STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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Thanksgiving Issue? 

Nov 24, 2005? 

Today??™s Announcements:

? Happy Thanksgiving for my American subscribers, as you know our Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in October.

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

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

She's the one who took it!

Norma Liles

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As we sat at our lovely table filled with all the results of our

labor of love, my father, gave thanks for the bountiful harvest

which God had provided.?  The air was filled with love and good

fellowship as we gathered as we should on Thanksgiving day.

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The turkey had been roasted to perfection, the stuffing was

filled to the brim with water chestnuts and mushrooms.?  Sweet

potatoes looked yummy as the marshmallows were browned over

the top.?  The gravy boat was full to overflowing,? the green bean

casserole looked too pretty to eat, the cranberries were stacked

like a mountain with the arrangement which Sis had made.?  The

hot bread had an aroma which begged the taste buds to delve in.

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As I contemplated how rich we were with having all of us together

this year, I heard my youngest sister and her husband whispering.

How rude, I think to myself.?  When I looked up, they were giving me

'that look.'?  Gee, what's their problem, I am thinking to myself.

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Finally, sis came over and said; "Are you the one that did it?"?  I

said: "Excuse me, I have no idea what you are talking about."?  She

said, "Oh, I'm sure you do, you are always the one who takes the

turkey gizzard and keeps it for your own self."?  What could I say?

She had me dead to rights!!?  I thought I had managed to get away

with it, once again.?  To be fair, I divided the thing with her husband.

I hope he is satisfied now.? ?  geez?

Norma Liles

hoopla214@yahoo.com

~**~**~? 

?·? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Where have I been? *

?·? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Norma Liles

? As we gathered around our dinner table with an array of all the delectable

dishes which were both attractive as well as tempting to the appetite, we

failed to remember the folks who had come by us earlier requesting a place

within our home for the night.

With little foresight, we sent them on their way after we called the mission

in our town to see if they could shelter them for the night. With our heads

bowed to receive the blessing on our food, these folks came to my mind

and I could hardly bear to lift my plate to receive the bounty which God

had provided.

Without a word to the rest of the family, I went to the other room where

we kept the phone.?  I called the mission to find out if our travelers had

found? a place to spend Thanksgiving Day.?  I was informed that they

were resting within the walls of the mission as their funds were

depleted and the mission had had their holiday dinner on the previous

Sunday.?  I told the person who answered my call to inform the family

that I would be there within the hour to rescue them from their dilemma.

When I arrived back home, my sister had to know why I had walked

away.?  An extra table leaf had been added to the table, the turkey and

the special dishes had been kept warm in the very oven which had roasted

the turkey.?  No longer was my appetite denied.?  I was so happy to bring

my friends into a table of bounty and everything tasted so much better

when shared with a hungry soul.

The following day, I was able to assist the father of this brood to my

workplace as they were short on help and he was short on cash.?  I am

sure that I will always remember this day as the day that I awoke to the

needs of others.?  After all, isn't that what thanksgiving is all about;

sharing with each other as the Pilgrims and the Indians feasted on a

day of appreciation.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the

Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting

shadows. James 1:17 (KJV)

NormaLee Liles ?©

Hoopla214@yahoo.com

? ? ~**~**~

A Time of Gratefulness

-- Terry Ploeckelmann 2005

It??™s a cold and blistery November night, logs are crackling on the fire, and I am sitting here reflecting on that certain lady in my life??¦her name is Stefanie, and she??™s my wife.

Ever since our first meeting in a recording studio, I believed in her, and knew she was destined for greatness. Of late, she has been building her strength up for the challenge ??“ for the reward. She has always had a sense of purpose; a passion for life, and a love affair for the arts. She is not overly motivated by money, power, fame or success; rather she lives her life in the moment and loves to sing. Being born with the last name Singer, she has no choice but to pursue her namesake. It hasn??™t been an easy road however, and she has had her share of struggles and obstacles to overcome.

The struggles have been that Stefi (as I lovingly call her) is not 21 and shapely. Rather, she is 45 and ???pleasingly plump.??? Consequently, she has not received due recognition as the wonderful singer she is. Believe this or not, some have actually told her point blank??¦???You are too fat and too old.???

I have seen the heartache and felt her rejection over this ???finger pointing.??? Nevertheless, I have stood by with loving support and suggested,?  ???Stay focused on what you do best honey??¦writing songs.???

Succeeding in the arts is about self-empowerment ??“ making it happen yourself for yourself. From my perspective, she is helping others understand their own lives better. I know she has had a positive influence upon my life, and I am now a better person because of her.

? By listening to her perform, the audience discovers who they are and who they want to become ??“ they affirm it with applause ??“ as do I. She possesses all the tools; there is no need to wait any longer. She no longer needs to fear rejection or be dependent upon her mother??™s approval. She was born a ???Singer,??? and a singer she shall forever remain.

Recently Stefi wrote both lyrics and melody to three contemporary gospel songs. Once the songs were "in the can," she sought out a producer on the internet super highway. After a two day search, she found one in Charlotte, NC.

Smashing the piggy bank, we loaded up the ride and took off.

The following day, Bill met us at the door, and invited us into his "studio..." his spare bedroom. We had sent MP3 files ahead so Bill could begin the "layering process" of producing the songs.

Bill was a wonderful producer. Three days later we walked out with the finished product.

The following day she met with a promoter who listened to the cuts. Of the three, she expressed an interest in the one that we actually liked the least..."This Time."

With our funds nearly exhausted, we returned to Pittsburgh...a ten hour trip, with no deal and no "check in the mail."

A few days later, Stefi received a call. The promoter had passed her song onto the record label EMI...a real biggie.

A ???greater source??? than Stefi has given her a special gift, and NOW is the time to open it. She is on her way to some new and exciting opportunities, the fullness of which is not presently known. But what is known is that she has optimism; she is organized, and [is] passionate about what she does.

Living life to its fullest requires a balance, and in order for all her dreams to be fulfilled, she keeps her focus on the creator??¦not the created. Today she is the sum total of all her yesterdays, and she just keeps loving, living and learning.

Stefi seems to have come to terms with the age and size barriers, and is now focusing on her song writing. She overcame these ???obstacles,??? and is now promoting herself as a songwriter??¦her true calling.

I love her more than any words I can write, and I am so grateful for her. She is the greatest woman any man could ask for. I believe in her??¦.oh, excuse me, the phone is ringing??¦it just might be EMI.

-Terry Ploeckelmann

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raphapublishing@yahoo.com

~**~**~

? I Am Thankful? 

Sharon Bryant

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It was four years ago this Thursday it happened.?  I'm glad I witnessed everything that day.?  Each year on Thanksgiving I always remember her, what she did, and what she said.

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She was sick, just finishing chemo the week before Thanksgiving.?  She was weak and didn't feel like dressing up but preferred to wear her nightgown and robe.?  We thought nothing of it.?  We were so glad she was still with us, so grateful she lived to have her family around her.

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As everyone began entering the house that day, she stood by the door with a piece of paper and a pen in hand.?  She said, "I want you to write something you are thankful for today."?  We all took our paper and pencil, took a seat and began to write.?  I decided to write a? poem.?  It took me a few minutes to write it, then I folded the paper in half, then in half once more.?  She watched everyone and when she thought all were through writing, she walked up to each one of us and asked us to drop it in a shoebox she had in her hands.

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Just before we began to eat, she stood and asked for everyone's attention.?  I watched her with her little bald head and brown eyes, look at each one of us.?  I saw she was struggling to stand so much that day.?  Yet there was determination in her voice when she said, "I want each one of you to read out loud what the paper says that you? will be? holding."?  She had us all reach into the box and get a piece of paper.?  She? began with me.?  I began with, "I'm glad we're all together to share this food.?  I'm glad my mom is here to share it with us."?  It was signed by one of her daughters.? 

One by one, everyone read what was on the paper they were handed.?  No one read my poem, and all that was left was her and her dad.? 

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She reached into the box and pulled out one of the two last pieces of paper.?  I watched as she unfolded it once, then twice.?  Her voice was weak, yet when she began to read, her voiced faltered.?  "I am thankful for the friendship that I treasure," she began.?  She started to cry and handed it to her dad.?  He tried to read the next line, and I watched as tears filled his eyes.?  He handed it back to her and said, "I can't read it, you do it."

She shook her head and said, "I can't either."?  She asked one of her daughter's to read it.? ? The daughter? glanced at it and refused.?  Everyone was looking around wondering what was on the paper and why were she and her dad crying.?  She looked at me and I gave her the look, "Read it later when you're alone."

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She made a speech that day.?  She told us how she didn't know if she was going to make it to Thanksgiving.?  She told us the past year had been hard, but with determination she was going to beat the cancer that was growing inside her body.?  I felt so bad for her.?  Knowing her stomach was so swollen, she couldn't get into her clothes.?  Knowing it hurt to eat a lot of foods that she loved.?  And just knowing that she and I had over 20 years of a friendship that was special.?  Always smiling because we had the same name.

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We lost her on September 26 the following year.?  Doctors error took her life, not the cancer.?  When an artery was "nicked" putting a port into her chest, the bleeding began.?  They could not stop it.

I sat with her every single day and evenings.? ? ? On Sept. 12, they told her, "You have less than two weeks to live, I suggest you make your arrangements now while you are able to."?  I can't get those words out of my head, being told you have two weeks to live.?  That night she said to me, "How can this happen to us??  How can one of us die so young at 55 years old??  How can I be bleeding to death?"?  I hung my head.?  I had no answers.

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Every year since she died, I think of her on Thanksgiving.?  I remember when a poem I wrote for her touched her life.?  I remember her father who stood by her until her last breath.?  I remember the arms he held me in saying, "This is so hard," as we were all standing beside her? bed in the hospital.?  I remember saying good bye to her.? ?  It was so hard.

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I remember the funeral and running out when Amazing Graze was played by bagpipes, her request.?  I remembered her request from me, a single rose for our years of friendship.?  She said, "Make it blue, our favorite color."

Beside her coffin that day in the funeral parlor sat a rose in a vase with a beautiful ribbon tied around the vase.?  Beside it, in a frame sat a poem titled, "My best friend."?  Many came up to me and asked if I was the one who wrote the poem.?  I told them yes.?  They would wipe their eyes and say, "What a beautiful friend you are."

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This year on Thanksgiving, I am thankful I had over 20 years of friendship with her.?  Not only was she a best friend, she was my sister-in-law.?  If she were here today, I know she would have signed up to Storytime Tapestry.?  She was an animal lover.?  She was kind to everyone.?  She lived life to the fullest.?  And how she loved to hear stories.

I will always remember her, the other Sharon Bryant.

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Her 80-year-old father will be sitting at my table on Thanksgiving Day as he has for the past four years.?  We will talk about her, we will remember that last? Thanksgiving when we were all together.?  We will wipe away some tears.?  We will have heart tugs.?  That's how love is.

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Sharon Bryant

1946@bellsouth.net

Poetry Section

~**~**~

DEAR ONES, WITH THANKFUL HEART, I SHARE 'MY SONG' WITH YOU FOR THIS PRECIOUS TIME OF THANKSGIVING. LOVE YOU, Normie



Thankful To Thee

Out of the depths, of darkness and sin,

You came like a beacon to me;

Saving my soul, blessing my heart,

Thankful, I??™m thankful to thee.

Refrain:

Thankful to thee, oh yes I??™m thankful to thee,

Jesus who died on that wicked old tree;

Thankful to thee, oh yes I??™m thankful to thee,

Sweet Jesus, you set me free.

One day in glory, we??™ll see his dear face,

Sweet Jesus, He set my soul free;

Praising his name, rejoice with the saints,

Thankful, I??™m thankful to thee.

Refrain:

Thankful to thee, oh yes I??™m thankful to thee,

Jesus who died on that wicked old tree;

Thankful to thee, oh yes I??™m thankful to thee,

Sweet Jesus, you set me free.

Tag: last line

Sweet Jesus, you set me free.?©Norma Liles

hoopla214@yahoo.com

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Writers Feedback

Sharlett: ? That is the best thanksgiving story i have ever heard! I was so surprised.
Thanks for sharing!!

Wow!?  While She Lay Dying is a grabber, Carol. 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

Weymouth, Barbara; Whirity, Kathy;? White, Robert;

STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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