Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

July 29, 2006

Today’s announcements

 A Happy Anniversary goes out to Terry Evans: nilacooky@sbcglobal.net

Happy Birthday Arjun Bali: arjunbali@gmail.com

Now onto the good stuff!

Today’s Queue Stories

~**~**~

 MOMENTS FOR LOVE

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

joecool@wirefire.com

     I had a three dog couch waiting on me when I got home this morning. As I came through the front door I saw that each cushion on my couch had a little, furry ball curled up on it, sleeping peacefully. I smiled when I saw this and petted each of them lovingly as I walked by. It only took a few seconds of my time, but it filled my heart with joy.

     As we go through our often busy days it is funny how the best parts of them seem to be those little moments we make for sharing love. They take so little of our time and yet the rewards they bring us are beyond belief. They strengthen our hearts, uplift our souls, and energize our bodies. They make our lives a joy to live and a delight to share. They bring us peace, happiness, goodness, and most of all oneness with God. Three of the most important words in the Bible are: "God is love." Every moment we spend living in love then is a moment spent living in oneness with God.

     Try to spend and share some moments for love in your own life today. Pet your dogs, cuddle your cats, and feed the birds. Hug your loved ones, look them in the eye, and say "I love you." Smile at the cashier in the store, give a compliment to a friend, and share a good laugh at work. Open a door for a stranger, help an elderly person with their bags, and do a few random acts of kindness when noone is looking. They only take a few seconds each day, but they bring you joy for a lifetime.

     It takes so little time to live in love. It takes so few moments to share that love with the world. It is these moments, however, that join your heart to God’s and fill your life with light. Don’t miss out on them. Make time for them and choose them everyday of your life. Moments of love lead to a lifetime of love and a lifetime of love leads to an eternity of love.

~**~**~

 ~ To the Unknown God ~

No Longer Winking

Joyce Lock 

According to the Bible, one can have a doctorates degree in religious education and still be clueless as to scripture's life applications, as knowing about God is quite different from knowing Him.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:

for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,

because they are spiritually discerned.  1 Cor. 2:14

And, unfortunately, it is human tendency to be lazy toward our own spiritual growth; allowing others to tell us what to believe.  However, that isn't necessary.  You already know the verses.  You just need to hear from God as to their application.  2 Tim. 3:14-15

Now, here's an example: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3

Do we believe that?  Do we really believe it?  Because if we do, we might also consider this verse paraphrased.

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,

whether they be clergy, or doctrines, or denominations, or religions: all things were

created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn

from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Col. 1:16-18 (par.)

Notice, Who gets the preeminence ~ certainly not a preacher, or doctrine, or denomination, or religion ... or whomever else we give to be our guide.

How's that for a shocker?  Ok, so maybe you had figured that out, already.  But, do you really realize what this means?

There was a purpose for Communism as there is a purpose for Muslims; just like there is a purpose for Jews, Christians, Catholics, Mormons, etc. ~ which likely began with the destruction of the tower of Babel and should be a hint that we could actually learn from each other.

Sure, people claiming other faiths have done some pretty horrible things; but, so have some who claimed to be our faith, too.  Additionally true, there are also a lot of untruths in other religions.  But, news flash, there are a lot of untruths in all religions.  Why?  Because an abundance of knowledge tends to make one prideful, wherein one's faith is no longer based upon Spiritual discernment.

It took a cross to make peace amidst such diversified faith systems. Col. 1:20-21  And yet, within all faiths continue the practice of name calling.  We use to call them things like sinner, backslider and hypocrite.  But, finally realizing we're guilty of the same things, the choice of words became more refined terms; like heathen, pagan, and cult.

It is said that Jesus is God while condemning every faith that does not call God 'Jesus'.  However, within the same faith system, it is rare to never that God's other names are used ... and He was the God of Salvation even before the New Testament. Ps. 68:20

The bottom line is, when we stand before our Maker, it won't matter what we believed but Who.  And praise the Lord, Jesus made provision wherein the tower to heaven could be rebuilt; only, this time, not so we could be God ~ but so we can 'know' Him.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  Ephes. 4:11-16

Yet, in order to come to that place of unity, we have to begin listening to each other instead of debating ~ to consider what portions of each other's faith is actually truth and how it ties in with the truth we already know.

... I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.  Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, or even tents made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's doctrines, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all religions of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto knowledge, or ideals, or beliefs, graven by art and man's device.  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.  Acts 17:22-31 (par.)

__________________

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 1 Tim. 4:9-10

For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.  Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. Romans 14:2-4

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Cor. 4:5

© 2005 by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists?

who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth?

what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? Proverbs 30:4

Poetry Section

~**~**~

My Daddy's Love

By: Jene Lind

Daddy I can see you

As you do your work each day.

I watch how you treat others

And you know just what to say

Sometimes I get up early

Just to get a hug goodbye

And you never tell me to hush

When I say, "Why, Daddy, why?"

You just explain that Daddy

Works to earn our bread

Mommy stays home to care for me

But it is you that tucks me into bed

You always help me take a bath

Then you read to me

Sometimes it's Bible stories

Sometimes it's A B C's

I love your stories, Daddy

They make me and you laugh

And sometimes I get sleepy

Just sitting in your lap

There are times you let me go to work

And help you do your job

When I grow up I'll do like you

And take my little boy to my job

I've got the strongest daddy

In the whole wide world

Sometimes I wish you could be

A dad to all the boys and girls

But Daddy I just want to say

I'm happy you are mine

'Cause with a dad like you

I'm loved all the time.

Jene' Lind

ImAuthor4u@aol.com

Jene lives in Missouri and enjoys writing. She writes to preserve history for her
grandchildren.She also writes songs about happenings around the country.

 Floods, Que CreekMiners, the Challenger and such.
 It is History. Jene was taken from her

biological family on her 8th birthday and raised by an older
 couple in the country who gave her great opportunities to

learn about survival by using the earth's plants and such.

Jene was a teacher for 4th grade learning disabled before

her health prevented her from doing so. Now she enjoys

doing things with her grandchildren and writing. She attended

college in Chattanooga, TN and her hobby iswriting and teach-

ing her grandchildren to write.

~**~ 

A Pound of Spikenard

Joan Clifton Costner

jody@ptsi.net

It started with the tears.

Like something - some One had hold of me.

Stronger than any Force I’d ever felt

Yet strangely gentle.

I knew they were having supper in an upstairs room,

John had told my brother.

I ran from my place with the bottle in my hand.

I ran straight to the house as if guided by some One.

I didn’t knock - it was all I could do to slow down -

I just fell at His feet.

Trembling all over I broke the container which

Instantly filled the room with fragrance everyone knew.

I pulled the band from my hair

It fell over the floor.

I began to weep more, trying to do it quietly.

I poured more oil, over His feet and legs, over His head.

My hair became my drying cloth.

I rubbed it over His skin.

I heard Him say, "Leave her alone."

He knew better than I why I was doing this.

I never stopped weeping....

He touched me gently.

I left still weeping.

He had said, "I am the resurrection and the life.."

And this oil was significant to death!

Why had He come this year?

They spread palm branches and shouted praises in one street

And plotted against Him around the corner.

I hadn’t recognized the Spirit of God! No matter -

I couldn’t have stopped what I did.

Later I learned that the oil had permeated the air around Him.

Everyone who touched Him carried it.

Soldiers that struck Him or pulled His beard were carriers.

The crown Pilate put on His head took up the fragrance;

The purple robe, the reed in His hand .....the cross!

Nicodemus and Joseph both carried the fragrance -

And they sealed it in the tomb!

That’s why when we came early that first morning, I noticed it.

That special fragrance.

The tomb was open!

He was gone!

Now, the weeping began again.

That same sweet Spirit was present.

The gardener came. "Sir," I began...

The gardener had the fragrance too!

"Sir, where have you laid Him?"

"Mary"....

I didn’t need to look up.

I knew.

All I wanted was to touch Him.

He said "No".

He said, "Go tell."

"He is risen!

He is risen!

He is Life!"

I ran with His message, His fragrance, His love and mercy, His Hope, His peace. His kingdom,

Alive in my heart

Forevermore!

Joan Clifton Costner

copyright

http://underhiswings0.tripod.com

http://underhiswings0.tripod.com
http://www.heavenlypoetry.com

~**~**~

Senior Writers

Chief writer: Sharon Bryant

Chief researcher/historian: Hartson Dowd

Agee, Vance; Apted, Violet; Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al; Berry, Nell; Blaine, Pamela; Boda, Ginger; Booher, Paula; Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.; Costner, Joan Clifton; Cavalera, Robyn; Crider, Mark; Dees, Mary; Deming, Barb; Doherty, Maria;

Dowd, Hartson; Dowd, Helen; Gilbert, Robert, Jr.; Gold, Ron; Goodier, Steve; Braun-Haley, Ellie; Harris, Kathy Anne; Henry, Linda Ann; Hunt, Sharlett; Hymes, Christina; Jacobson, Gary; Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Kevin, Tim; Jenkins, Pamela; Liles, Norma; Lily Jodi Flesberg; Lock, Joyce; Marlor, Janice Bumbalough; Mazzella, Joe; Morris, Deepak; Ojeibge, Georgewaters; Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan; Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Streidel, Saskia; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan; Walker, Bill; Walker, Joe; Warner, Gordon, K; Walsh, Sue; Weymouth, Barbara J.; Whirity, Kathy;

Wainland, David; Westerfer, Clara; White Robert;

Storytime Tapestry Staff

Carol Roach - Founder/publisher

Thelma Hartselle - Co-Founder, Moderator

Clara Westerfer – moderator

Bob Johnston - moderator