Thanks-Living And More... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND For Google Plus Users: You can find me here... Shangy Bigham https://plus.google.com/106648555948034085752/posts AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! :) -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ *~* I pray everyone had a Blessed Thanksgiving Celebration! :) I had a great one with my family! My grandsons and I had fun making and baking the cookies from the recipe Bunni shared with us here... Pumpkin Cookies W/Cream Cheese Frosting http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/easy.html They did an awesome job with them even though they were on the hard side of easy - step by step they got it done! Here is photo my son took of their finished cookies... http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/pumpkin-cookies.jpg They were most yummy! :) -<>- >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This red hot new page is from our friend LouiseAu. Obama was living in the same neighborhood as radical bomber Bill Ayers so it wouldn't be too likely he'd want to move back there after all the controversy about it. I'm sure you'll find this as interesting as I did and be whistling the tune to 'Moving on Up...' as you check it out here: _ _.-'`-._ _ ;.'________'.; _________n.[____________].n_________ |""_""_""_""||==||==||==||""_""_""_""] |"""""""""""||..||..||..||"""""""""""| |LI LI LI LI||LI||LI||LI||LI LI LI LI| |.. .. .. ..||..||..||..||.. .. .. ..| |LI LI LI LI||LI||LI||LI||LI LI LI LI| ,,;;,;;;,;;;,;;;,;;;,;;;,;;;,;;,;;;,;;;,;;,, ;;jgs;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Obama After White House http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/obamaafterwhitehouse.html --- ...Amazing! Thanks LouiseAu! I just had to look up Obama's worth since I know he was just mildly well to do when he was elected President. It seems he made some wise stock investments that got him his present $12.5 million worth. Of course it is easy to do insider trading in the government - but no one talks about such illegal goings on by our esteemed elected fellows. =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: _. ,-.,-"`""-./ \ / \ `-.| .:::.:::. \ / `-._ ::::::::: | "=\ ':::::' | .==" |o_|_ ':' | _o. ` (_) ,;;;,;;;, ; \\ ;;;;;;;;; \ _. /|-. ';;;;;' \ ` `'---'/ \ ';' \ .--._ /-' | ,-`. / `-._( / `-._`-._\ `\ '\ ( ` `'._ _, | \ / ~-. `| | | / `;-.| | | .' \ /| | / .'-. '. | \ | .' `-._ '. | /"` `\ jgs / `"--.,_'-._\-.___.'_ ; / `""";--' `. | / .'` \ /""-. ; / \""-, \ | / | \ | \ | '. |/ '. \ .'`-. / '._ '.,___,.;' '-.___.' `"""----------'` >MOVING UPWARD I got to poking through some of the old things I'd saved and came across a wonderful little article from an issue of "Guideposts Magazine." It's by Arthur Gordon and is titled "The Rewards of Caring." He tells the story of how once, as a small boy, he was witness to a near-tragedy. At the beach, a woman stepped off a sandbar into deep, swift water and panicked. At least 20 adults in bathing suits watched, apparently paralyzed, until suddenly a young man ran up, plunged in fully clothed, and brought the woman out. As Arthur Gordon described the episode later to his parents, his admiration for the young man was matched by the contempt he felt for those who failed to act. She was drowning, and they didn't even seem to care. His father looked at him thoughtfully and said, "The world often seems divided between those who care and those who don't care enough. But don't judge too harshly. It takes courage to care greatly." It does take courage to care, to open your heart and react with sympathy or compassion or indignation or enthusiasm when it is easier, and sometimes safer, not to get involved. But people who take the risk, who deliberately discard the armor of indifference, make a tremendous discovery -- the more things you care about, and the more intensely you care, the more alive you become. Caring or not caring can spell the difference between success and failure in a job, in a marriage -- in every human relationship. As Emerson said, "Nothing great was every achieved without enthusiasm." And what is enthusiasm but passionate caring? A famous jeweler once sold a magnificent ruby after one of his salespeople had failed to interest the customer. Asked how he did it, the jeweler said, "My clerk is an excellent man, an expert on precious stones. There's just one difference between us -- he knows jewels, but I "love" them. I care what happens to them, who wears them. The customers sense this. It makes them want to buy -- and they do." In such cases, of course, caring ultimately brings tangible reward, but the great philosophers and religious leaders have always taught this paradox: The most rewarding form of caring is caring without hope of reward. Fortunately for mankind, the world is full of people who go quietly through life performing, as Wordsworth put it, "little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love." The volunteer worker at the hospital, the unpaid canvasser for the community chest, the neighbor who offers to take care of your children while you settle a new house -- such people have no ulterior motive and expect no recompense. They act because they care, and their actions, multiplied my millions, supply the force that keeps the human race moving upward from barbarism along the path of growth. There are people who say that if you care too much, you can get hurt. That's right -- you win some, and you lose some. But the alternative is a pretty bleak and uninteresting existence. -- Wendyl K. Leslie ___________________________________________ Recently nominated for the 53rd edition of The Marquis' Who's Who in America, Wendyl is invites you to visit his website and subscribe to his weekly journal at: http://www.servetolead.net He is also the author of Serve to Lead, which can be reviewed at this convenient website: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1588514595/heart/ref=nosim =========================================================== >-->From NRCC: Thankful blessings.... ( ) __..---..__ ,-=' / | \ `=-. :--..___________..--; \.,_____________,./ >HOW ‘BOUT A SLICE OF HUMBLE PIE? Here’s the perfect holiday treat to serve to your crazy, liberal family. Revel in your sweet success while giving them a taste of humble pie. INGREDIENTS 1 serving conservative crust 4 years of GOTV 6 swing states 2 MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hats 1 scoop of liberal media bias 1/2 truths from Hillary 8 years of bad Obama policy Optional: A dash of contradicting polls INSTRUCTIONS Mix everything together. Add heat from Democrat in-fighting. Enjoy the sweet smell of Republican success. Serve warm with a heaping dollop of freedom. =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend LouiseAu :) .-""""-._.'| / '.| | / | / | -= | /| ( | |/`< ) ) ( ; -=| _| ) \ \ / ____ /) '._ _.-""-.< .' `\/) / / \ / _ .'`/| _ / | '-._( __\ (__/_/=, ( \| \ -=/ /--;==========` ._,;'\==='-,..__/__/__.' `'--/,/ || ' \ / | / || ' \ \/ . || ; jgs / / || | | . || | / '=------| / ' ; ; ;| `-.___.___.___.___._/ >A Dinner Of Thanksgiving She was just a bent old lady Her hair was full of gray I was just a child of seven Who had stepped outside to play. Her dress was worn and tattered She looked so frail and thin But her eyes were warm and caring And she kindly asked me in. As the morning hours were fading I recall her gentle plea "Please stay a little longer And enjoy a meal with me." I had no way of knowing That her shelves were nearly bare But it didn’t really matter She was glad to have me there. The meal was small and meager But I felt like I’d been blessed When I sat there at the table And she served to me her best. In honor of her memory This moment I will seize To be thankful for the bounty When we shared a bowl of peas. I am humbled by her spirit Unblemished through the years She’s smiling down from heaven As I wipe away these tears. For she, too, still remembers That warm delightful day When a little girl of seven Had stepped outside to play. ~ Marilyn Ferguson ~ -<>- .========. .-| |-. .''-'`_.|__ __ __|._`'-''. / .--'` | [LI] | `'--. \ .' / _.--'''""""'''--._ \ '. /` .' .-' _.----._ '-. '. `\ | / / .' _ _ '. \ \ | | | | / `_ _` \ | | | / / '. | (o)(o) | .' \ \ | | '._| .-""-. |_.' | | | \ / | \ / | \ / | / / | / \ /\/\ / \ | \ \ | | / | '-.( ).-' | \ | | | | | / \`""`/ \ | | | \ \ / | _.-| |-._ | \ / / \ \ | / .' | | '. \ | / / '. './ | .' / \ '. | \.' .' '._| \/ \/ |_.' `'{` , , `}'` { } { } { } { } { } { } \,/ \,/ '. .' jgs '-.__ __.-' { _}""{_ } / \ / \ /=/=|=| |=|=\=\ \/\/\_/ \_/\/\/ >Thanksgiving Delights On Thanksgiving Day we're thankful for Our blessings all year through, For family we dearly love, For good friends, old and new. For sun to light and warm our days, For stars that glow at night, For trees of green and skies of blue, And puffy clouds of white. We're grateful for our eyes that see The beauty all around, For arms to hug, and legs to walk, And ears to hear each sound. The list of all we're grateful for Would fill a great big book; Our thankful hearts find new delights Everywhere we look! -<>- !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ >THANKSGIVING IS.... Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude to God, our Creator and Provider, whose guidance and care go before us... and whose love is with us forever. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the changes, to remember that we, too, grow and change from one season of life to another. Thanksgiving is a time of changing seasons, when leaves turn golden in Autumn's wake and apples are crisp in the first chill breezes of fall. Let us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving. As we see the beauty of Autumn, let us acknowledge the many blessings which are ours... let us think of our families and friends.. and let us give thanks in our hearts. [every day of the year] ~~Author Unknown.~~ -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >10 Sayings to Remember about God and Life 1. If you feel far away from God, guess who moved? 2. Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there. 3. I am God's melody of life and He sings His song through me. 4. No matter what is happening in your life, know that God is waiting for you with open arms. 5. God has a purpose and plan for me that no one else can fulfill. 6. The will of God will never take you to where the grace of God will not be sufficient for you. 7. Begin to weave and God will give you the thread. 8. Sometimes when God says "no", it's because He has something better in store for you [or that road is too dangerous for you] 9. The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us. 10. Prayer: don't bother to give God instructions, just report for duty. "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13 -<>- ()_()()_() / ..)(.. \ __/ ( || ) \_ (_/ * * (_) | | | || | | | \_/| \__/ | | > \ / <__,--,__|/|_> unknown >25 thoughts to get you through almost any crisis 1. Indecision is the key to flexibility. 2. You cannot tell which way the train went by looking at the track. 3. There is absolutely no substitute for a genuine lack of preparation. 4. Happiness is merely the remission of pain. 5. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. 6. Sometimes too much drink is not enough. 7. The facts, although interesting, are irrelevant. 8. The careful application of terror is also a form of communication. 9. Someone who thinks logically is a nice contrast to the real world. 10. Things are more like they are today than they ever have been before. 11. Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting dirty for. 12. Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. 13. Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate. 14. I have seen the truth and it makes no sense. 15. Suicide is the most sincere form of self-criticism. 16. All things being equal, fat people use more soap. 17. If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame. 18. One-seventh of your life is spent on Monday. 19. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends. 20. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious. 21. The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets. 22. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on. 23. This is as bad as it can get, but don't bet on it. 24. Never wrestle with a pig: You both get all dirty, and the pig likes it. 25. The trouble with life is, you're halfway through it before you realize it's a "do-it-yourself" thing. -<>- >Keep Going! On the other side of the challenge there is a great reward. Keep going. When you've made the effort and cannot yet see the result, Keep going. The very next step could be the one that brings you across the finish line. When you become weary, remind yourself why you started in the first place. Connect with your true purpose, and feel the energy begin to flow through you again. Smile and laugh and have a good time on the journey. Be kind and considerate, thoughtful and helpful, and your load will feel lighter, your steps will come more quickly. As long as you keep going, every inch of progress will make you stronger. Every moment will bring you closer to the goal. Consider what a joy and a privilege it is to be able to make a difference. Feel that joy, keep going, and make your world brighter with each step you take. --- ...Nice bits of wisdom. Thanks LouiseAu! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >The Touch of God by Max Lucado May I ask you to look at your hand for a moment? Look at the back, then the palm. Reacquaint yourself with your fingers. Run a thumb over your knuckles. What if someone were to film a documentary on your hands? What if a producer were to tell your story based on the life of your hands? What would we see? As with all of us, the film would begin with an infant's fist, then a closeup of a tiny hand wrapped around mommy's finger. Then what? Holding on to a chair as you learned to walk? Handling a spoon as you learned to eat? We aren't too long into the feature before we see your hand being affectionate, stroking daddy's face or petting a puppy. Nor is it too long before we see your hand acting aggressively: pushing big brother or yanking back a toy. All of us learned early that the hand is suited for more than survival—it's a tool of emotional expression. The same hand can help or hurt, extend or clench, lift someone up or shove someone down. Were you to show the documentary to your friends, you'd be proud of certain moments: your hand extending with a gift, placing a ring on another's finger, doctoring a wound, preparing a meal, or folding in prayer. And then there are other scenes. Shots of accusing fingers, abusive fists. Hands taking more often than giving, demanding instead of offering, wounding rather than loving. Oh, the power of our hands. Leave them unmanaged and they become weapons: clawing for power, strangling for survival, seducing for pleasure. But manage them and our hands become instruments of grace—not just tools in the hands of God, but God's very hands. Surrender them and these five-fingered appendages become the hands of heaven. That's what Jesus did. Our Savior completely surrendered his hands to God. The documentary of his hands has no scenes of greedy grabbing or unfounded finger pointing. It does, however, have one scene after another of people longing for his compassionate touch: parents carrying their children, the poor bringing their fears, the sinful shouldering their sorrow. And each who came was touched. And each one touched was changed. From Just Like Jesus Copyright (W Publishing Group, 1998, 2001) Max Lucado -<>- >LITTLE MIRACLES By: Joseph J. Mazzella It had been a week of heavy frosts in the evenings here. The frozen nights had just about killed off the grass and most of the flowers were gone as well. The bitter, morning air was a reminder that Fall was almost over and that Winter was just around the corner. I noticed too as I walked my dogs on that cold afternoon that the trees in the woods were getting as bare as the top of my head. It seemed like it November's gloom was everywhere. It was then, however, that I saw it. A single yellow butterfly was floating in the breeze and feasting on the few remaining dandelions left in my yard. It was a little miracle that filled my soul with delight. I smiled and thanked God for this message of joy and for all the little miracles in this world. So many people in this life pray for big miracles but fail to notice the little miracles that are all around them. Every sunrise and sunset is a little miracle. Every flower that blooms and leaf that changes is one as well. I have seen little miracles in the loving hearts and beautiful smiles of handicapped children. I have seen them in the shopping carts of people living paycheck to paycheck, who still buy something extra to donate to the local food drive. I have seen them in my community where every car that breaks down will have three others stop to help. I have seen them in the lives of my friends as well. There is my wheelchair bound friend who spends hours each day sending out inspirational messages on the internet. There is my teacher friend who lost first her sight and then her job but now dedicates her life to volunteer work and bringing joy to people who are homebound. There are so many others too whose lives are daily miracles of love. The best thing about little miracles, though, is not that they are all around you but that you can be one yourself. You can share love, spread joy, and help others so much. Remember God made you, God loves you, and God gave you this life. Live it like the miracle you are. -<>- /) .-"".L,""-. ; :. : ( 7: ) : ; ctr "..-"-.." >APPLES A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales Convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and brief-cases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of baskets of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did. The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping, and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them into the baskets, and helped set the display up once more. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, Please take this $20 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out To him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about In his soul: "Are you Jesus?" Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to his love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's Actually Living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His Eye Even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He Was Doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in Full for us as damaged fruit. Let us live like we are worth the price He paid. -- Author Unknown -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment: Thank You God http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thankgod.html Our Valuable Anchor http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html For The Joy That Was Set Before Him http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/joy.html Where God Want Me http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/wheregodwantsme.html 90/10 Principle http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/giving.html Walk With Jesus http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/poems/walk.html Advice For Living http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/advice.html The Blue Ribbon http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/blueribbon.html Short Life Stories http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/lifestories.html Christmas Miracle http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/blindsees2.html Disney Wisdom http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/disneywisdom.html Wisdom For Life http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wisdomforlife.html Life Is ...Continued http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lifeis2.html More Abundant Life http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/abundantlife.html My Precious Child http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mychild.html Random Acts Of Kindness http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/actsofkindness.html Thanksgiving Through The Years http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanksgiving.html -<>- >Please Visit This Link to Get New Traffic For Shangrala :) Fun Pages http://www.funpageexchange.com/go.php?uid=3559 -<>- >From GreaterGood: Free click donations - click all across the top banner: http://tinyurl.com/gu36rqf -<>- >From Spirit & Truth Fellowship: God bless you! Wondering what resources you may have missed from STF recently? New Audio Teachings: Begin with the End in Mind (Nov 2016) Live teaching by Jeff Tyler http://tinyurl.com/j4qeawz Unity (Oct 2016) Live teaching by Dan Gallagher http://tinyurl.com/gvrgp35 Father Figures (Sep 2016) by Dave Hanson http://tinyurl.com/jgd9ftm Living Behind Enemy Lines (Aug 2016) by Dan Gallagher http://tinyurl.com/hwgunt8 Love Your Neighbor As Yourself (July 2016) by John Schoenheit http://tinyurl.com/htsrm7p -<>- >In The News: Latest From MRCtv http://www.mrctv.org/ Latest RightAlerts: http://rightalerts.com/ -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) She sent us one we have here... Cell Phone Madness 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/cellphone2.html --- ...SO funny AND True! Thanks LouiseAu! The Supremes was an American female singing group and the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Originally founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco. They were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and are, to date, America's most successful vocal group with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. At their peak in the mid-1960s, the Supremes rivaled the Beatles in worldwide popularity. Happy Thanksgiving time! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCJ78Ttzuf4 When he went on Britain's Got Talent, Darcy Oake left the audience and judges with their mouths open agape. This illusionist performs his magic using doves, fire, and sleight of hand. The question remains where does he keep his pigeons? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO_KyTtJg10 We all love watching "The Price is Right." This classic game show stole America's heart when it first aired back in the late 1950s and is known for keeping people guessing. But when these three contestants spun the wheel to compete for a shot at the showcase round, something happened that has never been seen before in the show's history! Press play to watch one of the most memorable game show moments ever! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td09sxTCDAc David Blaine performs some amazing card tricks at The Tonight Show before freaking everyone out with an illusion no one expects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Ws4PEky28 --- ...captivating! Thanks LouiseAu! -<>- >From Our Friend Melody :) Maple pumpkin cake with spiced rum frosting https://t.e2ma.net/click/w55im/o7ppnl/wx7u6d Simple Meal: Dinner When You're Sick http://www.stretcher.com/stories/10/10nov22d.cfm?newsletters --- ...Sweet! Thank You Melody! Aww, bless her heart! We often take our health for granite - I learned to praise God for NORMAL - When you feel normal be most thankful others are not fairing so well! -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) What coordination and concentration! Brass Band..... I get sent some strange stuff on the internet but this comes real close to being the strangest. Prepare to be amazed! http://www.wimp.com/brass-band-multitasker/ --- ...Just shows how imaginative humans can be! Thanks Geniann! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Geniann :) _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >Give thanks every day... As I approach my twilight years, I am struck by the inevitability that the party must end. And one clear, cold morning after I'm gone, my spouse will awaken in the warmth of our bedroom and be struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't "anymore." No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute." Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, or say "I love you." So while we have it, its best we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage and old cars, children with bad report cards, dogs with bad hips, a aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a son-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what. Life is important, like people we know who are special. And so, we keep them close! Suppose one morning you never wake up, do all your friends know how you really feel? The important thing is to let every one of your friends know your true feelings, even if you think they don't love you back. So, just in case I'm gone tomorrow, please know and rest assured I voted against that incompetent, bleeding heart, lying crook Hillary. Praise God for Trump! Have a GREAT DAY! --- ...TeeHee! Thanks Geniann! -<>- a. ---._ _`8P . ` \`| ___.8 / ( / __(P --. \ \( ( _. \\\ ___ |/_ ` \ `_,/ \--( ">'__.(-' `-/ `- \_( _____..stuMBLE (__.----. (_ ] `\__(\|/ | `" | [________________a:f____________________ >Giving Thanks Well - The Layman's Ten Commandment 1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout the journey. 2] So why is a Car's WINDSHIELD so large and the Rear View Mirror so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So Look Ahead, and Move on. 3] Friendship is like a BOOK: It takes a few minutes to burn, but it takes years to write. 4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either. 5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold! 6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, beloved, it's just a bend.... not the end! 7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems, HE has faith in your abilities. 8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!" 9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you. 10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE. Live simply. Love generously; Care deeply; Speak kindly; If you stumble let God pick you up; Leave the rest to God. --- ...Great advice! Thanks Geniann! ================================================================ .---------------. / oLo \ O/_____/________/____\O /__________+__________\ / (#############) \ |[**](#############)[**]| \_______________________/ |_""__|_,-----,_|__""_| | | '-----' | | APC'97 '-' '-' >Southern Hospitality Story Editor: by Gabriele Clayton Bennett Virginia, USA After finishing graduate school at Ohio State University, I moved back to northern Virginia. My father had just retired from the Air Force, and my family moved from Zweibrucken, Germany, to South Carolina. I hadn't seen my parents since they bought their new house and moved in, so I was anxious to go see them. I left Alexandria, Virginia, early in the morning, in my 1986 Ford Escort. Somehow I knew my car might have a problem on the trip down south; the odometer had 140,000 miles on it. Near Kenly, North Carolina, my car stopped dead in its tracks. Two young men stopped and offered me a ride, but I asked them to call the police for me instead. Then another car approached, and a kind-looking, older man stepped out. He thought I was his son's girlfriend, whom I resembled. He said he also had a funny feeling -- as though he was pulled into the opposite direction to see who was stranded by the side of the road. But even once he saw that I was not his son's girlfriend, he still offered to help. The man identified himself as a Baptist minister. Just as I knew something might go wrong with my car, somehow I knew I could trust him. He arranged for a tow truck to take my car to the closest garage, then asked me to accompany him to a hospital, where he was due to pray for some patients. He then took me home to put me up for the night with his family. His wife and son were surprised to have a visitor, but were equally hospitable. The son did a double take when he saw me; I guess I really looked a lot like his girlfriend. The next day, the minister drove me to Raleigh airport, the nearest place with a car rental agency, to get a car to finish my trip. My car would be repaired while I visited my parents. The next day, the minister drove me to the Raleigh airport car rental agency, so I could finish driving home. My car would be repaired while I visited my parents. When I returned to Raleigh, the minister had arranged to meet me again. He drove with me to return the rental car, then to the garage to pick up my car. When all this happened, I didn't have much money or experience. I don't know what I would have done if he had not come along. My dad made a contribution to his parish as thanks, but this man's kindness was beyond price. Today, my husband and I try to pay this kindness forward. We both help people who are stranded by the side of the road, and at other times, whenever we can. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From GoodCleanFun: _______________________________________________________ | | / | | /---, | | -----# ==| | | | :) # ==| | | -----'----# | |______________________________________________________| |)___() '# |______====____ \___________________________________| [_/,-,\"--"------ //,-, ,-,\\\ |/ //,-, ,-, ,-,\\ __# ( 0 )|===******||( 0 )( 0 )||- o '( 0 )( 0 )( 0 )|| ----'-'--------------'-'--'-'-----------------------'-'--'-'--'-'----------- unknown >The Folded Napkin - A Truck Stop Story I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The ones who concerned me were the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ"; the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks... I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto his cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, let out a whoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Bell Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of this 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Bell Ringer a withering look. He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked. "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay." "I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?" Frannie quickly told Bell Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery then sighed: "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Bell Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables. Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face. What's up?" I asked. "I didn't get that table where Bell Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off," she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup." She handed the napkin to me, and three $50 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie." "Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "'Something For Stevie"' scrawled on its outside. Two $100 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply: "Truckers!!" That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called ten times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. I then met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting. "Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me!" I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. "First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $20 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving." Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table.... Best worker I ever hired. Plant a seed and watch it grow. ========================================================== >-->From Kidwarmers: `:-._,-.-._,, __ `--'`.`' .. (_ ) ________ __ __( ,_Y) _ _(( )_)__ _ ,--(_ACME_(O) _/_/ /,-, ,-' _-_( )_-_-_ (_(__,[[[___[__],--. (_)///\\_, ((_)_)) ,-\// \// _\==O-O / @( //__`-_) (_) `=(___V____V_(_( .___) _\\-,/_, - -- - _/`\LLLLL(\__/`---' /,-' `--' -__ -- ( / / ( < < jv ' ''''' '''' >THE FUNNIEST THINGS KIDS SAY I will start this column with a few Thanksgiving Kidwarmer "classics." I first published them about 20 years ago! When Mrs. Bolton was teaching kindergarten, she held her students spell-bound with her vivid and detailed descriptions of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. After the story, the class was very quiet. Then a little boy looked up at her with soulful eyes and asked, "Mrs. Bolton, was you there?" Lillian had prepared Thanksgiving dinner for the family. On the table was a big dish of black olives. When Debra, 6, spotted the black olives, she exclaimed, "Grandma, you burned the olives!" Paul, 3, enjoyed the family dinner at his cousins' house. He complimented his aunt on the meal. "Everything tasted fine," he said, "except for the rust on the pumpkin pie!" , , )\ )\ ( )---- ) /)(o^(o\ C c__> ) '._ .-' ____||_ O0o n// /__\\/u O0o //\\ // \\ \\ \\ __\\ \\___ jjs (C__/ \__>) Dee Dee Tristan, 5, is in kindergarten. He had been following the election, so shortly after Election Day he asked, "Grandma, did you vote for Broccoli Obama?" - Sherry Connelly of Three Rivers, Mich. (Sherry is the grandmother of Tristan and sister-in-law of Diane Schlemmer of LaGrange, Indiana.) Here is another election story. Ann told Micah they needed to go vote because it was the election. Micah happily replied, "Eleven! I want to be 11!" Anne told him, "Not 11, election. We are voting for president." He said, "I would like to be president." When Anne asked him why, he replied, "Because then I could get married. It is taking so long to get married!" Anne thinks the whole political process was lost on him. - Anne Lowe of Ligonier, Indiana Here is another story from Anne. Micah learned how to ride his bike without training wheels. He came inside to excitedly tell Anne all about it and said, "You know how you don't like me growing up? Well too bad. I just did!" .^. .^. / \ / \ __--^^^--__ ,' \/ `-. ,. _-^ @@@@@@@/ ^-_.' \ / \ ,' \@@@@,' | ,---.___. \ \ `' `--' /~~\ | \ `. | `. | , | \ \ ! `. `.| | | | i \ `'. | # |# | ! \ \ \ / / i \ \ `. `._.'__.' | `| | `. \ / / `. /%%%%%%\ | ARF! | / ^--__ /\ |%%%%%%% | | ARF! | | | |^-.| |. .| | \ \%%%%%_/ / | | | | | | `^' | | `. ,' ( ) ( ) | | | | `-____-^ `-' `-' | | | | ( ) ( ) `-' `-' FRM Zelma was babysitting Cheyenne, 5. The emergency medical service ambulance came by. Cheyenne said, "Look, Zelma, there is a 'clam us.'" She was trying to say ambulance. - Zelma Feltner of Kendallville, Indiana Zelma was babysitting Dakota, who just turned 2. Dakota wanted to watch a "Dora" DVD. Zelma told her she would put it in for her. Dakota replied, "It my turn, Zelma." Zelma said, "No, you are not messing with the DVD player." Dakota looked at Zelma and then slapped her legs with her little hands and said, "My gosh, my gosh, Zelma!" ,-~~-.___. / | ' \ It was a dark and stormy night.... ( ) 0 \_/-, ,----' ==== // / \-'~; /~~~(O) / __/~| / | =( _____| (_________| W< Zelma was babysitting for her granddaughter, Addyson, 7 months, and Dakota, 2. Zelma was holding Addyson. Dakota said, "Oh, look at her little hands ... She is so adorable." On the way home from church, Glen was kidding Jacob, 10, that he couldn't remember when his birthday was. He expressed profound disappointment that his father would forget the date, Nathanael, 8, nonchalantly responded, "Jacob, of course Dad can't remember. His brain is too full of old people stuff." Jacob responded, "Really?" Nathanael replied, "Yeah. After you turn 22, there's no room in your brain for anything new." - Glen of Ossian, Indiana Farra Loss Barnett of Grand Rapids, Mich., shared this conversation with her daughter, Marly, 4. Farra got angry with Marly for something that really was an accident. She apologized to her and they talked for about 10 minutes about it. Here is a portion of their discussion. ,--.,-"";-"-. .-;-/ / / .- `\ .-. ` ( ' ' ` ; `\/ \ \ / \ / (. C . ) | .-. | | _ / (` / | \ /}| | )(\ | `-> (____.| / ||| / \=====| | |\| | |====| \ _/ ` \__/=====| |` `-'======| \ |=======/ | |=======| | .--, ########\ |/ / jgs |_|__|| ` `--. ,---;-'--'\ `--. `---`-------'-.___,___.---' Farra: I'm so sorry I was angry with you. I was wrong. Marly: It was an accident. You shouldn't be angry with me for an accident. If it was a purpose you can be angry. You should just say, "Oopsie, you need to clean that up!" because it was an accident. Farra: Please forgive me. Marly: It's OK. I forgive you, Mom. Farra: I'm thankful for your kind and forgiving heart. You are that way because you have Jesus in your heart. Marly: Yeah, He tells me things. He tells me what to say to you. Cora, 6, and Cohen, 4, were eating supper with their parents on the evening of one of the presidential debates. Daddy Geron asked the children who they would vote for, if they were able to vote. Cora quickly answered that she would vote for Obama, since she really liked him. Cohen, on the other hand, seemed to be really thinking about his decision. Finally he said, "I would either vote for Anakin Skywalker or Wolverine - I'm not sure which one right now." - Granny Susan of Kentucky Evi had promised her grandson Jay, 3, that they would be going out for ice cream the next time she would babysit. It turned out to be a wet and blustery day, so she told Jay that maybe it wasn't such a good day for ice cream. He looked at her with sad eyes and then said, "But Omi, it is only a little bit a bad day, but it is a lot more a good day!" (He got his ice cream treat.) - Connie (friend of Evi) of Vienna __,=,__ .~`` .` `.``~. | . . |____ `-;=============;""""` ( (. _).) \ | | \ `-.___.' / '._ _.' /`''''\ / \ | |/\/\/\/|.-. |-|/\/\/\/|;' ) (__/_______| _) #########'._) jgs |==|=|__ ,,,(______)_),,,, ,,,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,,, ,,,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;,,, ,;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;, Teal, 4, was staying with her grandparents. Teal gets along well with her grandparents' Rottweiler, named Maya. One of Maya's favorite games is to play hide and seek. When she and Teal were playing it, Teal ran around the corner from the foyer and came into the bathroom where her grandmother was cleaning. Rita told her to hide in the closet and she did. Then Maya came around the corner, didn't see Teal, and ran into the bathroom looking for her. Then she ran out and went into the bedroom and came back to the bathroom and started whining. Then she left the bathroom and went back out into the hallway again. Rita spoke to Maya and asked her, "Where is Teal, Maya? Where is she?" Then a little voice spoke up from the bathroom closet and said "I'm in the living room." Rita could not stop laughing, and of course Maya was not fooled and found Teal in the closet. - Rita Maurer (grandmother of Teal) of Kendallville, Indiana Evan, 5, said to to his parents, "Sometimes I don't even know how much I love Zoe (his 2-year-old sister)!" They weren't sure what he meant so they asked him to say what he felt using different words. So Evan explained, "Sometimes my heart beats so fast because I love her so much." - Ashley Baker (mother of Evan and Zoe) of Fort Wayne, Indiana Note: You are welcomed to use, copy and share these stories, but please reference http://www.funnykids.com as the source. ========================================================== ,-`"-=') =/////// ,== _,_(((((-`6\ ==.| /,,...\\\C _| .--. ((((\\\\\` _, /;_| )9 )))))./ `. / } _\,_ ,-'))) \ / /=-. ,-./ \/ '))) . /\_/ / \ (,-.%\ / /-' ') \/\ / ( \ (/ \ ' /( ' `-/ \( \ ,- / ( `-' \ . / / \ \ &_) /\ \ | ( /--.- \ \----,------=;% | _/ _); `. ` `-. .`\ ) +++/ \ ,," %&-. ; \\| `-` `-=.;_,.__.__\_,/ )_/___+_/_________\,"(_//_(__)______:-._) gpyy >-->Around The Corner Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city that has no end, Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, And before I know it, a year is gone. And I never see my old friends face, For life is a swift and terrible race, He knows I like him just as well, As in the days when I rang his bell. And he rang mine but we were younger then, And now we are busy, tired men. Tired of playing a foolish game, Tired of trying to make a name. "Tomorrow" I say! "I will call on Jim Just to show that I'm thinking of him." But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes, And distance between us grows and grows. Around the corner, yet miles away, "Here's a telegram sir," "Jim died today." And that's what we get and deserve in the end. Around the corner, a vanished friend. Remember to always say what you mean. If you love someone, tell them. Don't be afraid to express yourself. Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you. Because when you decide that it is the right time it might be too late. Seize the day. Never have regrets. And most importantly, stay close to your friends and family, for they have helped make you the person that you are today. --- ...Thank you ALL for always being here and being my friend! May God's Love Always Abound YOUR WAY (¯`v´¯) `*.¸.*´ ¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•. Huggums!... :) Shangy! >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ************************************************************************ >TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ************************************************************************