Wednesday, January 09, 2008

A Poem by Ruth Bell Graham

There is no title for this poem found on page 89 in Sitting By My Laughing Fire by Ruth Bell Graham.

For all these smallnesses
I thank You, Lord:

small children
and small needs;
small meals to cook,
small talk to heed,
and a small book
from which to read
small stories;
small hurts to heal,
small disappointments, too,
as real
as ours;
small glories
to discover
in bugs,
pebbles,
flowers.

When day is through
my mind is small,
my strength is gone;
and as I gather each dear one
I pray, "Bless each
for Jesus' sake--
such angels sleeping,
imps awake!"

What wears me out
are little things:
angels minus
shining wings.
Forgive me, Lord,
if I have whined;
. . . it takes so much
to keep them shined:
yet each small rub
has its reward,
for they have blessed me.

Thank You, Lord.