Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

Jan 20, 2007

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Today’s Stories

~**~**~

Life: Your Perfect Teacher

Robin Lee

Many of us long to find a spiritual teacher or guru. We may feel unsure of how to practice our spirituality without one, or we may long for someone who has attained a higher level of insight to lead the way for us. Some of us have been looking for years to no avail and feel frustrated and even lost. The good news is that the greatest teacher you could ever want is always with you-that is your life.

The people and situations we encounter every day have much to teach us when we are open to receiving their wisdom. Often we don't recognize our teachers because they may not look or act like our idea of a guru, yet they may embody great wisdom. In addition, some people teach us by showing us what we don't want to do. All the situations in our lives, from the insignificant to the major, conspire to teach us exactly what we need to be learning at any given time. Patience, compassion, perseverance, honesty, letting go-all these are covered in the classroom of the teacher that is your life.

We can help ourselves to remember this perfect teacher each day with a few simple words. Each morning we might find a moment to say, "I acknowledge and honor the teacher that is my life. May I be wise enough to recognize the teachers and lessons that I encounter today, and may I be open to receiving their wisdom." We might also take some time each day to consider what our lives are trying to teach us at this time. A difficult phase in your relationship with your child may be teaching you to let go. The homeless person you see every day may be showing you the boundaries of your compassion and generosity. A spate of lost items may be asking you to be more present to physical reality. Trust your intuition on the nature of the lesson at hand, work at your own pace, and ask as many questions as you want. Your life has all the answers.

Robin Lee

onespiritx3@yahoo.com

~**~**~

Keepers
Doris Fandal

He's a keeper, she said as she told her friend about
her newest boyfriend.  He's a keeper, he said as he
drew in the fishing line and pulled in a big fish.
She's a keeper, they said when they found someone who
was a perfect baby sitter for the baby.
What are keepers?  Are you a keeper?  To me a keeper
is someone or something that we love and want to keep
with us always.  We have friends who remain our
friends for a lifetime; they are certainly keepers.
We have items that we treasure and don't want to throw
away.  I have items that I have kept since I was a
child; they are certainly keepers for me.  Someone who
comes into my house and sees all of my "keepers" might
wonder, "Why has she kept all of that junk?"  They
just do not know that all of that "junk" is a part of
my life, a part of my past and a part of my future.
Getting rid of those items is not an easy task and is
almost like throwing away a bit of my heart. But, some
of my keepers need to go.  I am getting older and some
of the keepers will not be loved by others when I am
gone.  I am working on a system for my keepers.  I am
going through all of them and making decisions. Will I
keep this for a while?  Will I throw this one away?
Will I put this one in a box and store it in the
attic?  As I make my decisions, I am realizing some of
those "keepers" are no longer important to me but
there are some that I just have to keep.  So I sort
and rearrange; store and throw away but as I do all of
this, I have wonderful days full of wonderful memories
that I will cherish in my heart.
Are you a keeper?  Yes, you are.  My friends are
keepers that will not be put aside or forgotten.
Material objects are keepers that might be disposable;
friends are keepers forever.   Am I a keeper?  I think
I am because after all, my husband married me almost
46 years ago and  he has not sent me  away. 
© Doris B. Fandal
mkayla38@yahoo.com

~**~**~

Two Leaders and Others
Bill Walker
missourisage@yahoo.com

This is a tale of two leaders that died in the past few days, and
Others. I think of the Others first. The others was/is just as
important as the two leaders that died. You and I may well fit in the
Others line  when our time comes to depart this earth life.

I was thinking now that I am old and gray, just what has been my reason
for being here? What have I done to make my being here worth
while? I can't say I have done any thing that amounts to a hill of
beans.

But let us think a while on your or my roll in this life. We each
have a place, We may never think we amount to much, but stop and think
about many things. I will try to touch on a few people.

First the Hollywoods. There are the beauty queens of great show
times. These have all the charm and glow that is getting people to
vote them the best of the crop. They learn how to walk, and dance
their way to the top. But do they know you and me after getting to the
top? No way do they, you're just a face in the crowd, and would be
for the most part if you happen to meet one where ever. I can be
walking along minding my own problems, when I happen to see some
lady. I look and goodness this is a doll if I ever seen one. She
is a walking talking Dollie. What’s more, she will say something to
people she happens to meet. Not like the Hollywoods.

Now then we can take this to the political people also. Do these glad
handers know you after they land some government seat? As a rule,
NO. I got your vote, now I am set for life. With out you and
thousands of suckers like you, I would still be like you. Just a face
and a number in the millions of the OTHERS. The Others, the faces in the
crowd, the ones with just a number. Those that are the rank and file,
that puts a few up on the stand to be so important. What would these
few be with out the millions of OTHERS?

We all, through history, have the very few, that push, shove and pull
fast tricks to get to the top. That beauty queen, I have seen far
better beauties in every day life. These I seen aren't selling their
body and soul, or pulling other tricks to get to the stage. These
would be the girl down the street, or next door. These are the nice
girls of every day life. The political hack that sells his soul, or
pulls tricks to get your vote, then never know you the day after. We
all know them, and for some reason we think they are so grand.

Now there were two men that died a few days ago. One was a Hitler
type. He died at the end of a rope. While he was in power, millions
thought he was just grand. I notice some of the numbers dropped off on
this thinking at the end. But he left a mark on things. People
will talk about him for years to come.
The other was a man who by accident became President of these United
States. Now take him and think, he started out and worked his way to
the top, by push and shove. He made it all the way to the top. He
stood out, in a crowd, of millions. He is/was very important. But
with out all the little people, he too would have been just a face, a
number in the millions.

With out the millions of little people, who think they are nothing, has
never done nothing. The world leaders would just be a face, a number
in the crowd of millions. Each and every one when they die, the world
is a bit poorer. That person did make a mark of some kind. Most
of us will never get the big high honors given to the few. Most of
us will just get a crowd of family and a few friends. But those will
be the ones to say a few nice things about the departed and really mean
it.

Yes with out the millions who think that they never amounted to a hill
of beans, the big shots would have never made a hill of beans either.
Every one that every lived played some part in the workings of things.
If you get down to it, every thing plays a part in the workings of this
world we live in. Each makes it possible for the Others to
live. It makes no matter how little one is or how big. Some day
each will be history. So when you visit the grave site of some
important person of the past, remember the millions that placed him
in the high office. With out the millions, this person would be of
little note. Also remember in a song of music, there are many little
notes to make a few big notes stand out.


Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

~ Your Ship~

 Mary Dees

I am your ship now -

My ocean deep and steady.

Exact as a compass,

Our lighthouse shines ready.

I see the precautions you took,

Before you climbed on board.

But you sat in the captains seat,

And wanted me to explore.

I am your vessel,

The bruised wood is my heart.

You pace across my soul,

Alone in the dark.

At the helm you steer me -

I sail you through.

Together becoming one,

On an ocean of truth.

Though my deck is splintered,

My plank shows no tread.

My execution began slowly,

During your storm of dread.

The splashes of salt water,

That tap your face are my tears,

As you navigate to my island,

Where my skeletons appear.

Jump out if you must -

My tide is complex.

I will offer you my beach -

I will wait while you rest.

The sand, my hands,

Will blanket every inch of your skin.

The thirst in your heart,

Will need my water again.

Will you swim back with quickness?

Will your breath warm me again?

My ship will need guidance,

Before we can begin.

Though my oars are to small,

To offer assistance,

If you release my sails,

There will be no resistance.

Our sunset is oil,

On the water of time.

Paint me red orange -

Go west toward the line.

Just one last coat,

 And I'll be shiny and new.

Give me your name -

Your heart is my crew.

But please toss the anchor.

Don't allow me to drift.

Will you come back for me my captain?

Remember, I am your ship.

By Mary M. Dees

marlena7694@yahoo.com

~**~**~

The Potter's Wheel

Sandra Lewis Pringle

In this world, so full of madness,

when some things, just can't be real,

we gain strength from our Master,

Who remains at the Potter's wheel.

It spins as He molds,

with His two loving hands,

shaping, forming, creating

one of His Master plans.

Nothing is too difficult or impossible,

for Him to design;

He pours forth His love into each and every work,

a love which is divine.

His hands gently guide and mold,

with His, oh, so perfect, touch.

The wheel keeps on spinning,

as He sits and works,

loving us so much.

Our lives all twist and turn,

as we, in earnest, strive,

to please Him in every way,

as we ride the swelling tides.

In a time when He's so needed,

and we think He's so far, far away.

He's still sitting at the Potter's wheel,

working with His clay.

© Sandra Lewis Pringle

I also would like to make an announcement.

I am currently making laminated bookmarks,

with healing verses and a healing prayer.

I will be adding many more to this work,

as there are all types of healings which need to take place.

As the Holy Spirit leads,

I will be working on new prayers,

new poetry.

If you think you would like to receive details,

about the bookmarks,

please contact me directly.

Sandra Lewis Pringle

SLPEnt1@aol.com

~**~**~

"BY THE SEA"
Tim Kevin

The water trickled back out to sea
Sweeping the morning sands clean
Erasing slowly all traces of you an me
Maybe it was just some imagined scene
-
Or a bad joke played on a lover's dream
The footprints in the sand are long gone
And the passion like a fading moonbeam
Has been abandoned and lost it's steam
-
Sands shift and blow in the wind again
Like images of a love always on the move
Ever changing promises hard to contain
In a relationship with nothing left to prove
-
I hope the storm clouds stay out to sea
So you can sleep away this dream we had
Knowing that it was something not to be
An cherish the happy times an not the sad
-
By Irish Warlock

irishwarlock@webtv.net
Copyright © 2005 - Irish Warlock, All Rights Reserved.

Readers Feedback

   Tonia Goslett - May 2005 - May 2006 - What heartbreak!  I am a horse lover and have lost a few but it is always agonizing!  You did the humane thing!  Quickly find another to love as well!       Louise

 Resurrection Banquet from Chris Hansen was an interesting story. I taught religious ed to adolescents and found myself just like Cris making some type of joke every now and then to catch their attention and to make my point. However, I am currently reading one of my son Pedro's book, A knight quest - a journey into manhood, written by Mark Creek and it also talks about the king banquet. In this book a newly knight must go on a quest of finding seven jewels for the crown of the king. This book is well written and encourages the reader to keep going. The theme goes alone very well with Chris's story... Something to think about, wine in heaven, uh? count me in! TANNIA

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Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt

Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker

Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley

Surinder Jandu

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; Grisham, Mary-Ellen; 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; Meeks, Carol; Mizrany, Mary Carter; Morris, Deepak; Ojeibge, Georgewaters; Petry, Dianna Doles; Pringle, Sandra Lewis; Roberts, Susan; Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Smith; Michael; 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