13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. Isaiah 54:13 KJV
This memory was written nearly 50 years ago. At its writing, I was a young mother of three children. Eventually, I would have six children of my own and my first husband would pass away. In my far later years, as a widow, I would marry a widower and his four grown children would bring our number to 10 children, 25 grandchildren,… and, currently, our 9th great-grandchild is on the way.
Each child is a unique blessing for which we both profoundly thank God.
THE GOODNESS OF GOD
The crumpled paper cup was from the party. It was her birthday…her fifth.
Afterward, in giggling anticipation, she stole away with little sister, all of three,
to gather limp wildflowers from the grass
down to the dirt road.
I heard them, from the kitchen window –
while watching evening, and purple hues blend.
They came running in after I had put the baby down to sleep.
They ran in with faces flushed and evening coolness clinging to their clothes
and in their hands were flowers –
beautiful, wilted, gloriously limp, dying wildflowers all for me.
We put them in the paper cup salvaged from the party.
I see that cup of flowers now as night and weariness envelop their father and me.
It sits across the room from where I sip a mug of tea and share silence with him.
In the next room, our babies sleep and here I view my wealth –
irreplaceable, immeasurable wealth –
and I ponder in my soul’s depth,
the incredible,
incredible