Tell Me A Story, Cat-Friendly Tips, & 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 :) Well, I am recovering from my surgery. Doing what Father would tell me to do which is to 'take care of myself' so I get back to my normal as quickly as possible. Not doing anything to jeopardize my staples - I got like 15 or 16 or them. No lifting, quick bending or long sitting. So I am still gonna cheat on my ezine here ;) -<>- >-->From Our Friend Budha :) He sent us a forward of that wonderful dog named Faith that I have already done up a page for here... Just Have Faith http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/faith.html --- ...Awesome dog! Thanks so much for the reminder Budha! -<>- >-->From Our Friend Viv :) YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS. IT'S #1 SONG PLAYED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ALMOST 6 MILLION HITS ON YOUTUBE. BUT YOU WON'T HEAR IT ON THE RADIO OR ON THE NEWS. WONDER WHY! Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEJfS1v-fU0 --- >Cell Phone VS The Bible I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone ? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? What if we gave it to Kids as gifts? What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency? This is something to make you go...hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill. "Where are my priorities?" And no dropped calls! P.S. DO WHAT YOU THINK GOD WOULD WANT YOU TO DO WITH THIS E-MAIL --- ...So True! Thanks Viv! -<>- >-->From Our Friend Jo Ann :) >~ What Friendship Does ~ Friendship is a special thing That comes straight from the heart It reaches out in many ways To tenderly impart A loving thought, a caring word The touch of love that heals The miracle of friendship Is the heart that it reveals A cup of coffee and a chat Can get one through the day Just a smile from warm, kind eyes Gives more than words can say Friendship is a blessed thing A gift sent straight from God It winds around your heart Because it grows from Heavenly sod We are the friendship flowers That will open on the vine Each time we share our beauty We are spreading the Divine Friendship makes a lovely world More beautiful to behold Our eyes aglow with love to flow A treasure brighter than gold O' friendship can do many things And doesn't cost a dime This one kind deed has such a power To stand the test of time So hold a hand out to someone Don't worry 'bout what you'll see It's all about what friendship does 'Tis love 'tween thee and me "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away......." -<>- >Say “NO” to Racism [A True Story] This scene took place on a British Airways flight between Johannesburg (South Africa) London (UK). A white woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a black man. Very disturbed by this, she called the air hostess. ‘You obviously do not see it then?’ she asked. ’You placed me next to a black man. I did not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group.Give me an alternative seat.’ ‘Be calm please,’ the hostess replied. ‘Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another place is available.’ The hostess went away then came back a few minutes later. ‘Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in Economy Class. I spoke to the captain he informed me that there is also no seat in Business Class. All the same, we still have one place in First Class.’ Before the woman could say anything, the hostess continued. ‘It is not usual for our company to permit someone from Economy Class to sit in First Class. However, given the circumstances, the captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting.’ The Hostess turned to the black guy, said, ‘Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First Class.’ At that moment, the other passengers, who’d been shocked by what they had just witnessed, stood up applauded. This is a true story. If you are against racism, PLEASE SEND THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS. --- ...Thanks Jo Ann. The Love of God in the renewed Mind in manifestation or Agape' Love has no room for worry of skin color. Those who care about it need to stop and wonder why God loves them. Is it because of their color or their heart? We are to put on the Mind of Christ who always did the will of the Father. God doesn't care about skin color. God cares about the inner person not the outer. So we should too. The New Birth http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/newbirth.html -<>- >GOD'S ACCURACY How lovely to think about the way our Creator God planned everything so carefully and perfectly, everything with a plan. As His highest creation, "we are fearfully and wonderfully made." God's accuracy may be observed in the hatching of eggs. For example, the eggs of the potato bug hatch in 7 days; Those of the canary in 14 days; Those of the barnyard hen in 21 days. The eggs of ducks and geese hatch in 28 days; Those of the mallard in 35 days. The eggs of the parrot and the ostrich hatch in 42 days. (Notice, they are all divisible by Seven). God's wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant. The four legs of this great beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other Quadruped is so made. God planned that this animal would have a huge body, too large to live on two legs. For this reason He gave it four fulcrums so that it can rise from the ground easily. The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first. A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first. How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation! God's wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of sections and segments, as well as in the number of grains. Each watermelon has an even number of strips on the rind. Each orange has an even number of segments. Each ear of corn has an even number of rows. Each stalk of wheat has an even number of grains. Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row an even number of bananas, and each row decreases by one, so that one row has an even number and the next row an odd number. The waves of the sea roll In on shore twenty-six to the minute in all kinds of weather. All grains are found in even numbers on the stalks The Lord specified Thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold - all even numbers. God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day, so that Linneus, the great botanist, once said that if he had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed! Thus the Lord in His wonderful grace can arrange the life that is entrusted to His care in such a way that it will carry out His purposes and plans, and will be fragrant with His presence. Only the God-planned life is successful. Only the life given over to the care of the Lord is safe. --- ...Thank You Jo Ann. This is why we can put our trust and faith in God Almighty because He is the creator and He absolutely knows best! We are still learning and understanding all that He already knows and has known forever. He has the wisdom to far exceed anything we can even dream of. Ephesians 3:20a "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,..." God has the POWER and IS ABLE to DO not just ANYTHING that you or I can think of or can ask of Him - but EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL that we can ask or think! How much power do you think that is? How Smart do you think God is? Well - you got it wrong because GOD IS SMARTER THEN EVEN THAT AND GOD IS STRONGER THEN EVEN THAT! A WHOLE BUNCH STRONGER AND SMARTER! You Got A Father that is Beyond A SUPER HERO! Check this out... Trust In The Lord http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/trustinthelord.html Prosperity & Health http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/prosperityhealth.html -<>- >-->From Our Friend Tony In Australia :) >What does the word Life? Mean to you??? I have recently spent my nights listening to the labored breath of heart attack victims laying in a bed in a public ward. I have Private health cover and yet I found myself twice in three weeks now, in a public cardiac ward, No not as a visitor, but as a patient asking myself about life…MY life.” Why ME Lord? Why NOW?”when I am needed most… Just a sign of the times! Hospital wards are full and people are being attended to in the corridors of our hospitals waiting for beds to become available and more and people are falling foul of stress related heart attacks......It's sign of the times, thats how modern day society has become. Longfellow said many years ago, “ Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave!...... is not it’s goal” And this man Longfellow, was NOT even a preacher!. Maybe he would have been just as famous if he had been a preacher rather than a poet and a writer I don’t know and I wont get into that and I am not going to talk Longfellow or Wordsworth but I am going to talk about how ‘YOU and I’ see the meaning of “ Life”…. Please, don’t expect any ‘big words’ or fancy language, I am…..the Simple man…. I know, there are many people here who may read this article and wonder “ why me? After all, I bin good!” But you know, ‘being good’ doesn’t save us, in fact…being good often makes us a target for Satan! Now I am not advocating we all ‘turn bad’, because that’s what Satan is ALL about..... turning us bad ! What I am saying is that if we have become one of satan’s targets, then in fact HE is the one losing the battle! Not us! Sure! Christians DO have heart attacks….but we win in the end! Some survive several heart attacks, several times for many years! And THEY are a testimony of how strong a Christian’s heart can be! That’s not to say that Christians don’t depart this earth with some pain because they do! But that then….is the end of the pain, but NOT the end of them! There’s another lifetime for born again Christians and it’s not in ‘this world’ and it IS forever…Amen! In the scripture John 10:10 which says…”.The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” We can see what having “THE” Life, ( Jesus)…….. in’our’ life………can mean to us personally.. You see , we often think about ‘salvation’ as being something for us, in our future and we tend to forget that once we have done what the Word requires i.e, ‘repented’, been ‘baptized’ in Jesus Name and received the Holy Ghost, then our salvation commenced at that very point in time! And we may just well be right! Because! Until we were’born again” we were DEAD in our spirit! We started to live, as soon as we performed the acts of obedience required for salvation ..!...........as outlined in Acts 2:38-39!.. It was Jesus’s sacrifice, that gave you and I, life in abundance, on the OTHER side of the grave! Hallelujah!.. That word….. ‘abundance”…… what does that mean?... it simply means ( remember now! I am a simple man!) ‘beyond measure’ or ‘more than what we need’, our God.. is a generous God ! Amen? But don’t feel guilty! He is not a ‘wasteful’ God! I mean 2 fishes and five loaves??? that’s by no means ‘wasteful”….. In John 10 and 10, we see that word’ abundant’ and again, we see it being used in Mark 6:51, where it says…. “And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.” But the word ‘ abundantly’ itself is not used…..just it’s meaning “Beyond measure”… Imagine yourself sitting in the bottom of an old wooden boat and being tossed around from pillar to post! ( I’ve been in a boat like that! One I bought at a Garage sale and renvovated!) I mean…..How would YOU feel? I guess, if you was in that situation, and you saw someone walking across that water to save you? YOU! Would be shocked and astonished! Just as were those Disciples that dark night! They were the ones who couldn’t ‘measure’ their own marvel! Praise God!... That’s simply what the word ‘abundant’ means….beyond our imagination, beyond what we expect ! Some thing that ‘presents itself in some ‘immeasurable sort of way” Remember that word ….”.abundance”…It describes our God! Well, if you need to be convinced a little more about that word’ abundance’ if you have the time to read, then I have the time to write… Let me give you another scripture…. Ephesians is the Chapter…Oh how I love to re –read Ephesians! In Chapter three, verse 20..it says there…. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly (“ ABUNDANTLY”!) above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Verse 21…Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Amen indeed!.... So here what exactly do YOU see?? I see the word “ HIM” referring to Christ Jesus! And I see that HE! Intends to give ‘us’…YOU! And I! More than we will ever need! Amen? And HOW? Do I know? SIMPLE! Because He started doing that for ME! When I repented,got baptized…and got the Holy Ghost! That’s how ‘I’ know!... Jesus told us… “ I am THE LIFE!...” And if we have accepted Him, the way he has represented Himself….then we have ‘eternal’ life ! And that’s the ‘life’ I am talking about!... In ABUNDANCE!... Don’t ever let Satan get at you and tell you no matter what you do, you will never ‘deserve’ salvation…..I have to agree, we will never be ‘ worthy’ of salvation….. It doesn’t ,matter how ‘sinful’ you have been in the past…. Christians deal with the ‘future’,…Halleluyah!. And …..we give God the past! He is the only One who can deal with it! We cannot change it, you or I,….. we cannot ‘eradicate it’ BUT GOD! Can…..and He will! Right here, we can take the first two steps to YOUR salvation, then….(for you who may not have already done so).. you must take the third by your self…. baptism in Jesus Name! The Church can give you help and contacts, but you MUST do the above on your own as a sign to God of your willingness and your obedience… You MUST repent! (Means give up those things that separate you from Good)…… You MUST be baptized! (As the Bible tells us, in Jesus Name for the remission of your sins) …and…. You Must receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost…! And then you “SHALL” be saved…. If you take all of these steps, you will ‘experience’ the changes in your Life that are blessings from God…. No! Its not by works we are saved! But it IS! By His Grace!... If you have been baptized in Jesus name and don’t feel the Joy of the Spirit working within you, then STOP! Examine yourself! It may be something so very small and easily changed that can make all the difference! If you feel a ‘burden’ right now, it may be that a Brother or Sister has upset you, or maybe you have upset them? Go to them, say you are so sorry.. and let God heal the wounds.. But He can’t do that till you ‘give’ them to Him at the altar…and then leave them there! Let God pick up the tab….Brothers and Sisters…..don’t rob yourselves of what is yours to claim! Don’t let something silly and simple, take away your salvation! Remember, that every time you make the right decision….. God is right there with you…..making it all worth while. --Br Tony --- ...Bless Your Heart Tony! Thank You! You are in my prayers for complete healing in the name above all names - Jesus Christ! ======================================================================= >-->From The 'Shangy' Past - - 08-18-2000 The Mark of a Champion Story Editor: by Barry Prowell Steve Phelps Scottsdale, Arizona, USA The group of 25 men and escorts moved rather slowly. This was to be expected because there were only twenty-three legs and forty-nine arms among us. It was December of 1971 and we were in Las Vegas, guests of Caesars Palace for four days. The New York Amputee Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans had arranged the trip. Normally the men were patients of military hospitals in Pennsylvania and Maryland. One evening we went to see the comedian Buddy Hackett. We stayed on after the crowd was ushered out of the show room. We sat waiting for Buddy Hackett to come out and meet us personally. Since I was one of the few who had two legs, I usually rose from the table, greeted the entertainer and then introduced them to everyone. The entertainers were most gracious to us and seemed genuinely happy to meet us. As I was sitting at the table, I noticed the showroom manager approaching with a black man in his sixties whom I did not recognize. I stood up and the showroom manager explained that someone wanted to meet us. He said, "Gentlemen, this is Joe Louis, former Heavyweight Champion of the World." Joe Louis had already retired by the time I was a toddler but was often a guest on the old "Friday Night Fights" that my grandfather used to watch. I was never much of a boxing fan but I certainly knew Joe Louis defended his title an unequaled 25 times during his career. I pictured him as a man of few emotions and steel nerves. Joe Louis walked up to me as I began to raise my hand to greet him. I never got it more than half way up. He quickened his pace and threw his arms around me and held me in a bear hug. He held me like a father holds a long lost son. He held me for what seemed like forever. Believe me, when Joe Louis gives you a bear hug, you begin to feel that maybe your chances are better with a real bear. When he released me, I looked into his eyes expecting to see something like raw determination, or pride, or some other macho manifestation. Instead, in his eyes I saw rivers of tears flowing from wells of love and compassion. I don't remember us saying a word to each other but I remember the feeling. The feeling was that this man's heart was open and he loved and felt for us all. He then moved around the tables, hugging all of the men. I reflected on what had just happened and learned a lesson in life that remains with me still. In a humble, loving heart there is more to strength than steel nerves and a fast punch. The measure of a champion is not how many people he knocked down. It is how many he lifted up. ------- The Unexpected Visitor Story Editor: Matthew Wulfman Randy Cassingham Calgary, Alberta, Canada Ten years ago I did a bicycle tour through Ontario and New Brunswick. The New Brunswick leg started rather poorly with a persistent drizzle and intermittent showers. Besides being damp, it slowly but steadily began stripping the oil from my chain and the grease from my bearings. I was nervously expecting my freewheel to go next as it was making louder and louder noises. Instead, two spokes snapped. I was facing a complicated roadside repair -- if I could get the freewheel off. Luckily I was only a few minutes beyond a pay phone. I walked back and called the young lady I expected to meet. I got her roommate, Maurice, and explained my predicament. Maurice, who'd never met me, agreed to pick me up. Along the way, I learned that the young lady I was to meet had only told them of my arrival the day before and had left, saying merely that I could have her room and she would be back after visiting her boyfriend. So I never even got to see her! Patrick, another roommate, soon came home from work, and the two spontaneously threw me a seafood barbeque. Both, having just had me sprung on them that morning, both gave me a warm welcome. In the morning, I repaired my bike, then popped into Pat's to see where he worked, say thanks, and proudly let him know I'd gotten things fixed. I was a little premature. Attempting to cross an uneven piece of sidewalk, I positioned my weight wrong. My chin smacked into the sidewalk. Embarrassed and dripping a fair bit of blood, I headed back to Pat and Maurice's. Standing in front of the Pat's bathroom mirror, I pulled grass clippings out of my chin and realized that the bone had punched through the skin -- I was definitely going to need stitches. I called Pat, who promptly got permission to leave work early and drive me to the hospital. I felt very silly but very grateful. I also realized that my bicycle tour was at an end. It would not be wise to risk getting grit and sweat in the deep gash on my chin. Neither Patrick nor Maurice expressed any inconvenience or annoyance at the extension of their roommate's guest's stay. Patrick introduced me to his friends and drove me all over the nearby Fundy National Park, giving me a memorable two-day guided park tour. Later he drove me to rendezvous with my parents. There are dozens of people who've made me feel special on my cycling trips, but Pat and Maurice were beyond compare. The two of them turned someone else's mishaps into a truly special experience, all the while acting as if it was the most natural situation in the world. Pat in particular gave me an uninterrupted, three day demonstration of how to take the awkward and uncomfortable mishaps in another's life and turn them into the best moments. -------- The Survivor Story Editor: by Deborah Luper Steve Phelps Eagle River, Alaska, USA In the late 1980s, I was a single mother in Alaska. I was weighed down with financial and emotional challenges that seemed endless. There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think that my life was tough, horrible, or profoundly sad. I had forgotten how to see the positive side of things. One Sunday at church, we had a speaker. Her name was Dr. Edith Egar. Dr. Egar turned out to be a tiny woman with an incredible, larger-than- life presence. She was a practicing psychotherapist and professor of psychology at the University of California San Diego, and an Auschwitz survivor. Being a survivor was the main focus of her message. She was in her teens when her family was forced into the concentration camps. She remembered her sister and her being separated from her mother. They watched her disappear into a separate building. Later they learned that the ashes raining on their heads that day were from bodies being incinerated, bodies that included their mother. Edith was a child prodigy in ballet, her sister in music. When the Nazi's learned that Edith could dance, she was forced to dance for them. The pain of performing for the very people who had killed her mother was incredibly galling, but she knew she had to perform to survive. Edith's sister fell ill from the horrible conditions. Edith knew she had to do something to save her sister's life. She risked death climbing over a razor wire fence to get carrots from a nearby garden. Although a guard saw her return, he averted his gaze. When Allied forces liberated the camp, Edith had a broken back and weighed only 40 pounds. She had learned a great deal about survival. She learned that everyone has the power to transcend their own bad situations. She consciously decided to reject the title "victim" and claim the word "survivor" instead. She spoke about changing the present since you cannot change the past. Too many people dwell on the bad, and not on the positives. They accept victimhood and do not fight to free themselves. Then they sink deeper into despair and hopelessness. I watched her interact with the congregation. I became aware that she had noticed me. Even while she continued speaking to those around her, she reached back and took my hand. When she turned her attention to me, it was absolute. Her caring was genuine. I don't remember her specific words, but I do know that she turned my life from dark despair to one of hope and achievement. I am still a single mother. I am a successful, happy woman with a successful, happy son. We face our challenges, but they no longer dominate our lives. Dr. Egar dedicated her life to teaching people how to approach life from a positive perspective no matter how dark the world looks. Nothing is as hopeless as it appears. Everything depends on how you approach life and how you view yourself: victim or survivor. ------- HeroicStories.com ------- ==================== WORD ORIGINS: In the Bible, there is a reference to shields and bucklers. What are bucklers? A buckler is a small, round shield that is either carried or worn on the arm. Some versions of the Bible translate the phrase you mentioned as simply "small and large shields." >>Provided by Almanac.com >>-->17 refs. in the KJV: I like these the best ... :) 2Sam.22 1.[31] As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a >buckler to all them that trust in him. Pss.18 1.[2] The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my >buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 2.[30] As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a >buckler to all those that trust in him. Pss.91 1.[4] He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and >buckler. Prov.2 1.[7] He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a >buckler to them that walk uprightly. ========================= One for the Team This story was told by an old priest one Sunday. It is a true story of when he served in the military. One day their drill sergeant came out and threw a hand grenade into a group of young soldiers. The men all ran away and took cover away from the grenade. Then the drill sergeant told them that the grenade was not set to explode and he just did it to see their reaction. The next day a newly recruited soldier joined the group. The drill sergeant told the other soldiers not to tell the new soldier what was going to happen. As the drill sergeant came out and threw the grenade into the crowd of soldiers, the new soldier, not knowing it wasn't going to explode, threw himself on top of the grenade to prevent it from killing the other men. He was willing to die for his fellow soldiers. That year the young man was awarded the only medal for courage and bravery that had not been won during battle. By Kim Noone from A Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soul Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Barry Spilchuk ========= WEATHERED LOVE For years I have raised my now 16 year old son, as a single mother, and have often wondered if my guidance has given him what I consider to be a healthy basis for life. The struggles to discipline, while offering a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen, have been overwhelming. This balancing act of strength and tenderness has left me weary at times for the past 13 years we've been on our own. However, the following event, which occurred when he was about 10 years old, left me feeling very fulfilled in my role as both mother and protector. It was the end of the school year and as is typical of living in the Midwest, the school had just held an all-day event on tornadoes and weather that often accompanies the spring months in Missouri. As luck would have it, soon after, we had the experience of being awakened from our sleep by the sound of severe weather sirens ringing throughout our small little town. Ryan knew exactly what we needed to take with us to the basement as we scurried for a safe haven. I grabbed the flashlight and small portable TV while he grabbed his favorite blanket and his best buddy, Molly, our cat. He was very calm and seemed to take his responsibilities in this potential disaster with great seriousness. As we made our way down the flight of stairs into the basement he began to explain to me all the precautions and procedures that needed to be taken. During the class at school, the children had been instructed that the safest corner of the basement was the southwest corner. As we approached the bottom of the stairs, Ryan conveyed this to me and then looking at me through the most protective eyes I've ever seen, he said, "You take that one, mom". Not realizing at 10 years old that the southwest corner could be shared in this situation, his first thought was to protect his mother. We made it through that night with a new respect for weather and the blessing of not actually experiencing a tornado, just a threat. But the act of love and selflessness my son gave me that night definitely blew me away. -- Nancy Simpson ========HeartWarming========= Words Of Wisdom ... don't order a half-dozen ... :) I went to McDonald's. I looked at the menu and saw that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets. I asked for a half-dozen nuggets. "We don't have a half-dozen nuggets," said the teenager at the counter. "You don't?" I replied. "We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply. "So I can't order a half-dozen nuggets but I can order six?" "That's right." So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets. ===================== PHRASE Origins: "SMALL FRY" We use this humorously when speaking of young children. Our ancestors for the past four hundred years have done the same, so the humor is somewhat antique. But the joke is on us because even in the remote day when we borrowed "fry" from the Norse, it meant the children of a man's family. That meaning died out, however, and the present humorous usage is rather a reference to the numerous progeny (or "fry") of salmon. Even now it implies a considerable number of small children. "OF THE FIRST WATER" Water, in the sense of luster or brilliancy as applied to diamonds or pearls, is presumably a meaning that was borrowed, in translation, from Arab gem traders, for the same expression is found in other European languages. Three centuries ago, diamonds were graded as first water, second water, or third water, those of the first water being stones of the highest quality. The old method of grading died out before 1850, but "of the first water" remains in the language to indicate that the person or thing to which it is applied exemplifies the perfection of a flawless diamond. Even "a liar of the first water" would surpass all other liars in the perfection of his falsehoods. "FASTER THAN GREASED LIGHTNING" Denoting the acme of speed, than which nothing could be faster, this appears to be one of the instances of an American hyperbole about which British visitors to our shores a century ago were always complaining--- or secretly envying. Our ancestors, in the days of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson, were not content to indicate great speed n such a trite manner as "faster than lightning"; instead, knowing that a cart with greased wheels will go faster than one with dry wheels, they merely greased the lightning. "THE JUMPING-OFF PLACE" Originally this imaginary place was the edge of the earth. From there, one could proceed no farther, other than to leap straight into hell. At least, such appears to have been the thought of our American pioneering forebears in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century when this description was first applied. Perhaps it was an adaptation from some Indian belief, but, of course, by the early nineteenth century it was applied figuratively to any place, as a God-forsaken town, a desolate waste, any hopeless out-of-the-way spot, which one might deem to be literally next door to hell. -->they could be talking about Lima Here - TThe jumping-off place - Hmmm, nice nickname for it - OH No! I'm Literally Next Door to HELL - now I know the problem! LOL ========================= SCHOOL HOMEWORK POLICY Here is an explanation of the school homework policy: Students should not spend more than 90 minutes per night. This time should be budgeted in the following manner: 15 minutes looking for assignment 11 minutes calling a friend for the assignment 23 minutes explaining why the teacher is mean and just does not like children 8 minutes in the bathroom 10 minutes getting a snack 7 minutes checking the TV Guide 6 minutes telling parents that the teacher never explained the assignment 10 minutes sitting at the kitchen table waiting for Mom or Dad to do the assignment Long Term Assignments --------------------- These are given the night before they are due. This explains the name "long term". It is a long term commitment to time that begins at 9:30 p.m. and ends at 11:50 p.m. - or later. It is important that the whole family is involved in the project. It is imperative that at least one family member races to Walmart/KMart for poster board, and that at least one family member ends up in tears (does not have to be the student). One parent needs to stay up and complete the project. The other parent needs to call the school and leave a message that the student is out sick. It is not necessary to have the student's name on the assignment. ========================= -->TEN TIPS FOR A CAT(PET)-FRIENDLY, POISON--SAFE HOUSEHOLD! 1. Be aware of the PLANTS you have in your house and in your yard, if your cat is permitted outside. The ingestion of AZALEA, OLEANDER, EASTER LILLY, or YEW plant material by a cat could be fatal. 2. When cleaning your house, never allow your cat access to the area where CLEANING AGENTS are used or stored. Cleaning agents have a variety of properties; from those that could just irritate the gastrointestinal tract to those that have a corrosive action and can chemically burn the sensitive mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. 3. When using rat or mouse BAITS, ant or roach TRAPS, or snail and slug baits, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your cats. Most baits contain sweet smelling inert ingredients, which can be very attractive to your cat. 4. Never give your cat any MEDICATIONS unless under the SUPERVISION of YOUR vet. Many medications used safely by humans can be deadly when used inappropriately. One extra strength ACETAMINOPHEN (Tylenol) tablet (500mg) can kill a 7 pound cat. 5. Keep all prescription and over the counter DRUGS out of reach of your cats. Pain killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, antidepressants, and diet pills are common examples of human medication that could be potentially lethal even in small doses. Only one half of a 200mg NAPROXEN tablet could cause stomach ulcers in cats. 6. Never leave CHOCOLATES unattended. Approximately one half ounce of baking chocolate per pound body weight or less can cause clinical signs of toxicity. 7. Many common household items have been shown to be lethal to cats. Miscellaneous items highly toxic even in low quantities include: --PENNIES - high concentration of zinc --MOTHBALLS - contain naphthalene or paradicchlorobenzene - one or two balls can be life threatening. --POTPOURRI OILS --FABRIC SOFTENER SHEETS --AUTOMATIC DISH DETERGENTS - contain deterggents which could cause lesions --BATTERIES - contain acids or alkali which can also cause lesions --HOMEMADE PLAY DOUGH - contains a high quanntity of salt --WINTER HEAT SOURCE AGENTS - like hand or foot warmers - contain high levels of iron --CIGARETTES --COFFEE GROUNDS --ALCOHOLIC DRINKS 8. All AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS such as oil, gasoline, and anti- freeze should be stored in areas away from cat access. As little as one teaspoon of antifreeze (ethylene glycol) can be deadly in a 7 pound cat. 9. Before buying or using FLEA PRODUCTS on your cat or in your household, contact your veterinarian to discuss what types of flea products are best for your cat. Read ALL information before using a product on your cat or in your home. Always follow label instructions. When a product is labeled "for use in dogs only" this means that the product should NEVER be applied to cats. When using a FOGGER or a HOUSE SPRAY, make sure to remove all cats from the area for the time period specified on the container. 10. When treating your lawn or garden with FERTILIZERS, HERBICIDES, or INSECTICIDES, always keep your cats away from the area until it has dried completely. Always store such products in an area that will ensure no cat exposure. >From Cat Nips & an article by: Jill A. Richardson, DVM ASPCA/National Animal Poison Control Center ============================================ From: ArcaMax Weird News for June 20, 2000 What's 30 feet by 13 feet, weighs about 920 pounds and packs a whooping 2,295,000 calories? The world's biggest chocolate brownie, of course. About 250 volunteers spent the equivalent of 12 days last week baking more than 675 pans of Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownies for last Saturday's AmSouth Duncan Hines Festival in Bowling Green, Ky. When assembled, the result -- according to organizers -- set a new record for the biggest brownie. Cut up, the giant treat served about 13,500 festival-goers. The Duncan Hines Festival, in its fourth year, honors the founder of the company that bears his name. -->Yummy for the tummy - treated 13,500 "BOXX" people which translated would be equal to about 13,000 "REAL" People! ... ;) ======================== --LOOKOUT! HERE COME DA JUDGE - CAT SHOW JUDDGING: Have you ever wondered how cats are judged at cat shows? They don't just pick the "prettiest" cat and give it the ribbon. There is a "standard of breed" for every cat. In other words, the cats are judged, not really against each other, but on how they measure up to the breed standard. Points (maximum of 100 total) are awarded for different items, including: --Head - 30 points (correct shape and structture according to the standard) --Type - 20 points (this is usually body typpe) --Coat - 10 points --Condition - 10 points (is the cat healthy and well conditioned) --Color - 20 points (specific breeds call foor specific colors or patterns) --Eye color - 10 points So there, now you know! Sounds fairly easy, huh? But I know it takes years of experience and studying all the breeds to know a champion cat. Well, I'm the judge in my house, and as far as I'm concerned, my "Fab Four" are champion, blue ribbon winners, year after year. How 'bout yours? *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* --KITTY OBSERVATIONS: --CHECK OUT THAT COOL WALK! Have you ever noticed the way your cat walks? The giraffe, the camel, and the cat are the only creatures that walk by moving front and hind legs together on one side and then the other. Have you ever noticed the cool walk of the Pink Panther? It's very KUHL, even if he is a panther who walks on his hind legs! (He's another one of my all-time favorite cat-types.) --CAT JAWS: Did you ever notice that your cat's bottom jaw moves only up and down and never side to side? Hmmmm. Take a closer look at your feline pal and see for yourself! ======================== KEYS TO SUCCESS 1. Never walk down the hall without a document in your hands. People with documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look like they're heading for the cafeteria. People with the newspaper in their hands look like they're heading for the bathroom. Above all, make sure you carry loads of stuff home with you at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hours than you do. 2. Use computers to look busy. Any time you use a computer, it looks like work to the casual observer. You can send and receive personal e-mail, calculate your finances and generally have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. These aren't exactly the societal benefits that everybody from the computer revolution expected but they're not bad either. When you get caught by your boss --and you will get caught--your best defensee is to claim you're teaching yourself to use the new software, thus saving valuable training dollars. You're not a loafer, you're a self-starter. Offer to show your boss what you learned. That will make your boss scurry away like a frightened salamander. 3. Messy desk. Top management can get away with a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like you're not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents around your workspace. To the casual observer, last year's work looks the same as today's work; it's volume that counts. Pile them high and wide. If you know somebody is coming to your cubicle, bury the document you'll need halfway down in an existing stack and rummage for it when he/she arrives. 4. Voice mail. Never answer your phone if you have voice mail. People don't call you just because they want to give you something for nothing - they call because they want you to DO work for THEM. That's no way to live. Screen all your calls through voice mail. If somebody leaves a voice mail message for you and it sounds like impending work, respond during the lunch hour. That way, you're regarded as hardworking and conscientious even though you're being a devious weasel. If you diligently employ the method of screening incoming calls and then returning calls when nobody is there, this will greatly increase the odds that they will give up or look for a solution that doesn't involve you. The sweetest voice mail message you can ever hear is "Ignore my last message. I took care of it." If your voice mailbox has a limit on the number of messages it can hold, make sure you reach that limit frequently. One way to do that is to never erase any incoming messages. If that takes too long, send yourself a few messages. Your callers will hear a recorded message that says, "Sorry, this mailbox is full" a sure sign that you are a hardworking employee in high demand. ======================== Why should you never iron a 4-leaf clover? You don't want to press your luck. ======================== ---SLEEPING RULES FOR "THAT STRAY CAT:" So, you're putting your foot down this time, and will NOT acknowledge that stray cat that has appeared on your porch. No, he will NOT be allowed inside, etc. Let's see... You said... That stray cat will sleep OUTSIDE. That stray cat will sleep outside... UNLESS it's raining. That stray cat will sleep... in the GARAGE. That stray cat will sleep... in the house but NOT in the bedroom. That stray cat will sleep... in a cardboard box lined with an OLD blanket in a CORNER of the bedroom. That stray cat will NOT be allowed to sleep... IN our bed. That stray cat will NOT be allowed to sleep in our bed... EXCEPT at the foot. That stray cat will NOT be allowed to sleep in our bed... UNDER the covers... UNLESS we're cold. That stray cat sleeping under the covers at the foot of the bed...will NOT be allowed to chew on our feet. That stray cat that has a habit of chewing toes when he sleeps under the covers at the foot of the bed... will find that we've taken to wearing our slippers to bed. Oh, well. (Ha! Resistance is futile, isn't it!) >>Kit ========================================== QUOTES: "I was in the supermarket the other day, and I met a lady in the aisle where they keep the generic brands. Her name was 'Woman'." - Steven Wright "The tired and thirsty prospector threw himself down at the edge of the watering hole and started to drink. But then he looked around and saw skulls and bones everywhere. 'Uh-oh,' he thought. 'This watering hole is reserved for skeletons.'" - Jack Handey "Why worry about removing stains from the carpet? It's so much easier to just remove anybody who notices the stain in the first place." - John Wagner "I think a secure profession for young people is history teacher, because in the future, there will be so much more of it to teach." - Bill Muse "Can't we just get rid of wine lists? Do we really have to be reminded every time we go out to a nice restaurant that we have no idea what we are doing? Why don't they just give us a trigonometry quiz with the menu?" - Seinfeld "All those women who say they scoff at cheesy, sentimental pick-up lines are obviously hanging around the wrong men. For me, a simple 'If you ever want to see your Mommy alive again...' works every time." - Don Swain "Of all the lessons in life that I've learned the hard way, the ones involving frontal nudity and hot bacon grease seem to be the most enduring." - Randy B "On TV, the commercial says that 8 out of 10 people suffer from hemorrhoids. Does this mean the other 2 people enjoy them?" - Unknown "If there is a book that you want to read and it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." -- Toni Morrison "Cats are angels with fur." -- Sark "Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" -- Mark Twain Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost what he feels about dogs. - Christopher Hampton If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering, outspoken, honest fellow---but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much. - Philip Gilbert Hamerton Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. - Mark Twain ---> 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. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do :) Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ************************************************************************ >TO SUBSCRIBE: This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR Send a BLANK email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************