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Storytime Tapestry Newsletter
The newsletter devoted to
spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.
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March 20, 2006
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Today??™s announcements
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Now onto the good stuff!
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Animal awareness series, endorsed by Shiloh
and Hank Baker our mascots; all stories must be endorsed by these very special
dogs.
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Today??™s Queue Stories
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THINGS I HAVE LEARNED
By: Joseph J. Mazzella
? ? ? ? I have now lived almost 40 years in this world and I
find that I am still learning new things every single day. A few of them have
even changed my life. What I want to share today then are some of the best
things I have learned so far. Here they are.
? ? ? ? Having more money doesn't make you happier. The real
satisfaction in your work comes from the people you help and the good you do in
it. You can't make someone else happy. You can, however, make yourself happy.
You can't make other people be the way you want them to be. You can, though,
become the person you want to be. Simple pleasures like reading a book, listening
to music, taking a walk, and petting a dog or cat can bring so much delight
into your life. Little acts of kindness like giving a hug, sharing a smile, or
helping someone in need can fill your heart with love. Little acts of happiness
like laughing, singing, and dancing can fill your soul with joy. God doesn't
always give us what we want. God does always give us what we need. We often
don't know what we really want or really need. Watching a sunrise is the best
way to begin a day. Watching a sunset is the best way to end a day. The only
way to change the world is one heart, mind, and soul at a time. The acts of
love
? and goodness we share with others are the only things we take with us all
through this life. We can choose so much love and joy each and everyday of our
lives. We can share it too. Being thankful to God fills your life with
happiness. Praying to God fills your life with meaning. Being one with God
fills your life with light. The only way to be truly successful in this life is
to make yourself the best, most loving, and most joyous person you can and then
share that person with everyone.
? ? ? ? I have learned most of all, however, that God loves us
all and wants us to be happy. This life is His gift to us. How we live it is
our gift to Him. Let us all live it beautifully.
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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ValueSpeak
A Weekly Column
By Joseph Walker
Valuespeak@msn.com
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? THE WIZARD OF FLAWS
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? There was a passing in the family this week.? In fact, if you don't
mind, I'd appreciate it if you would join me for a moment of silence on behalf
of my old computer.
? Rest in peace, you defragmented hunk of rigid magnetic disc.
? And . . . you know . . . all that other stuff.
? The passing wasn't surprising.? We??™ve been seeing signs of impending
doom for months ??“ slowness, unreliability, a soft whimpering sound whenever we
tried to log into the internet (from the computer, not from me).?
Occasionally we would get a message from somewhere deep inside the computer
warning us that our hard drive was flawed.? I thought the computer was
bluffing, sort of like when my doctor tells me that I need to do more laps and
fewer Big Macs or else my arteries will clog up like a squirt gun filled with
Jell-O.
? But the computer wasn't kidding.? I should have known that. Few
computers have much sense of humor.? And ever since Bill Gates took that
pie in the face a few years ago, most computers have turned downright testy.
? We kept plugging along with a flawed hard drive until a teenage friend of
our teenage daughter offered to replace our computer with one that his brother
??“ a teenage (what else?) computer guru ??“ had renovated.? And while he was
at it he would throw in an IMAX-sized computer screen, a refurbished keyboard
and a really cool 3-D mouse pad.? Who would have thought that having a
cute, bubbly daughter would bring us such technological wonder?? Talk
about MicroFate!
? MicroDestiny!
? MicroKismet!
? So we have a new/old computer now, and it's working nicely, thank
you.? I've spent most of the past few days re-installing software and
updating various planners, calendars and address books.? There are still a
few files that I haven??™t been able to find (no, I didn??™t back them up on a CD or
a floppy disk ??“ that would make way too much sense), but I??™m sure my teenage
computer consultants know some expert ??“ probably a sixth-grader ??“ who can help
me find them.? If not, the world may never see my unfinished screenplay
for "Titanic 2: Love Among the Bubbles" (Leonardo DiCaprio meets
"The Little Mermaid" -- think romance!? Think realism!?
Think billions of merchandising dollars!)
? And all because of a little flaw on a little piece of computer equipment
? Thankfully, humans don't have to be replaced when a flaw is
detected.? Otherwise, we'd have no pro sports, no entertainment industry,
no politicians and no newspaper columnists (OK, maybe there would be one
newspaper columnist -- but how much Dave Barry can you take?).? The entire
human race would consist of ministers, rabbis, my wife and a few assorted
Osmonds.? Which wouldn't be such a bad thing for the unflawed, I
guess.? But the rest of us would be somewhere up Computer Creek without a
hard drive.
? And believe me, that's not a place you want to be.
? Although most of us are flawed to one degree or another, very few of our
flaws are fatal.? In fact, one of the great things about being human is
the opportunity life offers us to learn and grow from our flaws, and to
eventually overcome them.? And have you noticed how often the process of
overcoming flaws results in extraordinary strength?? It's like magic, and
we're each our own Wizard of Flaws, pulling miracles of improvement out of our
flawed lives.
? Even if we can't find data on our flawed hard drives.
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Poetry Section
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What Kind of Friend Will You Be?
Joyce C. Lock
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If I called you on the phone,
Yet your answering machine stayed on...
If I had great news to share,
But, you really didn't want to hear...
If I knocked on your front door
And you pretended not to be there...
If instead, on my birthday,
You invited another to play...
If you had a big party,
In honor of my worst enemy...
If, invited, you slept in
Without visiting me, your best friend...
What kind of friend would you be?
Christ said, "You have done it unto me."
When have you done this to your Lord?
Neglecting prayer, not reading the sword,
Ignoring His words to you;
Christmas, Halloween, and missing church, too.
What kind of friend will you be?
All Jesus wants for Christmas is thee.
GIVE JESUS A GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS
All He Wants Is Your Heart.
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?© by Joyce C. Lock
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There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:1
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Waiting
Joyce C. Lock?
Walking to the front door,
the porch light shined upon.
There's no remembrance of turning it on.
The deadbolt left unlocked, a deterrent to prevent.
Leaving it for mother, an every day event.
The front room spoke silence. A light appeared there, too;
Where the TV often blasts to the next room.
Looking out the window, ground covered in white,
Twelve inches predicted; a winter storm in flight.
No matter what type of storm's rage, it seems,
Everyone is vanished; upon God to glean.
A look to the watch, a rough road comes to mind;
Time to be home, that family of mine.
The telephone rings. A friend knows when to call.
Passing the time makes waiting shorter for all.
Though it wasn't as special as time with the LORD,
There's hope for tomorrow; that friends will love more.
Wondering how many times promises retain as yours,
Again, the family comes walking through the door.
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?© by Joyce
C. Lock
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~**~**~
True Happiness
Joyce C. Lock
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Whatever problem, worry, or care -
Bring it to Jesus. He's always there.
Whenever your heart does meet with His,
Then, you know what true happiness is.
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?© by Joyce C. Lock
??¦ ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:24
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Readers Feedback
Loren and Norma??™s story ??“ My
visit to Caddo Lake - wonderful story? loved it? ? hugs while missing yet still
enjoying the memories and writings of precious writings.? Leona
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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