Footprints
 

As your webmaster, I receive many meaningful commentaries along with your contributions, but one of the most poignant and intensely meaningful ones came from James Brewer who sent some photos taken of him with his grandson at a family picnic.

"I am enclosing pictures of my family and me.  The one of my little grandson and me was taken without our knowledge at a family picnic and is especially meaningful to me.  It reminds me of how my Heavenly Father holds my hand and at needed times even carries me."  

                                                                                           Jimmy Brewer

Footprints       

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.


Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

 

Jimmy and David                 

                   Louis & Lee-Lee 

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.


He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.


He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.


This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:


"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:


"My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."

 

written by Mary Stevenson

 

I'll bet each one of you, my classmates, has pictures similar to these of Jimmy and his grandson, David.  You can do no nobler thing in life than to be a reflection of God, to walk with (and play, and teach, and commiserate and discipline and love) children--especially yours--in the good times and to support them when they need it, just like the Lord does for you as Mary Stevenson's poem says.
 

Here's another metaphor of God's care and concern and support:
The Concert
When the house lights dimmed and the concert
was about to begin, the mother returned to
her seat and discovered that her child was missing
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights
focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little
boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out
"Twinkle,  Twinkle Little Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and
whispered in the boy's ear,
"Don't quit.Keep playing." 
Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached
down with his left hand and began filling
in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached
around to the other side of the child,
and he added a running obbligato.  
Together, the old master and the young novice
transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. 
The audience was  so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played.
Only the classic,
" Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Perhaps that's the way it is with God.
What we can accomplish on
our own is hardly noteworthy.
We try our best, but the results aren't always
graceful flowing music.  However, with the
hand of the Master, our life's 
work can truly be beautiful. 

 The next time you set out to accomplish great feats,
listen carefully.  You may hear the voice of the 
      Master, whispering in your ear,       
"Don't quit." "Keep playing." 
May you feel His arms around you and
know that His hands are there, helping you
turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.
Remember, God doesn't  call the equipped, rather,
He equips  the 'called.'
 Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.

May God bless you and be with you always!    
and remember   ,
"Don't quit."
"Keep playing."