STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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Oct 4, 2005? 

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

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

? WORK

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

? ? ? ?  I noticed something unusual today as I was working around the house: I wasn??™t really working at all. I wouldn??™t call it work when I was making the spaghetti for dinner, because I was laughing and talking happily to my daughter the whole time. I wouldn??™t call it work when I did the dishes, because I was singing a song the whole time. I wouldn??™t call it work when I was vacuuming the carpets, because I was trying out a few dance steps as I pushed the vacuum along. I wouldn??™t call it work when I was folding the laundry in the bedroom, because I had to stop in the middle and give my youngest son a good tickling when he tried to use the bed as a trampoline. I wouldn??™t call it work when I was cleaning out the turtle??™s aquarium, because I stopped to give the little, green swimmers a pet on the shell. I wouldn??™t call it work when I walked my dogs, because I got to watch the sun come up in the morning, the stars twinkle in the evening, and my dogs play both times. I wouldn??™t even call it work when I started writing this, because I was smiling the whole time thinking of the joy that it will give to so many who read it.

? ? ? ?  I think that when you bring your love and your joy to your work that it stops being work and feels more like play. I don??™t think that God wants any of us to be unhappy in the work we do whether it is on a job or in our homes. God wants us all to be happy in our work and in our lives. God wants us to bring our love, our joy, our optimism, our enthusiasm, our energy, and our vitality to everything we do. God smiles on us, loves us, and wants us to make every part of our lives here on Earth as Heavenly as possible.

? ? ? ?  When you go to work today then remember to take your joy with you. When you live your life today remember to take your love with you. It is the love in your heart and the joy in your soul that make both work and life a delight.

Joseph J. Mazzellajoecool @ wirefire.com

Joe lives in West Virginia with his wife and three children. Various dogs and cats have adopted Joe and his family for their own. Joe enjoys his family, beauty, love and hearing from his email friends. Joe likes to take the time to smell the roses and enjoy the beauty around him as he goes about his daily life.

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~**~**~? 

~ Spiritual Gifts ~

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? Joyce C. Lock

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? ? ?  I was minding my own business, or at least I think I was ... just getting a few chores done. ? I'm not sure if I was listening to a Christian radio broadcast? or not, or what else would have? even prompted this thinking.?  But, this verse came to mind ...? love one another, as I have loved you.?  John 15:12.

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? ? ?  I already knew however God has loved us is the way He wants us to love and that? doing so? is our way of thanking Him for how He has loved us.

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? ? ?  Though,? the thought came to mind? that, except for the ways God has loved us, it is impossible for us to know how to love. ? I think I already knew that.?  However, somehow, the word 'impossible'? stood out? and, suddenly, it? dawned on me ...

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? ? ?  If it is impossible to love, other than how God has loved us (and that does seem logical, as love is who God is) that would also mean that (in the area of Spiritual gifts)? we would have first had to receive a Spiritual gift before we would have the ability to share that gift with others.

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? ? ?  And, I thought, duh!?  Will we never be done learning that we don't know as much about God as we think we do?

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? ? ?  Then, God showed me this verse.?  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God, I? Peter 4:10.?  And, right there it is, in black and white!?  You aren't just given a gift.?  You actually have to receive one and with it comes the ability to give it again.

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? ? ?  So, that tells me that, in order to have the gift of miracles, for example, you would have first had to? receive the gift of miracles.?  And, if you have received a miracle, you have the gift of miracles ~ whether you know it or not.

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? ? ?  Many of us have likely taken Spiritual Gifts Discovery Tests in attempt to determine our Spiritual gifts.?  But, this is a sure test in which we can 'know' our gifts and is? also a measure by which we can determine if we? are being? good stewards, using? those gifts, or not.

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? ? ?  So, you just might want to think about it.?  You could have abilities you hadn't yet discovered!

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?© 2004 by Joyce C. Lockhttp://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/ ? 

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Disappearance

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Sharon Bryant

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Natalee Holloway's disappearance has captured the audience of the world.?  Living in the area that she is from, it is still on our television stations daily.?  One can only speculate where Natalee is and who is involved with her disappearance.

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I'm sure many parents are thanking God this has not happened to their child.?  I know many parents all over the world are thinking about the Holloway-Twitty families.?  We can only imagine the heartache and stress that these two families are going through.

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I know on a smaller scale what it is like to have your child missing.?  In 1975, when my son, Andy, was three-years-old, he was taken from me.?  I was in process of a divorce from his father at the time.?  The custody settlement was in; I was awarded full custody.?  Life went on.

One late summer day Andy and I went grocery shopping.?  I parked my vehicle in a parking slot and he and I went into the grocery store.? 

When we came out of the grocery store, Andy was riding in the seat part of the shopping cart.?  I had a few bags of groceries to put into the back seat.?  I first got Andy out of the seat and placed him on the passenger side of the vehicle.?  He rolled his window down.?  ? I did not notice the vehicle next to me, behind me, etc.?  I went around to the driver's side and opened the back door.?  I was putting groceries into the vehicle when in a split second a strange man jerked Andy out of his seat and through the window.?  It happened so fast, I only caught a glimpse of the dark haired man.?  I screamed and ran around the vehicle to see a dark colored car with another man behind the wheel pulled up behind the car next to me.?  Before I could reach the car, Andy was in the front seat with the man who grabbed him.?  They sped away.

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I didn't take time to get home to call for help.?  There was a pay phone inside the store, I ran for it.?  The State Police was half a mile away.?  I dialed the operator and screamed for the state police.?  The minute the officer came on the phone, I was a babbling hysterical mom.?  They came, made out the report, asked a lot of questions.?  My mind raced.?  I knew it had to be related to the divorce.

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For six days, my son was missing in the state of Michigan in 1975.?  In those days, there were no Amber alerts, nothing.?  There wasn't any help for a parent if the child was taken across state lines.?  My lawyer had been notified immediately and a search warrant was obtained for me immediately.?  But trying in those days to tell officers that you THINK you know where your child may be, was not easy.

Andy was on medication for bronchitis at the time.? 

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I know the feeling of fear that you will never lay eyes on your child again.?  I know the stress and worry.?  I know the questions you are asked over and over and over, "Did you get the make of the vehicle, can you describe the man who took Andy, did you get a license plate number."?  Over and over I had to repeat no to all questions.?  I only knew a stranger had grabbed my child from my life.

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My son was found six days later in a cabin in northern Michigan.?  The vehicle my ex had was painted camouflage colors and was hidden in the woods near the cabin.?  On a gut feeling, I knew my son was in the area.?  There were no search parties in those days like today, and the police didn't go on a mother's "hunch."

I was told to sit tight and see what comes up.

No parent can "sit tight" when their child is missing.?  The heartache is constant, the stress and worry can drive you insane.

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So in a small way, I know what the Holloway - Twitty families are feeling.?  I can't imagine the full impact of their situation because I only had to endure the stress and pain for six days.?  I can't imagine my child missing for as long as Natalee has been.

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As a mom who has lost a child and faced the worst heartache any human can, I can't help but feel for this mom and her family.? 

May we all say a prayer that this family finds the answers they are looking for.

God Bless,

Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

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About Me:

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? 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

~**~**~

Good Old Days, number one

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

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The good old days. Yes that might be true, might not be the good old days in some cases, I guess it all depends on what one called good. Now to me the good old days might have been in the early days of the cars. Few people had cars, most still in the single horse power. Horse you could depend on, that thing that made all that racket and was all the time in need of a fix was a joke to most.

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Times was slower, a person knew every one for miles around. That was out in the country. In a town like Beatrice, you knew just about every one. A stranger would get off the train. Ask how to get to find Mr Kilpatrick. Oh he lives out on the north edge of town, go out to

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Stranger might say sure a lot of people in town today, what is going on??  Get told big day here, going to hang a fellow down at the courthouse. He was found guilty of sealing a horse last week. That was about the only thing that was fast in the good old days, justice.

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Stranger if he was looking for Kilpatrick would be told the Paddock Hotel right at the cross roads of town, can't miss it, it 7 stories high.?  If he was looking for that rummy Catts, Burwood be more his class, that be a block before the cross road. or maybe the Beatrice Hotel, that would be another couple blocks east, it kind of a run down place. That is if? he would be staying in town for a day or two.

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Maybe he would go watch the river boats on the breautiful Blue River.?  Yes it was a beautiful Blue back in the Good Old Days. Now it is a stinking mud river.

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Times was slow, all the streets for the most part was dirt. The main drag was bricked.If you ran more then 10 miles an hour, and the town cop could run faster and get your horse stopped, you got a ticket.

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Beatrice had three train stations.? Trains coming and going all the time That was the way to travel.?  Going to Lincoln, go by train. Why man that a trip of? all most 50 miles. Might stay for a couple days and see the sights. Take in a Bug Eater game. College football game. See the?  Nebraska Bug Eaters beat up on poor Notre Dame. One could get a seat for the whole sum of a dollar. That is man, wife, and the two kids. Half time show was something to watch too.?  Don't know what this world is coming to. Some of that college kids out on the field, them girls wore shorts, Shorts that is, showed the ankles. At this rate, be showing knees in another year or two.

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Yes things ran at a slower speed, sometimes? it did speed up, Justice was fast, maybe to fast.

Man came back to town, been gone for about a month. He found out a man he loaned a horse to, had been hung for horse stealing.

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Hearts With Soul New BookTinker & Poo, The Boys Write

Bill Walker tinkerpoo2000@yahoo.com
Purchase, "The Boys Write"

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Writers Feedback

Dear Debra,

Believe me, I understand.

14 years ago, I had a stroke. When I went out in public in my wheelchair, people would avoid looking at me, or talk to the person?  with me , ABOUT me as though I wasn't there.

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Thank God, I've totally recovered, am now doing Christian TV shows, etc, but I can remember the hurt.

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I hope your article will open some peoples eyes to what they're doing.

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Love and prayers,

Vantrice Burkes

Burkes Good News Ministries

Ruidoso, N.M.

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Debra, what terrible people to have made such comments about the children.?  It seems to me they were the ones with the problem.?  I perfectly understand the love you would have for your child and no doubt he returns that more than twofold.? ? ?  Thanks for the story.? ?  Gabrielle Morgan.? 

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? SENIOR WRITERS

Chief Writer: Sharon Bryant

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

Boda, Ginger;? ? Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.;?  Cavalera, Robyn; Crider, Mark;? 

Deming, Barb; Doherty, Maria; Goodier, Steve; Halley, Ellie Braun;

Harris, Kathy Anne;? Hunt, Sharlette;? 

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

Liles, Norma; Lock, Joyce; Mazzella, Joe;? Ojeigbe, Georgewaters;

?  Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan;?  Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Streidel, Saskia; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan

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

Whirity, Kathy;? White, Robert;

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STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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