Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

April 28, 2006

Today’s Queue Stories

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Stories

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

Stories.  Ever think about it. The Bible is a great big book of many stories - true stories, no fiction.  You can look and find a story about any thing. Name it and you will find something about anything.

Now I was thinking there is stories you love to read, some people finds one that they just skip over. I think I know the reason for the skip. That one story hurts to read, because it kind of smarts. I notice there is a few like that that I just skip over too, so I fits the rest of the crowd.

Every one likes a story that puts them in a good light.   Say you’re at a big get together, a dinner in honor of.  Well you, you did something like well dream up something you did.  OK, here we have a speaker standing up on the platform saying nice things about you. You’re all smiles; just think a big dinner in your honor.  The words are flowing like water about what a nice person you are.  That is easy to take.

What if someone is digging up some dirty wash about something you did?  Bet you duck real fast. Well look at the Bible for a bit.

There are stories in there that makes you look real great for a minute.  Those you will read and love ever word.  What about the ones that tells you, you went the wrong path?  Those will for the most part get the skip over. Those just hurt or don't fit in your case. 

Now I think if we stop and think.  Most of us will find ourselves in a few stories in the Bible, both the goods and the somewhat bads.  Remember the book says one thing.  We have all sinned some time or place. To say other wise is telling that God is a fibber. We know that is not so.  That falling angel Satin is the fibber, not God, nor his Son Jesus.  We try to be somewhat nice, but in the back of the mind somewhere is a bit of evil.

Look at all the greats of the Bible; most all had a weak minute. Right off the top of my mind I can only think of two or three, maybe four.  We know Jesus of course was the only one prefect.  So who does that leave?  Moses, well he didn't answer the call right off. How about Job? Well there is a book in the Bible.  He must have been near prefect.  Then there was Enoch.  The Bible tells us. "He walked with God, he was the best."  There was Elijah, he too fits. The thing is most others at some time or other had to be kick started.  We don't really know, maybe those I named had to be kick started a time or two. And I t’an’t perfect either, I too am known to misread.

The great King David, he looked over the fence at the sun bathing beauty next door.  Many others had their weak minutes.

Yes there is many stories in the Bible.  Look, read, you will find yourself there a few times.  I care not if you think of your self as a Saint or Sinner.

Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

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 THE PRODIGAL FAMILY (February 2006)

By Georgewaters Ojeigbe – Lagos, Nigeria

gojiegbe@jhplc.com

Many times, most of us read the bible’s acclamations without being able to comprehend those stories with today’s events.  Although, the belief that such events happened in the past and as such suppose to hang with the past exist.  We fail to realize that there is nothing new under the sun; whatever happened in the past will reoccur.  The only difference may probably be it era and place.

After the bible’s ‘Prodigal Son’, similar events have happened worldwide.  Prodigality varies, it could be a Prodigal son; daughter; mother; father, or to sound a little funny, a prodigal pet such as a dog or a cat.

All around the world, prodigality is a common occurrence.  We are already aware that its first report exists in the prominent documentary book called HOLY BIBLE.  Prodigal, an act where someone absconds from home, and probably returns after a while…

About four to five years ago, a family, Mr. & Mrs. Adiele whose son, Uzo; a classmate to one of my friends, once followed the footstep of the “PRODIGAL SON”.  Him also from a wealthy home and being the only son out of three children was over pampered by his mother. 

Uzo had always wanted to live a free life.  He frequent friends who keep late night parties, drinks to stupor, womanizes and involve in many other unholy things.  Uzo got initiated into an occult group in school and at a time, he had to quit higher institution as he could no longer coup with academics. 

His mother, Mrs. Adiele who was always seeking spiritual fulfillment was a day misled as a close friend of hers brought to her doorstep the very new religion.

Some of the religion’s objectives were made soothing.  The sounding trumpet that ALMIGHTY GOD would come very soon before the end of year 1999 to take his own to heaven made her totally accept this new faith.

She stopped drinking Coca Cola, being one of the rules, stating that anything black is satanic.  Drinking of coffee was a big wahala (problem) even eating of the local foodstuff called AMALA (yam grinded after well dried under sunlight) which is a major foodstuff for the people of the western part of Nigeria known as the Yorubas was prohibited.  Although, was initially accepted by Yorubas.  Just as the Americans cannot do away with burger, the Yorubas revolted against the prohibition and the law was altered to favor the Yoruba members only. 

A specific date was told to members of when ALMIGHTY GOD would come to take them home.  The founder told them that “A TRUMPET SHALL BE HEARD FROM AFAR IN THE CLOUD SOUNDING PARAM PAM PAM PAAAA!!! and whatever work is being done should be alone to prepare to go and join ALMIGHTY GOD in the sky.   With this promise, members kept waiting patiently for the trumpet to sound.  Some women stopped sleeping with their husbands all in the name of ALMIGHTY GOD is coming soon before the end of 1999.  Some of them refused to even brush their teeth, to them everything became worthless.  Although, year 1999 has come and gone and no “PARAM PAM PAM PAAAA” sounded in the cloud, not even fifi, fifi was heard.

With these believes, Mrs. Adiele’, especially the promise that ALMIGHTY GOD shall come soon before the end of 1999, she also left her responsibilities as she started keeping away from home so as not to  fall into sin by having fun with her husband.  After a while, despite her husband’s warnings she moved her belongings to the church where she started to reside.

With the absence of Mrs. Adiele in the home, Uzo, who had all along been seeking freedom now had a serious quarrel with his father which resulted to disownment.  His father, Mr. Adiele swore never to see him in his house again.  Uzo also swore never to refer to him as his dad.  They both parted ways as Uzo moved out of his father’s house.

Uzo not knowing life outside home was very happy to leave.  That was how he found his way to my place through an old classmate of his who happens to be my friend.

When he came, my friend told me about the whole issue and begged that I should allow Uzo to stay just for a while pending when he finds a payable job to start his life. 

Both old classmates for a while were jolly friends since  Uzo came with plenty of monies to spend but for how long did it lasted since the money was being spent without replenished.  After a while, the money finished and Uzo needed to depend on his friend who was also a dependant on school pocket money. 

For me being the only worker tried my best to see that the house was fed but what was my strength?  Less!

After a while, both Uzo and his friend could no longer endure one another and that was when the constant quarrels began between them.

In that trying period, I knew Uzo was learning some lessons.  I knew God was at work because there are times in life that one feels he can depend all alone.  When you are weak is when God can come and strengthen you; if you care to invite Him in.

Even though, I was able to secure a casual job for Uzo at my place of work, it was still not well with him since the pay could not comprehend with cost of transportation between office and home.  With the low income, Uzo resulted to visiting friends and close relatives for financial assistance, which he hardly gets.

With the brake down in communication in his family, his mother decided to visit him at my house and at the same time thank me for accommodating her son.  So also was one of his uncles’ who visited me too in an occasion to know of Uzo’s whereabouts in case of emergency.

At the place of work, Uzo and other casuals were required to offload trucks filled with stocks.  Sometimes, he was humiliated at times which he endured, although, his identity as rich man’s son was unknown.  The only evidence was his spoken English and his way of doing things.  Whenever he talked about home many of his coworkers thought he was fantasizing.  I could remember once when some stock got missing and he was accused alongside others, he felt terribly bad.  Another time was when he followed the madam who was the branch manager; known to others as a quarrelsome madam – a fighter, into the market place, both of them ended up quarreling in the market place. 

Uzo’s mother for the first time came in her car to visit her son in the office.  Initially he tried not to let his colleagues know about his mother.  She came with her younger sister to price some foodstuff meant for a burial.  Uzo attended to his mother just as he would had done to other customers.  When his mother finally left, Uzo told his boss and colleagues that he knew the woman somewhere and that was the reason for their intimate talks.  After his mother’s second visit, he introduced her as his mother since she got crying and no lies could hold the truth back from his witnesses.

Later on, Uzo felt that he was not well taken care of at his place of work so he had to seek for job elsewhere inside a market place.  I understood that one of the daily customers flattered him with words and he had to succumb not knowing it was going to be even worse.

It was not long he resumed work at the new place that the true nature of his new employer unfolded.  He was much more humiliated by the employer’s abusive husband who normally walks like a dock fowl.  Although, Uzo’s former boss missed him as she confessed that she was always comfortable with him in the market places because of his enlightenment.  After a while Uzo returned to his former place of work as he could no longer bear the insults at the other end.  His colleagues and boss were happy as they really missed his jokes and cheerful nature.

After going through life without the support from his father, he started feeling rejected.  That was when I knew he was getting to that place of atonement.  I talked to him again and again about some issues bothering him before he finally decided to follow me to my place of worship.  Through out that Sunday church service I could see a kind of blankness on his face; his countenance fell.

All through his stay in my house, he seemed to have developed a sense of responsibilities and maturity.  He wakes up very early in the mornings, keeps the home well tidied and became more humbled.  He stopped smoking and drinking.  I noticed that his refusal to go back home began to reduce. 

Again, he got another job elsewhere and after working there for about a month he was not paid his dues.  Now all hope for survival seemed dimmed but there was only one hope for him and that was for him to go back home to his father, a home without the returnees yet, his mother and sisters.

Each day, Uzo will sneak by his father’s house to spy on the man whenever he is standing outside the building.  At a time his new place of work took him to work somewhere around his father’s house and he saw his old man (he normally refer to his father as an old man), standing in front of the house.  Sometimes, he tries to visit some friends opposite his father’s house in order to view his once precious and comfortable home.

After about two years of staying away from home, one day he finally decided to go and visit his father.  His father a hardened one time militant soldier tried to hide his anxiety from his son, according to a saying, ‘blood is thicker than water’.  Finally, they had a father to son chat but he never asked his son when he would want to return home.

Uzo was sad when he got back to my place.  He narrated his transparency with his father which his concern was his father’s cold attitude towards him.  His only hope was that his mother had also started visiting home again.  Things seem to be coming back to shape.

One day he got a message that his father would like to see him.  After that visit to his father, he started shuttling between my place and his father’s house until finally he moved back to his father’s house. 

Up till this very moment, Uzo has turned a new leaf.  He has learnt his lesson so also has his mother and sisters; the prodigal family was rebirth.

Since ALMIGHTY GOD did not return to take Mrs. Adiele, Uzo’s mother and other members to heaven, she finally left the funny society and returned to her husband’s house with her daughters.  She discovered that she had been scripturally and mentally deceived. 

Of recent, just last year, 2005, her husband bought her a new car for as her birthday present.  Her former car was given her only son.

For Uzo’s father, he was just of recent appointed a deacon in the church where him and his entire family worships.

Uzo, well, really do not want to depend on his father found a not too paying job again and he is hoping to reach the top without his father’s assistance.  He is also hoping to attend a degree program.  All in all, he has turned a new leaf and not even the devil can still the truth from him anymore.  He is now a wise man as King Solomon of old.

His sisters who were then not able to get into higher institution due to the prodigal era finally gained admissions.

THE END!

Georgewaters Ojeigbe

gojiegbe @jhplc.com

BIO-DATA

I was born on 21^st April, 1970.  I live in Lagos, Nigeria the most populous city in Africa. I sing in a Church music group where I fellowship.  I love sports.  I love admiring the heavens and other wonderful works borne from Jehovah’s hands.  I discovered the power of writing stories, encouraged by Carol.  Thanks for her existence!  I am pet lover minus snakes; I so much hate this creature called snake but others I prefer.  I like to do lots of home works like creating my art works, gardening, making some home furniture, fitting electrical appliances etc.

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Poetry Section

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Our Father

Joyce C. Lock
 

Our FATHER, above,

FAITHFUL from the start,
 

sheds HIS SPIRIT on doves;

TOUCHING every heart
 

with glorious wings of LOVE,

HEALING every part.

© by Joyce C. Lock

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Prayer

Joyce C. Lock

When you go to the LORD in prayer,
Make sure to take your praises there…

Preparing your heart to meet with His;
United as one by what you give.

© by Joyce C. Lock

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Prayers are Effective

Joyce C. Lock
 

Absent in body,

Present in Spirit;

Whenever you pray,

Know that God is in it.

© by Joyce C. Lock

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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