Nothing Too Hard... :) 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 Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an adult club in the love and romance directory so you will have to confirm that you are an adult when you go here. I still have no idea how to change this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try! 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 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! ================ >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) I've been putting my nose to the grindstone and have been able to get the editing of the web site for a 'better mobile experience' done. It went from a rating of a D- to a B+ - which I am quite pleased of. As I mentioned before, it was weighing on me heavily. I am most thankful to God that he helped give me the wisdom I needed to figure this out. That's the trouble with old school - nobody to lean on when I need things done - it's all up to me. Sometimes it is way out of my league. I therefore praise God for being my 'lean on' one! He and Jesus Christ never have let me down! :) =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: __________________________ |.-----------..-----------.| || _ _ _ _|| ___ _ _ || || | | |/ \| \ \ \/ / || || | | ' | '_/ '_/\ / || || |_|_|_|_|_|||_| /_/ || || ___ ___ __||_ _ _ ___ || ||/ __/ \ \| | \ |/ _/|| ||\__ \ '_/' /| | | [ \|| ||/___/_||_|_\|_|_\_|\___/|| || || || ||-._________||___________|| ||--,--------..-----------.| |||\ \ || || ||; \ ; ||_ || || \| | _.|| ``''-. || ||\ | | _." .||-""-_) `) || ||_) `" .-.||`` _.-' || || ( ||--'` || || ' . | || || || () \ || .-. || ||\/_ | ||' _;\ || ||_`_____/_.'||____/______|| '---------------------jgs--' >THE GLORY OF SPRING by Kathy Whirity I opened up the door this morning and did a little jig. I smiled at the falling rain even though the drops were big. Those drops didn't discourage me as they fell on the window pane, before the dawn of sunshine I knew there'd be some rain For now the barren gardens are floating in muddy gloom, soon they'll house the buds from where the flowers bloom. We've looked forward to a grand awakening that is happily in the works, a burst of new life from where the bare tree limb lurks. The snow has all melted, Jack Frost has been sent on his way, though we thought we'd never see it we welcome Spring this day. I saw a robin perched on the roof, perhaps scouting out a nest, I placed shedded dog hair on the fence post, mama robin will do the rest. Soon tiny tots on swing sets will be reaching for the sky, filled with wonder and laughter, the magic won't pass them by. The glory of Spring and the awakening it brings, is the joy in the tune that the bluebird sings. It is a chance for us to improve on the days that lie ahead, to make sure the bounty of our blessings keep our hearts and souls well fed. Gardener's thumbs will once again regain their color green, while blooming shades of purple, pink, and red will reign supreme. Spring nights are for young lover's walking hand and hand in the park, beneath the starry skies, a chance to dance in the dark. Every Spring season we are rewarded with this glorious gift of rebirth, and reminded of our own new beginnings every Springtime on this earth. Young dreams will be carried along on warm soothing breezes, sweet recollections of life anew and all that pleases. So, I'm enjoying the rhythm of the gentle falling rain, it's nature's way of saying there is so much for us to gain. These wonderful days of Spring will be bursting out in song, a sweet melody of promise that carries our hopes along. AND THAT'S THE GLORY OF SPRING! -- Kathy Whirity __________________________________________________ Kathy Whirity is a syndicated newspaper columnist who shares her sentimental musings on family life. You may visit her web site at: http://www.kathywhirity.com ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) _..._ .~ `~. / } \ _.'`~~/ {_,} -( ,'-,___.' .-. / |_ /| __| |__ / ` |_/ [__ __] / \ / | | / '--;_ | | _\ `\ | | / |`-.___. / | | ^^^jgs^^^`--`------'`--`^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >Nothing Too Hard By Steve Troxel Jeremiah had been a prophet for nearly forty years by the time Jerusalem came under attack by the Babylonians. He had long been proclaiming a message of repentance, but the people continued to ignore his words. Now, the enemy had surrounded Jerusalem and the end was near. In this time of great turmoil, God told Jeremiah to purchase a field from his cousin. This was a strange request but Jeremiah obediently purchased the field. However, he soon began to question God's reasoning: "See how the siege ramps are built up to take the city? Though the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, You say to me, 'Buy the field'" (Jeremiah 32:24,25). Jeremiah had been a prophet for many years. He had been given the privilege of talking directly with God, but this command just didn't make sense. Why should he purchase a field when the enemy was invading and taking prisoners? God answered Jeremiah with a simple, yet challenging, question. Jeremiah 32:27 "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Yes, the enemy had invaded the land and would soon overrun the city of Jerusalem. But God's plan was for the people to one day return: "I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in My furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be My people and I will be their God" (Jeremiah 32:37-38). Jeremiah's field was to be a reminder that God would one day restore His people - a reminder that He could be trusted even in the face of overwhelming circumstances. The times in which we are most tested and pressed down ought to be the times of greatest growth and closeness with our Heavenly Father. When it seems we have no where else to turn, we ought to rejoice and trust Him even more! Let's put our life firmly in His Hands and submit to His guidance - even when we may not see where we are going or how we will get there. Let's trust His ways and always remember...for God, there is NOTHING too hard! --- ...Absolutely! Thank You LouiseA! _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` This brings these to mind ... Prov.3: [5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Jeremiah wasn't trusting God at first. One thing God wants us to do is trust Him. When God says jump, we jump. We don't ask how far or how high, we just do it! No questions asked. Yet Jeremiah doubted God. So God had to remind Jeremiah of how great He is! Which made me think of this scripture... Eph.3: [20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, God is able - means God IS able to do - not just above what we are able to ask or even think - but God IS able to do Exceeding Abundantly Above All that we ask or think! Means we cannot even come close to THINKING of something God is not able to do! Pretty awesome God and Father we have! Think about it! He is WAY OVER Our Heads! We don't have the mental capability to even think of something He is unable to do. Stunning! And it also brings to mind that little thing we don't often think about and why our believing sometimes goes no where even though we think we are belieiving in something wholeheartedly. What is that little thing we forget about? Works. James 2: [17] "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." faith [believing] without works [action] is dead [worthless or useless] because it is alone or by itself. Jeremiah's faith in God was followed up by his works - action - in doing exactly what God told him to do by buying the field. That action cemented his believing in God. It is so easy for us Christians to think all will be well if we just believe it will be, but our believing is dead unless it is followed up with some sort of works of action by us. We must do something as well as believe in it. And finally this last little goodie... Pss.37 [4] Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. ========================================================= >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: .--,.-, /.-',\:.\ .===. ,;;,;;, /; \\:.\/ _) ;;;;;;;;; |' \\:( _,`'> ';;;;;' |; \\(_/ ._= ';' |; ;/ /`|\ /, _/ |-' `\ /; __//( \_,;;,;;, |; __/ / \ /);;;;;;) | _/|/ / \/`';;;;;' ,;;,;;, |/ / ( ';' ;;;;;;;;; ( .-, \ ';;;;;' ) /`\ ) \ ';' '._/|/| |.' jgs _// \| | / || |/ / | `\| ' >JUST LOVE By: Joseph J. Mazzella Our new Saint Bernard puppy, Buddy just keeps growing and growing. He is already nearing the eighty pound mark and I know that he has another hundred to go after that before he is full grown. The biggest thing about him, though, seems to be his heart. Although, he prefers the company of my wife and daughter to anyone else he still seems to have more than enough love to share with the rest of us. Buddy doesn't hold his love back for anyone be they man, woman, dog, or cat. Buddy loves the whole world and he seems to take his greatest joy in sharing that love with everyone he meets. I only wish that one day I will be able to love as easily and freely as Buddy does. I hope that one day my entire life will be a gift of love: given freely and with joy. I hope that one day my love will be free of all judgment, all fear, and all conditions. I hope that one day my love will be as pure as this puppy's love and as strong and beautiful as the love God gives me everyday. Mother Teresa once said: "We have been created to love and be loved." God made us to love. When we refuse to love we slowly kill the beautiful soul within each of us. When we refuse to love we exist without really living. When we refuse to love we deny the true purpose of our lives here on Earth and waste the precious time that we are given here. Let us all follow the advice of a wise dog I know then and just love. Let us give up our worries, struggles, and fears and just love. Let us abandon our prejudices, hatreds, and judgments and just love. Let us live the way that God meant for us to live towards Him, ourselves, and our neighbors and just love. By just filling our hearts and souls with love and sharing that love with everyone everywhere we can make our lives blessed and make this world a better, more beautiful, and more loving place. -<>- <*****> ."^". ,;;;, ."^". {.'^'.\//a a\\/.'^'.} {{ (( L )) }} {{ \ = / }} {{ .-'\`-`/'-. }} {{ / \_/ \ }} {{ / \ }} {{/ /| |\ \}} {| | | | | |} {\___| >===;=< |___/} {{(_/ | : | \_)}} {{ _/| : |\_ }} {{ _/ | : | \_ }} jgs {{/ | : | \}} `-` | : | `-` | : | | : | | : | |___:_| (_/ \_) >Angel Unaware© March 25, 2004 Author, Barbara J. Ervin-Weymouth This happened one August in the early 1970's. This is a true life's experience and I have only shared it with a rare few. Momma and I had gone to our California State Fair this one evening. Our state fair takes place in August and runs through Labor Day. Our summers get pretty hot here in the Sacramento Valley and this particular time was a beautiful summer evening. I remember the nice cool Delta breeze, and how much we appreciated it. And the fair wasn't too crowded. Just a perfect evening to enjoy! We did the usual things, attended all the exhibits of interest, I remember The Hall Of Flowers being exceptionally beautiful, and of course the livestock show. We always looked forward to these two particular exhibits. Momma had grown up on a farm in Colorado and of course I loved animals too. We even listened to a live band. We had a great dinner, and enjoyed each other's company. I remember laughing so much that night. Just like a couple of School Girls. We got tired finally and decided to head for home. We left the fair grounds as we always did and somehow got off track, I will say way off track. It is as much a puzzlement to me today as it was back then. We were driving and driving and I said to Momma, where in the world are we. She said nothing looked familiar to her either. Well, I knew if we kept going we would see something familiar soon. After all, I had lived here my whole life, how could I get lost in my own hometown? Well, we kept driving and nothing was looking familiar. It was getting darker and we somehow had ended up out in the country. I remember seeing a sign that read, Hogs for Sale. I knew we were in trouble then, but we laughed. Momma and I were really getting scared as it was so dark and no city lights as we were accustomed to. As we continued to drive we saw a car up ahead, it was a Volkswagen. Momma said, pull over there's someone inside, I was scared and said no, that's not a safe thing to do. Momma seemed to feel that it was okay. So I pulled over and Momma rolled her window down part way. There was a man inside with the most beautiful smile. We explained what had happened to us. He said, don't worry it's okay, follow me and I will lead you back to the main highway. So we followed this man with the beautiful smile in the Volkswagen. And sure enough he led us back to the main highway out of the darkness. We wanted to wave and thank him, but when we looked to our right to do so, he had vanished completely from the highway. Momma said he was an angel that led us to safety; I think she was right. I still get chills as I'm relating this story to you. The small town where we had ended up was called: Pleasant Grove, can you believe that! It turns out Pleasant Grove is approximately 26 miles from Sacramento. I'll never figure out what happened that night, and probably never will. But as Momma said, "God sent an angel to rescue us"! God moves in mysterious ways, His miracles to perform! Copyright, ©March 25, 2004 Author, Barbara J. Ervin-Weymouth -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Today I Heard A Bird Sing http://www.cryofthespirit.com/birdsing.html Signs For Woman! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wsigns.html Humorous Signs! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/hsigns.html Our Valuable Anchor http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html Curse Of The Law http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/curseofthelaw.html In The Beginning http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/inthebeginning.html Proud Of Our Troops 3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops3.html Thoughts For Today http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thoughts.html Butchart Gardens http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bgardens.html Keukenhof Gardens http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/kgardens.html Montreal Gardens http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/montreal.html Transparent Butterfly http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/butterfly.html Jesus Clinic http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/clinic.html Amazing Horse Trainer http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/horsetrainer.html When Artists Get Bored http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/abored.html -<>- >From Move America: Easter Care Packages for the Troops http://tinyurl.com/lumglbt -<>- >From our friend LouiseA :) She sent us one we have here... Suryia and Roscoe http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/orang2.html --- ...such a heartwarming one! Thanks LouiseA! What you see, all depends on your point of view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=a7LCTT7HKzc In Toyota country, border security is taken seriously because it's a hard country to live in and they don't want anything soft sneaking across their borders. City folks with their cafe lattes and wimpy cars aren't going to last five minutes in the rugged country. Tofu, man bags, and anyone that looks metro-sexual are big clues for these border patrol agents that further screening is required before they are allowed to cross the border. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=isC32ev4Lw4 Beautiful Footage of Red Sea Marine Life. The Red Sea is located between the continents of Africa and Asia and is an inlet of the Indian Ocean. Eight different countries surround the sea, including Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan on the African side and Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Yemen on the Asian side. The Red Sea is renowned for its rich and diverse marine life which entails over 1,200 species of fish and 44 species of shark. Over 10 percent of these species are entirely unique to the Red Sea ecosystem including numerous seahorses, starfish and coral. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVwdkmtzoAA&feature=player_embedded --- ...Beautiful! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) She sent us one we have here: Seven Wonders http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wonders.html --- ...A sweet one! Thanks Geniann! -<>- >From Our Friend Melody :) BIZZY BAKES: Cauliflower, Caramelised Onion and Fontina Gratin http://tinyurl.com/padewcc Quiz: Which Unlikely Biblical Hero are You? http://tinyurl.com/oax7tck THE BURNING BUSH - Home of the Burning Bush Devotional http://www.theburningbush.net/ ~*~When I Say I am A Christian~*~ http://carolynspreciousmemories.com/Spiritual/WhenISayIamAChristian.html Mandatory voting? Obama says it would be 'transformative' http://tinyurl.com/kvsqmk3 The Two-Word Lie You're Probably Believing » Kirk Cameron http://kirkcameron.com/the-two-word-lie-youre-probably-believing/ Homemade Carrot Sprinkles http://tinyurl.com/k3blbb9 --- ...Good ones! Thanks Melody! 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 Jacinto :) .-. <*****> .-. / _ \.-----./ _ \ | /:\(((((()))/ \ | ||' :(( '_' )): `|| ||: \`---'/ :|| || :/' ) `\: || ||: / (,) \ || || / ,__[_]__, \:|| ||:\___)_=_(___/ || || : || ||: || || / | | \ || ||:| | | |:|| | / | | \ | |/ | | \| | | jgs | | |~~~~~| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >GREAT THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. - Calvin Coolidge (30th US president, 1872-1933) Keep away from people who try to belittle your dreams. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great. - Mark Twain (Writer, lecturer, 1935-1910) Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won't cheat, then you know he never will. - John D. MacDonald (Novelist, 1916-1986) There are seven things that will destroy us: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Religion without sacrifice; Politics without principle; Science without humanity; Business without ethics. - Gandhi (1869-1948) A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over. - Benjamin Franklin (Founding father, America's first millionaire, 1706-1790) The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. - Buddha (Founder of Buddhism, circa 563 BCE-483 BCE) --- ...Great thoughts! Thanks Jass! =============================================================== _____ ."` `". __ / \ __ / & /"""""\ & \ / /\ /` 9 9 `\ /\ \ | | /` ^ `\ | | / / \ '-' / \ \ /.-' `-._____.-` `-.\ _\\ //_ /' `~|\\/|~` `\ / , | \ | , \ / /| \__)/ |\ \ \ `-._ ~Y~__.-' / `-.__/```).-\_.-' / `~~|/`~` \ / -. | \ jgs / \| \ / | \ / . . . . . . . . . \ `"`"`"`"|"|"|"`"`"`"` | | | | | | |~|~| |-|-| /`/`/J `~`~` >Three Way Conversation Story Editor: by John Bundy Joyce Schowalter Malta It was Saturday, 2 June 2001, a beautiful sunny day in Malta, and a day off my duties as a TV show host. Since my wife had things to do, I took my 7-year-old daughter by the sea for lunch. On my arrival to the beach area I saw JoJo, a wealthy man in the hotel business. I'd met JoJo during a Malta charity ball in 1998, since then I hardly saw him twice. We sat down to chat in an open air cafe while I watched my daughter enjoy herself on the swings in front of us. Our conversation varied, from business to entertainment to the economy. Suddenly our conversation was interrupted by a stranger politely asking permission to speak to me. Often people want to tell me something about my controversial TV show, when I am out on the streets. He asked to speak to me privately, so we stood a bit away from my table. He said, "I'm James, 35 years old, father of a 7-year-old girl who's very sick with leukemia. She needs treatment abroad, doctors assure me that if treated in the UK she has an 80 percent chance of survival. I don't have the financial means to take her over, can you please help." Speechless, I stared in the man's eyes that were filled with tears and asked how I could help. I took his particulars and went to sit back at the table. JoJo was having a phone conversation, but as soon as he finished he asked, "What's wrong with you? Your face changed." I told him. JoJo was sorry for this family and said I had the means through the media to help him. We headed off to our destinations. All weekend I thought about James, his daughter and his family. I even thought of doing a special TV show to raise funds for this sick child. Monday morning I was at the office after I finished presenting my show, when my secretary said a man needed to speak to me. It was Mr JoJo Vassallo. JoJo walked into my office, which was surprising because JoJo is so busy with his hotel business I never imagined he had time to come and see me at the studios. With cheque book in hand, he said, "Please, call the guy with the sick child and tell him that all expenses required by him, his wife and his sick daughter to go to the UK for treatment will be covered by myself." "John, I've been married for 35 years, I wasn't lucky enough to have a child, I want to help this child now." I picked up the phone to call James. Rebecca is well and living a normal life, so James and Bridgette (her mum) are the happiest couple on earth. JoJo visits Rebecca. I'm so happy that there are so many good people on this earth, and to have been privileged to be a part of this. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From CupO'Cheer: ______ '-._ ```"""---.._ ,-----.:___ `\ ,;;;, '-.._ ```"""--.._ |,%%%%%% _ , '. `\;;;; -\ _ _.'/\ .' `-.__ \ ,;;;;" .__{=====/_)==:_ || ,===/ ```";,,,,,,,;;;;;'`-./.____,'/ / '.\/ '---/ ';;;;;;;;' `--.._.' / ,===/ '-. `\/ '---/ ,'`. | ; __.-' \ ,' jgs \______,,.....------'''`` `---` >WELCOME TO GOD'S FAMILY! Written by Bob & Debby Gass '...This man welcomes sinners...' Luke 15:2 NIV Let's look at two sinners Jesus welcomed: First, Matthew. As a tax collector working for the Romans, he was hated by his own people, the Jews. But Jesus had special plans for him. Because he was skilled in keeping records Jesus not only saved his soul but salvaged his talents. As a result he ended up writing the first of the four Gospels. Do you still think God can't use you? Not a chance. The fact Matthew invited Jesus over to his house for dinner is surprising. The fact Jesus accepted was truly amazing, given the times. They didn't understand why 'This man welcomes sinners.' Second, Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so badly that he climbed up a tree. He was willing to go out on a limb to find God. 'When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly. All the people...began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner." But Zacchaeus...said to the Lord..."Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody...I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house"...' (Luke 19:5-9 NIV). The Bible says that God '...is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him' (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). So be diligent in your search. Be persistent in your quest and relentless in your pilgrimage. Turn away from the puny pursuit of possessions and positions and seek the Lord. You will not be disappointed! SoulFood: Num 8-10, Matt 14:22-36, Ps 145:14-21, Pr 4:23-24 as seen in The Word For Today -<>- (,-'-,) / `"""` \ | /_ _\ | .--.\( _ )/.--. / .' '-...-' '. \ | / _/|\_ \ | / | -' \|/ '- | \ / \__..-'-..__/ \ ( / \ ) '-'._/ \_.'-' / \ ( ) jgs \ / `'-._____.-'` >A PRAYER FOR THE ENEMY "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Matthew 5:44 The first statement Jesus made from the cross was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). Maybe we would have understood it more if He had said, "Father, condemn them," or "Father, judge them." But the first thing Jesus said from the cross was a prayer for His enemies: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus was practicing what He preached. Remember, in the Sermon on the Mount He said, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). And Jesus also was fulfilling a Messianic prophesy. Isaiah 53, written hundreds of years before Christ died, said that the Messiah would make intercession for the transgressors. And that is exactly what Jesus was doing. He was interceding for all the people who played a role in His death. Pilate himself knew Jesus was innocent. He said, "I find no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:4). But because he was so concerned about his career and position, he would not pardon Jesus and let Him go. The religious rulers knew that no legitimate charge could be brought against Christ. Even the Roman centurion at the cross said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:39). Judas Iscariot knew he had done wrong, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4). So Jesus was essentially saying, "Father, forgive them. They don't realize how bad this is. Forgive them, because they need forgive- ness so desperately. Forgive them, for they have committed a sin that is beyond all comprehension. Forgive them, for they have done something that is beyond bad. Father, forgive them." When was the last time you prayed for your enemies? as seen in Devotions with Greg Laurie -<>- _ xxxx _ /_;-.__ / _\ _.-;_\ `-._`'`_/'`.-' `\ /` | / /-.( \_._\ \ \`; > |/ / // |// jgs \(\ `` >FORGIVEN FOREVER (Author Unknown) Lisa sat on the floor of her old room, staring at the box that lay in front of her. It was an old shoe box that she had decorated to become a memory box many years before. Stickers and penciled flowers covered the top and sides. Its edges were worn, the corners of the lid taped so as to keep their shape. It had been three years since Lisa last opened the box. A sudden move to Boston had kept her from packing it. But now that she was back home, she took the time to look again at the memories. Fingering the corners of the box and stroking its cover, Lisa pictured in her mind what was inside. There was a photo of the family trip to the Grand Canyon, a note from her friend telling her that Nick Bicotti liked her, and the Indian arrowhead she had found while on her senior class trip. One by one, she remembered the items in the box, lingering over the sweetest, until she came to the last and only painful memory. She knew what it looked like--a single sheet of paper upon which lines had been drawn to form boxes, 490 of them to be exact. And each box contained a check mark, one for each time. The story behind it.......... "How many times must I forgive my brother?" the disciple Peter had asked Jesus. "Seven times?" Lisa's Sunday school teacher had read Jesus' surprise answer to the class. "Seventy times seven." Lisa had leaned over to her brother Brent as the teacher continued reading. "How many times is that?" she whispered. Brent, though two years younger, was smarter than she was. "Four hundred and ninety," Brent wrote on the corner of his Sunday school paper. Lisa saw the message, nodded, and sat back in her chair. She watched her brother as the lesson continued. He was small for his age, with narrow shoulders and short arms. His glasses were too large for his face, and his hair always matted in swirls. He bordered on being a nerd, but his incredible skills at everything, especially music, made him popular with his classmates. Brent had learned to play the piano at age four, the clarinet at age seven, and had just begun to play oboe. His music teachers said he'd be a famous musician someday. There was only one thing at which Lisa was better than Brent--basketball. They played it almost every afternoon after school. Brent could have refused to play, but he knew that it was Lisa's only joy in the midst of her struggles to get C's and D's at school. Lisa's attention came back to her Sunday school teacher as the woman finished the lesson and closed with prayer. That same Sunday afternoon found brother and sister playing basketball in the driveway. It was then that the counting had begun. Brent was guarding Lisa as she dribbled toward the basket. He had tried to bat the ball away, got his face near her elbow, and took a shot on the chin. "Ow!", he cried out and turned away. Lisa saw her opening and drove to the basket, making an easy lay- up. She gloated over her success but stopped when she saw Brent. "You okay?",she asked. Brent shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry," Lisa said. "Really. It was a cheap shot." "It's all right. I forgive you," he said. A thin smile then formed on his face. "Just 489 more times though." "Whaddaya mean?" Lisa asked. "You know...what we learned in Sunday school today. You're supposed to forgive someone 490 times. I just forgave you, so now you have 489 left," he kidded. The two of them laughed at the thought of keeping track of every time Lisa had done something to Brent. They were sure she had gone past 490 long ago. The rain interrupted their game, and the two moved indoors. "Wanna play Battleship?" Lisa asked. Brent agreed, and they were soon on the floor of the living room with their game boards in front of them. Each took turns calling out a letter and number combination, hoping to hit each other's ships. Lisa knew she was in trouble as the game went on. Brent had only lost one ship out of five. Lisa had lost three. Desperate to win, she found herself leaning over the edge of Brent's barrier ever so slightly. She was thus able to see where Brent had placed two of his ships. She quickly evened the score. Pleased, Lisa searched once more for the location of the last two ships. She peered over the barrier again, but this time Brent caught her in the act. "Hey, you're cheating!" He stared at her in disbelief. Lisa's face turned red. Her lips quivered. "I'm sorry," she said, staring at the carpet. There was not much Brent could say. He knew Lisa sometimes did things like this. He felt sorry that Lisa found so few things she could do well. It was wrong for her to cheat, but he knew the temptation was hard for her. "Okay, I forgive you," Brent said. Then he added with a small laugh, "I guess it's down to 488 now, huh?" "Yeah, I guess so." She returned his kindness with a weak smile and added, "Thanks for being my brother, Brent." Brent's forgiving spirit gripped Lisa, and she wanted him to know how sorry she was. It was that evening that she had made the chart with the 490 boxes. She showed it to him before he went to bed. "We can keep track of every time I mess up and you forgive me," she said. "See, I'll put a check in each box--like this." She placed two marks in the upper left-hand boxes. "These are for today." Brent raised his hands to protest. "You don't need to keep--" "Yes I do!" Lisa interrupted. "You're always forgiving me, and I want to keep track. Just let me do this!" She went back to her room and tacked the chart to her bulletin board. There were many opportunities to fill in the chart in the years that followed. She once told the kids at school that Brent talked in his sleep and called out Rhonda Hill's name, even though it wasn't true. The teasing caused Brent days and days of misery. When she realized how cruel she had been, Lisa apologized sincerely. That night she marked box number 96. Forgiveness number 211 came in the tenth grade when Lisa failed to bring home his English book. Brent had stayed home sick that day and had asked her to bring it so he could study for a quiz. She forgot and he got a C. Number 393 was for lost keys...418 for the extra bleach she put in the washer, which ruined his favorite polo shirt...449, the dent she had put in his car when she had borrowed it. There was a small ceremony when Lisa checked number 490. She used a gold pen for the check mark, had Brent sign the chart, and then placed it in her memory box. "I guess that's the end," Lisa said. "No more screw-ups from me anymore!" Brent just laughed. "Yeah, right." Number 491 was just another one of Lisa's careless mistakes, but its hurt lasted a lifetime. Brent had become all that his music teachers said he would. Few could play the oboe better than he. In his fourth year at the best music school in the United States, he received the opportunity of a lifetime--a chance to try out for New York City's great orchestra. The tryout would be held sometime during the following two weeks. It would be the fulfillment of his young dreams. But he never got the chance. Brent had been out when the call about the tryout came to the house. Lisa was the only one home and on her way out the door, eager to get to work on time. "Two-thirty on the tenth," the secretary said on the phone. Lisa did not have a pen, but she told herself that she could remember it. "Got it. Thanks." I can remember that, she thought. But she did not. It was a week later around the dinner table that Lisa realized her mistake. "So, Brent," his mom asked him, "When do you try out?" "Don't know yet. They're supposed to call." Lisa froze in her seat. "Oh, no!" she blurted out loud. "What's today's date? Quick!" "It's the twelfth," her dad answered. "Why?" A terrible pain ripped through Lisa's heart. She buried her face in her hands, crying. "Lisa, what's the matter?" her mother asked. Through sobs Lisa explained what had happened. "It was two days ago...the tryout...two-thirty...the call came...last week." Brent sat back in his chair, not believing Lisa. "Is this one of your jokes, sis?" he asked, though he could tell her misery was real. She shook her head, still unable to look at him. "Then I really missed it?" She nodded. Brent ran out of the kitchen without a word. He did not come out of his room the rest of the evening. Lisa tried once to knock on the door, but she could not face him. She went to her room where she cried bitterly. Suddenly she knew that she had to do. She had ruined Brent's life. He could never forgive her for that. She had failed her family, and there was nothing to do but to leave home. Lisa packed her pickup truck in the middle of the night and left a note behind, telling her folks she'd be all right. She began writing a note to Brent, but her words sounded empty to her. Nothing I say could make a difference anyway, she thought. Two days later she got a job as a waitress in Boston. She found an apartment not too far from the restaurant. Her parents tried many times to reach her, but Lisa ignored their letters. "It's too late," she wrote them once. "I've ruined Brent's life, and I'm not coming back." Lisa did not think she would ever see home again. But one day in the restaurant where she worked she saw a face she knew. "Lisa!" said Mrs. Nelson, looking up from her plate. "What a surprise." The woman was a friend of Lisa's family from back home. "I was so sorry to hear about your brother," Mrs. Nelson said softly. "Such a terrible accident. But we can be thankful that he died quickly. He didn't suffer." Lisa stared at the woman in shock. "Wh-hat," she finally stammered. It couldn't be! Her brother? Dead? The woman quickly saw that Lisa did not know about the accident. She told the girl the sad story of the speeding car, the rush to the hospital, the doctors working over Brent. But all they could do was not enough to save him. Lisa returned home that afternoon. Now she found herself in her room thinking about her brother as she held the small box that held some of her memories of him. Sadly, she opened the box and peered inside. It was as she remembered, except for one item--Brent's chart. It was not there. In its place, at the bottom of the box, was an envelope. Her hands shook as she tore it open and removed a letter. The first page read: Dear Lisa, It was you who kept count, not me. But if you're stubborn enough to keep count, use the new chart I've made for you. Love, Brent Lisa turned to the second page where she found a chart just like the one she had made as a child, but on this one the lines were drawn in perfect precision. And unlike the chart she had kept, there was but one check mark in the upper left- hand corner. Written in red felt tip pen over the entire page were the words: "Number 491. Forgiven, forever." as seen in Laugh and Lift -<>- To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316@sc.rr.com. ========================================================== .-------. |(~\o/~)| _.||\/X\/||._ ,-" || \ / || "-, ,' () ||o X o|| () ', / () ,-|| / \ ||-, () \ : o ,' ||/\X/\|| ', o ; .----------._).-.-.(_.----------. |\/)~~(\/\ o ( ) o /\/)~~(\/| |(X () X) .-.\ : /.-. (X () X)| |/\)__(/\/( .`:`. )\/\)__(/\| '----------( /|\ )----------' ; o ', |"` | `"| ,' o ; \ () '-| /o\ |-' () / ', () |(~\ /~)| () ,' '-._ ||\/X\/|| _.-' '|| \ / ||' || X || ||\(/\/|| ||=)O(=|| ||/\/)\|| || X || || / \ || ||/\X/\|| jgs |(_/o\_)| '._____.' >-->I Refuse I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry; I refuse to be downhearted, and here's the reason why: I have a God who's mighty, Who's sovereign and supreme; I have a God who loves me, and I am on His team. He is all-wise and powerful. Jesus Christ is His Son's name; Though everything is changeable, My God remains the same. My God knows all that's happening; Beginning to the end; His presence is my comfort; He is my dearest Friend. When sickness comes to weaken me, To bring my head down low, I call upon my mighty God; Into His arms I go. When circumstances threaten to rob me of my peace; He draws me close unto His breast, Where all my strivings cease. When my heart melts within me, and weakness takes control; He gathers me into His arms, He soothes my heart and soul. The great Father is with me. My life is in His hand. The "Son of God" is my hope. It's in His strength I stand. I refuse to be defeated. My eyes are on my God; He has promised to be with me, As through this life I trod. I'm looking past all my circumstances, To Heaven's throne above; My prayers have reached the heart of God I'm resting in His love. I give God thanks in everything. My eyes are on His face; The battle's His, the victory mine; He'll help me win the race. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!!! Pass it on! "Vision is not seeing things as they are, but as they will be..." -Unknown >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. 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