Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

June 18, 2007

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Today’s Stories

~**~**~

 From: The Humble Man
Bill Walker
missourisage@yahoo.com
I spend a lot of time reading of the life and times of our
savior Jesus Christ. The most humble man that every walked on this
earth, bar none. I look around and think of the many preachers,
and preacher types I have come across in my life time. This runs to
all kinds of church and church type of beliefs. There are few that
can make the claim of being anyways close to humble.

It makes one wonder about the way some of these people act, and live.
I know some do live a very humble life style, those I have no beef
with. I also think the man should have the normal things that one needs
in this life. I see no reason for him and family to be fighting for
the normal needs of every day of life.

I hear l at the small run down hanging on church that I go to, we will
be blessed with a retired preacher this Sunday. I wonder about this
poor humble man. He will pull into town with a fancy motor home
trailer, with a car hooked on behind. He will be decked out in a fine
suit of clothes, with rings on fingers, at least 3 of those, with big
diamonds. His darling wife will be the same, with gold chains hanging
about the neck. We will get the story, how God has been good to him and
his family. This is to a small crowd of people who are not much
better off then the church mouse.

These are the kind of humble people that I am speaking of. I wonder
about  these. I wonder if they could rub shoulders with the humble
man of so many years ago? The man, that had just maybe the needs of
the day. A little to make it through the day, and no more.

I also believe if the humble man of  many years ago would pull up on his
donkey, he might get the cold shoulder from the traveling man with his
fine duds, and fancy motor home, and car.

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

~**~**~

 Don’t Let the Wrapper Fool You
Marsha Jordan

Grocery shopping is hard work. With so many artificial additives in food, you have to scrutinize the gobbledegook on labels to be sure of what you’re getting.

Have you ever bought something you thought was meat and then discovered upon closer inspection that it wasn’t meat at all? What in the world is a byproduct, anyway? According to Webster’s Dictionary, byproduct means an outgrowth, offshoot, or consequence of something else. What is an "outgrowth" or "consequence" of meat, and should we be eating it?

It’s important to read labels on the backs of packages because what’s on the front is often misleading. Unsuspecting parents buy so-called fruit snacks for their kids, thinking they are a nutritious alternative to junk food. In reality, they are 99 percent sugar with imitation fruit flavor and a bunch of chemicals thrown in, which I can’t even pronounce. Why not just give your kid a banana? Advertising for juice drinks is just as misleading. Mostly water and sugar, they aren’t even close to being real juice from a real fruit.

The problem of confusing labels and deceiving wrappers extends beyond the grocery store. In life, as well as on the pantry shelf, things wrapped in pretty packages often contain stuff that’s not good for us and may even be dangerous. Likewise, what is good for our character sometimes doesn’t look appealing at first glance.

For instance, God has wonderful gifts planned for us; but they often come "wrapped" in bad situations. Do you want to be strong and resilient, able to persevere and emerge victorious? These traits come from suffering through trials. Want to be patient? It’s a result of waiting and waiting and trusting while you wait some more. We live in a world that focuses on instant gratification, so we are often so focused on the outside wrapping that we miss out on the gift inside.

Your desire is to be happy, but God’s desire is for you to be holy. Yes, He wants to bless you, but the blessings He has in mind are things like strength and endurance. We often whine when these gifts come our way because we don’t like the way they’re wrapped.

When things seem hopeless to me and I can’t imagine why God would allow a bad situation, I think about the day Jesus died. Imagine how his mother felt, standing at the foot of the cross looking up at her dying son who had been tortured. She must have wondered how and why God would allow such a situation. Imagine how the disciples of Jesus felt when He was arrested and killed. They had hoped that He would become an earthly king. They must have been devastated and confused. Yet, we know that the death of Jesus was a wonderful thing because of what it meant for us. At the time that He was dying, though, it must have seemed like God had made a terrible mistake or didn’t care what was happening.

Let’s admit it. We don’t know what God has mind. Things may look awful to us, but there may be a very good reason for them to be happening. It just hasn’t become apparent yet.

Just as our children don’t know what’s best for them, we as God’s children often don’t understand what we need either. We’re convinced that life should be easy and happy all the time, but our Father knows better.

Isaiah 30:18 says, "The Lord longs to be gracious to you." If you look for God’s gifts, you’ll find them. But don’t be distracted by the outward appearance. Trust that God has a great gift for you inside that unattractive wrapper.

Submitted by Marsha Jordan

Creator of the Hugs and Hope Foundation for Sick Children

Author of "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter"

Web Site: www.hugsandhope.org

Email: hugsandhope@gmail.com

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Poetry Corner

~**~**~

You Are………. My Butterfly

Tanja Cilia

You brought colour to my life….

You helped me to select the sweet from the bitter

You showed me how to take things lightly

You helped me soar above

My worries

You helped me spread my wings.

You are my butterfly, and I love you.

Monochrome vistas of grey

Are now suffused in colour

Never were poppies so crimson

Or daffodils so yellow.

Green apples and honey

Mint and liquorice and ginger, and

Stamens of the honeysuckle

Were never so real. So now. So sensual.

You are my butterfly.

Diving into the cool water

Feeling the warmth of a puppy

Touching an empty cocoon

Listening to the rain

Seeing the sun set

Hearing the rustle of leaves

Were never so aesthetic

As they has become since I

Met you. For you are

My Butterfly.

You are my inspiration, the love of

My Life. My Butterfly.

Tanja Cilia

tanjachilja@hotmail.com

~**~**~

A Prayer For Peace
Cynthia Groopman

Oh Heavenly Father, please open our hearts and minds,
So that we may readily understand
That there is an urgent need to end the hatred
and chaos existing in each and every land.
Let us gather together,
Join hands, sing songs in brotherhood and harmony,
As the bell of freedom proclaims peace and liberty.
Oh Lord, grant us days that have blue cloudless skies,
Where bluebirds proclaim eternal happiness
And where white doves peacefully fly.
May warfare be put to an immediate end,
And may a foe become a loyal and trusted friend.
All of the misgiving of the past,
We shall forget and forgive.
So that our hearts will be carefree
And in peace and joy we shall live.

Cynthia Groopman
cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net
Copyright ©2004 Cynthia L. Groopman  

 ~**~**~

 A Tribute To My Brother
Cynthia Groopman

Standing before me is a man so handsome and so compassionate too,
He is caring and sharing to me and to you.
He is so gifted with a keen and open mind,
And he is like a precious and valuable jewel, so difficult to find.
His beaming smile and laugh adds brightness to everyone's day,
And this wonderful man is none other than my brother, Jay.
As a child, he had sparkling eyes of a radiant blue,
And he would play happily all day through.
He would smile radiant like the sunshine's magical glow,
And his voice was like a musical bell, so melodically low.
The years raced by so very fast,
And the blissful innocence of youth did not last,
He became a cheerful optimistic man,
Helping others in every way that he can.
For this loving person I am honored to have as my brother,
And he is one of a kind, and like him there is no other.
May God shower his blessing upon you, dear Jay
And may your life be spiritually rich, zestful and happy in everyway.

Cynthia L. Groopman
cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net
Copyright ©2004 Cynthia L. Groopman

My Father's Hand

Cynthia Groopman

Firm but gentle was my father's hand,

Holding mine as we would happily stroll down life's exciting land.

When I was a child, my hand he would take,

Many walks we would joyfully take.

Oh, those were treasured times,

Adorned by the golden love of radiant sunshine.

When he was older

and frail, I would take his weakened hand,

for his wish was my command.

When he was taking his last breath,

I gently caressed

his hand prior to his death.

Reassuring me when I began the journey of life,

My dad's hand would protect me from harm and soothe my

fearful strife.

Before he left his earthly home to depart to the enchanted

land,

I reassured my dad with comfort by squeezing his hand.

Oh, dad, you had a hand of gold and it was so strong,

On this father's day, for you lovingly yearn and deeply long.

Cynthia L. Groopman
cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

Readers Feedback

 Carol,
    Thanks for making me part of Storytime's wonderful Father's Day celebration. 
I have never read so many wonderful stories about Father's in one place before.
Wishing you every joy, Joe

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