The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world
?
?
Oct 12, 2005?
?
?
Today's Queue Stories ~**~**~**~
My Favourite Place
Saskia Nienna Streidel
Let me show you my favourite place, a wonderful island full of fantasies and dreams. Just take off your shoes, close your eyes, breath in for 5 heart beats and out for 5 heart beats.
Are you ready? Relax.
Jump one time forward one time backward, like we played it when we were kids.
No take a deep breath and open your eyes.
What do you see?
We are on my island. The fairis gave it to me when I was a born as a human baby.
"We give you an island, right between this world and the other world."
The ocean is wide and dark blue. It is warm, but a cool soft wind is blowing. Do you hear the water singing together with the trees?
And there are the trees, old, wise, beautiful and friendly. They are our friends and they are happy to see us again.
Be quiet, do you hear voices in the wind, singing with the ocean and the trees? Close your eyes, see with your heart. There they are: fairies!
They played with me when I was a kid and they never left my side since. Sometimes I was to blind to see and to death to hear. Sometimes I wanted to be grown up and clever, and I closed me heart for them. But they have been always here, waiting for me to? visit again. And you can do the same.
Now walk on the sand, walk on the grass, walk into the woods. The fairies will guide you with there beautiful voices.
This would is old. Do you smell the old and deep smell of age and wisdom. Do not be scared. This is our place. Just talk to the trees through your heart. Send your love and the green energy of healing.
And do you see the old rocks? Do you see the wild river? Can you feel the energy? It is wild, yes, it is also dark and deep and strange. But it is home.
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.
?
?
~**~**~?
? GROWTH
By: Joseph J. Mazzella
? ? ? ? I noticed something when I gave my youngest son a hug today: he is almost as tall as I am now. He is only 12 years old, but already is on his way to becoming the tallest person in the house. I have a feeling too that my oldest son and daughter could still pass me as well. It seems like only yesterday that I was cradling them in my arms. Now it appears like I will soon be reaching up to give them a hug.
? ? ? ? There is one way, however, in which I hope all of my children outgrow me. I hope that all three of them outgrow me when it comes to choosing love and sharing joy. I have spent all of my life trying to grow better, smarter, and more successful at choosing love. I have spent everyone of my days trying to grow wiser, stronger, and more skilled at sharing joy. Still, I know in my heart that I have a long way to go and a lot more growing to do. It is my greatest wish, however, that as I continue to grow in love and joy that I can teach, aid, and inspire my children and everyone else to grow in them as well.
? ? ? ? I hope
then that all three of my children can grow in love and joy far faster than I did. I hope that they can see God??™s love all around them and invite it into their hearts, minds, and souls. I hope that they can rejoice in the peace, happiness, goodness, and delight that this life brings and then give these things to everyone they meet. I hope too that they can help others to grow in love, joy, and oneness with God as well.
? ? ? ? Life is learning and life is growth. May we all continue to grow in love and joy all through our days then. May we all continue to share that love and joy all through our lives. May we all continue to help others to grow in that love and joy for all eternity. May we all grow to be giants
of joy and towers of love on Earth, in Heaven, and in God??™s eyes.
Joseph J. Mazzella joecool @ 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.
? ? ~**~**~
~ Mercy, Not Sacrifice ~
Joyce C. Lock
?
Hebrews 10: 8-29 ?
?
? ? ? We have heard it said, "I don't smoke, curse, or chew; or run around with women who do."? Will somebody please give them a cookie ... to shut them up?? Isn't that a bit like gloating, "I'm saved and you're not"?? I mean, really.? Who is he that condemneth?? (Romans 8:34)? If you didn't die on the cross, you don't have the right to condemn
anyone.
? ? ? Or, maybe what they meant was, "Your sin is worse than mine, so that makes me more righteous than you."? But, that isn't true, either, as all unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17)
? ? ? Perhaps they would like to rephrase their statement to, "Those, who do so, couldn't possibly be saved."? Though, I guess they weren't listening when God said He doesn't judge the outward appearance, but looks for their true heart.? (I Samuel 16:7)
? ? ? The next response might be, "Well, if they were following God, completely, He would remove those demons."? Oh, really.? Isn't that a bit like calling the kettle black?? How is your back doing?? Did your car breakdown, this week?? Maybe your boss is being particularly difficult.? And, oh, those
teenagers!
? ? ? If? one had a pure heart for God, wouldn't? they love His children, too?? (Jude 1:21-23)
? ? ? As is often discretely expressed, "Well, they're certainly not going to serve God, in our church, until they get things right."? But I wonder, did anyone ask God about that?? (Romans 11:29)
? ? ? Jesus described these as sick (Matthew -13) and said that befriending them is wisdom; for which these would justify? that wisdom? (Matthew ).? Well, there goes the theory that alcoholics are not sick.? Suppose we were to separate from diabetics, too.
? ? ? We welcome people, into our congregation, with physical infirmities.? But, let one spiritually? handicapped come into our presence and, at best, we allow them to sit in a pew; separating from them in the true fellowship that would otherwise come? through serving together, leaving them on the outside looking in.? (1 John 1:7)
?
? ? ? When? we? shut
the door on? those that are spiritually blind, lame, or sick, do we not realize that is evil?? (Malachi 1:8)
? ? ? Perhaps we also forgot that those we deem more feeble really? are? necessary (I Corinthians ) and that, in God's house, all who have a heart to serve are welcomed.? (Isaiah 56:7) ?
? ? ? Jesus tells us that mercy is desired
more than our sacrifice and to go learn what that means.? (Matthew 9:13)
? ? ? But, here, Jesus goes a step further by saying, "If ye had known what this meaneth ... ye would not have condemned the guiltless."? Matthew 12:7
? ? ? There's that condemnation thing, again.? Now, wait a minute.? Jesus was referring to Himself, wasn't He?? Well, probably, but not just Him.? Think about it.? If you had learned what mercy meant, you would not be condemning others ~? period.
? ? ? Ok, but the guiltless part ... guiltless?? Now, how can sinners be guiltless?? From God's perspective, that's an easy one to answer.
? ? ? First, He already
told us that man looks upon the outward appearance.? So, when we do, our judging has to be in error.
?
? ? ? Secondly, whenever? we try to name another's sin,? we are only judging ourselves.? (Romans 2:1)
? ? ? And thirdly,? Jesus left a provision for such as these.
? ? ? There are many that never gave up on God, no matter what happened to them.? In such cases, they don't drink for the sake of partying.? They do not? use tobacco? to be cool.? They don't over eat because they like to be fat.
?
? ? ? And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.? (Hebrews 11:36-38)
?
? ? ? Also, when you have lost everyone and everything you have ever loved or placed any faith in (other than God), until another Comforter comes, (while experiencing your own individual hell) He does not leave you comfortless.? (John 14:16-21)
?
? ? ? Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.? In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the
devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.? For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.? Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.? And wherefore slew he him?? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. (1 John 3:9-12)
?
? ? ? Fourthly, their? distress was not caused by their sin, but other's.
?
? ? ? Perhaps we have forgotten that Jesus was, likewise, accused (Matthew )? ...
?
? ? ? And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because
he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.? Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.? He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.? Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.? (Isaiah 53:7-12)
? ? ? and that those who suffer with Christ will be glorified
with Him.? (Romans? 8:17)
? ? ? Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.? (1 Corinthians 4:5)
? Chelsea and Co. Tales Out of School By Vance Agee
Intro: Educators need ??“
have always needed ??“ to practice what they read and write for their degrees. Most modern educational writing is strongly optimistic. One example is the belief that ALL students can succeed, but each in his/her own way or ???learning style???. In spite of this, college professors are often at a loss when asked why educators and college professors do not practice what they ???profess???. Education is characterized by a type of ???profiling???.? Advanced Placement or ???gifted??? students are expected implicitly to have more ability than others. Powerful factors, such as character (Emerson) and sheer will, are often ignored.
The following story shows that error and my original error, too!. VA
??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦??¦
While serving as a high school assistant principal, I became advisor for our
scholastic competition team (like a ???college bowl???), which competed with other area schools in a regional association. My group was somewhat ???mixed???, all good students but some with very high grades. We were up against the best students of our area schools. But we often met after school in order to practice sample questions and to make up our own from almanacs and other sources.? We won some matches, but the competition was tough. Some rival schools had exceptional teams, and we did not look forward to dueling it out with them!
Then one competition day turned out rather bizarre. We discovered that not one member nor I as advisor, was able to attend a meet against a formidable rival! I recruited a teacher to chaperone the team, and she really was interested in becoming a co-advisor.
Now I had to find about five or six students (who would never have done this before) to represent our school.
I ???profiled???.
Of course, I went right to an Advanced Placement honors class, probably physics, explained our need, and fully expected that these students, our very best, would? respond to our need!? Of course, they would.
Not one volunteered. Not one was interested. None asked for help to make any needed arrangements; no one was interested!
OK. I then went to a ???regular??? biology class of younger students.
After explaining, with thanks to the teacher for time to do so, I got my volunteers for the team and for a team captain.? (I contacted parents for their permission.)
We had a team!
One girl, Chelsea, whose
full name I still remember without looking it up, had ???attitude???!
Yeah!
Of course, ???attitude??? is often associated by adults with ???poor attitude???. I can rephrase that Chelsea had a strong personality. (I prefer ???attitude???.) She, of course, became the captain. Not expecting a win against our toughest rival, I completed my day and then awaited their return later that afternoon.
Our pro tem team probably would be soundly beaten, but at least we would not have missed the meet.
They returned.? No, we did not magically trounce an outstanding and experienced team, but ??¦ Chelsea and team had come close! Sometimes ???close??? is more than enough! And Chelsea and team, not at all afraid of these other guys, had WON the bonus round!
Underclassmen, no experience in this competition, first time ever as a team for anything, and from a regular biology class. But Chelsea and her team would not just be walked on! They WON the bonus round! I congratulated them.
I was elated to write the PA announcement for the next morning.
And I had learned my ???lesson???.
Vance G. Agee
vgagee @adelphia.net About Me:
I was born in Buffalo, New York, a few decades ago. I was a lonely only child. However, my mom read to me: the KJV Bible cover to cover, Pilgrim's Progress, and numerous books. Between four and eight years old, I lived at
162 Bertie Street
inFort Erie, Ontario. I loved Suzanne Bevan, blond hair and bangs and recently wrote a poem about that. Great people there! I then attended School 54 in Buffalo and the Martin? Luther? School,where my favorite subject was Church History. I would write the assignment and then read for fun! I attended Buffalo? Bennett? High School inBuffalo, a great school then. Out of 2000, I was often among top 10 and sometimes
I would be number one on the honor roll, with a 99% average. I was valedictorian 1/400, but hated the SAT's. The school failed to measure my I.Q.,because I maxed out their group test. Basically, I hated school, but learned to play the game, because that attention was one of the very few things which made me feel some self worth! I had the problem of being interested in nearly every subject and having no idea on which to finally concentrate for a life's work.
I attended and became valedictorian at summa cum laude from Houghton? College in our NY Southern Tier. I spent one summer in Europe and one at Middlebury College,VT. I was asked back for two years as an interim instructor. There I met my wife, Kathleen. For two years I taught atPhil-Mont? Academy in Dresher nearPhiladelphia, PA, took courses at Faith Theological Seminary, and loved working retail at the old Gimbel's Department Store in King of Prussia, PA. Then we came to Pembroke? Jr-Sr? High School in Corfu, NY, where I taught five years and led two student tours to Europe. I earned my M.S. in Ed. from SUNY at Brockport 4.0, and moved to the Town of Lewiston near Lake Ontario, NY, to become an assistant principal at Lewiston-Porter C.S.D. for nearly 25 years. I built an international exchange program that included:Minsk, Belarus; Germany, Australia, Canada,France, Japan, Spain, and Venezuela! I took the students to Belarus, Germany, andAustralia, and later a small group
to theU.K. I also had a cable TV show and produced student video movies!
I took all courses at 3.8+ for a doctorate at SUNY at Buffalo on a Presidential Fellowship (1/100/6840 grad students -- top 5%), but a 13 page survey was a problem in completing a dissertation! I retired from Lew-Port in June of 2001, fairly disgusted with school administration. I have a red belt in karate, used to bench 265 (I weigh 155), and always loved working with students. I did complete a "distance doctorate". For a time, I worked in real estate and did retail again at the Boulevard Mall in the Kaufmann's Men's Store (part of the large May Company). My daughter has both a B.S. in Management from Buffalo'sCanisius? College and an A.A.S. summa cum laude from the F.I.T. in Manhattan. She works for Calvin Klein, and I love to visit her in NYC and at herBrooklyn? Heights apartment. I love to write for both print and Web, to do video, and have numerous other interests. I was recently hired at Bishop Timon -St. Jude H.S. in South Buffalo, as their
Latin teacher. I am grateful to many Internet lit. sites and to all my readers!!!
?
?
?
?
Writers Feedback
? ?
Carol, so nice to hear from someone across the sea.? Saskia
Steidel's work is lovely.? And her bio is intriguing.? I hope we continue to hear from her.? Barb
?
Carol, I loved the piece your wrote about garlic.? I grew up in a family with a father who was a frustrated farmer.? He grew every vegetable anyone could grow in Texas and that was about everything!? My mother had a rule in our house--you took at least a serving spoon out of each bowl on the table and "try it."
?
I learned to love: friend okra, eggplant in stew, broccoli with cheese sauce, turnip and collard greens, etc.? But I feel if I had been made to eat a whole pile on my plate, I would probably hate them all today.
?
Hugs,
Barb
?
Bill Walker always writes from and to the heart.? Thanks, Bill, for sharing your life and your love for the Lord with all of we readers.? Barb
