Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

April 23, 2006

Today’s announcements

A very happy birthday wish goes out to our writer David Wainland.

Now onto the Good Stuff!

Today’s Queue Stories

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Like Mother - like daughter?

Norma Liles

Being the book lover that I am, I could not envision having a daughter that would not follow in my footsteps.   I had found books to be such kind friends through good times and bad but my daughter 'seemed' to be oblivious of their attraction.

Over the years, she had worked at various jobs until she became a Mother and was responsible for their livelihood, she choose a career in nursing which required a lot of reading; done more for the need to ensure her education than the full enjoyment or that was my take on the task.

One night prior to her time to report to her job in a well established hospital in Columbus Ohio, she was in need of some reading material for this particular evening as she was to be required to 'sit' with this patient.  She looked through my collection to find one of a trilogy of Beverly Lewis (Amish). www.beverlylewis.com

The next day, she came to me with so much excitement.  She had found that she loved to read, also.  She was so amazed.  She had always thought of reading as a task set before her; not an enjoyment.  In no time, she had finished reading the three books and since she was enamored with Beverly's style, thus began our search for more of her writings.  Not only did we look for her books, she, one of my granddaughters and I took a weekend to enjoy the haunts of the Amish country in Ohio. 

Today, she is heavily back into the textbooks as she is practically ready to receive her bachelors of science degree in nursing with her ultimate dream of teaching nursing.  I am sure she looks forward to the day when she can, once again, select her favorite author from the shelves of time.

NormaLee Liles ©

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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IN HIS LOVING ARMS

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

     I saw the most blissful face the other day. It had an expression on it that glowed with peace, contentment, joy, and the greatest feeling of being loved. It warmed my heart and uplifted my soul just to look at this face of a tiny baby sleeping happily in her mother’s arms.

     I could see that sweet baby growing up before her mother realized it. I could see her crawling, walking, and saying her first words. I could see her attending school, becoming a teenager, and then setting out on her own. I could see her having a family, raising her children, and then holding her grandchildren in her arms one day. I hoped, though, that she would remember this moment of being held so lovingly in her own mother’s arms. I think too that she will remember it, if not in her mind then in her heart and soul.

     Seeing this reminded me as well of the loving arms that once held us all before we came into this world. It reminded me of the loving arms that though invisible to our eyes still hold our hearts and souls now. The loving arms of God are always around us. The love of God is always within us. Our problem is that we all too often walk away from this love and try to ignore it. We want to make it on our own and live our own lives. In the process we forget the love that created us, the love that surrounds us, and the love that only wishes to guide us to never-ending joy.

     Don’t walk away from the love that God gives to you. Embrace it and welcome it into your heart again. Remember everyday just how much God loves you. Then go out and share that love with the world. And if you stumble and fall on your journey towards Heaven today, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and begin again. Know that God will always love you. God will always forgive you. And God will always hold your soul tenderly in His loving arms.

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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Poetry Section

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Searching for Happiness

Joyce C. Lock 

You've things to do, people to see,
Plans to build, places to go,
Dreams to dream, things to become,
And your collections to show.

Do you have any idea
What it is you are looking for?
You search afar for happiness,
When it's just outside your door.

Psalms 126:5-6

Tells us how we can find this.
Read for yourself what God has said.
It tells where happiness is.

Ps. 144:15

© by Joyce C. Lock

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Serving God

Joyce C. Lock 

If God would answer how He felt about me,

I hope He'd be pleased with His creation.

I'd hope to have portrayed Him well

and to have lived above temptation.

I'd hope He'd be pleased with honor and praise,

and opened eyes that see.

I'll pray that it would never be in vain

that He put His trust in me.

© by Joyce C. Lock

Lu.23:46; I Pe. 4:19

~**~**~

Sharing

Joyce C. Lock

Share your seed and watch it grow.

Then, you'll know the joy of giving.

Share yourself and your whole life.

Then, you'll know the joy of living!

© by Joyce C. Lock

I have no greater joy than to hear

that my children walk in truth.
3 John 1:4

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