Tell Me A Story And 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 :) Tell Me A Story - Tell Me A Story - OK! Here's one... .--------. ____/_____|___ \___ O _ - | _ ,* '--(_)-------(_)--' Dani Wednesday night my daughter and I literally coasted home on a wing and a prayer. I smile now, but it was a bit scary. We were in the normal family 'duty' car. [our old 1990 Reatta] getting some stuff for the house and out driving a bit to enjoy the fine beautiful evening weather when the low gas light comes on. OK. Just another thing we have to do. So we went and got it filled up. It wasn't too long after that the car began to act funny. We already knew it had to go back to the shop. It had been in last week but we found out the heater wasn't working so we knew it had to go back in. It was driving just fine though. That is until we got it filled. _..-------++._ _.-'/ | _|| \"--._ __.--'`._/_\j_____/_||___\ `----. _.--'_____ | \ _____ / _j /,---.\ | =o | /,---.\ |_ [__]==// .-. \\==`===========/==// .-. \\=[__] hjw `-._|\ `-' /|___\_________/___|\ `-' /|_.' `---' `---' It began to sputter and act like it was running out of gas when we'd take off from a stop sign. Once it even cut out and we had to restart the thing. We were several miles from home and it just wasn't at all happy. My daughter pulled over in a parking lot and turned it off because it had just been coasting. She said she couldn't give it any gas and it even acted funny steering. We waited a little bit then started it up again. !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ Good time to start praying we get home OK! Which is what I decide to do while she rants about the car not being right and she wouldn't even drive it normally with it acting like this if she had any choice about it. Pretty soon, the car begins to act good again. That is, until we are very close to home. I start to say something about how it was acting. It is OK when my daughter talks about it, but she gets upset at me when I do because the car 'feels' the negativity and starts to chug and sputter along. She tells me not to talk about the car becuase I am making it worse! So again I shut up and continue with the praying and SITing and lifting it to Father. The car then becomes super happy and smoothly gets us back home amd into our garage just like normal. When we get in the house, I tell Paul about it. He says it was working just fine when he took it out and then kids our daughter about breaking his car. The next day our son comes over after college and Paul asks him to go drive with him to take the car to the shop. Our son pulls his car in the drive but Paul is still in the garage. He comes out and says it won't do a thing. Nothing. So he has to call the shop and have them pick it up because the car is dead! So I told our daughter that we made it back home on a wing and a prayer! God was looking out for us for sure! She just nodded and smiled. God is good like that! -<>- + / \ _____ _____ __________/ o \/\_________ |o o o|_______| |___| | | # # # | |o o o| * * *|: ::|. .| |o| # # # | |o o o|* * * |:: |. .| [] [] [] []|o| # # # | |o o o|** ** |: :|. .| [] [] [] |o| # # # | |_[]__|__[]___|_||_|__<|____________;;_|_|___/\___| | unknown I saw the results for my home town - almost twice as many in favor of McCain. I am proud of that and proud for all who stood up for the moral vote. I am sure God is smiling at us. We did our best for God and country. God can only do the will of the people and when the majority of the will of the people is against God, then God can't do the great things he wants to do. That's why you are so important to God. You who stand with God are God's Best! All we can do is the best we can for ourselves and others. We can not force others to do God's will and God won't force them either. Here are some fine teachings to help your understanding: God Moves When You Move http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/godmoves.html Self Talk http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/selftalk.html Trust In The Lord http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/trustinthelord.html _________________________ (, ______________________ ) | | || | | @@@@ || @@@@ | | @@@@@@@ || @@@@@@@ | | @@ - - || - @@@@ | | @ c/ || '_ @@@ | | _@| |_ || __\@ \@ | | ( \ )/_\ /_ || _\\ (/ ) @\_/) | | \ \|) / \) || |(__/ / /| | | |\_/ ( -/ || \___/ ----/_| | | / \ || ,: '( | | : _/| || |: \ | | : | || |: ) | | : | || |: | | |_______'____,_|_______|| |_____,_| .---('________________________)--. | / ( |____ __________ _| | /\ ) |___| -o- | |__| -o- | ( \| / |___| -o- | |__| -o- | | /'=. b'ger|________| |__|______| '=>/ \ / \ /|/ ,___/| Perhaps now Blacks will see the truth and embrace it. The only one holding them back from achieving anything in America is their own selves. Like Michael Jackson sang in his song years ago, if people want real change, they need to start with the Man In The Mirror. Our friend Carol reminded me of something. While secretly I was getting a kick out of how those filled with hate against African Americans might view our new President, I wasn't thinking about the dangerous aspect of it. Bless her heart, Carol brought this to my attention so let us also add 'protection' to our prayers. Now that we have Obama as our President, let us join together for the sake of our country and pray for him continually. Dear God Almighty, please bless and fully protect Obama, his family and our VP Biden. Give Barack Obama wisdom, knowledge and understanding to do the very best he can for the safety, prosperity and good of the United States and all its people. May God's Will Be done for America through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen! Thank You Carol! ============================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: $$ $ \O/$ $ | /_\ _|___|_ _|___|___|_ _|___|___|___|_ _|___|___|___|___|_ _|___|___|___|___|___|_ _|___|___|___|___|___|___|_ |___|___|___|___|___|___|___| \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ | | | | | | | / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ hjm >EMBRACING OUR DIFFERENCES by Joseph Walker Everybody is talking about the money thing these days. And with good reason. There's all kinds of crazy stuff going on. You know... that really big company that went bankrupt or something. And that other big company that... sort of... you know... bought out another big company. And then there's Fannie Mae, who is not one of the "Beverly Hillbillies" but who evidently has more to do with someone named Freddie Mac than she does with Jethro Bodine. And then there's Hurricane Ike, which... well, I'm not exactly sure what Hurricane Ike has to do with the whole money discussion, but it was devastating and I'm sure it did... you know... devastating stuff. Economically as well as meteorologically. OK, so I'm faking it here. The minute you start talking numbers and dollar signs, my eyes glaze over and I mentally retreat to my happy place. I won't say exactly where my happy place is, but whenever I go there I end up humming "It's a Small World" the rest of the day. And I've been humming "It's a Small World" a LOT recently. That's why I'm assuming there's heavy-duty financial stuff going on in the world, which probably explains why I paid more for a gallon of gasoline yesterday than I used to pay to fill up my Volkswagen back in the day. Or maybe it doesn't explain it. Like I said, I'm not fluent in Econese. Thankfully, I don't have to be. Years ago I met someone who is really savvy with regards to money and numbers and stuff like that, and I married her. Anita tells me everything I need to know about money, which generally is, "Don't spend it." Or if I do, "Make sure to give me the receipt." She's keeping up with all this recent money stuff. It actually seems to interest her. She even knows how to pronounce and spell Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's last name. The other day she tried to explain the whole Fannie/Freddie/Bernanke scenario to me. According to observers, I went from mildly interested to full glaze-over so fast that Usain Bolt is calling and asking for tips. Thankfully, Anita has learned to recognize the glaze, and to accept it as part of the package she got when she married me. For better or for worse. For richer, for poorer. 'Til debt do we part. I've been thinking about this today because... well, everyone is talking about the money thing -- whatever it may actually be. And also because I heard about a young friend, barely a newlywed, whose marriage is struggling over the money thing. And the communication thing. And especially the difference thing. All those frighteningly, maddeningly wonderful "things" that make marriage so challenging, and so sweet. Anyone who has been married for any length of time can appreciate the difficulty of bringing together two very different lives, and from them making one shared life. As a result, we probably all have our own thoughts and ideas about what it takes to build and maintain a successful marriage. Heaven knows I do. But somewhere on every list of marriage tips and recommendations should be this foundational truth -- the things that we have in common are what bring us together, but our ability to embrace and find joy in our differences is what keeps us together. Even with the money thing. Maybe ESPECIALLY with the money thing. -- Joseph Walker ____________________________________________ Joe is a Heartwarmer Gem and columnist from Utah. =================================================================== >-->From Our Friend Jo Ann :) >MEMO FROM GOD -=- (\ _ /) (`\(")/') (`/\') \\/^\// / \ hjw / \ `-._.-' To: YOU Date: TODAY From: God Subject: YOURSELF Reference: LIFE I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now. If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege. Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years. Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them! Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you, you may have touched their life in ways you will never know! -<>- .-"""-. / o\ | o 0).-. | .-;(_/ .-. \ / /)).---._| `\ , '. ' /(( `'-./ _/| \ .' ) .-.;` / '. | `\-' '._ -' / jgs ``""--`------` Feel good when somebody misses you. Feel better when somebody loves you. Feel best when somebody never forgets you. A friendship is sweet when it's new, but it's sweeter when it's true. But you know what? ()_()()_() / ..)(.. \ __/ ( || ) \_ (_/ * * (_) | | | || | | | \_/| \__/ | | > \ / <__,--,__|/|_> unknown It's sweetest when it's you! Thank you for being such a wonderful friend! --- ...Awwww, sweet!! Thank You Jo Ann! =============================================================== >-->From Our Friend James :) _ooo--. @@@=@MMM\.`,_.',- _.\X/"/" \ 33, ===A | \ P""B /@,_ ( __,/""\.M\ |; \"/\"_,/ / .'.A \,\._><-__./ "V \F _ a_3R"---,. _>"# _ ) ( / .@J / ) / / ) ( | \ /, | \ `,._,/ ___ "=\, ]@7,.n| P @\ 7-______. \____., .) / / \ \ \WWW/ | | | | ""' ___ / \. ,/ \._ /" """ \ ( """"\ |( ___.-' "--. \) ""-`"""" `--(__)/ Stephen Unwin It's not where you live... It's where they understand you...! --- ...Great Thought! Thanks James! James also asked a very good question that perhaps others on this list are wondering... : _______ : / . . \ : I I : --------OOO---| |---OOO-------------------- : (___) "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom... How is it possible to love a god that I fear...?" It isn't. 'fear' in the bible often means respect. When you read it the bible and it doesn't make sense replace it with respect. God is love - how can you fear love? You can't unless you aren't right in the head. You RESPECT God for what He has done and what He can do - He is awesome! Check out this great teaching... ,,, ---------------------------------------------ooO(o o)Ooo------- (_) http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/fearofthelord.html Thanks James! ============================================================== >-->From Our Friend Viv :) >\\\|/< |_"""_| (O) (o) +----OOO--(_)--OOOo--- Laughter is to life what shock absorbers are to automobiles. It won't take the potholes out of the road, but it sure makes the ride smoother. -<>- >Military Appreciation Mon 11/17 Free Golden Corral Dinner http://www.goldencorral.com/military/ The 2008 Military Appreciation Mon dinner will be held on Mon. Nov 17 2008 from 5 PM to 9 PM in all Golden Corral Restaurants. The free "thank You" dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the US Military. If you are a veteran retired currently serving in the National Guard or Reserves you are invited to participate in Golden Corral's Military Appreciation Mon dinner. To date Golden Corral Restaurants have provided over 1.8 million free meals and contributed Over $2.53 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization. Tomorrow is never assured; say I love you today. -<>- >One of Maxine's best!!!!!!!!! ,--"""--, .'_ _'. .-"-._/ / \ / \ \_.-"-. /.-, / \(o_/ \_o)/ \ ,-.\ | >/ _/ \_ \< | \ ` | .`( '-.-' )'. | ` / '--'| | '-. .-' | |'--' | | .'. | .'. | | \ \___.'.___/ / '. )\/-.-\/( .' \/'./\_/\.'\/ jgs | `"`"` | | | \ / '._____.' Minorities We need to show more sympathy for these people. * They travel miles in the heat. * They risk their lives crossing a border. * They don't get paid enough wages. * They do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do. * They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language. * They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day ~ every day. I'm not talking about illegal Mexicans ~ \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz I'm talking about our troops! Doesn't it seem strange that many Democrats and Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don't support our troops, and are even threatening to defund them? Please pass this on; this is worth the short time it takes to read it. --- ...A Great One! Thanks Viv! -<>- >May Your Flowers Smile __ __/ \__ / \__/ \ \__/..\__/ / \__/ \ \__/ \__/ \__/ || || || .'/.'\.'. ..'.'..'..'.'. Imran In your life as days go by May you never have to cry May your flowers on the hill Open at your windowsill, . ... :``..': : ````.' :''::' ..:.. : .'' : ``. `: .' : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :..''''``::. : ...:..' .'' .' .' .::::' :..'''``::::::: `:::: `::. `:: :::. ..:.:.::'`. ::'`. . : : . ..' `:.: :: :' .: .: .:``::: : .: :: .: ..'' :::.' :': : : .'' .:: : : ' : .'`:: :: :: :: :: :: :: Normand Veilleux And may all your family Have good health and worry free May the oceans wave And your roads all pave, .-. ,-( o )-. ( o )-( o ) .-\-'.|,`-/-. .-. ( o )--*--( o ) ,-( o )-. `-/-.'|`,-\-' ( o )-( o ) ( o )-( o ) .-\-'.|,`-/-. `-( o )-' _( o )--*--( o ) `-' \/_/ `-/-.'|`,-\-' __ | ( o )-( o ) \_\| .'`-( o )-' | .'\ `-' |/ |\ __ | \| \_\| | __ |/_/ __ | \_\| | __ |/_/ __ | \_\| | __ |/_/ __ | \_\| | __ |/_/ __ | \_\| | __ |/_/ VK/hh May the sun rise just for you And when it sets, be there too May you only hear happy things For you deserve more than kings, __ .-.' '.-. .-( \ / )-. / '..oOOo..' \ , \.--.oOOOOOOo.--./ |\ , ( :oOOOOOOo: ) _\.\/| /'--'oOOOOOOo'--'\ '-.. ;/| \ .''oOOo''. / .--`'. :/|'-( / \ )-' '--. `. / //'-'.__.'-; `'-,_';// , /| '(( |\/./_ \\ . |\; ..-' \\ |\: .'`--. \\, .' .--' ))'_,-'` jgs //-' // // |/ You are the kind of person who Gives more back than comes to you And so this message you can file May your flowers of life always smile. --- ...I'm SMILING! Thank you Viv!! ====================================================== >-->From InspiredBuffalo: __ (_ `-~~~~--. ( _- ( \ \ _)o) ( |_ `-,__ ) Hey Blockhead, I Love You ) ) ---, ` / ,^^^^_ | \ \ | \^^\ ------``` /________\ _| |__| ~--~----~ W< I remember reading a Peanuts cartoon strip in which Lucy comes up to Charlie Brown and does something that is very unusual for her. She says, 'I love you.' But Charlie Brown keeps responding by saying, 'No, you don't.' And each time Lucy answers a little louder, 'Yes I do, I really love you.' But Charles Brown has been rejected so many times he keeps saying, 'It can't be true.' So in the last square, Lucy has reached the limit of her patience and she screams out in a loud voice, 'Hey stupid, I love you!' I wonder if God has to do that with us sometimes. I mean, what does it take to get through? Does he have to yell out: 'Hey blockhead, I love you?' Can't you see that God will literally turn this world upside down in his search for one human soul? Maybe you feel like God has been turning your world upside down a little bit lately. Well, that's love at work. And the supreme sign of that love is the gift of Jesus Christ. -<>- _ (_) |=| |=| /|__|_|__|\ ( ( ) ) \|\/\"/\/|/ | Y | | | | | | | _| | | __/ | | |\ / \ | | | \ __| | | | /\/ | | | |\ < +\ | |\ /> \ > + \ | LJ | + \|+ \ < \ (O) + | ) | \ /\ ( | ) (o) \/ ) _\\|//__( | )______)_/ \\|// >The Right Weapon by David Langerfeld The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world - they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Aqaba, Jordan in 1917 seemed impregnable. Any enemy vessel approaching the port would have to face the battery of huge naval guns above the town. The Turks believed Aqaba to be safe from any attack. But they were wrong. Lawrence of Arabia rallied support among the local people. On July 6, 1917, the Arab forces swept into Aqaba from the North, from the blind side. Galloping past the gigantic naval guns, the Turks were totally powerless to stop them. The guns were facing in the wrong direction. Aqaba fell, and the Turkish hold on Palestine was broken; to be later replaced by the State of Israel. The Turks failed to defend Aqaba because they made two mistakes. They did not know their enemy, and they did not have the right weapons. We must be careful not to make the same mistake. Ephesians 6:12-20 makes it quite clear who our enemy is and that prayer and the Word is our weaponry (Hebrews. 4:12). "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world." You already have all the weapons you need to demolish every stronghold. Have a victorious day, because in Jesus, you have victory! -<>- _ ( | | __,--./|.--,__ .` \ \ / / `. .` \ | / `. / / ^|^ \ \ / / | |o | \ \ /===/ | | | \===\ /___/ | |o | \___\ | | | | |o | | | | | |o | | | | | |o | jgs |_____/\_____| >A CLOSET FULL OF COATS By: Joseph J. Mazzella My toilet handle broke the other day. I knew that I had a few pieces left over from an another toilet repair a few years earlier. I decided then to dig them out and save a few dollars. I hadn’t realized, however, just how crowded my storage closet had become. I started to pull stuff out a little bit at a time. The first thing I moved was a heavy winter coat that I hadn’t worn in years. Next I saw another old coat that had also fallen to the floor. Setting them to the side I picked up a trash bag that I thought might have the left over plumbing supplies. It ripped as I lifted it up and several coats, scarves, and toboggans that the children had outgrown fell to my feet. At that moment God pulled the curtain shade open to the window of my mind and shined His light through it. I remembered a flier at my daughter’s college calling for a winter coat drive to help the needy. Suddenly the toilet repair didn’t seem quite so urgent anymore. I never did find the handle I started looking for, but I did leave the closet with both arms full of warm coats to help some good souls get through some cold days. It’s wonderful how God always gives us what we need even if it isn’t always what we want. I had wanted to save a few dollars for myself, but instead God gave me the priceless gift of helping others. He took a moment of silly selfishness on my part and turned it into a wonderful chance to share, and love. I only wish that I had listened sooner to His soft whisper so that He would not have had to yell it out with a broken toilet and a shower of old coats. The truth is "that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." I am just glad that God is always patient with me during those times when I get distracted from our true purpose here: to love and help each other. May both your coats and your hearts keep you warm this Winter and always. -<>- >Too Many Words? (Author Unknown) The following notice was sent home with some high school students: "Our school's cross-graded, multi-ethnic, individualized learning program is designed to enhance the concept of an open-ended learning program on the continuum of multi-ethnic, academically enriched learning, using the identified intellectually- gifted child as the agent of his own learning." One parent sent back a note which read, "I have a college degree, speak two foreign languages and four Indian dialects--but I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about." Unlike this notice, the Gospel of which we are called to preach is clear and simple. Yet, sometimes in the Christian world we attach all sorts of words and ideas that sometimes just baffle and confuse an unbelieving world. How about your communication of the Gospel? Is it so loaded with babblespeak that no one understands what you are saying? Or is it clearly articulated in love so that the youngest to the oldest can understand? -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment Kayak http://www.buffaloschips.com/72233.htm Elastic Band http://buffalosjokes.com/112470.htm Working Late http://buffalosjokes.com/112472.htm Bottle Opener http://www.buffalosjokes.com/3353.htm Bad Hair Cut http://buffalosjokes.com/080303.htm Great Basketball Catch http://www.buffaloschips.com/72228.htm How They Made IT http://www.buffaloschips.com/72229.htm I Love You Dog http://www.buffaloschips.com/72230.htm Subscribe send a blank email to: the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ===================================================================== >At the Station Story Editor: by Grace Joyce Schowalter California, USA My mother and father met while they were in the U.S. Army. Dad said he fell in love with her red hair and great gams. They were married six months later and moved to dad's hometown in California. Mom never liked the town, so several years after he passed away she returned to her beloved Oregon where she lives happily in a small coastal town. Her seven children live in California, and miss her terribly but we're glad she's so happy to be "back home". After mom returned to Oregon she tried different transportation methods to visit us -- driving, flying, and the train. Her first train trip was so pleasant she tried a second time. For her return, the train was scheduled to depart at 11:00 p.m. -- but left at 12:30 a.m. the following morning. Well into Oregon the train came upon broken tracks due to ice. The passengers were taken off the train and loaded onto buses at about 8:30 p.m. Via phone calls to the train company, I monitored my 77-year-old mother's progress, and was upset to learn of the delays. The phone calls were frustrating, to say the least. I finally learned that the passengers on the bus had arrived in Eugene around 11:20 p.m. I wondered what she would do when she arrived in Eugene in the middle of the night. I was sure she would be wrung out after her 23-hour trip, and wondered how she would get her car. Mom had left her car in a parking lot next to the train station. She had told us that when she departed, "a nice young man took her keys and locked her car". Even if she was able to get her car, she still had an hour's drive home. When I was finally able to contact her, she said the "nice young man" was standing at the train station waiting for her when the bus arrived at 11:20 p.m.! He had been monitoring the situation and knew she would not be able to get her car. He opened the parking lot, carried her bags to her car, and told her to follow him to a motel, then made sure she got checked in. I still can't believe someone did this. This man has a family and it was the middle of the night, yet he met my mother to make sure she got her car and got to a motel safely. I asked mom who he was and where he worked. I called him and thanked him on behalf of our whole family. He acted like it wasn't a big deal, and was so nice. Well, his wonderful deeds were a very big deal to my mom and all of her very grateful children. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Petwarmers: . ,. T."-._..---.._,-"/| l|"-. _.v._ (" | [l /.'_ \; _~"-.`-t Y " _(o} _{o)._ ^.| j T ,--. T ] \ l ( /-^-\ ) ! ! \. \. "~" ./ /c-..,__ ^r- .._ .- .-" `- . ~"--. > \. \ ] ^. \ 3 . "> . Y -Row ,.__.--._ _j \ ~ . ; | ( ~"-._~"^._\ ^. ^._ I . l "-._ ___ ~"-,_7 .Z-._ 7" Y ; \ _ /" "~-(r r _/_--._~-/ / /,.--^-._ / Y "-._ '"~~~>-._~]>--^---./____,.^~ ^.^ ! ~--._ ' Y---. \./ ~~--._ l_ ) \ ~-._~~~---._,____..--- \ ~----"~ \ \ >HEART OF A LION by Susan Dart Years ago before the first Gulf war we moved to the desert Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on military assignment. We had two small children, a dog, and a cat. As we stepped from the airport into the stifling desert heat, we made a bedraggled little party, exhausted from our long trip. We had no idea what lay in store for us, or how much our lives would change over the next two years. Just two days later, as we were settling into our apartment at the military headquarters, we were visited by a kind woman from the housing office who noticed that we had pets. She immediately told us about a litter of kittens that desperately needed homes. Abandoned by their feral mother, they were barely surviving on dog food they scrounged from local residents. Perhaps it was the jet lag or some other malady, but we agreed to see the kittens and that very day Purr came into our lives. Little more than a piece of Calico fur, the starving kitten stole our hearts. She was tiny and weak and her eyes were infected, but we loved her from the start. As we nursed her back to health, she quickly became a member of our family. We named her Priscilla after a friend, but our son was too little to pronounce it, so she became Purr for the rest of her life. As her health improved she grew and thrived but living with her quickly became a challenge. She seemed unusually accident prone and leapt from one disaster to another, frequently falling as she tried to jump to higher spots. The shatter of breakable items became a common sound as she knocked over things in her path. Purr grew a luxurious long-haired Calico coat. Our children adored her and she almost never let them out of her sight. She tolerated being pushed in a doll stroller, slept with them at night, and woke them in the morning for school. She also seemed to be less clumsy than before and rarely missed when she jumped from the floor to a high perch to look out the window. We were able to move to a lovely house in the suburbs and life settled into a peaceful routine as we began our second year in Saudi Arabia, never suspecting it would all soon change. Later that summer, Iraq invaded Kuwait and we were plunged into months of fear and uncertainty as the first Gulf war evolved around us. Late one January night we awoke to the sound of missiles exploding in the sky over the city. The war had started and the next few months would be some of the most challenging we had ever faced. We spent many nights sitting in the hall wearing gas masks as sirens wailed and missiles roared over our home. We all slept in one room in the most protected part of the house wondering when the next attack would be. __..--''``\--....___ _..,_ ///// _.-' .-/"; ` ``<._ ``-+'~=. //// ///_.-' _..--.'- \ `(^) ) // // ((..-' // (< - ;_..__ ; `' // ////////////// `-._,_)'//////``--...____..-' ///// ////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////// And through it all, our little desert cat was there. She comforted the children and entertained them with her antics. She never left their sides and they were less afraid. The following summer we moved back to Texas and brought Purr with us. We took her to our new vet and told him her story. He examined her and then told us that she was almost completely blind. The blood vessels in the back of her eyes had never developed, most likely from the poor diet she had eaten as a newborn kitten. She had somehow learned to cope and managed well. /\____/\ __ .' """" `,-' `--.__ __,- : - - ; " :: `-. -.__ ,-sssss `._ `' _,'" ,'~~~::`.sssss-. |ssssss ,' ,_`--'_ __,' :: ` `.ssssss| |sssssss `-._____~ `,,'_______,---_;; ssssss| |ssssssssss `--'~{__ ____ ,'ssssss| `-ssssssssssssssssss ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ssss.-' `---.sssssssssssssssssssss.---' Susie Oviatt She had gone from a clumsy kitten to a graceful adult cat and a dear member of our family. I often think of those days when we lived under the cloud of war and how the experience forever changed our lives. We would never take our peace and freedom or safety for granted again. And I remember the little blind kitten that watched over us and helped us through -- a little desert cat with the heart of a lion named Purr. -- Susan Dart ___________________________________________ Susan says, "I live in San Antonio, TX. We settled here after my husband spent 15 years in the Air Force. I have two grown-up children and a sewing business. I have had pets my entire life. I currently have 5 house cats and a parakeet." ======================================================================== >-->"A Creed to Live By" Don't determine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don't set your goals by what others deem important. Only you know what is best for you. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart; cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life ONE DAY AT A TIME you will live all the days of your life. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over.........until the moment you stop trying Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect; it is this fragile thread that binds us to each other. Don't be afraid to encounter risks, It's by taking chances we learn how to be brave. Don't shut LOVE out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive LOVE is to give LOVE, the fastest way to lose LOVE is to hold it too tightly and the best way to keep LOVE is to give it wings. Don't dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without HOPE; To be without HOPE is to be without purpose. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only WHERE YOU'VE BEEN--but also--WHERE YOU'RE GOING. Life isn't a race, but...... A JOURNEY-- TO BE SAVORED EACH STEP OF THE WAY --Author Unknown >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales && Service You can trust us to provide you with quality computer sales and repair. 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