Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

Jan 17, 2007

Today’s Announcements

This is Normie; arrived home from hospital last night.  will be at my daughters temporarily until I feel stronger.  Dr said I showed all symptoms of that old flu that is so rampant.  Tks for the prayers and try to stay away from that germ.  xo  Normie p.s. I can pickup my yahoo mail here but not my road runner Normie:  hoopla214@yahoo.com

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Today’s Stories

~**~**~

Resurrection Banquet

By

Chris Hansen

Are you looking forward to the resurrection banquet?

“On this mountain, The Lord Almighty will prepare

a feast of rich food

for all peoples,

a banquet of aged wine

the best of meats

and the finest of wines.

On this mountain He will destroy

The shroud that enfolds all peoples,

The sheet that covers all nations

He will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will

Wipe away the tears from all faces

He will

Remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day, they will say,

“Surely this is our God;

we trusted in Him,

and He saved us.

This is the Lord,

We trusted in Him,

Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”,”

(Isaiah 25:6-9 New International Version.)

Notice that I have arranged the lines according to the parallel poetic style common in Hebrew poetry in which lines parallel the thought of the lines before.  Sometimes these parallel thoughts are arranged in alternating patterns. 

Let’s use a bit of imagination at this point.  You have put your faith in Jesus.  The end of the ages has come at last.  You find yourself standing on the mountain of the Lord!  You are escorted into a grand banquet hall.  You are seated at a table spread with the best of meats and the finest of wines.  All around you are seated people that you knew to be dead, yet here they are very much alive.  All around you are seated people you knew to be very old, yet here they are young and vibrant.  Next to you are people you knew to be gravely ill, yet here they are completely well.  The great doors open, and a hush falls over the vast crowd.  The Lord Jesus begins his majestic entrance.  A grand ceremony begins.  At this ceremony it is officially announced that death has been abolished forever.  Then, one by one, guests are called up to meet the Lord.  Each guest is rewarded by the Lord and comforted by him as he tenderly wipes tears from each face.  Then, a spontaneous cheer erupts from the crowd as the ceremony ends.

“Surely this is our God;

We trusted in Him and He saved us.

This is the Lord.

We trusted in Him.

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

And the celebration continues on throughout the rest of the ages

I wrote about this scene in my book “Revelation Revisited,” in chapter 19.  This reminds me of several anecdotes regarding this passage.  I was teaching about this in my senior adult Sunday school class. I had just finished painting in words this dramatic banquet.  Then, I described one possible scene at one of the banqueting tables.  Two British Christians are sitting at the table having a delightful conversation.  One fellow turns to the other and says in his typical British sense of humor, “I say, old chap! Weren’t you dead?”

In another anecdote, I was teaching about this passage at my local rescue mission.  I asked humorously, “How many of you are glad to know there will be wine in heaven!”  An expected cheer went up from the group.  Then, I added, “Now, how many of you have gotten in trouble for drinking too much wine, here on earth!”  They laughed good naturedly at themselves, as I expected.

In yet another anecdote, I met a lady who is a precious believer who tragically lost her sight and who endured the death of her believing son.  I described this wonderful banquet and told her “I fully expect to see you at the banquet embracing your son!  My family and I will smile as we watch with anticipation, and then we’ll come over to say hello.” 

Those outside the banquet will be filled with everlasting regret.

Those inside the banqueting hall will be filled with everlasting gratitude.

The believers are able to say, “Thank you Jesus!”

The unbelievers with quite a different spirit say, “Thanks a lot, Jesus!”

Gratitude makes all the difference!   

Chris Hansen

chrishansen54@sbcglobal.net

~**~**~

A Very Sad January Evening
By:Cynthia Groopman

It seems as though it were only yesterday, when the sad incident
occurred on a cold wintry day of January 11, 1975 but more than 32
years have flown by as quick as an eagle.
For the first 25 years of my life, my dearest grandma Rose lived with us
in our five and one-half room apartment in Long Island city. She helped
to raise my brother and me from baby hood as tiny twins, to adulthood,
giving us nurturing care, love and then wisdom and encouragement.
I was chatting with my grandma that evening about 5 P.M.
We were laughing and her smile was as bright as the radiant sunshine on
a summer's morning.
She was talking in Yiddish, her mother tongue. She spoke English well,
but as she aged, at times, she resorted to speaking the language of her
youth.
She was 87 years old, frail and the dynamic strong lady was failing.
Her love and warmth were strong and I grasped her hand tenderly. She
pinched my cheek as she normally did. I was in my 20's but that ritual
of cheek pinching began when I was two years old.
 Somehow I felt so special when she did that.
My mom and dad were watching TV in their bedroom. I was just relaxing
with grandma as she sat opposite me in her bedroom on her favorite
chair.
Suddenly without warning, she fell off the chair and landed at my feet.
With presence of mind, I walked over to her, and felt her pulse, etc.
She was conscious but not able to talk. I knew that she had a stroke of
some kind because she was not the same for many weeks. Agitation
enveloped her one night and she was unable to sleep.
Immediately I called 911, dashed into my dad's and mom's room and told
them the bad news.
Sirens were piercing and soon paramedics were at our door. It was the
police department at that time since they handled emergency calls.
Grandma was lifted onto a stretcher and taken to the hospital and I rode
with her in the ambulance. That was my first occasion to do that and not
my last. I was thinking of the other time she rode in the back of an
ambulance when my mom was coming from the country to the city in
emergency condition to give birth and grandma was reassuring her. Now it
was my turn to do so. I sang to her prayed with her and tears were
flowing from my eyes onto my face.
Grandma never came home after her hospital experience. She was in the
geriatric center for 3 years. She aged and we would visit her, and she
would pinch my cheek and smile at me. That part of her never was not
affected as a result of the stroke.
Whenever January 11 rolls around, my heart aches and as I sit in her
former room, and gaze lovingly and nostalgically at her picture on the
wall, I feel her presence.
Although Grandma was no longer in the room physically, her spiritual
presence will forever abide there.

Cynthia Groopman
Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

~**~**~

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

~Shades~

Mary Dees

I have changed the colors in my life,

Now they are changing me.

No more representation of failure,

Ironed on my old coat sleeve.

Folded neatly and tucked away,

Remembrances of the hues,

While finger paints, chalks and crayons,

Document the blue.

With much faith in my new found integrity,

The gold tones surround me with warm light.

Paper white, ink and lead, 

Now fill the empty in my life.

So templates designed to instill fear:

Sown with the dark, the dreary, the gray.

Do not intimidate me in the least,

I have lived through many shade.

By Mary M. Dees

marlena7694@yahoo.com

~**~**~

·        Lost Without Him

·        Norma Liles

When I think of all His blessings

When I count them one by one

I am amazed that He could love me

I would be "Lost without Him'

As I view the world around me

Of all the sin and danger awaiting me

I can scarcely control my rage

until I realize, ''I'd be Lost without HIm'

He must know how I feel at times

He has to know the grief and troubles

He suffered the cross alone, so alone

But today, I have Him 'Lost without Him'

Have you heard what I have heard

Have you heard the gentle knocking

Your heart's door should remain open

To keep from being 'Lost without Him.'

NormaLee Liles ©

Hoopla214@aol.com

Jan 3, 2007

Readers Feedback

Thank you, Carol!

I've received the tapestry featuring my column. I feel indeed inspired!

  Thank you very much!

Jastine

Jennifer,

I just wanted to say how touched and amazed I was from this very powerful memory-story you have told here.  You did the right thing -- what those girls did was nothing short of horrendous.  No one should be treated liked that!  I was also very humbled by the understanding your professor had -- I'm not sure I would be able to forgive that easily.  Great story!

Sincerely yours,

David Fox

davidirafox@yahoo.com

Dear carol,

Please publish this in your feedback column, since I wish to share my comments and thoughts with the many readers. You have become my family, bringing me inspiration of all kinds through stories and poems. You have made me laugh, made me think, made me yearn for the good old days, made me cry and also pray. I pray for all of you who need prayer requests and God's healing.

I am motivated intrinsically by reading stories and poems and then become involved in trying to create a story and poem that will appeal to all of you.

Again, Carol, thanks for such a wonderful email list where we can share our innermost feelings desires, dreams, yearnings and hopes. God bless the readers, the people who contribute and the people who make this possible through diligent work. warmly and blessings. cynthia

 Jastine that is hard.... very interesting article about student life's in China... TANNIA

Hi Carol.  Getting caught up on my mail and saw the contest results.  Sure puts me in with good company.  Thanks to you and everyone, and congrats to the other writers.  Nice job on the 2nd, and good for Sharon.  She's a great writer.  Getting ready for a winter storm tonight and probably the rest of the week.  Looks like another 14 hour day.  They say you get used to it, but "they" aren't the ones doing it.  I think the end of this year will be it.  Gonna hang it up and sit for awhile.  25 years of it...(sigh)  Bob  Shaw

Dear Jastine:

Nin hao-ma?
Wo hen hao!

Your story on V is outstanding. It has excellent cultural perception. It is written in perfect English. Of course, there are Americans who work only and choose no V. Most students, however, receive many and long vacations -- too much V! This is why Chinese people have Tai Chi, Yoga, and other meditations, to realign the emotions. Your story is great.

My family and I hosted a teacher from Fujian Province a few years ago, Mrs. Chen Liming. We have an invitation to visit China.

Are you now in China? If so, where, and what dialect do you speak, Mandarin/Bejing?

All the best to you!

Xiexie!
Zai Chen!
Mr. Vance Agee

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