Unite In Prayer ... :) 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 =========================== May 1st Is May Day and National Day Of Prayer Day *~* HAPPY MAY DAY AND NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER *~* May Everyone Have A God Blessed Day! ,-''-. `-..-' /)/) ___ /)/))) d6966b./)/)))) )u`d99b)/))))) \_ q6b'/)))))) _) \_/)))))/ |\\ __/'-'/ \))))( (_))_(___/ |))))/ \| |`--' | / \__.--'\ | \ | | | \ | \ | \ hjw |__ \ |/`--._ \ `-._\ MAY AMERICA UNITE IN PRAYER! ===================================================== >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press! This one came about thinking of our Hero Stories from last week along with thoughts of Prayer, Thankfulness, and our up and coming Mother's Day. This page is best viewed with the Sound Up and by following along with the words... |~~~~~~~| | | |~~~~~~~~~~~| | I N R I | |___________| | | |~.\\\_\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~xx~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/_//;~| | \ o \_ ,XXXXX), _..-~ o / | | ~~\ ~-. XXXXX`)))), _.--~~ .-~~~ | ~~~~~~~`\ ~\~~~XXX' _/ ';)) |~~~~~~..-~ _.-~ ~~~~~~~ `\ ~~--`_\~\, ;;;\)__.---.~~~ _.-~ ~-. `:;;/;; \ _..-~~ ~-._ `'' /-~-~ `\ / / | , | | | ' / | \/; | ;; | `; . | |~~~-----.....| | \ \ | /\~~--...__ | (| `\ __-\| || \_ /~ | |) \~-' | | | \ ' | | \ : \ | | | | ) ( ) \ /; /\ | | |/ | | | | \ .' || | | | | ( | | | | \ \ | || o `.)| |`\\\\) | | | | | | | HERO http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/hero.html -<>- >-->Be Sure To PASS THIS ON And Visit These Pages Too: Give Praise http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/poems/praise.html Who Is He? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/poems/who.html Be Ye Thankful http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/beyethankful.html Meditating http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/meditating.html Dreamy Ladies http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dreamy.html The Power Of Prayer http://tinyurl.com/5m47hp NDP Web Site http://www.ndptf.org/ NDP: Kid & Family Links http://www.annieshomepage.com/ndop.html History Of MAY DAY http://www.theholidayspot.com/mayday/history.htm MAY DAY CRAFTS http://crafts.kaboose.com/may-day-crafts.html More May Day CRAFTS: http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/mayholidays/a/aa041700a.htm ============================================================== >-->From Christian Educational Services: _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | From TruthOrTradition: || | | || | | || | | What is the point of Prayer? \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ FAQ: If, as the Bible says, God knows what we need, what is the point of prayer, and why should we spend valuable time praying to Him for something? I’m not sure—let me pray about it. Just kidding. The easy answer to the question is: because God tells us to (e.g., “Pray continually”). But that begs the question of why He tells us to pray, so let’s delve into that a bit. And “a bit” is all we can do here, at least compared to how many verses of Scripture there are about prayer. For more elaboration on this critical subject, I recommend our audio teaching, Let Us Pray. I also recommend a book by Brother Andrew titled, And God Changed His Mind, as well as The God Who Risks, by John Sanders. Among many books on the subject of prayer, the work of E.M. Bounds is very good. Although prayer can be most simply defined as “talking to or with God,” there are in the Bible various kinds of communication and conversation with the Almighty. Thinking of a Father/child relationship helps us determine what categories such communication would fall into. Why and how would a child talk to his father? Petitionary prayer is perhaps what most people think of first, that is, asking God for something for ourselves or for someone else. God often encourages us to come to Him for whatever we need, be it big or small (e.g., Phil. 4:6). 1 John 5:14 guides us to pray for things that are in accordance with His will, and His Word is where we find His will. Far too many Christians needlessly preface their prayers with “If it be your will…” when more understanding of Scripture would reveal to them whether or not this is the case. Praise, worship, thanksgiving, and exaltation of God are other forms of verbalizing to Him what is in our heart (see just about any Psalm). He loves it when we tell Him how wonderful we think He is. Why, because His ego needs to be stroked? Heavens, no! Everything God asks us to do is for our benefit, first and foremost. When we praise God and magnify His goodness, it solidifies for us how much He loves us and wants the best for us, and our faith in Him is strengthened. What about just talking things over with God or the Lord Jesus? That’s cool. Asking for guidance and/or direction—there’s another form of prayer. See James 1:5ff for more details. How about griping? I’d say there is plenty of that kind of upward communication in the Psalms. David was always ready to pour out his heart to God, be it good, bad, or ugly. How does God say we should pray? According to Luke 18:1ff, we should pray insistently, vigorously and persistently. Luke 18:9ff shows that we should pray with humility. 1 John 5:14 says that we should pray for things that are in line with God’s will. Philippians 4:6 says that we should pray with thankful anticipation of our prayers being answered. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that we should pray continually—in other words, God really wants us to stay in touch with Him! OK, but why does God tell us that we should pray as much as possible? The basic reason is because of how He originally chose to relate to mankind. That is, (a) once upon a time (b) when He was all alone (c) in the beginning (d) all of the above, God sovereignly decided to enter into a personal, working relationship with mankind. Scripture calls us “God's fellow workers (1 Cor. 3:9),” and shows that, generally, God needs our prayer in order to get involved in the affairs of men and bring to pass His will. According to the Bible, life is not a big puppet show with God pulling all the strings. Think about it—if God had carte blanche to intervene in the world and right every wrong, He would constantly be doing so, because by His very nature (“God is love”) He is bound to do all He can to help people. But God gave Adam the legal dominion over Creation, and Adam “delivered” it to the Devil (Luke 4:6), and because God cannot act unrighteously, even toward Satan, He cannot intervene unless He is given the legal right to do so. And who is it that gives God that right? A born-again son or daughter of His who, by virtue of his or her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, has been given authority to invoke “the name of Jesus Christ” and thereby access the same power that created the heavens and the earth and raised Jesus from the dead. That’s who. Is that who you? Have you ever watched “Bigtime Wrestling,” and seen a tag team match? It is akin to how prayer works. Let’s say that you are the one of your two-man team who is inside the ropes wrestling one of the other team partners. He gets you in a hold that will pin you unless you can somehow stretch out and touch your tag team partner. But why do you have to touch him? Why doesn’t your partner just jump in and clobber the guy? He can’t, because the rule is that he cannot intervene unless you “tag” him. Unfortunately for you, however, your teammate has his back to the ring, oblivious to your predicament, signing autographs! Not if he is a good partner, he doesn’t. What is his posture? He is leaning over the ropes as far as he can toward you, extending his hand for you to touch him. When it comes to the spiritual war in which we live, God and the Lord Jesus are never out of reach, and if you stretch out in prayer and “touch” them, they will always provide something beneficial for you, even if it is “only” comfort and strength in time of suffering. I forget who it was that said, “Prayer is not forcing God’s reluctance; it is taking hold of God’s willingness,” but I love that statement. When we pray, we are connecting with the Creator. Prayer focuses our hearts on God and reminds us of our absolute dependence upon our heavenly Father. Perhaps that is why Philippians 4:7 says that when we pray with thankful anticipation, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” When we know God’s will from His Word, we can pray with greater faith, knowing that we are aligned with His purposes. The traditional “praying hands” are not like they are in a tug-of-war with God. In fact, even the palms-together posture seems insufficient to me. I think “praying hands” are palms up, expectantly ready to receive our Father’s blessings. Despite the popular ideas among many Christians that “God is in control” and that “everything that happens is God’s will,” Scripture says otherwise. Jesus himself debunked the latter of those two myths in “the Lord’s Prayer” when he instructed his followers to pray, “Thy will be done on earth...” If everything that happens is the will of God, why pray that? Yes, thanks to the finished work of Jesus Christ, God’s ultimate goal of a family living forever in Paradise will come to pass, but who will be there and what rewards they will receive is determined by the individual, free-will choices that people make moment by moment during their lives. Remember, God is not the Big Puppeteer in the sky. How do I know for sure that God is not in control of my life? Because if He were, it would be a lot better! If the future were already fixed, prayer would be superfluous. But God chose to enter into genuine personal relationship with mankind, and thus our prayers make a difference to Him. The prayers of Moses (Ex. 8 and 32) and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20) are two Old Testament examples of God responding to people and changing what He saw was going to come to pass. Prayer changes things (actually, prayer allows God to change things)—history would not be the same had people not prayed. God has invited His people to participate with Him in shaping the future. Some quotes from The God Who Risks, by John Sanders (pp. 272 and 273), are most pertinent here: “God wants us to be His partners not because He needs our wisdom, but because He wants our fellowship…Our requests are important because God is interested in us. God loves us and takes our concerns to heart just because they are our concerns. This is the nature of a personal, loving relationship. The relationship is not one of domination or manipulation but of participation and cooperation wherein we become co-laborers with God (1 Cor. 3:9)…It is so only because God wanted a reciprocal relationship of love and elected to make dialogical prayer an important element in such a relationship.” “God has open routes into the future, and He desires that we participate with Him in determining which ones to take. This should not be construed, however, to mean that we get whatever we want. We may prevail with God because God genuinely takes our desires into account. Yet God may also prevail with us, getting us to change our minds and pursue a course of action that we did not initially think best. In this regard, prayer provides a dialogical resource for God to work in this world. When we turn to God in prayer, we open a window of opportunity for the Spirit’s work in our lives, creating new possibilities for God to carry out His project. Dialogical prayer affects both parties and changes the situation, making it different from what it was prior to the prayer…Our asking in faith may make it possible for God to do something that He could not have done without our asking.” I don’t know about you, but knowing that my heavenly Father longs to have me share my heart with Him, and that my prayers make a difference in the course of history, motivates me to pray. And I need to remind myself of this—often. Should we pray? Yes! Why should we pray? Because God needs our prayers to help Him bring to pass His will. How should we pray? Passionately! When should we pray? Any time! Where should we pray? Anywhere! Let us pray. Visit Here for More Great Teachings on Prayer: http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=21 ===================================================================== >-->From SermondFodder: __ ",'. ",\ / Y , _,'--.\ \_-( ;--(/\ ) \'. )6,6 /) \ \_ \ _, |_ ', '--/'---'- /_/'-._ '-'-L._ -|/ /-._ / | |-~'--._'-._/(, ,_/> / ''--~ /\<_ _/ // "-'-'\ ,~-. ._ ) / \_/ '\ / / \ | / /` _\ | ( ,/ _.-' __.' / / [((---' / / ) ) / / \/ K=/ snd / _> )_/ >TOO FOOLISH TO BE BELIEVED Several years ago, the dazed crew members of a Japanese trawler were plucked out of the Sea of Japan clinging to the wreckage of their sunken ship. Their rescue, however, was followed by immediate imprisonment once authorities questioned the sailors on their ship's loss. Every single .-. ## ) * _.-+*'`*+-._ ,## _ _ #. ;### ((.;;.)) ##: .=._.; ,-*:;;:*-. *##:._.=, >##; *-')_@@_(`-* ;###< ---------------`****------(o `` o)-----*****'-------------e:l one of them claimed that a cow, falling out of a clear blue sky, had struck the trawler amidships, shattering its hull and sinking the vessel within minutes. Impossible! They remained in prison for several weeks, until the Russian Air Force reluctantly informed Japanese authorities that the crew of one of its cargo planes had apparently stolen a cow wandering at the edge of a Siberian airfield. They forced the cow into the plane's hold and hastily took off for home. Unprepared for live cargo, the Russian crew was ill-equipped to manage a rampaging cow within its hold. To save the aircraft and themselves, they shoved the animal out of the cargo hold as they crossed the Sea of Japan at an altitude of 30,000 feet. Some things sound foolish, but turn out to be true. That includes much of what we believe as Christians. "You believe that God somehow caused a virgin to bear a child, a boy who was fully man and yet fully God like? You believe that this man, Jesus, actually raised people from the dead and walked on water and fed thousands of people with a plateful of food? You believe that, after being crucified and buried for 3 days and 3 nights, he was raised by God over 2000 years ago and yet is alive today?" To many people it sounds too foolish to be believed. But it's all true! "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.....Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (I Cor. 1:18,21,25) Have a great day! Alan Smith Boone Church of Christ Boone, NC www.TFTD-online.com ======================================================================= >-->From Our Friend Tony In Australia :) >His folly is greater than our wisdom………….did you know that? And His wisdom is far beyond our understanding… We worry about things and the more we ponder on those things, often the larger they seem, and yet we call ourselves “ Christians”, ‘followers’ of Christ. Lets look at Chapter 6:25-33 in the Book of Matthew, its says… _ _ ('< >') \(_)________( \ (___________)\\ ( ) \ | | | | | | _| |_ (_______)lc ""Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Mmmmm, “and all these things will be given to you as well." Well folks, this is not idle chit chat, this is not some ‘sales pitch’ to get you to change your ways and become a Christian! These are words of PROMISE to each one of us who ‘are’ faithful and those who will ‘remain’ faithful. I think I can safely say that amongst us here, there wouldn’t be one of us who can honestly say they haven’t got through something that they could never have got through, without God. I know the older I have become and because of circumstances way beyond MY control, I ‘worry’. I worry about my work not getting done, I worry about the work I do not being enough, I worry about the work I have done not being good enough. I even awaken in the night worrying! Did I do ‘this’ did I do ‘that’? and 9 out of ten times there was nothing to worry about! so I worry about what the ‘tenth’ thing was or will be…..That’s me! But I never used to be like that! But I don’t have to be like that! you see…… I HAVE A GOD WHO LOVES ME!. I just sometimes forget that, but He forgives me! and I don’t know one thing that has got the better of me that hasn’t been fixed by prayer! YES! By Prayer! and the faith of those who love me! Each time, when I have hit on a stumbling block, God has got me through! I did learn that in order for that to happen, I had to depend on HIM! and all the times I tried to ‘go it alone’ I stood on the fork and it clobbered me! There …..is my foolishness, the unwillingness to ‘give it to God’ has cost me many bandaids, believe me! You think back to a tough time that you have experienced and I can categorically say that God played a hand in getting you over it! It would be interesting to know just how many people here, are willing to share on some experience that YOU have had, where God has turned up in the ‘nick of time’! Come on do it! Let others know what God has done for you…..I invite you. All of these so called ‘rich’ people…how did they do it? or did they start out ‘rich’? did Mom and dad leave a fortune behind? did they invest in a lottery? Did they really start at the bottom and work up? maybe a few of them did, but I reckon most of them didn’t! I am not jealous for one second, of the people I know who have oodles of money! Because I won’t trade my oodles of love and happiness for ALL of their possessions. When I go to Heaven, I want to be with my earthly wife again! I wont need a boat or a plane , a driveway full of cars and a shed full of up to date electronic tools I have hardly used! I will have GOD! and HE fulfils ALL my desires and my needs! One day, all of us will understand that the greatest of our problems were the smallest of concerns really, if we give them up to God, that does NOT mean we don’t try, it means we ask God for help to accomplish that which HE wants us to accomplish. In times of crisis! Ask and you will receive. Think back to a time when you have been a the end of your tether, and you will remember that God gave us what we needed. It may have been support from family or a friend and it may have been someone else’s faith got you through. I have seen it so many times in my own lifetime, so many people work harder and harder at what they do believing that the harder they work, the more treasures they get and the richer they become. What theu forget is that we come into this world with nothing, and we leave it with nothing so why ‘kill’ yourselves with work? It’s the same with people who think they can ‘buy’ happiness, they really only want what others want, but more if it! Isn’t that true? I say change your values! you will learn to appreciate having things that are REALLY worth having…..a clear conscience and salvation are things that you CANNOT out a price on! and YOU cannot buy them they are GIFTS I tell you……of GOD! You will never ‘own’ enough to pay for your own sin let alone the sins of millions! HE DID! He gave HIS life for YOU! We have accredit account with HIM! God has done all that needs to be done to gain for you something you cannot gain all by yourself………. your own salvation. --Br Tony --- ...Thank You Tony! Your teaching made me think about the time when Peter walked on the water only to find himself sinking and the Lord said 'oh thou of little faith' - The account is rather sweet... ;~ ./|\. ./ /| `\. / | | `\. | | | `\. | \| `\. . `----|__________\. \-----''----.....___ jgs \ ""/ ~^~^~^~^~^`~^~^`^~^~^`^~^~^ ~^~^~`~~^~^`~^~^~`~~^~^~ Matthew 14:28-31 "And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he [Jesus] said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith [positive believing], wherefore didst thou doubt?" This is so much like all of us. First we want something. Then we ask if it be God's Will for us to have it. When we know it's God's Will, we will walk out on His Word with total confidence until things get a little rough. Then, like Peter, we loose our faith or believing on God. Then we loose what we had asked God for. Worry, Doubts and Fears cancel out our believing every time. Many of us will blame God or Jesus Christ or the devil or that we are not good enough when all it boils down to is what Jesus said - 'Oh Thou Of Little Faith.' ===================================================================== >-->From InspiredBuffalo: ___ {-) |\ [m,].-"-. / [][__][__] \(/\__/\)/ [__][__][__][__]~~~~ | | [][__][__][__][__][] / | [__][__][__][__][__]| /| | [][__][__][__][__][]| || | ~~~~ ejm [__][__][__][__][__]__,__, \__/ >~ Lay Your Burdens Down ~ Lay your burdens down. He will lift them up. The full price has been paid. He shrank not from the cup. Lay your burdens down. Place them at His feet. He will your strength renew. You'll find a refuge sweet. When you won't let them go, You crucify, anew, The One who loves you so. He bled and died for you. His patience never ends. His arms are open wide. Don't feel you can't partake. Don't be puffed up with pride. Lay your burdens down. Carry them no more. He's waiting, there, for you. He's knocking on your door. Lay your burdens down. Let your Saviour in. It's all left up to you. Abandon all your sins. When you won't let them go, You crucify, anew, The One who loves you so. He bled and died for you. His patience never ends. His arms are open wide. Don't feel you can't partake. Don't be puffed up with pride. Lay your burdens down. Accept His love, divine. Your heart will fill with joy. Your spirit will so shine. Lay your burdens down. Spread your wings and fly. You'll feel His love so strong And dwell in courts on high! Lay your burdens down. © by Dianna Gilliam -- all rights reserved justpeachy@greenhills.net May be used in unchanged form for non-commercial purposes if accompanied by this copyright message -<>- >THREE WORDS By: Joseph J. Mazzella .---. .---. ,';' `.';' `.. f :Bo. ` d88: `\ /d88P' `\ ; /d888P' `. ',d8&8P' : ;d8&7' | :8: | qx "What’s it going to take to change this world?" That is a question that has troubled mankind for centuries. While I don’t pretend to have all the answers I think that I have learned the first step to take. It isn’t a difficult step either. In fact, it only consists of three little words. If everyone just accepted these three little words into their hearts and believed them with their souls then we could finally put an end to hunger, war, hatred, and strife. If everyone just lived by the truth of these words then we could begin to make this world a paradise with everyone working together, helping each other, and caring for this planet that is our home. What are these three words? "God Loves You." God loves us all so much, yet so many of us go through life never accepting His love into our hearts, souls, and minds. Perhaps we don’t accept it because we don’t feel worthy of it. Well we aren’t, but God gives it to us just the same. When we do accept God’s love, however, an amazing thing happens. We start to become more worthy of it everyday. In fact, we start to choose it, share it, and live in it moment by moment. Then we begin to change the world around us as well. With God’s love flowing into our hearts like a river we begin to brighten everyone we meet with our light and uplift everyone we meet with our joy. With God’s love within us we begin to live as His Children and everyday bring a little more Heaven to Earth. "God loves you!" Take these three words to heart. Accept them into your soul. Believe them in your mind. And live them in your life. Then go out and start to change the world. It can be done. It is being done right now one heart, one soul, and three words at a time. It is going to take a lot of love to change this world, but God has more than enough for the job. He just wants you to help Him share it and plant it in every heart you touch. -<>- THE BLOOD One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! End of case!!!! "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:23 -<>- Links: Ice Fishing http://www.buffalosjokes.com/032937.htm Why I Was Never Late For School http://www.buffalosjokes.com/032938.htm Know Your Limits http://www.buffalosjokes.com/032939.htm Wow http://www.buffalosjokes.com/032940.htm Mexican Mondays http://buffalosjokes.com/112486.htm Juggler http://www.buffalosjokes.com/112490.htm Heroes http://www.buffalosjokes.com/3380.htm Need Glasses http://www.buffalosjokes.com/3381.htm To Subscribe send a blank email to: the-inspired-buffalo-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ==================================================================== \ ___/________ ___ ) , @ / \ \ @___, \ / @__\ /\ @___/ \@/ /\__, | /\_, \/ / /\__/ | / \ / @\ / \ ( / \ / / \ _/__|___/___/_______________/__|____\_____________/__/__________|__\__ unknown >-->Bucking the Crowd Story Editor: by Jeff Simms Joyce Schowalter Barnegat, New Jersey, USA It was a nippy Fall day -- our favorite kind of weather. It was Saturday and we were going to have a great time. My divorced mother, two younger brothers and I were on our way to the park at the other end of the small Jersey town we lived in. We had our football and makeshift goal posts in the back of the station wagon and our teams already chosen: us against our mother. (Don't worry, it was only touch football.) On the way we approached a small bar where an agitated crowd had formed outside. Suddenly there was a terrible tension in the air. "Uh, oh," one of my brothers said. "Shhh," my mother told him. I got an uneasy feeling in the gut of my stomach. I'd always had a certain uneasiness about crowds. Fear actually. When I was only about five, we were living in North Manhattan. I had witnessed a crowd yelling for a suicidal man atop an apartment building to jump. It left me with a bad impression of what decent, normal people are capable of when in the crowd mentality. I wanted out of there and shouted to my mother to speed up. Instead, she slowed! She pulled to the curb on the opposite side of the street. We were a few dozen feet from six or seven people cheering on a drunken fight. It was definitly crowd mentality, all right -- the same whether it was in a city or a small town. To our horror our mother got out, locking us boys in. "Stay put, guys" she said. We didn't unlock the car but we did open the windows about half way. To our astonishment our beautiful, petite mother defiantly walked through the ruckus, went up to the two brawlers and shouted to the one on top. "Get off him right now! You'll kill him!" It was as forceful as she had ever sounded. I'll never forget her standing there with her hands on her hips (her "mad-as-hell" stance which we knew very well), seemingly oblivious to the others around her. Two men in the crowd must have been humbled by her audacity because they broke rank from the rest and separated the two combatants. In the distance we heard a siren. Minutes later a police car pulled up and we got going again. The whole incident took no more than ten minutes, but it has been seared in my memory ever since. From the back seat my youngest brother kept his arms lovingly around our mother's neck as she drove, while my other brother and I just stared in utter amazement at her all the way to the park. I learned a great lesson that day from our petite mother. I learned that I really had nothing to fear from a crowd like that -- as long as I never become a part of it. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From AndyChaps :) ** I Asked for... ** I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve I asked for prosperity and God gave me brawn and brain to work I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome I asked for patience and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities I received nothing I wanted I received everything I needed MY PRAYER HAS BEEN ANSWERED. -Author Unknown -<>- __ __ ,-' `' \ _---``-- / _ _ ; __ `. / / `' \; /`----- ) / .-/ ,( ), \-. ; | \( \ / )/; | - _5 `7 -; / ( ___-' `-____ | ( ___`-_ \ ____| \ / `,/ \ _(\__ / \ \ ; \ .' /' `i. / | | \ _-'( _\__-/ `- | | ` ,` `_ | BP ** It's Up To You ** One song can spark a moment, One flower can wake the dream One tree can start a forest, One bird can herald spring. One smile begins a friendship, One handclasp lifts a soul. One star can guide a ship at sea, One word can frame the goal. One vote can change a nation, One sunbeam lights a room. One candle wipes out darkness, One laugh will conquer gloom. One step must start each journey, One word must start each prayer. One hope will raise our spirits, One touch can show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom, One heart can know what's true. One life can make the difference, You see it's up to "You" -Author Unknown ============================================================= _____ / \/_ //\__(\_\ |\ ^ ^ | .//_O \O_ \ \_ (_) / \ \_/ / __/\ /\__ / \ \ / / \ / \/\/\/ \ / | . | \ / | . | \ JRO Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine Kind words and kind deeds. --Longfellow >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah :) Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->Bigham's Computer Rescue - PC Sales && Service 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 andd 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 ************************************************************************