Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

December 30, 2007

Today’s Announcement

Happy Birthday B.J. Cassady BJ.Cassady@af-group.com from all your friends at Storytime Tapestry.

Please keep me in your prayers I have to have a biopsy on Monday.  They found a mass growing on my thyroid...both sides.  I went to www.mayoclinic.com and looked it up.  My doctor was all upset when the results from an emergency room CAT scan report came across his desk.  He asked me if the Doctors in the hospital discussed their findings with me.  I told him no.  He almost said they dropped the ball but cut himself short.  I knew what he was talking about.  My lymph nodes are swollen in my chest and he is asking for another CAT in April.  In October I found three of them swollen under my arm.  It frightened me and I made an appointment with him.  He told me it was a good thing I had come in when I did because something had been festering for a long time.  I had the CAT scan on the ninth of November.  Now we know what had been festering.

When I read the report from the Mayo clinic I understood what had been happening to me for the last two years.  I had dropped forty five pounds.  Not that I'm complaining..NOT...lol

I will keep you informed.  Also a friend of mine, I graduated with her, has a husband and they discovered he has prostate cancer...it's in it's beginning stages.  His name is Howard Collingsworth.  Keep them in prayer too.

Hugs  Janice

The Latest on Matt’s Mom is that she has kidney stones, please continue to pray from her recovery.

Why not help out Storytime Tapestry with its ongoing commitment to provide you with free wonderful stories and poems daily by purchasing the publisher’s newest book for someone special on your holiday gift giving list this year.  Angels Watching Over Me can be published through lulu press in both hard copy and e-book.  Just click on the link: Angels Watching Over Me

Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

Today’s Christmas Stories

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ValueSpeak
A Weekly Column
By Joseph Walker

valuespeak@msn.com

 A CHRISTMAS WISH LIST FOR YOU

 I’ve been thinking about you.

 No, really.  I have.  Every week about this time I think about you a LOT.  And this being the holiday season and all, I’ve even been thinking about what I could get you for Christmas.  But I’ve got to be honest with you.  We’ve only been Christmas shopping a couple of times this season, and already my debit card has been worn smooth and my leather checkbook is lathered up and gasping for air.  And it’s been so long since I had anything green in my wallet that it gets the shakes every time we walk past a salad bar.

Still, I’ve been thinking.  If it’s really true that “it’s the thought that counts,” maybe you’ll be just as pleased to find out what I’ve been thinking about getting for you.  That way I can stay within the charred remains of my holiday budget, and you’ll only have to think about writing a “thank you” note in return.

The first thing I wanted to get for you was some “Peace of Mind.”  But do you have any idea how hard that is to find these days?  I looked in all the usual places – you know, Position, Power, Wealth, Status, Fame and Stuff Like That – but I couldn’t find it anywhere.  It occurred to me that maybe it’s something that you’re going to have to find on your own.  I’d suggest a good hard look at Personal Integrity, for starters.  If you can’t find it there, try Honesty, Loyalty and Self-Control.  And if you haven’t yet made room for God in your life, this might be a good time to discover the “Peace of Mind” that He offers.

The next thing I was thinking about getting for you is “Success,” but I wasn’t sure what size to get.  Do you need an extra large, complete with mansions, limousines and a jet set lifestyle?  Or would you prefer something more modest – perhaps a medium – with its three-bedroom ramblers, minivans and occasional vacations?

Of course, that assumes you’re going to choose the traditional Success package, with its attendant angst, frustration and rate-race mentality.  You may wish to go in a different direction to find the kind of Success that best suits you.  I’d recommend the “No Other Success Can Compensate for Failure in the Home” line.  It’s quite expensive in terms of work, consistency and love, but the results can be incredibly satisfying.

And finally I was thinking about getting you a big bag of “Happiness” – not the fleeting kind of pleasure that makes us happy-for-now, but the real thing: whole-souled, enduring, tragedy-defying and joyful.  But everyone says you can’t buy that, so I guess you’re going to be on your own for this one, too.  I can’t tell you for sure where you’re going to find it.  But I can tell you that a few places where you won’t find it – like a bar, for example.  Or a casino.  And you won’t find it in a syringe, a new car, a larger paycheck, a significant honor, an elaborate meal, a pack of cigarettes or even – believe it or not – a box of chocolates.

In fact, it has been my experience that real happiness isn’t something you find; it finds you.  And it is more a consequence of choices than a choice itself.  But I know it has something to do with those other two gifts – “Peace of Mind” and “Success.”

And a lot to do with “Love.”

Which, come to think of it, is something else I’ve been thinking about picking up for you.  As with all of my other gifts for you this Christmas, however, that’s something you’d best find on your own.  But I do wish you “Success” in finding it.

Not to mention “Happiness” and “Peace of Mind.”

Merry Christmas!

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Christmas Poetry Corner

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WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU RESPECTED CAROL, AND

DEAR BELOVED ONES; THE  CHILD, YOUNG AND OLD,

MOST REVERENTLY, I WISH ALL OF YOU:

"A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS; MAY GOD FULFILL ALL OF GOOD WISHES , DREAMS AND THE VISION THAT WE ALL HAVE FOR PERSONAL, FAMILY, SOCIETY AND THE WORLD FOR PEACE AND THE PROSPERITY , WHILE SERVING THE WORLD WITH  THESE THOUGHTS AND THE FEELINGS. AMEN!"

WITH GOOD WISHES, REGARDS AND THANKS TO ALL.

YOURS IN THE PHILANTHROPIC MISSION OF OUR PERSONAL LIFE,

DR. HARMANDER SINGH

MY DEDICATED POEM TO ALL OF YOU:

The Dawn of the Day of Happy Christmas and His Grace

The dawn of the night invites

The daylight the dawn of the day,

The sunrises with a beautiful sight

I was in sleep and became a dead tight,

When I woke up, the sun seemed hot,

I ran to shower and became cold and chilled

Leaving home to my work, and

The Work was the joy

Hotter than the sunlight

The sun was not hot

As I felt the day was

My beginning of the my rise

The hottest point of my day,

It is the sunshine of my day making

Juts helping the sun to leave the night

As the prayer makes the sunbath, my spiritual bath

Whether it is

A night or a day for words makes it say

When my mouth does not open

I say all that

I have it to say

In all that I pray is what I feel, but

My words cannot say.

For all I pray is  for His Grace

The dawn of the night invites

Lords' Sermon is all that I need, and

What else I have to say,

I thank him for His Way

As the Divine Message brings my ego

To surrender to what God and Thy Will say,

As if the daylight the dawn of the day,

My words cannot say.

For all I pray for His Grace

On the Holy Day as Today is the Day

With the New Morning Star in the Sky and

The Bethlehem is the place where the day and night

Always wait for this day to  Pray

Offering Thanksgiving to God for

Bestowing all the Blessings   showering our spirit today

Wow, it is the Day of Happy Christmas

An answer for  all that we ever pray. Amen!

Let us all pray for all. Amen

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Readers Feedback

Here are the Published Christmas entries to Date.  If you want to review the stories or poems before voting which will come only at the end of this contest, just go to the archives:  http://archives.zinester.com/98907

Stories

Name                    Story                                                 Date

Williams, Cheryl           Christmas: Look forward to it ….         December 20

Haley, Ellie Braun         A Christmas Story                                December 20

Bryant, Sharon I Walked The Halls                               December 21

Bryant, Sharon Believing                                               December 21

Lock, Joyce                 Abbreviated Christmas             December 21

Smith, Michael  Memory Tree                                       December 22

Walker, Bill                  Mary Did You Know?              December 22

Levine, Arthur              The Troubled Geese At Christmas        December 23

Walker, Bill                  Christmas Lights                                   December 23

Mazzella, Joe                Christmas Gifts                         December 23

Wilson, Mary               Through the Eyes of Mary                     December 24

Walker, Bill                  Jesus and Santa                                    December 24

Colasanti, James           An Angel In Between                            December 25

Walker, Joe                  The Two Sides of Christmas                 December 25

Dowd, Helen                Tintagel The Forest Angel                     December 26

Walker, Bill                  The Christmas Gift                                December 26

Wersterfer, Clara          No Christmas Presents             December 27

Wainland, David           Christmas Doesn’t Get Any Better       

                                    At the North Pole                                 December 27

Blaine, Pamela  Christmas at Baring School                   December 28

Bryant, Sharon Thank You                                           December 28

Dowd, Hart                  Hundreds of Easy to Make Gifts           December 29

Haley, Ellie Braun         Ripples We Make                                December 29

Walker, Joe                  A Christmas Wish List For You            December 30

Poems

Name                    Poem                                                 Date

Cardinal, Conrad          Make a Wish Come True                                 December 20

Cardinal, Conrad          Why?                                                               December 20

Ebling, Leonia             A Gift Of Love                                       December 21

Ebling, Leonia               God’s Decorating                                             December 21

Meeks, Carol               Joseph’s Example                                             December 22

Meeks, Carol               Stable Born King                                              December 22

Meeks, Carol               Come Into Our Christmas Parlor                       December 23

Costner, Joan Clifton    Can’t Take Christmas                                       December 24

Costner, Joan Clifton    Our Boys Are Coming Home                            December 24

Costner, Joan Clifton    There’s More                                                   December 25

Pringle, Sandra Lewis Poem For Children                                             December 26

Jacobson, Gary            A Soldier’s Bright Christmas Star                      December 27

Jacobson, Gary            Christmas In a Foxhole                         December 28

Kevin, Tim                   Our Christmas Wish                                         December 29

Groopman, Cynthia      What is Christmas All About?               December 29

Groopman, Cynthia      Chanukah Festivity                                           December 29

Groopman, Cynthia      Christmas Festivity                                            December 29

Singh, Dr. Harmander The Day of The Day of Happy Christmas

                                     And His Grace                                                            December 30

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