ` .' / :_ ' \ : \ `._/ j . `' / / \/ ."". \ : | ; : / / / " \ \ ; : ,' \__.'___/__.' `.__\____\__.' `. .' .'". _....-" mh "--...._ ,--. `. `--' `" `" `--" - Beautiful Monarch Butterflies http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/monarchbutterflies.html --- ...Totally mesmerizing! Thanks Linda! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: ,%&& %&& % ,%&%& %&%& %& %& %&% &%&% % &% % &%% %&% &% %&%&, &%&% %&%& %& &%& % %%& %&%& %&%&% %&%%& &%&% %&% % %& &% %%& && %&% %&%& %&% %&%' '%&% %&% %&&%&%%'% % %& %& %&% &%% `\%%.' /`%&' | | /`-._ _\\/ |, |_ / `-._ ..--~`_ |; |_`\_ / ,\\.~` `-._ - ^ |;: |/^}__..-,@ .~` ~ `o ~ |;: |(____.-' '. ~ - ` ~ |;: | \ / `\ //. - ^ ~ |;: |\ /' /\_\_ ~. _ ~ - //- jgs\\/;: \'--' `---` `\\//-\\/// >THIS IS WHERE I BELONG by Michael T. Smith I sat on the ground, leaned against a tree trunk and watched my bobber float on the glassy surface of the water. The fishing was slow. I hadn’t had a bite all morning. A blue jay landed on a branch in a tree a few feet away. He stared at me a moment and flew off. In the distance, a crow cawed. Other than that, there wasn’t a sound. I closed my eyes and let the rising sun wash away the chill of the early morning. I sighed contentedly. An osprey, silhouetted by a turquoise sky, flew few a hundred feet above my head. Obviously a better fisherman than I, it clutched a fresh trout in its talons. It didn’t bother me. I wasn’t there for the fish. It was time alone in the outdoors I craved. Every so often, I rose, checked my bait and cast it back into the lake. In the beaver hut at my side, I heard the squeaking of baby beavers. A few minutes later, one of the adult beavers swam around the point, saw me and disappeared in a splash of water, as it slapped its tail. A moment later, the squeaking in the hut grew louder as mom or dad arrived. I sat and let my thoughts wander – content to sit and think. By noon, without one bite from a trout, I rose from my spot by the shore, collected my stuff and headed for home. Along the path through the brush, I spotted a cluster of May flowers and picked a bouquet for my wife. We were both fans of their heavenly scent. It was a mile walk to the highway and my car. Half way there, I breasted a small hill. Four deer flashed their white tails, leaped through the shrub and disappeared into the thicket. My car sat in the clearing, fifty feet from the highway. A few feet behind it, a groundhog stuck his head from a hole and cautiously watched my approach. As I drew near, its courage left. It whistled a signal of danger and disappeared under the ground. Twenty-five years later, I exited my office building in midtown Manhattan and was greeted with a rush of heat, the blare of horns and sirens, and a sea of humanity. It had been many years since I last fished. My little lake in the woods of Nova Scotia was a distant memory. I followed the herd of commuters who, like the groundhog, disappeared under the ground. We shuffled beneath the concrete and into the stifling humidity of the subway station. People growled in protest, as others pushed past them to reach their train. Somewhere up ahead, a guitar was played by someone collecting donations. Trains screeched to a stop, unloaded and loaded passengers and in minutes, rumbled out of sight into the tunnels that hollowed the underbelly of the city. There was no sun to enjoy. There was no peace, no quiet and no nature. Ginny and I had enough of the rush and expense of New Jersey and New York. We moved to Idaho, with it mountains, rivers and a slower pace. One early July morning, we stood at the edge of crystal clear mountain stream and tossed our lines. The trees were alive with the yellow, red and black of the western tanager, a small mountain bird. Towering over all, were the snowcapped peaks of the Stanley Mountains. The sound of the rushing water and the singing birds took me back to the peace of my little lake in Nova Scotia, so many years behind me. In the back country, a person’s body changes. Unlike the city, where I drowned in the noise and rush and eventually retreated inside myself; here with nature, my mind soaks and softens. The world becomes clear. My thoughts are free to roam. I begin to see, hear, smell and feel again. This is where I belong -- with nature. -- Michael T. Smith __________________________________________________ Michael lives in Caldwell, Idaho, with his beautiful wife, Ginny. Michael has put together two collections of essays. The first called "From My Heart to Yours" is currently being reviewed by a publisher. To sign up for Michael's stories go to: To read more of Michael's stories, go to =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseAu :) ,"=-. / _),`'". ( /a( ), ) ) C = = ?/ ( )) (_ o-< ) ( `-' \; ( \_ ( | \ ) )| \_/} \ \ \(_;/-|_) )/) `._,--/ / / `!__!! ( (_o)) ---`-._, )--- ------( / |---- | ( | :__/|\_; \ |/ )(\_ /_)--` gpyy \_! >The Path of Life The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning." But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this." Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children," A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you." And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I have given them strength." And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light." And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God." And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them." And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence." Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every teardrop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you--not time, not space...not even death! -<>- m " m" " m m " m " "m " " "m m m " m " " " "m" " " "m m m m m " " " " " "m"m"m"m"m"m " m " " "m"m" "m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m "m"m m"m" "m m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m$"m $ " "m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m"m$" $m " "m"m"m"m"m"m$" m"m"m $ $"m"m"m"m$" m"m" "m m"m m "m"m$" m"m" "m $ $ $ $" m"m" "m " m "$m"m" m"m m"m $" m" $ $ $ $ m" m" "m" $ m" m$$ $ m" m$" $ $" m""$ $ """ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ unknown >POINT A TO POINT B By Heather Spears Kallus Point A to Point B may not be a straight line, If it is or it isn't, the path is still mine. It's not how or when we get to Point B, Who we meet, what we learn - THAT matters, you see. Sometimes our journey has curves and bends, How we view the turns on us, it depends. The road can be bumpy or smooth on some days, Grab the wheel, hold on, embracing each phase. Do we set goals and follow our dreams? Or have we lost sight, to some, it seems? Each person, each moment, all have a part, Of the adventure we're on a piece of our heart. The ups and the downs, confusion, and doubt, The glass we view is what it's about. Is it half-empty or maybe half-full? Experience from both is what we will pull. Successes and struggles create who we are, To better our vision, more clear by far. What is God's plan? What is His will? Have we prayed for guidance when going uphill? Life can be messy and that is true, But, never give up, whatever you do! We have gifts and talents unique to us, Find them and use them. Don't worry and fuss. Be confident you were created for more, Do you hear God knocking? Open the door. He'll take our hands, you and me, And help us travel Point A to Point B! --- ...Amen! Great poem and great advice! Thanks LouiseAu! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: (\ /) \/ W.Madison \/ (\ /) (X) o00- _ _ -00o (X) (/|\) (')< >(') (/|\) | (@ ) ( @) | \|/|||||||||| ^^ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ^^ ||||wsm|||\|/ ~~~~ ~~~~ >Spring Forever in my Heart "I can't believe it. These blooms have lasted so long this year," my wife said. "I hadn't really thought about it, but you are right. As much as I love Lilacs, they come and go so fast," I said. It has been incredibly exciting this year here in my back yard. Our Lilac tree has produced the most blooms I have ever seen. The scent is so wonderful that I spend a lot of time just standing on our small deck breathing it all in. Many of the branches are hollow and cracked leaving me to believe it has seen many Springs. A few winters ago one of the biggest branches crashed to the ground under the weight of melting snow. It broke my heart. I guess I wasn't expecting much from the old thing this year. But it is magnificent! Since we have been experiencing so much rain lately the flowers have become heavier. The once tall bush seems to be under a lot of pressure. I can relate to that. There are big gaps because the branches are lower. Sadly, today I noticed the first bunch of flowers turning brown. It won't be long until they are all gone. But here's what I've learned from it. Some people are like fragrant flowers. They come into our lives ever so briefly and leave behind a scent that remains embedded in our being. They brighten your day by just having had contact with them even if for a moment. If kindness would have scent it would remind you of them. Like when I smell pine, all the best Christmas memories rush through my mind. When I smell roses I think of romantic, moon filled evenings. Some people, having given so much to you, remain a part of who you are forever. You cannot possibly go through a day without thinking about them. Their beautiful spirit gently nudges your heart each time you hear their name. The very thought of them stirs within your soul like the sweet fragrance of a thousand roses. Loved ones who have passed on, having given their lives to you, having stayed in bloom through a life time of eternal Spring, are like these Lilacs. Although my heart is saddened having discovered that they are dying, I will not remember them that way. I will forever see a thousand blooms each time I think of them. In the coldest, darkest days of the winter of my life, the memory of them will get me through it all. Even the slightest fragrance, a wisp of "almost there again," will bring a smile to my face and my heart will pound remembering the love. Oh, God thank you not only for the beauty of the people you bring into my life, but for the lingering fragrance and everlasting memories of ever having loved them at all. Loving them and believing in You, means I will have "Spring Forever in my heart." Bob Perks, Copyright © 2006 -- from 'I Believe In You' (Bob@BobPerks.com ) -<>- _ _ / \ _ _ _ / \ | | / \/ \/ \ | | % | |I| || || |=o | % % | | j_jj_jj_j | | % v % V | | ||_________|| | | .:,>@<%% >@<| ; | | | || || | | | | ~*~ | |% *| |:X:| |I| || || | | | |*'|`\|/|| ~@~ * ,||/|`|'|_| |_||_||_| |_|,||,|/ |,||Vv,`|',v`|v hjw >Try Something Different Keep doing the same thing and you will keep getting the same results. Two men were avid moose hunters. Every year they chartered a plane to take them to the Canadian back country. This year hunting was especially good and in a few days they each bagged a moose. They radioed for their pilot to come pick them up. When the plane arrived, the pilot took one look at the animals and told the hunters they could not take such a heavy load along. "But we spent all week hunting for these moose," they protested. "And besides, the pilot we hired last year wasn't worried about the moose's weight." After much argument, the pilot finally relented and allowed them to load the moose. The heavy plane was only airborne for a few minutes when it lost altitude and crashed into the side of a mountain. As the men struggled out of the wreckage, one hunter asked, "Where are we?" His friend answered, "About a mile farther than we got last year." Keep doing the same thing and you will keep getting the same results. It is true of flying and it is true of living. What is not working well for you? A habit you are trying to break? A relationship with a parent or spouse or child or friend? What is a source of on-going frustration? Getting around to that project you keep promising to complete? Never having enough money to pay the bills? Running up against the same old walls at work? The truth is, if you keep doing the same things you will keep getting the same results. So, if you don't like the way things are turning out, something must change. Are you ready to try something different? - Steve Goodier -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Journey Through Life! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/journey.html I Am Who I Am! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/Iam.html Living Tree Church! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/treechurch.html Never Give up! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/nevergiveup.html Think Positive! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/positive.html Daily With The Troops! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/daily3.html World's Fastest Plane! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fastestplane.html Fairy Garden Pot Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/potart.html Making A Difference! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/makingdifference.htm Walking in Power! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/walkingpower.html Attitude is Everything! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude.html I Believe In You! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ibelieveinyou.html Happy Moments! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/happymoments.html Naval Fleet Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/navalart.html Cute Little Ponies! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/littlepony.html Mountain Goats! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mountaingoats.html Pets In Camouflage! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/petshiding.html Super Rare muscle Cars! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/musclecars.html Best Of National Geographic http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bestnatgeo.html God's Paintings! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/gpaints.html -<>- >Please Visit/Follow Me on StumbleUpon: http://tinyurl.com/mgob3ns -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) MY DEVOTIONAL FOR THE DAY http://www.youtube.com/embed/zf_0jzPQ8lo?rel=0 --- ...So sweet! Thanks Geniann! This is really scary! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PzT8vEvYPg&feature=share Short message but eye-opening message from a Harvard Professor. Don't miss it. Only 90 seconds... https://www.youtube.com/embed/YjntXYDPw44 --- ...Wow! So True! Thanks Geniann! Why so many of us like President Trump. He is all about God and country! You need God to have law and order, safety and security. Those against him want to take that away from us. This Math Problem Was Such a ‘Headscratcher’ It Started a Debate that Pulled In Over 100,000 People http://tinyurl.com/locdmnc --- ...Geesh! No wonder people have trouble with logical thinking! Sky King - You will not believe this Lu Ann Brayman - When it is not your time to go https://www.facebook.com/lu.a.johnson.9/videos/1157166247334/ --- ...Wowsers! Goosebumps! Thanks Geniann! 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 Fran :) ,-----. W/,-. ,-.\W ()>a a<() (.--(_)--.) ,'/.-'\_/`-.\`. ,' / `-' \ `. / \ / \ / `. ,' \ / / `-._.-' \ \ ,-`-._/| |=|o |\_.-< <,--.) |_____| |o____| )_ \ `-)| |// _ \\| )/ || |' | `| || | | | || ( )|( ) || | | | || | | | || |_.--.|.--._| || /'""| |""`\ [] `===' `===' hjw >Grandpa December, 1944, near the end of the of the second world war, the HMCS Clayoquet mine swept off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. She was in preparations to escort a convoy of ships to Europe, when she was struck by a torpedo, fired by a German U-boat. Eight men lost their lives, including Samul Smith, only 28 years old. ****************** A brisk breeze pushed through the hatchway, cooling her sunburned cheeks. Saltwater lapped at the hull. A mariner's lullaby. Sheila smiled, pondering her perfect life. No people. No stress. Just the occasional storm, and sojourns to the mainland for provisions. Just as her tired eyes closed, violent knocking and shouting erupted on her starboard side. "What the heck?" Sheila rose from her slumber. The knocking continued. She rushed up the three steps to the deck. "Help!" she heard a man call. On the starboard side, she looked over the rail. A man attempted to reach the side of her boat. Near exhaustion and frozen by the cold Atlantic Ocean, he failed. "Help!" Sheila, in a panic, threw him a rope. He grabbed it. She tied the other end to the rail. He pulled himself on board. "Are you, OK?" She asked. "How long have you been in the water? What happened?" Samul stared at her bare legs, looked at the strange craft he boarded and wondered where he was. "I don't know." After a pause, "Where am I?" he asked. Sheila laughed nervously. "On my boat." "I know, woman!" he replied with exasperation. "I've never seen a ship like this." The unfamiliar materials - no wood or steel - confused him. "It's not a ship. This is a sailboat." She looked at the man, his hair matted to his head by the salt water. "Sailboat?" Samul looked around, confused. "What's wrong with you?" She asked. "Haven't you seen a sailboat before?" He stared at her, a blank look on his face, "Yes, but not like this. Where is the wood? What am I standing on?" Samul stomped his feet and looked down. "This is not wood!" "It's fiberglass!" There was a moment of silence. Samul raised his hands in exasperation. "Where the heck am I?" Sheila laughed, "On my boat." "I know that!" "Well, if you know that, stop asking me!" They stared at each other. Water dripped off Samul. The deck was soaked around him. "What did you say your name was?" She finally asked. "I didn't, but it's Samul." "Mine's Sheila." He took her out-stretched hand, "Glad to meet you, Sheila. Thanks for saving me." "You're welcome. How did you end up in the water?" "My ship was sunk by a U-boat. It was 1944" "A U-boat? German U-boat?" "What else is there? Yes, a German U-boat!" Sheila stared at him in shock. "1944?" He looked confused, "Yes." 'It's 2016 now." "What?" "It's 2016." "No! "Yes! How did you survive in the water for more than seventy years?" "What do you mean?" "You said your ship sank in 1944." "It did." He paused. Tears appeared in his eyes. "I regret signing up for the fight." "You mean WW2?" "Yes! I left Stella with six children." "My grandmother's name was Stella." "From Sambro, Nova Scotia?" Sheila stared at the ghost from the past. "Grandpa?" - Michael T Smith --- ...A compelling story! Thanks Fran! ============================================================== _______ /______/"=, [ | "=, "=,, [-----+----"=,* ) (_---_____---_)/ (O) (O) Emiliano >Modern Chivalry Story Editor: by The Mom Joyce Schowalter USA I'm close to 40, raised old fashioned, and frequently mourn the loss of a time when people took care of one another. I wonder if my three sons will be the gentlemen I try to raise them to be. Mid October, 2010 I had to get my youngest son from school drama practice. I buckled my daughter in her car seat and took off like a herd of turtles. First stop: the closest air pump as I had a tire going flat. I filled the tire with my last dollar. Once out of the gas station, POP!, the van jerked, then thump, thump, thump. Sigh. The tire is 100% flat and I'm out of cash. OK, I can change a tire. However... the l'il one has been sick since she was born and when she's *this* sick, I can't leave her unattended beyond a couple minutes. I have to be ready to assist her with any problems. AAA phone call done, I wait for my temporary champion in a tow truck and grease-smeared hands to help change the flat. I call my son and husband to inform them of the delay. I put the cell down and get scared half to death: someone is beating on my window. It's a young African American man. I freak because where I'm broke down is not the best place for safety. He asks if I need help. I nervously told him I have assistance coming. The area -- not the person -- made me nervous, he was well-mannered and polite. His response, "Yeah, but I'm here NOW!" I took all the factors into consideration. Sick child, another child stranded, husband working too far away to help, van on a busy street, still half an hour wait for AAA. I thanked him and told him I couldn't afford to pay him. He chortled and told me he didn't ask for money. Together we worked to replace the tire with the spare. He did the majority of it, since I had to watch my daughter. In under 15 minutes he had me ready to drive. When I asked him his name, he said Tracey. I thanked him appreciatively for the help he had given. He walked off before I could say anything else. I passed him a minute later, and waved thank you again as he smiled and waved back. I seriously thought chivalry was dead. Here a young man, young enough to be my son, stopped to help a complete stranger out of the blue, for no reason at all. Now I know I might not ever get to tell Tracey's family they should be proud of their boy. But I can put this story out there, in hopes it might reach them. I can be grateful for Tracey showing me something I needed to learn, and giving me a little more hope about today's young men. Thank you, Tracey, your actions meant a great deal to me. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Our Friend Linda :) \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz >The few, the proud ... This is an article about a father who put several of his kids through expensive colleges but one son wanted to be a Marine. Interesting observations by this dad. An interesting commentary about our society. By Frank Schaeffer of the Washington Post Before my son became a Marine, I never thought much about who was defending me. Now when I read of the war on terrorism or the coming conflict in Iraq, it cuts to my heart. When I see a picture of a member of our military who has been killed, I read his or her name very carefully. Sometimes I cry. In 1999, when the barrel-chested Marine recruiter showed up in dress blues and bedazzled my son John, I did not stand in the way. John was headstrong, and he seemed to understand these stern, clean men with straight backs and flawless uniforms. I did not. I live in the Volvo-driving, higher education-worshiping North Shore of Boston. I write novels for a living. I have never served in the military. It had been hard enough sending my two older children off to Georgetown and New York University. John's enlisting was unexpected, so deeply unsettling. I did not relish the prospect of answering the question, "So where is John going to college?" from the parents who were itching to tell me all about how their son or daughter was going to Harvard. At the private high school John attended, no other students were going into the military. "But aren't the Marines terribly Southern?" (Says a lot about open-mindedness in the Northeast)asked one perplexed mother while standing next to me at the brunch following graduation. "What a waste, he was such a good student," said another parent. One parent (a professor at a nearby and rather famous university) spoke up at a school meeting and suggested that the school should “carefully evaluate what went wrong." When John graduated from three months of boot camp on Parris Island, 3000 parents and friends were on the parade deck stands. We parents and our Marines not only were of many races but also were representative of many economic classes. Many were poor. Some arrived crammed in the backs of pickups, others by bus. John told me that a lot of parents could not afford the trip. We in the audience were white and Native American. We were Hispanic, Arab, and African American, and Asian. We were former Marines wearing the scars of battle, or at least baseball caps emblazoned with battles' names. We were Southern whites from Nashville and skinheads from New Jersey, black kids from Cleveland wearing ghetto rags and white ex-cons with ham-hock forearms defaced by jailhouse tattoos. We would not have been mistaken for the educated and well-heeled parents gathered on the lawns of John’s private school a half-year before. After graduation one new Marine told John, "Before I was a Marine, if I had ever seen you on my block I would've probably killed you just because you were standing there." This was a serious statement from one of John’s good friends, a black ex-gang member from Detroit who, as John said, "would die for me now, just like I'd die for him." My son has connected me to my country in a way that I was too selfish and insular to experience before. I feel closer to the waitress at our local diner than to some of my oldest friends. She has two sons in the Corps. They are facing the same dangers as my boy. When the guy who fixes my car asks me how John is doing, I know he means it. His younger brother is in the Navy. Why were I and the other parents at my son's private school so surprised by his choice? During World War II, the sons and daughters of the most powerful and educated families did their bit. If the idea of the immorality of the Vietnam War was the only reason those lucky enough to go to college dodged the draft, why did we not encourage our children to volunteer for military service once that war was done? Have we wealthy and educated Americans all become pacifists? Is the world a safe place? Or have we just gotten used to having somebody else defend us? What is the future of our democracy when the sons and daughters of the janitors at our elite universities are far more likely to be put in harm’s way than are any of the students whose dorms their parents clean? I feel shame because it took my son's joining the Marine Corps to make me take notice of who is defending me. I feel hope because perhaps my son is part of a future "greatest generation. "As the storm clouds of war gather, at least I know that I can look the men and women in uniform in the eye. My son is one of them. He is the best I have to offer. He is my heart. "Faith is not about everything turning out OK; Faith is about being OK no matter how things turn out." --- ...Such a heartwarming story! Thanks Linda! ========================================================== >-->From Kidwarmers: \\\ ____ ________``` \ =|- [________] \ | =| | _ | | \ __ ejm |__=|- O--(_) `.______.' \ O=======(__) /|\ (/(|(\ >THE FUNNIEST THINGS KIDS SAY Noah made cookies with his Grandma Sue for Easter, and he really wanted to make a cookie for Jesus. He brought it home and his mom, Becky, wrapped the yellow frosted bunny cookie in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer until the second coming. When Becky reminded Noah that when Jesus comes back they will go to heaven, Noah said, "That's OK. He can still stop by our freezer and get a snack!" - Jenny Kobiela-Mondor of Auburn, Indiana Rhonda feels so blessed because she gets to watch their 2-year-old grandson, Eli, for a few hours each morning while his parents work. A few months ago, Eli and his father arrived one dark morning, both full of giggles and smiling from ear to ear. In total amazement, Eli couldn't wait to share the fact that the moon had followed him all the way from his house to Rhonda's! - Rhonda Jalbert of Port Angeles, Washington They are so taken by all of their little discoveries at this age, Rhonda says. Like the first time they realize they are finally tall enough to reach the light switches. Eli thinks the on/off switches are fascinating new "toys." The other day Rhonda caught him lying on the floor with his eyes shut. Thinking he was tired, she made the mistake of asking if he'd like to take a nap. He shot straight up and said, "Nope. I was just turning my eye bulbs off!" `_-@@@-_ |, _ - - - ~-_--; |~ = . _ . = | | | ( ) - -__\ _ /,_-- -_ _-~ .-'--`-_ ~/ . | | |~| |____(,,) /________\ |_|__| _~__~___\ W< A little girl contracted chicken pox. One morning her mother who was helping her to dress unintentionally scratched her with her nails, something that made baby girl wince in pain. She cried out, "Mummy, you're hurting my chicken pox!" - David Kimani of Nyeri, Kenya, who writes, "Here in Kenya we call father baba in Kiswahili and fafa in Kikuyu. Mother or Mum is mama" in Kiswahili and maitu in Kikuyu. Gram was babysitting her grandchildren, Ember, 5, Ava, 3, and Kaydon, 2. They popped a bag of popcorn and split it between them. Soon it was time for bed and all went smoothly. About an hour later, Gram decided she wanted some more popcorn. She put the bag in the microwave and decided to get a glass of iced tea. The popcorn finished popping and Gram was standing at the refrigerator with her tea when Ava walked into the kitchen. Gram and Ava stood there staring at each other for a few seconds and Ava put her hands on her hips and said, "Just admit it, Gram!" Gram stood there a few seconds wondering what she was supposed to admit to, and Ava said it again, "Just admit it!" Gram finally asked what she was supposed to admit to and Ava walked over and pointed to the microwave. "You popped some more popcorn! We're supposed to share!" Needless to say, Gram and Ava shared another bowl of popcorn before Ava went back to bed! -Suzette Temple (Gram) of Lufkin, Texas Soon after a record-breaking snow Joyce was driving to pick up her granddaughter from her dance lessons. In the back seat was Ryan, 2. It was dark out and they were on winding back country roads. Joyce flipped on the high beams and everything lit up like daylight with the reflection from the snow. Ryan asked why his grandmother had turned on the lights. She told him she was watching for deer. He said, "Well, I'm watching for Elmo!" - Joyce Siedentop of Wall, New Jersey Darlene went for Mexican food the other night. Her grandson Ethan, 5, wanted a taco. Darlene said, "Meat, cheese, lettuce with sour cream?" Ethan replied, "and tomato - without tomato it's only a tac. With tomato, it's a taco!" - Darlene Diehm Gisel of Kendallville, Indiana ,___. |-----| ============ / | OO ~\ ( ) 0 ) \_/-, ,-//-\\ ==== ||| | || -_/| | ||_ (____)) W< When Sandi's grandson Max, 8, talked with her on the phone Easter Sunday afternoon, he said that he and his other grandparents just got back from church. "How was it?" Sandi asked. Max cupped his hand over the mouthpiece and replied in a low voice, "That preacher read the WHOLE Bible while we were sitting there, Nana!" Sandi told him surely not the entire Bible, just a few pages. "Well, it was about 188 pages," he seriously responded. Myra, his other granny, overheard and said, "No, Max, he did not read that many pages!" Again Sandi could tell that Max was cupping his hand over the telephone mouthpiece when he whispered to her, "Nana, it was at least 99 pages. I thought that man would NEVER stop reading!" - Sandi Pound (maternal grandmother of Max) of Lehigh, Florida One day recently Nolan, 6, and his sister Chloe, 3, were having lunch at home. Lisa is all the time quizzing him so she asked him what do you call a baby cow? He answered a calf. Lisa asked him several other questions about baby horses and sheep, etc, and finally she thought she would trip him up so she asked him what do you call a baby sister. Without hesitation he said, "A rattle snake!" - Lisa Billingsley of Scaly Mountain, North Carolina On one of our first warmer Sundays this spring, Kathy's daughter's three sons were playing around the pond at Kathy's house. They were walking in the shallow water and, therefore, had their shoes and socks off. Kathy and Pat saw them playing on the pier and told them to be careful not to fall in because the water was very cold, even though the air temperature was very warm. After a while Matthew, 10, Mark, 9, and Michael, 5, all arrived dripping wet. Kathy asked what happened. Michael said he fell in the water. Matthew said he was pushed in. Mark confessed he jumped. Kathy asked them if the water was cold, and Matthew replied, "It was the first time, but after jumping in four more times it wasn't cold at all!" (Fortunately, they are all good swimmers!) - Pat and Kathy Young of Kendallville, Indiana __,=,__ .~`` .` `.``~. | . . |____ `-;=============;""""` ( (. _).) \ | | \ `-.___.' / '._ _.' /`''''\ / \ | |/\/\/\/|.-. |-|/\/\/\/|;' ) (__/_______| _) #########'._) jgs |==|=|__ ,,,(______)_),,,, ,,,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,,, ,,,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,, ,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;, Ann heard a funny story from someone at her church. The woman makes vegetable soup for her grandson every Saturday. He calls it Oma Soup (Grandma's Soup). One Saturday he walked in the door and said, "Do you have Oma Soup for me?" She answered, "No, I have French onion soup this time." The next Saturday he asked again, "Do you have Oma Soup for me?" She answered, "No, I have pea soup." The next Saturday when he came to visit he asked her, "Do you have Oma Soup for me this time or is it another foreign country soup?" - Ann Antoon of Netherlands Joy was buckling Jac, 2, into his car seat one morning when he said, "I need some more presents. I'll go see Santa tomorrow!" - Joy Cook (mother of Jac) of Fort Wayne, Indiana Cameron, 6, was playing soccer in the backyard with Grandpa, while his parents and Madison, 4, were watching. Then Madison saw her grandmother, Esther, taking down clothes from the clothesline. Esther gave Madison a bucket with clothespins and told her to hold it for Grandma. After figuring out how she could help, Madison ran to her mother saying, "Mom, I got to pinch the pins!" - Esther Grawcock of Avilla, Indiana Here is another story from Esther. Recently while visiting Grandma and Grandpa, Cameron said "I'm hungry! I want something to eat!" Esther got out some peanut butter and jelly and some summer sausage. Cameron said, "I'll take the meat! I have to up my protein!" When Esther started laughing at the 6-year-old's comment, Cameron asked very seriously, "What's so funny?" _,,_ __ d888888bd888b d88888888888888B 8888888P`Y8888P Y888888 (, \_ ,_Y88( ) Y888888b __\ '8"888P (_ jgs | .---' ~;~~\~ .=. \ (_ _) \ |=| \ _ /| | \ /_\/ | | | .-'--/_/------'-. `-.,___________,.-' | || |___|| |___|| .'""'';.__ (_________)) Karen's brother's family lives in Texas and Karen lives in Tennessee. To spoil her niece, Rachel, 7, Karen sent her a pair of pink and yellow rain boots to celebrate April showers. Rachel's mother, Tara, asked her if she wanted to call Karen to say thank-you. Rachel replied, "We can't call yet. I can't possibly tell her exactly how much I love them until I've gotten to wear them to school!" - Karen Walker of Knoxville, Tennessee When Beth was younger, she watched her mother "hide" some candy in the dish cabinet. Later, she climbed on the counter, got the candy out, took it out of the plastic bag Beth's mom had put it in, and shared it with her little sister. The next day, Beth's mom went to get the candy and it was missing. She looked all over and finally asked if anyone knew where the candy went too. Beth smiled politely at her and said, "I saw you hide it - you didn't want to share - so I took it and we ate it." After a brief shock, Beth's mom laughed. She had bought the candy earlier in the week and when she opened it, she saw it had bugs in it and had wrapped it up tight to take back to the store. - Beth's older sister, Amy, of Pennsylvania Note: You are welcomed to use, copy and share these stories, but please reference http://www.funnykids.com as the source. ========================================================== ,--.,-"";-"-. .-;-/ / / .- `\ .-. ` ( ' ' ` ; `\/ \ \ / \ / (. C . ) | .-. | | _ / (` / | \ /}| | )(\ | `-> (____.| / ||| / \=====| | |\| | |====| \ _/ ` \__/=====| |` `-'======| \ |=======/ | |=======| | .--, ########\ |/ / jgs |_|__|| ` `--. ,---;-'--'\ `--. `---`-------'-.___,___.---' >-->IF GOD SHOULD GO ON STRIKE How is it that God above Has never gone on strike Because he was not treated fair In things He didn't like. If only once He'd given up, And said, 'That's it, I'm through! I've had enough of those on earth, So this is what I'll do; I'll give my orders to the sun - 'Cut off the heat supply!' And to the moon - 'Give no more Light, and run the ocean dry.' Then just to make things really tough And put the pressures on, 'Turn off the vital oxygen Till every breath is gone!' You know, He would be justified If fairness was the game. For no one has been abused Or met with more disdain Than God, any yet He carries on Supplying you and me With all the favors of His grace And everything for free. Men say they want a better deal And so on strike they go. But what a deal we've given To God to whom all things we owe. We don't care whom we hurt To gain the things we like. But what a mess we'd all be in If God should go on strike!! >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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