STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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Nov 13, 2005? 

Today??™s Announcements:

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I just read the Halloween contest winners and was thrilled and shocked? to see I made 3rd place!?  Many thanks to everyone for their votes.?  Sharon and Debra definitely deserve to be? the 1st and 2nd place winners.?  Congratulations ladies.

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Kathy

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

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Today's Queue Stories
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BOTH FREE AND PRICELESS

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

? ? ? ?  It seems like it takes more and more money to buy fewer and fewer things these days. The price of fuel, food, clothes, and homes continue to rise and rise. I am just glad, however, that the best things in life remain both free and priceless.

? ? ? ?  Every hug and kiss that I get from my daughter and sons is freely given yet is worth more than all the treasures in this life. Every sunset is a glorious gift from God but is also a one of a kind original that no expensive painting could ever match. Every kind word I hear or smile I see costs me nothing and still brings more joy to my soul than all the money in the world.

? ? ? ?  Love, joy, goodness, delight, peace, happiness, and wonderful oneness with God are all free. They are yours for the choosing each and everyday of your life. They cost you nothing at all, yet they bring more wealth into your life than any amount of gold or silver ever could. Each time you choose them you make yourself a little richer in what is essential and eternal. Each time you share them you multiply your wealth a hundred times over. I myself think that the richest man in the world is the one with the biggest heart not the biggest bank account.

? ? ? ?  Choose some priceless love today then. Share your fortune of joy with the world. Build yourself some treasures of Heaven while still here on Earth. No amount of money can ever match a smile freely shared, an encouraging word happily given, or an act of help right from the heart. No amount of money can ever match a gentle hug, an uplifting thought, or a random act of kindness. No amount of money can ever match a merry heart, a cheerful spirit, or a loving soul living in oneness with God. What a glorious world we live in where the best things in life are both priceless and free of charge.

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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Which Way To Heaven?

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

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Which way to Heaven, or how do I get there??  A soldier boy badly wounded on a battle field asked this question. He was beyond medical help, there was nothing his buddies could do other then give him a sip of water, and make him as conferable as possible. He was in minutes of death, time was short.

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One soldier heard the cry, made his way to this boy. In his hand was a small pocket size BIBLE. ? He read a few lines from different places.

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The lines he read was words Jesus said.

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John 14;5.?  Thomas saith to him, Lord we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

John 14;6 Jesus saith unto him, ? I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

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John 14;2.. In my Father's house are many MANSIONS: if it were not so, I would have told you so.?  I go and prepare a place for you.

John 14;3.. And if I go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.

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John 3;36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.

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Of course he read John 3;16..For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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The soldier read a few more lines from the BIBLE?  The boy that was wounded, said I believe. Looked up, a smile came on his face, he reached out with his hands, seemed to grasp something, and said as clear as a bell ringing, "take me home Dear Jesus."? ?  None of those there seen anything, the wounded boy did.?  He seen Jesus and the Angels that came to take him home to his own MANSION.

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A MANSION, not a room number 9,999, on floor 13? at a flop house motel. With no view of the gardens, or the streets paved with gold.

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All? BIBLE scripture used here? is taken? from the?  King James BIBLE.

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Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

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

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Legalism

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? Joyce C. Lock

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? ? ?  Within Christian circles is known the term 'legalism'.?  We know it when we see it, couldn't possibly be guilty of it, but know someone who is.?  When pressed to define it, the bottom line answer is, "Not what we're doing."

? ? ?  What makes this word so unthinkable??  We can confess to lies, cheating, stealing, adultery, gossiping, and more.?  But, no way could 'we' ever fall prey to legalism.

? ? ?  Perhaps, we need to feel superior to each other.?  Though, surely we're not claiming superiority over the great men of old!??  The Apostle Paul had a terrible time overcoming legalism and was not too proud to admit it.

? ? ?  So, what is legalism? Any custom, routine, obligation, service, regulation, or deed performed to win God's acceptance and favor fits into that category.?  The Pharisees were great at it.?  Paul gave a simple definition.?  He called it 'confidence in the flesh' and 'having our own righteousness' (Ph. 3:4, 9); as if there is anything we could possibly do to measure up to God.

? ? ?  Acceptance, by God (His unconditional love), cannot be earned.?  It was His gift to us from the moment we received Him into our heart (Ep. 1:6).?  It has already been given!?  Though, like any gift, it is not ours until received.

? ? ?  However, if we want God's acceptance (approval) and divine favor (blessings) in and as a result of our service, our works must be our gift from the heart (II Co. 10:18, Ac. 10:35); as God can't be impressed without the heart (I Sa. 16:7).

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?© by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/

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Poetry Section

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THE SECRET ROOM

Susan Stevens

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There was a very secret room buried deep within my heart.

The key I kept well hidden so my world wouldn??™t fall apart.

Within it??™s dark and musty walls were a hundred different fears,

Discarded painful memories and a million unshed tears.

Cobwebs covered many failures, and anger I tried hard to hide.

Things the world would never see I kept boarded up inside.

Then I opened my heart to Jesus and He came to live within.

He began to change my heart and clear away my sin.

But, every time he tried to see that room behind the door,

I??™d clutch the key more tightly than I ever had before.

I thought that He would leave if He knew the ???real??? me.

So, I put up more barriers, that room He??™d never see.

He never did demand much, just that I give it all to Him.

He??™d make it bright and new inside, instead of secret, dark and dim.

I finally looked into His eyes and saw how much He cared for me.

I then held out a trembling hand, and offered Him the key.

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Susan Stevens

summr@email.msn.com

Susan is the Mother of seven grown children and Grandmother of 14, including Katie.?  She? grew up an Air Force brat who lived in various states, mainly California.?  In the 70's she moved to Washington state where she now resides.?  She is in management for a background screening company and enjoys her hobby of writing about her family, her friends,? and her life experiences.

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Trust Is ...

Joyce C. Lock

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Realizing? there is only one God.
Honoring God as the only One with all answers for our circumstances.
Seeking God for those answers.

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Waiting for God's answer.

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Listening for God's answer.
Receiving what God has revealed as all we yet need to know.
Walking in that faith.
Believing God will continue to give instruction, as needed.
Letting God do the rest.

Acknowledging? the true character of God, knowing He? cannot and will not lie.
Accountability in not calling God a liar.
Remembering what God has done for us already.
Knowing that God has proved Himself trustworthy to trust again.
Choosing? to even ask God for help with our unbelief.
Allowing? that God is not a respecter of persons, that however He loved the people of old, He actually wants to love us, too.
Recognizing whenever something touches our heart, that is God; as that is where He dwells.
Discovering that God will always do the most loving thing possible.
Putting the weight of the world back on God's shoulders, where it belongs.
Running to Daddy's arms; knowing He will catch us every time.
Faith to stand against all evil; as per God's individual instruction.
Living above fear.
Seeing God as infallible and undefeatable.
Freedom to be the person God created us to be.
Rejoicing in that God is not finished with us, yet!

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? ? ?  The more we come to know and experience God, the greater our trust ~ because He is always faithful.?  Doubt diminishes and our faith increases ... 'til we finally learn that? there is no one we can trust more than Him, not even ourselves.

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?© 2005 by Joyce C. Lockhttp://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
To help avoid SPAM, please do not publish my e-mail address.

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They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion,
which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

As the mountains are round about Jerusalem,

so the Lord is round about his people

from henceforth even for ever.

Psalm 125:1-2

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Writers Feedback

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The Bull that would take no bull ??“ Deepak Morris - What a sadness that this glorious beast is lost!?  I hope every effort was made to clone him several times!? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Louise

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Carol, "A Voice Left Unheard" is absolutely marvelous--but not true about you, my dear.

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You have many "someone's" who love you, wish the best for you, and read your words with not only their eyes but their hearts.

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Barb

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? SENIOR WRITERS

Chief Writer: Sharon Bryant

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

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; Lilly, Jodi Flesberg; Lock, Joyce; Mazzella, Joe;? Morris, Deepak; 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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