The Nativity Quiz & 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 ================== "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo _ _ *"_"* *"_"* /_ `\ _..._ _..._ /`_`\ |/ `-.| .' '. .' '. ( / \ ) \^_^/ / \ , / ')\^_^/( __> <_/ \ , \`--' .--. (_.> <._)` '-' `\ .---. '--`/ jgs '.__.' '._/ \_/ \ \.' '.__.' >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? Everyone nowadays is feeling the shrinking crunch of this financial crisis and ShangralaFamilyFun.com is no exception. Paul and I try to do it all, but it is a lot easier with a little help from our friends! If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, please visit the site and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL page comes up. Any amount is appreciated - even just 5 dollars! PLEASE Visit Shangrala to Help: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html OR If you'd rather send us a donation, Please MAIL it here: Elrhea Bigham 502 S. Harrison Van Wert, OH 45891 ~* THANK YOU! GOD'S MOST ABUNDANT BLESSINGS TO YOU! ================ >-->In The 'Shangy' News :) >HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press... This one comes from two of our friends, Viv and Lorraine. Viv sent us an excellent forward of pictures from 'The Cross' and I added Lorraine's sweet video forward to it. Check it out, I think it will bless you! Be sure to view the video and turn the sound up while doing so... ^ _ ^ | { \ 0 / } ---*--- { /|\ } |\ { /|||\ } | /---------------\ {/ ||| \} | \ / \ ||||| | \ \ / _ \ ||||||| *^* o | \ \ \ / O| _ \ / \ |0| (=) | /| - / \ | ) |\ ## /|\ 0 | \ \ \ | (\ | |\/| | (|\ /|||\ === \ \ ___ || | | | | __|| \[=]/ /o\ \ /o=/| || | | | /\___ | | || ||| =O= |---|/ / |\| | | \ |\| o/ \ ||| ||| |---|| |___\ | | || | | |__\ / \ ||| | | Who Is This Jesus? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/jesus.html --- ...Thank You So Much Ladies! This is wonderful! AND This teaching comes from our friends at TruthorTradition: BibleStudy:The Christmas Story! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/christmasstory.html -<>- Last Month we had some really Great New Pages! If You Haven't Already, Be Sure To Check Them Out - And PASS THEM ON! May God Bless You As You Share! Sweet Baby! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/sweetoverload.html Under His Wings! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wings.html Best Playmate! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/playmate.html Modern Toilet! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/moderntoilet.html House Dust Art! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dusthouse.html Best Bed Positions! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bed.html We've All Been There! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/catbox.html Medical Health Test! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/medical.html Magic Cats! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/magic.html Christmas Tree! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/redneck.html *~* SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED!! ================================================================= .|, -*- '/'\` /`'o\ /#,o'`\ o/`"#,`\o /`o``"#,\ o/#,`'o'`\o /o`"#,`',o\ o`-._`"#_.-'o _|"|_ \=%=/ hjw """ >-->From Heartwarmers: THE LIVING TREE by Jaye Lewis The small Canadian Hemlock shook her lacy branches in the wind, like a little girl swinging her petticoats. Like a small child, I had become alive with hope. We stood there, in the windy Christmas tree lot, and each of us was filled with the joy of Christmas. There was no way that we would say "no" to the small Canadian wonder. For she was beautiful. The perfect tree. Due to my deteriorating asthma Christmas had become a struggle for me. But this year was different. Due to the wonders of modern medicine, we were looking for our first real Christmas tree in years. And she was extra special, because she was a living tree. Costly though it was, we paid the man, and we considered it a bargain. We made a promise to our living tree. We would take care of her, and we would keep her alive until spring. Then we would plant her in a special place in our garden. Our first hurdle was finding a pot to put her in. We settled on a laundry tub. After we bumped the tree ball up the stairs and negotiated the heavy weight of the root ball into the shiny tub, we filled the tub with water, just like a potted plant. Oblivious to the combination of moisture and electricity, we had our tree lighted in no time. Standing back, in the living room, now darkened except for the lights of the tree, was a breathless, magical moment. Tears rolled down my cheeks, as I thanked God, for giving me back my Christmas. We went a little wild, carefully placing every childhood token, every home-made gift, and every bauble and bead, that we had packed so long ago, only to be forgotten. But not this Christmas. Our little living tree became filled with a lifetime of love and sharing. Christmas came and went, all too fast. We carefully removed each ornament, the lights, and the garland. Tenderly, we moved our potted tree down into the chilled basement, right in front of the patio door. I would frequently slip downstairs and visit the little tree. Then standing before her, I would whisper, "Stay alive, little tree. Please stay alive. I need you to live." From January until early spring I made sure that our tree's root ball never dried out. She even seemed to flourish. Then the needles began to drop. Hastily, my husband dug a huge hole in our back yard. Into the ground, with a mixture of perfect soil, went our little tree, along with all of my hopes and dreams. Was it too late? Was she dead? Would, by some miracle, she grow? The spring weather was raw and I could not visit her often. Each day, with more and more branches devoid of needles, our hopes flagged. We agreed that we would give her until fall. If no new growth appeared, our little tree would be pulled from the ground. My heart was heavy, as I approached my own retirement. Perhaps I was like that little tree. Maybe I was finished. I felt like all the hope had been sucked out of me, too. The summer skies opened with life giving rain. After three years of drought, there was a new day for our gardens and our little tree. Perhaps by some miracle our Canadian princess would find life again. I must confess that I talked to God every day. Like a small child, placing my hand into the sheltering hand of my Father, I begged Him for that little tree. One day, my husband and daughter shouted at me. "Come outside!" they called. Hastily, I covered my mouth to protect my lungs from the raw spring wind, and I hurried into the back yard. "Look at the tree! Look at the tree! It's growing buds!" Hardly daring to hope, I journeyed over to the garden, and I searched, as my daughter gently guided my eyes to the tips of each tiny branch. There they were! Tiny growth buds, tender and green. Tears dripped from my eyes, as I thanked God for this wonderful gift. We hadn't killed her after all. Now, as I await the first winter snows, our Canadian Hemlock is thriving. It seems like a miracle, which I too have shared, for I am gardening again. Along with our little tree (which now is thick with healthy needles) I too have experienced a rebirth. Just as she was dormant, so was I. I had given up. I, too, thought that my growing days were gone. Well, a new day has dawned, and my little tree and I are spreading our branches together. Both of us are very much alive! -- Jaye Lewis ______________________________________________ Jaye is a Heartwarmer Gem and contributing author to Chicken Soup for the Soul, along with other well known anthologies. She lives and writes in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Visit Jaye's website at http://www.entertainingangels.org> ================================================================== >-->From Our Friend John-Paul :) , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Praise GOD, (his Word tells me) WHO I AM I am God's child ( John 1:12) I am Christ's friend ( John 15:15 ) I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17) I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20) I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1) I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8) I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14) I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27) I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2) I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant ( Phil 3:20) I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34) I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21) I have access to God through the Holy Ghost (Eph. 2:18) I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6) I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39) I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 ) I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 ) I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit ( John 15:16 ) I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 ) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13) I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life ( John 15: 1-5) I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16 ). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2:10) I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1 ) I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10) I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5) I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5) So you see---I belong to God If You resemble the above; then You too know--- Whom You Are ? So Let Us Keep the Word of God Ringing as the peal of a `Great Bell` Sounding -- To All that will hear---- ~AND~ May The LORD bless you and keep you; May The Lord Make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; May He turn His face toward you And give you peace... Numbers 6:24-26 With His Love~~~~~John-Paul --- ...So True! Thank You John-Paul! ================================================================ >-->From Our Friend Viv :) | \ \ | |/ / | |\ `' ' / | ;'aorta \ / , pulmonary | ; _, | / / , arteries superior | | ( `-.;_,-' '-' , vena cava | `, `-._ _,-'_ |,-`. `.) ,<_,-'_, pulmonary ,' `. / ,' `;-' _, veins ; `./ /`, \-' | right / | ;\ |\ | atrium ;_,._|_, `, ' \ | \ \ ` `, ` __ ` \ left ;, \ ,' ` \, ventricle \_( ;, ;; | \ `;, ;; inferior | |`. `;;, ;' vena cava | | `-. ;;;;,;' FL | | |`-.._ ,;;;;;' | | | | ``';;;' aorta >Today's Heart Smart & Health Wise Back to basics is often the shortest route to good health... read on or scroll - It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners... God left us great clues as to what foods help what part of our body! >God's Pharmacy! Amazing! A sliced CARROT looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes. A TOMATO has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with Lycopene and are indeed pure heart and blood food. GRAPES hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food. A WALNUT looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function. KIDNEY BEANS actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys. CELERY, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body. AVOCADOES, EGGPLANT and PEARS target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them). FIGS are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility. SWEET POTATOES look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics. Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries Oranges, Grapefruits, and other CITRUS FRUITS look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts. ONIONS look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, GARLIC, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body. ******** To Larry Katz... first, Thank you for your service. At 90, birthday candles can definitely be a hazard. May you have the breath of a youngen and the wisdom of a Sage with the energy of the Rising Sun to last you an eternity. -<>- , ."". , , # |()| # , _#_#___|__|___#_#__ [__________________] |-_ -=__=-_ -==_-| |_.------------.=| |=| o o |=| _|-| ! `( ! |-|_ /==_| ! _(_.)_ ! |=_-\ |jgs|/^\^=^^=^/^\| _=| >A Different Christmas Poem The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight. The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. "What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!" For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.. To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times. No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so, here I am. I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." " So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son." Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us." PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN 3oth Naval Construction Regiment OIC, Logistics Cell One Al Taqqadum, Iraq -<>- 8o88o __ o88o o688o) '-, .``'. _o8o .-.'-.(6886898o \,'` . \. .----| |-. ,' o688868698o) .' / : '/ \' \ (68968886)6/88o / ' ' /____________\ '. 866\88|889) / . \ | ___ __ | .' ` (969/9\ ` _ ||_|_| / \ |______ \// \ '.`"'.`,`'./_\||_|_| | .| |______\.`.`||,`,' `'^,_`'. ,"|O||______| |__|======|,.',|| ,.. .'`. "\'^,`.,'.`'``.'/==\.,.'`,.' `,' .||.,.` `',`' `,'.^ '. ,.'`,/====\,' `,. ^, `.-',, `, .,`^ `. `,` , ,`/======\, ,' `'.," .DR. >Fifty Years Ago A little house with two bedrooms and one car on the street, A mower that you had to push, to make the grass look neat. In the kitchen on the wall, we only had one phone, and no need for recording things --- someone was always home. We only had a living room, where we would congregate, unless it was at meal time, in the kitchen where we ate. We had no need for family rooms or extra rooms to dine. When meeting as a family --- those two rooms worked out just fine. We had but one TV and channel with something worth the view. For snacks we had potato chips that tasted just like a chip And if you wanted flavour --- you made your favourite dip. Weekends were for family trips or staying home to play. We all did things together; even go to church to pray. When we did our weekend trips, depending on the weather No one stayed at home cause --- We Liked to be together. Remember when the doctor, used to be the family friend? He didn't need insurance or a lawyer to defend, the way he took care of you, or what he had to do, because he took an oath --- and strived to do the best for you. Remember when we breathed the air, it smelled so fresh and clean, and chemicals were not used on the grass to keep it green. The milkman and bread man went from door to door and it just cost a few cents more --- than going to the store. Try to remember when the words "I do" meant, that you really did, not just temporarily, till someone blew their lid. No such thing as "no one's fault"; "we just made a mistake". There was a time when married life, --- was built on give and take. Oh sure, we had our problems then, just like we do today. Always we were striving, trying for a better way. And every year that passed us by, brought new and greater things. We now can even program phones --- with music or with rings. Why, there was a time when mail came right to your door, without a lot of junk mail ads --- sent by every store. Oh, the simple life we lived still seems like so much fun. How can you explain --- when now, we're always on the run? This life seemed so much easier, and slower in some ways. I love the new technology, but I sure do miss those days. So, time moves on and so do we --- nothing ever stays the same. But I sure love to reminisce and Walk down Memory Lane. -Author Unknown --- ...Sweet ones! Thank You Viv! ===================================================================== >-->From OneNewsNow: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Authors suggest Apostle Paul faked his conversion Pete Chagnon - OneNewsNow - 12/5/2008 7:00:00 AMBookmark and Share Roman soldierA biblical expert disagrees with the idea that the Apostle Paul was a Roman spy. Recently The Associated Press reported that Col. Rose Mary Sheldon, the head of the history department at the Virginia Military Institute, co-authored the recently released book Operation Messiah: St. Paul, Roman Intelligence and the Birth of Christianity. The book suggests that the Apostle Paul could have been a Roman spy who faked his conversion in order to infiltrate the early Christian church. Gary Habermas is a distinguished research professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University. He says even liberal critics agree that the Apostle Paul was genuine when it came to his Christian faith. And according to Habermas, they also agree that Paul wrote at least half a dozen of the books found in the New Testament. "One of the views of critics now -- [and] we're talking about people who don't take the Bible [in a] straightforward manner as the Word of God -- these scholars would say at the very least these accounts are authentic Pauline reminisces on his life," says the Liberty University professor, "and [that] at the very least he was honestly reporting what he thought to be true." Habermas argues that the Apostle Paul personally knew other apostles such as Peter and James -- and that Paul was pivotal to the spread of Christianity around the world. Thijs Voskuilen, who co-authored the book along with Sheldon, writes in his blog that his theory regarding Saul of Tarsus (Paul the Apostle) being a Roman spy originated when he mistyped the name of a character in a novel he was writing. Instead of typing "Paul the liar," he typed "Saul the liar." --- ...We have Apostle Paul confessing here: 1 Corinthians 14:18 "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:" We know that speaking with tongues is outward proof of the inward workings of the spirit of God in Christ. Therefore, because of this, we know that the Apostle Paul could not of faked his conversion. , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Check out these teachings: What Is True Worship? Part 1 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/trueworship1.html What Is True Worship? Part 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/trueworship2.html Watch a video teaching on Speaking in Tongues / Interpretation of Tongues http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=973 -<>- ,,,,, ////""\ . (((/ m m -|- __ )))c = ) | (__) ////-./~` . [] (((( `.`\ :: [] )))`\ \)).-;.' .------, [] (() `._.-'` _( )[] )/ `. | .'`^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^))\`.----'`[] jgs ( \' { ~ - ~~ _ ~ - ~~ - ~ - (( | | [] .-.--\ \ { )) | | [] |_;_._`\ |{ ((__|_|-----[] | ; ``` ;{ )) [] | /``-.____/ `~~~[]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'-' [] `' (__) (__) >Praying for Obama's change of heart Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 12/3/2008 6:30:00 AMBookmark and Share A pro-family activist says the Christian vote in America should be mobilized, not neutralized. Dr. Jerry Newcombe is host of the weekly "Coral Ridge Hour," the television ministry of the late Dr. D. James Kennedy. The program looks at current events from a Christian perspective. Newcombe believes those who say the culture war is over are misguided. Jerry NewcombeHe says Christians must have their voices heard and also pray that God would change president-elect Barack Obama's views on issues such abortion. "I pray that with Barack Obama, for example, we know he is not pro-life; he has said so," Newcombe explains. "In fact, he obstructed the Infant Born-Alive Protection Act when it was in Illinois. "But the bottom line is that we know that God can convert the heart -- and we pray that would happen with Barack Obama." Newcombe contends the only true hope for America is a third Great Awakening. ==================================================================== >-->From InspiredBuffalo: () vvvv .-" "-. .'___ `. / /_/_/ \ ____ | /_/_/ | .%%%%%%. | | /%/_/%%%%\_ \ .::::.%%%%%%%%(_{}-o `. .::::::::%%%%%%%%/ `-._/:/_/::::::\%%%%%' o-3_)::::::::::|"""" \::::::::::/ `::::::::' `````' hjw >Christmas 1989 by B.J. Cassady Vince, my son, was A.W.O.L. from my life for some time. His birthday is December 13th. In the year 1985, I had not heard from him for some time and decided to drive to his house in Texas. There, I found my lost child, a man, but still a child to me. He sat on a wooden chair with a blanket around him, huddled in front of a kerosene heater in a home void of furniture (other than the chair), a home void of electricity, and normal heat. I took my son and brought him home for Christmas. I fed him well and nurtured him back to health. We developed a plan for him. That Christmas was filled with tears and joy, tears of what might have been. Joy of what was. I remember reading about another Father who took His Son home once when He was tired and alone. We should do the same when we can. B.J. Cassady Copyright ©2005 B.J. Cassady Guthrie, Oklahoma -<>- Ringggg _/_ \_ __ / \\_ / \_/ ,< ==-o _| * \ __, /_) \_\__// ~TOYS FOR TOTS~ * / ^\-' //\ \ \\ \ ') /_) ),-. // \\ (( )) * _\\ //_ . ..((__)(__))..b'ger >THE BEST GIFT By: Joseph J. Mazzella The stores are going to be crowded the next few weeks. It is that time of the year between Thanksgiving and Christmas when people go shopping for special gifts for those they love. As I started to think back on the gifts I have been given over the years, however, it wasn't the ones that came wrapped up under a tree that moved me the most. The gifts that most touched my soul are the ones that came from the hearts of those around me. Those special hugs my Grandma gave me as a boy that squeezed the air out of my lungs and warmed my heart at the same time are a gift I will always cherish. The gift of my Mom's loving and joyous smile still lives on in my heart and soul today. I always felt happier when I saw it. Those boyhood touch football games my brothers and I had in the sunshine, rain, and even the snow are a gift of fun that still makes me laugh. The countless repairs my Dad made on my tired, old cars over the years is a gift I can never repay. His help kept me driving and his love kept me going during some of the toughest points in my life. Those phone calls from my Aunt that keep me smiling for half the day are another priceless gift I still enjoy. They always lift my spirits as high as Heaven. The hugs, smiles, laughter and kind words that are shared with my children, my friends and my neighbors are daily gifts that I wouldn't trade for all the presents in the world. The letters and cards I get from my wonderful online friends also have a special place under the Christmas tree in my heart. They have made my soul rich beyond compare. All of these gifts remind me too that Love is the greatest gift of all The love that God has for us and the love that we share with each other is what life is all about. Love gives meaning to our days, joy to our hearts, and wealth to our souls. It makes us brighter, the world better, and brings God closer. May you always have the time of your life then giving the best gift of all. -<>- ,@@@@@@@, ,,,. ,@@@@@@/@@, .oo8888o. ,&%%&%&&%,@@@@@/@@@@@@,8888\88/8o ,%&\%&&%&&%,@@@\@@@/@@@88\88888/88' %&&%&%&/%&&%@@\@@/ /@@@88888\88888' %&&%/ %&%%&&@@\ V /@@' `88\8 `/88' `&%\ ` /%&' |.| \ '|8' |o| | | | | |.| | | | | jgs \\/ ._\//_/__/ ,\_//__\\/. \_//__/_ >WE NEED EACH OTHER Many living things need each other to survive. I have lived for most of my life near trees known as Colorado aspens. If you are familiar with this tree, you may have noticed that it does not grow alone. Aspens are found in clusters, or groves. We're told that the reason for this is because aspens can multiply from the roots. They send up lots of new shoots every year. These become saplings that grow quickly and make new baby aspens of their own. In some groves, all of the trees may actually be connected by their roots. It is as if they are one tree. Another tree, the giant California redwood, may tower 300 feet into the sky. We've seen pictures of tunnels carved into massive trunks wide enough to drive an automobile through. It seems they would require the deepest of roots to anchor them against strong winds. But instead their roots are actually shallow -- they spread out wide in search of surface water. And they reach in all directions, intertwining with roots of other redwoods. Locked together in this way, all the trees support each other in wind and storms. Aspens and redwoods never stand alone. They need one another to survive. People, too, are connected by a system of roots. We grow up in families that nurture and guide us. We learn early to make friends who support us in different ways. We are not meant to survive long without others. And like the giant redwoods, we do best when we hold onto one another and help each other to keep standing through life's storms. We need others to hold us up, encourage us and to stand with us. When I'm not doing well, it is often because I am going it alone. I don't always let others in. I forget to ask for help; I keep my problems to myself. And though I may not see it, others around me might be doing the same thing. It helps to remember how much like those trees we really are. It might be time to let someone else help hold you up for awhile. Or perhaps someone needs to hang on to you. -- Steve Goodier http://stevegoodier .blogspot. com/ -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment Women Drivers http://www.buffaloschips.com/72201.htm Women's Instructional Video http://www.buffaloschips.com/72203.htm Word Riddle http://www.buffaloschips.com/72204.htm World's Best Trick http://www.buffaloschips.com/72205.htm Worse Than Locking Keys In Car http://www.buffaloschips.com/72206.htm Brownie http://www.buffaloschips.com/92699.htm Bud Light Cat http://www.buffaloschips.com/1211.htm Bud Light Frisbee http://www.buffaloschips.com/1212.htm Bud Ads http://www.buffaloschips.com/1213.htm Buddy Greene Harmonica http://www.buffaloschips.com/1215.htm Bud Light Clown http://www.buffaloschips.com/1216.htm ============================================================ _ _ ( Y ) \ / \ / \ /^\ _ ) //^\\ -= (_) =- ( // \\ ) // \\ / \ __ // \\ |=^| // _ \\ __|= |__// (+) \\ /LLLLLLL// ~ \\ /LLLLLLL// \\ /LLLLLLL// \\ /LLLLLLL// |~[|]~| |~[|]~| \\ ^| [|] // | [|] | | [|] | \\ | [|] ^| |_[|]_| |_[|]_| |^ ___|______| | /LLLLLLLLLL|_____________________| /LLLLLLLLLLL/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL\ /LLLLLLLLLLL/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL\ ^||^^^^^^^^/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL\ || |~[|]~|^^||^^^^^^^^^^||^|~[|]~|^||^^ || | [|] | || |~~~~| || | [|] | || || |_[|]_| || | [] | || |_[|]_| || ||__________|| | o| ||_________|| .'||][][][][][|| | [] | ||[][][][][||.'. ."'||[][][][][]||_-`----'-_||][][][][]||"." .(')^(.)(').( )'^@/-- -- - --\@( )'( ).(( )^(.) '( )^(`)'.(').( )@/-- -- - -- -\@ (.)'(.),( ).('). ".'.'." ." '.". @/- - --- -- - -\@ '.".'.".'.".'." jgs'' ".".".'.'@/ - -- -- -- -- -\@".'..'".'."'.'.' '.".".''.".''."@/ -- --- --- -- - -\@.".''.".''.".'". >-->HOMESICK BLUES by Chris Courtney Homesickness is an increasingly common malady, as more and more Americans move farther away from home. Whether it's a student going off to college, a soldier serving our country or a family separated by their vocation, all have one thing in common: homesickness. Homesickness is simply a feeling of disconnection. The trick to overcoming the homesick blues is to retain that connection to the home you left behind. There are several ways to stay connected, no matter how far from home. The Internet -- The Internet is a wonderful way to keep up with all that's going on back home. Email is a very inexpensive way to send messages, photos and small files. But the possibilities opened by cyberspace don't end here. Online chat is a great way to "talk" to someone from anywhere. Mega-Internet providers MSN and AOL both offer "Instant Messenger" services, free of charge. You can chat in real time until your fingers bleed, keeping up on all the hometown gossip without needing a second mortgage to pay the phone bill. You don't have to be an AOL or MSN subscriber to use these services. Just download the software from their websites, set up an account and tell your friends and family to do the same. Check out other chat groups, such as Yahoo! Groups, to see if there are any online chat communities for people from your hometown or state. If there isn't one, start one. Remember, misery loves company. It's always wonderful to find people in the same boat to relate to. Use the Internet to view websites from home. Many local television and college websites feature live aerial pictures of the city they're located in. Some local radio stations simulcast their programs online, so you can tune in anywhere. Most local media (newspapers and broadcast) have websites these days, where one can go to read up on the news and happenings from back home. The Phone -- Online communication is great, but sometimes you just need to hear a familiar voice. Follow E.T.'s advice and phone home -- often. Be thorough in shopping for the right long distance package. Phone cards can be a cost saving alternative, as can cellular programs. Figure out your phone usage and find the package that best suits your needs. Go Home -- Nothing on this earth can substitute for the warmth of being back home. Computers and telephones are no match for hugs and visits. When planning your budget, set some money aside each week for travel. This way, when time for a trip back home comes around, you won't have to max out your credit card. Start planning your next trip home before you leave the last one. Set a goal for when to return, and stay enthusiastic about it. This will give you something to look forward to when feeling blue about being so far away. The U.S. Mail -- If you have a homesick loved one living far away, this section is for you. There are few better balms for loneliness than a care package from home. Fill a box with homemade goodies, such as candies and cookies. Local gifts and trinkets can help. Audio and video letters are even better. The main thing is to be creative, have fun, and come up with something that screams "home" to your long distance loved one. A mail subscription to the local newspaper can be a great gift for those living far away. What better way to stay on top of news, weddings, and other important events from home. Most importantly, let your homesick blues sufferer know he or she is missed. Help them stay connected, and feel loved. Home is where the heart is. However, home is also where you hang your hat. Be careful not to let the homesick blues overwhelm you. Get connected where you are. Go out and get involved. Find a church to connect to. Join a fitness club. Find a neighbor to pal around with. Volunteer at a local charity. Connect with the community around you. Also maintain the connection with your hometown. Your life will be greatly enriched by the new connections you make, and the old connections you maintain. -- Chris and Jennie Courtney ___________________________________________ Chris and Jennie Courtney operate E-NCOURAGEMENT at http://www.e-ncouragement.com -- a web-based ministry focused on bringing peace, joy, comfort and love to people who need it. You can contact them by clicking here: mailto:e-ncouragement316@cfaith.com ==================================================================== >-->From SermondFodder: + * + + + `.!.' * + + -=x=- + .'!`. * + + ! * + + + + + * + * + ,-. * //"\\ + * + * // \\ * // = \\ + w w w + + //___o O \\ \O O O ||\_/|\|\ || + |\ `|\ '|\ _ ___||_Y_| \_\||_________|_\_|_\__|_\ hjw Nativity Quiz A minister is visiting his children to celebrate Christmas. When he walks into the house, he sees a beautiful nativity set. His granddaughter walks up to him, and he asks her if she knows what it is. She replies, "Yes... it's breakable." -<>- >"The Money Issue" Bob and Yvonne Turnbull In many marriages the issue of money is the #1 cause of arguments. Our family backgrounds - our personalities - affect the way we look and deal with money. Oftentimes these differences can lead to some clashes. Example: A spender marrying a saver. So money doesn't become a sore spot we encourage couples to work as a team with the financial Three P's. That's what we've done which has eliminated all the hassling we went through for years in our marriage. Our goal is to structure unity -- Amos 3:3, "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" So to lower your own fireworks when it comes to your money issues, here are the Three P's. PLAN TOGETHER Are the two of you working together to set up financial goals for you and your family and have you developed a spending plan, keeping Psalm 24:1 in mind? For too many years we just fumbled along with our finances barely getting by with our money. We made two changes that have enabled us to get our financial house in order and build for the future. First, we set up some financial goals (buying a house, money for retirement, children's education, etc). We found to do this we talked a lot about our priorities in life and then prayed and asked God to bring them into an alignment with His Will for our family. His Will be done - not ours. When we set up our goals we found that saving was easier when we both knew why we were putting the money away. Secondly, we also set up our Spending Plan (our word for Budget). We figured out where our money had been going so we got rid of a lot of wasted spending, got out of debt, and set up a plan of where we would prefer our money to go. We now see our money working for us and not against us. By having prayed-over-our-mutually-agreed-goals we also find ourselves working with each other rather than against each other, keeping Deut 8:18 in mind. PATROL TOGETHER We have regularly scheduled talk times about our finances. It helps us make sure we are on track with our annual "spending plan" as well as our long range financial goals, plus our talk time analyzes any current or potential problems. Two rules we have for our talk times are - (1) Be sure we are well fed since empty stomachs can make one grumpy, and (2) that we are well rested. We always start out with three 'things' we're doing right with our finances before we discuss ones that need improvement. We know of one woman who charged her family into a bit over $50,000 in debt and the husband never looked at the finances. He just gave his wife the paycheck and then, if you'll pardon the pun, 'checked out' from any responsibility with their finances. Bad decisions on both of them. PRAY TOGETHER A way to break down a team is when the partners have a mindset that it is "his" money or "her" money and maintain independent finances. This creates secrecy and lack of trust in the relationship. Marriage is about coming together and sharing everything with one another. Praying together over our finances helps both have the mindset that everything we have is from God and is truly His. We are just managers of what God is blessing us with. We need to seek His guidance and wisdom as to how He wants us to handle His resources. It's all temporary since we won't be taking anything material with us when we die. Strange how we put so much value into temporary items instead of investing in eternity. When we turn our finances over to God it's exciting to be able to do our part of the Three P's but then we step back and watch how God will guide us and provide for our needs. Thankfully, He does so abundantly. Keep in mind when dealing with finances you may not always think alike, but your objective is to learn to think and work together - as TeamMates. May God grant you that wisdom. Thank you. http://www.turnbullministries.org/ PO Box 5517 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Phone: 760.328.2028 Email: btmin@aol.com =================================================================== . " -. ' . . ( . () .' `. `|,. |"| ( | |\| | ) ( | |\| _ .\|, _ | ) _.->J ->J|/, . \""-""/Vl/z '-tX|b|\|\~\k\~yJr/' '^-j/PZ=\R>p/T|' ._-sFK)/|'" _-zH|/| --%/| | itz '/| | _M_ ,'"_ "`. / (_) \ ; .: | .| : .:; \ `._ .:/ `._ ..:;' """ >-->THE SANDS OF CHRISTMAS By Michael Marks I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh, and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high. The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix, My stocks were down another point, the Chargers lost by six. And so with only minutes till my son got home from school I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool. The burdens that I carried were about all I could take, and so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break. I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust, No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust. And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh, eight Humvees ran a column right behind an M1A. A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean. They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight, their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night. Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind, To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again. There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease, They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs. They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see, They didn't need an ornament--they lacked a Christmas tree. They didn't have a present even though it was tradition, the only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition." I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side, He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried. I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear. There's nothing wrong my little son, for safe we sleep tonight, our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right, to worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all, instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall. He looked at me as children do and said it's always right, to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write. And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note, to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote: God bless you all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home. Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone. The gift you give you share with all, a present every day, You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay. Copyright 2003 Michael Marks: "I freely submit this poem for reprint without reservation--this is an open and grateful tribute to the men and women who serve every day to keep our nation safe." >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales & Seervice 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 DAARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. 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