STORYTIME TAPESTRY

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

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Jan 31, 2006? 

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Today's Queue Stories
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Trip Into Hell

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

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Maybe? trip into hell isn't the right words.?  But to the people that lived there, and so on it might be close. I am speaking of Katrina.

One that has never seen what is left after a battle of war, might like to see this war zone. I think it would be about the same.?  Now I don't think it is wise to take your next R and R?  trip there.?  You might not like paying 131 dollars a night for a room in a motel. More on motels in a bit.

Leah and I met many people of many different reasons for being there. Each had a story.

There was people that lived there at one time.?  Those?  had a home of some class, now most are what one could call homeless.?  Each has a story to tell.?  Each for the most part had insurance, now the insurance people don't know them.?  They also was people who was tax payers. Now some wonder if they are known by the government at times.

Now I will try best I can to tell what I seen

I seen buildings, some standing with windows and doors blown out.?  Some with more damage, maybe you could tell those was buildings say two or three stories.?  Some buildings just could say there was a building a few months ago. Now it is a pile of rubble.

Now this also was the case for houses.?  There was houses with tar paper roofs now. Some whole roof was covered?  from end to end.?  While some just a few feet.?  Then you would see houses with no? roof at all. That is nothing to really?  put tar paper on. Oh the wall might still be there, but the real roof was total gone with the wind. Then you would see houses with a side blown out, many like that?  There would be houses?  that even had been moved.?  I seen one that the house moved enough, one wall was right against a tree.?  The house looked like it was kind of broken in the middle.?  That is the roof wasn't in to great a shape. Lots of houses had the look of a box torn open to get what was inside, then you would stomp on it after getting the goodies out. I seen many a pile of what once was inside of a house near the streets.?  There was also many a pile of what was once a fine home.

Now people let me tell you something.?  From the pictures one may see of these homes, one might say a lot of these homes didn't amount to much.?  Don't you believe it.?  These homes for the most part ran in the range of 200,000 dollars and up.?  One home that looked like the city dump, ran in the range of one million dollars. There isn't a wall left standing, ? just one big pile of rubble, with many? little piles of rubble here and there.? 

When wind can take out a large well built bridge, you have been in a storm. When wind can take out old long standing government buildings, that is a storm.? Now the insurance people claims is, it was all water that did the damage.?  I would like to add my two bits here.

I seen a row of columns standing, all leaning the same way. Water??  Well maybe, but these were big fellows.?  I would believe more like a wind storm, maybe did have help of water. A bridge? made? a pile of rubble.?  I believe a bridge is a way to cross water. There fore the bridge would be made to stand water, and the flow and force of water.?  Now I have pictures of said bridge.?  The thing that is damaged best I can see was the deck or rood way of bridge. What would cause that??  WIND!!!!? 

Now I found another thing that debunks the water, or flood idea.?  Leah home was nearer to the water.?  About a mile more inland is a golf course.?  First off Leah does not play golf, never had such a thing as a golf ball.?  I found what looked like brand new golf balls on her land. I think a couple things here.?  These golf balls may have never met up with a golf club, or was hit one time and lost in the rough. Now I did find about 4, or 5 balls. Would water have carried them to her little corner of the world??  Maybe but I would think more like what is said a wind storm can do.

Any fool knows, these storms comes with two things.?  That is wind, and water.?  The wind picks up large amounts of water, building up stronger as it moves.?  It dumps the water like you can't believe, both before and after the eye passed by. You are going to get hit by large amounts of water before, and after.?  So say your home with stood the first dumping of water, the wind ripped the place apart.?  How what is left gets the dumping of water from the back side.?  So you will have rubble that is wetted down.? 

Now we seen motels that had a couple of feet of water in the first floor.?  The walls and such was left standing.?  Some damage here or there to allow water in.?  Rain water, not a flood from the sea.

Now I know the cost of a motel room in normal times does cost a bit more there.?  You know how that goes.?  Any where people likes to go for a special get away, cost is always more.?  But now we have the excuse of rooms are really hard to find.?  So the cost?  may go up more.?  This one place,?  the power is off to run the elevaters. but we charge 110 dollars a night for a bed.?  Also we do not have other things we would have if things was up to par.?  Another motel charges 131 dollars.?  The inside looks like a war zone.?  Don't drink the water or take a bath. seems like the water has a funny brown look to it. In normal time we have a breakfast for you. Not now, but the price is said to be the same as? if we did.

Every thing is not a bummer.?  Let me tell you one thing or two. I found many good people.?  I in fumbling around got stuck by a rusty nail.?  I went to a certain place to get the needed shot.?  I waited my turn at the first aid tent. One lady helped me fill out the paper.? ?  I had forgot my glasses.?  I use any excuse to talk to a pretty lady you know. She told me much.?  Each person there was in the medical field some where.?  She was from Canada.?  Nice people wouldn't you say??  Each had came for the most part to help out in time of need.?  God Bless them.

There was many people like this, they were in some field of work back home some where. They are really needed here in this sad time in history. I seen many church groups from all over, there with help, working with one another.?  I seen no church group beating the drums of church thinking, but to help those in time of need.?  Now that is Christian. Sure the vans might be marked with Last Baptist Church of North Carolina or something like that, but they?  were there to help. I seen many signs, of different churches,?  from different towns and states.?  Just good people, all with heart.

I also seen and did talk to men that had come to work from different places.?  Lots of them worked for a city else where. The city sent them to do the same work here with pay and so on just like they were working at home.?  Yes people does have heart.

We also seen something real strange.?  I never in my life? seen armed guards out side of an insurance? office.?  Leah found her insurance man.?  That is the one that took her money. He now has two standing out side the door. Armed guards that is.

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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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~**~**~? 

What would it have been like to be my Mother?

Norma Liles

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Becoming fatherless at the tender age of six? as

her father's love was snatched away from her with

her being his baby, the last of the brood.

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This baby girl was the youngest of thirteen children

who was adored by her siblings as well as her Mother.

She was raised in a country setting where there was

very little transportation other than horse drawn

vehicles so she walked or was carried by one of her

brothers when the weather was too bad for her tender

feet.

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It was unheard of in those days for a girl to take part

in a public dance but her brothers would sneak her out

to play the piano at a square dance while they joined

in with their fiddles.?  I am sure that was the hi-light

of her day.

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Being the pretty little lady that she was; she was much

admired by this handsome lad who had the intentions

of making her his bride.?  Her family were so protective

of her that she was taken away from her home to stay

with an older sister who was living in a city to keep

this young couple separated.

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One evening, she and her sister had been to a nearby

park to hear some good music. As? they approached

the house,? they saw a man setting on one of the porch

chairs.?  Lo and behold, it was this lad who had come

to see her.?  Needless to say, they were so happy to see

each other.?  The next thing you knew, wedding bells

were ringing in the chapel for this adorable pair.

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Ollie and Josephine were married on January 13, 1913.

On December 30, 1913, they were blessed with a darling

little girl.?  As time went on, they had three more children. In 1923, they had a set of twin girls and 15 months later, they had their second boy.?  Later on, they had a pretty little girl, Mary Jane, who they had to give back to God in the span of 2-1/2 years.?  This was a very traumatic time in their lives.

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In 1929, eight months after the loss of Mary Jane, I made

my entrance into this world.?  I would imagine that this was tough to accept another little girl after having just lost one who? was so ingrained into their family but I was never made to make note of this.?  You do not replace one person with another!

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Three and one half years later, my baby sister was born who was the last child that my Mother gave birth to.?  She was a frail child who seemed to have the pattern of Mary Jane so by that token, she was extremely protected and spoiled beyond reason but that is understandable after the loss of one.

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In the interim, Mother's health issues were very apparent having had numerous surgeries and if that were not enough,she showed strong signs of losing her vision.?  My parentslooked into any and all medical assistance to avoid this atrocity but eventually, she did lose her sight.

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The heartache of Mother's loss of vision was not the end of trouble.?  In April, 1949, she lost her own true love when he was crushed between the rails of the railroad car that took his life. Her faith? carried her through this period which was not surprising to me.?  She was not entirely alone without her man as she had a special needs daughter, one of the twins who became her helper through thick and thin; Mother being her mental rock and she being Mother's eyes.?  It was a team like no other.

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For years, it was just Mother and my special sister until in time, the other twin had moved back to be with them andthis was a God send as when we had to bid Mother goodbye, the twins were once more together and are so, today.

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We said goodbye to Mother in June 30, 1976 and in June 2005,we had a reunion to celebrate my parent's lives.?  We used a patriotic motif; red white and blue with a huge cake decorated in their memory, photographs of them plus? red, white or navy tablecloths. The gathering was well attended and a good time was had by all.

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With that in mind, I share with you the poem? which i wrote for this occasion:

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Our Dedication - Honoring Ollie and Josephine Hackworth Hoop

She was a pretty young lass

He was a strong handsome lad

She was his dream come true

He was her knight in shining armor.

In January 1913, they were joined in holy matrimony

In December 1913, they were blessed with a daughter.

Over the years, their family grew, keeping them busy

as bees, caring for their brood.?  In time to come, they

faced the great depression but with mutual concerns

and faith above all, they endured life and prospered as

they saw wars come and be settled and saw their son,

Paul return home safely from WW2. In this life, we face

difficulties; losing those we love to a fairer land than

we know here.....Giving up to the Lord, the children we

have reared from a little two year old, Mary Jane, to some as adults; Dona, Doris, Glenn and Anna Marie,

Eventually, the sweet lovely lady lost her vision. In 1949,

while coping with this loss, she lost her knight.?  In the

face of such adversity, our strong lady kept the home

fires burning with the aid of our special sister, Lorene.

In June, 1976, our sweet lady joined her knight and her

departed offsprings in Heaven.?  She is missed so much

as was her loving knight but we carry on as they would

wish their heirs to do. Let us then, today, fondly remember the love of this great couple and our siblings who have been responsible for this great homecoming of all their descendants; Brother Paul, sisters; Maxine, Lorene, Charlene and yours truly, Norma

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? NormaLee Liles ?©

hoopla214@yahoo.com

Norma Liles is a retired data entry

clerk/supv who is 76, a native of Ohio

and still resides there. She is very

outgoing and loves to make new friends!? 

Her hobbies are: writing poetry and

stories, living for Jesus, reading,
enjoying her family, and her use of

her computer.Her ambition is to add

pleasure to those who read her writings

as well as sharing her faith. She enjoys

Southern Gospel Music and loves to sing.

Her 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,
News Moose & Penworm prayer warriors as well as

a senior writer for Storytime Tapestry.

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? ? ~**~**~

Love

Sharon Bryant

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I watched the?  elderly couple slowly walk down the ramp.?  He with his snow white hair, cane in one hand.?  She with hair that had turned silver, holding on to his other arm.?  "Mama, be careful," he said.?  She clung to his arm.

I watched when they reached the ground.?  He slowly put his? hand in hers? and I watched as the two walked off together.

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Suddenly I was back in time.?  Another couple, another love, another life.?  I remembered when grandma used to help grandpa off the hospital bed.?  The way she'd rub his back and ask if there were anything she could do for him.?  The grin he would give her saying, "No, mama, I think you've done enough."

I listened to the stories they both told me of raising six children during the hard, depression years, amazed at how they survived.

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I remembered the many times grandpa would bring home something grandma loved.?  How happy she would be, and I'd peek around the corner of the hallway and watch her put her arms around his neck and kiss him, saying, "I love you papa."

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I watched for several years a couple who spent most of their life together.?  I knew there were more hardships than good times, and yet, they stuck it out.

They endured two World Wars.?  They endured losing four of their ten children.?  They endured a lifetime together.

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One time I asked grandpa what was the secret to staying married so long.?  He replied, "Kitten, your grandmother is the world's greatest cook, I could never leave that!"?  I laughed and then he said, "I love your grandmother.?  I always have.?  I always will."

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I stood and watched with tears in my eyes as grandpa was dying.?  His old heart couldn't keep up any longer.?  I watched as grandma bent over the hospital bed, brushing his hair back, kissing his cheek saying, "Papa, I'll love you forever."

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I want a love like that.

Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

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About Me:

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I am Sharon Bryant,? 59 years old and reside in Alabama. I lost my child in 1977 when he was five and I write articles on bereavement often. I am a chocolate/candy maker and also a wood crafter and knitter. I am married to a wonderful man, and have two remaining children, a daughter 26,
Amy, and a second son, Randy, age 24.

My main goal in life is to help those who
have lost a child. My website is: www.angelsremembered.tk

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Writers Feedback

Bless you, Pamy. Jan 17, Special Treat. You inspire me.

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Love and kisses to the far flung family.

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Shalom,

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Ron Gold

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Hey Sharon--Thanks for the memories of Chubby and the twist.?  I'm a year older than you and I share your fond memories.

DonnaK in Oklahoma

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Prayer Requests and Updates

Dear Prayer Warriors

(please read to the bottom of the page)

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Please Lift Gilbert up to our heavenly Father.

His surgery is scheduled this afternoon (Jan 19)between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock.?  In his weakened condition this 3 hour surgery is critical.?  The doctor told him yesterday if he doesn't have this surgery to drain his lungs he could die but the surgery could? take

his life too trying to save it.?  It is a very invasive

surgery.

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Understandly so he is very scared.?  Please pray for

him he is basically all alone.?  His mother has cancer

and his sister here is off and running? on drugs and prostitution.

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We talked about the Lord last night over the phone between his? violent coughing spells.?  I told him the Lord loves him and? He could? count on Him.?  He? said I know the Lord loves me.? He went ahead to say he would call the Chaplain this morning, he said he was a friend, praise God.? 

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He then said in a very weak voice that he had to go and that he loved me.

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Please pray for peace for Gilbert, he is alone and scared.

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Father God hold Gilbert in your loving arms, let him know that you are there.?  I pray that his doctors and nurses will treat him with kindness and

compassion and that you Father will direct the surgeons hands and the entire surgical team.?  Father please send Gilbert your peace that passes all

understanding.?  Please Send your Holy Spirit and a host of angels to let Gilbert know he's not alone.

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I ask these things in Jesus most precious name.

Amen and Amen

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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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