Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

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March 12, 2006

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Today??™s announcements

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Happy Birthday Virginia Foley

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Happy Anniversary to Roy and Kay Seefeldt

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Now onto the good stuff!

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Today??™s Queue Stories

~**~**~

Taking Out the Trash, an Act or a Process?

B.J. Cassady
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? ? ? ? ?  The other day while taking out the trash, I thought about my
conversion to being a Christian and how it is like taking out the
trash.?  However, the more I thought about it, the deeper the question
became.?  Is becoming a Christian an act or a process??  I decided it was
both.?  Yes, I take out the trash as an act.?  However, in a few days
the trash needs to be taken out again.?  Taking out the trash continues
until the day we pass on.?  Becoming a Christian is an act, remaining one
is a process.? 
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? ? ? ? ?  We must re-evaluate ourselves on a regular basis.?  We slide as
humans and must correct our behavior.?  Also, as we learn more we
realize how much more we need to improve ourselves.?  This process,
like taking out the trash stops when we pass on.? ?  The question is:
have we done enough, have we taken out enough trash to go where
our belief says we will go?? ?  I try to take out some trash everyday.
Is your trash basket full?? 
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B.J. Cassady

BJ.Cassady @ af-group.com

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B.J. Cassady is a Stephen Minister at?  Edmond Trinity Church and ISD professional

in Guthrie, Oklahoma.?  A disabled Vietnam?  era USAF vet,?  BJ enjoys giving back to

the world with his writings and is putting?  together a CD audio collection of his best

writings.?  For further information please write: bj.enterprises @juno.com

Also look for his story 'Medals' in?  "More Patriot Hearts" by Lt Col William

Coffey and "The Quilt".

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~**~**~

WINTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

? ? ? ?  Winter here in the mountains of my home is difficult sometimes, but it never leaves you bored. There are snowstorms in it that can dump a half a foot of snow at a time closing down schools, businesses, and roads. There are bitterly cold days with wind chills that can slice through three layers of clothes and leave you feeling like an icicle. There are long, dark nights and short, cloudy days that can drain your energy and make you long for an afternoon nap. There are also, however, days like today with warm sunshine gently melting the shimmering white snow, with children in half open coats throwing snowballs and making snowmen, and with people outside stopping to talk, laugh, and share the warm light of their own souls as well.

? ? ? ?  Winter like life has both its good days and its bad days, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I myself think that our greatest triumphs come when we face those cold, dark, and difficult winter days of our lives with goodness in our hearts and God in our souls. Few things strengthen our joy like shoveling our drives and helping our neighbors to shovel theirs. Few things toughen our optimism and enthusiasm like facing the long, dark nights while still looking up to see the stars in the sky. Few things build up our love like meeting the bitter coldness of the world with the warmth of our own caring and giving hearts.

? ? ? ?  It is those bitter, winter days that make the sweet, warm, and sunny days like today all the more enjoyable too. This is because in those cold, dark days our own lights grew brighter, our own hearts grew warmer, and our own souls grew sweeter. By choosing and sharing love and joy in the darkness we became more at one with God's light, and by becoming more at one with God's light we became more at one with who we were meant to be. Have a joyous life then and always be willing to share the warm light of your soul on a cold, dark, winter day.

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.

~**~**~

~ Grace for Grace ~

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Joyce C. Lock

? ? ? ?  Grace: God??™s unmerited favor, unconditional love, when we get what we don??™t deserve, when we get something far greater than anything we deserved, when we hit the end of the road and find a second chance, salvation, forgiveness.

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? ? ? ?  When your child has been severely injured, due to your neglect, yet they recover without permanent scars; then, you know grace.

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? ? ? ?  When you??™ve been unfaithful to your mate and that love is restored; then, you know grace.

?  ? ? ? When you??™ve made a mistake of catastrophic proportion and someone else pays your bill; then, you know grace.

? ? ? ?  Grace looses clinical definition when it happens to you; when it becomes very real, personal, and undefinably joyful.

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? ? ? ?  Jesus gave His life to pay our debt and give us this wonderful gift of grace.?  He only asks one thing in return, ???Love one another as I have loved you,??? John 15:12.?  It??™s our way of saying, ???Thank you!???

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?© by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/

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~**~**~

Poetry Section

~**~**~

Solid Reckonings

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Paula Booher

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Letting old hurts be chains hanging on you

Will only weigh you down,

By cutting them loose and letting them go

Frees you up to be found.

Glory requires a refreshening spirit

Bathed in Heavens newness all to you,

Healing follows those who will? obey

With rainbows of shadows' hues.

Encircled with angels dancing

Delighted? ? and happy with joy,

For love has come calling not just to visit

A heart was taken from dead and coy.

Broken and contrite it cracked wide open

All the cries flowed from it to Mercy,

Grace received the tears with open arms

And dried and forgave them on the tree.

Love spread and delivered its' purpose

Calling with all of its' beckonings,

Truth was revealed without compromise

Scripture gave only Solid Reckonings.

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copyright justpaula 1/24/2006

wrappednword@yahoo.com

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~**~**~

He held her in the palm of his silence

Paula Booher

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It was love at first sight or thought or ah

Oh it had always been since that first glance,

The deepest kind of love to the souls core

With a twist of uncertain circumstance.

This was not whimsy or the kind that required words

This is much higher with a language all its' own,

For common ears can not hear its' music

The rhythym is in perfect? angelic tone.

Miles and time do not separate them

Years never count for this love is ageless,

People come and go to and from them

Ever true and stronger their love grows regardless.

His whispered "Hi" raises her? spirit to that of a girl

Rising hope from the ashes of dispair no matter what her state,

Her response of "Hello " sends his mind reeling

The two? once more are in loves' dazed rebate.

A novice might read these words and think it a quirk

A fiction novel or romance writer's imagination or scheme,

Yet I am here to state quite intimately and accurately

That he walked into My life like a dream.

All those many years ago when my worldly life was not aged

When wisdom was considered a shadowed stance,

Other's looked upon me as a weary child

While he held me the palm of his silence.

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copyright justpaula 2006

2:22 a.m.

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~**~**~

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Readers Feedback

What a beautiful story!?  My Special Place by Maria Doherty makes me long to be in that place.?  Thanks.?  Blessings, Sharlett Hunt

Prayer Requests and Updates

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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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