Walking The Talk... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com To UnSubscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ShangyFunList or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* Please Consider Giving To ShangralaFamilyFun.com The cost of the website has gone up dramatically due to the ever increasingly wonderful pages and photos being added each week to entertain you and our fellow Christian families. If every one would chip in $25 or more, we'd be good for the whole year! So Please - I need your help today! "We are each of us angels with but one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" -Luciano Decrescenzo ~ CALLING ALL CARING ANGELS ~ *~* WE NEED CARING And SHARING Angels *~* >Do You Want To Be A Shangrala Angel? If you'd like to help and be counted as a Shangrala Angel, the easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure. Please visit the site, scroll down and click on the donate button. A Secure PAYPAL form page comes up. NOTE: Paypal will generate a 'Quantity 1' and 'Price per item' form. Just ignore the price per item and put whatever it is you desire to give in there. With Paypal, you will have your normal receipt for your 'payment' donation in USD (United States Dollars). You can put a memo in there if you'd like. Any amount is greatly appreciated and needed! 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! MAY GOD BLESS YOU MOST ABUNDANTLY FOR YOUR GIFT! ================ *~* A REMINDER: PLEASE Send me sweet, interesting, funny, inspiring, family type forwards ANY TIME here... bcrsystems@earthlink.net I Need them, Love them, Use them, and Share them! THANK YOU!! AND For Facebook Users: Please Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all AND Please Share This email with All Your Friends And Family! ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! -<>- * NOTE: An easy way to adjust the size of print in email or any page is to hold down the Ctrl tab while moving the scroll button on the mouse. You can also use the keyboard to change the font size in your web browser or emails. Hold down the Ctrl key while pressing the + key for larger text or the - key for smaller text! ================ >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) This flaming hot new page is from our friends LouiseAu, Cloie and Velma. It is sure to give you some smiles and a few chuckles if you happen to be Conservative minded politically. Be sure to give this some of your time and check out the cool videos here as well... ----- / \ ) | :================: " )/ /|| || )_ /* / || System || * | || Down || (=====~*~======) \ || Please wait || 0 \ / 0 ================== // (====*====) || ........... / \............. // * || :\ ############ \ || (=====*======) || : --------------------------------- V * V : | * |__________|| :::::::::: | o (======*=======) o \ | | || ....... | \\ * || --------------------------------- 8 || (=====*======) // 8 V * V --------------------------------- 8 =|=; (==/ * \==) =|= \ ########################### \ / ! \ _ * __ / | \ \ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ \ ! ! ! (__/ \__) ! ! ! \ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ \ 0 \ \V/ / 0 \________________________________\ () \o o/ () ********************************* () () -Targon (Ed Wisniewski)- Trump VS Biden http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/trumpvsbiden.html --- ...TeeHee! A fun one! Thanks Ladies! This steaming new page is from our friends LouiseAu and Cloie. It'll spark a little good old American pride in you as well as educate you on a few little know US facts. Be sure to give it and the wonderful video some of you time today. View it here: ,-. ,-. ,-. ,----. ,----.,-. ,----. ,-. | `. \ `.| \\ .--`\ \"L \\ \\ .-._\ | `. o!0 | |. `. \ \ ` L \\ __\ \ . < \ \\ \ __ | |. `. | .--. `.\ \`-'\ \\ `---.\ \L `.\ \\ `-` \| .--. `. `-' `--``' `-'`----' `-'`-' `' `----'`-' `--' American Patriots http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/americanpatriots.html --- ...Awesome! Thank You Ladies! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read. -- Abraham Lincoln _________________________________________________________ ||-------------------------------------------------------|| ||.--. .-._ .----. || |||==|____| |H|___ .---.___|""""|_____.--.___ || ||| |====| | |xxx|_ |+++|=-=|_ _|-=+=-|==|---||| |||==| | | | | \ | | |_\/_|Black| | ^ ||| ||| | | | | |\ \ .--. | |=-=|_/\_|-=+=-| | ^ ||| ||| | | | | |_\ \_( oo )| | | |Magus| | ^ ||| |||==|====| |H|xxx| \ \ |''| |+++|=-=|""""|-=+=-|==|---||| ||`--^----'-^-^---' `-' "" '---^---^----^-----^--^---^|| ||-------------------------------------------------------|| ||-------------------------------------------------------|| || ___ .-.__.-----. .---.|| || |===| .---. __ .---| |XX|<(*)>|_|^^^||| || , /(| |_|III|__|''|__|:x:|=| | |=| Q ||| || _a'{ / (|===|+| |++| |==| | | |Illum| | R ||| || '/\\/ _(|===|-| | |''| |:x:|=| |inati| | Y ||| ||_____ -\{___(| |-| | | | | | | | | | Z ||| || _(____)|===|+|[I]|DK|''|==|:x:|=|XX|<(*)>|=|^^^||| || `---^-^---^--^--'--^---^-^--^-----^-^---^|| ||-------------------------------------------------------|| ||_______________________________________________________|| Qryz >CALLING ME HOME by Kristine Lowder I was born in a library. Naw. Not really. But I could've been. Books prominently populate my earliest memories. Lots and lots of books. Enough to fill a library several times over. I remember snuggling into Dad's lap as he read aloud about a brown monkey and a man in a yellow hat. I remember Mom reading and re-reading a perennial favorite, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Also stories about a runaway bunny, Ferdinand the Bull. Green Eggs and Ham. A Secret Garden. A spider weaving webbed words, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Aesop and Dorothy Gale. So many others. As far as "learning to read" goes, it seems I was born reading. I suppose I received academic instruction at some point. I just don't recall being "taught" to read. In fact, I can't remember ever not reading. It's like not breathing. Weekly visits to the library with Mom added fuel to my bookish fire. I've long thought of the library as my "home away from home." Many are the cozy hours and golden afternoons spent browsing the library stacks, meandering in and out of Dickens, Bronte, Eliot, Dumas, Dinesen and Evans. Finding new books or a new author is like unearthing buried treasure. To this day I prefer a good book -- or even a mediocre one -- to any other media. I am never as well content as when behind the pages of a good book. Whenever I'm sitting down, I feel compelled to be reading something. Anything. Even the back of a cereal box. I bring books to baseball games, to the chagrin of my kids. I tell them I read between innings. And I do. I bring a book to the dentist's office, board meetings, ballet rehearsals. If I anticipate a line at the post office, grocery store or bank, I bring a book. Shoot, I usually bring a book even if I don't anticipate a line. I've also been known to read between acts at the opera and until the house lights dim at the theater. An apt epitaph might be: "So many books, so little time." I recently embarked upon a grand reading adventure that, while unplanned, has proven a vast delight. I'm re-reading some of my favorite titles from childhood. I haven't traveled between the covers of some of my grade school favorites for forty years or more. They are somehow welcoming. Even after all these years, plots and characters rise to greet me like long lost friends. A chapter or two and I'm home. I've long maintained that some of the finest writing in all literature is children's literature. Any writer who can grab and keep a child's attention for an entire story is doing something right. And so "home" these days includes wild ponies and round-ups of Misty of Chincoteague. Prairie fires, rampaging grasshoppers, scarlet fever, and Christmas candy in the Little House books. Walter Farley's Black Stallion series. Aslan and Narnia. Black Beauty. Peter and Wendy. I've gathered them around me now, favorite books from years past. You'd think the stories would all be fuzzy, gray. They're not! They're as rich and vibrant and glowing as they were when I first creased their pages. Still captivating. Still delicious. I feel that while I may have forgotten these books, their stories have not forgotten me. When I open the cover and dive into their patient pages, I find they've been waiting for me. Dear friends welcoming me back -- calling me home. -- Kristine Lowder __________________________________________________ Kristine is a multi-published author and makes her home on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. You can visit her at: http://www.kristinelowder.wordpress.com =========================================================== >-->From Daily Encounter: ___ / \ | o | \ / ________) (________ | | '------. .------' | | | | | | | | /\ | | /\ /_ \ / \ / _\ \ '. .' '. .' / \ '--' '--' / jgs '. .' '._ _.' `'-. .-'` \ / ` >Anchored "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock."1 Back in 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed thousands of homes in South Florida. Yet in an area where the wreckage looked like a war zone, one house remained standing, still firmly anchored to its foundation. When a reporter asked the homeowner why his house had not been blown away, he replied, "I built this house myself. I also built it according to the Florida state building code. When the code called for 2"x6" roof trusses, I used 2"x6" roof trusses. I was told that a house built according to the code could withstand a hurricane--and it did."2 I can identify with this builder because in former years I was a builder by trade and built my own home at the top of the Adelaide hills in Australia where the winds blow furiously. I not only built according to the local building codes, but went the second mile. Instead of using 2"x8" rafters I used 3"x8" and instead of using large nails to secure these, I used large coach screw/bolts, and so on. I lost a few roofing tiles on one occasion in a wild storm, but never was there any other damage. As Jesus reminds us, it pays to build solidly on a solid foundation. He was referring to building our lives according to His code as found in His Word, the Bible. Those who do will not be swept away by the storms of life and adverse circumstances that threaten to destroy us. Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to build my life on 'Christ, the Solid Rock' and live according to Your instructions as found in Your Word, the Bible. I thank You that if I do this, I have Your guarantee that with Your help I will be able to stand firm in all of life's storms. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus Christ's name, amen." 1. Matthew 7:25 (NASB). 2. Tom Moore, preacher@hsnp.com cited in KneEmail, http://www.oakhillcoc.org/. --- ...See this great teaching... Our Valuable Anchor http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/ouranchor.html <:))))>< * _| __ (__ Question _) | * jgs >The Big IF "If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow--perhaps it all will."1 And as Jesus said to His followers, "But you will receive power when the Holy [God's] Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."2 I remember reading years ago the tongue-in-cheek comment of a fellow Christian who in a take off on the hymn, "Onward Christian Soldiers marching as to war," said we should really be singing, "Like a mighty tortoise moves the church of God, brothers we are treading where we've always trod." The sad reality is that, as we've mentioned before, according to the highly respected Barna Research Group, the church in the U.S.A. today is in decline. Furthermore, according to an adjunct professor from Fuller Seminary, "The fastest growing church in America today is the church of none." That is, more and more people are dropping out of the organized church. Especially during the times we are living, online services are on the rise, but so are the amount of people drifting away because they neglect cultivating their personal relationship with God. Jesus commissioned His followers saying that they were to "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone,"3 and again, Jesus said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."4 This is a call to every believer. When we are willing and obedient to this call, God will present the opportunities for us to share His Gospel with those around us. Witnessing may look different for each of us, and at times it will be a one-time conversation, while other times it will be a continual conversation until God's timing is right for the individual. The important thing is that we are consistent in telling others about Christ with our words and actions. Consistency leads to building trust. When people trust us, they will be more willing to hear the message we want to share. If you are afraid to witness, like I once was, tell God about it and ask that He give you the words to share what He wants you to share. IF we are available for God to use, He will do so. After all these many years I still pray the following prayer every morning and plan to keep doing so for the rest of my life. I encourage you to do the same: "Dear God I am available again today. Please make me usable and use me to be an effective witness for Jesus today, and please help me to be 'as Jesus' in some way to every life I touch. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus Christ's name, amen." 1. Ecclesiastes 12: 4, 6 (TLB). 2. Acts 1:8 (NIV). 3. Mark 16:15 (NLT). 4. Matthew 4:19 (NKJV). When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International. --- ...When it comes to God... , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' Fear doesn't cut it. 1 John 4: [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. So if you are afraid to do what God has called you to do - then put on your big boy or big girl pants and just DO IT! God will help you! Also saying you can't do something God has called you to do doesn't cut it. Phil.4: [13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. If God calls you to do it - then DO IT! God will help you. IF you want to call God a liar, then say you are too afraid or not fit to do what God wants you to. I don't know about you, but that is the LAST thing I want to do is call God a liar. No way, No how! It's the old get tougher when it comes to doing God's work! =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >SIDE BY SIDE (Author Unknown) They lie on the table side by side, The Holy Bible and the Movie guide. One is well worn and cherished with pride, Not the Bible . . . but the Movie guide. One is used daily to help folks decide, No, not the Bible . . . but the Movie guide. As the pages are turned, what shall they see, Oh, what does it matter, turn on Net TV. Then confusion reigns, they can't all agree, So they open the book in which they confide, No, not the Bible . . . but the TV guide. The Word of God is seldom read, Maybe a verse as they fall into bed. Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be, Not from reading the Bible . . . from watching Movies. So then back to the table side by side, Lie the Holy Bible and the Movie guide. No time for prayer, no time for the Word, The plan of Salvation is seldom heard. But forgiveness of sin, so full and free, Is found in the Bible . . . not Net TV -<>- __ /_/\/\ \_\ / /_/ \ \_\/\ \ \_\/ unknown >Evangelical Attitude One day St. Francis of Assisi, invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young monk was so honored to get such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. At the end of the day, the two headed back home, however, not even once had St. Francis addressed a crowd, nor had he talked to anyone about the gospel. The young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis, “I thought we were going into town to preach?" St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!” It’s no secret that we, the church, have forgotten what it means to preach the gospel, what it means to bring to others the good news, what it means to evangelize. The word evangelism has become a dirty word in some churches, and if it isn’t outright dismissed altogether, then it is relegated as a task for only those who have been ordained, or for those who are the professional speakers, who make a living giving their testimonials and asking for altar calls, or for those who are missionaries overseas. - Author Unknown -<>- ,-=-. / ) ( c/=( `-( _/ _/ (_ / `-- ) < , ) )> / \/ \ (/\ / ,' ) \ \ -=` / / | \ \-` / | '\| <_./ \ / | / , \ <,_./ | / | /_ | | ``--.__.-='! | / \ ! '`'"' ("" '`'`"' `) \_'"'`"" "``''"''`" "'"`''' (_ \_ '"`=-'`" `" " '"" `-'`" '"'`' '`'"' '""`'" >Walking The Talk There were four clergymen who were discussing the merits of the various translations of the Bible. One liked the King James Version because of its simple, beautiful English. Another liked the American Revised Version best because it is more literal and came nearer to the original Hebrew and Greek. Still another liked Moffat's translation because of its up-to-date vocabulary. The fourth minister was silent. when asked to express his opinion, he replied, "I like my mother's translation best." The other three expressed surprise. They did not know that his mother had translated the Bible. But he assured them, "She translated it into life, every day of her life, and it was the most convincing translation I ever saw." --Author Unknown -<>- ( ) |\ _,--------._ / | | `.,' `. / | ` ' ,-' ' \/_ _ ( / (,-.`. ,',-.`. `__,' |/#\ ),-','#\`= ,'.` | `._/) -'.\_,' ) ))| / (_.)\ . -'// ( /\____/\ ) )`'\ \ |V----V|| ' , \ |`- -- -' ,' \ \ _____ ___ | .' \ \ `._,-' `- `.__,`---^---' \ ` -' -.______ \ . / ______,- `. ,' ap >THE PROCESS OF TEMPTATION Many people act like there's no defense against temptation. With the first hint of desire, they immediately throw their hands up and give in. These people fail to realize temptation is a process. And processes can be short-circuited at any stage. Temptation usually begins in the mind, the source of an active fantasy life. The human mind has the capacity to create entire exchanges and experiences out of nothing. Through fantasy, we can enjoy something without ever bringing it into "the real world." So, people sometimes think if it isn't "real," then it's perfectly harmless. But that's not true. Fantasy leads to a downward spiral of enslavement. Over time, it becomes boring, and the need for more gratifying fulfillment builds. Ultimately, our thoughts are so wrapped around temptation that it seems impossible to think of anything else. At that point, the desire holds our minds captive. And when our lives become perfectly focused on anything other than God, we're trapped. Because the process of temptation starts in the mind, it can be difficult to escape. No matter where we go or what we do, we'll never be able to outrun our minds! But we can disrupt the process by filling our minds with God's Word. As you continually feed your imagination a hearty diet of Scripture, the Word will go to work against your fantasies. The Bible is powerful. Trust it to set you free from the burden of temptation. by Dr Charles Stanley. -<>- _ _ / \ / \ |~| |~| #"'"|'"'"'"'"|"'"| # | _.._ | | # |.' `.| | # | | | # |. /~~/~~/~~/ # | './ / / / # | /--/--/--/| # | / / / / | # |/--/--/--/ | # |========# | lbm >Beware of the Barrenness of a Busy Life I have read how one church leader, whom I will call Jack, had a hobby raising pigeons. On one occasion a church member who was returning from a hunting trip stopped by Jack's place and found him playing with one of his birds and gently corrected him for wasting his time. Jack, noticing his friend's hunting bow, said that the string was loose whereupon the man replied, "Yes, I always loosen the string of my bow when it's not in use. If it stayed tight, it would lose its resilience and fail me in the hunt." "And I am now relaxing the bow of my mind," said Jack, "so that I may be better able to shoot the arrows of divine truth." Work is important. We need to eat and we need to take care of our family, but over-busyness can be an affliction. Without sufficient rest and relaxation we will eventually lose our health and not be able to work efficiently. And without taking time to nurture and be nurtured in loving relationships, life becomes empty and meaningless. We need to follow the advice of Jesus when he said to his disciples, "Come apart and rest a while." Or as somebody else put it, "Come apart and rest a while before you come apart." -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment :) The Hippo And Tortoise http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/hippo.html Amazing Dog Houses 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/doghouses.html Dog Day Afternoon http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dogday.html Road Train Trucks http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/roadtrain.html Until We Write Again! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/write.html Emergency Numbers http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/poems/help.html Are Angels Real? http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/angelsreal.html Attitude Is Everything! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/attitude.html God's Little Love Notes! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/notes.html Just Thinking! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thinking.html The Bible! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thebible.html Growing Old! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/growingold.html Old US Cities! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/uscities.html Akiane - Child Prodigy! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/prodigy.html Salvation Mountain! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/salvation.html Why God Gave Us Puppies! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whypuppies.html Microscopic Winners! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/micro2.html The Giver And The Gift http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/givergift.html 9/11 And Troop Index! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/911andtroopsindex.html Fall And Halloween INDEX http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/halloweenindex.html -<>- Christian Inspiration http://www.alighthouse.com/inspirational.htm Christian eCards http://www.alighthouse.com/ New Bill Introduced Would Ban Chemical Castration / Sterilization for “Trans” Children / Shock: Radical Muslim Group Kills Ethiopian Christians “Door-to-Door” / Random People Keep Showing Up Unannounced at Phil Robertson’s Louisiana Home https://christianlifedaily.com/ The Battlefield is in our Mind: 2 Corinthians 10:5 Take captive every thought / strongholds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCxdxRs5Ibg A 9 year old girl gets a miraculous signal from God to check the bushes by her house and what she found was nothing short of AMAZING. https://tinyurl.com/y4oysoxn Heartwarming -- Saves his wife and then doesn't faze him to show respect to the officer with a quick salute https://welovetrump.com/2020/09/22/nice-save-mr-president-%f0%9f%98%8a/ Heartwarming - Officer Becomes Hero After He Spots A Mom And Son On Side Of Road, Reacts Quickly https://tinyurl.com/yxh4cqrz -<>- >In The News: VA News: Honoring the Greatest Generation, C&P Exams, 9 VA Events This Week https://tinyurl.com/y5jopox7 Sarah Sanders: Dems shamelessly attacking Judge Barrett are 'nothing but liars and hypocrites' https://tinyurl.com/y59ykprh And we thought only Hillary and Biden were crooked - This ICE Agent Refused Obama’s HUSH MONEY & Exposed The Depths OF Obama & Hillary’s TREASON!? https://tinyurl.com/yxapuplp Eiffel Tower Evacuated After Bomb Threat is Receive / Senate Committees Release Scathing Report on Hunter Biden, Burisma Probe / Violent Rioters Threaten to Burn Down Portland Home for Flying American Flag / Justice Department Names these Three Cities as “Anarchist Zones” / 87% of New York City’s Restaurants and Bars / CDC Says No to Trick-or-Treating Despite Their Own Data / Communist China’s Growing Influence in Britain Among the Worst in World Unable to Even Pay Rent https://reliablenewsnow.com/ Mark Taylor Asks: “If BHO Is Charged With Treason, Does It Void His Two Supreme Court Picks?” / New Law Allowing Drivers To Run Over a Mob If Fleeing For Safety Proposed! / WALK AWAY: “Why am I NOT supporting Joe Biden?” / Ilhan Omar in New Book: “I’m Going to Burn Down Everything Around Me by Adding the Fuel of My Religion, Skin Color, Gender or Even Tone” / Romney Confirms He Will Support a Vote on Trump SCOTUS Pick / Hunter Biden tied to Human Trafficking Ring! https://welovetrump.com/ ALERT: Little Adam Schiff About To Lose His Security Clearance! / Trump Drops Hammer After Catching Obama Trying To Create Another / A Mother Walked In On Her Teenage Daughter Overdosing, Then She Saw Who Was Next To Her http://patriotnationpress.com/ Congress Tells Pelosi, “You Try To Impeach Him Again, And YOU’RE OUTTA HERE!” / John McCain’s Wife Tried Opening Her Mouth About Trump And Got SHUT UP REAL QUICK! / The Woman Who Tried To POISON PRESIDENT TRUMP Has Been CAUGHT! / HATEFUL OMAR Calling For ABOLITION OF THE UNITED STATES! [VIDEO] http://2020conservative.com/ Westwing News: https://www.whitehouse.gov/westwingreads/ WhiteHouseNews: MUST-WATCH: President Trump addresses United Nations General Assembly on China https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From MommyUnderground: https://mommyunderground.com/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Students For Life https://tinyurl.com/yd5nxmu6 Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Latest Product Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/products/?fmt=text Latest Health Alert: http://www.emergencyemail.org/health/?fmt=text Click to Give Free https://tinyurl.com/y2abb8d2 -<>- >From Our Friend LouiseAu :) Joe Biden Is On ANOTHER PLANET | Bill O'Reilly https://youtu.be/W3pe_yVNIJQ --- ...Absolutely! Thanks LouiseAu! Magicians Barry and Stewart are amazing and funny at the same time! https://youtu.be/_Yw7oX5CXhk Take a short break and see a really easy way to unlock a car door as well as a cool air quality map. I wish the woman that was touching the sea lion had fallen into the water. Why people feel the need to get close to wildlife is beyond me. The cat sleeping in the stop sign is amazing. I hope you enjoyed today’s edition of your Daily Dose Of Internet and perhaps learned something new. Air Quality Map Link if you want to check your air quality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACIt2aTuCac Take a short break from your day and get your Daily Dose Of Internet as you watch some cool and interesting videos. I’m not sure why anyone would want their burger set on fire, but it must be in demand; otherwise, the restaurant would probably stop serving flame burgers. I hope you enjoyed today’s edition of your Daily Dose Of Internet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q9MpiacZs4 Footage of a hippo rescuing a wildebeest calf and a zebra foal from drowning in the strong-flowing Mara River in Tanzania caused a sensation worldwide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaU8dbVgneU&feature=player_embedded You ever have one of those days? The kind where nothing seems to go your way and you just feel low. Sometimes all you need is just a little encouragement. That's why I love this video of Doug the Pug! You have to see how he cheers people up around Nashville. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm1qSFV2klo&feature=player_embedded --- ...Awww, great heartwarming fun ones! Thanks LouiseAu! Visit Melissa's Online Store You can get anything you want (except for Melissa ) at the online store http://pdhomes.net/mall/babylissa/mySTORES/ISELL4.html ========================================================== , __ _.-"` `'-. /||\'._ __{}_( |||| |'--.__\ | L.( ^_\^ \ .-' | _ | | | )\___/ | \-'`:._] jgs \__/; '-. >To Protect and To Serve Story Editor: by Liz Brown Hanelt Susan L. Miller California, USA I live in California, and do a lot of driving on the San Francisco Bay Area freeways. Often I see different local police cars, or those of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) zooming past. Sometimes they're parked by the side of the road where they may have pulled over a motorist; sometimes they're assisting at an accident scene. When I see this, I try to remind myself that the police are meant to be there to help people, to enforce the laws, and to try to keep the public safe. Perhaps because I'm white, middle class, and drive a decent-looking car, I rarely have been subjected to a traffic stop. Yet I often do feel fear in the pit of my stomach when I see the flashing lights of a police car in my rear view mirror. In August of 2011 I was heading home from a visit to my mom, who lives in Sacramento. Driving south down Highway 880 I noticed flashing lights in my rear view mirror. A CHP car was coming up fast on the right, lights and sirens going. I slowed down just in case, as did all the cars around me, to around 50 mph. The CHP officer drove up to just ahead of the pack of cars I was in. Then he did the most extraordinary thing. From the right lane of the freeway he began to zigzag back and forth across all four lanes, at around 60 mph to start with, lights flashing. He repeated this maneuver around 10 times, slowing down slightly with each crossing of the four or five lanes of freeway. This effectively slowed the entire pack of cars, until we were all moving at 20 mph or less. He maintained about a 50-yard lead on the pack, and everyone around me carefully kept that distance. Every car in the pack following him stopped when he pulled up in the number two lane, got out of the car, grabbed a big piece of shredded retread from a semi-truck's tire, and threw it safely onto the edge of the freeway. He got back in his car, door still open, and drove over to the next piece of retread, in the #3 lane, which was small enough that he bent over, picked it up while still seated, and threw it into the driver's side of his car. He repeated doing this, moving from piece to piece, until the hazard was completely cleared. We continued to follow him, very slowly. This entire incident took ten minutes. In today's world, it's hard to keep faith that we're here to take care of each other, and so easy to let cynicism take root. To the CHP officer: Thank you for plunging in to do what had to be done to keep our highways and drivers safer. Thank you for my moment of renewed faith in humanity. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From LaughAndLift: "While we are creating sophisticated organizations and employing the latest technology to win the world to Christ, let us not forget that our neighbor judges Jesus Christ by what he sees in us." - Chuck Colson | ,|, ||| / | \ | | | | | | / | \ | | | | | \ / \ | | | | | | \ / | | 8 | | | ""8"" / | \ 8 / \ ,\ ,d8888888888888|========|="" | ,d" "88888888888| ,aa, | a | ,d" "888888888| 8 8 | 8 | ,d8888888b, "8888888| 8aa8 | 8,| ,d" "8888888b, "88888|========|="" | ,d" "8888888b, "888| a a | a | ,d" ,aa, "8888888b, "8| 8 8 | 8,| /| d" "b |""""""| |========|="" | | 8 8 | | | ,aa, | a | | 8aaaa8 | | | 8 8 | 8 | | | | | """" | ,,=| |aaaaaaaaaaaaaa|======""""""""""""""""" Normand Veilleux >Power Over Pretense (By William Lamb) Tired of being a pulpit performer? Consider these preaching basics: The rapid cultural shifts of our time have caused the preaching phenomenon to become a competitive element based on human innovation. Today's preachers compete every weekend with the likes of American Idol, YouTube, Facebook or the latest big-screen release. To vie for the average churchgoer's attention, we rely on everything from stage props to movie clips to powerful illustrations. Though there's nothing wrong with sermon helps to communicate the truth more powerfully, problems occur when the sage onstage trades the biblical importance and impact of a well-versed sermon for personal influence. Age-old truths can become secondary to motivational political agendas and quick-growth schemes masked as moves of God. The result is weak parishioners drifting from one theatrical show to another and a cycle of orators looking for the next best gimmick to move the crowd. There has to be more to preaching than this. Paul understood preaching to be a platform communicating good news and demonstrating the power of God - saving the lost. Romans 10:14 identifies a preacher as the voice or messenger of God to a rebellious people. If God is depending on preachers to communicate His word to reprobates as well as to disciple believers, powerful preaching will hit the target. So how do we move from puppeteers to powerful preachers reaching the multitudes with truth? To keep from missing the target here are three steps to apply in your own life. 1. Preparation. Paul admonished Timothy "be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15, NASB). Like young Timothy, our challenge is to become seasoned preachers communicating truth and hope amid despair. Message preparation involves more than simply browsing a catalog of ideas or flippantly selecting the next catchy verse. Charles Spurgeon explained the preaching mandate in this way: "I take my text and make a beeline to the cross." If we're prepared, our preaching will bring us all closer to the cross. This call requires that we spend time in devotion and meditation allowing the Word to permeate our thinking and living. How else can we bring others along the journey unless we have walked it ourselves? 2. Purity. "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:16). The spirit of compromise has found a home in pulpits and pews. Parishioners have learned the skill of hypocrisy from colorful leaders unaware of or unconcerned by their own condition. For those desiring to empower believers, purity must become primary. Pure living fuels pulpit power, just as unholy living creates dissonance. Perhaps this is why Jesus admonished us to deny our flesh, take up our crosses and follow Him. When we pursue Christ, His power breaks the yokes of bondage and sin. 3. Prayer. "The preacher must pray," said revivalist Leonard Ravenhill. "It is not that he can pray or that he could pray, but that he must pray if he intends to have a spiritual church. There is no other way to power but by prayer." Prayer moves God and God moves people. Where genuine revival is present in our day, prayer is the foundation. If this is true, how can we move from prayerlessness to prayerfulness bringing revival? First, understand the importance of prayer as noted in James 5:16. Second, pray with confidence as Daniel did in Daniel 6:20. Private prayer empowers public petitions. Third, model a life of prayer and others will follow. In the words of A.W. Tozer, "As a man prays so is he." [William Lamb is the director of field experiences at Lee University's Leonard Center in Cleveland, Tenn.] SUBSCRIBE INFO Want to receive a Christian inspirational item AND great clean humor in an email to you each day of the week? It's easy and FREE! Read all about Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com ========================================================== >-->From CupO'Cheer: .==,_ .===,_`\ .====,_ ` \ .====,__ --- .==-,`~. \ `:`.__, --- `~~=-. \ /^^^ ...always on the go! --- `~~=. \ / `~. \ / ~. \____./ jgs `.=====) ___.--~~~--.__ ___\.--~~~ ~~~---.._|/ ~~~" / >ROADS WITHOUT POTHOLES After living in the South all our lives, my wife and I are Michiganders now. The (believable!) joke here is that The Orange Barrel is our state bird. A front-page article making that point ran in a Detroit newspaper the summer we moved here. Michigan winters are hard on highways, and summer repairs are critical. But those aren't the sorts of roads and potholes I have in mind right now. Life is a journey. We map our roads to success and happiness. There are curves along the way, and we must not give in to the temptation just to coast. Okay. You've got it. Right? The notion of life as a road to travel has been used in the Bible, by Scott Peck, and in the vocabularies of practically all of us. There are no roads without potholes. So the people who get the most joy out of life are the ones who learn early how to deal with discouragement. Temperament appears to predispose some people to see the dark side of situations and to incline toward pessimism. There are external circumstances over which one does not have control. There are people who can make life harder for you as critics or enemies. But you are not helpless in the face of your disposition, circumstances, or critics. There is at least one thing you can control. Your attitude toward life is a choice you alone can make. There have been days when I have had to have a pretty stern conversation with myself. "Do what is right," I said. "Do it well. Do it with passion. And leave the outcome to God." Do you recall having some version of that conversation with yourself? Adopting a helpless posture in the face of challenge practically guarantees a sorry outcome. Unless someone rescues you from yourself - an unlikely option in most situations - you are going to lose the job, the relationship, or the dream. Did you hear about the jilted bride who placed an ad? "Hope Chest for Sale: brand new, half price, long story." That's quite different from the little boy playing right field for his Pee Wee League team. A latecomer leaned against the fence and asked, "What's the score?" When the boy answered that his team was trailing 8 to 0, the kindly fellow said, "Don't be too discouraged. Maybe your team will do better next time." The kid didn't even look up; he just said, "It's okay. We ain't been to bat yet!" The issue here isn't to encourage you to be naïve or foolish. But a layoff, illness, divorce, bankruptcy, or moral failure doesn't have to be the end. Believe it or not for now, the truth is that life needs to work the way it does. Apart from setbacks, we don't develop character traits such as strength, courage, and endurance. Without challenge, we never experience the sweet taste of victory or joy. Apart from our own discouragement, compassion likely could not exist. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you . . ." (Isaiah 41:10 NLT). as seen in The Fax of Life -<>- _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ >POUR OUT YOUR HEART IN WORSHIP Written by Bob & Debby Gass '...she poured it on Jesus' feet...' John 12:3 NIV The Bible says, 'Mary took...expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of His disciples objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor"' (John 12:3-5 NIV)? When it came to worship, Mary 'let down her hair' and filled the house with the fragrance of her praise. And Jesus accepted it! There's a lesson here. Put aside your preconceived notions, your self-consciousness and concern over what others think, and pour out your heart in worship. Join the Psalmist: '...my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands' (Psalm 63:3-4 NIV). When people try to intimidate and silence you, don't let them. When they tried it with Jesus, He rebuked them and said, '...if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out' (Luke 19:40 NIV). You can never worship God too exuberantly, for God knows - even if your critics don't - that the rocks will cry out. Nothing builds intimacy like words of love and appreciation. There will always be a Judas around who'll say, 'What a waste!' When you take time to stand and bathe your soul in the presence of God, they will say, 'What a waste of time; what a waste of effort.' That's because they don't understand two things: what God saved and delivered you from; and that worship is how you enter, how you enjoy, and how you thrive in the presence of God. SoulFood: 1 Pet 1-5, Matt 14:22-36, Ps 119:25-32, Pro 17:11-15 as seen in The Word For Today -<>- !|| !|||| ,/|||| !|'''| `\ | )\ \ ejm / \ \ \ >WAITING FOR THE WONDERFUL Read: Acts 1:1-4, 2-15 "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me" (Acts 1:4). How many times do we jump into things before we are ready or before we understand the full picture? How many times do these rash actions lead only to discouragement or defeat? In this fast-paced world we dread red lights, slow drivers, and annoying commercials. Dial-up is replaced with Road Runner and our TV's can play three shows at one time. Waiting patiently has become a thing of the past. For the menopausal woman who is always anxious, waiting does not rank high on her list of favorite things to do. The seemingly nothingness of what she is accomplishing grates on her nerves and enhances her anxiety. The disciples were commanded to "not depart and wait for the promises of the Father." Not in case they came, but because they would come -- in His good time. God's promises are true for us as well. If we learn to wait on God, we will fly like an eagle, walk and not be wearied, and best of all, come to the end of our journey intact and better than before. Patience, my dear friend, God will do great things with you -- in His time. Today's Hot Flash: God is not on our time schedule. As we walk with Him, we will accomplish everything He has planned for us to do. Prayer: Oh Lord, wonderful, merciful Savior, Calm my spirit and help me to relax in Your goodness and perfect grace. Remind me that everything happens in Your time, not mine. Help me to becontent with that. In Christ's name, Amen. as seen at Menomania -<>- _ .( ` ) `. ( '`. ) , _ . `( . ) ' '_ ( _.. __. ' , , .) ( . .) ( _ , ` _ ` ) . ~ ~ ~ . ~ `. ` ~ ` ~ )- ' ~ ~ ~ , / ~.` ~ . ._| |_. .`'~ _ _____(_. % ._)_~ ~_____( ) _______\\ ,/>__~~______| | .\\.//. ~ ~ | | / \// \ ~ | | ____ / // \_________| | / -''-{@ \ / | ____vvvvvvvvvvvvv_______/ | _______\\ .//___________|__| `;' \\// ':' || \|/''..` \\, .`\|/..`Pru'.`. `\\. ( \ |_`. >SHATTERED GLASS by Margaret Long All of Earth's children have a home - Some of stone, some of grass... But I lived in a house of glass; Content to let the world slide past. Illusion mirrored on every side, Reflected in self-righteous pride. Then one day my soul looked back, And I smashed my fist through the glass - To wrap my bleeding hands around A blood stained cross. For Jesus died on Calvary, To hold my soul and set me free. No more to play a puppet's role, Only Christ can make us whole! -<>- _ _ ( Y ) \ / \ / \ /^\ _ ) //^\\ -= (_) =- ( // \\ ) // \\ / \ __ // \\ |=^| // _ \\ __|= |__// (+) \\ /LLLLLLL// ~ \\ /LLLLLLL// \\ /LLLLLLL// \\ /LLLLLLL// |~[|]~| |~[|]~| \\ ^| [|] // | [|] | | [|] | \\ | [|] ^| |_[|]_| |_[|]_| |^ ___|______| | /LLLLLLLLLL|_____________________| /LLLLLLLLLLL/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL\ /LLLLLLLLLLL/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL\ ^||^^^^^^^^/LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL\ || |~[|]~|^^||^^^^^^^^^^||^|~[|]~|^||^^ || | [|] | || |~~~~| || | [|] | || || |_[|]_| || | [] | || |_[|]_| || ||__________|| | o| ||_________|| .'||][][][][][|| | [] | ||[][][][][||.'. ."'||[][][][][]||_-`----'-_||][][][][]||"." .(')^(.)(').( )'^@/-- -- - --\@( )'( ).(( )^(.) '( )^(`)'.(').( )@/-- -- - -- -\@ (.)'(.),( ).('). ".'.'." ." '.". @/- - --- -- - -\@ '.".'.".'.".'." jgs'' ".".".'.'@/ - -- -- -- -- -\@".'..'".'."'.'.' '.".".''.".''."@/ -- --- --- -- - -\@.".''.".''.".'". >COMMITMENT - A DYING TRAIT (By list subscriber Stephen Kollock) [Edited] I have a friend who builds houses for a living - a process that fascinates me. Not just building houses but constructing anything on a grand scale; from ships to bridges to the house or apartment you live in. When we had our house built, I was able to see the process first hand. The first thing they do is level the land on which the house is to be built. Once that is accomplished, a foundation is dug. Then comes the floor to support the walls, which support the second floor, walls, which support the roof. All of it was lots of work, taking months to finally get to the finished product. The reason it took so long was because it had to be done right. If one stage was done wrong, the whole thing could fall down. It takes time to build something - at least to build it right. It takes planning. It takes skill. Most of all, it takes dedication. Building anything the right way it takes someone dedicated to doing the job right. On the other hand, it doesn't take much to tear something down. It doesn't take a whole lot of skill - picture me with a sledge hammer in the middle of your living room. In a matter of minutes a bulldozer can bring down a house that took month's to build and has stood for years. Seems strange that something that was built with such care can be destroyed so easily. But it's always easier to tear down than to build up, isn't it. It's easier to throw out than to bring back in. It's easier to stop than to keep going. I think in our lives today we are missing an ingredient that it would serve us well to revisit: commitment. Remember commitment? It's the idea of saying you are going to do something and then actually doing it. It's saying I will marry you no matter what and then when "no matter what" happens, staying married. Or saying I want to have children and even when they become the little monsters you swore your kid's would never be, you keep being their parents. Commitment is saying you love and appreciate your parents and all their sacrifices for you, to the point where you will bring them to your home instead of "shipping them off" to the nursing home in the winter of their life. The problem with commitment is really simple though; commitment requires something most us do not want to consider: sacrifice. Commitment may mean sacrificing your time or your money or some of your own dreams because you said you would. It means walking through the fire that will inevitably burn you because you that, it means staying the course until the end, no matter what the cost. Commitment means sacrifice. I am afraid in our society we have made it too easy to turn from our commitments. We find it so easy to just stop if something gets too hard, to walk away and start over later or with a different person or maybe in a different place. We are a people of excuses. And the excuses are mostly to relieve any guilt or apprehension we have about one thing: not living up to our commitments. Here are some examples of those who display the kind of commitment I'm talking about and wish I had more of. The single mother working two jobs for the simple reason that she made a commitment to her kids. The father who goes to fight for his country because when he signed up he knew that was part of the job. The pastor who stands up for God even when he knows it will cost him his way of life. I admit it, I've taken my share of shortcuts, letting people down along the way. But the problem is so many people take most of their commitments with a grain of salt. We have looked and found all kind of exit clauses and loopholes to get us out of any commit- ment we make. Now it's as easy to get a divorce as it is to get married. If you don't want the child you are carrying, you can always go to a clinic and skip the commitment that comes with parenthood. We often say we believe in something until it's really put to the test. Sadly, many Christians have fallen into this "limited commitment" category. We are often committed as long as it doesn't interfere too strongly with what we like to do. We all like to pick and choose. "I agree with the part about adultery but the part about honoring God with everything seems a little outdated." With commitments like these and sacrifice being a thing of the past, is it any wonder our houses are falling in? To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316@sc.rr.com. ========================================================== __ /_/\/\ \_\ / /_/ \ \_\/\ \ \_\/ unknown >-->Walk The Talk Love is a tough word for men made of steel. Some cannot say it - despite how they feel. And way down inside, you'll find at the core, that few love much higher than eagles can soar. Some utter their love in flowers and smiles. There are many words and so many styles. Some share their feelings with tears in one eye, while others share thoughts in endless supply.... Talk is so shallow - it's easier said, than walking the talk, and giving instead. When we're confronted with our simple trials, do we drag our cross - and for how many miles? A cross is a menace that scoffs in our ear. We wish every time it would just disappear; but if our love's real - and fills us inside, A cross surely conquers when we are denied. For there was a Man that lived long ago, who gave so much more - than we'll ever know. He shared with the children, women and men, and taught us all how - to love once again There was no record of “fanciful” talk, but rather, instead, of unselfish walk. While prayers were sincere to His Father above, mere words didn't finish His dutiful love. He spoke not a word - defending His own, and faithfully walked each step all alone. We can't imagine the pain He endured, and from the soldiers, the scoffing He heard. Mere words were spoken and all had seemed lost, but actions spoke louder than two timbers crossed. For love didn't lose to the cross in that war - -because Jesus yet lives and that cross is no more. ©2007 louis gander (3-22-07) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->ShangyFunList AD RATES: $20 will get your a message (of up to 40 words) out to all self-subscribed readers and $5 more will give you the same message also put up for all web site readers. Email me to secure dates. Ad Request ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Christian Foundational Class http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=61 NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -->This is for all you who love food and DARE to make it at home Yep. You guessed it - Recipes. These are Tried and True, Yummy to the Tummy, good old fashioned home cooking recipes that are EASY to do Visit Shangy's Easy-Does-It Home Recipes: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/easy.html Home Recipes >Got A good Recipe? SHARE IT HERE: Share A Recipe ********************************************************************** >TO SUBSCRIBE:Visit Here This Weeks regular Shangy emails OR For the Yahoo ShangyFunList: To Subscribe send a blank email to ShangyFunList-subscribe@yahoogroups.com **********************************************************************