Scars Of Love & More ... :) 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 :) I've been having a rough time at my place over the weekend dealing with what was obviously the smell of death. Nasty! We've had this here before and while we thought it was perhaps a mouse that died under the fridge or behind the stove, it turned out to be a squirrel under the house in our crawl space. So this time, we thought it was the same thing. By being under the house, the smell distributes through every room and you feel like you need to wear a gas mask in your own home. I resorted to pouring pine cleaner into our floor vents to help take away the horrible odor. ,____ |---.\ ___ | ` / .-\ ./=) | |"|_/\/| Don't Let Him Fool Ya - ; |-;| /_| / \_| |/ \ | / \/\( | THIS GUY STINKS! | / |` ) | / \ _/ | /--._/ \ | `/|) | / / | | .' | | jgs / \ | (_.-.__.__./ / Our son, Victor, tried to go under the house in 13 above zero weather but our recent central heat/air furnace with all it's duct work stopped him cold! He was forced to give up the search on Tuesday. I went on-line searching for carcass removal people. Not much luck. They will take care of cleaning ducts, removing flood debris, sewage, and mold from your home but none say they will help with our problem. I was tempted to call the crime scene specialists but knew they wouldn't appreciate my calling them. None the less, I printed some of the fine businesses around town that deal with duct work and cleaning etc and gave the list to Paul hoping he'd call someone the next day. Wednesday it was colder, Paul had tried calling a few of them but they all said 'We don't do THAT'. So we were stuck with calling our original furnace installers. After hearing how much they'd charge just to check our ducts out, Victor decided to give it another try. My daughter Tammy and I had both lifted it to Father that he'd be able to find the problem and get it taken care of. Sure enough, Victor made it past the pipes and duct work and was compelled to go in a different direction from where he had found dead squirrels before. He said it was about under our fridge area in a hole. He'd of never had seen without actually going there because it was so dark, in a hole and it was black. A pure black cat lay decaying there. He said it looked like it had been hit by a car and crawled there to die. The hind end of it was in bad shape like it had been hurt. He came out and threw it on the front porch. We recognized the cat as one that we called Shadow's twin. Only our cat Shadow has a hint of white under his chin and a collar. This cat didn't. He often came around here looking for hand outs. :::::::' '::::::: :::::' '::::: :::' '::: :' ': _TT_ ._ _TT_ /____\ __ _____ ______ ____ |_/____\ | | _____ ________/ |_ \__ \ / ___// ___\| | _TT_ | \__ \\_ __ \ __\ / __ \_\___ \\ \___| | /____\ | / __ \| | \/| | (____ /____ >\___ >_| | | | (____ /__| |__| \/ \/ \/ | | N | | \/ | | O | | | | R | | | | M |__| |___| A | | L | |____| nigel blunt The place is all aired out now and back to normal. Praise God. ALWAYS thank God for NORMAL - what ever Your Normal may be! I've learned to appreciate normal so much! Normally though, we just have to 'walk the talk'... THE CHRISTIAN WALK http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/christianwalk.html Sometimes, though, we have to Lift Things to God when our life gets too stressful! Let Go And Let God! The reason is, because we do have an adversary that wants to mess up our life... ; `, ' :. __ `;. /' /\ , \ / |ee| `; ( |_,| , `, ) , \ ' `: | """"----,__,_.____,_ He Gets YOU In His Sights ; _ |--,_; ' , ,' `"---' ,: | , : /, ,' | ,/' ,; | ' :| , /' , | ,; , | , :' | ` ,' ,' ` ; __==' ___, pb __/_ DEALING WITH THE ADVERSARY ** Part 1 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/dealingwiththeadversary1.html DEALING WITH THE ADVERSARY ** Part 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/dealingwiththeadversary2.html ,--. //^\\\ ,;;;, . ((-_-))) (-_- ; /_\ )))((( >..'. .:. .--. |SSt| ((_._ ) /. .| :-_-; /-_-)) _))A ((_//| S || ,`-'. ))-(( THANK GOD! `( )`' |___|),;, C \\_/,`I )) \ / | | |`' |___(/-'|___() ,-. )( | | | | | | | | | (-_-) _____ /__\ |_|_| |_|_| |_|_| (\I/\.__|A|R|T| `'' `-'-' `-'-' `-'-' `'-`' `o' `o' BUT no matter what, Be Ye Thankful! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/beyethankful.html -<>- >I've been also adding more graphics to our Animated Gallery You can visit it here... AGIFS http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/agifs.html -<>- _ (_) H _ _ H (o)_(o) _ H ( ^_^ ) Ribbet Bedding? (_) H.---...__ ;---: H H| `-._ (_(.)_) H H`. `\ (O)_(O) H H--=============+----------------------------------------.H H%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%|Z7Z7Z7i _ _ _ i*_*_*_*i|L|L|L|i@_@_@_@i/ H H%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%|######i%%%%%%%i @ @ @ i*******i&&&&&&&/`-H H---------------|######i%%%%%%%i@ @ @ @i*******i&&&&&&/ @ H H_______________|######i%%%%%%%i @ @ @ i*******i&&&&&/@ @H H `~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`.@ H H `--H (_) (_) '-' kat '-' >Are You Planning on Buying KID Bedding Soon? I got a notice today from one of our affiliates... Your Kids Direct would like to offer you the coupon code for FREE SHIPPING on bedding until 2/28/08 at Your Kids Direct! Coupon Code: YKAFBED28 *Please* note the following disclaimer with offer: * Minimum purchase of $50 required in kids bedding - does not include infant bedding. Cannot be combined with other offers. Offer expires February 28, 2008 and may be used only once. Free shipping applied only to bedding items; shipping fees will apply to any additional items purchased during checkout. Telephone and mail orders are not included. Cannot be used on previously placed orders. There ya go! I love the convenience of shopping on-line and I super love it when I can get brand new quality merchandise WITH FREE SHIPPING! Exciting! So If this excites you too - then go visit them and SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP! - REMEMBER - only free shipping on Kids bedding! Your Kids Direct! http://tinyurl.com/2phk4n ==================================================================== >-->From Our Friend John-Paul :) >`Scars Of Love` ____ ____ .-" "-. .-" "-. / `. .' \ | (`-"-`) | | /'Y'\ | ; __\_^_/__ ; \ ()_ >o< _() / `\ ) : ( /' `\ / /-\ \ /' `\ ()/ \() /' jgs `\ /' `\ /' `\ /' Y On a hot summer day in south Florida , a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. ('( \ \ " Help !!! Alligators...." d@b | | @@@@' | ('( Y@P `--.. \ `--' .' `. `---....__/ | / . \ /^^^^\ / .'\ \ /^^\________/0 \ \ \ \ \ ( `~+++,,_____,,++~ -unknown- \ \ \__\ ...V^V^V^V^V^V^\........................ _`--` `--' Allen Mullen `---' His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. On his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go." You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because GOD has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, HE`S been there holding on to you. because GOD loves you. You are a child of GOD-- HE wants to protect you, and provide for you in every way, But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with `Peril`, and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the `Tug-of-War` begins, If you have the scars of HIS love on your arms, Be very, very grateful. HE did not, and will not ever let you go. I thank, You My Father, for the Scars~~ Your~Son~in~Jesus~~~John-Paul --- ...So True! Thank You John-Paul ==================================================================== >-->From Silverwings :) . , |`. ,'| \_`-._ _,-'_/ ./ \-._`-._ _,-'_,-/ \, \._/._ `._>`-.__ __,-'<_,' _,\_,/ /_ \_.`-._\_-._ `--__ __--' _,-_/_,-',_/ _\ /._`\_./ _`_./`.-._ `-. ,-' _,-,'\,_'_ \,_/'_,\ \._`/ _/ _`_./ _/`\_ `. ,' _/'\_ \,_'_ \_ \'_,/ /._`/ _/ _`_./` _/ `\_ `\_ _/' _/' \_ '\,_'_ \_ \'_,\ \._`/ _/ _`_./` __/ >. `-.,-' ,< \__ '\,_'_ \_ \'_,/ /_`/._/._`_./` __.`.-\_.-`'-._/-,',__ '\,_'_,\_,\'_\ `\._`_./`\._/_/' _ `\_\_,/'\,_'_,/' /_\ \./ __/(__ / `--' \ / _ _ \ \'| |`/ \|____|/ \/ -] \/ / | \ | | | | | \ / | \ \__,-`\___/ (_) |__) mic I received this message from another user, and thought it ought to be shared with all. For the ones that do not believe this to be possible, I ask that you constrain yourself, from being abusive, in your remarks. Others will take this to heart, and it might be very beneficial at some point in their life. I have heard other stories like this, and know that God can provide protection when it is requested, in any way he chooses. Diane, a young Christian university student, was home for the summer. She had gone to visit some friends one evening and the time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year. She ended up staying longer than she had planned and had to walk home alone. But she wasn't afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away. As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked 'God' to keep her safe from harm and danger. When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, she decided to take it. However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he were waiting for her. She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God's protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped around her, she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safety. The following day, she read in the paper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley, just twenty minutes after she had been there. Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep. Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story. The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him. She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed. The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if their was anything they could do for her, she asked if they would ask the man one question. Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the policeman asked him, he answered, 'Because she wasn't alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.' (I personally believe this story to be true, or could be true, and that the men that were seen were angels.) Thank you Stand up Guy, for sharing, and hope it was ok to post this. Blessings... --- ...Thank you Silverwings. Now I'll tell you a story. I've heard this one before and yes - I like it and think it could be true, but that's not the story I want to tell you. Speaking of God doing cool things, think of this one. I have been a member here [at FUNADVICE] for some time now. I get emails from people answering questions I've answered many times, but haven't felt compelled to come back here to check things out. It has been 6 months since my last login here so that tells you I am not a regular visitor. Today I will be working on the inspiration email I send to my group on yahoo. Guess what? Today, I felt compelled to visit here, login, and check out the questions and find yours posted 1 hour after you wrote it. Amazing huh? Just goes to show ya - Isn't God Good? And if you let Him, He will amaze you every single day by what he does! ---On a side note: A member wrote us to inform us that this is NOT true according to snopes.com - but you have to agree, it makes a good story! ===================================================================== >-->From InspiredBuffalo: ___..__ __..--""" ._ __.' "-..__ '"--..__"; ___ '--...__""; `-..__ '"---..._;" """"----' DrS >"My Hand in God's" Each morning when I wake I say, "I place my hand in God's today;" I know He'll walk close by my side My every wandering step to guide. He leads me with the tenderest care When paths are dark and I despair___ No need for me to understand If I but hold fast to His hand. My hand in His! No surer way to walk in safety through each day. By His great bounty I am fed; Warmed by His love, and comforted. When at day's end I seek my rest And realize how much I'm blessed, My thanks pour out to Him; and then I place my hand in God's again. __ Florence Scripps Kellogg -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Founded by Christians It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship. Patrick Henry Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Deliver us from greed and the delusion of self_reliance, that we may not squander our lives in the pursuit of worldly goods, poor and status. Instead, make us one in spirit with your beloved poor, that we may dedicate our lives to their service, and yours. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are the meek; they shall inherit the earth." Deliver us from egotism and make us constantly aware of and sensitive to the intrinsic dignity of each and every life. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are those who mourn; they shall be comforted." Deliver us from self_pity that may we never be so immersed in our own sufferings and sorrows that we fail to notice and offer what comfort we can to fellow sufferers. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; they shall be filled." May we who feast on your body and blood overflow with the grace that is you, transforming our lives and our world. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Make us slow to condemn and quick to forgive. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are the pure of heart; they shall see God." Free us from evil desires and fix our eyes only on you. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God." Make us willing to do whatever is necessary to bring peace tn our families, our country and our world. Lord Jesus, you said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; the kingdom of heaven in theirs." May we never value our own comforts __ or even our safety __ more than your Word of Life, and the values your Gospel extols. -<>- >Still the Best Policy "We will lovingly follow the truth at all times--speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly--and so become more and more in every way like Christ." Sadly, there seems to be a sad lack of truth in high places these days (in many low places, too). However, truth is eternal. It will always win out in the long run. Once an individual or a business company becomes known for not always telling the truth, he or it will never be trusted. Personal honesty always pays off. And, in the long run, so does corporate honesty. Some time ago Donald Douglas was competing with Boeing to sell Eastern Air Lines its first big jets. Eddie Rickenbacker, who headed Eastern at the time, is said to have told Douglas that his specifications and claims for the DC-8 were close to his competition on everything but noise suppression. He then gave Douglas one last chance to out-promise Boeing on this feature. After consulting his engineers. Douglas reported back that he did not feel he could make that promise. Rickenbacker replied, "I know you can't. I wanted to see if you were still honest. You just got yourself an order for $135,000,000." As Christians we are instructed to always speak the truth in love. Always in all ways! -<>- >THE WORK OF OUR SOULS By: Joseph J. Mazzella I always avoid the automated checkout in the grocery store. I rarely if ever use an ATM either. It isn’t that I fear them or can’t work them. It is just that there is something missing from them. The automated checkout has never once given me a warm smile when I pulled my grocery cart up to it. The ATM hasn’t once shared a kind hello or asked me how I was doing today either. The automated checkout has never given me a compliment or lightened my heart with a gentle joke like the cashiers I know have. The ATM hasn’t once offered my kids a lollipop like the bank tellers I know often do. No automated checkout has ever thanked me for something I wrote, given me a friendly hug, or even looked me in the eye. No ATM has ever wished me well or told me to have a great day. Neither one has ever made me feel happy that I came into the store or bank that day either. The cashiers and tellers I know always have. Machines may be able to do some things for us, but they can never do these things for us. Machines may be able to do a lot of work in this world, but they can’t do the work of our souls. The work of our souls is the real reason we are here, after all. The work of the world may put food in our bellies and clothes on our backs, but the work of our souls puts love in our hearts and joy in our lives. There is an old saying that goes we all should: "Work to live, but live to love." People can do both. Machines never can. _____ / \/_ //\__(\_\ |\ ^ ^ | .//_O \O_ \ \_ (_) / SMILE - God Loves You! \ \_/ / __/\ /\__ / \ \ / / \ / \/\/\/ \ / | . | \ / | . | \ JRO Remember then to always love from your heart and work from your soul. Every time you share a smile at work God smiles as well. Every time you bring a little laughter to those you work with you bring laughter to the angels as well. Every time you give a little love from your heart and joy from your soul you do the work of Heaven while still here on Earth. The work of machines may make our lives better, but it is the work of our souls that make life worth living. -<>- >Through The Storms I did not know His love before, the way I know it now. I could not see my need for Him, my pride would not allow. I had it all, without a care, the "Self-sufficient" lie. My path was smooth, my sea was still, not a cloud was in my sky. I thought I knew His love for me, I thought I'd seen His grace, I thought I did not need to grow, I thought I'd found my place. But then the way grew rough and dark, the storm clouds quickly rolled; The waves began to rock my ship, my anchor would not hold. The ship that I had built myself was made of foolish pride. It fell apart and left me bare, with nowhere else to hide. I had no strength or faith to face the trials that lay ahead, And so I simply prayed to Him and bowed my weary head. His loving arms enveloped me, and then He helped me stand. He said, "You still must face this storm, but I will hold your hand." So through the dark and lonely night He guided me through pain. I could not see the light of day or when the storm might wane. Yet through the aches and endless tears, my faith began to grow. I could not see it at the time, but my light began to glow. I saw God's love in brand new light, His grace and mercy, too. For only when all self was gone could Jesus' love shine through. It was not easy in the storm, I sometimes wondered, "Why?" At times I thought, "I can't go on." I'd hurt, and doubt, and cry. But Jesus never left my side, He guided me each day. Through pain and strife, through fire and flood, He helped me all the way. And now I see as never before how great His love can be. How in my weakness He is strong, how Jesus cares for me! He worked it all out for my good, although the way was rough. He only sent what I could bear, and then He cried, "Enough!" He raised His hand and said, "Be still!" He made the storm clouds cease. He opened up the gates of joy and flooded me with peace. I saw His face now clearer still, I felt His presence strong, I found anew His faithfulness, He never did me wrong. Now I know more storms will come, but only for my good, For pain and tears have helped me grow as naught else ever could. I still have so much more to learn as Jesus works in me; If in the storm I'll love Him more, that's where I want to be! --Unknown Author Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. -<>- Links: Cant Frown http://www.buffalosjokes.com/21717.htm Car Gymnastics http://www.buffalosjokes.com/21718.htm Car Loses control http://www.buffalosjokes.com/21719.htm Cat Door http://www.buffalosjokes.com/21720.htm To Subscribe send a blank email to: the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ================================================================ >-->From SermondFodder: . . . . . -)------+====+ . -)----==== ,' ,' . . `. `.,;___,' . `, |____l_\ _,.....------c==]""______ |,,,,,,.....____ _ . . "-:______________ |____l_|]''''''''''' . ,'"",'. `. . -)-----==== `. `. LS . -)-------+====+ . . . Incom's T-65B X-wing Space Superiority Starfighter (1) SPAM from Space: The Final Frontier What would you do with half a trillion dollars? By Jim Watkins I've spent the week staring off into space wondering what I would buy with half a trillion (that's 500,000,000,000). Let's see . . . I could buy a $45,000 BMW X5 SUV for every one of the 11,030,029 licensed drivers in California (includes dealer prep and destination charges). Or a Sony 65-inch HD TV for the living room (plus a Toshiba 42-inch with an XBox video game system in the bedroom) for every housing unit in the US. Or buy 2,390,057 houses in the US at $209,200 (the median cost of an American home). Or 625,000,000 basic Habitat for Humanity homes in third-world countries. Or pay four years of tuition at Indiana University for all of the 15,300,000 college students in the US. (Or send 5,856,996 students to Harvard for four years.) Or provide $14,460 worth of prescription drugs for every one of the 34,578,000 Americans over age 65. Or buy 555,555,555,555 Mars candy bars. Or build and equip 16,358,580 medical clinics in third world countries (includes electrical generator for each). Or support 1,600,000,000 third-world children for one year Or pay for 1 manned mission to Mars! Yep, on January 14 President George Bush told a crowd at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that he wants to see humans return to the moon by 2020. And then . . . "With the experience and knowledge gained on the moon, we will then be ready to take the next steps of space exploration: human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond. Robotic missions will serve as trailblazers -- the advanced guard to the unknown. Probes, landers and other vehicles of this kind continue to prove their worth, sending spectacular images and vast amounts of data back to Earth. Yet the human thirst for knowledge ultimately cannot be satisfied by even the most vivid pictures, or the most detailed measurements. We need to see and examine and touch for ourselves. And only human beings are capable of adapting to the inevitable uncertainties posed by space travel." While a Bush administration official told the press, "The President is not expected to immediately discuss the cost," others have offered their out of this world estimates to put humans on the red planet. According to The New Republic a 1989 NASA estimate put the sticker price at $400,000,000,000 or $600,000,000,000 in today's dollars. But Konstantin Feoktistov, who worked in the Russian space program and now lectures at the Moscow Bauman Technical University, told SPACE.com a manned mission to Mars would cost $1 trillion. "Even if the surface of Mars were covered with gems and gold, a manned mission would still be too expensive because of such a great cost," Feoktistoy said. So, half a trillion is a conservative estimate. To be fair, there are some down-to-earth benefits of space exploration. The space program has yielded breakthrough advances in communications, weather forecasting, electronics, and countless other fields. CAT Scanners and MRIs trace their origins to technologies engineered for use in space. But $500,000,000,000 is a lot of money to invest in space when there are so many more practical (and life-saving uses) for that kind of cash right here on the home planet. Or to put it another way, that amount of money would provide the President, each member of his cabinet, all twelve Supreme Court justices, and every one of 485 members of congress inpatient psychiatric care for 3,722 years. Now that might not be a bad investment! (c) 2004 James N. Watkins Note: You can go to Jim's website at www.jameswatkins.com (http://www.jameswatkins.com/shortsissues.htm#mars) for verification of these figures. As Dave Barry would say, "I'm not making this up!" =============================================================== >-->From AndyChaps: >Perks Pearl of Wisdom: "A promise isn't a wish, it's a commitment. Every day you wake up is a promise kept by God. Now promise you'll do something good with it." - Bob Perks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Andy Used By Permission For "The Funnies... An Extra" __ (`/\ `=\/\ __...--~~~~~-._ _.-~~~~~--...__ `=\/\ \ / \\ `=\/ V \\ //_\___--~~~~~~-._ | _.-~~~~~~--...__\\ // ) (..----~~~~._\ | /_.~~~~----.....__\\ ===( INK )==========\\|//==================== __ejm\___/________dwb`---`____________________________________________ "Please, God?" By Bob Perks <> All stories are copyrighted 2002 Bob Perks. We all make promises that at the time seem to be the proper thing to do. But in our hearts we know it's just polite chatter between friends. "You know it's been much too long. Let's plan on getting together soon and catch up on all that's been going on in our lives." "Sure. Give me a call." Then we walk away knowing it will never really happen. Millie always meant what she said. "It's a date!" she would say and I would reply "Mark it on your calendar." What seems an eternity ago, I once worked in a retirement center. Not one of those fancy care taker places you see today, but the county rest home. It really looked more like a hospital than a home. It very well may be where my real interest in people began. I met so many wonderful older folks there and because I was in my early 20's their wisdom caught my attention and filled my spirit with hope. Millie was a gem. I would see her several times a day and every time I said, "I'll see you later!" she would reply, "It's a date!" Then she would grab her notebook and jot it down. Millie kept those dates for the first few months she was there. But her time was limited and she knew it. As her body began to weaken her spirit stayed very much alive. She would struggle to reach for her notebook, but always refused to accept help. But the day came when Millie could no longer grasp and hold the book or pen. I had just checked on her and we talked about life and all the joys she had experienced. She would never have a bad thing to say. When I was about to leave I said, "Millie, I'll see you later." There was no response. I couldn't leave. I was so used to hearing her reply that it felt inappropriate for me to just walk out. So I walked closer to her bed and leaned over her. "Millie, I'll see you later, okay?" She smiled and reaching her right hand toward the bed table in front of her, she struggled to pick up the book. "Do you want me to mark it down for you?" I asked. She nodded her head. I took her pen and opened up the note book. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I thumbed through and every single page had the same thing scribbled several times. "Please, God?" "Millie, I thought you were making dates all this time," I said to her. She smiled and reached for my hand. "Bob, I wasn't making dates. I was asking God to help me keep them," she said. I wrote, "Please, God" in her book and laid it back on the table. Every one of those notations were Millie's way of asking God to keep her around long enough to fulfill her promise. On her final day with us, I rushed to her bedside to say my goodbyes before they took her away. Gathering her belongings I picked up the notebook and paged through it one more time. There must have been a thousand notations in that book. But Millie knew when it was time to go. The very last entry in her "Date" book read, "Thanks, God!" As they covered her I said, "Millie, I'll see you in Heaven." I swear I heard her say, "It's a date!" I replied, "Please God?" "I believe in You!" Bob Perks Bob@BobPerks.com Please don't remove my name and contact info! If you are about to copy this story to share with your friends, please leave my name, email address. It is a copyrighted story and cannot be edited in any manner. Thanks! LIST OWNERS: If you would like to use just the story feature of this message you must contact me for permission. ================================== May I suggest: Chemo Angels Here's a promise you can make and keep. Right from where you are you can touch the lives of those going through chemotherapy. Everything from sending a card, to more actively participating. Your commitment will make a big difference in the life of someone who needs all the help they can get. http://www.chemoangels.com/ ======================================================================= >-->From PetWarmers: Have you ever given any thought about what happens to pets of military families who are transferred? This is an unfortunate and painful fact of life. Unable to take their pets with them because of circumstances, many military families go to great lengths to find their beloved pets good homes. Today, one of our Heartwarmer Gems, and Navy veteran, Jaye Lewis, shares her memories about how she and her husband handled this transition. It's a great story, and the perfect reminder on how we can help take care of these pets while their owners are taking care of us! >SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE US by Jaye Lewis __ /\/'-, ,--''''' /" ____,'. ) \___ '"""""------'"""`-----' pb Sam was a big, black hairy dog, with a unique personality. From the time that he wandered into my life, he captured my heart. In the six years that I had him, he had only two "accidents" in the house, not including the time he lifted his leg on our new gas grill. Sam took every opportunity to escape from our fenced-in backyard, and when he was chased down, usually by my husband, he would stop just long enough for Louie to catch up, and then off he'd go! My husband was not amused at the time, but years later, we still laugh about it. We were a military family, and for years we were able to manipulate the system, staying in Charleston, South Carolina, until all three of our daughters graduated from the same high-school. Then, my husband was reassigned to Recruiter Duty in West Virginia. Of course our dogs came with us. Sam was pretty aggravated about his confinement to the back of the pick-up on moving day. I guess we hadn't made enough pit stops, because the first thing he did when we arrived at our destination, was to walk over to my husband and urinate on his foot! After two years of Recruiting duty, we received a new assignment, and Sam, and his companion, Morgan, would not be able to come with us. I was not expecting this. I had sworn that this would never happen. We were so close to retirement that we were sure that these creatures would be able to stay with us forever. Little Morgan was a sensitive, hairy, black bundle of love, and it broke my heart to have to find her a new home. It wasn't enough that we were sent from pillar to post -- now I had to find homes for my pets! It tore my heart out! Sadly, military people don't always have choices. I wrote two adorable ads for the local paper, from Sam and Morgan's point of view. I received several phone calls from people who wanted to know if I was the one who wanted to "get rid of" my dogs. "Lord, no! I have no choice but to find a good home for them!" I'd exclaim. And it isn't with you, lady, I thought. I spent weeks on the phone and going out to inspect homes, asking questions about the care and feeding of my pets. "Who's bed will they sleep in?" "Will you continue their special diets?" "Do you hit your pets?" "Will you forgive them when they roll in pig manure?" "Morgan must never get punished if she has an accident." People thought I was a lunatic. These were country people. They knew about dogs. But they didn't know about mine. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, looking for homes for my beloved pets. Praying through every inch of the search, we found homes for both Sam and Morgan. We had to separate them, but they received loving homes. Morgan was adopted by a retired pastor and his wife. The took care of their four young granddaughters who doted on Morgan. Morgan was in pet heaven, and we were sure that she would be just fine. Sam was adopted by a family who were needing a companion for their handicapped son. To see Sam gently lay his head upon that boy's lap was a blessing I'll never forget. At the same time, I asked the Lord for a sign that I had chosen the right home. After introducing Sam to their hunting dog, Shorty, I went in to visit with the family, and at one point, I peeked through the window. There stood Sam, ready to explore his sixty-three acres. He took off, and then paused, looking back at Shorty, as if to say, "Come on, Shorty, follow me." There was my sign. I knew that God had found Sam the perfect home. The last time I saw Sam, he was smiling into my rearview mirror, as he slowly wagged his tail. Heartbroken and sobbing all the way home, I still felt a kind of peace. -- Jaye Lewis ____________________________________________ Jaye Lewis is a Heartwarmer Gem and a U.S. Navy veteran, as is her husband. She lives and writes in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, and tells us, "Sadly, too many military people have to give up their pets, as they are transferred, even in peacetime. In time of war, if there is no family to care for a pet, many of these beloved pets wind up in dog pounds and shelters. Most of these pets are put to sleep, never understanding why they were abandoned. We were blessed -- we had time to find good homes. If you would like to foster a service member's pet, while he or she is serving overseas, contact your local humane society, National Guard Post or Commanding Officer if you live near a military base. It's a way to serve those who serve our country." ===================================================================== >-->Dedicated to Maxy's Pal as she'll understand this one ;) >"A Brokxn Kxy" _________________________________________________ / /| / _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ _/___/ _/_/_/_/ // / //| / _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/__/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ //|| / __/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ / _/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ //_|/ /_/__/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/___/ _/ _/_/_/_/ // / __/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/__/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/ / // / __/_________________/ ___/_/_/ // / // (________________________________________________(/ Dirk Feeken Evxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of the kxys. I havx many timxs wishxd that is workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-onx kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx. Somxtimxs it sxxms to mx that our church is somxthing likx my typxwritxr -- not all thx kxy pxoplx arx working propxrly. As onx of thxm, you may say to yoursxlf, "Wxll, I am only onx pxrson, I don't makx or brxak thx church." But it doxs makx a big diffxrxncx, bxcasx a church, to bx xffxctivx, nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson. So, thx nxxt timx your xfforts arx not nxxdxd vxry much, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in thx congrxgation and I am nxxdxd vxry much." This is what happxns to thx wholx church, and multiply this by many timxs -- thx whole thing just doxs not makx sxnsx! So, don't be a broken key. Remember you are one of the most useful ones God has! --Author Unknown ---> Visit my CyberHome - ALWAYS OPEN HOOUSE :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/index.html Shangrala ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales && Service 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 andd DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do :) Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? 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