Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

December 31, 2007

Today’s Announcement

It is the last day of the year, the eve before the dawning of a new year and a new set of challenges, some good some not so good, but all part of the game of life.

This year has not been a particularly good one for me; constant money issues, sell of the property that I am living in and not knowing if I will have to move yet or not, health issues, still unable to work outside the home, fighting for disability, and several people that I was close too died.  My mother in law has given us great worry since October when we thought she was dying, but as you know she has kidney stones and is on high dosages of morphine right now.

Some of you have gone through similar situations: bankruptcy, debt counselling, and issues with health.  But there were good times too, Mary Dees got married.  Carol Meeks became the senior poet Laureate for New Mexico, and several of us including myself published a book.

Let’s all reflect upon the happenings of this last year and thank God we are still alive.

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

RESPECTED CAROL, KINDLY RECEIVE THE STORY FOR THE HAPPY CHRISTMAS. THANKS!

WITH REGARDS,

DR. HARMANDER SINGH

A STORY DEDICATED TO RESPECTED CAROL

"Happy Christmas: Learning Art of Problem Solving from Prayers"

I meet a kid in the church and we talk, while celebrating the Happy Christmas.

"Hi, Happy Christmas, my child friend," I say.

"Thanks, Happy Christmas and Happy New Year," he says.

"We will pray together in the congregation," I say.

"Hey, can you tell me, how does it prayers help in it?" I ask.

"You know, when we live in the present, our thoughts, ideas, imaginations and feelings receive the touch of creativity, the magic touch. Is not it?" he says.

"Is the touch of creativity is the magic touch?" I ask.

"Yaw, my granny says that with the magic touch of creativity, we come into the present. Is not it?" he replies.

"Do you want to say that prayer is a part of creative thinking, is it?"   I ask.

"Yaw, when we pray, we come into the present and do the creative things. We make sketches and beautiful paintings, is not it?" he says. S

"Is prayer the creative thinking?" I ask.

"Yaw, you know, my granny says that the creativity is allowing our body, mind, heart and soul to work in harmony. The same harmony works in the prayers, is not it?" he says.

"Yaw, we need to relax, we cannot force our self to go to bed have sound sleep. Instead, we become get tense and cannot sleep. Is not it? Does prayer help in it?" I ask.

"You know, when we live in the present, we feel relaxed. The prayer helps us to live in the present. She says that when worry about the future or think of bad events of the past, we cannot do anything creative, is not it? We also feel irritated and angry, is not it?" I say.

"Yaw, granny says that we feel angry because we cannot relax, she says that we need to learn to relax. Is not it?" he says.

"Well, I agree. It is right, when are angry we feel tense. We also speak some bad words, we cannot offer thanks for anything is not it?" I say.

"Yaw, some people do it, but afterwards they regret and feel sorry. Is not it?" he says.

"Well, it is true, but how can we handle anger with prayers?" I ask.

"You know, what granny says that we demand that the person at whom we are angry should offer thanks to us. She says we should not always be demanding, because we seek thanks, we could learn to offer thanks. If we pray and offer thanksgiving, when we are angry, we can save our self from the bad effects of anger, is not it?" he says.

"You are right, but it is very difficult. It seems a big problem, is not it?" I ask.

"Yaw, it is true. It is difficult. However, granny says that it is like problem solving. She laughs and tells that we need to use first aid," he says.

"How can we use first aid for anger?" I ask.

"You know, the first aid for anger is to drink some water, count ten numbers, leave it for sometime and recalling the bad effects of anger when it bites?" he says.

"How can it bite?" I ask.

"You know, granny says that when anger bites us our heart beats fast, eyes become red, the body feels tense and we speak the wrong words and some people want to give a blow. There are many other bad effects when it bites. I cannot count, I just pray and offer thanks," he says.

"Yaw, it is right, it bites, and we should learn to escape from this danger. Is it a disease?" I ask.

"No, it is not a disease. However, granny says that it can create many diseases; do not worry just solve it like a problem," he says.

"You are right, when we solve problems, we can first learn to relax, when we in this mood, the anger cannot bite. How can we handle it if it persists?" I ask.

"It is simple, we take it as a problem and solve. We note down what others and we say in anger then we read these written notes, correct it and go to the solution. My granny says that we should offer payer of thanksgiving before and after solving a problem, is not it?" he replies.

"Yaw, otherwise, we may get nervous and cannot solve any problem, is not it?" I say.

"Yaw, you are right,' he replies.

"Thanks, you have good ideas," I say.

"You are welcome, please always remember me in your prayers," he says.

"Yaw, I will," I reply.

"Thanks it helps to solve and fix our problems, is not it" he says.

"Yaw, you are right," I say.

"Thanks, it is a gift for me," he says.

"What is it?" I say.

"Your suggestion," he says.

"Wow, it is the joy of Happy Christmas, thanks. May we share whenever we meet," I say.

"Amen!" he says.

"Amen!" I say.

It is our child within, who celebrates the Happy Christmas, let us pray and solve our problems. Thanks!

~**~**~

~**~**~

Santa's Mistake

Sharon Bryant

It was a cold snowy December day in '83.  Santa was at the mall and my four-year-old daughter wanted to go see him.

I bundled her up and off we headed for the mall.

The lines were long as children took turns sitting on Santa's lap, then getting their pictures taken by an elf.  I planned on having my daughter's photo taken also.  So much for thought.......

The line eventually got shorter and there were just a few other children in front of us.  My legs were tired from standing so long, but don't mom's take their children to see Santa, even if they're in pain waiting for the bearded man?

The line behind us grew longer and I was thankful it was close to our turn.

Down to two children in front of my daughter, then it would be her turn.  I noticed her staring at Santa, no smile on her face, her eyebrows knitted together.  I knew she was thinking about something.  I had no idea what was going through that little head of hers.

One more child to go, then it was her turn.

Santa motioned for my daughter to step up on the platform his chair was on.  I noticed the look she had on her face and I knew something was going to come out of her little mouth.

Santa lifted her up on his lap.  "Ho Ho Ho, what's your name little girl?" he said, "And what would YOU like for Christmas this year?"

My daughter turned to look him square in the eye and in her loudest voice shrieked out, "You are NOT the real Santa, you're a faking Santa!"  She jumped off his lap.

Horrified, children stared at my daughter.   So did the mother's in line.   Then in her shrieking voice my daughter yelled out pointing at Santa's feet, "Santa doesn't wear tennis shoes, he wears black boots!"   I had not noticed Santa WAS wearing tennis shoes instead of boots.

Every child behind us became upset.  Parents were glaring at me and my daughter.

Then Santa said to me, "Get this kid out of here!"  That ticked me off so I replied, "Hey, you caused the problem, Santa doesn't wear tennis shoes, you should have worn black boots."

And elf was trying to escort my daughter off the platform, but she was still wanting to tell Santa off.

Again in that high pitched voice of hers, she said, "And if you WERE the REAL Santa, you would know what my name is!" 

Every child in line was yelling, "It's not the REAL Santa."  Parents were trying to calm the kids down.   My daughter looked at me and said, "Mommy, let's go find where the real Santa is at."

With that she and I walked away from the crowd of upset people.  I couldn't help but smile as I heard other mother's yelling, "What in the heck is he wearing tennis shoes for?"

Sharon Bryant

1946@bellsouth.net

Christmas Poetry Corner

~**~**~

His Name Is Wonderful

Leonia Ebling

His name is wonderful

He is peace and joy and love

Comes as a babe from God the Father

Sent to us from his home above

Born in a stable, only a lowly inn

The business places so fancy had no place for him

But HE had a mother to love him

an earthly father who cared

yet even at his birth

their heavenly gift they shared

The shepherd's, they came

and followed the star

The wise men brought gifts and

came from afar

The angels proclaimed

A Savior is born this day

And there lay our Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay

May we never forget to tell his story today

and let others know as we journey on our way

That the day set aside because of his birth

Is called Christmas and celebrates HIM,

Emanuel, who brings peace on earth!

Written by Leonia Ebling Dec. 14, 2002.

Revised Dec. 8, 2007

wwjdleona@aol.com

~**~**~

~**~**~

~**~**~

Readers Feedback

 Helen Dowed - At Last! Our Deliverer Has Come! - Wonderful, wonderful article.
 
carol dee meeks

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

Dowd, Helen                Our Last Deliverer Has Come               December 30

Walker, Joe                  A Christmas Wish List For You            December 30

Dowd, Hart                  One Unforgettable Christmas                December 31

Singh, Dr. Harmander Happy Christmas: Learning Art of

                                    Problem Solving for Prayer                   December 31

Bryant, Sharon             Santa’s Mistake                                    December 31

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 Dawn of The Day of Happy Christmas

                                     And His Grace                                                December 30

Dowd, Hart                  My Nelda                                                         December 31

Ebling, Leonia               His Name is Wonderful                         December 31

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