On The Wings Of A Prayer... :) 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 ================ >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) Starting with this issue, we will be Celebrating Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by using the wonderful inspirational emails that Deci has been sweet enough to share with us. Don't be surprised if you get an email from me once a day until Easter. :) -<>- >HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This scorcher comes from our friend Linda. It is so adorable I could not resist sharing it with all of you! Check it out here... |\__ /| | ( |\\\ / `\\\\ ( (e `\\\\\ | | ``\\\\....________......__,;;;, _ | |\ ``` `.;;; ___..--^/( | | \ `.;; ' o 9 ;;| O | \ |;; `-____ `__// \ |;' ``-.' ;;;,..__| ` ' |' \ '';;; | ' \ /; \ ' | | _.'\ (; \ | |'\| |..______...--' \ |\ \ | , | | | | |; | | \ | / /..___.| |--| | /;' / | | ) / /.' | | | |\ \ | / / | / /' ( ) | | || | | | / ( | | | ( ) ||\ | | | | .'.\ \ | | | | ||( /__( | | / / \ `._ | | | | /_( /__( /_( `._/ / | | | /__( / | /__( by Felix Lee (flee@cse.psu.edu) Breeze And Buttons! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/breezeandbuttons.html --- ...Awww, such a heartwarming story! Thanks Linda! -<>- A TIGGERIFFIC MONTH!! _..._ .'.-:-.`. .-._.'.' ^ ^ `.`._.-. :''"'-':_ o o _:'-''"': `--':-._ :-:'_.-:`--' .``'. .-. : (___) ; .-. .'``. : '-' '------------`.__.:.__.'-----------' '-' ; `. . '..''..''..'' : `---' ; ``..``..``..` . .' `"'------------..' : : : `..------------'"` :-:' `-----'`:`: :=:' `:-: :-: :=: :=:' :-: :-: :=: :=:' `:-: ..-. :-: :=: .-.. .'.' : :=: `:-: : `.`. .'.' .' :-:. .:=: `. `.`. :,' `:'::-.._`.=:' `:-.'_..-::':` `.; `._ . `: :: :: `. `. .' .' :: :: :' . _.' "'._ , `: `: ` `""` ' :' :', _.'" `--..__ .'.' .'. `. `.`. __..--' jgs `'"'--.. . ..--'"'` .'.::.`. `.. . .' .' ..::. `. '.' .::.. `. `.` .::' .' `. `::.. .' .'` .::. `. .' .::.. `. `.` .' `--' *~* We Had Another Super Awesome Month Of Caring And Sharing Last Month! Please Be Sure To Visit And Share These With Your Friends: World's Tallest SnowWoman! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/snowwoman.html One Word Essay! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/essay.html 50s Concept Cars! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/conceptcars.html Giraffe Manor! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/giraffemanor.html God's Night Lights 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/night2.html The Real Mowgli! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/realmowgli.html Siamese Fighting Fish! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/siamesefish.html Morons At Work 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mwork2.html .-""-. _______ .-""-. .'_.-. | ,*********, | .-._'. / _/ / **` `** \ \_ \ /.--.' | | **,;;;;;,** | | '.--.\ / .-`-| | ;//;/;/;\\; | |-`-. \ ;.--': | | /;/;/;//\\;\\ | | :'--.; | _\.'-| | ((;(/;/; \;\);) | |-'./_ | ;_.-'/: | | );)) _ _ (;(( | | :\'-._; | | _:-'\ \(((( \ );))/ /'-:_ | | ; .:` '._ \ );))\ " /(((( / _.' `:. ; |-` '-.;_ `-\(;(;((\ = /););))/-` _;.-' `-| ; / .'\ |`'\ );));)/`---`\((;(((./`'| /'. \ ; | .' / `'.\-((((((\ /))));) \.'` \ '. | ;/ /\_/-`-/ ););)| , |;(;(( \` -\_/\ \; |.' .| `;/ (;(|'==/|\=='|);) \;` |. '.| | / \.'/ / _.` | `._ \ \'./ \ | \| ; |; _,.-` \_/Y\_/ `-.,_ ;| ; |/ \ | ;| ` | | | ` |. | / `\ || | | | || /` jgs `:_\ _\/ \/_ /_:' `"----""` `""----"` >May God Bless Our Contributors Tremendously As They Have Blessed Us! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: %*-----------------% %=========== %----------------% %============ %--@***@-*----*% %@**-@-----*** %** *@ @*--% %@* @** -- @ @-%@ @ *** --*@ * @mmnnv --*@ @mmnnv ---*@ @mmnnvv vvnnmm @mmnnvvv vvvnnmm @mmnnvvvv vvvvnnmm @mmnnnvvvv vvvvvnnmm @mm.'*mnvvv .--nnmm @mmnnm. '*mv %**++vvvnnmm @mmnnvvnm*. ++++vvnnmm m @ *mnvvvvnm* ++vvnnmm mm @mm mnvvvvvvv vvnnmm mnnm @mmnm *mnvvvvv nnmm mnvvnm* *@mnnvnm mnvvvv nmm mnvvvnnmm*@mnnvvvnm *cjr* m mnvvvvvnnmmmnnvvvvvnm *mmv mnvvvvvvvnnmnnvvvvvvvnm *v mnvvvvvvvvvnnvvvvvvvvvvnm CJRandall >HEARTBREAK DILEMMA by Sharon Richmond I know that Heartwarmers are typically uplifting stories -- stories to show how the human spirit triumphs over great odds or stories that are simply filled with humor. But what about those times when your heart aches and the frustration of a situation overwhelms you? What about those times? I'm in the middle of one of those times. My daughter and son in-law have been working for about three years now on starting a family, to no avail. Listening to my daughter's tears as she told me they were putting those plans on a back burner for now, filled my eyes and caused my heart to ache. You see, you'd have to know Lesley to understand that from the time she was about 7 years old, all she's ever wanted in life was to be a mom. We put it down, at that time, to her creative play style with her dolls. But as she grew and went through all the changes over the years, that one goal remained steadfast and true. Now, fast forward to this past winter when she and her husband went on a fun trip with friends over Thanksgiving. She came home and told us in a hushed tone that there was a baby -- a baby that might need a home come February. Friends of theirs had adopted a little girl a few years ago and that child's birth mother had called to tell them she was expecting and would they be interested in adopting again. They declined but suggested our daughter and son in-law. So the wheels were put in motion and we all tried to contain our excitement. As with many situations like this there were ups and downs. The real down side came with the birth of the baby and the mother's decision to keep him. She'd always wanted to raise a son. Our hopes were cut short and at that point in time we were able to shrug and smile sadly about what was meant to be. Then came the call none of us expected. The mother had decided it was too much for her and could someone come get the baby. Now there were tears of joy and incredible excitement! We all threw ourselves into the plans to prepare for this long awaited addition to the family. But the days dragged on. The mom began to vacillate and put off naming a time and day. Suddenly, we were thrown back into the fear that it wasn't going to happen after all. And here's where my dilemma, heartache, and frustration enter. How do I pray about this situation other than to ask God to do what He deems best? If I pray that my daughter receive the baby, doesn't it mean I'm praying his mom will abandon him? I pray she does the right thing, but who am I to attempt to decide what that "thing" is? Tuesday night, my phone rang and it was my daughter. Her voice "sounded" cheerful but I quickly realized it was a forced cheer -- a tight rein on her emotions as she told me that word had finally come. The birth mom had found help from someone, somewhere, and was going to keep her son. Quietly, my daughter asked if I would call the rest of the family to let them know. It was all she could get out before the tears started again. Sometimes life isn't all sunshine and roses. Sometimes it's really hard to figure out what the lesson is we're being taught. I'm pretty sure none of us have figured it out yet for this situation. However, there is one thing I know that needs to be done. Prayers need to be said for a small, helpless little boy named Christian. Prayers for God to watch over him and keep him safe. That's why I'm writing this. To get the power of Heartwarmers to pour their love and prayers out to this wee, precious being. And maybe a few for me while you're at it, so I can let go of the anger and frustration I'm feeling right now. It's a good thing I like lemonade, because I suspect I'll be making a large batch of it very soon. -- Sharon Richmond ___________________________________________ You can reach Sharon by email by clicking here: mailto:kellyrose@ev1.net ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Practical Church Observations (selected from writings by John Bevere) People like to be entertained. The average American watches forty-five hours of TV a week. Some churches have tried to attract people the same way the world does. In the church, we have learned to attract people by appealing to their desire to be entertained. Out of this practice has come what many call "seeker-friendly" or "seeker-sensitive" churches. Having preached in some of these churches, I have found that often what is "seeker-sensitive" is sometimes "God insensitive." These churches may draw large crowds, but is it worth the expense of offending God? ... We need preachers today like Haggai or Malachi, ones who will shun the popularity of the people in order to please God. We need preachers who will speak faithful words, words the people NEED to hear as opposed to words they WANT to hear. Today, if a person writes a book on how to improve one's lifestyle or achieve success, it will sell well. We write and preach on topics that are palatable to the people. But where are those who don't consider their message's reception on earth, but only its reception in heaven? ... At times our ministry ideas are forged by a gathering of men. There, we draw from the wells of our own limited wisdom, pooling our counsel, which has been unconsciously influenced by cultural trends. These trends are right in front of us and easier to access than waiting on God for a revelation of His will. Though many new and fresh ideas are appearing, do we always know where our inspiration is coming from? We have substituted the knowledge of God for the motivational techniques gleaned from unregenerate man... I notice this more frequently in very large churches. Sometimes the reason a church is large is that it caters to lukewarm converts who can be in and out in a hurry without ever being made to feel uncomfortable. As I travel, my time to speak is often limited by certain constraints, usually kept within an hour and a half. Normally there are two reasons behind this. First, there is the fear that if services go too long, the host church will lose evening attendance as well as membership. It is interesting that so many people can sit through two hours or more at the movies or a two-hour big sports event, but become frustrated when the sermon runs over forty-five minutes. Second, there is the strain such services place upon the children's workers. I believe that children's workers would experience a genuine move of God if they ministered to the children instead of entertaining them! There have been a few times when I have held services that lasted three hours or more, and because the children were being ministered to, they had no trouble with the time. This is not to say that a service must be long in order to be effective. These attitudes are simply a reflection of what we value as worthy of our attention. Yes, if the Holy Spirit is not present in a service, there is no reason to go more than an hour and a half. Matter of fact, even that will become a long time without the Holy Spirit's presence. I agree with that. However, the Holy Spirit will be found in services where the leadership allows Him to do and say whatever He desires! ... It is offensive to the Holy Spirit to be told that He has only an hour and a half, from start to close, to complete His work. It displeases Him when leaders follow a rigid pattern and make decisions outside God's counsel. But what [I believe] God finds most alarming is that His people like it that way! For many, such limitations protect their own irreverent, self-seeking lifestyles. --- ...Thanks LouiseA! , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' True. This is the age of Grace so God has to work around people's will instead of doing all He desires for us. We need to stop and think about how much we hinder God in our own daily lives as well. We would do well to remember what our Lord Jesus has taught us here... John 5 [30] I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If we always seek to do God's Will instead of appease others or our own self, then we will be walking the walk that Jesus walked. If we do that, then one day when we stand before our Lord we will not be ashamed but stand before him with confidence knowing we did the best we could for Him and God Almighty. =============================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: ()_()()_() / ..)(.. \ __/ ( || ) \_ (_/ * * (_) | | | || | | | \_/| \__/ | | > \ / <__,--,__|/|_> unknown >Worth a repeat. I've learned that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. I've learned that when you're in love, it shows. I've learned that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day. I've learned that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. I've learned that being kind is more important than being right. I've learned that you should never say no to a gift from a child. I've learned that I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way. I've learned that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with. I've learned that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. I've learned that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult. I've learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. I've learned that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for. I've learned that money doesn't buy class. I've learned that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular. I've learned that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved. I've learned that the Lord didn't do it all in one day, what makes me think I can? I've learned that to ignore the facts does not change the facts. I've learned that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you. I've learned that love, not time, heals all wounds. I've learned that the easiest way for me to grow as a person, is to surround myself with people smarter than I am. I've learned that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile. I've learned that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks. I've learned that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them. I've learned that life is tough, but I'm tougher. I've learned that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss. I've learned that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere. I've learned that I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her, one more time, before she passed away. I've learned that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them. I've learned that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. I've learned that I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it. I've learned that when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life. I've learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it. I've learned that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation. I've learned that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done. -<>- _ /' `\ k___y th j /`Y'\ .,--,. \___/ ... ,' __ ', _ ||| j /' `\ t f | t j f | | j t_| T j \ / t Y| | ', `--' ,' || U '~--~' LJ >Rowdy Found Lunch By Patty Fletcher Well, Rowdy showed that he can be a really good boy today. Let me explain. Each day I receive a Meals On Wheels meal that helps to supplement my food while I'm looking for work. They come in those big to go boxes. Usually the deliver people leave them outside my door if I'm not home. However, today the driver happened to be a friend of mine and fortunately for me I'd lost my keys and not locked the door, and so unknown to me, he had sat the meal inside on the table beside my chair. Well, when I got home, I noticed that the meal was not outside the door, and I thought that they'd not left it because I was not home. So, I came inside, and got Rowdy and took him for a walk while I tried to think what I was going to have for lunch. Well, when we came inside, I went in to the kitchen and was rummaging around in the cabinets and such, when I heard a plopping noise behind me, and then a sharp bark from Rowdy. I turned around and he barked again, and pawed at the floor. I leaned down to see what he was showing me, and would you believe that he had picked up that to go box and brought that to me? He did not bite in to it, he did not try and open it. He simply brought it and sat it at my feet. Words can not express to you how very proud I was of him at that moment. I wanted to cry, in fact I am pretty sure I had tears in my eyes as I hugged him to me. Well, needless to say Rowdy got a peace of chicken out of the chicken and dumplings that were in that to go box. I just don't know what to think. Any other time he'd have bitten that box open just as sure as I'm sitting here typing. He is my bestest Rowdy Dog for sure. Rowdy Dog is my very best friend. He is an emotional support animal. It was not until recently that I actually had a letter for him, but now I do, and Any how we've been together for ever and I can not imagine my life with out him. We go walking every day, and he sleeps rite beside me every night. He's done this sense he was seven months old, and he is now the ripe old age of thirteen. As I'm typing, he's snoozing on his big blanket. -<>- >The First Cake Mix (By Roy Irwin) I would like to share with you an interesting story about the first Cake Mix that was developed. After much market research in the 1940's, the company felt that there was a need for a mix that would make it easy to bake a cake - one that would make a cake that was both moist and delicious. Now, a typical 'made-from-scratch' cake requires many ingredients and multiple steps of measuring and mixing these ingredients. Following years of trials with various formulas, the company produced what they believed was the perfect cake mix. Their pre-made cake mix, when combined with 1 cup of water produced a wonderfully delicious and moist cake! The responses from their taste tests were overwhelmingly positive! It was time to take their product to market! Soon, the shelves of supermarkets all over the country were filled with this perfect cake mix. Yet, despite all of their advertising and market research, the cake mix did not sell very well. The company quickly formed new focus groups to find out why the product wasn't selling. To their surprise, the same reason was given again and again: "It was too good to be true! NOTHING GOOD could be THAT easy!" So, the company pulled the entire product inventory from the supermarket shelves. They went back and reworked their cake formula. Now the formula requires their cake mix, 1 cup of water AND 1 egg. Simply by adding 1 egg to the formula, people felt like there was more work to making the cake so it MUST taste better. And the changed formula caused the cake mix to be an instant success and is still to this day one of the best-selling cake mixes on the market! Just for a moment I would like for you to think about how people reacted to this first cake mix and how people today often respond the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ. When people hear that they can have eternal life and forgiveness of their sins because of Jesus' death on the cross - they can't believe it. It is simply too good to be true! Isn't there more to it than that??? Don't I have to give money, or be nice, or do good deeds, or... The attitude that "There has to be more to it than that" has been around for ages. In the Bible there is a story about Moses leading the Israelites through the desert. The people became impatient and spoke out against God. As punishment, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, which bit them, causing many to die. The people acknowledged that they had sinned against God and asked Moses to pray that God would take away the snakes. In Numbers 21:8 we read: "The Lord said to Moses, 'Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.' So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived." (NIV) I can not think of many things that require less effort than just LOOKING at something - yet that was what they were told to do. Could it really have been that easy? Just having to LOOK at the snake on the pole to be healed? Yes! IT WAS THAT EASY! But I also believe that there were those people who would NOT look at the snake - simply because they believed that it was too easy - and died as a result. What ties this together for me is the verses found in John 3:14-15: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (NIV) The snake represented the sin of the people and was lifted up on a pole - pointing the way to be healed and live. Likewise, Jesus Christ accepted all of our sins, and was lifted up on the cross to die - pointing the way for each of us to be forgiven and healed of our sins, and to have eternal life with Him in heaven! The Bible describes eternal life in Romans 6:23: "...the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV) Like any gift - it isn't earned or deserved. There is absolutely NOTHING that we can do on our own to earn or merit the gift of eternal life. Ephesians 2:9 explains further that "This does not depend on anything you have achieved, it is the free gift of God; and because it is not earned no man can boast about it." (Phillips Translation) So could it really be that easy? Asking Jesus Christ to forgive us of our sins and trusting in His death on the cross as the ONLY payment for the forgiveness of our sins? It really is that easy. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost, but should have eternal life." John 3:16 (Phillips Translation) Prayer: "Lord Jesus, we live in a world where nothing is free and where we have to work to get anything. Yet You have provided us with the greatest gift we could ever want. Like any gift, it is free. Only the person who purchases a gift can give it. Help us to remember that though it is a free gift, it was purchased at a very high price - through Your death on the cross. Amen." (Copyright 1998 Argyle Giraffe Productions. This may not be resold or used for the enhancement of any product sold without the written permission of Argyle Giraffe Productions.) -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Wall Mural Art 4 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wallart4.html True Duck Tale http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/duck.html Miniature Wonderland http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/modeltrain.html Earth In Perspective http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/earth.html Love Thoughts http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/love.html Dog Warriors http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogwarriors.html Small Thoughts http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/smallthoughts.html Doug Landis Mouth Ar http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mouthart.html Worms http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/worms.html God's Night Lights http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/night.html YouTube Bible Teachings http://tinyurl.com/dgefoh -<>- >From Our Friend PatDeE :) [An ET-Ahem] "Bad Move" to PA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jswAsFtpDo&feature=youtu.be --- ...LOL! Wait until they have a hurricane! HaHA! Thanks PatDeE! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseA :) Whales are fantastic animals. It's very exciting to see a whale up close. However, it isn't so great when the whale is caught in a net. These vacationers came across a tangled baby humpback. Watch their dramatic rescue as they thought it was dead. This one she sent us one we have here... Whale Rescue 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whalerescue2.html --- ...I love this! Thanks LouiseA! Next time you're staring at dozens of apples for a pie or a sauce, don't stress out! This clever guy put his carpentry skills to work and devised a brilliant method for peeling an apple in 10 seconds with hardly any effort. You have to see this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4guSPVpvyjM --- ...Cool! I sent this to my brother! He makes apple pies! Thanks LouiseA! Don't look now but Grandma is rockin out in the kitchin again as she busts a move or two to Ice Ice Baby from Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song was a hit in 1990 so I'm guessing 24 years ago grandma was probably in her 30's or early 40's and hitting the dance floor hard. The best part about this is her grandson can't stop laughing at this awesome dance show by his grandma. This is how memories are made. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJusMpZu-eM&feature=player_embedded --- ...LOL! Like me I love to dance only to Pop - MJ - while I cook! Thanks LouiseA! The Grand Rapids LipDub Video was filmed May 22nd, with 5,000 people, and involved a major shutdown of downtown Grand Rapids, which was filled with marching bands, parades, weddings, motorcades, bridges on fire, and helicopter take offs. It is the largest and longest LipDub video, to date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZPjjZCO67WI --- ...Wow! Mesmerizing - love all the participation in this! Thanks LouiseA! -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) The race is not for the swift, nor the battle for the strong. It's for the one that endures." All you are asked to do is keep this circulating, even if it's to just one more person. You'll love the watermelons, but you'll be blown away by the eggs! This one she sent us one we have here Watermelon And Egg Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/watermelon.html --- ...A fun one! 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 ========================================================== __ @@;, ( ; ? : ); _| |_ | | || | | _| |_ | \ \ \/ || \/ ___ / / | __| |\ __||____||___||______/| | ||| | |_______ _________| | ||| ||| |____ | | ____| ||| Design by \ \______ ) | | / ______/ / || | | | | | /___| || Samule J. Neptune || | | |_ /| | |\ _| || || || | \__, / | | | \<__/ | || >Unforgotten Sacrifice Story Editor: by Maddy Jonas Joyce Schowalter New York, USA In June of 1993 I had just graduated from Towson State University, outside of Baltimore, Maryland. I got a job waiting tables at a restaurant near the college. Money was tight and the only place I could afford to live was a local motel that rented rooms by the month. To keep costs down, I ordered the daily special at work -- whatever it was. The $5 price tag was discounted 50 percent for employees. I ate half for lunch and saved half for dinner. Evenings were busy with the dinner crowd and summer school students looking for cheap drinks and free munchies. Being the new kid, I got the lunch shift. The lunch shift "crowd" was very slow -- almost non-existent. One very hot afternoon a man wearing a long dirty coat came in. His hair was scraggly and he apparently hadn't shaved in weeks. No one wanted him at their station so I said I'd serve him. Very quietly, so I strained to hear him, he politely asked for a cup of coffee and the $5 lunch special. I figured that $6 bill was a lot of money to him -- it was certainly a lot of money to me. As I placed his order in the kitchen, my colleagues told me not to waste time with him. He'd probably skip out on his bill. He most certainly, they said, wouldn't leave any tip. I tried to remember that he was a customer like everyone else, and checked on him as I would any other customer. He sat quietly. Unlike other customers dinning alone, he had nothing to read. He just stared at his coffee or off into the distance, perhaps remembering a better time. He ate his food slowly and deliberately, savoring each bite in his mouth. The meal was probably more than just sustenance to him. It offered a quiet and cool place to sit and relax, even if for a brief moment. When his plate was empty, I stopped by to refill his coffee and drop off his check. There's no rush, I told him. It wasn't like I had people lining up for his table, why make him leave? I took a ladies room break. Upon returning, my customer was gone. The others laughed, reminding me they'd warned me of being stiffed. I silently went over to clean off the table, leaving the check holder for last. When I lifted it, change came tumbling out. The $6 bill had been paid in full with well-worn and crumpled bills. I sat to count the coins -- $1.20 entirely in nickels and pennies. It was worth so much more to me. As I stared down at the change in front of me, I realized that through quite probably a great sacrifice, my customer had taught me an invaluable lesson. We make an impact on every life we interact with. It is our choice as to what kind of impact we want to make. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Kidwarmers: __ .---. __ / ` .-.7,--. / `. .-''. -, , \ '--.- -; | ) / ,` / \ ,_) / '-. / ( ( | / .' ) \ '. `--,/ .---' ,-.| `--. / '-, -' .' .==,=; `-,.;--' / ,' _;--;| /_...=' || jgs || .==,=. ||/ '.\ ,||`'=...__\ || || ||, || || || >THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY Lisa told Stephen, 5, "You're getting so big!" Stephen sighed heavily and replied, "You get that a lot when you're five!" -- Lisa Cooper (mother of Stephen) of Lawrenceville, New Jersey Sally took the kids to a fun park. Three-year-old Jeffrey commented, "The machine that throws food isn't working!" He was referring to the vending machine. -- Sally Morris of Wellington, Florida Christopher, 10, had been saving pennies for a while. One day he asked, "Mama, are we rich?" His mother replied, "No, son, we are a long way from being rich." Then he asked if they were poor, and she said, "No, we are not really poor." He thought for a minute and said, "Well, I have been saving pennies so one day we may be rich!" -- Raylene (mother of Christopher) of Georgia Lelah's granddaughter took her 3-year-old son shopping. She told him to be careful because if he broke anything he would have to pay for it. Seth said, "But I don't have any money." His mother told him if he didn't have money he would have to get a job. "But I'm too little to work," Seth protested. "How will you pay for it then?" his mother asked. Seth quickly replied, "I'll use a credit card!" -- Lelah Steffe (great-grandmother of Seth) of Rome City, Indiana , .--'|} _ , / /}} -====;o`\/ } .=\.--'`\} \-'\-'----. //` '---./` \ |-..-'` || /| /\/\ \\| | `--` |\_\\/ \__/\\ \\ jgs \| Therese was teaching the 3-5 year-old swimming class at the YMCA. A fun activity they do is pretending to ride a horse on a noodle (a Styrofoam floating device which is long and narrow). Therese had just given the noodles to the group of children in the shallow end when Cameron asked, "Can I ride a cow now?" -- Therese Bunn of DeKalb County, Indiana This story goes back to the Reagan administration. When President Reagan cut school lunch spending his grandparents asked him if he was getting enough lunch to eat at school. Brian, who was in 5th grade, replied, "No, but I didn't get enough to eat when Carter was in there, either!" -- Karen Denney (mother of Brian) of Kendallville, Indiana Carson, 9, had never seen his grandmother when she first wakes up. When they shared a room at Disneyland, Carson took one look at his grandmother when she arose in the morning and said, "Grammy, what happened to you? You look like you woke up with a monkey on your head!" -- Kas Quimby (grandmother of Carson) of Elma, Washington _ /_) (8_))}- . \_) '. .--. . , .-.-,_, : '. .' )`-.>'` ( '---'`; / `\ | . | | | _.' \ / / .' `=(\ /.=` ' `-;`.-' '._ `)| , ` ' ' ' ' ' || .-'| ,_|| \_,/ , \|| .' |\|\ , ||/ ,_\` |/| |Y_, '-.'-._\||/ >_.-`Y| ` ,_|| \|| || jgs || |/ Randi remembers that her two daughters Natasha and Alexis used to call chicken legs, or any type of chicken that was not boneless, "chicken of the bone." When they drove by KFC, they would beg, "Please, Mommy, can't we get chicken of the bone?" -- Randi Obenauer of Auburn, Indiana When Molly's and Freddy's "adopted angel" came, Molly started teaching her Bible verses even as she slept in Molly's arms as a baby. Before she was 3 she knew all 66 books of the Bible and could quote Scriptures from the King James Version of the Bible, as that was the version from which she heard daily readings. One Sunday after worship services, Lucinda chose to run and scream down the aisle of the church's auditorium, something she knew she was forbidden to do, even if the other children did it. Lifting her in his arms, her daddy said to her, "Lucinda, you will spend time in the corner chair when you get home," and he carried her to the car, Molly following. "Oh, Daddy, can't you take me back inside a classroom and let me sit in a chair and get it over with?" You could hear her pleading all the way to the car. "No, we will wait until we get home where you can sit a while and think about it." After begging him a while to no avail, she placed her little arms around his shoulders and standing beside him in the front seat of the car, she leaned over and peered directly into his face, tears streaming. "Oh, Daddy, 'whatever thou doest, do it quickly.'" -- Molly of Mustang, Oklahoma (http://mollyloubelle.com) The other day Malissa was scolding Nolan, 3, for doing something bad. She knelt down and told him, "In this house we do not do that." Nolan turned to walk away and said, "Then I guess we have to go find a new house." -- Malissa (Nolan's mom) of Old Town, Maine ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) _..._ .~ `~. / } \ _.'`~~/ {_,} -( ,'-,___.' .-. / |_ /| __| |__ / ` |_/ [__ __] / \ / | | / '--;_ | | _\ `\ | | / |`-.___. / | | ^^^jgs^^^`--`------'`--`^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >On the Wings of a Prayer (By Helen Steiner Rice) Just close your eyes and open your heart, And feel your worries and cares depart. Just yield yourself to the Father above, And let Him hold you secure in His love. So when you are tired, discouraged and blue, There is always one door that is open to you. And that is the door to The House of Prayer, And you'll find God waiting to meet you there. And The House of Prayer is no further away, Than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray. For the heart is a temple when God is there, As we place ourselves in His loving care. And He hears every prayer and answers each one, When we Pray in His name - Thy will be done. The burdens that seemed too heavy to bear, Are lifted away on the wings of a prayer. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30} --- ...Most Beautiful! Thank You LouiseA! >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? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ************************************************************************ >TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************