Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

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March 13, 2006

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Today??™s Queue Stories

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STAND OUT OF YOUR LIGHT

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

? ? ? ?  There is a wonderful, old story about Alexander the Great that always helps to remind me of what is important in this life. Alexander after having conquered most of the known world and having reached the peaks of his power, fame, influence, and wealth was still left with a great feeling of emptiness inside of himself. Hoping to find some peace he decided to seek out a wise, old philosopher and ask his help. Alexander found the old man sunning himself on a hillside outside the city and approached him. Standing over the old man Alexander announced who he was. He then promised the old philosopher anything he desired in the entire world for his help. The wise, old man looked up at Alexander and smiling gently said: "only stand out of my light."

? ? ? ?  Perhaps all of us in this life who want peace, love, happiness, and joy should take a step back and stop standing in our own light. It is not, after all, what we have or what we achieve that brings us these things. It is rather who we are that brings them into our hearts, souls, and lives. If we want peace then we have to become peaceful. If we want love then we have to choose to be loving. If we want happiness and joy then we have to share our happiness and spread our joy.

? ? ? ?  All too often we seek to become like Alexander the Great and conquer the world outside of us. We seek fame, fortune, power, and prestige, yet even when we obtain them we find ourselves empty. God, however, doesn??™t want us to conquer the world outside of us. God wants us to enlighten the world inside of us. God wants us to fill ourselves with His love, joy, peace, and happiness. God wants us to be full of His light and then give it to the world through our laughter, our smiles, our words, our deeds, and our lives. May we all then make Heaven smile by praying, loving, and living so that no one not even ourselves can ever stand in the way of our light.

Joseph J. Mazzella
joecool @ 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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A Man Needs His Space Too

Richard Sims

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My wife Jackie has the whole house, except for my computer desk that

sits in the corner. No matter how good a couple gets along, still, they both

need a little alone time, just to think &? figure things out.

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Well my computer desk in the corner just wasn't enough and I needed

my own space. Just out our back door is a two car carport and on the

west side of the carport was a small storage room, until I got my Idea.

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Its twelve foot long and three foot eleven inches wide; nothing but a

storage room. I cleaned it all out and put everything that was in it up in the

attic. Then I ran wiring for electric? outlets and for my big four foot shop

light. Then I built two L shaped work benches one at each end. I built

shelves under them to house all my power tools, and left a space between

them for my table saw. I built a wooden tool box to hold all of my wrenches,

ratchets, and sockets, I then mounted my bench vise on one work bench.

Then my double wheeled bench grinder on the other work bench.

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I Hooked up my telephone and set it up and my 13 inch T.V. and my

A.M. F.M. Radio, C.D. & cassette player, and brought out my bar stool,

along with two electric heaters. Now this old storage room is my shop.

And I have my space? too. That's? my story and I an sticking to it!

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About Me

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I am Richard D. Sims 48 years old, I was born in a small town called Granby, the oldest

mining town is Southwest Missouri. I am the youngest out of five children ( The Brat )

I am just a simple back woods country boy, I wear Dan post western style boots and

western shirts, wrangler jeans and my black western hat. I am a jack of all trades yet

a master of none, I have found out I can do most anything and what I can't do? I am willing

to learn.

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I moved here to Arma, Kansas 3 years ago when? I married my lovely wife Jackie, I have

two children of my own, Richard II ( Rick ) Sims 26 years old, and a daughter Rebecka

Sissom age 22. A stepson James Morrison 26 who lives with Jackie and I because of his

birth defect of Spina - Bifida.

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We have found a great church here called the Arma Family Christian Center, My wife

Jackie and I are online prayer warriors so if you have a prayer request just send it to us

to receive a written prayer, please make sure you don't have your E - mail blocked.

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My hobbies are building quarter mile dragsters and drag racing at Asberry, Mo. at

Mo-kan dragway. I also do wood working and wood crafts, Bow hunting and fishing,

motorcycling, and just spending quality time with my family and spoiling my

granddaughter Destiny Dawn Sims age 5.

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Richard Dean Sims? ? ?  armaksman@yahoo.com

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Poetry Section

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Winners vs. Losers

Joyce C. Lock? 

Is gambling for winners or for losers?

Well, the answer to that question

Just might depend upon

Where you place your stakes.
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Lev. 27:28 tells us,

"??¦ No devoted thing, that a man shall devote

Unto to the LORD of all that he hath,

Both of man or beast ...

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And of the field of his possession,

Shall be sold or redeemed:

Every devoted thing is

Most holy unto the LORD."
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Perhaps one of the reasons

We don't devote our children to God,

And really mean it, is

Because we only want ...

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Our children to be blessed unless

It means losing them as missionaries.
? Maybe we serve God

But aren't entirely consecrated ,,,

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For fear we'll lose total control

Of our lives ... that the idea of being

Slave to anyone, including Christ,

Is? a little more than we can bare.
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Surely, there is no one

We can depend upon, more than ourselves,

To fix our financial blunders

(Even if it means working Sundays) ...

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And a tithe is all God

Has the right to ask for and,

Certainly, all we can afford to risk.

WRONG!
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? For every occasion we stand

With Satan in calling God a liar,

By our lack of faith in His promises,

We've gambled to lose.
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We can't out give God.? 

Lev. 27:28 gives us an additional guarantee.

In EVERYTHING that is DEVOTED to HIM,

YOU CAN'T LOSE!!!?  So, choose to win!

?© by Joyce C. Lock

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Words to Share

Joyce C. Lock

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Walking in the Spirit,
Talking with the Lord,
Hand in hand together -
Proclaim His Holy Word.

Satan cannot touch you.
Never tremble or shake.
God stands to protect you
Through all quivers and quakes.

God is altogether righteousness.
He never ceases to care.
In everything He calls you to do,
He'll give you the words to share.

?© by Joyce C. Lock

Faithful is he that calleth you,

who also will do it.
1 Th. 5:24

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Worship God

Joyce C. Lock

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Some worship the Sun,
Bathing for a Tan.
Some worshipping the Moon,
In Darkest hours Span.

Some worship the Stars,
Their Destiny placed in Man.
Some worship Knowledge,
With great Formulas and Plans.

Some worship Rock Stars,
Following the Latest Bands.
Some worship Possessions,
Flaunting great Houses and Lands.

Some worship Leisure,
Partying in the Sand.
'Tis best to worship God,
The only Great I Am.

?© by Joyce C. Lock

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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; Braun-Haley, Ellie; Harris, Kathy Anne; Hunt, Sharlett; Hymes, Christina; Jacobson, Gary; Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Kevin, Tim; Jenkins, Pamela; Liles, Norma; Lily Jodi Flesberg; Lock, Joyce; Marlor, Janice Bumbalough; Mazzella, Joe; Morris, Deepak; Ojeibge, 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, Gordon, K; Walsh, Sue; Weymouth, Barbara J.; Whirity, Kathy;

Wainland, David; White Robert;

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Storytime Tapestry Staff

Carol Roach - Founder/publisher

Thelma Hartselle - Co-Founder, Moderator

Clara Westerfer ??“ moderator

Bob Johnston - moderator

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