STORYTIME TAPESTRY

March 11, 2005

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Congratulations goes out to Claudia Kerens
who has now become senior writer for
Storytime Tapestry.

Animal awareness series endorsed by Shiloh and Hank our mascots; all stories must receive their approval.

Now on to the good stuff..........

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Another Day At Her Job
(C-2005)Mark Crider

I was sitting down in the den going over my mail. Total
silence. The tranquility embracing me on this Sunday
morning. Such peace,,,, I thought.
All of a sudden shrill screams, chairs sliding on the
floor, dog snarling, barking in ferocious attack mode.
More screams, I nearly had a heart attack as I lept
towards a nearby firearm just knowing this was it,,,,
a long feared home invasion.
Breath quickening, heart pounding I grabbed it and
looked up towards the kitchen,,,,total silence.
My sister-in-law, pale, holding her chest and wet pants.
The dog wagging her tail as she recognized one of her
favorite people.
In rushes Sandra, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!??"
Norma shunts to a chair still holding those 'places'. The
dog rears up for some much adored caresses she
always gets from Norma. Through tears and bated
breath she says, "I can't go to town with you today, I
have to go back home, my pants are wet."
We never scold Ms. Doogie, she learns from love pats
when she does good,,,,she did good as she is this way.
Ready to give her life to protect us from any harm or to
buy time for us to get whatever we need to do away
with any harm that might affront us.
"I'll loan you a pair of panties and pants, go change,
GOOD DOOGIE, YOU DID YOUR JOB. Lovie lovie lovie
(she loves those words)." Says Sandra.
"I will never forget to knock or ring again, BELIEVE
ME", says Norma
Another day at her job which is 24/7/365.

Mark Crider
mark @cccoating.com
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Today's Queue Stories:
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Today's Queue Stories:

IT HAPPENED AGAIN

BY LOREN MOORE

HERE WE GO AGAIN. I GOT ANOTHER PACKAGE IN THE MAIL TODAY. YES YOU GUESSED IT, ANOTHER BAR OF LIFEBUOY SOAP.

I??™M BEGINNING TO THINK THERE IS MORE THEN ONE PERSON OUT THERE DOING THIS TO ME. A COPYCAT LIFEBUOY PHANTOM THAT IS HAVING FUN AT MY EXPENSE.

IT??™S BAD ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE, BUT TWO, OR THREE OR MAYBE MORE. HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE THE SUSPENSE OF NOT KNOWING WHO THEY ARE.

MAYBE I SHOULD CHECK MY WILL AND SEE WHO WOULD BENEFIT MOST IF I SHOULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK AND DIE. NO, THAT??™S SILLY BECAUSE JOHNNIE IS THE ONLY ONE IN MY WILL AND SHE WOULD NEVER DO THIS TO ME.

WOULD SHE?

OF COURSE NOT, AT LEAST I DON??™T THINK SO. WHO ELSE WOULD THOUGHT?

ANYWAY THE PACKAGE WAS ADDRESS TO ME AND IT HAD A RETURN ADDRESS WHICH WAS: APF-PRO; 36824 ELLIS ST.; NEW BOSTON, MI 48164; USA. NOW WHAT DID THE USA IN THE ADDRESS MEAN? SURE I KNOW THAT NEW BOSTON, MI IS IN THE USA BUT WHY WAS USA IN THE ADDRESS?

WELL I DID MY BEST TO FIND A PHONE NUMBER. BUT THAT??™S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.

I DIDN??™T FIND A PHONE NUMBER. SO I WROTE A LETTER TO THE RETURN ADDRESS. ASKING WHY THEY HAD SENT ME A BAR OF LIFEBUOY SOAP?
THEY DIDN??™T ANSWER. NOT THAT I WAS EXPECTING THEM TO DO SO. I WONDER IF THIS IS WHERE THE PHANTOM OR A COPYCAT LIVES. HOW AM I EVER GOING TO FIND OUT?

NONE OF MY UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT ANYTHING, AND I DON??™T THINK THE FBI WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HELPING ME. THE CIA IS NOT SUPPOSE TO OPERATE INSIDE THE U.S. SO THEY ARE OUT.

I JUST DON??™T KNOW WHERE TO TURN. MAYBE THERE WON??™T BE ANY MORE PACKAGES, BUT I??™M NOT BETTING ON IT. WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

?© COPYRIGHT 2003

Loren Moore
caddo @ digitex.net

MY NAME IS LOREN MOORE AND I'M 72 YEARS
OLD AS OF 11-12 04. I HAVE BEEN MARRIED
TO MY WIFE JOHNNIE FOR 53 YEARS AS OF
11-14-04. NOW THAT I'M IN MY OLD AGE I
DECIDED TO WRITE ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT HAPPENED TO ME AND MY FAMILY. THESE
STORIES ARE 90% TRUE AND 10% FICTION. MY
WIFE JOHNNIE SAYS THEY ARE 10% TRUE AND
90% FICTION. MAYBE THEY ARE SOMEWHERE IN
BETWEEN. BE THAT AS IT MAY HERE ARE MY
STORIES. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM.

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Breath of Life ??“ Oxygenated Words
Claudia Kerens

???If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it.??? --Anais Nin, Writer (1903-1977)
We can travel through the centuries and find the written words that have survived the test of time and study. These words bespeak of the ideals desired as well as commentators and historians of the annuals of eras.
The world??™s first printed history book, The Bible, goes far to reveal to the ever changing generations the life and times of the people who walked before us as well as the ever evolving culture we call civilization today. The wisdom therein contained created the tenets of Western Civilization as a whole.
We have been taught lessons about judging others as well as how to walk away from the detractors in our own world. Who can forget the prophetic statements, ???Ye without sin cast the first stone??? or ???Leave Jericho behind, wash the dust from your feet.???

These words breathe living into those who have been influenced by ???oxygenated words??™ in order to find solace and strength to pick the mantle of the living up on a day to day basis.

These words seemingly say between the lines, ???Yes, you can do it another day.??? They have grown in some cases into mantras that have wrapped themselves as if a webbed mace like defensive system around our hearts.
Words give us more than just courage and bravery. There are also the hate words, unfortunately that seem to want to make us draw lines in the sand and dare fate or destiny to cross them and create our future-no matter how dark.
But, they show us love and compassion.
Words are the monikers of the emotions that fleet or waif through our minds and our souls depending upon the speed at which we think we are actually traveling on our life path. Words have the power to pace us along at warp speed; or, words can stop us in our tracks.
It seems someone formed a group of words to tell us all the lie of life when they proclaimed, ???Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt us.??? Perhaps the author best remain anonymous.
I have heard some words in my lifetime that begged the other side of the coin- ???Break a bone, please, it would be less painful!??? I have come to believe that no one is immune from this feeling as well.
If there were no words, where would we all be? What would our civilization be? Would we be mute to the ills of our own societies? Would we be no better than other species who have crawled their way through life on Earth to follow the food chain, the life cycle only to die as anonymously as we have lived?
I like to believe that words have powers to bring people back from the brink of ultimate destruction whether it be the wars different nations seemed poised to engender to the words that people say when they have nothing left to give to a wedded union.

???I am done,??? just doesn??™t seem to encompass or come close to describing the death of ???forever??™ love. Yet, it seems that many of us in society, me included, don??™t appear to recognize nor understand what the oath and the vows taken really mean.

I know at the time I took my vows, I meant them with every fiber of my being. I remember the words with great joy. Now, I am left to ponder the power of those words and the failure of my ability to fulfill the oath I fervently pledged.
Then other words like, ???It takes two to tangle,??? ???It takes two to marry, ??? or ???It takes two to divorce,??? somehow seem to seek to release my guilt of failure. After all, if there was only one instead of two who ardently believed forever was eternal, the formula for happiness was doomed from the very beginning.
I have often wondered how Adam really felt when he realized Eve??™s temptation to bite into the apple and share it with him led to their exile from the Garden of Eden. What words didn??™t he say?

And what about Eve? What emotions coursed through her being when she realized in her very innocence she had failed her life partner?
Yet it seems, for all of the unspoken words never said, they found a common ground to go forward and to live life. Sure, it was tougher than before. The conveniences they had enjoyed in Paradise were now ashes; yet they put it behind them and went forward to live, to have a family, and to endure the pain families can inflict upon each other. The lesson they taught was to survive.
And, even after studying the supposed ???great??™ minds of the world, these giants of thought also left the caveat that for all the ideals we may think of and desire to implement, we must leave the words behind so others may pick them up to carry on in order to allow for man to progress one step closer to that Utopian vision of a better life, a better world, one word at a time.
What are you going to leave behind for others to follow?
Will it just be a tintype image, an sepia like illusion, or will it be something useful like oxygenated words that bespeak of the ideals that will guide the survival of one to fulfill their purpose in this life?

Claudia Kerens
mina1986 @ midwest. net

About Me:

General Bio - 51 year old educator who has
worn several hats in the broadcasting,
office and restaurant worlds. Turning 50
is a freeing experience thus most of my
writing revolves around lessons learned
and wisdom to pass on so that others don't
hit the same brick walls I did. The sooner
folks love themselves, they can give love
to others. And that, is the greatest
gift of all.

Dearest Carol, Once again I send this list out to you, in case over the past few months you have had a close friend or relative who is, sadly, dealing with death and perhaps needs a bit of prodding to move forward. Planning and actively completely a project is a marvelous way to stay the flow of tears. for that reason I once again send you this list that you might pass along to a friend or acquaintance.

We think of our loved ones who have died and we look for ways to celebrate his/her life,
we look for ways to honour and to keep them an active part of our lives. With the help of numerous internet friends
I have compiled a list and include it here for you to provide you with ideas.
Ellie Braun-Haley

The CELEBRATE LIFE LIST
Ellie Braun Haley

In Memory of my loved one I Will Celebrate His/Her Life
1. Organize a Cemetery Memorial Ceremony in your town for loved ones. Get permission from the city fathers and contact a few people. Ask them if they would like to be included (honoring their loved ones) Select a date and make this an annual event. (It will grow) What positive things can you do at the graveside to celebrate the lives of these loved ones? If the ceremony is timed in the summer hours when the sun is still in the sky, plan a colorful release of balloons, each one with a name tag of the loved one. Invite a well known local singer to sing one special song. Set out candles (in protective holders) at the graves so that when the sun goes down they are left in vigil. Plan a hot chocolate and cold juice drink to follow. You be the one to organize and pay for the refreshments. This annual event will be a memorial to your loved one (and to many others)!
2. Put a photo of your deceased loved one on a stamp (available in Canada, through Canada Post) or as one mother suggested, have a stamp created that can be used when letters or cards are being sent by existing family members, ie. a rose (as her daughter loved roses)
3. Buy a birthday gift for him/her each year, and give it to someone in the community as a "secret pal," i.e. leave it on the doorstep, having it delivered anonymously, etc.
4. Each Christmas one mother adopts an angel off the tree of a local charity. She then buys gifts for this living child in memory of "my little boy."
5. "In Canada", one mother wrote, "we have a country wide trail and one can buy a section of the trail and dedicate it to the memory of a loved one." Someone did this for that mother in honour of her daughter Krissy and she runs by the memorial pavilion each week.
6. Live your life for two of you, time is precious and so are you.
7. Plant a tree, or put in a flower garden in memory of the loved one. Plant a flowering shrub. Betty's daughter asked that roses be planted in
her memory. (the daughter is dying as I write this) And Susan planted a Lilac tree which "reminds me of Angel's uniqueness, beauty and blue eyes."
8. Place a single flower on his grave and when you leave it there leave a promise to work hard to reach your own potential.
9. Go to a local elementary school and offer your time for an afternoon once per week. Or donate money to your child's school for supplies. Or donate something needed to his former class room.
10. One lady wrote, "I ask MOM to 'come' and join me for a cup of tea in the garden. If the weather is foul, I will have it at my kitchen table, with a cup for me and a cup for her. We always had tea together when she was alive, and it is a tradition that I have carried on with MY daughter. "
11. Donate a book (or two) to a school library, a public library or a College library, in his name every year. His name will live as long as books do. If you choose good books, he will live forever. Check with your public library or local College library. Or think about your child's favorite author and donate books by that author in her name.
12. Plant a bag of wild flower seeds, in your yard, in a desolate area, or some
suitable location.
13. Release butterflies in honour of your loved one. There is one butterfly lady at 604 858 8991. Contact Adele LaRiviere and she will also advise you on how to start your own butterfly garden in memory of your loved one. madamebutterfly@t...
14. Many people have groceries delivered because they can not get out. Think
what a lift it would be if you contacted an organization that does the deliveries and sent along a single carnation to twenty of those people, with a sunshine card (cheery greeting) Then sign it in memory of your loved one.
15. In Vancouver, B.C. and in a park in Scotland there are park benches with brass metal donor plaques on the bench, saying "In Memory Of". Check with your city parks department about doing this in your area. Or donate a Memorial bench on the school ground of the school your child attended.
16. Become a member of a group or organization that seems connected to your loved one. One Canadian mother started a chapter of Mother's Against Drunk Drivers after her teenage son was hit by a car wile he was cycling in a park. The drunk's car left the road and traveled right into the park! Another mother now gives her time to fund drive for cancer research after her child died following a long struggle with cancer.
17. One woman selected special rocks for her pond and garden in memory of her sister Angel. The rocks were not ordinary in that they had various inspirational messages written on them. She said," I saw my perfect choice. There was only one and it had pretty spring flowers painted in the corner and the word "live" painted in big bold letters. I bought it and perched it on the edge of my pond. It sums up in one little word what Angel continues to teach me."
18. Make or buy small gifts and visit a nursing home and give these out to those patients who get no visitors or few visitors and stay long enough to talk with them. They too have lost many loved ones by this time and need a friend.
19. Carol wrote, "when my mother died, to try and deal with my grief and wanting to do something for her birthday (which was six months after she died) I wrote a two page tribute to her. It described all of her wonderful attributes and characteristics and included as many of the wonderful memories of her that I could think of. I truly paid her a tribute and then I sent a copy of it to my Dad and each one of my siblings. Now my sister and I light a candle for her each year on her birthday and always read the tribute. (She died ten years ago this year) It truly is a way of "celebrating" her life and keeping her alive in our memory. She played an incredibly wonderful part in all of our lives and it would be sad for that memory to fade.
20. If your loved one was in a sport, ie., volley ball, soccer or baseball, football, hockey, then purchase equipment, or whatever might be needed by a peewee team just getting started, in the name of your loved one.
21. If your loved one was the more intellectual type, contribute a book or learning tool in that person's name to an under privileged child.
22. With the help of friends, create a memorial web page, where other parents can visit and offer encouragement.
23. One lady wrote: "At the time when my mother was so sick and I
knew she didn't have long to live, I attended a Christmas eve service and went up to the front and lit a candle and said a prayer for her. I felt very spiritual and am sure God was watching and hearing everything that was in my heart. Also try lighting beautiful candles on the birthday of your loved one!
24. Have a family birthday celebration so his little brothers and sisters can
always remember, too.
25. Adopt a child through World Vision,
26. Donate "his present" to Santa's Anonymous each Christmas,
27. Support your local Music Festival with an award in the Family Music category
28. Establish an annual "Quality Citizenship Award" at a local Elementary School,
29. Do something special as a family each year on the week-end as close to his birthday as possible
30. Do a "Celebration of Life" scrapbook album showing for your loved one! Or help another bereaved mom do up a "Memory" scrapbook of favorite photos, drawings, etc.
31. One lovely lady wrote me about this expression of love:" when my cousin Jock drowned, his girlfriend sent Jock's mother flowers on Mother's Day for years. It meant a lot to know her son lived on in this woman's memory!"
32. If you know what his/her favorite Charity was or think you know what they would have chosen, donate either some money or your time in his/her name!
33. Celebrate a deceased loved one's life by reaching out to someone who
you've lost touch with; renew your relationship; we all know that life is too
short.
33. Go for a walk with your memories of them and later look for opportunities to minister to others who have recently lost a loved one.
34. Write a poem, song, or instrumental piece in memory of a beloved child.
35. Adopt an animal at your local zoo or shelter in his/her name. Or Donate your time to an animal shelter. Also know that often they need pet food, newspapers, litter, old blankets and towels.
36. Many swimming pools, museums, and parks are in need of financial help, and many have wall plaques displaying the name plates of the donors. Make a
donation and place on it the name of your loved one.
37. Whenever I donate even a small amount to a worthy cause I do it in honor of my child. Every year on his/her birthday donate the amount of money of his/her age to a charity. You have a whole year to put some money away for this, in a special jar .
38. If you live in an apartment building or have nowhere to plant flowers ask around. At one senior complex a gentleman planted and cared for flowers that were chosen by the residents. When they blossomed, they picked some of their plants. (a simple name on a stick identified the donor).
39. The first book I wrote was dedicated to my deceased son.
40. Have Birthday Party with family members or a few close friends. Dig out a photo album and spend fifteen minutes showing pictures of your loved one and traveling down memory lane. (Keep this short) Light candles, perhaps even enough for the number of years you shared with your child. Candles are so spiritual and I'm sure our departed loved ones would know
41. Send a hand written note to your other children to tell them how proud you are of them. One mother who contributed to this list, sent me three pages of ideas. (her daughter is in hospital dying). She mentioned that one of her daughters felt so left out as everyone constantly spoke of her dying sister. She knew (intellectually) that she was being silly yet emotionally she was a mess.
Survivors often suffer when so much attention goes toward the dying. Be aware.
42. Mentor someone. Or become a Big Brother or a Big Sister.
43. Visit a bed ridden person (hospital or nursing home) and offer your services. Bring reading material and offer to write letters and then mail them (you buy the stamps). If it is allowed take your animal to the nursing homes as they often never see a live cat or dog after they enter. Do check first as some people have deadly allergies to animals.
44. Look around you. There are people suffering though many hard times. Take someone out to lunch as a goodness gesture. (In memory of a dad or mom)
45. Donate a trophy for Special Olympics in memory of your loved one.
46. Become a volunteer at a food bank or donate a huge hamper of especially good food to a food bank in honour of your loved one.
47. A woman in Illinois wrote a lady in Australia and offered to send up a balloon in memory of James. And then a woman in California said she would send up balloons, also. So on his birthday, in Australia, Illinois and California, colorful balloons hit the sky as a celebration of the life of James. Maggie, mother of James suggests you might wish to get something fancy like a butterfly shaped balloon, or something plain with a tag on it bearing the name of your loved one!
48. Start a Journal about all the Fun times you remember having with him/her.
49. Stanford University was built in 1919 from an endowment in memory of a 16 year old Leland Stanford who died of typhoid fever. Most of us won't be able to donate five million dollars, but it is wonderful to see so much generated because of love for ones child. Just do your best!
50. Have a star in the sky named after your loved one.

51. Organize a Relay for Life Team in person's honor.

52. Paint or sand blast a rock with the person's name on it, or inscribe something that will honor the person. Place the rock in a special place in the garden or home.

53. Put together a collage of pictures of your loved one. Start with baby pictures and include all and any over the years that evoke special memories (happy memories)

54. Instead of flowers, when someone dies this woman says , " I give
them a stuffed toy bear (for bear HUGS) or a beanie baby: the angel bear or the praying beanie bear.

55. One lady says, "Where we live a group of women sell crafts during the year in their children's honor. Then at the end of the year they give five hundred-dollar scholarships to 10 high school seniors in the children's honor. The senior that gets the award is not the smartest or most athletic, they are the caring, hard working, outstanding ones that help the community. Each parent picks a child that was most like their own to be awarded. They are handed out during graduation and it makes the community feel good."

56. The same women as mentioned above built a reading garden at the elementary school in honor of their children. It has benches, trees, flowers, birdhouses and a birdbath. The fifth graders that show good citizenship in the school get to help maintain it. Every year they put turtles in the area one for each deceased child from the community. The kids love to go read there because it is so peaceful.

57. At any university you can set up scholarships in honor of your deceased loved one. It can be as little as a couple hundred dollars. That amount will help a student with a least a class or two! another woman adds," The way I celebrate my brothers life, who died in WW2 in France, I send money in his name to the Holbrook Indian School in Arizona, and they apply it on tuition for one of the children that attend there. It gives me great satisfaction to see his name in print, when they send out their monthly brochures, and they list the name of the donors. If desired you can pick out a special child, as they send photos and a description." that particular lady allows the school to decide where the money is needed.

58. One woman wrote, " We should go out and truly let people know they made a difference in our lives. Do this in memory of our loved ones. Another mother says that her son, Mike, used to do small acts of kindness for others and she is sure he would love to know this was now being done in his honor.

Editor's note*
It takes just one person with a quest to start something that may help millions. Think of Terry Fox, Canadian runner, who lost first a leg and then his life to cancer. And now every year tens of thousands run to raise money for cancer, (in his memory). In memory of your loved one celebrate his life, move forward and make a difference.


With deep appreciation and a grateful thanks to all the contributors for this list of ideas. The contributors, from Australia, Canada and the U.S.A. are named and if known, their loved one is in brackets: Betty Brisson, (Kathy), Kathleen, Anne, Maggie (James) ,Rosie Ann Williamson, Carol Ellis, Kathe Campbell, Christian Fisher, Deneene, Joan Wester Anderson, Beth, Betty Stonehouse, Jan Henderson (Seth), Margie Rice (Ryan), Deborah Werner, Harriet Sardeman, Anne Goodrich, Karen Kasiskrafty, Lea MacDonald, Jo Walker, Laura Porras, Susan Fahncke (Angel) Bevanne (for Tom), Dusty, Regina, Sue, Kay, Anita Burney(for Mike), Mona Barnes, Vance Agee (for Mary Brown) Ellie Braun-Haley (for Jason)

My thanks, Ellie Braun-Haley
(editor of Angels On Earth and
For Goodness Sake)
Reach Ellie at this e-mail
shaley @telusplanet.net

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