STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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January 7, 2006? 

Today??™s Announcements:

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? Happy Birthday Richard Sims

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Quote of the day

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Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously
in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always
our conscious choice which secret garden we
will tend ... when we choose not to focus on
what is missing from our lives but are
grateful for the abundance that's present-love,
health, family, friends, work, the joys of
nature, and personal pursuits that bring
us pleasure -- the wasteland of illusion
falls away and we experience heaven on earth.

Sarah Ban Breathnach

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

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Animal awareness series endorsed by Shiloh and Hank our mascots; all stories must receive their approval.

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Central Florida:?  Sure Feels like the Yukon

?  Sharlett Hunt

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?  It is cold here in the Yukon.?  Even the name sounds icy.?  Blame it on the Eskimos.? 

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A friend and I tried to attempt our idea to travel to Alaska, land of the midnight sun.?  First, I am deathly afraid of bears,? and I hear they come alive at this time of year.

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?  Call em Polar Bears down here, by what I mean, South Florida, Where we fight gators, no kidding, if you want to survive.?  Why, I can whoop a gater, nigh to middlin'?  aint a problem, but a white bear, now, this here's I reckon, some kind of a different problem.

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?  We came upon one of these so called bears, sittin on side of a river like.?  We kept real still like and watched it, it was almost human like as it caught fish, ate, and seemed not to notice us so we got out of there real quick like.

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?  The most beautiful sight there is, is? a bear eating a pile of fish, it is nature, running it's course.?  Normally, they watch for salmon to run.? 

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?  We as individuals are depleting the wild life that God has given us to enjoy.?  Even in your world, think about it.

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?  Butterflies are what I enjoy, but if we keep building concrete, there will be nowhere for them to hide,?  I just found that praying manthis are extinct, please be careful of these beautiful little angel critters.?  I saw only one recently.?  They are so lovely.

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?  We are killing our environment.?  I cry.?  Please stop building.?  People can find a place to survive,?  The concrete is killing.? 

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?  I will make a commitment to not kill anything that is not to meant for meat.?  Or even if it is.?  I am getting very ill at the fact that I am carnivorous?  Now I see the wonder and realize why people can't eat meat, though a good steak is easy for me.?  I will try.? 

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?  It is man who is killing us.?  In other words we are doing it ourselves.?  The big fish ate the little fish?  Let it be.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  .? 

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

? The Rock

Susan Stevens

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In my livingroom I have a heart shaped shelf (actually it's three shelves in one, one heart on top of another), and on the lower portion there is a small crochet doily on which sits a rock. It's really half a rock, with the cut side facing down.

It's not a very pretty rock; the color goes from various shades of beige to shades of brown. It doesn't have a smooth surface, but is jagged with small dark brown spots and blemishes. There really isn't much to see that would make it presentable enough for a place of honor as a room decoration, yet it is one of my most prized pieces.

In the Midwest, in another home, sits the other half of my rock. I gave it to a friend for Christmas, along with a poem I wrote and cross-stitched. At the time, my friend was going through some personal difficulties, including divorce, and didn't have any self-worth.

I happened to find this rock by chance, but knew immediately I had to have it, and I had to share it with my friend. When I found it, it was already cut, and both pieces were laying cut side down. I picked up one piece, and my heart was overwhelmed with the beauty I saw when I turned it to look at the cut side.

The rock had a hollow in it, filled with little crystals that sparkled and shined. The area between the hollow and the outer edge (about 3/4" all the way around the inside) was filled with a delicate, lacy pattern. I was told it was Brazilian Agate, and that's the way they are "in the wild." I understand some are dyed on the inside, but this one was natural.

As I stood there and continued to look in awe at the rock, it occurred to me it represents how we often look at others and ourselves. We see the outside, the unattractive, the tired or worn, and focus on that, while waiting inside is the true beauty.

My friend has given the poem and rock a place in their home, as I have in mine. I'm sure they also get the same, "Why do you have a rock sitting here for decoration?" I just smile as I pick up the rock, not yet letting them see the inside, and begin to talk about the beauty it contains. Just when they think I've totally lost it, I turn it over to reveal what was there all along.

This rock helps me put my judgment of others in proper perspective, and serves as a reminder that what is inside is what matters most.

Susan Stevens
summr@email.msn.com

Susan is the Mother of seven grown children and Grandmother of 14.?  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. ? She has been published in several short story books, e-zines, and made it to the final cut of Chicken Soup for the Soul with one of the two stories she submitted.

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Poetry Section

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? "A Need For Love"

Tim Kevin
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You sheltered your love within for so long Taking a peek each day hoping
it may
Be your someone special has come along
Only to watch the dream again fade away
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For no one has appeared to stir your heart With longing or even a
promise of passion No target for your eyes to secretly impart Desire to
a loving passionate companion
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Once more the eyes conceal the dream
And it's put back away in that secret place Taken out only in the light
of a moonbeam To rustling sheets as your heart does race -
The dream diminishes with passing days
Unattainable through the passing seasons Almost forgotten, buried in so
many ways Then one wild day for no rhyme or reason
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You are struck with a tingling realization An sudden feeling for a
stranger or friend The dream alive with a physical sensation Your
consciousness, reality, now at upend -
Eyes sparkle openly sending signs of love You become light headed and
dance along
Now impervious to life's rain from above Cuz someone is singing you a
love song
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A warm spring day has come to your door
A day that's always been looking for you Erasing the weary dreary days
of before
To bring a special someone to make love to you
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by ...... The IrishWarlock

irishwarlock@webtv.net

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? ~**~**~

"Taking Another Chance"

Tim Kevin
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Smiling, I stole a little peek
To see this heart so worn
To see if maybe a little tweak
Would dispel this sense of forlorn
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If you wish to see my broken one
That's hidden away from public view
Your welcome to see all the scars hon
I guarantee you shall be one of the few
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Do you want to take another chance
Once again put your heart on the line
Dare to hope for just one more romance
With another lost soul wish to intertwine
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Feel once again the heat of love's passion To be warmed by a lover's
caress an kiss
Hungrily search out deeply buried emotion To love every hour of a day
not a second to miss.
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If this be the journey that you seek ......
With the potential for a love gone wild
Knowing the chance for hurt not unique
I accept it with the innocence of a child
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by ... The Irishwarlock

irishwarlock@webtv.net

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Prayer Requests and Updates

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Okay everyone.. The doctor's are a bit more ready to say there's hope.... Nikki's white blood cell count has gone from .3 to .5 overnight, her platelets are up and her hemoglobin is steady.?  She has a long way to go,but she's definately begun the journey!!!!!?  She had a good night's sleep.. and though she's feeling the pain, she's even upbeat in her spirit today.?  She told David on the phone, "Well, what's on the agenda today??  You're gonna have to come up here, cause they just won't let me leave.." ?  and she said it laughingly..

Praise God from whom all blessing's flow!!!! and Thank you all... Love, Al

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Nikki has been moved from critical to serious.... she's moving into another room where she's going to be able to shower and go to the bathroom facilities on her own.?  She is now not in need of 24/ 7 observation and she feels she feels there's real hope now... and everyone knows if we have hope in ourselves it can make the difference between life and death... Thank you everyone.. thank you... Love, Al

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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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STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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