STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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Dec 21, 2005? 

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Today's Christmas Stories
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? ???A MERRY JEWISH CHRISTMAS??™? 

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By Ron Gold

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The world was at war in the 1940??™s.

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I was about 11 years old and had a job, delivering newspapers for

my father??™s candy store.

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It was late December and, while everyone was worrying about our boys serving in Europe and the Pacific, we civilians were anticipating the Christmas/Hanukkah gift-giving holidays.

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No one was more patriotic than blue collar families in Stamford, CT. We sadly sent our sons off to war.?  We accepted sugar, gasoline and meat rationing.?  We saved fat, tin cans and tin foil.?  And we turned out in great numbers for War Bond drives.?  Our ladies rolled bandages and our men became air raid wardens, aircraft spotters and auxiliary policemen.

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Defense plants paid our men and women workers top wages.?  Local businesses got by with limited inventory, shortages and priorities.

Whenever a request for merchandise couldn??™t be filled, the wise-guy

answer was: there??™s a war on, moron.

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My newspaper delivery route started after public school and before Hebrew school.?  I??™d come home to our apartment over the candy store, demolish milk and cookies and make my newspapers orderly.? 

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Everyone ordered The Advocate, our local daily.?  Others ordered New York City afternoon newspapers.

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My route began directly across the street from our store, at Mrs.

McDonald??™s apartment.?  She was a tiny lady with a big brogue and an even bigger heart.

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She invited me inside, reached into a tiny change purse and handed

me a fifty-cent piece.?  ???I really wanted to wrap it with fine holiday ribbons,??? she said with a smile.?  It was good to see her smile since her only son was sweating out his draft board deferment.

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(Mrs. McDonald used to be my second stop until rich ol??™ Mr. Hoyt, the banker, fell out of his tree, getting some cuttings for his girlfriend.His sister cancelled the delivery service, saying it wasn??™t worth a nickel a week not to cross the street to buy her newspaper.)

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Mr. Convery, the undertaker, came after Mrs. McDonald.?  He left me

a dollar in an envelope with my name written on it.?  (Dad felt queasy

about Mr. Convery.?  ???Tommy looks at you like he??™s measuring you for a coffin,???

he said.)

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Mrs. Thompson was my daily challenge.?  She kept about 10 cats and

only one litter box.?  I held my breath as I left her paper on her porch,? 

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I turned left at the corner to the Moore??™s home.?  Dad called

them ???Grace and Tom???.?  I was taught that, until I got older, I should

respectfully call them ???Mr. and Mrs. Moore.????  Tom was a Spanish-American War Veteran who read Hearst??™s Journal-American.?  Tom gave me two dollars and a handshake.?  Grace kissed me and wished me a ???Merry Jewish Christmas???.

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Next was Mrs. Murphy, an aged lady who never spoke to me.?  She lived with her granddaughter, Jeanne, who used to be my babysitter.?  The balding old lady always sat in her kitchen, behind an open bottle of Jamison??™s Irish Whiskey.

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The Singletaries came next.?  They were another two newspaper family.?  She loved The Advocate because it printed news about her friends.?  He liked The N.Y. Sun??™s columnists.

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I returned to West Broad Street and walked into the office of Ray??™s

Mobil service station.?  I appreciated their air conditioning in the summer and the warmth in the winter. The mechanics and pump jockeys liked me and kidded me.?  They collected five dollars as my Christmas gift.

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After Ray??™s, I walked the longest stretch on my route, about a quarter mile to Miss Jo Hanrahan, who lived with her politician

brother in a pleasant white house with black shutters.?  John left my gift with my Dad in the store.?  (I??™m sure he sought a favor from dad.)

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As a schoolboy, the most cash I ever carried was milk money.

Now I was loaded at gift-giving time.?  So after I delivered my last

paper, I ???skipped??? Hebrew School and headed straight into our

town??™s main shopping area, beautifully decorated in holly and ivy??”plus some slushy residue.

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My first stop was The Squire Shop where I bought my dad a hideous

Gold-tone tie clip with a three-engine airplane design.?  When I gave it to him,

I said, ???I hope you take your first airplane ride soon.???

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I walked on to a cut-rate drug store who wrapped gifts beautifully.? 

I told the lady that I wanted something very special for my best girl.

She brought out a bottle of Evening In Paris toilet water and said, with a

sly grin, ???your Mom should love this.?  And, if not, she can return it.????  (She did.)

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Fast forward some 55 years.?  It??™s Florida and we flew down for

Dad??™s jumbo 90^th birthday party.?  As we reminisced, I told stories

about my happy boyhood, including the tie clip incident.

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???Excuse me,??? dad said as we walked into his bedroom and returned

with a small, old gift box.?  ???Remember this???? he asked.

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I looked at the tie clip.?  ???It??™s as ugly as ever.???

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???Sure it??™s still ugly,??? Dad admitted.?  ???But it has such beautiful memories and I wouldn??™t trade it for the world.???

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Ron Gold

139 East Northfield Road

Livingston, NJ?  07039

(973) 994-1941

outthinkresumes@aol.com

Ron Gold

outthinkresumes@aol.com? 

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? About Me:
Ron Gold has been writing professionally for some 50 years--in public relations,
advertising and motivation agencies. He now writes inspirational and humorous stories for the Internet. He also creates professional resumes from a recruiter's viewpoint, ethical wills and personal love stories. He also edits college essays students submit
to undergraduate and graduate schools. He was graduated from the He was graduated from the University of Bridgeport and served as a Public Information Specialist in the U.S. Army. He resides in West Orange, NJ? 

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~**~**~? 

? Christmas at Florida Flywheelers Village? 

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?  Christmastime brings out the decorator in all of us, I suppose, from small Santa's on the lawn to massive spreads of Santa and reindeer with lighted trees and angels of all kinds.?  It is thrilling for all to get in the car and ride around and enjoy these yuletide treats.?  Though some are more elaborate and thus more impressive than others, even the tiniest lighted tree never fails to bring forth a song of joy in my heart.

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?  Last night I had the pleasure of seeing one of the most quaintly decorated villages that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.?  It is located so far out in the orange groves of Ft. Meade, Florida, that I am amazed that people actually find it, but they do.?  And when they do, they are in for one? Christmas treat that is right out of Little House on the Prairie.?  Even without the snow, it is fabulous!

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?  My friends Nelson and Jim had invited me days earlier and I was looking forward to the trip, though a little leery when told it was in Ft. Meade as nothing usually is happening in that small town.? 

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?  Nelson drove for what seemed to be miles of nothing but orange groves on either side before we reached a clearing that looked like it could be lights.? 

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?  Upon arriving, we parked in a large lot that had been designated as such and walked inside the gate.?  We each had a new, unopened children's toy and a canned good, which is the price of admission.?  A tram, pulled by a tractor was waiting and the lady driving beckoned for us to get on board with the other passengers.? 

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?  This lady described each little building that was so beautifully decorated and made completely from logs that had been hewn right there in the little village.?  We were allowed to stop and go inside some of the buildings that were opened.?  There was decorated tractors and some that weren't.?  There was antique cars and tractors and machines.?  We went inside one little cabin that had a beautifully decorated old fashioned tree with antique ladies gowns and hats.?  There was so much to see!?  We were given delicious hot dogs that were grilled on the fire in front of us.?  Some ladies were singing carols on a lovely gazebo that was all lit up and they were decked out in antique clothes.

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?  My favorite place was the church they have on the property.?  It is a real church and I met a lady inside named Trishia, who was awesome.?  She was one of the ministers there.?  I found out that most of these people are down from the north for the winter and all are volunteers.?  She also was dressed in a lovely old prairie dress.?  We talked with her for a while and made a decision to return there Christmas Eve for the church services they will have.

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?  About thirty Red Hat ladies were on another tram and I was so excited to finally get to see them!?  I asked one of them where they were from and she answered some were from Sebring, a neighboring town.?  They were all dressed up in their red hats and purple outfits and smiling big bright smiles.?  You could see that all were enjoying this!

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?  We then walked through an overhead light display that included a covered bridge? and finally came to a large barn where there was a small band singing Christmas Carols.?  There was refreshments, coffee, hot chocolate and lots of different kinds of homemade cookies to enjoy while you sat and listened to the music.?  The barn itself was decorated inside with lots of antiques and such.?  It was a sight to behold!

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?  As we exited the barn, there was a hay ride waiting for us.?  It was a large wagon, pulled by, you guessed it, a large tractor.?  Lots of tractors here.?  Also many flywheels, thus the name of the club.

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?  On the hay ride, along with pleasant conversation,? we were offered hot chocolate, cookies and candy canes.?  Sadly, the end was back at the parking lot.? 

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?  I shall never forget this adventure or the wonderful people who do this for? folks like me to enjoy.?  They are the Florida Flywheelers Club of Fort Meade.?  They have a website at www.floridaflywheelers.org where you can visit and get a virtual tour of the one I got last night.?  Of course, you won't get to see the joy that lights up the faces of all that are there or enjoy the hospitality of the flywheelers.

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Sharlette863 @aol.com


About Me:

I was born in Alabama, the middle of seven children. At about age four we moved to Central Florida and I have lived here most of my life. I am a Viet Nam Era Veteran. I have always enjoyed writing and as I get older it seems to come more naturally to me. I believe everyone has many stories inside them and some are blessed to be able to share them.

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Heavenly Hope ? 

By Jan Verhoeff

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Amy pushed at the edge of the door, wishing she could get past the chain lock on the door. She??™d managed to get through the two locks on the outer door, and now there was just this chain to break through.?  She pushed harder.?  She??™d yelled her voice dry, and there was no more voice to squeak out.?  Finally, one last shove she pushed with her shoulder holding against the doorframe. Snap.?  Wood splintered; the chain broke free.?  She walked in looking from side to side watching for motion.? 

???Mom???? She whispered out again.?  No answer came back, and she kept looking through each room.?  In the last room, the quiet form of her mother slumped against the side of her bed. The frail woman was no longer the tower of strength she had once been, but a mere shadow of her former self. ???Mom???? Amy spoke again touching the narrow shoulder of the woman fallen there by the bedside.

She picked up the phone from the floor where it had been knocked off the dresser and dialed the number. 9 ??“ 1 ??“ 1, Her fears were realized. The woman she??™d known so long, so dear, was no longer.?  Amy prayed a silent prayer and whispered her address to the soft voice on the other end of the line.? ?  Her mom had been so afraid someone might break in, she had more locks on her doors than a prison, and gave keys to no-one. Even though she lived right next door, she??™d refused to give Amy a key to her home.

Amy waited for the emergency team, thinking over the past three days. She had talked to her Mom on Tuesday, but it wasn??™t unusual in bad weather for her mother to stay inside and not be out moving around in the yard. She had called Wednesday morning, and there had been no answer, but the phone rang.?  Wednesday afternoon, the phone rang busy.?  She thought quietly, waiting for the sirens to arrive.?  She??™d brought over dinner Wednesday night, but nobody answered the door. She??™d call her later. She thought as she walked back across the yard; a plate of food still warm in her hands.

Amy crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall, thinking about how often she??™d come to her mother??™s door and her mother had been chattering with a friend on the phone, too busy to answer the door.?  Tears ran slowly down her face, dripping off her eyelashes and down onto her soft cashmere sweater.?  Oh how she had begged her mother for a key so she could check on her during those times.?  It had been useless. Her mother refused to provide a key; she just didn??™t feel safe. Amy pulled her arms tight around herself and walked to the front of the house to let the emergency team in through the now broken front door.?  The door jam had splintered when she pushed past it, breaking the safety chain from the narrow wooden frame.? 

???She??™s in here.??? She motioned for the emergency people to follow her. ???You??™ll need the coroner.??? Her voice was raspy, still a whisper, and the tears kept falling.

Lights on the Christmas tree in the living room twinkled and the star shone brightly down at her. The nativity on the mantle offered hope.?  She pushed back the joy and the hope, holding onto them for later, but not wanting to feel them now. She knew life would go on, but for this moment, all of life was quiet.?  Two children stood waiting near the front door, an officer kept them out of the house.? 

???I brought your coat, Mom.??? The oldest offered. ???I thought you might be cold.???

Amy shrugged into her coat, and touched the soft smooth cheek of her oldest son. ???Thank you Jason.?  I appreciate that. It is cold out here.??? She smiled a weak motherly smile, needing to feel strength for her children, yet feeling none. ???I think Grandma must have fallen. She??™s in a better place now.??? She offered platitudes that did nothing to calm her own frail nerves.? 

She should have been there. She should have found a way to get a key, and not allowed her mother to be so stubborn.?  She should have??¦

Amy stood there, waiting with the others until the coroner arrived. There would be the usual investigation, for an unattended death.?  The day filled up with action, chatter, and the need for peace that didn??™t come.

Amy made the necessary phone calls, many of them, standing there on the front porch of her mother??™s home, with the emergency crew moving about.?  Jason and Katie came in and out, checking on her, each taking their turn wrapping an arm around her, sometimes leaning on her. Sometimes she leaned on them.

Warm voices encouraged her, but she didn??™t hear them.?  The sounds of the day faded into the background as family members began to arrive, friends gathered around, and the day grew longer.

As the sun dipped low into the western sky, Katie dressed for the evening. Her soft green velvet dress with white lace, green chiffon skirt in layers and layers over a satin petticoat, and white stockings made her feel a little bit of the season remained.?  She slipped on her black patent shoes and waited at the door for Jason to finish dressing in his black suit, with fine white lines, and a narrow red tie.?  He looked debonair. She smiled as she saw him, walking down the hall. It was nice to have a big brother who cared so much.?  She stood at the door of her mother??™s room glancing down the hall at the few remaining guests in the living room.? 

???Mom, are you ready???? She asked as she opened the door.

???Yes. I??™m putting on my shoes.??? Amy answered softly. She was dressed in a black knit dress, with a long heavy green coat, her hair brushed into soft curls that hung just past the collar of her coat.?  ???These shoes???? Amy asked as Katie stood there watching.? 

???Wear your boots, they??™ll be warmer.??? Katie suggested, showing maturity far beyond her fifteen years. ???Mommy, let??™s go and have fun tonight. It??™s Christmas Eve, and we??™ve waited all year for this miracle.???? 

Amy looked at her daughter standing quietly in the doorway, wearing her new long black coat. Her first grown up coat, she had announced when she tried it on. Amy looked down the hall at her Aunt and Uncle sitting on the sofa, arrived all the way from eastern Kansas.?  They had been appalled when Amy invited them to join her and the children at the Christmas Eve service at their church.?  ???It??™s so soon after. Amy, how could you go and celebrate Christmas Eve???? Aunt Molly had been tearful from the moment she arrived.

???Aunt Molly, I??™m not celebrating so soon. I??™m celebrating the birth of Christ. Please, join us, you don??™t have to dress up, but Katie and Jason are part of the Christmas program, and we??™re going to church tonight.????  Amy had invited, speaking clearly after a day of rough edges. ???I know you don??™t understand, but I need the peace I will gain tonight.????  Amy encouraged her Aunt. ???I??™d really like you to join us.???

???We??™re ready.??? Katie announced as she entered the living room where Aunt Molly and Uncle Thomas sat quietly watching the evening news on CNN.

They were dressed in casual slacks and warm sweaters, their coats still hanging in the closet.

???Aunt Molly, I really want you to come hear me sing the Messiah.??? Katie invited one last time.

???We are going.??? Molly spat the words out so fast, Katie wasn??™t sure she heard her right, but she didn??™t want to ask again.?  Thomas got up and gathered their coats from the closet.?  They were walking out the door as Jason turned the last lights out, leaving nothing but the Christmas tree lights shining in their quiet home.

The church was full of people. The choir gathered near the entrance to the sanctuary as they entered the doors.

???Hurry, Katie, take your place.??? The pastor invited, welcoming them in, greeting Amy with a hug and soft words of sympathy.

They found seats near the middle on the aisle and seated themselves. Jason joined the boys on the side of the church with his parts ready, and Katie took her place in front of the congregation on a stool near the center of the stage.

The Choir entered with the soft low strains of ???Oh, Holy Night??? playing in the background. Voices lifted as the choir took their places and the final chorus played. The pastor prayed over the service, mentioned Amy??™s loss, and asked for God??™s blessing over those in the sanctuary that night, and gratefulness for the gift of Christ.

Katie lifted the microphone to her lips and began singing.

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???O little town of Bethlehem

the place of Jesus??™ birth

the blessing brought from heaven down

to all of us on earth??¦???

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The music played and the angels sang in heavenly chorus, voices soft and low gave a rejoicing sound to the auditorium as Katie waited to continue her song. The boys on the left side of the sanctuary took their places behind Katie, standing on the stage. Their faces bright, reflecting the soft glowing lights of the stage.

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???O what a holy night

When Jesus came down to earth

The angels sang

Their voices rang

To tell the story so grand.

I wish I??™d been there

On that holy night

To hear the angels sing.???

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Angel voices from the choir kept singing, softly, a rolling ???Gloria??? that kept the tone of angels in the heavens, soft and low.?  At breaks in the music, the boys spoke the story of Christ as told in the Bible; their words spoken in unison to the rhythm of the director??™s staff.

The story unfolded as the congregation sat there watching a beautiful girl pour out her heart in song.?  Her eyes lifted to the heavens as her lids closed and she finished the song on the highest notes, praise lilting through the halls of the church as Katie sang the words of resurrection and love. Not a dry eye was left in the sanctuary that night, as souls were saved and lives were touched by the voice of a child.?  The story was told.?  God spoke that night. He sent his love and poured out His gift on those gathered inside those walls.

Amy sat quietly there in the sanctuary, tears dripping again, and she knew.?  The joy of Christmas filled up the voids in her life, and she knew that even in the saddest moments of her life, ???Hope??? came shining through.

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Note from the author: Fear is disabling, defeating, and life altering, but we can overcome fear.?  God says, ???I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of love, and of power, and of a sound mind.??? And we can trust that. We can lean on those words of hope, hold onto the power of His love and LIVE a life that is full of His Joy and His Hope. Don??™t let fear steal His Glory and Your Hope.?  Trust. John 3:16 ???For God So loved the world that He sent His only Son that Whosoever Believes in Him shall have EVERLASTING Life.???

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About the Author: Jan Verhoeff resides in Lamar, Colorado with three of her four children. Her older daughter is in college.?  She??™s a home school mom, a single mom, and a writer. Her latest publication ???Christmas Angels??? can be found at http://www.lulu.com/janverhoeff along with copies of other books she??™s written.? 

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Poetry Section

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***Heaven Sent***? 

Norma Liles

Heaven sent awesome Christ child
Heaven sent gift so wonderful
Heaven sent graces this earth
Heaven sent angels did proclaim.

From up on high heralds the news
From up on high sing his praise
A special gift of love completed
A babe born in a manager far away.

The star that led the wise men
Not your ordinary star I know
The Star from old Bethlehem
Led the wise men where he lay.

'Twas a glorious night long awaited
'Twas a night foretold of old
Prophets kept a mighty journal
His appearance fulfilment of the law.

Rejoice rejoice this birth so special
Proclaim his birth to all you know
That Jesus Christ the Son of God
Has graced our life with his arrival.

Celebrate this peaceful season
Join in with one accord to hear
The story once more proclaimed
Happy Birthday Jesus, King of Kings.

Norma Liles
9-6-02

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NormaLee Liles ?©

hoopla214@yahoo.com

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About Me:

Norma Liles is a retired data entryclerk/supervisor who lives in Ohio. Her hobbies
are: writing poetry and stories, reading, her family, living for Jesus and her use of her computer. Her ambition is to add pleasure to those who read her writings as well as sharing her faith.

My writings have been published on Starfish, Driftwood, Sandollar, Morning Spirit Lift,
www.poetry.com, PrayerofGod, Jan Karon's newsletter, American Poetry Writer's league,
Lucy's Inspiration, Faithful Hope reading room, Poetry of Today publishing, Hope in Him,
Bonnie's Place, America will remember and News Moose. Finally, she is a senior writer for Storytime Tapestry.

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~**~**~

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Comforts of Home

Steve Johnston

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Snow fell softly,

Melting on my skin,

A cold, wet memory,

Of a day, long ago.

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Christmas lights,

Shown like a beacon,

Warming my heart,

And leading my spirit.

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The house glowed,

A clean, white aura,

Washing over my darkness,

Cleansing my heart.

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As I opened the door,

Pine and conversation,

Light and fresh bread,

The comforts of home.

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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; Gilbert, Robert Jr; Goodier, Steve; Halley, Ellie Braun;

Harris, Kathy Anne;? Hunt, Sharlette;? Hymes, Christina

Jacobson, Gary;? Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Kevin, Tim 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;

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