Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

July 31, 2007

Publishers Favourite Sites:

Rosanne Catalano

http://www.rosannecatalano.net/

Michael Smith

http://subs.zinester.com/86758/

Barbara Weymouth

penwormprayerwarriors-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Helen Dowd

www.occupytillicome.com

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A very special Happy Birthday greeting goes out to our beloved chief researcher and historian, our very own Hartson Dowd:  hsdowd@telus.net

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Today’s Stories

~**~**~

NOBODY APPRECIATES ME
by Marsha Jordan
Email: hugsandhope@gmail.com

Have you ever felt forgotten, neglected, unappreciated, or unloved? Haven’t we all?

Joseph, a prophet of God, was mistreated by his jealous brothers and just about everybody else he encountered. His brothers sold him as a slave and told their dad he'd been killed by a wild animal. With relatives like that, who needs enemies? But that was only the beginning of Joseph’s trials.

He worked as a slave for a powerful man whose conniving wife tried repeatedly to seduce him. Though he refused her advances, she didn’t give up. One day when she and Joseph were alone in the house, she pulled off his robe and he escaped in his underwear! The woman was so angry, she lied to her husband, saying Joseph had raped her. This, of course, did not go over well with Joseph’s master. He threw Joseph into prison with the ex-cupbearer of the king.

Thanks to Joseph's efforts, the cupbearer was released. When the cupbearer returned to his job in the palace, instead of showing his gratitude to Joseph by putting in a good word for him with the King, the cupbearer totally forgot about his pal in prison. Joseph spent two more years locked up. I can only imagine what he was feeling and thinking about his former cell mate and disloyal friend. If you were in his shoes, (or should I say chains?) how would you feel? Would you think that perhaps doing good was a waste of time and maybe you should never help anyone ever again?

Have you ever done favors for ungrateful people? It hurts when kindness is not appreciated or even acknowledged. Jesus knew that pain too. While walking through a town one day, he came upon ten men suffering from Leprosy. These men were outcasts. Nobody wanted to come near them for fear of catching the horrible disease. Lepers had to leave their families to live in quarantined colonies. Once diagnosed with leprosy, they could never touch another human being or be touched by anyone. Can you imagine how lonely they must have felt? And when they accidentally came close to someone, they were required to yell out "unclean!" so the person could get away from them. Talk about feeling rejected and unloved!

But there was someone who did care about these men. Jesus had compassion and healed them. Predictably, when the men were healed, they immediately ran to see their friends and families. In their excitement, nine of the ten forgot to even say thank you to Jesus. Only one returned to show his gratitude for receiving his life back. If even Jesus was unappreciated for the good He did, we can’t expect to receive any better treatment. People are thoughtless sometimes. It's easy to become angry and bitter when that happens, but neither Joseph the prophet nor Jesus the son of God reacted that way. They are examples for us to follow.

When we remember why we do good for others, it helps us forget about being forgotten. If we're doing good simply for the sake of doing good, our satisfaction won't depend upon the recipient's response. We know that our acts of kindness are seen by God, so it doesn't really matter if anyone here on earth acknowledges what we've done. Our reward comes from the one we are seeking to imitate. His opinion is the one that counts.

And speaking of being forgotten and unappreciated, consider how much God has done for us that we don't remember to thank Him for!

Marsha Jordan
Email: hugsandhope@gmail.com

Thank you,

Marsha Jordan

www.hugsandhope.org/mj.htm

Author of "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter"

~**~**~

Rainbow Bridge Gang, Muffy

Tinker and Poo

tinkerpoo2000@yahoo.com

Missy and her gang were just about all talked out, and was kind of well resting up, when up the lane came another Golden. She was so bouncy, well we all are you know, after all we left age, hurts and sickness there.  None of that came along, we are full of life and have the spring step like we did as kids.  Anyways we got her to stop and join our growing group.  Goodness this is a mob, we were overjoyed that she did so. 

We found out her name is Muffy, and she lived in Australia. I, Tink had to explain to Poo where that is, he didn't know.  Told him we wouldn't have any problem, they speak English also. Just talk a little funny at times, you know that proper stuff. 

Muffy told us while the Angels were getting her towel, blankets, bed and bowls for her.  She told us about her people, that she left behind.  Said couldn't have had better people and care, she really hated to leave them. 

But today June 26, 2007 at 4 PM it was time to come to home. Her health just wasn't so good, and she had lived a good life. She was with her family to the last breath, and she was thankful for that. She took care of them for 16 years, and got them trained, now it was time to come home.  Isn't that what we all do, live with our family for so long, get them trained, and make them think it is the other way around.

Don't stand by my grave and weep, I am not there but here, waiting for you to someday come running up the lane. Muffy and others will go running to meet you.  That would be Wayne, Janet, and Deb, our humans.  Oh what a happy time that will be. To run and play with them again, we all will be young, full of life and have the spring step of kids once again.

In the time waiting, we all will run, play, and just enjoy getting waited on by our Special Angel.  You know each of us has a Special Angel.

The only sad thing is not having our humans here right now, but we know some day.

Till that day, we all will watch the lane for you.  Muffy, Missy, Gus, and many others. .

After dinner to night whats the movie Poo?  Oh Tink. it is Muffy comes home.

***********************************************************************************************

Poem Special wrote for Muffy

It’s Never Easy

It's never easy to say good-byes
When they speak to us with their eyes.
When their bodies are tired, weak and old,
And the love we've shared becomes pure gold.

The measure of friendship is put to the test,
When the showing is finished and it's time to rest.
From deep in their hearts their eyes will ask,
" Please ease my pain " - your most difficult task.

There's joy in the memories, treasure them all,
Winning a ribbon or chasing a ball.
So go now, you're free, to run and to play,
Where the sun always shines, day after day.

For the Master you serve now is gracious and fair,
And he'll love you and guide you until I am there.
_________________

Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

~**~**~

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

Oh Wondrous Creation!

Cheryl Williams

The scent of the pines lays fresh on the morning air;

The sunlight filters through without a single care;

The birds strike a chorus and the melody is sweet;

Oh, wondrous creation!  God's love is complete.

The sound of water rushing down the falls;

The trickle of a nearby stream;

The gentle rain falling to the sweet earth;

Oh, wondrous creation!  More than a dream.

The foam capped waves of the ocean

Rush to a distant shore;

The seagulls dance on a gentle breeze;

Oh, wondrous creation!  They could not ask for more.

Sunlight breaks through the clouds

Giving warmth to all;

Moonlight breaks through the darkness

Oh, wondrous creation! You shine your light on all.

Cheryl Williams

~**~**~

Ancient Eyes

Cheryl Williams

Ancient eyes lined the wall

framed as if to contain

spirits restless...I remember those eyes,

but their searching was in vain.

Just a brown-eyed little girl

who would slowly tiptoe past,

not a care...until she looked up

and then she would run so fast.

Day after day it happened;

She would climb the stairs to the top,

walk by slowly...just daring those eyes

to somehow make her stop.

She could see that they were moving,

following her along the way;

Ancient eyes...staring, condemning,

placing fear into her day.

She used to wonder who they were,

what made them come to life:

Ancient eyes... always searching,

filling her days with strife.

She used to tell her mama

about the portraits that came alive;

Mama would smile and say, "You've quite

an imagination for a girl of only five."

But to this day, it seems so real;

I'm afraid of those stairs yet;

The way those ancient eyes followed me

tis something I will never forget.

Cheryl Williams

Storytime Tapestry Angels

Angels on earth, they exist they are out there.  Angels come in all ages, shapes and sizes, civil status, and religion.  Their nature is love and their purpose is giving to the less fortunate of this world.  Storytime Tapestry angels are no exception.  These angels are loyal members who have contributed to the upkeep of Storytime Tapestry newsletter so that Storytime Tapestry can continue come to your email box 350 days of the year.

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, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Maria Keller