THIS IS THE SEASON
W h e n se ed -so w in g tim e com es in th e s p rin g , I am re m in d e d o f a lit t le sto ry I o nce re a d . Emily lived on a large ranch in Nebraska, and as it is on all ranches, there were many, many things to do. When the p l a n t i n g t i me came, Emily’s father taught her how to plant the seed in the nice furrows he had made, so that she really became her father’s helper. One day Emily was told to go to a certain part of the farm to plant some pumpkin seeds. She put on her little sunbonnet and started out for her task, with a bucket of pumpkin seeds. She planted the seeds carefully at first, but she soon became tired and careless and tipped over the bucket spilling the rest of the pumpkin seeds on the ground. Then what do you think she did? No, she didn’t pick them up, as I am sure many of you would have done. She thought, “No body will know I have spilt these — I will keep my carelessness a secret,” so she just covered them over with the dirt and went back to the house with her empty bucket. The secret was kept for a while, and then one day one of her brothers STRANGE NEIGHBORS (cont'd) will soon move away. Come, Donna, let’s get this ordeal over.” They had barely rung the bell when the door flew open and they were greeted by the Lennox girl, Marlene. “ Oh, I’m so glad you came, Mrs. Van Lunn. We have enjoyed having Donna and Lincoln come to see us. We are so happy to have such friendly neighbors. We felt strange moving into a city house for the first time, especially when it was not what we expected.” Mrs. Van Lunn’s formal approach was suddenly forgotten. Marlene’s open and genuine friendliness made all superficiality seem cheap. Walking into the living room, Mrs. Van Lunn was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Lennox with outstretched hands. Looking into the dining room, she saw Lincoln and the Lennox boy busily working on a large model airplane. As Mrs. Van Lunn visited with her new neighbors, she, too, soon realized that her first impressions had been wrong. True, the Lennox ranch life, over seventy miles from town, had made them indifferent to the latest fashions in clothes, furniture, and cars. But the more they visited, the more Mrs. Van Lunn realized that her new neighbors had a mysterious something that she herself lacked.
The Sparrow 1 am only a tiny sparrow, A bird of low degree; My life is of little value.
A Bible Springtime Poem Song of Solomon 2:11-13 “ For, lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds come, And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Perhaps you would like to copy these beautiful verses in your notebook and com mit them to memory. discovered that the little pumpkin vines had come up all in one place to tell of Emily’s secret. What a sorrowful little girl she must have been as her father took her to the garden and had her count all the little plants! That day she learned a lesson which I hope she will remem ber, that “ whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” — M. S. H. Soon the young people joined the group for refreshments. Suddenly Mrs. Van Lunn realized what that “mysterious something” was. Before any food was eaten, Mr. Lennox said, “ Let us return thanks for this food.” All heads were bowed in quiet rever ence as Mr. Lennox prayed, “ Father, we thank Thee for this fellowship with our neighbors this evening. We are grateful to Thee for all Thy bless ings. For these refreshments we re turn thanks. Amen.” While they were eating, Marlene said, “ Donna, I feel as if I had known you for years. This evening has been so much fun. Could I go to Sunday School with you to morrow?” Donna was embarrassed because she had not been to Sunday School since her father died. “Well — yes, Marlene, I’d be glad to have you go with me, and I am sure that Lincoln would love to have Harvey go with him, too. Wouldn’t you, Lincoln?” “Why, ah, of course,” Lincoln re plied as he caught a re-assuring nod from his mother. “ By the way, Mr. and Mrs. Lennox, would you like to go to church with me tomorrow?” hastily asked Mrs. Van Lunn. “Well, this is wonderful, “replied the Lennox’s, we were wondering where a church was. In fact, we had asked the Lord to help us.”
But the dear Lord cares for me. I know there are many sparrows— All over the world they are found— But our Heavenly Father knoweth When one of us falls to the ground. Though small, we are never forgotten; Though weak, we are never afraid; For we know the dear Lord keepeth The life of the creatures He made. I fly through the thickest forests; I light on many a spray; I have no chart or compass. But I never lose my way. And I fold my wings at twilight Wherever I happen to be, For the Father is always watching And no harm will come to me. I am only a little sparrow, A bird of low degree: But I know the Father loves me: Have you less faith than we? When Sunday evening came, and the Van Lunns were about to retire, it was a very different mother who said to her children, “ This has been the most enjoyable Sunday we have had since father passed away; it was all so wonderful for us all to go to church together again. It seems that the Lord sent our new neighbors all the way from the Texas Panhandle to Tulsa to get us back to Himself. And did you hear what Mr. Lennox said about moving from our neighbor hood?” “ Do you mean about their not mov ing from our neighborhood, Mother?” asked Donna. “ Sure, that’s what mother means!” e x c l a i m e d Lincoln. “ Boy! what a change from yesterday afternoon.” “ All right, you tease,” laughed Mrs. Van Lunn, “ I admit that my first im pressions were terribly wrong. By the way, starting tomorrow we shall do as Daddy always did, and we shall say grace at evey meal and we’ll have family devotions at night.” “ Just like when Daddy was here,” Donna said wistfully, “ Oh, you won derful Texans, what a wonderful mir acle you have brought into our home.” They all laughed, but it was not the mocking laugh of the day before, but a joyful laugh that had in it a sound of praise to God. END. , -—^-.Author Unknown
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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