The Little Bird's Song

The Little Bird's Song

 McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader

Lesson XIV

A little bird, with feathers brown,

Sat singing on a tree;

The song was very soft and low,

But sweet as it could be.

The people who were passing by,

Looked up to see the bird

That made the sweetest melody

That ever they had heard.

But all the bright eyes looked in vain;

Birdie was very small,

And with his modest, dark-brown coat,

He made no show at all.

"Why, father," little Gracie said,

"Where can the birdie be?

If I could sing a song like that,

I'd sit where folks could see."

"I hope my little girl will learn

A lesson from the bird,

And try to do what good she can,

Not to be seen or heard.

"This birdie is content to sit

Unnoticed on the way,

And sweetly sing his Maker's praise

From dawn to close of day.

"So live, my child, all through your life,

That, be it short or long,

Though others may forget your looks,

They'll not forget your song."

This is the poem we are learning this week.  I thought it to be absolutely lovely and a timely word.
May I say it again...  
I LOVE the McGuffey Readers!  They are relatively inexpensive.  Their wording is beautiful, making the lessons interesting for everyone.  I can hardly handle Dick and Jane these days.  And the lessons are so wonderful for us all!  They really touch our hearts!

In His Grip,
Daniel and Laura 

It Was A Normal Day...

It was a normal day.  A sunny, quiet day.  Living in the country.  Small town.  Beautiful land.

I don't remember any of the details of that day, save one.  Kathryn went out to get the mail.  A normal day.  A sunny day.  She crossed the street.  Opened the mail box.  Grabbed the mail.  Shut the mail box.  Turned around.  And there he was.  Who?  I do not know.  He sat in his truck.  Window rolled down.  Smoke rising from his cigarette.  Just watching.

A quick assessment.  We live in the country.  No one is around.  Hunting property across the street.  Empty houses next door.  Empty high way.  House is 400 feet from the road.  He came out of no where.

This was a normal day.  She is a cautious young lady.  She is dressed in a long skirt, nice blouse, sweet disposition.  She ran across the street and up our driveway like her life depended on it.  He drove away.

It was a normal day.  But a darkness hovered.  A fear and thankfulness mixed together.  The "What If's" flooding in to my mama heart.

We have no way of knowing what he wanted or what his plan was.  Whether he was just a creepy old man, who wanted to scare a young lady or someone far more sinister than that.

With pornography available on virtually every mobile device, the evils that come along with porn, will continue to increase, putting our children at even greater risk.

We made an assessment of where we live.  Half hour from a main highway.  Isolated.
But we are not unaware.

We have been teaching our children since they were young about the dangers of pornography, about being aware of your surroundings, about telling us if someone makes you uncomfortable, about not going off to hear secrets with other friends...

There is no doubt in my heart and mind, that it was the God of Angel Armies who protected our sweet daughter that day. 

Now, we are more aware of the audacity of evil and the need for boldness and strength in our children.  We are determined to raise children that believe in the power of prayer and the ONE who answers our prayers, who are strong in spirit, and aware of the evil in this world.  How can they be prudent and avoid evil, if they are not taught of its existence???

I am so thankful for this to have happened because I realize that sex trafficking happens in the U.S.  It is a real danger to our children, even here in the U.S.

And in some countries, it is a way of life.  It is the only way to provide food for our children, for ourselves. 

Please consider becoming involved in the solution. It doesn't affect you personally.  But, in one moment, that could change.

In His Grip,
Laura