SHMILY ... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@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 ================== >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) _,._ __.-` `"""-. ..--' `"-. `)_,._ (` )--.-"``` `"-. '-----------' ( ) jgs `-------------` I've had my mom's potato salad recipe for ages but it always stumped me. All it had was the main sauce ingredients without saying how many potatoes or spices or anything else. Mom had the rest of it in her head which of course didn't do me much good. She did that a lot. We kids would ask how she did something and she'd just shrug and say it was in her recipe tin. When we'd get it, it was generally just a partial recipe. Well, I finally got brave and decided to give it a whirl. After all, I know more about cooking now and have a general idea of what Mom did. Besides, I was tired of spending around $7.00 for cup and a half from our local restaurant for carry out potato salad just because it tasted close to Mom's. Much closer then any of our local grocery stores. It turned out pretty good! Everyone likes it here. So I wrote up the ingredients and the directions of what I did so all of you could enjoy it too! Check it out here: Under Meals And Breads: Potato Salad http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/easy.html -<>- >-->More HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) We've got a new BibleStudy page! This one comes from www.TruthOrTradion.com. I love it. It is a bit lengthly but well worth the read! ,-. ( \()Oo `-,---. .-. \ | oO()/ ) \ \ ,--- ,-' |_/ | / ,-. / _/ |_/ \_/ ,-. \_/ s-v You Are The Only You God Has http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html --- This comes from a forward from our Friend Jo Ann and stunned me when I first saw it. After I got the page done, I still had to do more research to verify this wasn't fake. Well, see what you think. Give it time to load and then enjoy listening to Jungle Books trashin' midi song as you check it out! ,-~~~~~~~-, |`-------'| | | | | | | Trash Bag With | | <-- Gucci label in the back `-------' -D C Au- Trash Shadow Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/shadowart.html __________________ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ /------------------------------------- //---------------// / | // // / __| // // / / || // // / / || //_______________// o o / / || ___/-\___ ------------------------------------/ -------- | |---------| | DO NOT PLAY | | HOUSEHOLD | | | | | | | | ON OR AROUND| |WASTE ONLY | | | | | | | |-------------- ------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------- |_______| -Thomas Augustus Kimberley- --- ...Awesome! Thank You Jo Ann!! ========================================================= >-->From Heartwarmers: ,_____,_____, 6 __ T\ :. .^\,_/_\_I_ I ^T=====;=====T /| -Dylan Parker- I I _|_| >THE BOYS ON THE CORNER by Clara Wersterfer The men were there every day, sitting on the porch or steps of the defunct pool hall. The deserted building sat on a corner where two streets met and formed a Y. There was a front porch with an old bench and a couple of chairs. There were four or five men who played dominos or cards, or at times were whittling on a block of wood, shaping it into a toy for a child. They nodded or waved to most people who passed by. I don't know why they were referred to as the "boys who sat on the corner" since most of them were at least 40 or 50 years old. One day, I asked my mother why they were always there. She explained it was because they had no jobs and no place to go. One was called Blackie due to his jet black hair, black eyes and dark skin. He had the build of a boxer -- wide shoulders and muscular arms. Mom said he was almost full Cherokee. Blackie lived with his widowed mother. He hunted and fished now and then, went to visit relatives in Cherokee and lived on a pension. Then there was Lonnie. He had served his country during WW I. Wounded in France he had never recovered enough to hold a job. His lungs were damaged from some kind of gas, so mom had heard. Lonnie lived with his sister and her family. He also received a small government pension. Another regular was Jesse. He really was the only boy in the bunch. Jesse might have been 20 years old. Jesse was an albino. His hair was snow white with skin that matched. Jesse had pink eyes and wore heavy glasses, which magnified his pink eyes showing them quite large. When the sun was on him, his ears looked pink also. Jesse was tall, but stooped like an old man. He was capable of working and sometimes helped in the neighborhood if someone was building or working on the yard. Jesse lived at home with his folks who supported him. The fourth regular was Tom Bell. That was his first and last name and everyone called him Tom Bell. It was "Good day, Tom Bell" or "Where are you going, Tom Bell?" Tom Bell was afflicted with palsy or some disease that caused him to shake. His head and hands shook and he sort of stumbled when he walked. Tom Bell lived at home with his wife who worked at Mae's Diner. Most people called this quartet of men misfits, idlers, lazy and no good. That is, until the day there was a car accident right there on the corner. One of the cars ran a stop sign and rammed the other car. A man was alone in one car and uninjured. A couple with a 6-year-old boy was in the other car. The child was bleeding badly from a cut on his head. The men rushed to the cars and immediately started helping. Tom Bell fumbled a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to the boys wound to stop the flow of blood. Jesse ran quickly to his home a few doors down the street to use the phone to call an ambulance. The lady had hit the dashboard and her nose and mouth were bleeding profusely. Lonnie turned her head to one side and using his fingers pulled the broken teeth from her mouth to prevent her from choking. He held her head up slightly to stop the blood from filling her throat. His time in the military served him well. Blackie's strong arms was able to extricate the father from behind the crushed steering wheel and allow him space to breathe. By the time the ambulance arrived a large crowd had gathered. The ambulance people commended the men for helping the family and remarked they may have saved all three lives. There was a nice write up in the local paper the next day. From that time on, everyone in the area looked on the "boys" with a lot more respect, waving to them and saying hello. No longer were they called idlers or no good. Now they were called heroes. No one knows how many days they sat on that corner, just to be there the day they were needed to save three lives. This confirms my belief that we are always right where God wants us to be. -- Clara Wersterfer ______________________________________________ Clara lives in Texas. ================================================================ >-->From Our Friend Lorraine :) ________ .##@@&&&@@##. ,##@&::%&&%%::&@##. #@&:%%000000000%%:&@# #@&:%00' '00%:&@# #@&:%0' '0%:&@# #@&:%0 0%:&@# #@&:%0 0%:&@# #@&:%0 0%:&@# "" ' " " ' "" START OVER When you've trusted God and walked his way, When you've felt his hand lead you day by day, But your steps now take you another way..... Start Over When you've made your plans and they've gone awry, When you've tried your best and there's no more try, When you've failed yourself and you don't know why...... Start Over When you've told your friends what you plan to do, When you've trusted them and they didn't come through; And now you're all alone and it's up to you..... Start Over When you've failed your kids and they're grown and gone, When you've done your best but it's turned out wrong, And now your grandchildren have come along...... Start Over When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will, When you've prayed and prayed and you don't know still, When you want to stop cause you've had your fill...... Start Over When you think you're finished and want to quit, When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit, When you've tried and tried to get out of it..... Start Over When the year has been long and successes are few, When December comes and you're feeling blue, God gives a January just for you.... Start Over Starting over means "Victories Won"; Starting over means "A Race well run"; Starting over means "God's Will Be Done"; Don't just sit there...... START OVER. --- ...What a great poem! Thank You Lorraine! This reminds me of a motivational camp I went to once where the theme was 'Why Sit We Here Until We Die?" twoep mkkkkkkk z1 ldk Vtmn i Cm k k Tkm k xk D k V m yl m m m h l l k Y k p yk l l k V y k l k r 7h z l k l l o `' l 7 l k k r ' p m k lmmmt k l .l m k l km l r k Yh y k 2oP k t tyyy k ' y k Dk D m mm m V mmmmyt mn Tyl t m Ymmm (---. ' __ r mt Yz (`-- `-' ) mmm mmlt YMmmmmnnc -_ = -- wwwwt D > = (BP mkT Y ---______) K m mkT Ym y Y ym m Ymm Only fools sit and cry - it must be time for a START OVER! Attitude means a lot in this life! It isn't everything, but it sure is high on the list! Who will succeed but he who won't quit? How can you win if all you do is quit? Want some good motivational teachings? (That poem motivated me to do up this BibleStudy for us :) You Are The Only You God Has http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html Self Talk http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/selftalk.html God Moves When You Move http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/godmoves.html Taking ACTION http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/takingaction.html Trust In The Lord http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/trustinthelord.html Overcome Negative Thinking http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/overcomenegative.html Words of Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/edification.html ============================================================== >-->From SermondFodder: + (|) _____.___.|_|. | / \ |===| | / \ | o | |__/__v__\|, ,| | | | | | || || |/| . . . |','| ||| A A A | , | ||| M M M | | wtx --------------------- >TOP WAYS TO CURB THE ANNOYING PROBLEM OF CHURCH GROWTH Begin your message with the phrase, "You know what's wrong with you people..." Move business meetings to Sunday morning and open up the floor by asking, "So does anybody have a beef?" Begin that year-long sermon series on the 40 weeks of Daniel. Place a polygraph machine on the front pew to be used during invitation time. Keep the Christmas pageant livestock in the church choir room year 'round. If your auditorium slopes downward to the platform, give every kid under 12 a handful of marbles before the service. Give deacons the ability to "gong" anyone singing special music. Place the outdoor welcome center tent a few feet from the septic tank. Put a blank for "weight" on the membership information forms. In order to feel relevant, say "You know" or "Dude" 15 times from the pulpit each Sunday. Have the organist play hockey cheers at pivotal moments of the sermon. Before the offertory hymn, have the worship leader scream, "Show me the money!" And the number 1 way to avoid the anoying problem of church growth.... Charge tolls for the use of restrooms. === by Matt Tullosas seen in The Good Stuff Newsletter. To subscribe or send a blank email here with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line: mailto:Mark@TheGoodStuffNewsletter.com === . | , \ _---_ / -_ .' `. _- __ : .---. : __ : \ / : -" `. | | .' "- / |`-'| \ ' ]"-_[ ` ]"-_[ Ojo 98 "*" >"Is Your `Big Idea' From God?" By Doug Apple from Apples of Gold. As soon as I heard about it, I knew I had to do it. I don't know why. I'd never done anything like it before. All I can say is that something stirred within me. I felt compelled. One thing you don't do in middle school is take chances. Better to run with the pack than risk ridicule, especially if you might be branded a loser. Well, I lost. I figured I would, so why did I do it? I don't know. I was the new kid. We moved in the middle of the school year, and I was plunked down into a classroom of strangers. Actually, I was the stranger. Weeks passed. I learned my place in the social order. I made acquaintances, but pretty much just laid low. Then came the announcement. The Spring Program. Everyone was in it, but there was one special role. It was so important that there would be tryouts, not in some side room, but in front of all the kids. In fact, the students would vote on it. The winner would be…The Narrator. Public speaking strikes fear into most adults. Now tell a preteen that they are going to have to stand up and speak, and then be judged, not by the nice teacher, but by a howling pack of middle schoolers… It's just not normal. That's why only two kids dared to try out. One was very popular and athletic and tall and all the girls thought he was so cute. And then there was me. I was doomed from the beginning. It was going to be a popularity contest, and I was a nobody. So why did I do it? I have no idea, even after all these years. All I can say is that I felt compelled. I heard about it, and I just really wanted to do it. You ever felt that way? Driven to do something but you didn't know why? Cyrus felt that way. You know, Cyrus, King of Persia. When he became King of Persia, he had among his subjects thousands of Jews who had been taken captive. But suddenly he felt compelled to let them go. It was just something that stirred up within him. So he made a proclamation, basically saying "If any of you Jews wants to go back to your homeland…go." Why did he do that? Why would he let all those captives go? The Bible gives the answer, in Ezra chapter one: "The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia…" Cyrus felt compelled, and where did that feeling come from? From God Himself. Meanwhile, the Jews had been captive a long time. Why would they want to pull up roots now, and go back to some desolate country just because their relatives had lived their long ago? But many of them did. As soon as they heard the king's proclamation, they just knew that they had to go. Why? Again the Bible gives the answer. Ezra 1:5 says they prepared to go - "…everyone whose heart God had moved…" See, God had a plan. And to make His plan happen, He stirred up the king to make that proclamation, then He stirred up the people to respond to the proclamation. God orchestrated it, and the people responded. They likely didn't know why, they just wanted to. Obviously not every urge is from God. Urges can range from heavenly to devilish. So make sure your "urge" is good and Godly and biblical. After that, how do you know it's from God? Perhaps a "big idea' is stirring within you. ,_('--, (.--; ,--')_, | ;--.) .-. |.| .-. He's The Lily Of The Valley \|\|/ .-. .-.`\|/|/`_ `\|/|/` ' `^jgs`^^`^``^``^``^``^`` It's powerful, and you can't do it alone. Here's the cool part. If it's from God, you can be sure He's stirring it up in others as well. Isn't that awesome! The living God has planted it inside you, and other people, too. When you make your "proclamation," these others will respond. They will be ready to rise up and take action, because God is also stirring within them. Is now the time? Test the waters. Tell others your idea and see if God is stirring the same thing in them. If so, great! If not, it doesn't mean it's a bad idea. It might just mean now is not the time. Either way, just keep tuning in to God and be aware that one way He moves is by stirring your heart and compelling you to action. Comments? E-mail dougapple@wave94.com. ==================================================================== >-->From InpsiredBuffalo: ."";._ _.---._ _.-"". /_.'_ '-' /`-` \_ \ .' / `\ \ /` \ '. .' / ; _ _ '-; \ ;'. _.' ; /\ / \ \ \ ; '._;._ .-'.--. | / | \0|0/ \ | '-. / /` \ | / .' \ | .---. \ | | | / /--' .-"""-. \ \/ \ | \ \ / / / ( , , ) /\ \ | / \ '----' .' | '-(_)-' | | '. / / `'----'` | '. | `'----'` jgs \ `/ '. , .' `-.____.' '.____.-' \ / '-' >A YOUNG PUP By: Joseph J. Mazzella My aging Saint Bernard, Buddy and six month old Beagle puppy, Snoopy Girl are doing their morning wrestling match as I write this. It is always such a joy to watch. Snoopy will stand on her hind legs to nibble on the hanging jowls of old Buddy and run in circles around him while he tries to pin her down with his big head and long legs. There is a lot of barking, playful growling, jumping, and bouncing around too. Sometimes the whole house will shake as they have their morning fun. It makes me laugh seeing the carefree happiness in them. It delights my soul as well seeing my little Beagle bring out the puppy that still lives inside my senior citizen Saint Bernard. Watching the two of them helps me see again that we really aren’t these aging bodies that carry us around but rather the shining souls that live within them. Never let yourself be fooled by that person in the mirror. Our bodies may wrinkle and shrink and our hair may gray and thin out, but on the inside we are as vibrant and beautiful as we ever were. Our souls are eternal. They may grow wiser and more loving in this life, but they will remain forever young. And while our bodies will all one day return to dust the souls within them will go on to an even greater life beyond this one. Don’t let yourself become an old dog in this life then. Let that young pup that still lives within you come out to play instead. Live from your soul and love from your heart. You were put here to learn, grow, and become. You were put here to create, enjoy, and delight in your life. You were put here to be the most loving, giving, caring, joyous, and beautiful person you can be. And you were put here to share that person with everyone you meet. Have the time of your life doing so and always remember that God loves you today, tomorrow, and forever. -<>- ~~~ THE PAST ~~~ She came tonight as I sat alone.. The girl I used to be.... And she gazed at me with her earnest eye And questioned reproachfully: Have you forgotten the many plans And hopes I had for you? The great career,the splendid fame, all the wonderful things to do? Where is the mansion of stately height With all its gardens rare? The silken robes that I dreamed for you And the jewels in your hair? And as she spoke, I was very sad For I wanted her pleased with me... This slender girl from the shadowy past The girl that I used to be. So gently rising, I took her hand And guided her up the stairs Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay Innocent, sweet, and fair. And I told her that these are my only gems, And precious they are to me; That silken robes is my motherhood Of costly simplicity. And my mansion of stately height is love, And the only career I know Is serving each day in these sheltered walls For the dear ones who come and go And as I spoke to my shadowy guest, She smiled through her tears at me. And I saw the woman that I am now Pleased the girl I used to be. --Author unknown -<>- >BUILDING YOUR LIFE By: Joseph J. Mazzella My wife and her brother recently built a new deck on the back of our house. It really looks fantastic, and one of the reasons for this is probably because I had nothing to do with it. The truth is that while I have gotten better at fixing things over the years I am still far more skilled at breaking them than putting them back together. It is a running joke here that my wife is both the better cook and the better handyman in this house. As little as I know about building things with nails, screws, and lumber, however, I am happy to say that I know far more about building a life. While I still make mistakes in that area too, I think that I am becoming more skilled as I get older at knowing how to construct and live a life full of love, joy, good ness, and giving. I have come to know for instance that a great way to start the day is with a joyous: "Good morning God. Thank you for my life." I have come to know that few things feel better than giving a warm hug and few things sound quite so Heavenly as saying, "I love you." I have come to know that few things are as peaceful as a walk in the woods and that few things are as inspiring as watching a sunset. I have come to know that petting a dog or a cat is not only good for your health, but also good for your soul. I have come to know that any joy you get from your work or your life will be in direct proportion to the joy that you bring to them. I have come to know that it is the good things you do for your community, the kind acts you do for your friends, the compassion you show for strangers, and the love you give this world that bring meaning and richness to life. I have come to know most of all ,though, that it is with every choice we make that we build our lives, create our joy, share our love, and grow in our oneness with God. May you build your own life well then. And may God always smile upon your handiwork. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment Magic Food http://www.buffaloschips.com/gdhdjssaa.htm Magician Act Followed By Explanation http://www.buffaloschips.com/gsdhsjsk.htm Malcom-Jue-Bebe http://www.buffaloschips.com/gshsjsk.htm Marine And Geese http://www.buffaloschips.com/gshsjsks.htm ================================================================= >-->From Our Friend Richard :) |\ \`-. _.._| \ |_,' __`. \ (.\ _/.| _ | ,' __ \ | Be On Guard! ,' __/||\ | (Y8P ,/|||||/ | `-'_---- / /`-._.-'/ `-.__.-' jg >Do You Know Your Neighbors? I mean, REALLY - Do you know your neighbors? Just put in your address & your neighborhood map will pop up. Every place you see a red balloon or thumb tack is the home of a convicted felon. Just hover your mouse over an icon & not only will the name come up, but also the crime they were convicted of. Share with your friends . . . safety first. This was disturbingly interesting. http://www.felonspy.com/ --- ...Scary! Really interesting AND informative! Thank You Richard! ================================================================ >In the Crosswalk Story Editor: by Joanne Smarney Joyce Schowalter Michigan, USA In 1990 I was working in the downtown area in Flint, Michigan. I was at the Genesee County Drain Commissioner's Office, very near the county court buildings. The day was extremely cold and windy, but I decided to take my morning break outside. I wanted to walk around the building to clear my head and get a break from the clamor inside. My morning had been extremely busy and noisy, with phones ringing and everyone in the office talking at the same time. Freezing weather always makes the telephones ring at the Drain Commissioner's Office. Sewer pipes have a perverted sense of humor and lie in wait for the coldest days. Then they decide to spring leaks and flood streets with their contents so they can watch us mortals slip, slide and dent our fenders. The maintenance department people are aware of this, and they swear that it is indeed an intentional thing on the part of the pipes. Lawyers are very common in this part of downtown, coming and going to the court building. While outside, I saw yet another "up and coming" young lawyer waiting for the light to change so he could cross the street. He was probably in his late 20's, clean cut, and impeccably dressed. His navy-blue designer overcoat must have been fresh from the cleaners. His two hundred dollar shoes glistened with polish. His briefcase was also expensive, probably a graduation gift from Mom and Dad for passing the bar. Soft leather gloves covered his hands. The light changed and he proceeded to cross the street. More than half way through, he started to take off his gloves. This puzzled me as it was very, very cold. Then I saw another man in the crosswalk, obviously down on his luck, crossing from the other side, walking with metal crutches. He had no gloves to protect him from the frozen aluminum. The lawyer paused momentarily in front of the man on crutches and handed him his fur-lined gloves. They both smiled and kept walking. The whole exchange lasted no more than two or three seconds. Yes, the lawyer won my respect, but I also truly admire the man on crutches. He not only had the good grace to accept something he needed, but also did so cheerfully. He did not protest or argue with the generous giver, instead simply smiled, said thanks, and continued on his way. It is just as important, if not more so, to accept the gifts we're given graciously as it is to be the giver of gifts. Whenever I need a lift, I just recall this story. It always cheers me. ========HeroicStories======== >-->From AndyChaps: _ / | //|| // ); _ __ ,'',// ,-' ' `-. ((// ( ) )// ( / -')))o ,' / ( ( /() / / o ) / (/\ (,_( O(O / ' / > |/ `\. o/ (_ ._/ '. || \ _\ __,'() ,-|| `-( / /( | () () / ( `-',-.'`v/ )/_ |/O `-._( `." `-'\\ // `---.-'\ )\.O _ .' ) / `-. / |\/-.___,-./ | O| ' ( \ / |\\ / ( ;\ Y ,-'(\\) | ) ,-./ ( | ( \` | ,-' ./ -^_/-. `. _\ | ,' `-< ' ,' )\_ .\| |. | (),-. _,--. | | ' ; \ ,-` ))\ \ | \ _,' ; ( ,'/ ) |/,--\ ___))`-'` gpyy `-'-'~~~``---"" '"'"'` >The Good Samaritans Andy, the story about the good Samaritans in "The Big Wheel" about helping the young mother working at the truck stop reminds me of another such story: This young woman had only three children from two to five years old. She also did not consider welfare when her husband left, not because he was an ogre, only because he was too young to handle the responsibility of marriage and parenthood. they both were, but the wife kind of gets stuck with it when the husband walks out. She did not have a fifty-one automobile, (pick up or two seater, whatever it was) or any other kind, so, while a kind neighbor watched the kids, she walked to the employment office and then walked two miles outside town to the steak house on the highway that was hiring. She made arrangements to ride with the cab driver who taxied two other employees back and forth for the night shift, for fifty cents a night. The teen ager who baby sat was a neighborhood girl whose parents were alcoholic, so she had been spending a lot of time with the young mother for someone to talk to and a safe haven at times. The young mother didn't have to call her as she stopped by on the way home from school every day. Anyway, this young mother did not have a phone. The girl also stayed every night with the children for one dollar a night, and got up at her regular time to go to school a few blocks away. It was November and getting cold even in the south. There was no kerosene for the heater and no tubing or oil barrel set up to it. There was little food and no warm clothing, so the little family had missed church several Sundays, having no jackets or long pants for the boys and only sandals to wear. The head of the Young Married Sunday School Department came to see why they had not been at church. The young mother told it all. The next day the owner of the local oil company, a fellow church member, brought out a barrel and stand and copper tubing and set up the heater, filled the barrel with kerosene and lit the stove. The Sunday School classes got together used clothing their children had out grown and got several boxes full of groceries. There was also a coat for the young mother. Sometimes you find Good Samaritans at a truck stop, but you nearly always find them in church. I am the "young mother", now an old great grandmother, who knows. Mary in Stigler ANDY SAYS...And now you know the rest of the story. Thanks MARY for touching my life as well. -<>- , _,'--.\ \_-( ;--(/\ ) \'. )6,6 /) \ \_ \ _, |_ ', '--/'---'- /_/'-._ '-'-L._ -|/ /-._ / | |-~'--._'-._/(, ,_/> / ''--~ /\<_ _/ // "-'-'\ ,~-. ._ ) / \_/ '\ / / \ | / /` _\ | ( ,/ _.-' __.' / / [((---' / / ) ) / / \/ K=/ snd / _> )_/ >My RESIGNATION as an Adult I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year-old again. I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant. I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks. I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them. I want to lie under a big oak tree and play doctors and nurses with my friends on a hot summer's day. I want to return to a time when life was simple; When all I knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, and it didn't bother me, because I didn't know what I didn't know and I didn't care. All I knew was to be happy because I was blissfully unaware of all the things that should make me worry or upset. I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good. I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again. I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones. I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow. So . . . here's my cheque book and my car-keys, my credit card bills and my cell phone. I am officially resigning from adulthood. -<>- _ _ ( \/ ) .---. \ / .-"-. / 6_6 \/ / 4 4 \ \_ (__\ \_ v _/ // \\ // \\ (( )) (( )) =======""===""========""===""======= jgs ||| ||| | | >SHMILY My grandparents were married for over half a century and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whomever was preparing the next meal. They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring. "Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet. There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows. "Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents' house as the furniture. It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents' game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love - one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience. Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble. My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome and old he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick 'em." Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other. But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' lives: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside. Now the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every morning. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone. "Shmily." It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my Grandmother's funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time. Grandpa stepped up to my Grandmother's casket, and taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby. Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. For I knew that although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty. _ _ ( \/ ) .---. \ / .-"-. / 6_6 \/ / 4 4 \ \_ (__\ \_ v _/ // \\ // \\ (( )) (( )) =======""===""========""===""======= jgs ||| ||| | | S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You. ============================================================= >-->Quotes: "Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible." -- Cherie Carter-Scott "A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins." -- Benjamin Franklin "You can pretend to be what you are not, only for a while. The real you, the true you, is just a scratch beneath the surface. Stop hiding. The world needs the real you!" -- Bob Perks "What's possible exceeds what's impossible. Think about it. Do all you can do that is possible today, and in your tomorrow, what was impossible will be possible." -- Mark Victor Hansen ---> Visit my CyberHome - ALWAYS OPEN HOUSE :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/index.html Shangrala ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales & Serrvice You can trust us to provide you with quality computer sales and repair. We've been servicing the Van Wert area since 1981 and can help you with all your computer needs. Please phone us at 419-238-5806 ************************************************************************ -->This is for all you who love food and DARRE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. 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