Thanks For Your Friendship!

As the drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of mid-west farmers were in a quandary as to what to do next. The rain was important not only to keep their crops healthy, but to sustain the townspeople's very way of living. As the problem became more urgent, the local church felt it was time to get involved and called a prayer meeting to ask for rain.

In what seemed a vague remembrance of a Native American ritual, the people began to arrive. The pastor on his arrival watched as the congregation continued to file in. He slowly made his way to the front to officially begin the meeting.

Everyone was taking the opportunity to visit across the aisles to socialize with close friends. The pastor's thoughts when he reached the front were on quieting those present and starting the meeting.

As he began to ask for quiet, his eyes scanned the crowd and he took note of an eleven year-old girl sitting in the front row.

Her face was beaming with excitement and she quietly sat in her place. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a  red umbrella. The beauty and innocence of the girl made the pastor smile as he realized the faith she possessed. No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella.


They had all come to pray for rain, but she had come expecting God to answer with the needed rain.

~PEACEFUL SOLITUDE~

In the meadow where I sat with wildflowers all around
My hand reached out to touch the velvet softness I had found
Deep within my bosom a peacefullness had settled
Tranquil were my thoughts as I sat there in the meadow

I knew the little child that hid inside my soul
She held a special place that no one else could hold
I grew to love her more as each year passed away
I realized she was part of me, a part that I wanted to stay

I didn't always love myself,my expectations were so high
But as I grew in knowledge, I learned the reason why
Somehow I had lost me, the real me hid inside
I was trying to be someone else, someone I didn't like

I peeled away the cover, and started again from scratch
Forgetting all that I'd been taught so I could love me back
The little girl I'd left behind had hidden out of view
Waiting for the right time, so I could see her too

Sand * * *