STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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Oct 11, 2005? 

Today??™s Announcements:

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

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Today's Queue Stories
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Missing Angels

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

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~**~**~? 

A Drink of Water

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

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Oh for a drink of cool water. Have you ever wanted a drink of water? I was thinking about stories I have heard from my mother about wanting a drink of water so bad. I was thinking I would call this Good Old Days number six.?  Then I got to thinking just what is good about this story? I don't think some of my high up on the money tree relates ever heard these stories about the Bad Old Days their back yonder? mother, grand mother and aunts and uncles lived.

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Oh for a drink of water. Working the cotton fields of Arkansas. The mile long rows of cotton. Walking dragging a sack, picking cotton, pay was a penny a pound. Takes a lot of cotton to make a pound. I don't know as I was ever told how much they picked. But these was just kids, 8 to 16 years of age, 6 kids and their mother, picking cotton under a burning sun. All sweating, picking cotton. All half sick from the heat, and like of water.

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When you did get to the end of your rows, if there was any water, it was just water, hot water. After some time they went back home, just cross the line into Missouri. All sick, burn out from like of water, very little money from all of what they have worked for.?  You see the cotton farmer charged so much for every thing they needed.?  May have charged for the drink of hot water.

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They traveled by wagon, going and coming. The two horses Prince and Bawly pulling it. I heard many a story about those two. I wonder if mother has found them up there in Heaven, she loved them I know. Maybe one of these days Tink and Poo will give us a report back from Rainbow Bridge.

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Have you ever thought of the poor soldier. ? Past, and even now, give any thing for a drink of cool water?

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Bible tells of one wanting a drink of water.?  Jesus asked the woman at the well for a drink of water.?  When he was dragging the cross, much like the poor kids dragging the cotton sack. All worn out, give any thing for a drink of water. Just a drink of water. The poor body needs water so bad. The tongue is parched, the mouth is so dry.?  Jesus needed a sip of water so bad. The poor kids needed a sip of water so bad.

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Water, man and animals must have water. With out water one will go raving mad.?  Let me tell you a story about a poor dog.?  Maybe I have told it before.?  This dog was on a chain. Hot burning day, chain got short because dog went around the tree a couple times.?  Water was just out of reach. Some one walked up to the dog. Dog was mad from like of water, and the heat.?  Well police showed up. Shot one mad dog. There was nothing wrong with the dog other then it needed water, BAD.. But the police report said MAD DOG. Heck if you was staked out in the burning sun and no water, you would go mad too, guess the cop should shoot you too, be the same wouldn't it?

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I see people carry a bottle of water, or pop these days, about like blasted cell phones.?  Never leave home with out bottle and cell phone.

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The kids of the Bad Old Days would have liked to have had a battle of water, much like the man with the cross.

Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

? Well I??™m a story teller, not a writer. Never learned the art of fancy English. I?  happen to live in Nebraska, but I??™m still Missouri. Never married, all the Dollies I ever took a second look at was too smart. Now at 74, just turned that other day, I figure they all home safe. I love Doggies and Dollies in that order. Lost my two true friends this year, that be Tinker and Poo. So I found me a new one. This time a little girlie Peke. She is a normal female. Got a mouth, talks all the time.?  She will never be a great writers of stories like Tinker and Poo. They have about 50 stories on HWS. And now writing back from Rainbow Bridge.

I just try to write about people, places and things best I remember. Have something over 250 stories on HWS. under three names.? ? ? 

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www.angelsremembered.tk

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Peaceful Evening

Dianna Doles Petry

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Tonight the air is cleaner than it's been for a while,

The rain has stopped and the night has moved in around me.

There are problems in the world and they touch my heart,

Yet, I feel the aura of love and kindness all around me.

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Tonight I can rest with a heart that is light and thankful,

The future will come no matter what I do and that's okay.

I realize that there will always be heartache in the world,

Along with many pleasures too, I'd have it no other way.

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The things I lose help me to appreciate what I have,

The work I do helps me to appreciate my life more.

I know that I may never be rich and famous in my life,

But my needs are? met and I have so much more.

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I see the fruits of my labor in the lives of my children,

As they go into the world and find their own way to live.

I am proud as I watch them reach out to make a difference,

I see them helping others, never taking more than they give.

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In this world, we can only be happy if we help each other,

I hope that I do that every day in some small way.

If I can help you carry your load, help you free your heart,

Then I know that I have made good use of my day.

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Tonight the air is cleaner than it's been for a while,

My eyes are heavy and I have a peaceful feeling in my heart.

Sleep will find me and maybe I'll dream of an exotic island,

I'll face the morning knowing that it's a brand new start.

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Love,

Dianna Doles Petry

Dianna59@charter.net

7/20/2005

Proud founder of:
Women With A Unique Soul
www.womenwithauniquesoul.com
Webmaster of Short Stories
http://diannapetry.tripod.com
Webmaster of Poetry From Life
http://www.geocities.com/diannawv/
Poems By Dianna
http://members.tripod.com/~poemsbydianna/PoetryofLife.html

~**~**~

It all started with a simple E-Mail.

Saskia Nienna Streidel

???Do you want to join the 42 days of writing program????

Of course I wanted. I love writing, I love discussing, I love thinking and dreaming and being creative. So I joined the program.

Some people wrote: This program really can change your life.

YES, SURE??¦.that is what I thought.

How should a program like that be able to change anything? It is fun, it is creativity, it means to get to know new people, and it is interesting for sure. But it is not something that can affect my life.

Well, that is what I thought.

I do not really know how many days after I thought that, I really changed my life because of this program. It was not long after that day.

I wrote every day, and I wrote and thought a lot about me. I guess you all know this situation. You write something, you just start writing and keep on writing without thinking or without being ashamed, that somebody could read something about you you do not want them to know. Well, I wrote, and then I read what I wrote and I was like: WOW. Is that you? Are you really that unhappy about your life? I kept writing, because I wanted to know more details about me and my feelings. And I found a bad spot in my life ??“ my job!

I HATE MY JOB!

So I started to think about change for the first time. But I was still not sure what to do. I knew what I wanted. And what I wrote told me for sure what I wanted. But I did not know how to get it.

There was this really serious and responsible SASKIA talking to me, who never thinks that FUN and WORK could fit together.

I NEED THE MONEY, she said. I NEED TO PAY?  RENT, TO PAY INSURANCE, TO PAY TAX, TO SAFE,??¦.. I NEED??¦??¦

It all was material. But what did my soul need?

Well, first of all it needed more words, more thoughts, more dreams. So I kept writing. And I kept reading what other people in the program wrote. Especially Tania, Carol, Beth, Jodi and Marion.

So what did my soul tell me what I wanted: Working with kids. Being creative, WRITING.

And what did the paper show me what I needed: Working with kids. Being creative, WRITING.

So first of all I started to think about my old dreams. What did I want to be when I was a kid. I always wanted to go to a school to learn to be a LOGOP?„DE. This is a medical job. You help people who have problems with language, who cannot talk right. You can work in hospitals or with kids who have problems with language, which happens often. And nowadays it happens even more often.

Why did I never learn this job? Why did I never go to school? Because it was too expensive. So I found myself another job and worked in the office, which did not male me happy at all.

After I started reading what other people do in the program, I got a bit gallous. J A few of you guys really are so creative, and you do what you love.

So I just told myself: You can do that, too!

I started to study: German as a foreign language.

I know most of the kids in Germany who have problems with language and in school, are not from Germany. So I thought to study this would be a good base. And I love our language, so it is interesting for me, too.

Next month I will start to study learn therapy and music therapy.

And then the big step came.

In our office we have a lot of fights. It is bad here. Some people work, some people just do what they want, go home earlier, come later in the mornings??¦.. Guess who makes more money? And we do not get paid well at all. Since a few month the money is also always late. I need to pay rent and insurance etc at the first every month. We are exposed to have our money latest by then. But the money came around the 11^th or even later. Then one guy I really loved working with got fired and they start to play bad games here.

I wrote about that to Carol and Tania. Carol told me to quit before I get sick. And Tania said: Just do what makes you happy. Do what you want. If you hate this job, don??™t do it.

What did I say? The old SASKIA broke through: I need the money??¦.

But there was another voice. A voice which is talking to me through my writing.

???Don??™t you need your health???? this voice asked me.

???Don??™t you need a bit happiness in your life????

I DO! Definitely!

Well, I had a job offer to be a German teacher and a nanny for an American family. The family is wonderful, the little boy is adorable. I loved them from the beginning. I just felt that it was right??¦.But: Insurance, money,??¦.The rules in Germany are not that easy.

And Tania said: Sometimes you need to risk something.

RISK.

This word alone makes me sick. I hate it. I hate risks.

Tania wrote me about all the changing she had in her life. And she wanted those changes.

And one day, I heard it go KLICK in my head.

Yes, I need to take the risk, too. If I want to break free, I need to listen to my heart and quit.

And I did! It was not easy for me, but I did. And I was so proud of me after that.

Sometimes I was still worried about insurance. If I work as a nanny, I have no health insurance. It is not a job in the German system. But it is good for my university on the other side.

Well, I took the risk, and now? I have two job offers to work a few hours a week in the mornings in an office. I would have health insurance there and make a bit extra money. And I still will be able to work as a nanny and a German teacher in the afternoon for that family, just like I wanted.

Everything came together good in the end. Maybe I need to take the risk first.

But I would never have done it without you guys, without your writing and your best wishes for me.

So thanks a lot to all of you!

This program really can change your life. It changed mine!

Saskia Nienna Streidel

saskiaofthewoods@yahoo.de

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My name is Saskia Steidel, I am born the? 17.10.1981 in Germany. I live in a small?  village in the middle of the woods and love to write. Right now I study learn therapy and music therapy and I just quit my job as a ticket manager in the administration of an soccer club, to have more time to study and to write and to work as a Nanny, what I really love. So far I published poems and some other pieces in different books and published one book called "Am Ende der Nebel". Right now I am writing on a children??™s book.

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Writers Feedback

? ?  I just read I Will Connect With you and loved it!?  So much feeling and understanding in those words and so well written!?  I could identify exactly.?  Thanks. Sharlett

?  I also enjoyed the first story about pork roast.?  Funny how our tastebuds change through life.

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Carol,

? ?  I greatly enjoyed your Special treat.?  I grew up eating garlic, but unlike you I always delighted in the taste and the smell of it.?  Maybe it was because garlic also held the love of my Grandma's

and Mom's cooking in it.?  For me garlic always means love.

? ? ?  May we all find joy in our journeys and always remember that although we often take different paths that we are all Children of the same Loving God.?  Wishing you every joy, Joe

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Prayer Requests and Updates

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? I would like to send my prayers for Loren and Johnnie too. We have been E-mailing for?  some time and I love his stories. I know I miss getting them right now an hope he is back with us really soon Nathalie

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HELLO GANG,

YESTERDAY, I RECEIVED WORD THAT MY GREAT NEPHEW, CRAIG BRACKEN,

A MARINE WITH THE LIEMAN COMPANY (SPELLING?)RETURNED TO OHIO AND

HIS HOME ON LAST FRIDAY, OCT 7TH AND FROM WHAT I AM HEARING, HE WILL

NOT HAVE TO RETURN TO IRAQ. ON HIS AND OUR FAMILIES BEHALF, I WISH TO

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS/CARING.?  WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD

WHO HEARS AND ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS!

LOVE-IN-HIM, Normie

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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; Walsh, Sue

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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