We Are Never Alone... :) 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 a few dollars, 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 :) _____ _ _____ ____ /_ /, | ,-, ) /'_`\ |_ _| | __| \ \> | `-'< | (_) | | | | _| ) )__ ,_ |_|`\_\ \___/ |_| |_| (_.-'_)__$ ;-'' pb These flaming hot new pages are both from our friend LouiseAu! Both will tickle your funny bone and give you a few SMILES to brighten your day! This first one is sure to delight those of us who love witty funny puns! Be sure to check this one out here... It's Punny! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/puns.html The second one is more on the rough side. We tend to make fun of things to be able to deal with the sad side of it. It is not so much to make light of it as it is to be able to cope. With that in mind, people used memes to exploit and mask their genuine horror of a recent accidental tragedy. Their sarcasm may leave you shaking your head and smiling as you sigh and say a prayer for the devastation this accident caused. Gender-Reveal Party Fail! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/gparty.html --- ...Oh My! These are a hoot! Thank You LouiseAu! =========================================================== >-->From Hearttouchers: \o _ ___|\_ _____/_\-_ _____________ ,--. _____________________ mmm-. \ _________________________ ((\ )____________________________ )6(\ )__________________________ \ _`) )____________________________ _ =o= ) ))__________________________ ( (__/) ) )______________________ _/ ( ( \ \ ______________________ _(=.|\ |)=.|____________________ ___\ \ ) / |______________________ ____| / / |____________________ _____|_,/ (`;-. |\ ___________________ _______ / |\ `' \______ _,/)_____ _______ / ' ` \ ____/_/)/_________ _______ / \ _______/ \ ________________ ______ / \ ______/ \ ______________ __ / `. . \ ____; \ \ )____________ / ` \ \ ) ___; ' ` \ )________________ / : ; ,-. ,' ___;__,-. ; . . /"""`-='_______________ gpyy /_,`-=-.___,.__,-=-''"""'` _____________________________________________ >A 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. 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. From Gentle Thunder Copyright 1995 Max Lucado (Used by Permission) --- ...Reminds me of this sweet one from my daughter Tammy: ._ | | |L___, .' '. T unknown : * :_| '._.' L Officer dances with girl in Wheelchair https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ4JN2iFDb0 =========================================================== >-->From Daily Encounter: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Discovering God's Will for You "I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart."1 How do you know what God's will is for you? Or how will you know if you are called of God? Brent Porterfield, quoting from Frederick Buechner's book, Wishful Thinking, provides an answer well worth pondering. Buechner "says that a good rule for finding one's vocation is this: Our special mission in our life is usually one of the following: A. That which we'd love most to do and B. It is work that the world most needs to have done. "Buechner says that if we really get a kick out of our work, we have probably met requirement A, but if that work is writing TV deodorant commercials, chances are we haven't met requirement B. If our work is being a doctor in a leper colony, we probably have met requirement B, but if most of the time we are bored and depressed by doctoring, chances are we have not only bypassed A, we probably aren't helping our patients much either. "Buechner concludes: 'The place God calls us to, is the place where our deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.'"2 Oswald Chambers described God's call this way: "The call of God is like the call of the sea to the sailor. Only he who has the nature of the sea within can hear the call." Like a born-sailor who never rests until he answers the call of the sea and launches out into the deep, when God's Word is written in our heart, neither will we find rest until we do what we know in our heart what it is that God wants us to do. And when we answer that call, we too, like King David, will delight in God's ways and doing His work--no matter how humble or noble that may be. Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You that You have a plan and purpose for every Christian, and that includes me. Like David of old, please give me a love for Your Word and Your ways so that I, too, will know and delight in doing Your will and answering Your call on my life. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus Christ's name, amen." 1. Psalm 40:8 (NASB). 2. Brent Porterfield, http://www.esermons.com/. <:))))>< __ /_/\/\ \_\ / /_/ \ \_\/\ \ \_\/ unknown >Being a Christian “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."1 I am sure we have all had a time in our lives when we have failed. Temptation came and we gave in. In a moment of anger, we said things we shouldn’t have. We allowed other things in our life to take priority, and we put our time with God on the back burner. In times where we have shown weakness, it is common for others to criticize or judge our behavior because we are Christians. Many people will place unrealistic expectations on Christians, which makes us believe that to be “worthy" of this title, we must strive for perfection. However, as we read in today’s verse, we were saved by God’s grace. Nothing we have done or will do gave us the right to earn this; it is a gift from God which we have access to only through Jesus Christ. I read the following poem and thought it appropriate to share. >“When I say… ‘I am a Christian’" When I say… “I am a Christian" I don’t speak of this with pride. I’m confessing that I stumble and need someone to be my guide. When I say… “I am a Christian" I’m not trying to be strong, I’m professing that I’m weak and pray for strength to carry on. When I say… “I am a Christian" I’m not bragging of success, I’m admitting that I’ve failed and cannot ever pay the debt. When I say… “I am a Christian" I’m not claiming to be perfect, my flaws are way too visible, but God believes I’m worth it. When I say… “I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches which is why I seek His Name. When I say… “I am a Christian" I do not wish to judge. I have no authority; I only know I’m loved!2 Before we came to Christ, we were all sinners. Sin is part of our human nature and something we will often struggle with. This is exactly why God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us and pay the price for our sin. God knew that we would never be able to pay this penalty on our own. He knows we are not perfect and that we will stumble and fall. Proverbs 24:16 says, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again…". We will never be strong enough to carry the burdens of this life alone, and that is why we are Christians! We have accepted that we are weak and need the Savior. By His grace we can continue growing in faith and move forward one step at a time. The next time someone criticizes or judges you for not being a perfect Christian, let it not discourage you, but rather let it motivate you to seek Christ and encourage you to be more like Him. Suggested prayer: “Dear God, you know my imperfections and struggles, yet you love me anyway. There is nothing I have done or could ever do to earn your love. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die for my sins, and in doing so, give me the gift of Salvation. I pray that when others judge my mistakes, that I would seek you more fervently and use that as a reminder of my daily need of you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus Christ’s name, amen." Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT). © 1998- Carol S. Wimmer. When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International. =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: \/_ \, /( ,/ \\\' /// \_ /_/ (./ '` a >WREN ATTACKS The little brown wren saw a reflection of herself in the side mirror of the car and attacked it vigorously. She believed the reflection in the mirror was her enemy and every time the car was brought out of the garage, she attacked. She would look into the mirror, see those foreign wings fluttering, and launch a full body blow. She was consumed by her fury against the mirror but her only reward was exhaustion. She never won the battle. The mirror got smudged and often needed cleaning but it remained unmoved and never retaliated. It remained faithful to its position and continued to do what it was intended for. If you compare the attacks of the little brown wren with attacks against the Bible, you see the same outcome. Every time the Bible is brought out, it is attacked furiously by those people who do not like the image revealed in it. They cannot tolerate the picture of themselves. The smudges made by attackers must often be cleaned but the Bible never moves and never retaliates. It remains faithful to its position and continues to do what it is intended for. Those who value the purpose of the Bible know that 'All Scripture has its use for teaching the truth and refuting error, or for reformation of manners and discipline in right living so that the man of God may be capable and equipped for good work of every kind.' 2nd timothy 3:16, 17. When the Bible is opened, are you like the attacking wren? Or do you allow it to 'cleanse you from every kind of wrongdoing' and change your image? 1st John 1:9 By Just a Minute team writer Elizabeth Price. -<>- _ |_| | |_/ _ _ (_) _ | | | (` \) . | \ (` (` |) (_ (_) ,-.(_) | o o o / | `-' _ (_) * .|, * O -x- '|` \ \ |// | * ( %%%)%%%/%%% % -+- O _ %\%%%%%%%%(%%%%%/ | %%%%%%%%%%)%%%)%(%%\ _ %%/ __^_ _^__ \%%% (_) _|_ ) |"\=(((@))=((@)))=/"|% | ( %\_( ,`--'(_)`--'. )_/ % \ ) /%%( /______I______\ )% ) ) , _/%%%%\\\_|_|_|_|_|_///%%% ,----.-._ ( / %% %%\ `|_|_|_|_|' /%\%%\ / __ `.``. \( -%% %%%%`---.___,---'%%%% ) / / _`.__))))____` ( %% % %% \ ( @)__,._ :%## % % \ .' )`-----.%## / `' ,' Stef >All in a Day's Work He was admitted to emergency receiving and placed on the cardiac floor. Long hair, unshaven, dirty, dangerously obese, with a black motorcycle jacket tossed on the bottom shelf of the stretcher, he was an outsider to this sterile world of shining terrazzo floors, efficient uniformed professionals, and strict infection control procedures. Definitely an untouchable. The nurses at the station looked wide-eyed as this mound of humanity was wheeled by, each glancing nervously at Bonnie, the head nurse. "Let this one not be mine to admit, bathe and tend to." was their pleading, unspoken message. One of the true marks of a leader, a consummate professional, is to do the unthinkable. To tackle the impossible. To touch the untouchable. It was Bonnie who said, "I want this patient myself." Highly unusual for a head nurse - unconventional - but the stuff out of which human spirits thrive, heal and soar. As she donned her latex gloves and proceeded to bathe this huge, very unclean man, her heart almost broke. Where was his family? Who was his mother? What was he like as a little boy? She hummed quietly as she worked. It seemed to ease the fear and embarrassment she knew he must be feeling. And then on a whim she said, "We don't have time for back rubs much in hospitals these days, but I bet one would really feel good. And it would help you relax your muscles and start to heal. That is what this place is all about . . . a place to heal." The thick, scaly, ruddy skin told a story of an abusive lifestyle: probably lots of addictive behavior with food, alcohol and drugs. As she rubbed those taut muscles, she hummed and prayed. Prayed for the soul of a little boy grown up, rejected by life's rudeness and striving for acceptance in a hard, hostile world. The finale was warmed lotion and baby powder. Almost laughable - such a contrast to this huge, foreign surface. As he rolled over onto his back, tears ran down his cheeks and his chin trembled. With amazingly beautiful brown eyes, he smiled and said in a quivering voice, "No one has touched me for years. Thank you. I am healing." By Naomi Rhode (c) -<>- o o_ >=O o - __ /_/\/\ \_\ / /_/ \ \_\/\ \ \_\/ unknown >"Tomorrow Christians" (Author Unknown) 2 Corinthians 6:2 "He says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." On a phone-in radio program dealing with alcoholism, a caller said, "I pray the good Lord to keep me from driving while drinking." To this the show host replied, "Why don't you ask the Lord to keep you from drinking?" Many people seemingly enjoy sin so much that they refuse to go to the root of their problem. They say, "Someday, Lord, I'm going to get out of this dishonest business I'm in, but not for the present; I'm enjoying the money I'm making." Similar reasoning is brought to other vices: using drugs, living in sinful relationships, cheating on one's income taxes, stealing, and the like. People who think and speak this way are a variety of "tomorrow Christians" -- tomorrow they will repent and make their peace with God; tomorrow they will give their heart to God. Right now, however, sinning is too much fun to quit. The Lord takes a dim view of such reasoning. He reminds us that for many there is no tomorrow, no opportunity to set one's house in order. Therefore His urgent invitation to listen to his voice today! He declares through the holy writer, "Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." True enjoyment and happiness are not found in sinning but in serving God through Jesus Christ, who in love died on a cross to save us. Angels might well envy us the opportunity to choose the ways we serve the Savior. There is perhaps only one regret on the part of those who have turned to Christ, and that is this: "Alas, that I so late have known Thee, Who are the Fairest and the Best." PRAYER: O Lord Jesus Christ, help me so that here and now I can turn my life around and serve You more - Every single day. Amen. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment :) Adam In Paradise http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/adam.html Are Angels Real? http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/BibleStudy/angelsreal.html Attitude Is Everything 2! http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/attitude2.html Awesome School http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/gschool.html Rock Balancing Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rockbalancingart.html Wave Photography Art http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/waveart.html One Texas Morning http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fawn.html World's Largest Holes http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/holes.html Best Playmate http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/playmate.html Wall Mural Art 2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wallart2.html Romantic Castles http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/castles.html Adam In Paradise http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/adam.html Aww Animals 5 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animals5.html World Of Big Cats http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bigcats.html Shangrala Home Page http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/index.html -<>- No, Never Alone / A Capella / Justus / Christian Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lay9pbp6Eys I'll Fly away by Jars Of Clay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QyKWGvqEA8&feature=email MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine (Live from Hawaii) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzjJQiBwMP0 American marines singing "Days of Elijah" (Lirycs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjZ_IlP9c5A Awesome--82d All American Chorus Singing God Bless the USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSjwOXDcCfE You Raise Me Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcLl0A-lXIc -<>- >From ChristianDailyLife: Biblical Womanhood Gains a Powerful Advocate With This New Podcast https://tinyurl.com/yy2wttoj Gay YouTube Superstar Shocks Fans by Renouncing Lifestyle, Giving Life to Christ https://tinyurl.com/y6g2sue8 With New Government in Charge, Religious Freedom Is Finally Flourishing in Sudan https://tinyurl.com/yxl7yrsk Franklin Graham Encourages You to Join This New Movement https://tinyurl.com/yyj7r5ps -<>- >In The News: VA NEWS: IRS reopens $500 per Veteran child Economic Impact Payment, Sign up for Veteran Expeditions https://tinyurl.com/y36f74zj TrumpWomen: Kayleigh McEnany: ‘Shame on Nancy Pelosi for not helping unemployed Americans’ / Melania Trump: September is National #HispanicHeritage Month. https://tinyurl.com/yxtwf7e7 Ohio High School Football Players Unsuspended After Carrying Pro- Law Enforcement Flags https://tinyurl.com/y6cffyg7 Steelers’ Villanueva Writes Army Hero on His Helmet https://tinyurl.com/y3kn5b46 Black Man Tells White Protester The TRUTH About Black Lives Matter! https://tinyurl.com/y3t42d8d Trump Pressure Got the Big 10 to Reverse Course and Play Ball / Chris Rock Blasts the D’s for Ignoring COVID and Concentrating on Impeachment / Rioters Demand Cops Let Themselves be Shot and Stabbed https://reliablenewsnow.com/ Leon Panetta: This is what courage looks like in the Middle East https://tinyurl.com/y4953fr9 Rand Paul Says It’s Corporate America Funding These Radical Leftists https://tinyurl.com/yyznpxjz Chinese Organization With Communist Party Ties Funds Black Lives Matter Ventures https://tinyurl.com/y3y9a6bx Westwing News: Israel-UAE-Bahrain Agreements Show Why Trump Was Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize - “President Trump’s unorthodox approach to foreign policy has paid off. While his critics at home would never admit it, not everyone turns a blind eye to his accomplishments,” foreign policy expert James Carafano writes for Fox News. https://www.whitehouse.gov/westwingreads/ Attorney General Barr Calls COVID Lockdown ‘The Greatest Intrusion on Civil Liberties’ Since Slavery https://dailytruthreport.com/ WhiteHouseNews: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600daily/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw Students For Life https://tinyurl.com/yd5nxmu6 Latest From OperationRescue: http://www.operationrescue.org/ Latest Product Alert: Amazon Recalls 31 Over-the-Counter Drugs 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 :) Pretty disturbing but a must see before November 3rd how Biden doesn't see China as a treat to America! RIDING THE DRAGON: The Bidens' Chinese Secrets (Full Documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRmlcEBAiIs&feature=youtu.be --- ...Yes, China wants to rule us. 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 ========================================================== _.- -._ <--> <--> /\ __ / \ \__/ fl >-->{Politics} Hey Joe... While having my brunch... I saw this on my recorded Hannity show from last night https://www.bitchute.com/video/HCoIEDv9xDLn/ Biden panned for playing 'Despacito' at Hispanic Heritage Month event - The event was meant to commemorate the Hispanic Heritage Month. The Democratic candidate was the last speaker to take the podium, following several supporters including Eva Longoria, Ricky Martin and Luis Fonsi. However, when Biden approached the podium, he paused and reached for his phone in his pocket. "I just have one thing to say," Biden began as he looked down at his phone. "Hang on here." He then held his phone to the microphone, which began playing the 2017 hit song "Despacito" from Fonsi, who had introduced the candidate. After roughly 15 seconds of bobbing his head and gently dancing behind the podium, he paused the music. "I'll tell you what — if I had the talent of any one of these people, I'd be elected president by acclamation," Biden chuckled. "Does @JoeBiden realize that Despacito means 'slowly'? Fits well with Slow Joe," Trump campaign senior adviser Mercedes Schlapp quipped. Not only that - which was stunning to say the least - but the song sounds just like him. Check out the lyrics.. Here in the comments a reader wrote: Cool words for this song for Joe! "I want to breathe in your neck slowly Let me murmur things in your ear So that you remember if you’re not with me Slowly I want to undress you in kisses slowly Firmly in the walls of your labyrinth And of your body, I want to create a manuscript Up, up Up, up, up I want to see your hair dance I want to be your rhythm Want you to show my mouth Your favorite places (Favorite, favorite baby) Let me trespass your danger zones Until I make you scream And you forget your last name" Read the full article here: https://tinyurl.com/y6x89yuz Anybody who knows Biden knows he is not only sleepy but also creepy! He sniffs and touches every female he can get near - no matter their age! Embarrassing and sick to say the least. So him playing this particular song, was so fitting of his true character! Don't believe me? Here's a compilation of his creepiness: Creepy Joe Biden Hair Sniffing and Groping Little Girls Compilation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl4UtpahWjM This was when he was more alert and not so out of it as he is now. I say Hey Joe! Leave those little girls and women ALONE. What a creep! I think it is good that Joe is stuck in his basement and has forced distancing by his handlers! ____ /. /\ / ./..\. / / .| / / . | / / . | / /.... | ____. /___/ /| |/. /| | | / | | . / |\ /|__/| / | | ./ |/ \| \| / | | /...| |___|/| |...|/ / | | . / /\ | | . / / \ | | . / / \ | |. / / \ |___| / .___.__________ \ .\ / /| | . . /\ \___\/ / | | . ./ \ \___\/ / | | . ./ \ \ / | .|...____/. \ \ / | .| |\___\ ....\ \/ | .| |/ /. / \ | .| | /. / \ | .|..| /.____/ \ | . |../\/ | \ \ |. | /. | _______ \|___|/ . | / / \ \ \ ....| / / \ \ \ // /..._ \ \ . \ // / / \...\ \___\// / /.__\ | \ / / / |___| | \ / /.../ / /...| \/___/ . \/ / / \ \ . .\ / / \ \ ...\/ / \ \ . / \ \ ..../ \ \ . \ \ \ ...\ \ \. / \ \. / \ .\ / \___\/ __________ / /| / / | / / | /_________/ | \ | | \ | | \ | | \ | / \ | /_ \____|/ / /____/ \ / \_/ Kris Allan Kahn Sorry, I just had to bring this up! Sometimes I think God has a hand in a righteous Touche' for people - Joe sure got one! ========================================================== >-->From LaughAndLift: "There is much more of God available than we have ever known or imagined, but we have become so satisfied with where we are and what we have that we don't press in for God's best. Yes, God is moving among us and working in our lives, but we have been content to comb the carpet for crumbs as opposed to having the abundant loaves of hot bread God has prepared for us in the ovens of heaven! He has prepared a great table of His presence in this day, and He is calling to the Church, 'Come and dine.'" - Tommy Tenney \ ____ _ _)\\ /< c \_)_/(_____ |//_ ,/\_/\ '\ \ )___/ \$/ \ \\) \/ : < \ |/____| | / / | : /__o/ |__'__/(_| b'ger \ )_ /|\ >Stay Out of Them Places! (Author Unknown, Provided by Student Discipleship Ministries, TX) You may be familiar with the story about David's sin with Bathsheba. To refresh your memory, here's the story from 2 Samuel 11:1-4 (NIV): "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home." Verse 1 says that this scandal happened "in the spring"-when kings normally went out to war. David was king and should have been out with his troops. Perhaps one reason he fell into sin was that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the old T.V. show "Hee Haw," Doc Campbell is visited by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, "Well, then, stay out of them places!" One of the keys to overcoming temptation is to stay out of the places in which temptation is likely to occur. Do you have places in which you are consistently tempted? Parties? R-rated movies? Perhaps a parked car, or with your girlfriend or boyfriend at home late at night? Think about and write down the places in which you are most likely to face heavy temptation, then "stay out of them places!" -<>- A Christian shows what he is by what he does with what he has. _____ / \/_ //\__(\_\ |\ ^ ^ | .//_O \O_ \ \_ (_) / \ \_/ / __/\ /\__ / \ \ / / \ / \/\/\/ \ / | . | \ / | . | \ JRO >God's Purposes (By Chuck Colson) MT 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" MT 18:22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Over the past few months, we've heard and read a lot about unjustly convicted prisoners. Movies like HURRICANE and the moratorium on executions in Illinois have taught the public that our justice system can and does make mistakes. Well, there's a story out of California that teaches an even more important lesson: that God can use even man's injustice to accomplish His purposes. In 1980, Dwayne McKinney, then 21 years old, was convicted of the felony-murder of a Burger King restaurant manager. He only escaped the death penalty because the jury deadlocked during sentencing deliberations. So he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. McKinney served 16 years before another inmate wrote prosecutors telling them that another man, not McKinney, had actually committed the crime. Eventually, the driver of the getaway car testified that McKinney had not been involved. This new evidence, along with its own investigation, led the Orange County District Attorney's office, which had prosecuted McKinney, to ask for his release. And on January 28, after 18 years in prison as a wrongly convicted man, McKinney was set free. As remarkable as the story of his incarceration and release was, what happened next was even more remarkable. McKinney told the LOS ANGELES TIMES that he was not bitter about his ordeal. He said that he even forgave the inmates who kept quiet about his innocence for 16 years. Forgiveness? Not bitter? How could that be? You see, while behind bars, Dwayne McKinney became a Christian. As he told the LOS ANGELES TIMES, "I suffered a lot of losses, but I also gained a lot." In other words, McKinney made it plain that there was something more important to him than the physical freedom that was unjustly taken away -- it was the spiritual freedom he gained when he met Christ. Becoming a Christian enabled him to look at his life honestly and to conclude that God had used his imprisonment for good. As he said, "The lifestyle that I led [when I was convicted] put [me] in a vulnerable position . . . I could be free and still be lost." Not only did his faith help McKinney to avoid the natural rancor and anger that one might expect, it sustained him while he was in prison. He told the TIMES, "I always believed my deliverance would come . . . I just didn't know when it would come." McKinney's ordeal and his perspective are reminiscent of Paul. Both were unjustly imprisoned, yet neither one complained about their mistreatment. Like the apostle, McKinney came to count the loss of his freedom as rubbish in comparison with "the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. . . ." In doing this, Dwayne McKinney provided evidence for the power of the Gospel that our neighbors can't ignore or explain away. Not just in his ability to forgive, but in the way he saw God's redemptive purpose at work in his life - even when others didn't. What a wonderful example of how Christ alone can turn our temporal losses into gains that matter for eternity. 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 --- ...Pres. Trump believes in this with his 'First Step Act'... President Donald J. Trump Has Championed Reforms That Are Providing Hope to Forgotten Americans ACHIEVING LANDMARK JUSTICE REFORMS: President Donald J. Trump championed the First Step Act, delivering the largest reform of our justice system in years. https://tinyurl.com/y5zov2wo ========================================================== >-->From Cup'OCheer: ,--. ,--. ( O ) ( O ) `--' \ `--' \ _ >-. / /| `-.__.' Krogg >I'LL BE BACK (By Charles L. Paddock) [Minor editing] When the great explorer Shackleton was on his quest for the South Pole, he was at one time driven back, and was compelled to leave some of his men on Elephant Island, though he promised that he would return for them. But when he endeavored to get back, he found a sea of ice between him and the island. What should he do? He had promised, and he must keep his word. He tried to reach them, but failed. He tried again and again, but without success. Beyond the ice were his trusting companions, who had every confidence in him. They had only a few supplies with them. At that time of the year it seemed folly to hope for any favorable change in the weather, and he was told that there was absolutely no hope of getting his little boat, the "Yalcho," through the great ice barrier to Elephant Island. He could not be inactive. He must reach his men; so at the risk of losing his boat and the lives of his crew, he pushed in nearer to the island; and unexpectedly there came an opening in the ice. He hurried in, rescued his men, and in an hour was back again with all on board. Had they been delayed only a few minutes, their frail vessel would have been destroyed by the crashing of the ice as it closed in. When they were sure they were beyond danger and the nervous tension was over, Shackleton said to one of the rescued companions, "Well, you were packed and ready, weren't you?" "Yes," came back the reply, "we never lost hope. We believed you would come for us, even though circumstances were unfavorable. You had promised, and we expected you; so each morning we rolled up our sleeping bags and packed all our equipment, that we might be ready." And now they were all safe and homeward bound, happy that they had been prepared daily. Before Jesus departed from this world, He left a definite promise in John 14:1-4: "'Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.'" (NIV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promises. Make sure you're ready. -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >PERSONAL REVIVAL "For thus says the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose Name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”." Isaiah 57:15, NKJV Do you remember as a child, being told off or reprimanded by your parents, but afterwards, knowing you’d been forgiven? Your spirit was humbled and you’d learned your lesson. There was peace and a good relationship was restored. You felt a joy in pleasing them. God doesn’t go on being angry with us. When we’re truly repentant we can return to that wonderful relationship with Him where He brings us into His presence and there’s a reviving of heart and spirit. ‘For the Holy Spirit speaks to us, deep in our hearts, and tells us that we really are God’s children’ (Romans 8:16). Do I desire that deep relationship with God more than anything else? Do I come into the secret place to be in His presence and worship Him? Do I want Him more than anything else in my life? These are hard questions to answer. But I know that if I want personal revival of heart and spirit, this is where it is. God not only loves us, He likes us and He loves to be in close relationship all the time. Let the Holy Spirit have His way, and bring us into this place. I quote from The Interceders Website. "The Lord reveals areas in our lives that need changing, sins that need to be confessed and renounced, wrong priorities that need to be abandoned, and new ones established, old aims and ambitions that need to be rejected, and replaced with new ones, relationships that may need to be changed, and new timetables put in place. As a consequence, a new determination to serve God wholeheartedly emerges, a desire to seek the face of the Lord becomes paramount, the Holy Spirit is honoured in a new way, as He becomes a fresh wind, blowing across the soul, arousing the child of God from spiritual slumber. A new song is put into the heart and the mouth which causes others to fear and trust the Lord. A new hunger and thirst for the things of God is awakened, the believer cannot get enough of the Lord and His truth". ‘Behold I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness’ (Psalm 119:40). Prayer: God, thank You that You’ve made it possible to have this close relationship with You. May I be aware of anything that would prevent that personal revival that You long for and wait to give. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen. Today's Writer : Pam Smith Pam Smith has a background in art and nursing, has a son and two daughters and six grandchildren. She has been a friend and helper of Ellel Ministries since l992, and has been involved with Healing Through Creativity Courses. As writer of the Shepherd Love Series, she has a passion for the comfort and encouragement that leads people towards enjoying abundant Life in Jesus. as seen in Seeds of the Kingdom -<>- , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (NASB) I live on Maui. It's beautiful and temperate most of the time. When the trade winds stop, however, it can become unbearably hot. If I'm on a hike or working outside, I long for shade. When the heat is on, I want, desperately, a shadow, to rest in. Wouldn't it be nice to have a good shadow with me always? When the heat is on, when troubles present themselves, when trials scorch us, where do we go, what do we do? Where is our shelter? To whom or to where do we run? Our friends? Our spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend? That cold bottle of beer? Our job? Our home projects? That big bag of M&Ms? Computer games? The latest DVD? Intellectual pursuits? The spy novel? There are so many places where we can "dwell". Most "dwellings" are not inherently bad. We do need ways of relaxing; we do need connections with others. But can we consistently dwell in books or conversations or comforts? In my life, I've found that when I start turning to other people or things or habits, dwelling in them instead of immediately turning to the Most High, I'm comforted initially, but it wears off. The sun shifts and the shadow of comfort moves. But when I dwell in shelter of the Most High, He is so enormous, so all-encompassing, that I find rest for my soul. How do we dwell in the shadow of the Almighty? We can dwell there by not turning our back on Him, by being mindful of the Lord and of His Word, by being in continuous relationship with Him. We are not visitors or guests who stay for a bit and then go on our way. We are part of the Lord's household. Prayer: Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be. - Thomas Chisholm Amen. Kathleen Ageton Wailuku, Hawaii, USA as seen in PCCWeb Daily Devotional -<>- '\ ' \ O ' \@ | ' `\/| ' /| * * ' \| (/ )/ '~-~-~-~-~-~"""""""""*""""""*""" ~-~-~-~""ejm97""""")/"""""(/"" >TUGGING ON THE LINE A twelve-year-old boy accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord during a weekend revival meeting. The next week his school friends questioned him about the experience. "Did you hear God talk?" one asked. "No," the boy said. "Did you have a vision?" another asked. "No," the boy replied. "Well, how did you know it was God?" a third friend asked. The boy thought for a moment and then said, "It's like when you catch a fish. You can't see the fish or hear the fish; you just feel him tugging your line. I felt God tugging on my heart." So often we try to figure out life by what we can see, hear, or experience with our other senses. We make calculated estimates and judgments based on empirical evidence. There's a level of truth, however, that cannot be perceived by the senses or measured objectively. It's at that level where faith abounds. It is our faith that compels us to believe, even when we cannot explain to others why or how or to what specific earthly end. By our faith we only know in Whom we trust, and that is sufficient. Remember, it's really not the outlook but the uplook that counts. Posted at “Christian Voices” www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net -<>- . | . \ | / `. \ ' / .' `. .-*""*-. .' "*-._ /.*" "*.\ _.-*" : ; ____ """"': .. ; _.-*" \ `.__.' / "*-._ .' `-.__.-' `. bug .' / . \ `. / | \ ' | ` >THE POWER OF QUIET Gwen Smith Today’s Truth The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters; he restores my soul - (Psalm 23:1-3a, NIV). Friend To Friend There are times when laundry takes over my house. Piles build up, though I try to stay on top of them. Many of the clothes are clean and even folded, but not put away. That tricky put-away-part is always hard for me. Then there are the socks. Oh, the socks! They burden me so! I’m half tempted to believe that a great sock nation exists, and that sock-soldiers are on a secret mission to destroy my testimony by driving me crazy. Divide and conquer. That’s what they do! Why can’t socks just behave? Why can’t they ever stay in pairs, and where am I supposed to put the socks that remain unmatched? (Insert dramatic sigh here) Unmatched socks and folded-but-not- put-away-laundry tie me up in knots. I don’t like to admit it, but sometimes days go by before I make the time to put them away. Is it just me? I’ve come to realize that my days can be a lot like my laundry situation. At times they get piled up with “busy.” Sabbath gets squeezed out. Now, when I say Sabbath, I mean the priority of sitting before the Lord just to sit with Him - quietly - expectantly - to listen. Though I do include God in my days and breathe prayers throughout, when I don’t sit before the Lord – and exercise the spiritual discipline of being quiet before God – it seems that both old and new burdens can tie my heart into a frazzled knot. It had been one of those weeks. Knots. Knots. Knots. Then I finally remembered the power of quiet. As I sat in the cool still of the morning with a hot mug of coffee in my hand and the warming presence of God in my soul, the burdens of my heart began to drift away. Direction came. Joy resounded. Mercy rained. Peace … deep peace fell. It was when the companion of God’s Spirit had begun to transform my soul, my thoughts, my goals, and my day that I realized, as if I had slumbered half the week away - this is where they go. This is where my burdens belong. The old ones that I’ve written about time and time again in my prayer journal and the new ones that are just beginning to unravel from my heart. This is where they go! I just needed to put my continuous stream of life-burdens away like the unending piles of laundry. Then - order, soul order. Peace, compelling peace. Joy, divine joy. It all comes. I sat in wonder. Still. In His presence. Convicted of my failure to remember the power of being quiet before the Lord. “Of course this is where they go. I knew that. I knew that. Lord, forgive me. Oh, how I’m thankful for your daily mercy showers.” Jesus tells all who believe that we should go to Him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). When our lives get too busy - when the laundry piles up in our homes and the burdens pile up in our hearts, we often forget the power of quiet. The power of being still before God. The power of listening, expecting, soul-pouring … receiving rest. His presence sorts souls and never leaves an unmatched burden. His presence never leaves and un-lifted burden. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Take some time to power-down and be still before Him right now. Remember the power of quiet as you exchange your burdens for His peace. Let’s Pray Dear Lord, Your mercy is fresh each day, and Your grace piles higher than all my laundry and all my heart-woes. Thank You, Lord! I’m here. Please align my heart to Yours. Quiet me with Your love, direction, and peace today. In Jesus Christ’s Name I pray, Amen. Now it’s Your Turn When is the last time you sat and were still before God – with no music playing, no TV on, etc.? When we spend purposed time with the Lord, beautiful things happen. Look up Zephaniah 3:17 and fill in the blanks below: “The LORD your God is _______ _________, he is mighty to save. He will take ___________ ______________in you, he will _____________ you with his ______________, he will _____________ over you with ________________.” as seen in Girlfriends in God To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316kim@sc.rr.com. ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend DonnaL :) | \ | / \ / ,d8b, ., (')-")_ 88888 --- ;';' ';'. ('- (. ')98P' ';.,; ,; '-.(PjP)' \ '.';.' | \ | >Failure -Author Unknown Failure doesn't mean - "You are a failure," It means - You have not succeeded- yet. Failure doesn't mean - "You accomplished nothing," It means - You have learned something. Failure doesn't mean - "You have been a fool," It means - You had a lot of faith. Failure doesn't mean - "You don't have it," It means - You were willing to try to get it! Failure doesn't mean - "You are inferior," It means - You are not perfect. Failure doesn't mean - "You've wasted your life," It means - You have a reason to start afresh. Failure doesn't mean - "You should give up," It means - "You must try harder. Failure doesn't mean - "You'll never make it," It means - It will take a little longer. . : . . : | : . . | | | , \ | | / . ,-'"""`-. . "- / __ __ \ -" |==| I |==| - --- | _`--^--'_ | --- - |'`. ,'`| _- \ "---" / -_ . `-.___,-' . / | | \ .' | | | `. : | : . : . And Remember: Failure doesn't mean - "God has abandoned you," It means - God has a better plan for you! --- ...Wow! Thank You DonnaL! Goes to show.. 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