Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

September 29, 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

Dean Perchick

http://symzonia.blogspot.com

I'd like to tell you about a new website that I discovered and now love where all of your favorite authors can be heard on video from your own computer!

The website is Bookvideos.tv and is coming to you from Simon & Schuster publishing. Check it out at: http://www.bookvideos.tv! You won't be sorry you did.

Today’s Announcement

Happy Birthday wishes go out to two of our favourite writers;

Joe Mazzella: joecool@wirefire.com

Helen Dowd: hmdowd@telus.net

Don’t forget to send them your birthday wishes and or cards.

Today’s Stories

Reading Movies

Jennifer Oliver

In the darkness of the movie theatre, everyone erupted with laughter. I elbowed my sister.

"What did they say that was so funny?" I whispered.

She waved me off like a fly bugging her.

"I'll tell you later," she said, her eyes glued to the screen.

Other times in the movie theatre, I swallowed my ignorance by laughing along with the audience even though the humor was lost on me. That's the way it was for me, growing up with a profound hearing loss. Yet I was caught up in the entire movie-going experience, from munching on candy bars to waiting with giddy anticipation for the movie to begin. And yet it always turned out the same for me, the chore of distinguishing the good guys from the bad ones. Whatever dialogue or twists in plots that happened along the way was secondary. All that mattered was that the good guys won in the end.

Afterwards I peppered my siblings with questions about the plot and characters. What happened in this scene? Why was that person important? What in the heck was so funny?

There were times when I sat there in the dark with misty eyes, longing to be taken in completely by a movie without having to nudge anyone. Without having to exit the theatre with a lonely sense of disappointment.

One Christmas morning, my parents dragged into the living room a huge box. Under the wrapping paper was a magical world.

A closed-captioned world.

It was a television set with a technical marvel inside that would allow me to "read" shows. I set it up in my bedroom. The first show to pop up was a choir in the rousing midst of "Handel's Messiah." Wide-eyed, I was transfixed by the words flowing across the lower part of the screen, accompanied by musical notes.

I digested one show after another. Dialogue, songs, everything was translated for me. It was all suddenly accessible, and the enormity of this made me break down. I sat there on the edge of my bed, crying softly, white words on black swimming through my tears.

I was 20 years old, and I was finally understanding everything.

When I first met Stephen, I switched on my television set.

"So," I said. "What do you think of those words on the screen?"

"Hey, that's neat," he answered.

And so for thirteen years, Stephen and I drove past movie theatres and scoured video stores for closed-captioned and foreign movies. Stephen did this out of respect for me.

"I don't want to see something we can't appreciate together," he'd always say.

Then I turned thirty-five. I had just had our third baby, and my parents were in town to help us out for a spell. We'd never had to rely on babysitters before, so it was quite a treat when Stephen announced that he was taking me out for my birthday. Just the two of us, while my parents watched our kids.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see!"

We pulled into the parking lot of a theatre in town and stepped up to the window for two tickets. Emblazoned above the ticket window was one word: "Titanic."

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. I knew the whole story and had watched all the previews of this blockbuster with a knot of envy in my stomach. All the old giddy feelings came rushing back to me. We bought sodas and an overpriced tub of buttery popcorn, then entered the dim theatre.

"What in the heck is this?" I asked, lifting up a ring on the armrest.

He slipped my soda into the ring.

"Cool!" I exclaimed. "Hey, look! I can recline in my seat!"

We both laughed at my shock over these "advances" in movie-going experience. I felt like a country girl overwhelmed by the big city.

We held hands throughout the entire movie, which was a visual, panoramic feast just as I had expected. Afterwards we languished there throughout the credits spiel, soaking up as much as we could from our date while Celine Dion serenaded us about her heart going on and on. Soon we were the only ones left behind.

Then I did what I always did when I was a girl.

"Tell me about the part..."

All the way home, Stephen patiently filled in the holes for me. Stephen didn't seem to mind.

And for the first time in my life, I didn't either.

Jennifer Oliver

 ~**~**~
 - Divorce in the Church -

 Joyce C. Lock

According to the faith of some, it is believed, if one has been divorced, God would not and could not call them to be a preacher; as if it would then be impossible for God to use them in such position.  In such cases, the fact that God did call them is never honored or received.  In fact, they might even be blackballed from 'preacher' events.

If one is a preacher, already, and becomes divorced (regardless of circumstances), he is then banned 'from serving in that position' for life.  He either has to step outside of his faith, in order to continue serving, or to accept the spiritual imprisonment mandated; as if to say that God could not possibly ever forgive them, for which is both heart wrenching and contrary to scripture.

And even if it was the preacher who went astray; once his heart is made right, he is ready for active duty, again.

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Psalm 86:5  And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. Romans 11:23  As all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. Matthew 12:31

The argument given is that a preacher can only be the husband of one wife ... for life, or at least until their mate dies.  Others debate that preachers are to only have one wife at a time.

Paul said the wife is the church (Ephesians 5:32), for which theologians agree.  Thus, a true pastor's heart would include marriage to his church.  And unfortunately, as it turns out, some pastor's helpmates are not as committed to it as was thought.

There are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.  He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. Matthew 19:11-12

And some choose to remarry someone with 'more of a heart' for it, as two is still better than one.

A continued argument is that such a preacher did not rule his own house well, even if the spouse is the one who left despite all efforts; which thinking is also in contradiction to scripture as Ezekiel 14 says, four times, you can not save anyone but yourself.  If anyone is still standing for God, after a separating of ways, they did, in fact, rule their own spiritual house very well.

Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 19:29

To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. Lamentations 3:36  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:29

Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge

against the children of thy people, but thou shalt

love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:18

And Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  There is none other commandment greater than these.

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

But the lawyer, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

Yet, God did not answer.  And so, they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Acts 1:24-26

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10:1

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And he said, He that shewed mercy on him.

Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

If you are not free to serve God,

it is not yet the truth.

John 8:31-32 (par.)

For this is the love of God, that we

keep his commandments: and his

commandments are not grievous.

1 John 5:3

The steps of a good man are ordered by

the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Psalm 37:23

John bare witness of him, and cried,

saying, This was he of whom I spake, He

that cometh after me is preferred before me:

for he was before me.  And of his fulness

have all we received, and grace for grace.

John 1:15-16

© 2007 by Joyce C. Lock, KJV
http://iam.homewithGod.com/glimpsesofgod/

This article may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

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