Peace In His Presence... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND For Google Plus Users: You can find me here... Shangy Bigham https://plus.google.com/106648555948034085752/posts AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! :) -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This scorching hot new page is from our friend Linda. Such a heartwarmer you may need tissues! Check this one out here... o#######o o###########o o#############o ################# ###### \########o '#;^ _^,/---\#####! ,` /^_ .-~^~-.__\# / ^\/,,@@@,, ;| | \!!@@@@@!! ^, #. .\; '9@@@P' ^, ###./^ ----,_^^ /@-._ ^--._,o@@@@@@ ^;@@@@@@@@@ ^-;@@@@ Unforgettable Photos! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/unforgettable.html --- ...So sweet! Thank you Linda! -<>- Y\ /Y | \ _ / | _____ | =(_)= | ,-~" "~-. ,-~\/^ ^\/~-. ,^ ___ ___ ^. ,^ ___ ___ ^. / .^ ^. .^ ^. \ / .^ ^. .^ ^. \ Y l O! l O! Y Y lo ! lo ! Y l_ `.___.' `.___.' _[ l_ `.___.' `.___.' _[ l^~"-------------"~^I l^~"-------------"~^I !\, ,/! ! ! \ ~-.,_______,.-~ / \ / ^. .^ ^. .^ -Row "-.._____.,-" "-.._____.,-" ->Mr&MrsPacman<- *~* Last Month We Had A Superior Month Of Giving And Sharing! >Be Sure To Visit And Share All These New Pages: Farmers Gone Wild 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/farm2.html Farmers Gone Wild 3! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/farm3.html Army Of Terracotta Cave! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/armyterracottacave.html Dog-Tired Dogs! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogtired.html Dog-Tired Dogs 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogtired2.html Wood Carving Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/woodart2.html Wood Carving Art 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/woodart3.html Sweet Humanity! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/sweethumanity.html Why Trump 3? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whytrump3.html Crocodile Man! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/crocodileman.html Colorful Fish! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fish.html Best Pillows! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/pillows.html Best Pillows 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/pillows2.html Sweet Baby Animals! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/babyanimals3.html Sweet Baby Animals 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/babyanimals4.html Best Costumes! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/costumes.html Incredible Finger Painter! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fingerpainter.html Digital Finger Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/digitalart.html Buttons The Elk! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/buttons.html Humor In Politics 14! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/politics14.html !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ * May God Abundantly Bless All Our Contributors Through Christ! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: _____ / \/_ //\__(\_\ |\ ^ ^ | .//_O \O_ \ \_ (_) / \ \_/ / __/\ /\__ / \ \ / / \ / \/\/\/ \ / | . | \ / | . | \ JRO >BRAG ANYWAY My job here is nearly over. Our youngest son turned 18 last week. That's three boys raised to adulthood, half a dozen trips to the emergency room, one car totaled, no felonies. Twenty-seven years I wouldn't trade for $27 million. What would you like to know from someone who survived all this? Let's start at the beginning: Be firm early and you won't have to be firm (or sorry) later. No two kids are alike. Our most easygoing son left us totally unprepared for the next one. Thank goodness for Dr. James Dobson's priceless book, The Strong- Willed Child. Dobson convinced me to become a "brick wall" that my kid would run up against every time he crossed the line. The little snot put a few dents in that wall, but it held. Parents of easy-going children can't imagine what it's like to battle a strong-willed child. When you're at war with a pocket monster, sometimes you can't help looking a little silly. I used to lie on top of one kid during his tantrums. It was the only way to make him stop hitting and kicking without hitting him back. Backing the authorities is good. But stick up for your own kid if you think he's right. When the school didn't protect one of our boys from bullies, he had to protect himself. He got in trouble for winning a couple of fights -- a little too convincingly. This came as a shock to a mild-mannered dad. But we knew our kid didn't start these brawls. We defended him in the principal's office, and even though he had to serve some detention, it was worth it. The bullies wised up and he never had to fight again. When another of our boys was the smallest kid in his second-grade class, karate lessons helped. He only had to protect himself once or twice after the word got around. He learned a lot of self-confidence and discipline in the process. Go ahead. Spend a little money. Buying a quality drum set for Christmas one year seemed like an extravagance -- the biggest present we ever bought for any child. Five years and an armful of music awards later, it's turned out to be the best money I've ever spent. Be willing to change your mind. I'd always scorned the idea of financial rewards for good grades. But by the eighth grade with one of the boys, I was desperate. Paying for A's and B's became the second-best money I've ever spent. Grown-ups work harder to earn bonuses. Why should kids be any different? Eventually, he didn't need money to motivate him to study. But I kept paying anyway. A deal is a deal. When he started coming home with all A's, report-card day became a joy to my soul and a disaster for my wallet. Coach your kid's sports team. Never mind that you don't know a soccer ball from a pumpkin. You can learn. Keep your perspective. Only a couple of kids on your team will ever become varsity athletes in the sport you're coaching at the moment. They might not be the ones you expect. And they'll never remember how many games they won in fifth grade. Try to do some big, special things with your kid. However, it's more important to do little things. Schedule a time every week to go to dinner. He'll pick a fast-food joint with plastic hamburgers. Don't worry if those meals are filled with yep-nope answers and awkward silences. He'll talk someday. Every kid will have one horrendously bad hair year, and the earlier in life, the better. Someday, his mirror will work properly and he'll see how stupid it looks. Keep your mouth shut, take lots of photographs and laugh about it later. Never underestimate the value of a good girlfriend. When my sons were out with the boys, I always worried that one of their buddies would be driving too fast, or drinking, or both. A good girlfriend won't put up with that kind of nonsense. Only one thing can go really, really wrong when your son is out with his girlfriend -- and it never did. I guess a good girlfriend won't stand for that, either. As a bonus, your son will start brushing his teeth and using deodorant. The safe, secure feeling when my sons were out with their girlfriends came as a marvelous surprise. My own experience with girlfriends of any kind in high school was zilch, zero, nada. What if your son is underachieving? A wise and successful father once counseled me: Be patient. Remember, it's your son's life, not yours. You might have given your left ear to have his throwing arm, but maybe he doesn't want to be a baseball player. Encourage him to do what he really likes. He'll be one of the best. You'll learn to love it. Be careful not to brag on your kid too much. It could come back to bite you. Brag anyway. -- Dave Kurtz ___________________________________________ For the past 27 years, Dave has lived in Auburn, Indiana, with his wife, Betsy, and is the managing editor of The Evening Star daily newspaper. =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: where did the money go? ... \ dunno, just can't see it... ____ ____ / <---- = =\\\ o o\\\ /< c /< c ___ _______/__D_/'_ /__,_/\___ /(- /(\_\________ \ '\_/ \ \ ) \ )_ \o \ | o \ /|\ /|\ |' | | |' | | | _\ | | | \ //\____| | //\_| | /-,---/ |/-,--|__| / / _) / / /( / / / / / \ )_ ( ( < ( ( < \\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ | \ \ | \_\____\ \_\____\ ___\_\_\ ___\_\_\ ((((,,,,o) ((((,,,,o) . .. b'ger >The Wall Of Resentment A story tells of a merchant in a small town who had identical twin sons. The boys worked for their father in the department store he owned and, when he Died, they took over the store. Everything went well until the day a twenty-dollar bill disappeared. One of the brothers had left the bill on the cash register and walked outside with a customer. When he returned, the money was gone. He asked his brother, "Did you see that twenty-dollar bill on the cash register?" His brother replied that he had not. But the young man kept probing and questioning. He would not let it alone. "Twenty-dollar bills just don't get up and walk away! Surely you must have seen it!" There was subtle accusation in his voice. Tempers began to rise. Resentment set in. Before long, a deep and bitter chasm divided the young men. They refused to speak. They finally decided they could no longer work together and a dividing wall was built down the center of the store. For twenty years hostility and bitterness grew, spreading to their families and to the community. Then one day a man in an automobile licensed in another state stopped in front of the store. He walked in and asked the clerk, "How long have you been Here?" The clerk replied that he'd been there all his life. The customer said, "I must share something with you. Twenty years ago I was 'riding the rails' and came into this town in a boxcar. I hadn't eaten for three days. I came into this store from the back door and saw a twenty-dollar bill on the cash register. I put it in my pocket and walked out. All these years I haven't been able to forget that. I know it wasn't much money, but I had to come back and ask your forgiveness." The stranger was amazed to see tears well up in the eyes of this middle-aged man. "Would you please go next door and tell that same story to the man in the store?" he said. Then the man was even more amazed to see two middle-aged men, who looked very much alike, embracing each other and weeping together in the front of the store. After twenty years, the brokenness was mended. The wall of resentment that divided them came down. It is so often the little things - like resentments - that finally divide people. And the solution, of course, is to let them go. There is really nothing particularly profound about it. But for fulfilling and lasting relationships, letting them go is a must. Refuse to carry around bitterness and you may be surprised at how much energy you have left for building bonds with those you love. -<>- ,-. _,. / / ; \____,-==-._ ) //_ `----' {+> ` `'--/ /-'`( / / dew `=' >A Time to Be Silent A pilot had turned off his radio in order to elude the enemy, but as he came across the channel, he turned it on again and began turning the dial to find the proper frequency, which changed from time to time. His plane was almost out of petrol, and he was terrified of what might happen if he ran out and did not find his way precisely toward the goal he was seeking. As he twiddled the dial, he broke out in perspiration. Finally, he caught a faint signal and adjusted the dial. The signal came in strong and clear. He changed his flight path onto the signal and landed safely at his airport. We're all trying to do that in life. We're trying to pick up those signals that tell us who we are, what direction we ought to be headed, and where home is. As we fiddle with the dial and adjust the signal receiver in our lives, we begin to hear in the stillness and the quietness a voice telling us where home is. We are able to readjust our patterns and head homeward. That's the promise of the text. If we will be still, we will know that God is God; we will know which way to go toward God. -- John Killinger -<>- >Change A Chinese general put it this way: ''If the world is to be brought to order, my nation must first be changed. If my nation is to be changed, my hometown must be made over. If my hometown is to be reordered, my family must first be set right. If my family is to be regenerated, I myself must first be." -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Crossed The Line!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/crossedtheline.html Our Valuable Anchor!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html Christ's Bell!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bell.html The Bible!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thebible.html Think Positive!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/positive.html Semper Fidelis!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/semperfi.html Maxine On Fall!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/maxineonfall.html Thank You Lord!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanks.html Are Angels Real?- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/angelsreal.html Animal Friends 3!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animalfriends3.html Rescued Squirrel!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rsquirrel.html Christ's Life!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesuslife.html Just Thinking!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thinking.html Maxine On Jesus!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/maxineonjesus.html Jesus Laughing Art!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/Jesusart.html Who Is Jesus Christ!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/whoisjesus.html What Friends Are!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/poems/whatfriends.html Akiane Child Prodigy!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/prodigy.html Value What You Have!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/valuewyh.html You Are The Only You God Has!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html -<>- >From Our Friend Melody :) last riverdance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoHlrQScWl0&feature=player_embedded "The Old New World" Photo-based animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3uaoPYazKhY --- ...Wow! Fun to watch! Thanks Melody! -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) Five Keys - Face of an Angel https://www.youtube.com/embed/K00M5PH0LBc?autoplay=1 Elvis Presley - One night of sin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjuxaOMB4AA Roy Orbison - Roy Orbison - Dream Baby (Monument Concert 1965) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-R06pGyrMs These guys went ice fishing in Pennsylvania. One of their lines hooked something, and they went to pull it up. Nobody expected to see what they pulled up out of the ice! You have to watch this shocking ice fishing video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u8fgqnIB5w&feature=player_embedded When you know how it works it's easy to wonder what the fuss is about. But if you were one of the people who saw this guy literally disappear in front of your eyes, you would have freaked out, too. Watch this ultra-simple magic trick wow an unsuspecting audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzVkA25Qfck&feature=player_embedded --- ...Sweet! Thanks LouiseAu! -<>- >From Our Friend PatDeE :) "THE MAGICAL, MYTHICAL, SEVEN MILLION" and "THE CHURCHILLS: WARD & WINSTON" http://tinyurl.com/mkmp4t2 --- ...Wonderful reading! Thanks PatDeE! Reading this now, you more easily connect the dots if you've been following the downward spiral of Obamacare and what Trump has been saying about the U.N. etc. What he is saying is nothing new actually, it is what conservatives and Republicans were saying all along about Obamacare that Democrats didn't give a rats' arse to hear. They had to have it and that was it. Nice to see this all put in perspective. All this stinks to high heaven. I think we will all give a huge sigh of relief once we with Trump's help - 'Drain the swamp' of all the lying, deceiving, greedy, power hungry, self-serving public officials in our nation's great capital. How can our nation be blessed by God when it's leaders are so contrary to Godly morals? , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Deut.28: [1] And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: Get out there and vote for Trump - put an end to Obama's and Hillary's continuation of his downsizing and ungodly direction of our great country in the eyes of God Almighty! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== >-->From LaughAndLift: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' "If America is to survive, we must elect more God-centered men and women to public office; individuals who will seek Divine guidance in the affairs of state." - Billy Graham >Note from Chris [edited] In reference to my message yesterday, regardless of whether you are in the U.S. or not, will you join me today in praying that righteousness will be increased in the United States as a result of the elections? Earlier tonight I found myself needing to repent of some persistent wrong thoughts and actions in my own personal life, which I did. But at the same time, it made me realize all the more how easy it is to just pray for all the other people - for God to change others and bring others to repentance, when the truth is we ALL need to be humble and repentant before the Lord for our OWN sin and failures. I asked God for mercy and grace earlier tonight for my country - and specifically for my brothers and sisters - the church...but I also asked Him for mercy and grace for me. I prayed for renewal for my country. But I also prayed for renewal for me. I prayed for increased righteousness for my country. But I also prayed for increased righteousness for me (practically in my life). I've come to the place where I realize that I'm a wretched sinner in myself and am nothing in myself and would have no hope without Jesus Christ - that I need Him to help me to live the life He has for me to live. I've written this before, but irrespective of elections, I believe the real renewal for any country will only come when believers in Jesus Christ acknowledge and repent of the sin and worldliness we've allowed in our own lives and seek to live holy (set apart) lives unto the Lord. Our holiness will lead to a "bright light witness" - where we love others and stand for truth - that in time will bring significant changes to the greater society at large. Basically, it comes down to the slumbering church needing to wake up and act like the church. Thankfully many have awakened in the last few years. But there's still some snoozing going on... Today marks an opportunity for believers to effect societal change - to put our faith in action - through the election process, which I have clearly recommended those of us in the U.S. take advantage of. At the same time, may we all humble ourselves today, confess & repent of our own failures - our sins, and also the sins of the Body of Christ as a whole. Then ask for God to heal our land. I know this verse is the "oft-quoted" verse...But it can be easy to read and not really take in: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." It's us believers doing the humbling, praying, seeking God's face, turning from our wicked ways....And THEN God does the forgiving of our sin and the healing of our land. It is my prayer that much healing will be effected/started today through God doing incredible things in our elections as we believers humble ourselves, pray & seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways. -Chris SUBSCRIBE INFO Want to receive a Christian inspirational item AND great clean humor in an email to you each day of the week? It's easy and FREE! Read all about Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com --- ...From Christian Coalition: Click Here to Download Your Free Voter Guides http://www.cc.org/download_2016_voter_guides ============================================================== ___..__ __..--""" ._ __.' "-..__ '"--..__"; ___ '--...__""; `-..__ '"---..._;" """"----' DrS >Hurting Hands Story Editor: by Scott Hewett Joyce Schowalter California, USA During the winter of 1986 I was working in construction near Oakland, California. It is not unusual for construction workers' hands to become very painful during the winter season from working with concrete, wet lumber, mud, etc. My hands were no exception that year. They were literally cracking open and bleeding at the joints in the fingers and thumbs. Stopping work because of hurting hands is simply not an option in the construction industry. You grit your teeth, keep working, and finish the job -- but do further damage to your hands in the process. The only respite occurs on weekends. My co-workers and I had been consoling each other daily on how bad our hands had gotten. The pain is similar to "paper cuts" occurring many times an hour. One morning I left for work at 5:00 a.m. to pour concrete, and pulled into a gas station to fuel up. As I got out of my truck, I noticed a newspaper delivery van and the driver struggling with bales of daily newspapers. I took a second look, and noticed that the man had some sort of birth defect and had no forearms. At the area where most people have elbows, he had appendages that looked more like an otter's flippers than hands. I was amazed to see him doing a job that would otherwise require a very physically gifted person. Still, he was somewhat struggling with the larger bundles, because his arms simply weren't long enough to encircle the bales. Instead he had to "pinch" the bundles and lift them with his stubby arms. On my way to pay for the gasoline, I stopped and asked him if I could help him in any way. He politely refused my offer. A few minutes later while I was refueling, he exclaimed, "Hey buddy, I could use some help. Would you mind tying my shoes for me?" As I was tying his shoes, he went on to explain that tying his shoes was the *only* thing he couldn't do for himself. He thanked me as I got in my truck and started to drive away. I came to a full stop and looked back at him as he was getting into his van. I looked down at my hands. Suddenly it hit me: I had been complaining about my hurting hands for weeks. That man back there would do anything, anything at all, to have my cracked and bleeding hands. Every winter when my hands start cracking and bleeding, I think back to that chance encounter in 1986. That man would do anything to have these hands. And just like magic, they stop hurting. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Our Friend Bunni :) ___ .--. .--.-" "-' .- | / .-,` .' \ ` \ '. ! \ | ! .--. | \ '--' /.____ /`-. \__,'.' `\ __/ \`-.____.-' `\ / | `---`'-'._/-` \----' _ |,-'` / | _.-' `\ .' / |--'` / | / /\ ` | | | .\/ \ .--. __ \ | '-' '._ / `\ / jgs `\ ' |------'` \ | | \ / '._ _.' `` >Operation Teddy Bear I was driving the children to school when I first heard the news. My initial thoughts were that it was a small plane that had undoubtedly caused damage, but it was early and surely there were not many people at work yet. I thought How awful, and I hoped that there were no fatalities. Then I put it out of my mind. To be honest, I was too busy wallowing in my own pity to dwell on something that happened so far away from my little world in a tiny town in Tennessee. My husband was out of work nearly a month now and still he had found nothing. We were so far behind on bills I doubted we would ever dig out of that hole. I had made an appointment to see if I could get state assistance just to put food on the table for our three children. I was missing my mother, who had passed away in 1997, and had no one to share my woes. I remember thinking that things couldn't get much worse. I made it back home, and after tidying up the house a bit, I settled in to nurse the baby and catch a bit of television. The images that flashed across the screen on every channel horrified me. I went from shock and disbelief to absolute horror, then came the anger, and finally I just went numb. I had cried for hours and hours and couldn't sleep at all that night. All my petty thoughts of debt and self-pity were gone. True, I was in the same predicament that I had been in hours earlier, but that seemed somehow trivial in the face of such tragedy. So many lives, so much destruction and an entire nation in mourning. Who cares if the car payment is made? I sat in my bed that night and I cried. I cried for the mothers who lost their children, and for the firefighters, EMTs and police who paid the ultimate price in the name of service. I cried for the children who lost their parents. I cried for our nation, and I cried for my children. I cried because I was fortunate enough to have a home and bed to go to that night and because my children, husband and family were all safe and sound. I cried out of fear that we may go to war and my children would have to be raised during war time. I cried until no more tears came. The next morning I went through the usual motions of getting the children ready for school. They asked very few questions about the previous day's events, but the few they did ask started me thinking. "Why did God make bad people, Mommy?" asked my six-year-old. "God didn't make them bad, honey," was my mumbled response. Thankfully that appeased him. "Mom, can't we go and help them?" my eleven-year-old pleaded. "Oh baby, I wish that we could, but it is so far away and we just don't have any money to send," came my shame-filled reply. Once the children were in school, their questions continued to flutter in my mind. Why? Why? WHY? I didn't have any answers, only more questions of my own. I stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up diapers, and while there, I saw some red, white and blue ribbon. It was only forty-four cents for a roll, so I figured I could afford that much to show my support for those who were dealing with such horror. I made unity ribbons for the entire family and even had enough ribbon to make a few extra that I carried to the school and gave to the teachers. That night my daughter removed her ribbon and pinned it to her favorite teddy bear, I assumed for safe-keeping. Then to my surprise she brought the bear over to me and said, "Mommy, can I send this to New York to one of the people who were hurt?" With tears in my eyes I said, "Sure, honey, I think we could do that." From there the wheels began to turn in my head. Why couldn't we do that? I thought I could collect bears and attach a unity ribbon and a handwritten message to each one to send to New York City and Washington, D.C. I can do that! So the 911 Teddy Bear Brigade (Operation Bear Hugs) was born. I got on my computer, and I told as many people as I could. One of the online groups called "Mom writers" was especially supportive. This group of mothers is one of the most compassionate group of people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Before I knew it, I had suggestions coming in and offer to help write a press release, and within a few days, over forty bears from around the world had been delivered to my doorstep. Once the press release and flyers were ready, things really took off. I was interviewed first by the local paper, then on television by our local public access television show, "Tullahoma Living." Then the newsleader Channel 6 had us on briefly. I e-mailed several network news channels, and a few of them mentioned our project. Girl Scout troops sent us bears with notes that would tear your heart out. With each new bear and every precious message attached, our hearts were filled to overflowing and we cried. Oh, how we cried. By October 5, we had in our possession about three hundred bears. Some of them didn't have notes, and for those we asked local fire and police departments if they wanted to write messages, and for the others we wrote them. We have a target date of December 11, 2001, to send the bears to New York City and Washington. We don't know how many we will end up with, but our target is five thousand. We will be giving the bears to the volunteers. We noticed that much was being done for the victims and families, so we wanted to honor the volunteers who have worked so tirelessly, sleeping on the street and returning to work at daybreak. I cannot imagine the horror of the scene at Ground Zero, but I am so thankful for the people who are there giving so selflessly of themselves to help others. They deserve our thanks and so much more. I know you may be thinking a bear is nothing in the scheme of things, but it isn't really the bear that counts. It is the messages attached, the love and gratitude and the simple gesture that count. The volunteers are the backbone of the re scue and clean-up efforts and should not be overlooked. I think this quote says it best: "Volunteers are NOT paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless." I just wanted to show that if I can do something to help make a difference, then anyone can. I am simply a stay-at-home mommy on a tight budget. I had no money to give, but I gave what I did have: my love and eternal gratitude. -- Tina Warren (c) --- ...Awww, so heartwarming! Thanks Bunni! Goes to show how precious life is to us here in America and how extremely differently life is valued by ISIS. They are the epitome of evil. The opposite of those of us who love God and strive to be the best we can be for Him and our lord Jesus Christ. They use women and children as their shields. They behead, burn alive, rape and torture those who do not agree with their ideology and their god. We should pray for them and ask that our Lord Christ Jesus takes care of them so their evil cannot reign supreme across our land. Unless we want the darkness that Syria and the middle East has in their land here, then we need to keep God on our side and not push Him away from our nation. This separation of church and state is simply the devil's way of getting rid of the one true God in our country. With God we are strong and united and free. Without God we are in darkness with evil all around us and we are bond by the evil holding us ensnared in its web of lies and deceit and death. We as Christians need to uphold God and our Lord Jesus Christ to the point we do not accept the secular acts of barring them from all our public places. It is simple. If you love God, you will stand up for Him. Nobody wants any fanatic actions. Chaos is not God's way. If you want to be a nut case, then don't do it in the name of God. God is love. We can uphold Godly ways in our country without being overly zealous and turning people off to God. We do things right and true and orderly and we keep God first in our lives. Then all will fall into place with God's great blessings. ========================================================== >-->From Kidwarmers: o o% // -="~\ ~\\\ \\\ \\\ );\ /|;;\ """;;;;;;;\ ///"""""""";;;;;;\ ___////+++++""""""""""""";;;@@\ __________///////++++++++++++++""""""""@@@@%) ....__/0)///0)//0)//0)/++////////++++++++++"""@@@%%%%%/ ..---0)/--------////////////////+++++++/////+++++@@%%%%%%%/ ..///---0)---0)///0)//0)///0)/////////+++++====@%%%%%%/ ...0)....//----///------////////////+++++///" \/\\// //../0)--0)///0)///0)///0)//++++///// / \/ --///--------///////////+++///// _/ / .-//..0).-/0)--0)--0)--0)--.. /\ / .......--/////////. /\_ .0)..0).. unknown >THE FUNNIEST THINGS KIDS SAY Parth, 4, visited a zoo in Solapur, India, with his Mom Gouri. In the birds' enclosure, he saw a magnificent dancing peacock, with his feathers spread all around him. Immediately Parth began to scan the enclosure intently, from top to bottom. He looked puzzled and his mother asked him what he was searching for. He replied, "Mom! I'm looking for the speakers. The peacock is dancing, but I can't hear any music!" -- Submitted by Vaibhav Dharamse (friend of Gouri) of Bombay, India Here is another darling zoo story. The whole family was going to spend the day at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines to celebrate Madison's fourth birthday. As a special treat, she spent the night before her big day with her grandparents. At breakfast the next morning, Grandpa Tom asked her how it felt to be four. Madison looked at him with much indignation and said, "Grandpa, I'm not four yet! I won't be four till we get to the zoo!" -- Sue Cerwinske (grandmother of Madison) of Pella, Iowa Diane had been babysitting her grandson, Oggie, on Oct. 27, the night of the lunar eclipse. When his daddy, Brent, came to take him home, they all went out on the porch to look at the moon. Brent pointed to the moon and told 23-month-old Oggie to look at the moon. The little boy looked and looked. Finally he asked, "Where did the cow go?" They had been reading "Hey Diddle Diddle" that evening! -- Diane Schlemmer of LaGrange, Indiana Kameron, 4, was saying her bedtime prayers with her parents. She was thanking God for a long list of things like her family, the trees, the flowers, the rain that makes the trees and flowers grow, etc. Then she said, "and thank you God for the bees and the honey they make... but for their stings... no thanks!" She said it in the same tone of voice you would use if someone asked you if you wanted something and you replied with a simple, "No thanks." -- Stacia Smith (mother of Kameron) of Texas ,;;;:. ;;''''`: ;( O O| ,;;, | _\| \ | \__-/ ,' / | | / / _,--''`---'''-------.,-' / ,' / `. | _,' ,' |====== WM =| |-' \ ,======| |=|''---' / `. ,' \ \/ / ,'. ,'`' | --._ | ,' ,' | | __,' _,' \ -._ | `- ,-' |---------) ';;' ;:::::::::| ;:::::::::::\ /::::::;:::::| /_:::::/\:::::_\ / `-:_/ \,-' | / / \ | | | | _,) \_,-\ | | \ | | | |__| \,-| /##| | | \##/ | | ,-'''-. |,-| // \_/ \\ `.##\ |\_/ \_/| `--` jrei \/ \_/ \/ `-...-' While waiting for his brother to finish soccer practice, Christopher, 5, was walking in the park with his mother Kathy. Holding his mother's hand and swinging it back and forth, Chris asked, "Mom, who should I marry?" With a smile, Kathy said, "Oh, Chris, you have lots of time to decide. I wouldn't worry about it right now." Chris replied, "I just want to make the decision and get it over with!" -- Kathy Sehlhorst (mother of Chris) of Ada, Ohio, who adds, "Chris is now 21 and still hasn't decided.") Rebekah's family moved to a new home and the 5-year-old didn't like the curtains in her new room. Rebekah said, "Mom, I hate to tell you this and I don't want to hurt your feelings, but those curtains have got to go!" -- Margaret Heise (great-grandmother of Rebekah) formerly of Garrett, Indiana, now in Arizona for the winter Tauna tells about a little boy in her aunt's kindergarten class who kept trying to leave for home after lunch. She sat him down and explained that he was in all-day school now. The little boy sat there thinking about what his teacher had said. Then he asked, "I just want to know who the h*** signed me up for this!" He didn't agree to the all-day stuff and he wanted answers! -- Tauna Kemp of Petersburg, Virginia When Blake was 10 and his sister Megan was 6 they were building a fort with the neighbor boy in the woods. Megan and Blake came into the house to get some tools. Blake's father Dave told them not to use any of his (Dave's) tools because Blake had his own tools. Some time passed and Megan came in to the house. Dave asked Megan if the boys had any of his tools in the woods. "I can't tell you," Megan said. "That would get the boys in trouble." -- Charlotte Sawyer (mother of Blake and Megan) of Pennville, Indiana | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |===| )---( |_|_| |___| |___| \ / ).( [_] \-/ \|/ U hjm ' ' John, 5, and his mother were on the way to the grocery store, which has a small toy aisle. John asked if he could get a toy. His mother responded, "It depends..." Before she could finish her sentence, John piped up, "O.K., O.K., I will take 'de pen' instead of de toy today!" -- Bev (mother of John) of Sunnyvale, California. She says she was laughing so hard she had to pull over to the side of the road! Another day, John had been asking his dad to tickle him. Usually, he would get tickled in his armpits and on his tummy, but his dad likes to tickle in the back of the knees, too. So amidst gales of laughter at being tickled, John gasped for breath and said, "Dad, tickle my kneepits and give my armpits a rest!" _--_ ( A's) /___7 .~~\ /~~. /""_ V \ om /____/ / .mmmC="_ _/ -----===(((((}{).MMM "" | `"---" ..mMMM"" | \ ( )" \ /\ | / / \ \ /" / \ \ \__/" \__/ '94 the wolfe / / | | .^V^. .^V^. +-+ +-+ Hannah was from a "mixed" family -- her parents were Cardinal fans and her sister and grandparents were Cub fans. When Hannah was in kindergarten she had a teacher that she loved dearly; but one day she came home from school and told her grandmother that she was upset with her teacher. But she wouldn't tell her why. Her grandmother and mother were concerned because they knew that Hannah was easy-going and it took a lot to get her upset. After hours of not giving an answer, Hannah finally said, "The teacher told us to store our extra supplies (glue, tissues, etc.) by her desk... She said we would each have a cubby hole to keep the stuff in. She won't get my stuff until she gets Cardinal holes!" -- Grace Hermetet (neighbor of Hannah) of Beardstown, Illinois Note: You are welcomed to use, copy and share these stories, but please reference http://www.funnykids.com as the source. ========================================================== _, __.=""=._/'/`-,' `"=.__, ( ,"==" ; `=, `^`^`^"`', ; jgs '; ( `` >-->"The Ten Most Important Things" 1 - LOVE: The special feeling that makes you feel all warm and wonderful. 2 - RESPECT: Treating others as well as you would like to be treated. 3 - APPRECIATION: To be grateful for all the good things that life has to offer. 4 - HAPPINESS: The full enjoyment of each moment. A smiling face! 5 - FORGIVENESS: The ability to let things be without anger. 6 - SHARING: The joy of giving without thought of receiving. 7 - HONESTY: The quality of always telling the truth. 8 - INTEGRITY: The purity of doing what's right, no matter what. 9 - COMPASSION: The essence of feeling another's pain, while easing their hurt. 10 - PEACE: The reward for living the 10 Most Important Things. -<>- .-.-"````"-.-. ,-._._ \ / _._.-, '. '-. \ / .-' .' \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ | | | | / | \_/ \_/ | | | ; ; jgs \ / '.__ _ _ __.' ``` \ / ``` / \ d b \/ >Peace In His Presence (By Linda Wolovich) [Edited] In this world of uncertainty Where tomorrow may never be We have a HOPE that we can cling to That we find only, Lord, in Thee! With You, we need not fear No worries to consume our minds For each moment lies in Your hands With You, PEACE is what we'll find! We may lose our worldly possessions Relationships may come and go BUT Your Presence is ever abiding Your blessings will ALWAYS flow! As we stay obedient to Your Word With dedicated hearts and lives to You We know NOTHING will ever be too great, Lord - You will FOREVER see us through! So we'll cast ALL of our care upon You We'll fret not what tomorrow will bring For the Lord watches over His children With You we KNOW we can face ANYTHING! >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 ************************************************************************