The Most You Can Do 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 Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an adult club in the love and romance directory so you will have to confirm that you are an adult when you go here. I still have no idea how to change this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try! 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 ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! ================ >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) Just heard in the news that Sergeant Reckless Statue to be Dedicated at the Museum of the Marine Corps: http://tinyurl.com/kehwmdq This Horse was awesome! We have a page on him here... ||\ (' `. / @ ` `. // `| `. (o .-'. `| `--.______.-----._ `' \ `|`| `.<-\ \ ` ||\\ | | |||| /\ | | /|||| / | ;-.______.-'\ / |||` / /.| / \ \\ \\\` ( ' ( ; `. \) \\` \\\ | | .'.;.) `` \ \| | .'.'/ / | |_| /_| / / ' /_| /_| VK Sgt. Reckless http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/sgtreckless.html America Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Saturday, July 27, 2013 7:00 AM Korean War Veterans Memorial http://www.koreanwar60.com/27july -<>- >ShangralaFamilyFun.com has moved! Like any move, it was very stressful, but I am most pleased to announce that there will no longer be any Yahoo Error 999 generated from my cyber home website any more! Praise God! We put up with it for well over a year and it was time to relocate and say good riddance to it forever! Now that the site has been moved, I ask that if you come across any non-loading pictures or files or links, PLEASE let me know right away so I can fix it. I think I have all my files moved from Yahoo but it is hard to test over 800 pages to make sure they all load correctly. Thank you all for your patience during this trying time! Huggums and God's most Abundant Blessings to you! -<>- >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This super hottie is from our friend KarenF. Sure to give you lots of oos and awws! Give it time to load and Check it out here: _ _._ _,,-''' ''-,_ }'._''.,_.=._ ,-' _ _ ' ( @)'-, ,' _..==;;::_::'- __..----'''} : .'::_;=='' ,'',: : : '' '} } '::-' / },: : : :_,' : :' _..,,_ '., '._-,,,--\' _ : ; .-' : '-, ';,__\.\_.-' { ' : _,,, :__,,--::',,}___}^}_.-' } _,'__''', ;_.-''_.-' : ,':-'' ';, ; ;_..-' _.-' } ,',' ,''', : ^^ _.-''{ { ; ; ,', ' : } } : ;_,' ; } { ',',___,' ' pils ', ,' '-,,__,,-' Montreal Mosaicultures Show http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/montrealshow.html --- ...Awesome! I bet Montreal is packing in the visitors! Thanks KarenF! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: _ _ / \ _ _ _ / \ | | / \/ \/ \ | | % | |I| || || |=o | % % | | j_jj_jj_j | | % v % V | | ||_________|| | | .:,>@<%% >@<| ; | | | || || | | | | ~*~ | |% *| |:X:| |I| || || | | | |*'|`\|/|| ~@~ * ,||/|`|'|_| |_||_||_| |_|,||,|/ |,||Vv,`|',v`|v hjw >GARDENING, WITH PEN IN HAND by Eva Shaw, Ph.D. I am asking you to look at keeping a garden journal. It's good for the soul, it's good therapy, and it's a good way to grow. Just today I've received a new one -- a hard cover that's stripped like garden onions, with a silky marigold-colored ribbon to mark the progression of my journaling. The journal is pristine, clean and fresh, much like my cutting garden was less than a year ago. Soon, the journal will be spilling over with words like my new garden. Gardens and journals are much the same -- they start with dreams. The one in my front yard was a birthday present from my husband. He hauled bricks, sweated over cement, wheeled in topsoil, all in the name of love. I choose the flowers. I dug in the dirt to create a bit of paradise joining with nature. I planted sweet peas for fragrance, and since their season is short, they tell me to cherish life, reminding me that we do not know the number of our days. I planted bulbs by the dozen. I loved their surprise factor. I can never remember just where I've planted them and BAM! They pop up in unexpected places. They take me to a time when as a child I was ill, feverish and miserable. Mama arranged a handful of King Alfred daffodils in a crystal vase and placed them near my bedside. It was my first grown up bouquet and formed a part of me that continues, now these years later, to share her "flowers make you feel better" philosophy as I give bouquets away. Daisies are in the garden because they're part of my history. When Joe and I were first married, barely making ends meet, he splurged one payday showering me with a small bouquet of daisies. In our 31 years together, I've received more expensive gifts, but the daisy remembrance is wrapped in the velvet of precious memories. I must ask him if he remembers. I am sure he does. Sunflowers are in my cutting garden although I cannot get myself to cut these beauties as they tower over the garden fence and flaunt their faces to the world. They tell me it's good to be sturdy and stand out from the crowd. A journal is like a garden where we "plant" our ideas, some perhaps too dear to share and some that are better left as secrets. We can place words on paper to write out, scratch out, rewrite and ponder at silent moments. There are no rules to journaling as there are no right or wrong ways to garden. Someday when I'm older, I may want to think back and marvel at my (possibly misspent) youthful middle age, juggling writing projects with a garden full of marauding slugs barely waiting until twilight to pay a visit. Taking time to write in a garden journal feels odd, especially if we're not practiced at jotting down thoughts, plans and even jumbled ideas. Knotty memories may shoot up and we may wonder if they're weeds or the sprouts of something to be cherished. Sometimes we have to wait and see. In our garden journal we need not censor or explain. The book can be for our eyes only, to be hidden away from others. That's the "job" of a journal. Journaling about the garden isn't great literature. It's simply a reflection of me. Oh, how I wish my grandmothers had kept journals. So if for nothing but the future, I'll write. Someday, perhaps from this beautiful new journal, a yet unborn child will say, "I'm planting sweet peas. Great Grandmother Eva adored them." This reader will know that in 2005, only lavender sweet peas produced flowers. That "fact" will disappear unless it's in my journal. I'm going to press flowers between the pages, a snapshot of my garden, maybe a bit of poetry, a photograph of my Welsh terrier, Buttons. I will add garden-variety quotes to stir me and thoughts I cannot do without. What will I write? What will YOU write? I'm a simple person and will scribble, "Today I've started this garden journal. With paper and pen I will tell myself about my garden." It's my hope you write about the breezes on your face, the soil on your fingers and the sunshine on your back, among other miracles. I pray you'll take up gardening with pen in hand. -- Eva Shaw, Ph.D. ___________________________________________ Eva is a woman who lives to write, garden and mentor. She teaches writing online, speaks nationally on grief and recovery and is the author of the just released, What to Do When a Loved One Dies: A practical and compassionate guide for dealing with death on life's terms. ========================================================== >-->Story Time from our friend Linda :) _ _ _ _ //|\ //|\ //|\ //|\ c_"/ c_"/ c_"/ c_"/ __/\__ /\__ /\ /\ / \ /\ \ /\/\ /\/\ /____\ /____\ /____\ /____\ S-v /l ll l\ ll Once upon a time there was a girl who had four friends. She loved the fourth friend the most and adorned him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best. She also loved the third friend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another. She also loved her second friend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her. Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times. The girl's first friend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first friend, although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him! One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, 'I now have four friends with me, but when I die, will I be alone.' Thus, she asked the fourth friend, 'I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company? 'No way!', replied the fourth friend, and he walked away without another word. His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart. The sad girl then asked the third friend, 'I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?' 'No!', replied the third friend. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!' Her heart sank and turned cold. She then asked the second friend, 'I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?' 'I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!', replied the second friend. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.' His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated. Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.' The girl looked up, and there was her first friend. He was very skinny as he suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!' In truth, you have four friends in your lives: (if you are born again) Your fourth friend is your body. No matter how much time and effort yo lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die. Your third friend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others. Your second friend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave. And your first friend is your spirit. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, your spirit is the only thing that will follow you wherever you go. Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of God and continue with you throughout Eternity. Thought for the day: Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees you're in the perfect position to pray. Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections. --- ...Great classic! Thanks Linda! ============================================================== >-->From Our Friend KarenF :) , ."". , , # |()| # , _#_#___|__|___#_#__ [__________________] |-_ -=__=-_ -==_-| |_.------------.=| |=| o o |=| _|-| ! `( ! |-|_ /==_| ! _(_.)_ ! |=_-\ |jgs|/^\^=^^=^/^\| _=| >The Cold Within Six humans trapped by happenstance In black and bitter cold Each one possessed a stick of wood, Or so the story’s told. Their dying fire in need of logs. The first woman held hers back For on the faces round the fire She noticed one was black. The next man looking cross the way Saw one not of his church And couldn’t bring himself to give The fire, his stick of birch. The third one sat in tattered clothes He gave his coat a hitch Why should his log be put to use To warm the idle rich? The rich man just sat back and thought Of the wealth he had in store And how to keep what he had earned from the lazy shiftless poor. The black man’s face bespoke revenge As the first passed from his sight For all he saw in his stick of wood Was a chance to spite the white. And the last man of forlorn group Did naught except for gain Giving only to those who gave Was how he played the game. The logs held tight in death’s steel hands Was proof of human sin They didn’t die from the cold without They died from the cold within. – James Patrick Kinney --- ...Such is mankind's plight. Thanks KarenF! =========================================================== >-->From Our Friend Bunni :) _|_ | _|_ //_/\ __| ||____ ////////////\ /////////////\\ |^^^^^^^^^^||+| | # # # |||| .... ....". ||||||||||||||||| unknown >All He Had To Offer Here is a story about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town in Tennessee. His house was in a poor area of the community. A church there Had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon. The child came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor. The bus pastor asked if his parents were home and the small boy told him That his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to take care Of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn't believe what the child said And asked him to repeat it. The youngster gave the same answer and the bus Pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They went into the living room And sat down on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus Pastor asked the child "Where do you go to church?" The young boy surprised the visitor by replying"I've never been to church In my whole life." The bus pastor thought to himself about the fact that His church was less than three miles from the child's house. "Are you sure you have never been to church?" he asked again. "I'm sure I haven't" came his answer. Then the bus pastor said "Well son, more important than going to church, Have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?" and then he Proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old boy. The young lad's heart began to be tenderized and at the end of the bus Pastor's' story the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive this free Gift from God. The youngster exclaimed "OF COURSE!" The child and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus Into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both Stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the child up for church the next morning. "Sure" the nine year old replied. The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights Off. He let himself in and snaked his way through the house and found the Little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and his brother and Helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a doughnut for Breakfast on their way to church. Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before. The church was a real big one. The little child just sat there clueless of What was going on. A few minutes into the service these tall unhappy guys Walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates. One of the men Prayed and the child with utter fascination watched them walk up and down The aisles. He still didn't know what was going on. Suddenly like a bolt Of lightning it hit the child what was taking place. These people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free Gift of life he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. He immediately Searched his pockets front and back and couldn't find a thing to give Jesus. By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and with a Broken heart he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. He finally let Go and watched it pass on down the aisle. He turned around to see it passed Down the aisle behind him. And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back and Forth, back and forth all the way to the rear of the sanctuary. Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy in front of God and Everybody got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. Then he did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate, sat It on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it. As he stood there he lifted his little head up and said "Jesus I don't have anything to give you today but just me. I give you me!" Unknown ? ? ? --- ...Sweet! Thanks Bunni! -<>- _/\_ __\ /__ <_ _> |/ )\| ejm97 / >THE WHIRLPOOL AND THE LEAF One lonely leaf is left hanging on the tree. All the others have fallen but this one hangs on stubbornly refusing to give up. Then a sudden gust of wind is just too much and it loses its tenacious grip and falls to the water below. Slowly it begins its journey down the River of Life. Floating along with the current It manages to do very well for a time until it gets snagged against a log. It gets pushed up against the log, over and over again, as the current rushes by. It feels the pull but is stuck against the log. Just one of life's snags. A twig comes floating by and as it passes it lightly touches the leaf dislodging it from the log. Onward it goes again down the river of life, free and unincumbured. The leaf can see the whirlpool coming up in the distance. It is so strong, yet its pull is very light while the leaf is on the outside. The leaf would hardly know it was anywhere near a dangerous area. The leaf enjoys the ride as it floats along with no concern or sense of danger. But suddenly, It begins to feel a bit dizzy as it slowly begins to go around the outer edges of the mighty whirlpool. Although it is swirling around the outside edges of the mighty whirlpool, the leaf has no fear of the future, Even as it is swirled faster and faster there is no fear. It feels so good to be drawn around and around the edge with no effort being demanded. Slowly it is drawn, closer and closer, into the middle circle gaining momentum with every trip around the whirlpool. Closer and closer to the center it is slowly, but surely, drawn. It swirls around and around as it is ever being drawn in closer and closer to the center. Suddenly, the pull increases and the leaf feels a moment of alarm. Valiantly it fights to stay out of the center of the pool, struggling with every bit of strength it can muster. Fighting. Fighting so hard to maintain control. Then, as suddenly as the leaf had begun to fight, it surrenders and lets the current take control. It feels itself being drawn, deeper and deeper, into the center of the violently circling whirlpool. Suddenly it is drawn under and feels itself being drawn, deeper and deeper down into the depths of the whirlpool into the very center. The fear is now gone as the whirlpool is no longer violent but oh, So gentle. At the bottom of the whirlpool it is so calm compared to the ride down. The water gently flows over and around the leaf, bathing it with love. This is a very special whirlpool. A Whirlpool of Love. Its only reason for existence is to give everlasting love to the leaf it has chosen and to continually caress and bathe the leaf in its tender embrace. The water slowly begins to warm as it bathes the leaf with life giving love. As it slowly flows around, above and beneath the leaf it is totally saturated with the love flowing all around it. The leaf is now a prisoner in the depths of the pool with no way of escape. A prisoner in the Whirlpool of Love. The question is .... Does it really want its freedom? The Whirlpool will only keep the leaf if that is its desire. If the leaf chooses not to stay it will be returned to the surface of the pool and released. In our everyday life we are faced with the same decision. Should we stay in the safety of our Whirlpool where we are loved and our every need is catered to? Even though we are loved, do we love with the same intensity? Is this what we really want? Or, do we secretly yearn for freedom? Yearn to be released from the Whirlpool of Love that binds us to it? Even the Whirlpool of Love can't hold a heart that longs to be free. A heart that longs to soar into the clouds like a mighty eagle that has suddenly been set free. The heartache of choosing. The safety of the Whirlpool of Love or the one waiting in the shadows. The one softly calling your name with outstretched arms and tears in his eyes. It's your choice. Choose carefully though for the choice is forever. The Whirlpool of Love or ................. Phyllis Smith (Bunni) Copyright March 21, 1997 Revised July 12, 2013 All Rights Reserved --- ...Great poem! Thanks Bunni! =============================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: | .__ _ |X | - ( ) - `-.| " ' `+_ + | .' `x .' = O _.-' .. ( >-=' ``.._ _. -' / \" `-a:f,-'-._ ,-' ()) _ b b `" One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing in the heady atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check. Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining string and the cumbersome tail kept them in tow, facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, "Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!" They soared beautifully even as they fought the imposed restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. "Free at last" it seemed to say. "Free to fly with the wind." Yet freedom from restraint simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic breeze. It fluttered ungracefully to the ground and landed in a tangled mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. "Free at last" -- free to lie powerless in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to lodge lifeless against the first obstruction. How much like kites we sometimes are. The Lord gives us adversity and restrictions, rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength. Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the commandment and (pardon the pun) never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground. Let us each rise to the great heights our Heavenly Father has in store for us, recognizing that some of the restraints that we may chafe under are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve. -<>- ( ) ) ( ) ) |o o| .'. |o o| __\_____ |_O_| |" " ''' | -*---**- Shardac >THE MOST YOU CAN DO The Summer of my eleventh year was a wonderful time of joy and innocence. My days were spent riding my bike, walking in the bright green woods around my home, swimming in the crystal clear river that ran by my house, playing in fields full of wild flowers, and looking up at the clouds. I wished those lazy, peaceful days would last forever. But then it all changed. It happened in the middle of the night when I heard my grandmother scream. A fire had started in her room and was rapidly spreading through our house. We all ran outside with only the clothes on our backs. I watched in shock as fire devoured our home. There was nothing left. That night I went from a happy and carefree child to a homeless and scared one. The following days were a blur. I didn’t know what the future would hold. All I could feel was fear. Thankfully, good friends took us into their home, fed, and clothed us. One night around their dinner table my Mom thanked them for all they were doing for us. Smiling, her friend said, "Honey, it was the least we could do." Later they began to share old stories and laugh. It was then that I smiled for the first time in days and felt the fear finally fading from my heart. Looking back on that time thirty five years ago, I now see that it wasn’t the least they could do. The least would have been nothing at all. Instead they opened their home and their hearts to us. They shared their food and their kindness. They helped us to start over when we had lost everything. They helped a scared boy to feel safe, loved, and happy again. The next time you are given an opportunity to help another then don’t just do the least you can do. Do the most you can do instead. Give from your heart. Share from your soul. Live a life that makes Heaven smile. God put us here to love each other, to feed each other, to help each other, and to make this world a better place for everyone. That is the most we can do. --JOSEPH J. MAZZELLA joemazzella@frontier.com -,>- >LynnLynn Links for Your Enjoyment: Melva http://silverandgoldandthee.net/V/Sk.html Checkin' In http://www.adreamandasmile.com/Smiles/Checkin_In_On_You.html Ray Stevens - Come To America http://www.youtube.com/embed/WgOHOHKBEqE?feature=player_detailpage games.sallini.com: RoofDrop http://sallini.com/games/thegames/challenge/roofdrop/index.html Escherian Stairwell http://www.bitoffun.com/video_vault/escherian-stairwell.htm -<>- Last Day! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lastday.html Jesus Clinic! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/clinic.html 90/20 Principle! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/giving.html0 Butchart Gardens! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bgardens.html Angel Wing Decoys! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/angel.html Playing With Words! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wordplay.html God's Little Love Notes! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/notes.html Attitude Is Everything 4! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude4.html Bible: Stretching For The Lord! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/stretching.html Bible: God's Royal And Holy Priests! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/royalpriests.html Bible: You Are The Only You God Has! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/onlyyougodhas.html -<>- >From Our Friend 24modo :) They sent us one we have here... Wave Photography Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/waveart.html --- ...What a beautiful reminder! Thank You 24modo! -<>- >From Our Friend Linda :) She sent us ones we have here... Humor in Religion #3 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/hreligion3.html --- ...TeeHee! Good one! Thanks Linda! Three Old Men http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/oldmen.html --- ...Another good one! Thanks Linda! -<>- >From our friend KarenF: The way it SHOULD be… THE FEW-----THE PROUD-----THE MARINES FOR GOD AND COUNTRY Marine Corps children on the playground. Video clip taken aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina at Evening Colors. Trust me folks you'll not see this strict adherence to American Flag protocol on K-12 U.S. campuses or elsewhere. Make sure your sound is turned up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhkMwAhIOcU&sns=em --- ...Wow! Great! Thank You KarenF! Prov.22: [6] Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. This boy found this baby humming bird after it was attacked, and nursed him. Healed, the little bird decided to stay with the boy. This video is great. Be sure to see it with sound. http://www.wimp.com/babyhummingbird Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in life you will have been all of these. --- ...Too adorable! Thanks KarenF! 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 ========================================================== _______ ___/_____ _)____ .-'-' ____)______) | .-' ______)__) | --- _______)) | `-. _______)) `---.___________) VK >In the Crosswalk Story Editor: by Joanne Smarney Joyce Schowalter Michigan, USA In 1990 I was working in the downtown area in Flint, Michigan. I was at the Genesee County Drain Commissioner's Office, very near the county court buildings. The day was extremely cold and windy, but I decided to take my morning break outside. I wanted to walk around the building to clear my head and get a break from the clamor inside. My morning had been extremely busy and noisy, with phones ringing and everyone in the office talking at the same time. Freezing weather always makes the telephones ring at the Drain Commissioner's Office. Sewer pipes have a perverted sense of humor and lie in wait for the coldest days. Then they decide to spring leaks and flood streets with their contents so they can watch us mortals slip, slide and dent our fenders. The maintenance department people are aware of this, and they swear that it is indeed an intentional thing on the part of the pipes. Lawyers are very common in this part of downtown, coming and going to the court building. While outside, I saw yet another "up and coming" young lawyer waiting for the light to change so he could cross the street. He was probably in his late 20's, clean cut, and impeccably dressed. His navy-blue designer overcoat must have been fresh from the cleaners. His two hundred dollar shoes glistened with polish. His briefcase was also expensive, probably a graduation gift from Mom and Dad for passing the bar. Soft leather gloves covered his hands. The light changed and he proceeded to cross the street. More than half way through, he started to take off his gloves. This puzzled me as it was very, very cold. Then I saw another man in the crosswalk, obviously down on his luck, crossing from the other side, walking with metal crutches. He had no gloves to protect him from the frozen aluminum. The lawyer paused momentarily in front of the man on crutches and handed him his fur-lined gloves. They both smiled and kept walking. The whole exchange lasted no more than two or three seconds. Yes, the lawyer won my respect, but I also truly admire the man on crutches. He not only had the good grace to accept something he needed, but also did so cheerfully. He did not protest or argue with the generous giver, instead simply smiled, said thanks, and continued on his way. It is just as important, if not more so, to accept the gifts we're given graciously as it is to be the giver of gifts. Whenever I need a lift, I just recall this story. It always cheers me. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Kidwarmers: ____ ____ '###\ \ / /###' ,\\\\\ | /////, __ \ .--. .--. / __ ___\/ ' | ' \/___ -- _, ! | ! ,_ -- / '! | !' \ /'/ ! | ! \'\ 1# ! \ 0|0 / ! #1 !# \ '--; ;--' / #! ` `\ `-' /` ` \## `--~' '~--` ##/ `-___________-` [Mash] >THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY Charlie, 8, had a "food tasting" at his school. All of the students brought cultural dishes and shared them. When he got home his mother asked him how he had liked all the different foods. "It was delicious!" he said. "I wish I had a 'back button' so I could do it again!" -- Natalie (mother of Charlie) of Marietta, Georgia Quinn, 2, saw a picture of the Statue of Liberty. She pointed to the picture and said, "Look, Mommy -- she has to hold her ice cream up so Tyson (the family dog) doesn't get it!" -- Angela Cox (mother of Quinn) of Lee's Summit, Missouri Fiona has started paying Emma, 5, 20 baht per week for helping around the house. On Sunday night, after receiving her pocket money for the first time, Emma not only put her dishes in the dishwasher, she also put in her mother's coffee cup and glass. "I've been such a good help," Emma said, "don't you think you should increase my pocket money to 50 baht?!" Fiona, Emma's mother, notes that living in Thailand teaches children negotiation skills very early. -- Fiona Thomson of Bangkok, Thailand Ryan's dog Ginger had to be put to sleep. Ryan, 6, loved Ginger very much and he was devastated. His grandmother called to comfort him. As she was telling Ryan how sorry she was about Ginger's death, Ryan decided to comfort his grandmother by saying, "Don't worry, Grandmother, you will be the first to see her again!" -- Sandra Neale (mother of Ryan) of Crofton, Maryland ,-----. / \--. | / \ `. \-+-',___/ \ \ \ \ ,--\/"""\"". `._ / \ \ \ _ `| ( \ o\o|.,--. `-' \ \`-;---'-'( #) `._ \ |\ `--/ \. \ ||,`. / \`..--.._ ||/ `===='. \/ _`.__|| .-. \ \ | / \ |'| `. ! | \ \_/ \_.') \ ! | ,"". . _/ \ / / ;`--'\ \ \ `-' | |`-< \ \ \ | |\ \,---. \ \ \,---. | |,---. `.\ \,---. `. > `. | | \ `.| ( | |-'-' ( | |' `-------'-' `-----'-' hjw Elijah, 4, was out in the yard with his dad and twin sister Samantha. He ran into the house to tell his mother he needed water because the grass was dead and he wanted to make it alive. Curious to see what he was walking about -- because the house they were renting had no grass in the yard -- his mother followed him outside and saw Samantha leaning over looking at weeds growing between the crack in the concrete. Elijah's mother told him and Samantha that those were weeds, not grass. The twins didn't seem to understand so their mother said, "Weeds are bad grass." Elijah asked, "Mom, why are they bad? They don't listen?" -- Jacqueline Matos (mother of the twins) of Belleville, New Jersey When Peggy was about 10 she was bad and her mother told her to sit down and be quiet. After sitting for a while, she started singing. Her mother snapped, "I told you to be quiet." Peggy answered, "But Mommy, Paul and Silas sang while they were in prison." That ended the punishment for that day! -- Peggy Collins of Morrison, Colorado When Andrew was 2, he was a very light sleeper. His brother Danny, 1, was not a light sleeper... so Andrew dubbed him a "dark sleeper!" -- Sara (mother of Andrew and Danny) of Palominas, Arizona While pregnant with her second child, Samantha's first, a 4-year-old girl, was feeling the baby move around in her stomach. She put her hand on top of Samantha's belly and said, "Mommy, is this where his feet are?" Samantha said yes. Then she moved to the bottom of Samantha's stomach and said, "Mommy, is this where his head is?" She said yes. Then she asked, "Where are his eyes?" To appease her, Samantha rubbed around the bottom of her belly and said, "Right around here." She then quickly grabbed Samantha's hand so that she could not move it and said, "Mommy, you have to be careful. You could poke him in the eye!" -- Samantha Lang of Dover, Ohio _ooo--. @@@=@MMM\.`,_.',- _.\X/"/" \ 33, ===A | \ P""B /@,_ ( __,/""\.M\ |; \"/\"_,/ / .'.A \,\._><-__./ "V \F _ a_3R"---,. _>"# _ ) ( / .@J / ) / / ) ( | \ /, | \ `,._,/ ___ "=\, ]@7,.n| P @\ 7-______. \____., .) / / \ \ \WWW/ | | | | ""' ___ / \. ,/ \._ /" """ \ ( """"\ |( ___.-' "--. \) ""-`"""" `--(__)/ Stephen Unwin Adrienne, 6, is playing basketball at church. Her coach had the team running laps around the gym. Adrienne noticed that one little girl was really cutting off the corners so she told her mother, "That girl isn't running all of her lap tops!" -- Ruthie Garvin (grandmother of Adrienne) of Humboldt, Tennessee Char was eating at Red Lobster with her niece, Tabatha, who was 3 at the time. When it came time to place their orders, Tabatha proudly told the waiter that she wanted "naked shrimp." (She meant shrimp without the breading!) -- Char Boldt of Madison, Wisconsin A number of years ago, Jimmie's youngest granddaughter Heather got a phone that allowed users to punch a number for automatic dialing. The 2-year-old figured out that if she punched "1" she would dial grandma and grandpa. One day Heather was not happy with her mother so she punched "1" and when her grandmother answered, she said, "Grandma, will you come down here and do something about your daughter? She's being mean to me!" -- Jimmie Lindabury of Auburn, Indiana Molly's children blessed her life through the avenue of adoption. One day their son, at the age of 3, was riding his tricycle with a little boy who lived across the street. They were riding in the garage on a rainy day and Molly overheard the boy say, "She's NOT your MOTHER!" Politely, Molly told the little boy he had to go home and as she closed the garage door, she leaned on it and wept. Then she felt a gentle nudge, and her precious son said, "Mommy, please don't cry. He just meant that I didn't grow in your stomach!" -- Molly Lemmons of Mustang, Oklahoma _.._ _..---. .-" ;-" \ / / | | | _= | ; _.-'\__.-') | `-' | | ; | /; / _, .-.;.-=-./-""-.-` _` / | \ \-` `, | | | | |____|______| | \0 / \0 / / .--.-""-.`--' .' (# ) , \ ('--' /\` \ \ ,, .' \ `-._ _.'\ \ `""` \ \ unknown When Pat's granddaughter was in the first grade her mother was a helper in her school room. One day she was helping a little boy and he said to her, "Oh Mrs. Carroll you smell so good." She said, "Well, thank you." The little boy continued, "What is it... bacon or sausage?" -- Pat Cook of Lubbock, Texas ========================================================== . , )). -===- ,(( ))). ,((( ))))). .:::. ,(((((( ))))))))). :. .: ,((((((((' `))))))))))). : - : ,(((((((((((( ))))))))))))))))_:' ':_(((((((((((((((' `)))))))))))).-' \___/ '-._((((((((((( `))))_._.-' __)( )(_ '-._._((((' `))'---)___)))'\_ _/'((((__(---'((' `))))))))))))|' '|((((((((((((' jim `)))))))))/' '\(((((((((' `)))))))| |(((((((' `))))))| |((((((' /' '\ /' '\ /' '\ /' '\ '---..___..---' >-->Angel by Your Side May you always have an angel by your side Watching out for you in all the things you do Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days Finding ways for your wishes and dreams to take you to beautiful places Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun Giving you the strength of serenity as your guide May you always have love and comfort and courage And may you always have an angel by your side May you always have an angel by your side Someone there to catch you if you fall Encouraging your dreams Inspiring your happiness Holding your hand and helping you through it all In all of our days, our lives are always changing Tears come along as well as smiles Along the roads you travel, may the miles be a thousand times more lovely than lonely May they give you the kind of gifts that never, ever end: someone wonderful to love and a dear friend in whom you can confide May you have rainbows after every storm May you have hopes to keep you warm And may you always have an angel by your side --Emilia Larson >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->BECOMING A CHRISTIAN HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -->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 ************************************************************************