STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

June 28, 2005  

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

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

HENRY

Sharon Bryant

Some of us give our dogs cute little names like Sparky, Spanky, Ace, Sissy, and even Malcolm.  Then others give our dogs people names, like Jimmy, Sandy, Harry, Bob, and Henry.

This story is about Henry.  It's not just a dog story, but a story to show mankind just how tender hearted a little puppy can be.  It is to show people exactly how smart a little dog can grow into an intelligent big dog.

Henry was injured recently.  Bitten by a stray dog who came into his yard and attacked him, Henry, a little basset hound, had  to have surgery to fend off the infection from the stray's attack.  Henry is healing and will be just as good as new in no time.  And though, he's just a little puppy, little Henry has a heart that some people know nothing about.  The heart of kindness and tenderness, and love.

Henry lives with his "mom", "brother", and another dog.  He also lives with a cat.  And though cats and dogs sometimes do not get along, little Henry just loves anything that is around him.  He doesn't care.  He's just a playful little puppy.

The other day in Henry's home, the cat came up missing.  She was pregnant and her master worried about her whereabouts, but after searching, could not find her.  But Henry did!

He walked into his master's living room carrying, very gently in his mouth, a newborn kitten.  He then led his master to a closet where lo and behold, there were more kittens.  The kitten was placed with its mother, and the master of the house thought Henry would just check things out now and then and not go near the mama cat.  Not true.

Henry approached his master again and began barking.  Thinking Henry just wanted to play, his barks didn't seem like any big deal.  When Henry noticed his barks were not making much headway, he began barking and pulling on his master's pant leg.  It was then thought, "Can Henry be telling me something?"  His master followed him where he ran to another closet.  In that closet laid a little newborn kitten.  The kitten was dead.  This seemed to upset Henry.

Now some people will tell we, who love dogs, that our dogs are not that smart.  Others will tell us we just imagine them smiling, or understanding what we are saying.  But to those of us who KNOW, we know our dogs communicate with us through body language, barks, and big sloppy kisses all over our face, legs and arms.  We also know if our dogs could talk, our lives would never be the same again.

Henry is just a little puppy.  And yet.........unlike many humans that I know, he cared about a little kitten born dead.  He cared about the rest of the litter and was smart enough to let his master know the baby kittens were born.  When he carried the tiny kitten to his master, he carried it very gently in his mouth and never harmed the kitten in any way.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all humans felt about others the way Henry thought of that tiny kitten? 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all humans felt the love and tenderness that little dog showed?

Henry is going to grow up into a wonderful adult dog.  I have no doubt he will carry the tenderness and love as an adult dog that he has shown as a puppy.

God Bless all our furry little "children."

Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

About Me:

 I am Sharon Bryant, 59 years old and reside in Alabama.

I lost my child in 1977 when he was five and I write
articles on bereavement often.

I am a chocolate/candy maker and also a wood crafter and knitter.

I am married to a wonderful man, and have two remaining children, a daughter 25,
Amy, and a second son, Randy, age 22.

My main goal in life is to help those who
have lost a child. My website is: www.angelsremembered.tk

Today's Queue Stories
~**~**~**~

Tuff Love

By Richard D. Sims

My son Rick called me the other day on the phone, He went to work for a company that

paints water towers, and they travel all over the USA.. painting these water towers. He

told me that he was really home sick, and that he sure missed being here helping me.

We haven't always got along you might say, He got pickup and arrested for bad checks.

He called me to bail him out and I told him no, I said you didn't need my help getting in

there did you. He said no, and you will get your money back I promise. Well he didn't

understand it wasn't the money, what would you learn if I paid your bond and got you out

I ask him?

I went over to the court house a week later and was there for him to come in front of the

judge, It was the hardest thing I have ever done sit there and watch them bring him and the

other prisoners in. There they was all shackled together and hand cuffed too and wearing

the orange newton county inmate suites. I knew that Rick was still mad at me because he

wouldn't make eye contact or even look my way.

The judge went down the line of shackled prisoners hearing there cases and taking there

pleas. He told Rick that he was being put on a years probation and would be expected to

do community service work, and to make restitution on all of his bad checks and he was to

report back to him in three months to see how he was doing.

A little time when by still no contact from Rick, and I didn't call or bother him either. Three

months went by and then a phone call, Hey Dad would it be alright if I came over to see you

I said yes who was mad at who? He ask me why I didn't bond him out, I said thats what is

called tuff love, I told him if I had bonded him out he wouldn't have learned a thing and might

have wrote more bad checks. I then told him he was my son and I loved him and was proud

of him no matter what.

Then that Christmas he bought me a new zippo lighter that had been engraved on. It said the

worlds greatest Dad, and at the bottom was Richard D. Sims Sr. I  guess that was tuff

love too! I think there should have been a book called how to be a good parent that comes with all of the new baby's.

Richard Sims
armaksman @yahoo.com

About Me:
I am Richard D. Sims of Arma, Kansas, I am
46 Years old. I was born and raised in
Granby, Mo. the oldest mining town in
southwest Mo.
I enjoy writing poems, short stories and
just being able to cheer up people!
My hobbies are 1/4 mile drag racing,
wood crafts and spending quality time with
my family, and serving our lord Father in
heaven.
Richard D. Sims:
armaksman @ yahoo. Com

  ~**~**~

INTRODUCTION TO MY BOOK RUNNAWAY

Roger Dean Kiser

I would suppose that the world is a much more dangerous place today than when I lived on the streets many years ago. There were numerous times when I found myself in great danger. Several times I was lucky too escape with my life. Several kids I knew were not so lucky. However, I do have to admit that I met many wonderful people during my adventures up and down the alleyways of Jacksonville, Florida.

There were times when those who had very little shared equally with me. That taught me much about the kindness of others. Then there were those who, like wild animals, would prey upon you and leave you for dead. The perverts came in all shapes and sizes. Some were bums while some were police officers. Here and there a lawyer, a schoolteacher and one was even a juvenile judge. I learned much about the world from these wicked, self-serving people. I cannot count the times that I saw the police officers do horrible, unthinkable things to other human beings. All because these individuals did not measure up to the standards set forth by upstanding members of the community.

Considering all that happened to me, I did not turn out to be a bad person. I just turned out to be someone, a man who believes in very little. A person who finds it very difficult to love, trust or take the word of his fellow man.

Were all those lonely days and nights living on the streets worth what I suffer today as a grownup? Were those who sexually abused me the ones causing me the pain that I feel today as a man? Should I have continued to face the orphanages abuses for a few more short years in order to be happy when my adult life finally arrived?

I do not know the answer to that question.

Raised in The Children??™s Home Society Orphanage, in Jacksonville, Florida I have no memory (not even one day) of what it is like to have a mother or a father. I was just there, living in that prison, day after day, year after year. I just sat there staring at the walls and rocking back and forth. From age five to age fourteen, I learned absolutely nothing. Had I have stayed in that prison; what was there for me in the outside world, once I walked out the gates? Once leaving all I would know how to build was a prison-life for the family that I would one day acquire. How does one to build a happy, stable family (home) if he does not have the slightest idea how one is to be constructed, or what such a home even feels like? Is there a purpose in having a home, other than to provide shelter?

A boy cannot prepare himself to travel to the moon, once he becomes a man, if no one ever teaches him that such a thing exists. At eighteen, he will walk out of the orphanage, having no idea what he is supposed to be looking for. Should he look up and notice the moon he will have no idea what it represents, what purpose it serves or what value it has to his life.

Was living on the streets better than that type of life? Did I make the right choices? Was it I who destroyed my own life by the actions and choices that I made during my childhood? Was it I, and no one else who made me an unhappy adult? Again, I do not know the answer to that question.

What I do know is that if I had not taken to the streets I would have had no life at all. I would have sat there in that orphanage-becoming nothing more than a vegetable.

The stories in this book tell of the lessons that I learned while living on the streets. The good the bad and the ugly experiences that allowed me to learn about things such as respect, consideration, honesty and survival. The hobo camps and back alleys of the city taught me much. I learned how to feed, cloth and care for myself. How build a fire for warmth on a cold day. I learned how to protect myself, not only from the bad in our society but also from those who appear to be good and just.

Without this knowledge, I would have had no experiences in order to build a life for myself. I would not be able to survive in today??™s world. I only knew how to survive in an incarcerated environment. Places like jails and prisons. Places where one does not have to think for themselves. Where one just sits around all day bring fed, clothed and housed. I was nothing more than a product in a store window-just an item that could never be purchased. The orphanage received money every month to keep me displayed on the shelf. Their receiving state funds for my care became my sole purpose for being allowed to live on this earth.

Maybe things would have been different if I would have had a family. Maybe a little different if the orphanage would have taken the time to teach me something useful and beneficial.

Did I make the right choice? Under the circumstances, I think I did.

I had only two choices. I did not have the options that most other children have. Things like parents, brothers, sisters, a refrigerator, my own room, a TV, a sandwich when I was hungry. I did not have the right to get a drink of water, or use the bathroom without having to ask permission. Not one time did I ever own a shirt, a pair of pants or even one pair of socks that belonged to me, and me alone. As a child, I never owned one single toy of my own. I had absolutely nothing to live for and I felt that I had nothing to lose, except maybe my life. A life that was useless, and meaningless to everyone, including to myself. My choices were limited. I could risk my life living out on the streets or I could stay in the orphanage and become a wilted vegetable.

I guess taking to the streets was a price that this little boy had to pay.

Roger Dean Kiser

Roger Dean Kiser

trampolineone @earthlink.net

Roger Dean Kiser is the author of the
book "Orphan, A True Story of
Abandonment, Abuse and Redemption."
Roger also writes non-fiction short
stories which he displays on his
website "The Sad Orphan" located at:
www.rogerdeankiser.com
Roger's short stories have also been
published in: Chicken Soup, Heartwarmers
Heartwarmers of Love, A
Cool Collection I and II (Israel),

"The Bully" was made into
a short film by Nicholas Delfino
and has been entered into several major
film festivals in the United States.

Poetry Section

~**~**~

Memory Loss

Janice Bumbalough Marler
 

I got out of bed this morning
with good intentions,
there were things outside
that needed my attention.
My agenda looked something like this:
 Rake the yard and burn a thing or two.
You know, those kinds of chores that
men are supposed to do.
Good assistance is difficult to find,
and good luck when it
comes to asking for help,
no one seems to have the time.

 Listen as I relate
the events of my day.
It began like this.

I filled the water basin
with warm soapy water
and walked away.
Going back outside I set about
looking for the rake;  
I wanted to finish what I had begun,
that's when everything went awry.
You can guess what happened;
this is not going to be fun!

I needed help quickly so I ran next door.
"What have you done?"  they asked.
"I've flooded the floor!"  I proclaimed.
My daughter and her friend
were laughing so hard
it brought tears to their eyes.
I felt like such a fool and was so ashamed.
Imagine their surprise when they saw water
gushing out my back door.
It was behind the freezer, in the closet,
all over the floor.

Her friend asked me, "Do you have
flood insurance?" poking fun at me.
"Are you kidding, I live inland,
not by the sea."
I suppose God has a sense of humor,
or did he just want to see
how I would react in this catastrophe?
Perhaps it wasn't God;
aging does effect one's memory,
after all, it has happened to me a time or two,
 there are just some things
I simply forget to do.

No matter how you slice the cake,
 one thing for certain I know is true,
without friends and family,
what would we do?
How many people do you know
that will go the extra mile,
get down on their hands and knees,
mop your floors
and still smile?

God has blessed me with
 wonderful daughters,
and he's blessed me with many a friend,
you know,
the one's who stick by you through thick and thin.
One of my beautiful daughters, fittingly,
 lives next door,
she's there when I need her,
even if it's mopping my floor.

Janice Bumbalough Marler
First Serial Rights
September 30, 2003

jan@justacountrygirl

poetrybyjan@softhome.net

www.afamilyaffairus.com

~**~**~

Dear God

Sue Walsh

My Mummy died yesterday

Daddy says she??™s an Angel now and lives with you.

Please take very good care of her

We all love her very much

I miss her and Dad cries all the time.

I miss her hugs and kisses and her just being there.

Please help us to take away the sadness.

Please send her to watch over us so that we can share our days with her

I know she wouldn??™t want us to be sad and

knowing she is nearby will make us put on our happy faces and keep going on!

And Dear God please tell mummy we love her.

Amen

Sue Walsh

Adelseal @senet.com.au

~**~**~

A Lifetime

Sue Walsh

Days flow into one another

And become a week, a month a year

In a flurry a lifetime is over

Before it??™s really begun

Take the chances

Make the choices

Work hard, but still have lots of fun

Give thanks and glory to God on high

And live life to the fullest

Learn the lessons it has to give

You never know how long you have to live

Sue Walsh

Adelseal @senet.com.au

Bio

My name is Sue Walsh - I live in Adelaide, South Australia with my husband and two children.  I worked as a Legal Secretary for 25 years and then my husband and I started our own engineering import/export business.  I love to learn about spiritual subjects and have study many different areas.  I love to write spiritual/religious poetry and peace prayers, I am also endeavouring to complete a novel.

Writers Feedback

Carol, beautiful story! It left me with mix feelings. Just as if I was there during the happening.

I haven??™t written my story on a similar issue. ???The day my wardrobe caught fire??™! It was like an evil force caused it but no it wasn??™t. It came from the candle I used to look into the compartment in the wardrobe where I was trying to keep some CDs away from my sitting room because of those younger chaps coming to get them and never to be returned. I pray I have much time to put this together. That night I suddenly developed an extra strength to uplift a 50kg container of water otherwise the whole house would have been razed down by the fire.

I loved tonights one.  Fantastic story of Joey Magpie.  Birds are really smart sometimes.  I know that they are in my house..................

Rosemary - Joey Magpie was a delightful story that brought a smile to my face, and also made me take a good look at myself.   

Clara - I loved the Drugstore Adventure, and your memories of the way drugstores used to be.  You even listed a few medications I've not heard of before!! 

Sharlette - A truly amazing story!  Thanks so much for writing it and sharing with us.

Kathy Baker

Prayer Requests and Updates

The good news is, Richie talked to Johnny for a min this morning....Johnny knows where he is, and what happened....Richie told him to leave the oxygen mask on, and Johnny said, well if I do that, I can't talk to you. LOL....He said he'd leave it on. He said he's trying to talk to nurses into letting him go out for a smoke. hahahahaha.....They did put a patch on him tho. Oh, thank you so much for all the prayer's....The hospital called me yesterday for permission to insert a tube in his left lung....Since he hasn't been coughing, he's getting fluid around that one,  so I told them to do whatever they have to get him well.....He just realized yesterday where he is, and what happened....My daughter, Laura, had to leave about 10a,so she could get back to Knoxville.....Johnny's g/f, is out of the hospital, and staying in a motel because she has to have her bandage's changed every day....She got out yesterday...

Again, thank you so much for all the prayer's said.......Johnny isn't out of the wood's yet, and still has a long way to go, but, when Richie called me this morning, it was the best news I've had since this happened...He told Richie, NOT to tell me what happened. LOL....Richie told him everyone is praying, and he doesn't know how close to death he came this time.  The nurse said they don't know how he made it...I'll send out more up to date's when I can....I love all of you.

I need your prayers. I have applied for a
 couple of positions but have not heard back from them yet as to whether
 they would interview/consider me. In fact it has been very very
 frustrating. EVERY door seems to be closed! Even when I applied for the
 Post Office test on line and was told I was registered when I got to the
 test site I was told I was not! I really believe that this is a matter of
 spiritual warfare! Can I please count on your prayers to break the
 logjam!! Pray that favorable decisions would be made soon, so I can move
 on with my life. I'm really counting on you!

 thanks,

 Steve Wornoff

I just returned from Englewood Hosp. after 10 hrs. My husband Dennis has been admitted. We were also there Thurs. Eve. He has had severe pain on the left side of his head for a week and has been vomiting for 2 days. They are doing tests. Dennis has been going through many health problems this year. So I am quite worried. Please keep him in your prayers.     Peace, Rose                       

SENIOR WRITERS

Agee, Vance;  Apted, Violet;  Baker, Kathy;  Batt, Al;  Berry, Nell;

Boda, Ginger;  Bryant, Sharon;  Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.;  Crider, Mark; 

Deming, Barb; Goodier, Steve;  Harris, Kathy Anne; Hunt, Sharlette; 

Jacobson, Gary;  Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Jenkins, Pamela;

Liles, Norma;  Mazzella, Joe; Ojeigbe, Georgewaters;

  Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan;  Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam;

Walker, Bill;  Walker, Joe; Warner, Gorden K;

Whirity, Kathy;  White, Robert;

STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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