UGH - We Got 'Um Stories... :) Shangy! >-->Hot off the ., . ____/__, .' \ / \==\``` / \ 77 \ | /_.----\\__,-----. 'Shangy' Press <---(\_|_____<__|_____/ \ ''''/| ``/``` `. / | I| `./ |____I| !!!!!!! | | I | | | I | \ \ I | | | I | _|_|_I_| /__/____| hjw Every day I come into my computer room and have a wall full of indian artifacts to greet me. My daughter thought I should share this with you so I decided it would be fun to let you see what I see every day. My son took some pictures of the 8 cases of Indian points, stones, and arrowheads we have displayed here. I chose 4 pictures and did up a page using them along with giving you a little bit of their history. I hope you like it! If so, please be sure and share it with others. Thanks! Visit here - Ohio Indians: http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/ohioindians.html Ohio Indians ====================================================================== >-->Great News From Liberty Counsel: With all the noise the ACLU is making, this fact may surprise you: In order to receive federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, every local school district must certify that it is not engaging in any policy or practice which interferes with constitutionally protected prayer. Schools may lose federal funds if they fail to comply with the guidelines. You read that correctly -- schools can lose their federal funding if they interfere with voluntary student-led prayer! Elrhea, this news is a shock to even the most ardent supporters of school prayer. I can guarantee you that most school administrators don't know this either! That's because the ACLU's massive disinformation campaign has caused many schools to fear even allowing voluntary prayer. Liberty Counsel is working to change this. This school year, we have reached out to thousands of schools with the truth. But the ACLU continues to threaten schools. Will you help me keep the fight for student freedom going throughout the entire school graduation season? Please go here to make a tax-deductible gift: http://www.libertyaction.org/3081/offer.asp?rid=11737726 If you can donate any gift, I will send you our newest resource, a quality, 16-page bound booklet entitled "It's Time To Take Back America." But most importantly, you'll be helping Liberty Counsel fight these battles. Most high schools have not yet had their graduation ceremonies. I urgently need your help. Thanks in advance! Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman Liberty Counsel P.S. Schools cannot discriminate or they will lose federal funding! That’s a message the ACLU will never tell. But with your help, we can get the word out and protect the rights of students to pray and honor God this graduation season. http://www.libertyaction.org/3081/offer.asp?rid=11737726 ======================================================================== >Summer of Fire Story Editor: by Rick Walker Joyce Schowalter British Columbia, Canada The summer of 2003 in central British Columbia, Canada was the summer of fire. The firestorm resulted in the evacuation of 90,000 people for six ( . ) ) ( ) . ' . ' . ' . ( , ) (. ) ( ', ) .' ) ( . ) , ( , ) ( . ). , ( . ( ) ( , ') .' ( , ) (_,) . ), ) _) _,') (, ) '. ) ,. (' ) jgs^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ weeks, burning out hundreds of homes and devastating lives. As the fires were active, one local resident, "Fred", had spent several weeks out on a work-train for the railroad. His upcoming birthday present to himself was a mortgage-burning; his home would be paid off one week before his birthday. His returning work-train passed down the valley where he lived -- and he saw his home and possessions go up in flames as he rode by. In Canada, Emergency Social Services is part of our Provincial Emergency Program. ESS and PEP are volunteers who work their regular jobs, *then* work 8-12 hours volunteering. Evacuees are encouraged to register with ESS. They don't have to accept aid but it allows family members to contact them. As requested, Fred registered. We recommended he return daily to check for messages and we offered aid every day, which he refused. He said, "I'm staying with friends, others need it more." After two weeks Fred learned that ESS would help his hosts with food. He thought he could help them out. The clerk he talked to thought he was trying to abuse the system, refused him, and hinted that he was dishonest. This was too much for Fred and he lost his temper. He yelled at the clerk. Security detained him and called the RCMP. I found him surrounded by four security people and very upset. As a PEP director, I sent the security away to find out what was going on. Remember, this man is an evacuated railroad worker. He has tattoos, long hair and is still wearing worn but clean work clothes. The stress was too much, and Fred was on the edge of breaking down. I took him outside, found him a tree to lean against, gave him a bottle of water and told him to stay put for a minute. I went inside and found an ESS supervisor. She gathered forms and I took her to Fred outside. She took charge, sitting with him almost an hour. She put her arm around him, talked, and listened to him. She filled out forms and had him sign them. He left with a handful of forms for food, toiletries and clothing and his head held high (if a bit dazed). What she did was far outside her normal duties. She did what had to be done in a no-nonsense, git 'er done kind of way. A month after the last evacuee went home I met Fred again on the street. He stopped and thanked me. He said it was the worst time of his life but it was when he saw the best in people. The supervisor I introduced to him made him feel like a human again for the first time and he will always remember her as the bright spot in a black time. =======HeroicStories======= >-->CINDERELLA STORY by Max Lucado My friend Kenny and his family had just returned from Disney World. "I saw a sight I'll never forget," he said. "I want you to know about it." He and his family were inside Cinderella's castle. It was packed with kids and parents. Suddenly all the children rushed to one side. Had it been a boat, the castle would have tipped over. Cinderella had entered. \o _ ___|\_ _____/_\-_ _____________ ,--. _____________________ mmm-. \ _________________________ ((\ )____________________________ )6(\ )__________________________ \ _`) )____________________________ _ =o= ) ))__________________________ ( (__/) ) )______________________ _/ ( ( \ \ ______________________ _(=.|\ |)=.|____________________ ___\ \ ) / |______________________ ____| / / |____________________ _____|_,/ (`;-. |\ ___________________ _______ / |\ `' \______ _,/)_____ _______ / ' ` \ ____/_/)/_________ _______ / \ _______/ \ ________________ ______ / \ ______/ \ ______________ __ / `. . \ ____; \ \ )____________ / ` \ \ ) ___; ' ` \ )________________ / : ; ,-. ,' ___;__,-. ; . . /"""`-='_______________ gpyy /_,`-=-.___,.__,-=-''"""'` _____________________________________________ Cinderella. The pristine princess. Kenny said she was perfectly typecast. A gorgeous young girl with each hair in place, flawless skin, and a beaming smile. She stood waist-deep in a garden of kids, each wanting to touch and be touched. For some reason Kenny turned and looked toward the other side of the castle. It was now vacant except for a boy maybe seven or eight years old. His age was hard to determine because of the disfigurement of his body. Dwarfed in height, face deformed, he stood watching quietly and wistfully, holding the hand of an older brother. Don't you know what he wanted? He wanted to be with the children. He longed to be in the middle of the kids reaching for Cinderella, calling her name. But can't you feel his fear, fear of yet another rejection? Fear of being taunted again, mocked again? Don't you wish Cinderella would go to him? Guess what? She did! She noticed the little boy. She immediately began walking in his direction. Politely but firmly inching through the crowd of children, she finally broke free. She walked quickly across the floor, knelt at eye level with the stunned little boy, and placed a kiss on his face. "I thought you would appreciate the story," Kenny told me. I did. It reminded me of the one you and I have been studying. The names are different, but isn't the story almost the same? Rather than a princess of Disney, we've been considering the Prince of Peace. Rather than a boy in a castle, we've looked at a thief on a cross. In both cases a gift was given. In both cases love was shared. In both cases the lovely one performed a gesture beyond words. But Jesus did more than Cinderella. Oh, so much more. Cinderella gave only a kiss. When she stood to leave, she took her beauty with her. The boy was still deformed. What if Cinderella had done what Jesus did? What if she'd assumed his state? What if she had somehow given him her beauty and taken on his disfigurement? That's what Jesus did. "He took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us.. He was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did. The punishment, which made us well, was given to him, and we are healed because of his wounds" (Isa. 53:4-5). Make no mistake: Jesus gave more than a kiss--he gave his beauty. He paid more than a visit--he paid for our mistakes. He took more than a minute--he took away our sin. Max Lucado Source: "Gentle Thunder" Copyright (c) 1995 (Used by Permission) ================================================================== >-->From UrbanLegends: ___---___ .-- --. ./ () .-. \. / o . ( ) \ / . '-' \ | () . O . | | | | o () | | .--. O | | . | | | \ `.__.' o . / \ / `\ o () /' jgs `--___ ___--' --- >Once in a 'Blue Moon' The almanac tells us that Thursday, May 31 is a "blue moon," defined on this occasion as the second full moon in a month that happens to have two instead of one. Historically, the phrase was understood in a much more literal way, however. According to folklorist Philip Hiscock, it once denoted a phenomenon even more rare than a month with two full moons -- so rare, in fact, that it has probably occurred only once or twice in all of recorded history. 'Blue Moon' facts and folklore In modern times, the term "blue moon" is defined as the second full moon occurring within a single month. By a somewhat older definition, it's the third full moon in a season that has four — instead of the normal three — full moons. Either way, it's an out-of-the-ordinary phenomenon occuring only once ever few years. "Blue moon" was understood in a much more literal way historically, writes folklorist Philip Hiscock in the pages of Sky & Telescope. Once upon a time, he says, it denoted a phenomenon even rarer than an extra full moon, one that has occurred perhaps only once or twice in recorded history: the face of moon literally appearing to turn blue in color. "In fact," notes Hiscock, "the very earliest uses of the term were remarkably like saying the Moon is made of green cheese. Sponsored Links Double Tree Moon TownshipVisit Our Official Site Today and Get Our Best Rates. Guaranteed.www.Doubletree.com This is Scary AccurateAvoid This Site if You're Frightened Easily.YourFortuneRevealed.com The Keeper® Menstrual CupEconomical,Reusable,Internally worn Soft Rubber, Made in America!www.keeper.com Both were obvious absurdities, about which there could be no doubt. 'He would argue the Moon was blue' was taken by the average person of the 16th century as we take 'He'd argue that black is white.'" Unusual atmospheric phenomena like massive amounts of volcanic dust probably account for the few times in recent millenia when the moon reportedly did present an azure face to observers on earth. Most people don't realize that "blue moon" took on its present astronomical meaning fairly recently. It's "a truly modern piece of folklore, masquerading as something old," says Hiscock. The "second full moon in a month" definition only dates back about 50 years. However it is defined, the phrase will probably always retain its ancient connotations, as evinced, for example, in popular songs identifying the image with loneliness and despair. Visit here for more: http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/errata/a/blue_moon.htm -<>- Stolen License Plates Used in Gasoline Thefts! YES This is TRUE - Read all about it here: http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/crime/a/license_plates.htm ======================================================================= >-->From Heartwarmers: >FREEDOM'S PRICE by Pamela Perry Blaine , , /| _,_ |\ | \.'` \ `'./ | | / /`> \ | ; | / |o| \ | ; \_\ /.8.\ /_/ _.-' .'/ \'. '-._ \__.' | | `;.__/ / | | ; | | \ | \ '._.' | | \ \ | | / / | | | | / / | | | | | | \ \ | |/ / \ \| / / jgs `\ \ | / \ `;/ `| | It was early morning and Mama had a box filled with flowers she had just gathered from our back yard. She had placed them in coffee cans and tall juice cans that she had covered with aluminum foil. I was too young to know very much about flowers but I did recognize the irises and peonies or "pineys" as Grandma called them. _ (_) <___> | |______ | |* * * ) | | * * (_________ | |* * * |* *|####) | | * * *| * | (________________ | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | | * * *| * | | | | |* * * |* *|####|##############| | |~~~~~~| * | | | | |######|* *|####|##############| | | |~~~' | | | |######|########|##############| | | | | | | |######|########|##############| | |~~~~~~| | | | | |########|##############| | | '~~~~~~~~| | | | |##########JGS#| | | '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | | | | | | Daddy had already mounted the American Flag on the pole that extended from the side of the house and he was loading the huge box full of flowers into the trunk of the car. I noticed the flag unfurling in the soft breeze as we all got into the car and drove down the lane to get Grandma. If she was well enough, she always went with us every year on this important outing. I sat in the front seat of the car, in the middle, between Daddy and my brother. Mama sat in the back beside Grandma and down the road we went because it was Decoration Day and the day our whole family went to the cemeteries. The first stop was Linville Cemetery, a beautiful place with huge old oak trees with branches that seemed to protect the inhabitants of the cemetery with their wide boughs. We had relatives buried at Linville and we all got out of the car and walked the short distance to grave sites. Everyone was quieter and Mama reminded us to be respectful because we were to honor the final resting places of those buried in the cemetery. Mama placed some of the flowers on the graves and she and Daddy spoke about some of the relatives and told us children a little about each one. There were many small American flags at grave sites across the cemetery. Daddy and Mama talked about how those flags were placed there by veteran organizations to honor the soldiers who had served our country, many of them giving their lives to keep our country free. Next, we drove what seemed to me to be a very long way. It was where Daddy's relatives, including his parents and grandparents, had been buried. As we got out of the car, I looked up to see the familiar little white church with the name, Eucebia, written high up near the gabled roof. Church services were no longer held at Eucebia but I was allowed to go inside and look around. Churches were never locked back then because people had respect for the things of God whether they attended church or not. Behind the church was the cemetery. It had been recently mowed and once again I could see those small American flags waving in the breeze over several of the graves in the cemetery. Daddy made sure to come in April or early May to be certain that the grave plots were looking good for Decoration Day when many people visited the cemeteries. Again, Mama placed flowers on all the graves of our relatives while Daddy showed me his brother Arthur's grave. He had died when he was just one year old in an accident. Daddy didn't remember him because he was one of the oldest of ten children and Daddy was the youngest child. Yet, he always paused a moment in front of Arthur's grave to pay his respects and place a flower there for the brother he never got to know in this life. We also attended the Memorial Day service that was held every year at the county courthouse. The American Flag seemed to be everywhere on that day. Many homes displayed the flag and the courthouse yard was encircled with them. There was usually a special speaker, readings, salutes, and then with heads bowed a bugler would play Taps that was echoed in the distance by another bugler. Daddy never missed a Memorial Day service because he was a veteran of WWII and it was important to him to give honor to those who had given their lives for our country. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW and, later in life, he became a veterans service officer, a job that he held dear until the day the bugle sounded at his own grave site. It is important for us to teach our children and grandchildren the meaning for the observance of the Memorial Day so they will know the price that has been paid for their freedom. It only takes one generation of neglect to forget valuable teachings of the past. -- Pamela Perry Blaine ___________________________________________ Pamela lives in Missouri with her husband, Michael. Pam and Mike have made a CD of several songs she has written called, I'll Walk You Home. It is available by freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on the website at: http://www.blaines.us/PamyPlace.htm ==================================================================== >-->From HeartTouchers: _ ,="` `""=, o / ,=="""'=; , __ ~ / ,--'/=,) o \`\\"._ _, | .='/ <9(9.=" / _ |||;._//) / (J ^\ \ o_/@ @ /// |=( .' .' \ '='/ '-. ( (`__, ,`\| / / \`-;_ \ '.\_/ |\_.' ~ / | /` _ \ ) `""``` | , ; /`\/ `\ \ /.-._///_ |/ ' \_,\__/\ \.-'.'----'` \| '. \ \ /`-, ~ `\ _.-'\ (`-` .' `-.-' _.-')__./,--' .--'`,-'`'""` ` \ /`"`-` | ~ | / ~ | .-'__ .' \ ;'"` `""----'` \ \ '. `\ jgs ) `-. ~ / `-._ | , `-, ~ \ .' `''----` `.( ` >A Can of Tuna By Betty Chadek On a crisp Sunday morning in 1971, my four teenage children and I sat in our usual place in church. The sixth row and right-hand side of the sanctuary was the Chadek aisle. As the pastor highlighted the weekly announcements, the five of us thumbed through our church bulletins. We all paid particular attention when the pastor announced that the church had selected a needy family to support for Thanksgiving. He encouraged generosity and asked the congregation to bring canned goods and other items to the Wednesday night Bible study. One of my children leaned over and said to the other children, "Gosh, there's somebody worse off than us." It broke my heart to hear those words from my son, Mike. As a single mother of six, two now living on their own, I struggled every week to make ends meet. We lived in subsidized housing and even though I had a job, things were at an all time low. To top it off, the Department of Health and Welfare recently determined because of my annual income, that we were no longer eligible for welfare subsidies. Even though our situation was desperate, the Lord always reminded me of His word, and that is what we clung to. Because of our own struggle, we were able to consider this family's needs and how we might contribute in some way. Since I knew that I could depend on God to always give me relief from my distress and to be my strength and my refuge in time of trouble, the children and I found left over dry products distributed by the foods subsidies program; the usual rice and cornmeal packages. We had two cans of tuna and decided to part with one. I imagined this family having a tuna casserole as we would. There were a few additional items we placed in the bag, including a can of evaporated milk. There wasn't much but we poured our heart into the project and were excited to share what we did have with this needy family. Our nearly full bag was placed in the foyer of the church and I went on to Bible Study and Prayer. After I arrived home from Bible study that Wednesday evening, the doorbell rang. My son, Michael, answered the door and yelled out, "Hey Mom, there's some guys here from the church." When I went to the door there were three men from the church, and a pick-up full of grocery bags. They began placing brown grocery bags all over the kitchen, on the floor and counter tops. That needy family was us! Later that night when I put the food away, I came across our bag; the rice, cornmeal, evaporated milk, and that valued can of tuna. The Lord multiplied our giving and I felt as if I was looking at baskets of loaves and fishes. What a Thanksgiving we experienced that year! What a wise, faithful and compassionate God we have. How comforting to realize that because God knows our frame, He also knows what we will need in the future as well as at the present. Since he knows our needs--present and future--we can believe Him whenever he says "Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24 NIV) I believe I was able to share our resources because early in my Christian walk, I learned that it was God's responsibility to bring victory and it was my responsibility to get into the battle and pray. It wasn't easy and there were many times when I struggled with doubt, but I clung to God's promises. I decided just as David did, that I would put the Lord always before me, "He is at my right hand" David said (Psalm 16:8 NIV). I would learn not to be shaken by the circumstances of life. "Your word O Lord is eternal, it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations, if your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:89, NIV). Betty Chadek bechadek @ yahoo.com Write Betty and let her know your thoughts on her story! (Remember to close up the spaces before and after the @ symbol on her e-mail address when you write to her) ====================================================================== >-->From InspiredBuffalo: .---. ___ /_____\ /\.-`( '.' ) / / \_-_/_ \ `-.-"`'V'//-. `.__, |// , \ |Ll //Ll|\ \ |__// | \_\ /---|[]==| / / \__/ | \/\/ /_ | Ll_\| |`^"""^`| | | | | | | | | | | | | L___l___J jgs |_ | _| (___|___) ^^^ ^^^ An Old Soldier's Advice On the eve of their deployment to Iraq, three brothers received a letter from their great-uncle. His honest counsel is helpful for anyone fighting a war—or living a life. Feb. 1, 2007 Dear Jon, Ben and Rick*, The other day I was thinking of you three and the prospect that one or more of you may soon be going into unfriendly territory. There is something I want to share with you. It is from a long time ago, which is what old guys like me are likely to talk about, I'm afraid. You may be wondering what could have happened to me in 1945 in World War II that would have any application to your present situation. Well, while tactics and weapons have changed a lot, some things haven't. In the final analysis, the mission of an army at war is the same: eliminating the enemy. And the foot soldier is the one asked to do it. Our enemies then were Nazi Germans, and now yours are religious terrorists. But the need to kill the enemy hasn't changed. I assume your training taught you how to kill, and that it included stuff that was designed to get you to really hate the enemy. We certainly had that. It only took six months—October to March—for me to move from being a civilian going to church every week, to being in combat conditions where both sides were searching for more effective ways to destroy each other. While I learned what I needed to, I was confused by the dramatic shift from "Love thy neighbor" and "Thou shalt not kill" to immersing myself in the mindset necessary for a military victory. I struggled to be both a good soldier and a good Christian. When Killing Is Murder How to kill and still keep the biblical commandments was a problem for me. No one in the military, or at home, had ever brought up this dilemma. And there was no one in our unit to turn to for advice. I was the newest replacement, 18 with a 14-year-old's face. I was known only as "Kid." We were a platoon of armored recon vehicles leading the invasion of inner Germany, and so we were focused people. We didn't talk about moral dilemmas. As I pondered the problem, I came to a conclusion that worked for me. My studies showed me that the word "kill" in the sixth commandment (Ex. 20:13), as written in the King James Version of the Bible, is not the most accurate translation of the original Hebrew word. It really means "murder," not kill. What's the difference? A big one involving intent. Murder is a premeditated act of taking a life, and one that's often inspired by hatred. A person acting in a "just cause" and on an authorized and impersonal basis isn't committing a murder, though he is killing. A cop killing an armed bank robber in the line of duty is not a murderer. Therefore, if you kill a terrorist in the midst of heated combat, it is not murder. But if you get ticked off about losing a buddy a few minutes before and, in your bitter rage, take out a couple Iraqi civilians, you are a murderer and will face criminal charges as well. When it is in the line of duty and lawful, you are obliged to do your job. However, you should never be happy about the necessity of taking a human life. Resisting Hate It became important to me that I not hate the enemy, even as I was trying to kill him. I know. That sounds stupid, right? But I needed to remain dispassionate and cool, not upset and bitter. How did it work out in combat? Pretty well, but in two cases I almost blew it. In one episode, an old civilian was spouting Nazi garbage at me. I wanted to shoot him, but he was unarmed and a civilian, so I didn't. The other time a sniper got in three very close shots at me in a village we were taking, and I lost it and wanted to do anything to get the guy. I proposed exposing myself to draw his fire again while my buddies went for him. But older, wiser heads prevailed, saying "Settle down, Kid. We'll get him." And they did a little later. My anger and immaturity almost got me killed. Can you shoot at the enemy without having a craw full of hate? Sure you can. At first you are fighting fear, so hate isn't a big deal. But as combat goes on, the fear level becomes manageable and you reach a point where you're just doing the job you're charged to do. You're shooting at a target, not a person. That is how a soldier in combat must see it. Staying calm and not letting hate get involved makes you a better soldier, and it keeps you from becoming a murderer. Sometimes combat becomes so routine that killing can seem casual or even sort of funny, in a twisted way. You all remember that I was severely wounded in combat, right? Well, just an hour before I was hit, a few of us from my platoon were stationed in the loft of a barn, looking out over a field we were preparing to secure. There were four or five of us, and one guy had just spotted a German crawling in a distant ditch and wanted to take him out. But it would be a very long, challenging shot. He took a couple shots, paused a minute, then said, "Oh, [shoot]! He's moving again. I didn't get him." Another soldier wanted a turn. He took several shots, as we all did in rotation until the German lay dead. It was a kind of casual contest for us, but now I realize we were not as respectful of a human life as we should have been. My Friend the Enemy It is distressing for me to realize that Christ died for the terrorists, too. As violent and anti-Christian as they are, Jesus died for even them. So how do we balance that awareness with the job of killing them? I don't have a well-developed answer for that one. I never got to the point that I'd aim at a German and hope to hit him while praying for his soul at the same time. But I was able to avoid hating the Nazis while I fought, and I thought that this was important for me as I tried to balance my faith with my combat duties. One day we captured a couple Germans, and one was so young he looked a lot like me. He still had his wristwatch on, which meant he hadn't been searched. (We always "liberated" watches from the captured Germans.) So I patted him down and was amazed at what I found in his various pockets. There was a Bible, a Gospel of John, and a New Testament! If things had been different, this kid and I might have been in the same church somewhere. But there we were, trying to kill each other. I know—you aren't likely to find this happening in Iraq. But my point is that every life has value, and we shouldn't take for granted that every person was created in God's image—even our enemies. When you go through the pockets of someone you shoot and find the pictures of his family, it makes you think about more than just putting another notch on your belt. At the beginning of every day in combat, I prayed for safety, of course. But I also tried to finish each day with a prayer for anybody I may have wounded or killed. I don't know if it ever helped them, but it helped me. Defying Orders For a long time, I was proud that I never failed to follow an order. But one night my convictions were put to the test. We were trying to recapture a village the Germans had taken back from us that day. It was dark when the fight got the hottest, and the Lieutenant said to a group of us, "If it gets any hotter, we are gonna have to high-tail it outta here. If we do, shoot the prisoners." We had three prisoners, as I recall. I could hardly believe my ears. Yet I knew that orders like this were not uncommon. Just the week before, the word was that our guys had shot some German kids down from telephone poles where they were cutting wires. Although I'd heard of earlier times when neither side had taken prisoners, the prospect of ending our prisoners' lives because they would hinder our escape seemed wrong. I knew it was important to obey an officer's orders, but I decided not to do it if it came to that, because it was an illegal order. He never could have brought me up on charges for disobeying, though my reputation in the platoon would've suffered. Fortunately, we got the upper hand and it was never necessary to defy the order. My point is, following orders is the right thing to do, but only if they are legal orders. Our moral standards will at times be in conflict with our orders. May God help you to stand by your convictions during those times. Blessed Assurance That's it, guys. Keep cool, avoid hating as you perform, follow only lawful orders, and pray a lot. Try to balance your duty with the awareness that even terrorists have value in God's eyes. I'll end with one more recollection and observation. Service days are perhaps the toughest time in life to walk the walk of faith as a Christian. The environment just doesn't give you many brownie points for acting anything like Jesus. But this is where the assurance of having a vital faith is really needed. Like most of the GI's, I had the wish that if I got hit it would be in an arm or leg, not the chest or stomach. No one had body armor in those ancient times. When it happened, I knew immediately that I had a chest wound because the blood was bubbling out of a hole in my back. In addition, my legs wouldn't move when I tried to crawl over to my squad leader who lay near me. I was certain that I was dying, and I was scared stiff! At the same time, I felt a quiet assurance that I knew where I was going. I was secure in my faith in Jesus. It helped to have that final uncertainty taken care of. This same faith sustained me through a year of healing and learning to walk again after the quadriplegia passed. And it still comforts and assures me today, 62 years later. Your experiences will be a whole lot different than mine, but I pray you will have the same confidence that comes from being one of Christ's own, whatever comes your way. Love, "Great Uncle Bob" *The events described in this letter are true, but the names have been changed to protect this family's privacy. Copyright © 2007 by the author To Subscribe send a blank email to: the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ==================================================================== >-->FUN Places To Net Visit: >From Linky&Dinky: TOOGLE.COM TAKES YOUR PERSON, PLACE, OR THING or animal, or vegetable, or mineral, or idea, or vague concept, or dream, or suggestion, or mental image, and then sketches it out with itself. (hey, let's see if YOU can describe this thing! ;-) http://c6.org/toogle/index.php 100 WORDS TO KNOW, and if you do, you're smart enough to make it. http://tinyurl.com/f4z5 THEME PARK INSIDER If I was going to start a giant web site about the secrets, shortcuts and hidden pleasures of various theme parks, this is what I'd call it. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/ HOW TO BEAT "NAME THAT SONG" RADIO CONTESTS Hold your cell phone up to the riff, the robot will tell you. http://www.411song.com/ -<>- >From LynnLynn's Links: Time Gets Better With Age http://home.att.net/~soloshideaway/697/age.htm LITTLE THINGS http://www.wtv-zone.com/Mary/LITTLETHIGS.HTML Glen w/Sunrise http://glenpysell.com/Sunrise.html Blue Moon http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/30may_bluemoon.htm?list794628 How To Annoy People http://www.getannoyed.com/ Nostalgia Central http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/ Send a blank e-mail to LynnLynns-links-subscribe@Yahoogroups.com ============================================================== >-->Smiles from our friend Steve :) ,,,,, \ e e\ C _\/ |\\, )\_) \_ / _/|/_ _// ,'\ ~ /'-,_/ \ / \_/ / / , | \_._,-" ( < _' | \ \ ', -',-~.-' _/ ) | |// | ' ' ) | | | | ._., - |.,_ // _\-' )___|__|_ '-._ b'ger /____\__\ A Normal Day ????????? No longer do I have smooth skin My hair has all turned white. And earlier this morning I was such a scary sight. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I tried to look my very best I did what I was able. Then it took me an hour Just to reach the breakfast table. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The reason that it took so long, Now-a-days I use a walker. Thank God my voice is still intact I'd hate to lose my talker. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I finally got to the kitchen I knew I should eat soon. But wondered - should I eat breakfast Or is it nearly noon? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oh well! It doesn't matter, I'm still not ready to eat. When I was in the bathroom I forgot to get my teeth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Then suddenly it occurred to me I didn't check the mail. And on my income I can't afford To miss one single sale. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So off I went at my top speed Which is 50 yards an hour, While wondering where I left the milk And hoping it won't sour. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ad I found, in big, bold words said It's the "SALE OF THE CENTURY". And "By Golly" I'm determined, "They won't have a sale without me". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I grabbed my coat and started the car Didn't want to be too late. But I needed to use the bathroom, So the sale would have to wait. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I finally made it back in the car Then drove as fast as I can. But again I had forgot my teeth And had to go home again". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two hours later, I finally arrived And I only ran one red light. By now I didn't have long to shop, 'Cause after dark I lose my eye sight. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So again I rushed at my top speed Searching for things I need. Just in case, I'll buy some milk And I'm almost out of bird seed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I found some clothes I really liked And I wondered "what's the matter"! I tried them on but they didn't fit, Could this mean I'm getting fatter? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The cashier tried to talk to me But I couldn't hear a word she said. Then suddenly it dawned on me. My hearing aid batteries were dead! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So I read her lips to get the price Then tried to count my money. But without my glasses I couldn't tell If it was one dollar or a twenty. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With the shopping done, to the car I ran Though my speed didn't actually quicken. But that's OK. It's probably best. The way my old heart was ticken. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I arrived back home, turned the TV on, And watched "The Price Is Right". Good thing they don't show reruns, I'd have watched that thing all night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Then it was time to read my book But when I finished readin. I realized it was time for bed And I still hadn't eaten. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All in all, I have to say The day was a total disaster. If tomorrow's gonna be any better I'll just have to move a lot faster! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright © 2002 Ron Lantz >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - BottaBing! :)Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales & Serrvice You can trust us to provide you with quality computer sales and repair. We've been servicing the Van Wert area since 1981 and can help you with all your computer needs. Please phone us at 419-238-5806 ************************************************************************ -->This is for all you who love food and DARRE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. 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