Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

April 21, 2006

Today’s Queue Stories

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Today’s announcements

A very special happy birthday goes out to our wonderful African writer GeorgeWaters Ojeigbe.

Now onto the good stuff!

Today’s Queue Stories

A Day To Remember

Susan Roberts

Feb. 23rd, 2006 will always be "A DAY TO REMEMBER". I became a Great Grandmother for the first time. My granddaughter Jennifer gave birth to a healthy, beautiful little girl. Abigail Marie came into the world at 2:14 PM, weighing in at 7 1/2 lbs, 19.6 inches long. Her dark hair and dark eyes is her Mother all over again, the face at some angles are her Daddy.

It was a short labor, as labors go. 3 hours 34 minutes from start to finish. I was so proud of Jennifer and Monty. He stayed right there during the whole thing, holding her hand and giving encouragements. He was the one to cut the cord.

As soon as Abigail was wrapped in a blanket, she was placed in Monty's arms. He looked down at his daughter as she opened her eyes for the first time, the first look at this big old world. And she looked right into her Daddy's eyes. Monty was in awe. He was the first thing his baby saw. He, just a scared young man, was a Daddy, and this baby was looking at HIM.

When they gave Abigail her bath, she started to fuss. Daddy couldn't stand that, so he went to stand by the table and he put his hands on each side of her, she grabbed each of his thumbs in her little hands. She looked up at Monty, and he was looking at her. I can say, he fell in love with this baby girl, so tiny and so beautifully made. She is a product of his love for her mother. The baby lay there, quietly watching her Daddy, and he in turn watching her. I took a picture of them. I plan to have a 5X7 made for him to take to work to have on his tool chest.

The nurse had to move Daddy so she could dress the baby. Abigail began to fuss; she didn't want to be dressed. The nurse wrapped Abigail in a blanket and handed her to Monty. Monty put her in the crook of his arm, and with a sigh, little Abigail snuggled up to her Daddy.

I feel so blessed to have been able to see the miracle of LOVE being born. I am a Great Grandmother, but Monty will be a Great Father to this baby and Jennifer will be a Great Mother to her.

Yes this will always be "A DAY TO REMEMBER"

Susan M. Roberts

twofAMILY2@earthlink.net

I am a published author of the book  GOD and The Hillbilly,   and am working on my second book. I live in the Florida panhandle with my husband, our dog and cat. I am the mother of 2 grown children, step mother to 2 grown children, grandmother to 7 wonderful grandchildren, and now Great grandmother to a beautiful little girl, Abigail Marie. GOD has blessed me in so many ways, I have lost count.

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He Just Sat There

By

Pamela Perry Blaine

"If there's anything I can do, please let me know."

How many times have we heard that phrase spoken. 

Sometimes it's not easy to know what to do or say when

tragedy falls on someone that we love.  We feel like we

 have to fill the silence with words and the emptiness

with action and I suppose that is the  natural response

 within all of us when we want to help.

There's certainly nothing wrong with asking or in doing

 something.  We should do all that we can to help others

 in every way that we can, but sometimes there is

nothing that can be done.  All the doing and fixing has been

done or tried and all the words have already been said.

What do you "do" for someone whose heart is broken or

 whose world has been torn apart?  When there is a great

loss or perhaps the death of someone who was dearly

loved, is there really anything that anyone can "do"?

 I might never have known how to answer

these questions, except for Lynn. . .

The answer came to me at a time of great loss in

 my own life.  My mother had died, and that was when

Lynn came by the funeral home.  It was the afternoon

before the visitation and I happened to be there alone

 because everyone else had gone to dinner.  The rest

 of the family wanted me to go with them but I just

 couldn't go because I just felt the need to stay there. 

I was sitting in the front with my back to the door

When I heard someone come into the room.  I turned

to look and I saw that it was Lynn.  He slowly walked

toward me, said my name, and sat down beside me. 

He just sat there.  He didn't say a word unless

I said something to him and if I became quiet,

he was comfortable with the silence. 

He sat there with me for a long time and then after

 awhile my family returned and others had come into

 the room.  I didn't even notice when Lynn went home.

What did Lynn "do"?  It was the best thing that

 anyone could have done for me at that time. . .

he just sat there. 

I hadn't seen Lynn for years.  I began first grade

 with him and we graduated from high school together,

 yet I never really knew Lynn very well.  There was

just that bond that only the people who go

all through school together in a small classroom

 can know.  It's a bond of friendship and it's strong.

Later on, I thought back to the time when we were

children in grade school and that's when I recalled

something important.  I remembered that Lynn's

mother had died when he was very young and

 left a husband and several small children behind

 with Lynn being the oldest.  I guess

Lynn knew a lot about pain and loss at an early age. 

Do you suppose someone sat with Lynn after

his mother died?  Maybe so, and I wonder if

when Lynn's younger siblings cried for their

mother that he simply gathered them next to him

 and perhaps  . . . he just sat there.

By

Pamela Perry Blaine

© 2003

 Pam enjoys writing, music, and country living.  She writes "Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many of her writings have been published on the internet as well

as in several books.
Pam says, "I have loved music and writing ever since I can remember. I play piano at church and I'm an avid reader. One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren so special memories will not be forgotten."  She has a CD entitled "I'll Walk You Home".  If you would like one, they are available by freewill donation.  More information as well as a clip from the CD is on her website at
http://www.blaines.us/PamyPlace.htm

e-mail: pamyblaine@blaines.us

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Poetry Section

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SLEEPLESS CURES

Joyce C. Lock

When you have a tired, restless, night

And there's no reason, worry, or fright...

There are two types of sleepless cures.

One is calcium. The other is prayer.

© by Joyce C. Lock

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STANDING

Joyce C. Lock 

Turning the other cheek is not being weak,
For it means to be strong whenever you are wronged.

Lu. 6:29

It's taking a stand, when evidenced not a friend -
Not being a rebel, stooping to their level.

Ez. 22:30

It is cutting off ties, not matching those who lie -
Protecting your spirit when Satan is in it.

Ja. 4:7

It is calling the law before they break your jaw.
It's your job to defend and on God to depend.

Ep.  4:27

All for the right reason, you'll win in due season -
Refusing their abuse because God is in you.

I Co. 3:16

© by Joyce C. Lock

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Stealing

Joyce C. Lock 

Stealing is in all forms dividing

A lack of faith in God providing.

© by Joyce C. Lock

Readers Feedback

I Needed these words !!!!!!

And then, life is a drag; one feels like Atlas twice over, sucked into a dark vortex, wondering how to deal with it.

Here’s how: Let yourself feel, let yourself go, dive straight in the dark dank waters of negative thoughts. You need to confront each of these, before you can let go. I liken it to crossing a river; only by swimming across will you know the depths and understand the nature of the river. If you build a bridge, or row across in a boat, you will get to the other side, but without knowing what the river is like. I hope my example is clear. In short, embrace something close so that you can let it go. Paradoxical? Yes! But so is life!

Learn to reach out to others. There is NOTHING that has happened to you that hasn’t to anyone else and it will happen again to someone. You are not alone in your moment of happiness or pain. But it’s just that, a moment. And last but not the least, be grateful to life, to God, to everyone, even those people who hurt you or gave up on you. They enriched your life’s experience in their own way. After all, can one just survive on sweets? You need a balance. Is night anything without day and does day have any meaning without night? Remember to be grateful for this balance in your life. Treat everything in life as a lesson. Learn to ask yourself, when in any situation, what can I learn from this? Believe me, you will find something!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Lopamudra !

Welcome to our little writing family! I can empathise with every word you write and I am still reeling from the tragedies that hit my family like a tsunami wave. My dear sister , Mother and young Son-in-law all died within five months.  During the same time my Son had a kidney transplant! Now I grieve for my dear husband. I was losing the battle , I do know that! But dear Lopamudra, your words have hit the dead centre of my heart today! I have read your words over and over this morning and at last I can feel a little ripple of 'life' stirring through my veins. I will keep your story to read each day till I can dive into the dark and awaken from my hell. Thank you so much for writing this story. I am sure your words will help so many more people. I look forward to reading more of your writing. Violet  violetsrblue7@hotmail.com 

Senior Writers

Chief writer: Sharon Bryant

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; Westerfer, Clara; White Robert;

Storytime Tapestry Staff

Carol Roach - Founder/publisher

Thelma Hartselle - Co-Founder, Moderator

Clara Westerfer – moderator

Bob Johnston - moderator