Seek The Lord, Squeezed, A Flag And More... :) Shangy! >Here are the details on our ShangyFunList: Group Web Site: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ShangyFunList.html Group email address: bcrsystems@earthlink.net Shangrala Family Fun: http://www.ShangralaFamilyFun.com/ ================ *~* 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! ================ __ __ ,-' `' \ _---``-- / _ _ ; __ `. / / `' \; /`----- ) / .-/ ,( ), \-. ; | \( \ / )/; | - _5 `7 -; / ( ___-' `-____ | ( ___`-_ \ ____| \ / `,/ \ _(\__ / \ \ ; \ .' /' `i. / | | \ _-'( _\__-/ `- | | ` ,` `_ | BP * Don't forget to follow us on social media for our latest updates and uproarious funny and inspiring pages! On Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/y8dcm8x7 On X (Twitter): http://tinyurl.com/n5uf3dxv ================ *~* War In Iran \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz Hegseth: US strikes on Iran won’t become ‘endless war,’ targeting missiles, navy "We're hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically," Hegseth said during a press conference at the Pentagon. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that military operations against Iran would not lead to an "endless war," during a press conference on Monday, though he acknowledged that the operation would not be complete overnight. Hegseth said the aim was to destroy Tehran's missiles, navy, and other security infrastructure. "This is not Iraq. This is not endless," Hegseth said. https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-888538 --- _.---,._,' /' _.--.< /' `' /' _.---._____ \.' ___, .-'` /' \\ . /' `-. -|- | | | .-'~~~`-. | .' `. | | R I P | jgs | | (REST | | | IN | \ \\| PIECES) |// ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ...My thoughts When I saw Khamenei in the news defying Trump and not coming to a peace deal, I thought 'he is a dead man'. When I heard this news, I was thrilled. It reminded me of him putting a 'hit' out our on President and other leaders - he didn't have the resources or power to 'make it so' like Pres. Trump! - He thought he was such a big tough guy! He got what he deserved. Like Trump said, the world is better off with him and his evil backers gone. Praise God! I thank God for Pres. Trump who is willing to get the job done - keeping us safe with his 'America First!' agenda! Unlike the Dems who showed us what they really think of us! I see them in the news voicing their opinion and I think - 'No Thanks! I don't want to hear anything you have to say after you threw Americans under the bus for illegal immigrants!'. Reminds me of Judge Judy who said that once a person lies to her she discounts Everything they say afterwards. That is the way I am with the Democrats now! Grrrr! --- This is excellent! I love this... Please Pray: _ _|_|_ ,|_| |_|_ || | | |_| || | | | | || | | | | _|| | | | | ||)\ ^ ^ ^ | || | | || | | || | | \\ | \\ / ejm )\ ( / \ \ / \ \ \ \ From Ted Nugent: "Heavenly Father, We lift up every American service member now deployed in this hour of conflict—those on ships, in the air, on bases, and in forward positions. Shield them with Your mighty hand. Give them clarity in every decision, courage under fire, and peace that passes all understanding. Surround them with Your angels, guard their bodies and minds, and bring them safely home when their mission is complete. Comfort their spouses, children, parents, and loved ones who wait at home with heavy hearts. Replace fear with faith, anxiety with hope, and sleepless nights with the assurance that You neither slumber nor sleep. Hold their families close, provide for every need, and let them feel the support of a grateful nation. Lord, we ask for wisdom for our leaders, protection for the innocent, and a swift path to de-escalation and lasting peace in the region. May justice prevail and evil be restrained. We pray all this in the strong name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen." https://www.facebook.com/tednugent/ -<>- >-->2 HOT Off The 'Shangy' Press :) Our too hot to handle new pages come from our friend LouiseAu. During the State of the Union address, President Trump gave out awards to these men for their outstanding service. Visit here to check them out... \\ ///// | | (| _ _ |) |` | '| | __ | >>>___/\_^__/\___<<< / ||| \ Mike Hertz Proud Of Our Troops 10! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops10.html Proud Of Our Troops 11! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/troops11 --- ...Awesome! Most heartwarming! Thanks LouiseAu! =========================================================== >-->From Heartwarmers: That which you keep dies with you. That which you share lives on. -- Karl Schmidt Some great advice today from Grace Witwer Housholder, a Heartwarmer Gem, and founder and editor of Kidwarmers. Grace and her family were hosting an exchange student. It was his birthday and there was a tennis competition. Find out what happened in today's wonderful story about wishes, honor, and never growing old... ( ( ( ) ( ) ( ( Y Y ( ) ( ) |"| |"| Y Y | | | | |"| |"| | |.-----| |---.___ | | | | .--| |,~~~~~| |~~~,,,,'-| | | |-,,~~'-'___ '-' ~~| |._ .| |~ // ___ '-',,'. /,'-' <_// // _ __ ~,\ / ; ,-, \\_> <<_' ____________;_) | ; {(_)} _, ._>>`'-._ | | ; '-'\_\/> '-._ | |\ ~,,, _\__ ,,,,,'-. | | '-._ ~~,,, ,,,~~ __.-'~ | | | '-.__ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ __.-' |__| |\ `'----------'` _| | '=._ __.=' | : '=.__ __.=' | \ `'==========='` .' snd '-._ __.-' '-.__ __.-' `'-----------'` >MANY RETURNS by Grace Witwer Housholder Sometimes you make a wish -- but when it is "granted" you decide you don't want it after all. That's what happened with Micky's "birthday wish." Micky is our AFS exchange student. He and our son Paul love all sports, especially tennis. And when Micky heard Pine Ridge Racquet Club was hosting a tournament that began on his birthday, he quickly said he wanted to enter. So we had his birthday party a day early. Our family tradition is that you make a wish before you blow out the birthday candle. After he blew out the candle, Micky told us that his wish was to win a trophy in the Pine Ridge tournament. (He wanted to go back to Italy with at least one trophy!) We quickly told Micky that if you tell people your wish, your wish won't come true. So we lit the candle again, and he made another wish. On Micky's birthday, Micky and Paul were both supposed to start playing at 5:30. Micky was pacing the observation deck of the racquet club. He had found out that his opponent was seeded No. 2. He knew his opponent would be a "beast" and it would be a battle. By 5:20 Paul was on the courts warming up with his opponent. At 5:50 Micky was still nervously pacing, waiting for the beast to arrive. We heard Micky's name called. When Micky reported to the check-in table, the tournament organizers told him his opponent had phoned and said he was running late. The officials told Micky he could choose not to play -- and be declared the victor of the first round of competition. Without lifting a finger Micky could move forward in the winners' bracket, and possibly win a trophy. But Micky said he didn't want to win by not playing. And he wanted the experience of playing a great player. Finally, the beast showed up. He was tall, smiling and relaxed. His serve was like lightning. His strokes were thunderbolts. His aim was deadly. Micky had some good returns, but he lost quickly, 6-1, 6-0. We congratulated Micky on having some good returns and a few great serves. And we noted that he had won the first game. "I didn't win that game," Micky said. "I think he just gave it to me at the beginning because he arrived late." "It was a birthday present," I said, smiling. "No, I refused my birthday present," Micky said. In his eyes, his "birthday present" had been the chance to win by his opponent's forfeit. Micky ended up winning the "consolation trophy" -- a smaller trophy we didn't know existed until Micky earned it by being undefeated in the consolation bracket. We'll never know what Micky's second wish was -- the wish he didn't share with us. But by choosing competition over sure victory, Micky lived out the words of tennis legend Arthur Ashe who said, "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." Wherever Micky's journeys take him, I think he's going to enjoy each challenge and never take the easy way out. It seems to me that no matter how many birthdays you celebrate, as long as you enjoy challenges, you will never be "old." -- Grace Witwer Housholder =========================================================== >-->From Daily Encounter: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Seek the Lord Search for the Lord and for his strength, continually seek him.1 We are told many times in the Bible to seek the Lord. Some verses that talk about this are Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 11:6, and 1 Chronicles 16:11. But what does it mean to truly seek the Lord? Lately, I have been asking God why certain things are happening, why I feel a certain way, and what he wants me to do. Then, I felt God put on my heart the need to truly seek Him, but I did not exactly understand what it meant to seek Him. After pondering on this concept for awhile, I found what it means to truly seek the Lord. To seek God means to seek His will wholeheartedly in all you do and put aside your personal opinion, to look to Him in both the good and bad, and to think about how God would want you to respond in every situation. We live in a busy world, and it can be so easy to focus on, or get influenced by, worldly things and forget to seek God. However, we need to put into practice seeking God in all circumstances. When you are in a difficult situation, you need to ask Him to give you wisdom to make the right choices, and that His will be done. When you feel like you are not able to keep going, seek Him and His strength. In addition to seeking Him in the hard times, make sure to keep on seeking Him when you are in a good place. Remember to thank Him for all He has done and His continued faithfulness despite our unfaithfulness at times. If you seek God, you will find Him. Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you for calling me to seek you. Help me to invite you into every moment of my life and to keep my focus on you. Despite the constant distractions and influences around me, may your voice be louder and your will be done. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen. 1. 1 Chronicles 16:11. Today's Encounter was written by: Gianna B. --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See These Teachings God First http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Basics/GOD_FIRST.htm Walking With God http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Basics/Walking_With_God.htm <:))))>< , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Seeing the Invisible The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.1 In A Slice of Infinity Betsy Childs writes, 'Are you sitting down? If so, you may be under the impression that you are also sitting still, but the fact is that you are in rapid motion. I am referring to the earth's rotation. In the course of a day, our planet rotates at the brisk rate of 1000 miles per hour at the equator. Then there is the earth's orbital rate of rotation. We have to travel roughly 67,000 miles an hour to make it all the way around the sun in a year. Are you feeling any motion sickness yet? I could hardly be more stationary than I am right now as I sit here before my computer, but in spite of the fact that I do not feel like I am moving, I know that I am. I see the effects every day in the setting and rising of the sun.'ť2 I have never seen electricity but I know it exists because of its numerous effects seen every day in lighting, heating, cooling, running all sorts of equipment and in thousands of other ways! I do not know anyone who does not believe in the rotation of the earth or in electricity even though we cannot see either of these, but many say they do not believe in God because they have not seen him or they cannot feel his presence. If we want to believe in God, we will see evidence of his existence every wherewe look. As the Bible says, 'The heavens declare the glory of God.'ť And as Helen Keller said, 'There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.'ť Basically, we all see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, remember what we want to remember, and believe in what we want to believe in. To believe or not to believe in God is perhaps more often than not a moral choice. If we choose to believe in God, we know we are morally responsible. If we choose not to believe in God, we deceive ourselves into thinking we can live as we please without any consequences. Our disbelief in God does not alter His reality anymore than refusing to believe in electricity and grabbing hold of a high- voltage electric wire. Both come with serious consequences! God is offering his unconditional love and eternal salvation - will you choose to receive it? Suggested prayer: Dear God, please open the eyes of my understanding so that I will see the reality of Your existence and genuinely choose to believe in and serve You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen. 1. Psalm 19:1-3 (NIV). 2. A Slice of Infinity, 'The Invisible Pull'ť by Betsy Childs. © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Today's Encounter was written by: Crystal B. When copying or forwarding include the following: "Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes (c) 2016 ACTS International. --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See these teachings: THE LIFE-STYLE OF A BELIEVER - [Part One] https://tinyurl.com/yu5c48p8 THE LIFE-STYLE OF A BELIEVER - [Part Two] *** Important: Please read Part One before continuing. SERVICE https://tinyurl.com/39mwhc4a =========================================================== >-->From Archives InspiredBuffalo: (\ \'\ \'\ __________ / '| ()_________) \ '/ \ ~~~~~~~~ \ \ \ ~~~~~~ \ ==). \__________\ (__) ()__________) unknown >Very Important List The most destructive habit . . . Worry The greatest Joy . . . Giving The greatest loss . . . Loss of self-respect The most satisfying work . . . Helping others The ugliest personality trait . . . Selfishness The most endangered species . . . Dedicated leaders Our greatest natural resource . . . Our youth The greatest "shot in the arm" . . . Encouragement The greatest problem to overcome . . . Fear The most effective sleeping pill . . . Peace of mind The most crippling failure disease . . . Excuses The most powerful force in life . . . Love The most dangerous pariah . . . A gossiper The world's most incredible computer . . . The brain The worst thing to be without . . . Hope The deadliest weapon . . . The tongue The two most power-filled words . . . "I Can" The greatest asset . . . Faith The most worthless emotion . . . Self-pity The most beautiful attire . . . SMILE! The most prized possession . . . Integrity The most powerful channel of communication . . . Prayer The most contagious spirit . . . Enthusiasm The most important thing in life . . . GOD -<>- _____ (((\\\\\ )_ \\\| / \\|\/ \\( ), & \) ( (( |` \\ ))) _ | \` __| ` | , \ ` , \ | \ ,\ , \ ' \/ \_ \/ \ `_,`-._ ` \ ejm / `-. _ \ ` / ,`. \ === / '== =`. | ==== / | === ` / /========= / | / , /______| / , ======== __-' | = === / ,======= ' - -- ( \ \ \ ` \ ` \ ` \_____ \ / ` _/ / '-- ' >Dad's Gift By Mary Cornelia Van Sant When I was fourteen, in a two-week period before Thanksgiving, my dad developed hepatitis and died. It was a shock to all of us. He had always been so healthy. He'd only been sick once before and had bounced back quickly. As one of eight children, I was usually lost in the crowd. Now, however, adults sought me out to console me. They told me how much I resembled my father and what a good man he had been. There was an outpouring of love, visitors and food to our home. To be honest, the months that followed his death were quite beautiful, in a weird way. I had never felt so immersed in love. At school, none of my friends knew what to say to me. I did have one friend who came to see me at my house the day after my dad died. She sat quietly beside me. I now realize how much courage that must have taken. Besides her, none of my other friends acknowledged my father's death. They acted awkward around me. It was a strange feeling. Several months later, one of the cheerleaders in my class lost her father to a massive heart attack. Usually, she was in the midst of a huge crowd. She seemed alone most of the time now. I approached her tentatively one day during lunch. "I think I know how you're feeling. My dad died a few months ago," I told her. I didn't know what to expect. I was a little intimidated, to be honest. I didn't mix with "her crowd" too easily. They were all so good-looking and popular. Abby looked me squarely in the face. Her eyes widened. And then she seemed to relax. We talked until the bell rang. After that day, we chatted regularly. Sometimes it felt like we were in our own little world. We'd share stories and giggle about our dads. It felt good to have a connection with my dad through our talks. I cherished them. The next school year a girl named Terry lost her dad. Terry was kind of nerdy. She was tall and skinny. Not even "my crowd" had much to do with her. Once again, I approached someone out of my need to have a bond with my father. "I heard your dad died. My dad died last year," I told her. Terry sighed, then gave me a description of her past week. I listened to her every word. As soon as I could find Abby, I told her about Terry. Abby responded like I did. It was as if we were on a deserted island, and we had caught sight of a shipwrecked victim floating toward us. We became a threesome. Not in a social way - we didn't really hang out together - but we snatched a few moments at our lockers and in homeroom to share bits of our dads. Just having someone who understood when we were going through a tough week was comforting. I still have my yearbook in which Abby wrote, "Thanks for being my buddy. I needed you." Occasionally, I hear from Terry. I have continued to reach out to people who are in pain. I've received comfort for myself, too, as a result of connecting with others. Being able to reach out to others has returned blessings to me a hundredfold. I thank my dad for this lasting and life-affirming gift. -<>- __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (// \\) __(// __ (// \\) __(// __ (// sjw /" / __ \\)" \\)_ /" / __ \\)" \\)_ /" '|-..__..-''\_''-.\__..-'' '|-..__..-''\_''-.\__..-'' '|-..__..- (\\ \_ _(\\ _/ (\\ \_ _(\\ _/ (\\ \_ "" (\\ //)"" //) "" (\\ //)"" //) "" (\\ "" "" "" "" "" "" "" >"Squeezed" Walking through a park, I passed a massive oak tree. A vine had grown up along its trunk. The vine started small--nothing to bother about. But over the years the vine had gotten taller and taller. By the time I passed, the entire lower half of the tree was covered by the vine's creepers. The mass of tiny feelers was so thick that the tree looked as though it had innumerable birds' nests in it. Now the tree was in danger. This huge, solid oak was quite literally being taken over; the life was being squeezed from it. But the gardeners in that park had seen the danger. They had taken a saw and severed the trunk of the vine--one neat cut across the middle. The tangled mass of the vine's branches still clung to the oak, but the vine was now dead. That would gradually become plain as weeks passed and the creepers began to die and fall away from the tree. How easy it is for sin, which begins so small and seemingly insignificant, to grow until it has a strangling grip on our lives. And yet, Christ's death has cut the power of sin. Yes, the "creepers" of sin still cling and have some effect. But sin's power is severed by Christ, and gradually, sin's grip dries up and falls away. --By J. Alistair Brown -<>- .. * * * * * * * * * * $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ .$$$$. * * * * * * * * * * $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. .$$$$$ * * * * * * * * * * ::::::::::::::::::::::::::. .::::::::' * * * * * * * * * * $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$F * * * * * * * * * * $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$d$$$$$$$" ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::; $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::; ^$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$" ^$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ":::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::" ""$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$L ;; ;::::::::::::::::;; ;;:::. $$$$$$" "" $$$$$; ^$$" $$$$ "" -Donna Shepherd >A Flag of Any Size By Stacy Havlik McAnulty Frank Havlik leaned against the wet brick of the Seventh Avenue firehouse and lit a filtered Camel. Frank was one of a group of middle-aged fathers and husbands living in Hudson, New York, who unofficially gathered every Saturday to debate and philosophize. Today, conversations drifted from weather to politics to the war. The war in the summer of 1968 was in Vietnam. Frank's only son, John Martin Havlik, whom they called Marty, had enlisted six months earlier and was serving his first tour in the jungle. Marty's mother had begged him not to go, and his four younger sisters had all cried the day he left home. The family had already lost a neighbor to the conflict thousands of miles away, but Marty was not deterred. He felt it was his duty as an American to help the less fortunate - a sense of duty Frank had instilled in him at an early age. Frank was proud of his son and respected his decision to enlist. "How's Marty?" asked one of the men. "He seems to be all right. We just got a letter this week," Frank replied. Frank had already read the letter a dozen times. In the back of Frank's mind, a constant worry for his son pulled at him, so reading about Marty's exploits, no matter how dangerous, was always comforting. Maybe it was simply knowing Marty was alive and well at the time the letter was written. Frank abbreviated a story from his son's latest letter for his listeners. "He complains there isn't enough to drink and that it's too damn hot. After being in the swamps for a few weeks, he was issued a few canteens of water to shower with, but he decided to drink it instead." The men all laughed. Most had known Marty since his baptism. "I would sure hate to be bunking next to him," one man called out. "Especially if he smells like his father," another man remarked. Frank crushed out his cigarette on the sidewalk. His friends could always make him laugh and forget about his worries - at least temporarily. As the conversation wound down, the men noticed they were not alone on Seventh Avenue. The nice weather had drawn a crowd to the park across the street, where one man, who was probably only a few years older than Marty, carried a megaphone and seemed to be leading the gathering. "How many more must die?" the man with the megaphone shouted. "What are they dying for?" Hudson was not a big town. The men often joked, "You'd have to quadruple the population of the town just to fill up Yankee Stadium." But like many American towns that summer, Hudson had its own Vietnam protests. Frank had seen these types of unscheduled rallies before. They mostly consisted of bored teenagers yelling, singing or praying. There was never any threat of violence. Today, however, looked to be different. Frank did not recognize the man with the megaphone. His tall, lanky body and bright red hair would have been easy to remember. The stranger was new to Hudson but not new to protests. He was an electrifying speaker. Soon the crowd was motivated, yelling to a beat and throwing their fists in the air in unison. Frank could not remember a rally ever being so loud. He felt the hair on his arm raise. Standing where they were - just across the street - the men by the firehouse could not help but watch. "This country is sending its sons to die," the stranger shouted. The crowd agreed with a chorus of boos and obscenities. At the height of the excitement, the leader grabbed a small American flag that was nearby and pulled it out of the ground. It was the kind of flag people line their driveways with on the Fourth of July or place in honor at a tombstone. It was not the six-foot hand-stitched version of Old Glory, but it was an American flag nonetheless. The man held up the small flag and held a lighter flame near its edge. None of the men had noticed Frank leave the firehouse. But, suddenly, he was there, next to the lighter-toting protester. Without a moment of hesitation, Frank grabbed the flag out of the stranger's hand. Frank Havlik, son of a Czech immigrant, veteran of World War II and father of an American soldier serving in Vietnam, did not lecture the young man. He simply took the flag and returned with it to his spot, where he again leaned against the firehouse. He did not want to break up the protest; they were Americans, exercising their rights. Frank only wanted to protect the flag he had fought for in France and that his son was fighting for now, in Vietnam. The chanting ceased, and the fists were lowered. Eyes darted back and forth between Frank and the red-haired stranger like an audience at Wimbledon. Neither made a move. Five minutes passed before everyone began to realize there would not be a fight. There would not be a martyr - or a bully. A man with long hair from the protesters' group broke the silence with the strum of a guitar. The tense moment passed, replaced by the sound of voices singing antiwar songs. Onlookers began to disperse. The red-haired stranger, no longer the leader, became a participant and joined the peaceful demonstration. The men at the firehouse resumed their smoking and philosophizing, but no one commented on Frank's actions. Frank held on to the flag; he planned to put it back after the park was empty. When the singing was done, the would-be flag burner crossed the street and approached the firehouse. The men sitting on the steps started to stand, ready to defend their own, but when they saw the protester's face, they knew his approach was a white flag. "I would like to put the flag back in the park," was all the young man said. ______________________ |XXXXXXX|==============| |XXXXXXX|==============| |XXXXXXX|==============| |======================| |======================| |======================| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ U.S.A Frank handed over the small vinyl flag. "Thank you," he replied quietly. Frank's story spread quickly. A few days later, the Hudson newspaper ran an article about the incident and included a picture of Frank with an American flag. Marty's sister clipped the article and picture and sent them to her brother in Vietnam. The letter containing the article arrived in early fall. Marty slipped it and a short note out of the envelope. The picture of Frank and the flag immediately caught his attention. He read the article three times in a matter of minutes. Marty shared the article with a few buddies, who told others, and soon all the soldiers in Marty's company had heard about Marty's father and the flag. Frank's act was a simple one, but it affected the young soldiers deeply. They had heard many stories of protests and riots in the States. They were even told not to wear their uniform home because of the negative attention it might bring. But the story of Frank saving one small flag made them realize some civilians supported them. Marty carried the article in his helmet liner with his cigarettes for the remainder of his time in Vietnam. His father was not an articulate or emotional man, but the story reinforced what Marty already knew: Frank was proud of him and would always be behind him. -<>- >Links for Your Enjoyment ?? Birth Of An Island!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/island.html Zion The Lion!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/zionthelion.html Car Show 2! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/island.html Crocodile Man!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/crocodileman.html Bizarre Nature!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bizarrenature.html Koalas Up Close!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/koalas3.html No Passing Zone!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/elephant.html Lioness And Fox!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lionessandfox.html Comedy In Nature!- htthttp://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/comedyinnature.html Mouse Vs Leopard!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mouse.html Dangerous Critters 2!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/dangerouscritters2.html Leopard Vs Crocodile!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/leopard.html Amazing Animal Facts!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animalfacts.html Mother Squirrel's Love!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/motherslove.html 'Invisible' Animals 2!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/invisible2.html Fearless Animals!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/fearlessanimals.html One Word Essays 2!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/essay2.html Rainbow Mountains!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/rainbowmountains.html Natural Show-Offs!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/showoffs.html Humor In Religion 5!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/hreligion5.html Love Speaks!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/lovespeaks.html Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes! http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/eleanorquotes.html Grand Canyon Skywalk!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/skywalk.html Adorable Animal Selfies!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/animalselfies.html Adorable Baby Elephants!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/babyelephants.html Thank You God!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thankgod.html One Word Essay!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/essay.html Thank You Lord!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/thanks.html Butchart Gardens!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/bgardens.html God's Instructions!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/instructions.html Playing With Words!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wordplay.html God's Most Beautiful!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/mostbeautiful.html St.Pat's Day/Spring Index!- http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/springindex.html -<>- How to Become a Christian - How to Get Born Again / How to Get Saved / Romans 10:9 & 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMzblR8YDQ0 Bible https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/kjv/ Bible Study Index http://www.absolutebiblestudy.com/Contents.htm The Way Bible Articles https://thewayinternational.com/english/ Spirit & Truth Index: https://stfi.org/ Bible Teaching Videos - John Schoenheit Spirit And Truth https://tinyurl.com/2gyn3f35 The Lion Weekly Digest is a newsletter delivering the week's top articles from The Lion straight to your inbox. Find all of the stories: https://readlion.com/ Latest From PragerU: https://www.prageru.com/ -<>- >In The Worldly News: President Donald J. Trump https://www.donaldjtrump.com/ TrumpRx doesn't sell medications. Instead, it connects patients directly with the best prices, increasing transparency and cutting out costly third-party markups. https://trumprx.gov/ White House Actions - 2026 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/ Trump executive orders and actions, 2025-2026 https://tinyurl.com/musd7m3x DOGE Latest News https://doge.gov/ DOGE Latest Savings https://doge.gov/savings From The Daily Acorn: Positive News https://www.thedailyacorn.com/ Latest From Lifezette: https://www.lifezette.com/ Latest From Hannity: https://hannity.com/ Latest From American Action News: https://americanactionnews.com/ Latest From Reliable News: https://reliablenewsnow.com/ Latest From Newsmax: https://www.newsmax.com/ Latest From Expose: https://expose-news.com/ Latest From AFA: http://tinyurl.com/j7lakqw 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://greatergood.com/clicktogive/ggc/home ========================================================== >-->From our Friend Linda :) __ ( y--. .=-. \_\/_,' / | --("))))))= __|__ | / < > > `\ .=-. .-' `-:._.-. | | / \' / | .\_. | | | ,- `(\|.--. .' \ . / \ / `'| ),' `-\_/ |` ` (\ `-'| / \ ' ; .' \ , /\ .' \ '`-.___.-> \ .> \ /\\ `---'| `. -' || `-..-' hjw .=`-....___ || / _.-`--=._ `----.___// \.' _.-'-.`-. `----' '\ ;' \ ; _.'`-. .' / ___ ' _.-'`. / / ,' , `-._ _.-| / /.--\ \ `._ __.---' `./ | \' \ `. `._.-' `. ``. | | `. d8oooo._\_ `. \ /\ / 988888888b. `. \ /::`-.__.'\ 688888888888b : | ___ |::::::::::\ "d8b""888888, ; |`-. .' _`. |::::::::::::. 8888888 | `. / .::::\ |::::::::::::::. /888888' / / /:::::| \:::::::::::::::.._ .' d88888 ___ .' | |:::::| `:::::::::::::::::"--.' `88888`. .-' _`._ |:::::| `::::::::::::::::-' d8889 `/ ,.::.\`-.__ |:::::/ `::::::::::;'`-._ `"' / /:::::| `-. \:::;' ``''''' `-._ /::::::| `-`"' `-._ |:::::::/ `-._ |::::::/ `. \:::;' `--`"' >Cinnamon and Honey; Whoever thought? Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. What it will do is what some call 'turning to sugar'. In reality, honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will "crystallize". When this happens loosen the lid, boil some water and sit the honey container in the hot water, but turn off the heat and let it liquefy naturally. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. This will kill the enzymes in the honey. Cinnamon and Honey Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around. Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects for any kind of diseases. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon, as researched by western scientists: HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, when they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins. ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily (morning and night) one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain -- and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain. BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.. CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol. COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses. UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from its root. GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas. IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases. INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals. INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu. LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.. RASPY OR SORE THROAT: When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms. PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root. SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections. WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet. CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month. FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week. BAD BREATH: People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day. HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it! You might want to share this information with a friend, kinfolks and loved ones. Everyone needs healthy help information ~ what they do with it is up to them ~ share with your email buddies... They deserve to be healthy too!!! --- ...Great Tips! Thanks Linda! *~* WARNING: BE SURE TO CHECK OUT This From Snopes BEFORE Doing any of the above: This item extolling the medicinal virtues of honey and cinnamon is based upon a 17 January 1995 article that appeared in the Weekly World News, the erstwhile supermarket tabloid known for publishing the fantastically fictional (it has since transitioned to an online medium), so as a piece of medical literature it should be taken with many grains of salt. Read the full of this here: http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/honey.asp ========================================================== >-->From God'sDailyWord: , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >Where Are You? All over the world, people are asking how to strengthen their relationship with God. Many have wandered from His path and become entangled in the weeds. We never actually plan to leave God's path and become entangled; rather, it seems we simply take a wrong turn and then drift through small steps of compromise. How does this happen? And once we've drifted, how do we return and guard against drifting once again? Man first wandered from God's path in the Garden of Eden. The devil deceived Eve and caused her to disobey God's command; Eve ate fruit from the forbidden tree and gave some to her willing husband. As soon as they ate the fruit, they became aware they were naked and covered themselves with leaves. Genesis 3:8-9 "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'" The very first sin caused the delusion that it was possible to hide from God. This delusion continues today! We sit among the weeds and think God doesn't notice - that He doesn't see us in the midst of our sin. But the all-knowing Creator of the Universe knew exactly where Adam was hiding. God wasn't searching through the bushes trying to find His lost creation. No, God was speaking directly to Adam: "Adam, why are you in this condition? Do you even know where you are and how far you have drifted?" Adam's willful disobedience caused him to tremble as he answered: "I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid" (Genesis 3:10). Adam was lost. Somehow, even in their garden paradise, Adam and Eve had wandered in their relationship with God. The devil had found them alone - not walking with their Father - and began his great deception. Now, sin had caused shame, fear, and separation. ALL sin has its beginning in our wandering from the presence of God. No one "falls" into sin by a momentary slip; rather, sin is the result of a long slow drift away from intimate fellowship with God. Drifting from His presence causes us to become more susceptible to sin, which continues the cycle of even further separation. Soon, we have become entangled and completely lose sight of His path. The way back always begins with a humble and repentant heart. We must confess we have strayed, admit our straying as sin, and ask for the strength and guidance to return. God will immediately shine His light, strengthen our steps, and ask us to simply focus on loving Him with all our heart. Let's return to the presence of God and be determined to never leave. Let's continually examine our life and make sure we're walking right by His side whenever God asks, "Where are you?" Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries **** Reading Plan **** Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:14-36; Psalm 18:35-50; Proverbs 4:11-13 Genesis 46:1-47:31; Matthew 15:1-28; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 4:14-19 Genesis 48:1-49:33; Matthew 15:29-16:12; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 4:20-27 Gen.-Ex. 50:1-2:10; Matthew 16:13-17:9; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 5:1-6 --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See this teaching In The Beginning http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/inthebeginning.html <:))))>< , , /////| ///// | ///// | |~~~| | | |===| |/| | B |/| | | I | | | | B | | | | L | / | E | / |===|/ jgs '---' >The Joy of Restoration The original relationship between God and man - This was the perfect relationship for which we were created; a relationship where we understand our form, sustenance, blessings, and direction as coming from God; a relationship where we walk in His intimate fellowship every moment of every day. We also saw the pain God must have felt when His beloved creation chose to walk away through disobedience - the sin of unbelief. But praise God, He loves us so much that He immediately began to teach us how to return to His presence. From the faithful sacrifice of Abel to the protection of Noah and his family; from the calling of Abraham to the Law as given through Moses; from the message of repentance by the prophets to "the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord'" (John 1:23). And finally, from the teaching and sacrifice of Jesus to the exhortation of the apostles. All these point to God calling His children back to the intimate relationship for which we were created. This first sin carried a punishment which still remains; "just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). We are all born with an unbelieving heart which must be made clean; "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). The real tragedy of the first sin is not that Adam and Eve were separated from God, but that we are ALL born into a condition of spiritual separation. But God wants us back, today! Romans 5:8-10 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!" All of scripture was written for the purpose of restoring the relationship which sin destroyed; "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). The message is clear: return to God! Believe He sent His Son Jesus to die as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin and begin to walk in an intimate fellowship of obedience which is consistent with that belief. God sent His Son to die so we could be restored. This is the heart of a loving Father, to call His children home. The enemy will try to deceive us into believing this relationship is no longer possible, but this is a lie!! Jesus came to restore what the enemy destroyed, and His restoration is made complete by grace through faith. The pain of separation does not need to continue. Let's begin today to trust Him with all our heart and truly experience the joy of restoration. Have a Christ Centered Day! Steve Troxel God's Daily Word Ministries **** Reading Plan **** Exodus 8:1-9:35; Matthew 19:13-30; Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 6:1-5 Exodus 10:1-12:13; Matthew 20:1-28; Psalm 25:1-11; Proverbs 6:6-11 Exodus 12:14-13:16; Matthew 20:29-21:22; Psalm 25:12-22; Proverbs 6:12-15 Exodus 13:17-15:19; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; Proverbs 6:16-19 --- _______ / /_ / -/- / / / / / / /_______/ / jgs ((______| / `"""""""` ...See This teaching Return To Me - God http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/BibleStudy/return.html ========================================================== >-->From CupO'Cheer: \ | / -- * -- / | \ /') ./') ('\. ('\ /' /.--''./'') (''\.''--.\ '\ :--'' ; ''./'') (''\.'' ; ''--: : ' ''./') ('\.'' ' : : ''./' '\.'' : :--''-..--'''' ''''--..-''--: dp >HOW DO YOU FIND GOD IN ALL YOUR MESS? How do you see Him here? The Apostle John whispers it clear: “We [actually] saw his glory... For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift” (John 1:14, 16 AMP). That’s the mystery map to the deep seeing! We saw His glory... because... we have all received one grace after another. Grace - that is what the full life is full of! And to see His glory - name the graces. Retune the impaired senses to sense the Spirit, to see the grace! Why is it so hard? Practice, practice. The discipline of thanks only comes with practice! When we practice giving thanks, we practice the Presence of God, stay present to His Presence, and it is always a practice of the eyes! We don’t have to change what we see! Only the way we see!!!” ~ an excerpt from the photography book, encouragement in the midst of messes: Selections from One Thousand Gifts: Finding Joy in What Really Matters -<>- (M==M=M==M=M==M==M==M==M) \=N=N==N=N==N=N==N=NN=/ \M==M=M==M=M==M===M=/ \N=N==N=N==N=NN=N=/ jgs \M==M==M=M==M==M/ `-------------' >I JUST WANT MY CHICKEN One fine evening Chad walked into a fast food chicken place and bought a nine-piece bucket of chicken. He took his meal to the park for a romantic picnic under the moonlight with Karla, his woman. Upon reaching into the container of chicken, however, Chad received a surprise. Instead of chicken he discovered what was apparently the restaurant's night deposit -- nine thousand dollars. The young man brought the bucket back and asked for his chicken in exchange for the money. Expensive chicken! The manager, in awe of the man's honesty, asked for his name and told him he wanted to call the newspaper and the local news station. Chad would become a local hero, an example of integrity and morality that would inspire others! The hungry man shrugged it off. "My date's waiting, I just want my chicken. No publicity, please!" The manager's amazement over Chad's humility almost overwhelmed him. He begged again to be allowed to tell the story on the news. At this, Chad became angry with the manager and demanded his chicken. "I don't get it," the manager responded. "You are an honest man in a dishonest world! This is a perfect opportunity to show there are people still willing to take a stand for what is right. Please, give me your name and also the name of the woman in the car. Is that your wife?" "That's the problem," said Chad. "My wife is at home. The woman in the car is my girlfriend. Now let me have my chicken so I can get out of here." It is easy to look first-rate to people who don't know us. We can keep the high visibility of our misdeeds in check. Since we all want to look good to others, this ambition can provide a strong motive for self-discipline. But when it comes to the low visibility of our thought life, we are not as careful. After all, who is going to see what occurs in our hearts? So we settle for looking good on the outside but concealing a private world made up of thoughts we would not want anyone to uncover. Yet our fiercest battles lie in this low visibility arena. The answer to winning the battle for our secret life is to open ourselves to self-examination by God's loving and gentle Spirit. King David prays in Psalm 139:24, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (NIV). Sure, we would prefer not to hear any bad news about our secret sins. But we need to hear the "bad news" if we are to mature and be transformed by God. The willingness to hear hard truth is vital for anyone who loves wisdom. In the end, the truth may sound like bad news, but it is just what we need. (Adapted by Louis Lapides, from Still More Hot Illustrations, pg. 177) -<>- \\\\, / \\ '<' ) \- / _)_(_ .'\___/'. /.-.___.-.\ [_________] | | ( | , | (\/) ) _\)_ | -|- | <_@__> _(/_ || | | | (/\)(\/) || || | | (\/) <_@_> || || | | <_@_>'(/\) || || | | (/\|/|-. || || .---------. _|_|_ || ||_,-'---------'-,__ |WWWWW| ___jgs|_|____________________|_\_____/__ >THE CLAY BLINDFOLD A blind man was given his sight when he washed clay from his eyes. Why did Jesus smear clay on the man when he could have simply commanded him to be healed? Copyright 1999 Leslie A Turvey A servant of the only true and living God As Jesus passed by he saw a man who was blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Master, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “His blindness is not the result of sin. He was born blind so the works of God might be shown in him.” Then Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with his saliva, and smearing it on the blind man’s eyes said, “Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.” He went and washed, and came back seeing (John 9:1-7). Why the clay? Why didn’t Jesus just heal the man on the spot? Or simply tell him to go and wash? That would be too easy. And people, being as they are, would have claimed the man had not been blind, but was a charlatan. In fact, after the healing the man’s neighbors questioned whether this was the man they knew had been blind. Challenge: Put on a thick blindfold and walk to the corner store. Guaranteed you’ll stagger like a drunkard, and bump into everything along the way. Jesus, in the view of everyone, put a clay blindfold on the man. Being blind, the man likely knew every pothole in the road to Siloam. With or without the clay he would walk as people had seen him walk every day. There could be no doubt this man was blind. Another time Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. A woman in the congregation had a crippling disease which had bent her over for eighteen years. Jesus laid hands on her, and healed her, and she was able to stand straight up (Luke 13:10-13). This poor woman was not some groupie who followed Christ from place to place, and made a pretense of being crippled. She was well known in the village. The people likely had some undignified names for her. So when Jesus healed her, there was no question who she was, or that she had been healed. Lazarus was dead. His friends and neighbours knew he was dead. They had comforted his sisters, and may have helped in the burial preparations. And he had been dead four days. But now Lazarus was alive. Jesus had ordered the stone removed from the grave, prayed a short prayer to his father in heaven, then commanded, “Lazarus, come forth.” We’re told, “And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin (John 11:44).” There was no question about the man’s blindness, or the woman’s disability, or Lazarus’ death. There was also no question that they had all been restored. Yet the priests and Pharisees had Jesus crucified. Why? Their self-righteousness had blinded them to the son of righteousness. Their greed for position and power had crippled their thinking. They were dead to the love of God, and to the stupendous future he has in store for you and me. What a difference! When the blind man was healed he believed in Jesus, and worshipped him. When the woman was healed she glorified God. And when Lazarus was resurrected we’re told many of the Jews who had seen the things Jesus had done, believed on him. Are you spiritually blind, or crippled, or dead to the love of God? Jesus Christ can heal you. And your neighbors will surely know. Leslie A Turvey as seen in Lifelines -<>- Available Free by E-mail every other day. To SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with SUBSCRIBE CUP O'CHEER in the subject line to cheer316@sc.rr.com. You can find me on Facebook as Kimberly B. O'Brien Quiggle. ========================================================== >-->From LaughAndLift: We spurn our Creator's authority over us. God beckons storm clouds, and they come. He tells the wind to blow and the rain to fall, and they obey immediately. He speaks to the mountains, "You go there," and he says to the seas, "You stop there," and they do it. Everything in all creation responds in obedience to the Creator... until we get to you and me. We have the audacity to look God in the face and say, "No." - David Platt, in his book "Radical" , /\ , / '-' '-' \ | POLICE | \ .--. / | ( 19 ) | \ '--' / '--. .--' jgs \/ >Faithful, Focused, Patient (By Rocky Henriques, www.timothyreport.com) Jeff Wall, writing in Reader's Digest a few years ago, told that as a police officer he occasionally parked his cruiser in residential areas to watch for speeders. One Sunday morning he was staked out in a driveway, when he saw a large dog trot up to his car. _ ,:'/ _..._ // ( `""-.._.' \| / 6\___ | 6 4 | / \_ .--' (_'---'`) / `'---`() ,' | , .'` | )\ _.-' ; / | .'` _ / /` / .' '. , | / / / \ ; | | | \ | | .| | | \ `"| /.-' | | | '-..-\ _.;.._ | |.;-. \ <`.._ )) | .;-. )) (__. ` ))-' \_ ))' `'--"` jgs `"""` The dog stopped and sat just out of arm's reach. No matter how much Wall tried to coax him to come for a pat on the head, he refused to budge. After a few minutes, the officer decided to move to another location. As he pulled out of the driveway, Wall looked back and learned the reason for the dog's behavior. As soon as the police car moved, the dog quickly picked up the newspaper the car had been parked on and faithfully ran back to his master. That's funny, but it also says to me that if a dog could be that focused and that committed to his assigned task, then shouldn't we also? To the dog, the task looked impossible: the paper was under the car and he couldn't get to it. But he didn't do what we so often do: when we are faced with "impossible" challenges many times we just turn and walk away, saying "Oh well, maybe we weren't meant to do that." Perhaps today we could learn something from that dog. (1) He was faithful to do what his master expected of him; (2) he was focused on the assignment and let nothing, not even a pat on the head, distract him; and (3) he knew instinctively that the car didn't belong there, and would eventually move, so he patiently waited until that happened. Here are the lessons for us today: (1) Our Master expects us to be His Body, fulfilling His commands and sharing His Gospel; (2) we should be focused on our assignment and not be distracted by other things that come along, however good they may be; and (3) we should know instinctively that this world is not our home, and be patient as we wait for that Great Day when Christ Jesus will return. When Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching," that's about as clear as it could be said. No wiggle room. No reading between the lines. No loopholes. __________ |DAILY NEWS| |&&& ======| |=== ======| |=== == %%$| |[_] ======| |=== ===!##| ejm97 |__________| So... is there a car parked on your newspaper? 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 ========================================================== . | . \ | / `. \ ' / .' `. .-*""*-. .' "*-._ /.*" "*.\ _.-*" : ; ____ """"': .. ; _.-*" \ `.__.' / "*-._ .' `-.__.-' `. bug .' / . \ `. / | \ ' | ` >-->GOD KNOWS Now is a moment that time has shown that which He has already known. God knows today and then tomorrow will be with gladness and also sorrow, but He then also knows that it will help you with time-frames to then fulfill. Yes truly God knows how we will be right now and moments in our history. God sees beyond now and what it shall show as we each get up and daily will go. Let Him to guide you wherever you turn and He will show you some lessons to learn. God knows that we each might need a hand sometimes in days to help us withstand. Let Him to help you find what is true and you will one day be made anew. 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