So Be It

So be it; 'tis Thy plan not mine,

And being Thine is good;

And God, my will shall yield to Thine

Ere it is understood.

So be it; I a child of dust

Will not oppose Thy way,

Move on, mysterious Will, I trust,

I love, and will obey.

So be it; and do Thou, my heart,

No childish questions ask,

Thou in God's counsels hast no part,

Crave not so hard a task.

 

So be it; yes, so be it, Lord,

No word have I to say--

O be Thy gracious Name adored--

I love and will obey.

~ From  Golden Hours, Heart-Hymns of the Christian Life

Mrs. Love, Mr. Pain,and Miss Joy

But it was only a few days after this that she [Little Lucy] went to the fireplace and filled her clean white apron with coals and ashes. Her mamma took them away from her, and shook her head, and said: "No, no!" again and again. But as soon as Susy had another clean apron put on, she ran again to the fire and began to fill it with coals, and no matter how often her mamma said No, no! she would keep doing it over and over. Then Mrs. Love said to her mamma: "If we let Susy do so, some day she will get burned. We ought to punish her, so that she will mind when she is spoken to."

"Yes, I think so, too," said her mamma.

So Mrs. Love called Mr. Pain and told him to slap Susy's little arm if she disobeyed again. It was not long before he had to come; and as soon as she saw him, Miss Joy, who had been frolicking with Susy a whole year, and never before had been absent from her--poor Miss Joy ran away and hid. As soon as Susy felt the slaps on her arm she let the coals drop and began to cry. She looked at her arm, which bore the red marks of Mr. Pain's hand, and pitied it very much. But the slap did her good. It taught her to obey her mamma about the fire, and saved her from being burned up, as she certainly would have been if she had kept on playing with the coals.

Mr Pain soon went away, and he had hardly turned his back when Miss Joy peeped out of the closet where she had been hiding, and made such a funny Face that Susy could not help laughing, and her face was both wet with tears and shining with smiles. She kissed her mamma and put her arms around her neck, and her mamma kissed her and said: "Susy won't be naughty any more." And Susy smiled and said: "No, No.!"~ From Little Susy's Six Teachers, 1856

[A lesson for the modern day philosophies on child rearing. ~ mr]

Blessedness of Life

The Day of Small Things

I have learned, at last, not to despise the day of small things, to cherish the tenderest blossom, and to expect my dear ones to be imperfect before they become perfect. ~ Katy, Stepping Heavenward.

[An important lesson for us all. ~ mr]

Christ is Heaven

"Maggie knew that it would be of no use to argue this question. Annie was too far behind her in the Christian life to comprehend what she and Aunt Jane so well understood: that heaven is Christ, that Christ is heaven; that that city hath no need of sun, or moon, or human food, or earthly tie, because the Lord Himself doth lighten it." ~ from Aunt Jane's Hero.

[May we all comprehend this...mr]

He Won't Let You Sink

Mrs. Campbell's Summons

"This had been a Sunday to be held in long remembrance. We were summoned early this morning to Mrs. Campbell and have seen her joyful release from the fetters that have bound her so long. Her loss to me is irreparable. But I can truly thank God that one more 'tired traveler' has had a sweet 'welcome home.' I can minister no longer to her bodily wants and listen to her councils no more, but she has entered as an inspiration into my life, and through all eternity I shall bless God that He gave me that faithful, praying friend." ~ Katy, Stepping Heavenward, May 13,[1852] entry. 

[Oh to have a Mrs. Campbell in our lives. On a personal note, Mrs. Campbell, though fictional, was a great blessing in my life. ~ mr]