Rabbit Trails

All the water in the world, However hard it tried, Could never sink a ship Unless it got inside. All the evil in the World, The blackest kind of sin, Could never hurt you one least bit, Unless you let it. Arrange for more than you can do, Then do it. Bite off more than you can chew, Then chew it. Hitch your wagon to a start, Keep your seat and there you are! One of the best ways of avoiding sin is to stay busy doing wholesome things.

Sun in the back yard Grows lazy, Dozing on the porch steps All morning, Getting up and nosing About corners, Gazing into an empty Flowerpot, Later easing over the grass For a nap, Unless Someone hangs out the wash-- Which changes Everything to a rush and a clap Of wet Cloth, and fresh wind And sun Wide awake in the white sheets. all the small poems and fourteen more Valerie Worth

The little sharp vexations And the briars that cut the feet, Why not take all to the Helper Who has never failed us yet? Tell him about the heartache, And tell him the longings too, Tell him the baffled purpose When we scarce know what to do. then, leaving all our weakness With the One divinely strong, Forget that we bore the burden And carry away with the song. Phillips Brooks

I know not what shall befall me; God hangs a mist o'er my eyes, And thus each step of my onward path He makes new scenes to rise, And every joy he sends me Comes as a sweet and glad surprise. So I go on not knowing;I would not if I might; I would rather walk in the dark with God Than go alone in the light; I would rather walk with him by faith, Than walk alone by sight.

In heavenly love abiding, No change my heart shall fear And safe is such confiding, For nothing changes here. The storm may roar without me, My heart may low be laid, but God is round about me, And can I be dismayed? Whenever he may guide me, No want shall turn me back; My shepherd is beside me, And nothing can I lack. His wisdom ever waketh, His sight is never dim, He knows the way he taketh, And I will walk with him. Green pastures are before me, Which yet I have not seen; Bright skies will soon be o'er me, Where darkest clouds have been. My hope I cannot measure, My path to life is free, My saviour has my treasure, And he will walk with me. A.L. Waring

Just keep on a 'dreamin' For all the winter's blight, The bee knows where the bloom is, And the lilacs are in sight.

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep Sea, and music in its roar: ......... Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean--roll! Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain; Man marks the earth with ruin--his control Stops with the shore;--upon the watery plain .................. Unchangeable save to thy wild waves' play-- Time writes no wrinkle on thine azure brow-- Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now.

There was a pretty dandelion With lovely, yellow hair That glistened in the sunshine And in the summer air.

What most you wish and long for Might only bring you pain; You cannot see the future, God's purpose to explain. So trust, faint heart, thy Master! He doeth all things well, He loveth more than heart can guess, And more than tongue can tell. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yet, in the maddening maze of things, And tossed by storm and flood, To one fixed trust my spirit clings: I know that God is good! J.G. Whittier ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

O Thou who canst not slumber, Whose light grows never pale, Teach us aright to number Our years before they fail! On us Thy mercy lighten, On us thy goodness rest, And let they Spirit brighten The hearts Thyself hast blessed! E.H.Bickersteth