When We Share... :) 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 Through no fault of my own we suddenly became an adult club in the love and romance directory so you will have to confirm that you are an adult when you go here. I still have no idea how to change this back as it sends me around in a circle when I try! or Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: ShangyFunList@yahoogroups.com or email me here: bcrsystems@earthlink.net ================ *~* 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 Friend Me / Like Me here... http://tinyurl.com/cma6all ^~^ May God SUPER BLESS You As You Do! THANK YOU! ================ >-->HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press! :) This Too hot to handle one comes from not one, not two, but three of our friends - Brenda, PatDeE, and Geniann! In the face of all these government scandals we've been having, it is good to view them with a little humor so we aren't all stressed out! Give this plenty of time to load and check it out here... \ \ , | , \ / ,,_--_, \./ ,// _ _\ \./ ;;\ // x x /;;; \ \ | _\ / / \ \ \ o / / / \ `-'\__/-' / \ \/ / | /\ | | |//|| | \/ | .--'-----'-----. /| | / | | | | ,d888b, | | | J8888888L | :F_P: | | 888888888 | Humor In Politics 10! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/politics10.html --- ...HaHa! Love this! Thanks Brenda, PatDeE and Geniann! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: .. ........... ............. ........... . ..... ........ ....... ...... ....................%.... .... ..... .........%............ .@@@ ........ @@.... @@@@ . ............................ * ..... ....@@ ..... @ .... @ ............. ....... .....; .... *** ..... .....\@\....@ .... @ ............................. # .. ***** ... @@@.. @@@@@ @@@@@@___.. ....... ...%..... ... {###} ******* ....@-@..@ ..@......@@@\...... %...... ....... <## ####>******** @@@@\...@ @ ........\@@@@ ..... ...... ....... {###}*********** ....%..@ @@ /@@@@@ . ....... ...............<###########> ******* ...... .@-@@@@ ...V...... .... %.......... {#######}******* *** ...... . @@ .. ..v.. .. . { } ............<###############>******* ......... @@ .... ........ {^^, ....... {## ######}***** **** ..%..... @@ .. .%.... . .. ( `-; ... <###################> **** . .... . @@ . .... .. _ .. `;;~~ ......... {#############}******** .... ... @@ ... .. /(______); .. ....<################ #####>*** . .... ..@@@ ...... ( ( .........{##################}***** ......... @@@ .... |:------( ) .. <##########################>** @@@@ ....@@@ ... _// ...... \\ ...... {### ##############}***** @@@@@@@ @@@@@ .. / /@@@@@@@@@ vv <##############################> @@@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ..... @@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@@@ @@@@@@###@@@@@### @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@###@##@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@### @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ -@@@@@@@@@#####@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Targon >THE MOST ELUSIVE QUARRY EVER by Shelley Madden My stepfather served a 21-year tenure as an Army Staff Sergeant. After retirement, he would often camp alone on the weekends in our local National forest. He continued to rise before dawn to start his day, as he had done while actively serving. He would hunt and fish during the day, followed by reading and relaxation under the starry sky, his faithful dog at his side. During one of his many excursions, an unknown thief entered his tent late one moonless night. Without waking him, the prowler quietly removed his most valued possession. My stepfather was left behind undisturbed, wrapped in his sleeping blanket, oblivious to the horror which would await him early in the morning. Always on schedule, he woke before daylight. Fumbling around in his tent for the flashlight, he rose and neatly dressed in his usual military camouflage. Ah, he was now the hunter extraordinaire. It was time to start a fire and make coffee, read for a bit, and at first light perhaps do some serious target practice. He began packing his supplies for the day's outing, soon noticing something was missing. They were gone! In a panic, he fumbled around the floor of the tent, searching through his clothing and gear. Boxers, socks and camping supplies were thrown into the air, only to hit the top of the tent and rain down upon him. He quickly unzipped his sleeping bag, searching inside. Nothing! It was empty. How could this happen? How could they just disappear into thin air? He was a grizzled and cantankerous veteran. Trained to sleep with one eye open, always on guard . He soon realized this was no act of simple forgetfulness. His military career had taught him organization skills which he adhered to strictly. It was time to broaden the search. Without hesitation, he burst outside into the dense woods. He would hunt the thief down! Crawling at dawn on the forest floor, he was a well-oiled hunting machine. Years of training had fine-tuned him into a fearless predator. With honed precision and animal stealth, he crept amongst the leaves searching under brush and thicket. Fallen tree limbs arced behind him into the air, as he scattered leaves into the winds, exposing only bare earth. He was a soldier on a mission, decades of stalking his prey came rushing back to him with vengeance. He would not give up the search! Nearly two hours later, by the grace of God, the mystery was solved. A glimmer of white beneath the leaves caught his eye, beaming up at him. He had found his missing possession, his pride and joy, semi-covered in the mossy earth. He carefully picked up his dentures, gently shaking off the dirt and debris. As his little dog stood nearby watching, he soon realized who the culprit was. The rascal! During the night, she had crept into the tent, helping herself to his most needed item. She had carried them out one at a time deep into the woods, playing with his teeth until her master awoke. He looked around for other campers, discreetly rinsed them off in the nearby river, and popped them back into his mouth. With newly regained composure, he stood up straight and proud like the soldier he was, turned on his heel and marched back to camp. It was time to start breakfast -- now that he could finally eat. His little dog followed humbly behind, oblivious to his humiliation. In my mind's eye, I can see my stepfather's hunting trophies lining the shelves in his den. Yellowed pictures of long ago expeditions decorate the walls. He sits at his desk, oiling his gun, or browsing through an outdoor magazine. Just above him, carefully mounted upon a wooden plaque, rest his dentures. The most elusive quarry ever. -- Shelley Madden ========================================================== >-->From Our Friend PatDeE :) .-=-. ////"\\ .=. ( 6 6 ) //"\\ \ - / (/6 6\) _.) (._ )\ = /(-` `:` `\ _(_ ) ( _)-| : |\ \ (_/ `\_/` \ | : |/ / / (_ @ _) \\_ : _/ / \ \)___(/ / |===|_) \/`"""`\/ | L | | | | | | | | | | | |_____| | | | ||| | | | ||| | | | ||| |_|_| jgs / Y \ / T \ `"`"` `"`"` >BISCUITS and God When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing... never made a face nor uttered a word about it! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then." Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!" As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults, and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship! "Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own." So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine. And PLEASE pass this along to someone who has enriched your life. Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point." --- ...Absolutely! Thanks PatDeE! ================================================================ >-->From Our Friend Johanna :) .--------. ____/_____|___ \___ O _ - | _ ,* '--(_)-------(_)--' Dani >Love For One Another One day a man saw an old lady stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson." Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.... After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you." Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be difficult. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson." There is an old saying that says, "What goes around comes around." Today I sent you this story and I'm asking you to pass it on. Let this light shine. God works in mysterious ways and sometimes puts people in our lives for a reason. --- ...replace 'sometimes' with Always! Thanks Johanna! ================================================================= >-->From Our Friend LouiseA :) , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >He Will Be Found (By Steve Troxel,) ...The Psalm writer longed to be close to God; "my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Psalm 84:2). The writer knew his heart would only be satisfied by being in the presence of God; but unfortunately, not many of the children of Israel shared this same understanding. The Israelites continually rebelled and failed to devote their hearts to God. They sought pleasure and security in the world, and turned to worship idols and false gods. And though God sent many messengers to call His children home, they refused to change. Finally, God allowed the armies of Babylon to destroy the temple and lead the people into seventy years of captivity. But even in this most severe discipline, God demonstrated His love and true desire for His Children to return Home. Jeremiah 29:10-13: "'I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'" God's plan has always been to give us hope and a future, to prosper us and keep us from harm, but His plan can never be separated from a life devoted to Him. There is no hope - no future or security - apart from resting in His arms. And the only lasting prosperity and peace comes as we walk in step with His Spirit. Why do we not trust Him to fully guide our path? And why do we seek His plan for our life without bothering to first seek Him?! God's plan is for us to be restored to Him and glorify His name as we love Him with all our heart. All other plans regarding the specific circumstances of our existence flow out of His plan for a loving relationship filled with worship; "seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Seek Him first! Yes, He has promised a glorious future - not necessarily a future free of trouble, but a future filled with "the peace of God which transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), a future where we can learn real prosperity by "being content in any and every situation" (Philippians 4:12). But this future can only be had by those who seek Him with all their heart. Let's allow God to be the all-consuming top priority of our life. Let's diligently seek Him in times of quiet as well as in the midst of the endless multitude of daily activities. And let's be filled with hope and encouraged by His promise that as we faithfully seek Him with all our heart, He will be found! --- ...Couldn't agree more! Beautifully said! Thanks LouiseA! ================================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: _|_ | / \ //_\\ //(_)\\ |/^\| ,%%%% // \\ ,@@@@@@@, ,%%%%/%%% // \\ ,@@@\@@@@/@@, @@@%%%\%%//%%%// === \\ @@\@@@/@@@@@ @@@@%%%%\%%%%%// =-=-= \\@@@@\@@@@@@;%#####, @@@@%%%\%%/%%// === \\@@@@@@/@@@%%%######, @@@@@%%%%/%%//| |\\@\\//@@%%%%%%#/#### '@@@@@%%\\/%~ | | ~ @|| %\\//%%%#####; @@\\//@|| | __ __ | || %%||%%'###### '@|| || | | | | | || ||##\//#### || || | | -|- | | || ||'#||###' || || |_|__|__|_| || || || || ||_/` ======= `\__||_._|| || jgs__||_/` ======= `\_||___ >WHY GO TO CHURCH? (Author Unknown) Some go to church to take a walk. Some go to church to laugh and talk. Some go to church to meet a friend. Some go to church, their time to spend. Some go to church to meet a lover. Some go to church, a fault to cover. Some go to church for speculation. Some go to church for observation. Some go to church to doze and nod. The wise go there to worship God. WHY DO YOU GO? Read John 4:24 -<>- ,~~;,~~.~~, (`'` ` ` `, ~~``` ` ` ; |@ , @ | , '; ' ( ' ` ; `._o__/^;' '; ;..' ';.` ; . ' * _ ;.;)_____ . _- \____/ ) )_____ )’ _- __-- \_____/ |-_ -_:-._- __-- ___ |______| --_/:::\_-- _-- / , \---=|:::::|=---------- | , \ __-\:::/-__ -__ / ; | _- | -_sd--__ --- | , |_- . | . -_ --__ / ; | ‘ | ‘ -_ | , ; | ‘ | ‘ - / ; | |__'___^^_______^^ ~~ ^^ >REACH FOR THE LIGHT by Jaye Lewis She could grow anything from seed. She could take tiny seeds with her fingertips, place them into the soil, and coax them to grow. She would carefully water the soil and whisper, "You're going to love the sunshine. You're going to feel the rain. And you are really going to adore the rainbow!" I watched this mysterious woman and marveled at the love she gave to each tiny seed. It was as though the love that she had longed for, and never experienced, poured out of her heart, and into the seed and soil. As if in a strange intimacy, she pulled grace and beauty from the depths, and the little plants would burst forth, reaching for light and air. There was some sort of hushed beauty within her. A secret longing that no one had ever seen nor touched. It was as if she were too shy or too scared to awaken, perhaps knowing that once set free, she would become out of control. I caught a glimpse of that passion when her anger became unleashed, and it could be dangerous to be the one within her grasp. Yet, she was always gentle with growing things. She was a mystery to me -- this repressed, passionate, secret woman, who gave up on life early within my childhood. She seldom bought a living plant. She combed garden catalogs looking for seeds. She mixed her own soil and she started those seeds in any container available. To my mother, anything that had a bottom and an open top was a container. She started seeding in empty egg cartons, milk cartons, and even eggshells. She especially loved to start tomatoes in the eggshells of geese. She'd make a tiny drainage hole with a needle, start the seed in her homemade soil, and when it came time to transplant into the garden, she would gently crush the shell, right before she placed the plant into it's permanent home. "Eggshells sweeten the soil," she would say. Where she found the African Violet seeds, I'll never know. I watched her mix just the right amount of soil ingredients, placing the invisible seed at just the right depth. Then she watered with care and watched it grow. It seemed to me that, overnight, the tiny plants would appear, strong and affirming, to lighten up her life. I loved to watch my mother's face, as those first tiny seedlings raised their heads to smile at her. I suppose that my mother felt safest with her plants. Plants never told her she was worthless. Plants asked for little, and they gave back so much. Plants never came home drunk, like my father did. And they were never disobedient, as I was. My mother would often tell me her secrets for making things grow. I can still hear her voice as she shared her magical recipe for compost or discussed the benefits of one manure over another. I never told her just how beautiful she was at those moments, with her face alight with understanding and knowledge. My mother was a botanist, without a degree. She was a horticulturist, without a following. She cared for growing things with great tenderness, and in spite of the sorrow in her life, I still remember my mother's smile, as some new thing sprang forth before her eyes. I remember her warm, throaty laugh, when she discovered that first robin's nest in spring. I'd stand, spellbound with her, as she counted the eggs that tried so inadequately to imitate the blue in my mother's eyes. She told me stories filled with longing and pathos. I would laugh and cry with her as she spun the threads of her lost dreams, never daring to hope for a future. She was brilliant, and she never knew it. She was a beauty overcome by regret and broken promises. She dreamed impossible dreams that were never uttered, and even less fulfilled. Every once in awhile, that beautiful, passionate woman would peek out through my mother's volatile journey through life -- usually when she was coaxing plants to come out of the dark and encouraging them to reach for the light. -- Jaye Lewis -<>- .---. .---. ,';' `.';' `.. f :Bo. ` d88: `\ /d88P' `\ ; /d888P' `. ',d8&8P' : ;d8&7' | :8: | qx >The Crisis of a Closing Heart (By Ron Hutchcraft) Fettuccini Alfredo! It's that great Italian dish that has buttered noodles served in a rich, creamy cheese sauce. Unfortunately, one news magazine in an article on nutrition and our health called it a "heart attack on a plate." That may be a bit of an overstatement, but the fact is that a lot of foods do contribute to the slow shutdown of the valves that happen to carry the blood and oxygen into your heart. I love what one commercial calls it -- blood sludge. Medical people refer to the hardening of the arteries -- the process in which foods that are high in cholesterol and fat start building up hard deposits in your arteries. If this hardening in your heart is allowed to continue long enough, it is not a laughing matter. It really can threaten your life. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Crisis of a Closing Heart." Hearts can harden physically and spiritually. It can become really dangerous in the heart of any man or woman who is trying to make a difference for Jesus Christ. It was Jesus' heart that motivated all He did -- a heart that the Bible says was "moved with compassion when He saw the multitudes." He was deeply moved. He saw them the Bible says, as "threatened and helpless sheep without a shepherd." He wept over His city Jerusalem because they wouldn't come to Him and the life He wanted to give them. Paul was a model for all of us who want to serve Christ when he revealed what drove him to suffer incredible pain and sacrifice to tell people about Jesus. Our word for today from the Word of God is 2 Corinthians 5:14, "Christ's love compels us." Not long ago I was told about a Rev. Gomez who is a pastor in one of America's major cities. Often, he wouldn't come into the service until a few minutes before his message. But this one particular Sunday, it came time for the sermon and Rev. Gomez was not on the platform. A couple of church leaders went to check his office, and there he was looking out over the endless rows of apartments and houses that jammed their depressed neighborhood. And he was weeping. One of the men who had come looking for him said gently, "Pastor, I understand, you're weeping because of the great needs all around us, aren't you?" "No," the pastor told him, "I'm weeping because it doesn't move me like it used to." That is cause for weeping. This servant of God realized that something had happened to his heart. Like a person with hardening of the arteries, his heart had started to close up -- to harden. Maybe yours is, too. Like that physical hardening, it happens slowly and imperceptibly, but the longer it goes unchecked, the more dangerous it becomes. Most of us start serving the Lord with a healthy heart. We're moved by the lostness of people who don't have a Savior. We realize the life-or-death importance of getting to them with the message of Jesus. Heaven and hell are at stake. And we come into the Lord's work with a heart that's soft toward the pain and suffering and dysfunction that sin is causing in lives all around us. We ask the Lord to use us to make a difference, whatever it takes. But for some of us, that healthy heart started to harden somewhere along the way. With all the pressures, the politics, the disillusionments, the programs, the conflicts, we can no longer say that it is this burning love of Christ for the lost and hurting that drives us. What once was passion has become profession. What once was a deep affair of the heart has become an exercise of our head and our busy hands. And the joy, the fire is going out -- or gone. But the One who gave you that original piece of His heart wants to give it to you again if you'll recognize the crisis of your closing heart and tell your Master that you want His life-changing heart surgery -- to open up what the deposits of the years have closed, and to give you a new heart, throbbing with His love and His passion and His tears for the lost. Without that, there ultimately is no life. Go to the Master Heart Surgeon today and tell Him you want a heart like His. [Copyright (c) 2005, Ron Hutchcraft. Permission to distribute this material via email, or individual copies, is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, and will not be sold. To reproduce "A Word With You" transcripts in any other format, including Internet websites, written permission is needed from Ron Hutchcraft.] -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment :) Aww Animals #2 http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animals2.html Giant Panda Bears http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/pandabear.html Whale Rescue http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/whalerescue.html Weird Rainy Days http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rainyday.html Wave Frozen In Time http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wave.html Wind Snow Rolls http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/snow.html Underwater River In Mexico http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/underriver.html Here's Your Frog! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/frog.html -<>- >From Our Friend Geniann :) She sent us one we have here... Humor In Politics 9! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/politics9.html --- ...Too rich! Thanks Geniann! -<>- >From Our Friend Linda :) On 11 July 1991, shortly after taking-off from Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport, Nigeri... Under Pressure [Nigeria Airways Flight 2120] - Mayday [Air Crash Investigation] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZAkxLT9lDc --- ...Wow! What a horrific story! Thanks Linda! -<>- >From Our Friend PatDeE :) I purchased Atlas Shrugged and forced myself to read it. I am glad I did. It is an amazing literary work which I can recommend. -Pat [Politics] The Woman Who Changed Millions of Lives http://lfb.org/today/the-woman-who-changed-millions-of-lives/ --- ...Most Interesting! Thanks PatDeE! -<>- >From Our Friend Melody! :) Skidboot http://silverandgoldandthee.net/V/Sk.html The Government Can http://tinyurl.com/88c4pmt Carol Burnett " A few slices of Conway's Genius" http://videos2view.net/conway.htm --- ...LOL! Great! Love It! Thanks Melody! 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 ========================================================== _____ \/\ | . ()))))))/ ((/ \))))) ((),>(((( )\__ )) ( __\((__ / )\/\,\ /.|/ _)_) \ ( \ \ o| \|_ \| )_o| (__\ _/| /.__| _/ \__ _(_// /|\\ \ ||\.\ / \|/ \ \_____\ '-..___.' \ |/ \ | .')| ( / | /.\ | (_ \ )| ) -/ ) mrf-'_/| >The "California Girl" Sales Girls Story Editor: by The Customer Joyce Schowalter USA In early 2012 I saw a giant lump on my body after taking a shower. "Oh gosh," I thought (euphemistically speaking). "If it's that big, it must be everywhere inside me by now. There'll be no way to combat it." You see, people in my family get cancer. Then they die. Often quickly. I mean, I'm not so old, so "two more years" seems like I'd be really cheated on lifespan. And I love my job, non-profit work, really changing things and helping people. But I don't have insurance. I work hard. But insurance costs in the USA have skyrocketed... I can't afford it. I figured, "I won't have any treatment." I was despondent, thinking I'd die a painful, awful death, soon. I wasn't in denial. I stopped into a Goodwill store soon after finding the lump, for spare gardening shoes. Sometimes they have $100 shoes there for $8.00 -- it's amazing. Standing on the aisle, I thought, "Wait! I might not need any more shoes than I have. I should leave." I left, reeling. Then I noticed that instead of dying, I was living. And REALLY wanted to live. Then a neighbor said, "Go to this clinic. They'll refer you to another clinic, which does lots of charity cancer treatment." I went. A seemingly endless series of appointments began. During the initial appointments, before knowing if I'd qualify for charity treatment, still scared I'd soon die, I went to the mall. To celebrate the possibility of LIVING, I'd buy something decent to wear. Specifically, jeans that weren't "mom jeans". First up, a decent women's store. Two salesgirls on the floor... you might say "California girls". Cute, young, seemingly preoccupied with their appearance. One girl began helping me find jeans. She showed me several store sections. After picking out several pairs, I tried them on. She popped back and gave me feedback... she didn't think they fit well enough. Sigh. She was right, as well as honest. Yes, they looked ten times better than mine, but for the price, not good enough. I tried it on a sweater, but it was too big. She got another for me. I liked it, and headed to purchase it, still lacking decent jeans. When the total rang up, I was shocked. It was on sale, half off! They laughed with me when I was excited about it, and suggested I look at that sale rack. I did. Didn't find another, but they were kind to suggest it. What those girls did for me that day, they'll never know. They treated me like any other customer. They were helpful, talked to me and genuinely laughed at my jokes -- though I was older and wearing "mom jeans". They allowed me to feel like I was still normal, too. I think of them as "my California girls", gratefully, and find I pick that sweater to wear often. You never know when -- just by being a normally nice person to someone -- you may be having a profoundly wonderful effect on them. =======HeroicStories======= >-->From Kidwarmers: >THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY .+. @ /' \. .: _______ )) ( _:::.__.'_ `:::::: ~ / ,\ .::' :::::' \` \ .'::' :::' ('.\ `-.. :. __::'_______`-.\ ))::._ .'``::::::::: `-'~' `:::' a:f ' While enjoying neighborhood yard sales, Rita's middle grandson, age 5, heard Rita say that her arthritis was making her hips hurt. At the next yard sale there was a lovely chair and he sat in it. Then noticing that she was limping quite a bit he got up and said, "Here, Nan, you sit down." Rita replied, "Thanks, Sweetie, but I am OK." His reply was, "Oh, Nan, you sit. This chair is fit for a queen." - Rita Courtney of Kendallville, Indiana Gale's grown son was involved in some accidents, including a gun accident. Gale's grandson Joshua, 5, observed, "We need to make sure Uncle Jimmy has his diabetes medicine charged up - that way he won't die on us!" Joshua didn't have any idea what diabetes is - he just heard the word ("die beat") and thought it was medicine to "beat dying!" -Gale Spence of Angola, Indiana Gale is highly allergic to poison ivy. Recently she was weeding with a weed eater and the poison ivy came up in the air, causing her to get poison ivy on her lip. Joshua later asked how she got the poison ivy. Gale said, "I was weed eating..." Joshua replied, "Grandma, we don't eat weeds and we don't mess with poison. Someone of your age ought to know that!" )\ _ .--._ ,' `\_.-~~/' `\ \'_ __ ( _ _ `\ (_) |__|/~ ~~=~\ )_____.---~~ \>\~-./' /' //=== /==( ( /' __\ ( __\) ( /~\( o |_o_( (( ( _____) \\_/ , ) \ `\ ~-.._ / ._)/ \ / `/ \ ./ Ts97 / `~/~' / / '~~-.__./ Dawn was visiting her aunt in Illinois and this happened with Anna, Dawn's cousin's daughter. Anna was eating chicken nuggets at home when she asked her mom for some "Q-Bar" sauce to put in her chicken. Anna got very indignant when they started laughing. - Dawn Keen of New Mexico Pnina, 7, was writing a letter to her pen pal on her computer. Her mother, looking over her shoulder at the screen, asked her, "How do you spell ??~of?'" Pnina replied "O-V." (That was exactly as she had written it.) Her mother, realizing the error in her question, asked her, "How do I spell ??~of?'" To which Pnina immediately responded, "O-F." -Brandel D. Falk (mother of Pnina) of Jerusalem, Israel Cora, 3, was talking to her mom one day. "Mama, you love Daddy, don't you?" Mama replied, "Yes, I do." Cora again: "And Daddy loves you, right?" "Yes, Cora, he does." "And you are married, right?" "Yes, we're married." "I'm going to get married when I grow up," Cora said. "I don't know who I'll marry yet, but I know that he will love Jesus." -Susan Meadors of Kentucky __ /__`. / \ `\\ / \ `\ / \ \ /_______\ /\ (((( )))) (((' . '))) (((\'-'_/))) (((_) (_))) /((( \ / )))\ / ((( ^ ))) \ / / (( ^ )) \ \ ( ( \ ^ / ) ) \ \ )www( / / `\\ / \ //' /' `\ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ jgs | | `-----......_____......-----' Ogden, 7, was visiting his grandparents over the weekend. He said, "Grandma, I used to want to be a shark specialist but that won't work because I remembered I am afraid of sharks. Then I thought I would be a scientist but that didn't work out. I was going to be a carpenter, but I don't want to work that hard. So I guess I'll be an inventor." -Diane Schlemmer (grandmother of Ogden) of LaGrange, Indiana Hannah, 5, told her mother that the best part of her vacation was "clubbing." Fortunately, she meant miniature golf. - James Watkins (grandfather of Hannah) formerly of LaOtto, Indiana Neil says recently a T-ball player looked down the field at his feet during a team pow-wow and said contemplatively: "This field is dirty." -Neil Grepke of Noble County, Indiana ,----------. ( bone? ) `----------' O o ,-. .:\ '`-. |:| __ b `;-( ,' | ( \|||_ ,-----(.-''--``-------. /_______`'______________\ / SSt\ Neil also tells about his son Isaiah, 4, who looked up at him and said, "It's so hot, my life is burnt!" Lark, 3, and her brother, Koen, 6, were spending the weekend with Nanna and PawPaw. Lark was chasing Koen, when she got a bit off course and ran into a door facing. She wasn't seriously hurt, but she began screaming as if she were bleeding to death. When Nanna rescued Lark and took her to the couch and began soothing her feelings, Lark sobbed, "I just need to sit with you and calm down." She stopped crying and told Nanna, "I think I just need to chill out for a while." - Dennis Smith (Lark and Koen's PawPaw) of Oak Ridge, North Carolina Lark, 3, was pushing her baby doll in her stroller. When she brought her doll to her grandfather and said, "My baby has a boo-boo," he asked her if she could kiss the boo-boo and make it well. Lark paused for a second, then said, "Sure! I'm a ??~doctor girl.'" _ .-" l .' / _.------------' : .-""" "-. .' "-. _.-' __ "-. (---""" " _ "-. """"""""-----.-"" `. `. \ `.__;________ `. `.: """"---... `. ` """--.. \--""-. : `. : \ .-" bug "-._l When Lark came to spend the day with Nanna and and PawPaw, she came running through the kitchen door shouting, "Ola, amigos, Ola, amigos!" (Spanish for "Hello, friends!") She has been watching "Dora The Explorer." Hayden, 7, went with his grandfather Rick Stephens to Hite Funeral Home in Kendallville. Rick explained to Hayden that Grandpa Beecher Stephens had died and gone to heaven. When they entered the funeral home Hayden whispered very softly to his grandfather: "Is the heaven?" - Sandy Shook (aunt of Hayden) of Kendallville, Indiana John's parents restored an 1894 home in Ohio after they family moved there because of a job transfer with International Harvester. They spent 11 years meticulously restoring the home. When a local elementary school asked to bring the kids through on a tour John's parents were happy to give the kids a taste of local history and architecture. At the end of the tour one of the teachers was talking to the kids about the historic colors used in the house, inside and out. A little boy raised his hand and said, "I know all about historic colors. I see them all the time on TV." The teacher replied, "You do?" The boy said, "Uh huh, everything back then was black and white." - John Bry of Albion, Indiana .'|_.- .' ' /_ .-" -. '> .- -. -. '. / /|_ .-.--.-. ' > / / (o( o( o ) \_." < '-'-''-' ) < ( _.-'-. ._\. _\ '----"/--.__.-) _- \| AoS "V"" "V" Kai, 4, lives in Montana. He keeps asking his mom, "When are we going to Indiana Jones to see Nana and PaPa?" - Becky Sexton (grandmother of Kai) of Kendallville, Indiana Last fall Andrea was driving with Drew, 3. They were admiring the pretty autumn leaves when he suddenly said, "Mom, I wanna paint the leaves, too. I gonna need goggles and a squirt gun." Andrea adds, "Those are the moments that make motherhood all worth it!" - Andrea Sullivan of Warsaw, Indiana Isaiah, 5, asked, "Mom, did they have video games back when you were alive?" - Anne Lowe of Ligonier, Indiana o o o o |\/ \^/ \/| |,-------.| ,-.(|) (|),-. \_*._ ' '_.* _/ /`-.`--' .-'\ ,--./ `---' \,--. \ |( ) ( )| / hjw \ | || || | / `97 \ | /|\ /|\ | / / \-._ _,-/ \ //| \\ `---' // |\\ /,-.,-.\ /,-.,-.\ o o o o o o One night Ella, 3, told her mother her tummy didn't feel good and that she might be getting "the flute." Fortunately, Ella woke up fine the next day. - Erin Doucette (mother of Ella) of Huntertown, Indiana Barbara's daughter-in-law Kim has been having a good deal of pain from a pinched nerve in her neck. Sitting in the family room she turned and felt the pain and said, "Ah, ah, ah." Her husband said, "You need to go to the doctor and have that checked." Several minutes later she again moved the wrong way and again said, "Ah, ah, ah." Two and a half year-old Payton yelled from her bedroom, "No, ??~ah, ah, ah,' Mommy. Go to the doctor!" -Barbara Roney (grandmother) of Portland, Oregon ========================================================== ,n888888n, .8888888888b 888888888888nd8P~''8g, 88888888888888 _ `'~\. .n. `Y888888888888. / _ |~\\ (8"8b ,nnn.. 8888888b. | \ \m\|8888P ,d8888888888888888b. \8b|.\P~ ~P8~ 888888888888888P~~_~ `8B_| | ~888888888~'8' d8. ~ _/ ~Y8888P' ~\ | |~|~b,__ __--~ --~~\ ,d8888888b.\`\_/ __/~ \_ d88888888888b\_-~8888888bn. \8888P "Y888888888888"888888bn. /~'\_"__) "d88888888P,-~~-~888 / / ) ~\ ,888888/~' / / / 8' ( / / / |) ) / '"88(/ ~ / / | ( /_/ /~ \( _/ / (_(_ ( /~~\/ , O,/~\___/_/' ~~~ | \_ ( )( \_| -- by Gordon M"uller __--~"mb ,g8888b. _/ 8888b(.8P"~'~---__ / ~~~| / ,/~~~~--, `\ ( ~\,_) (/ ~-_`\ \ -__---~._ \ ~\\ ( )\\ )) `\ ) "-_ `| \__ __/ ~-__ __--~ ~~"~ ~~~ >-->WHEN WE SHARE by Jill Wolf When we share laughter, There's twice the fun; When we share success, We surpass what we've done. When we share problems, There's half the pain; When we share tears, A rainbow follows rain. When we share dreams, They become more real; When we share secrets, It's our hearts we reveal. If we share a smile, Then our love shows; If we share a hug, Then our love grows. If we share with someone On whom we depend, That person becomes Family or friend. And what draws us closer And makes us all care, Is not what we have, But the things that we share. >Updated FUN STUFF URLS - Oh Yeah Shangy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/urls.html FUN URLS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->BECOMING A CHRISTIAN HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->FULL LENGTH - FREE On line AUDIO MP3 Chriistian 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 DARRE 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 ************************************************************************