I will lend
you a child
"I'll lend
you for a while a child of mine," He said.
"For
you to love the while she lives
and
mourn for when she's dead.
It may
be six or seven years,
or twenty-two
or three,
But
will you, till I call her back,
take
care of her for me?
She'll
bring her charms to gladden you,
and
should her stay be brief,
You'll
have her lovely memories
as solace
for your grief.
I cannot
promise she will stay;
since
all from earth return,
But
there are lessons taught down there
I want
this child to learn.
I've
looked the wide world over in
My search
for teachers true
And
from the throngs that crowd life's lanes
I have
selected you.
Now will
you give her all your love,
not
think the labor vain,
Nor
hate Me when I come to call
to take
her back again?"
I fancied
that I heard them say,
"Dear
Lord, Thy will be done!
For
all the joy Thy child shall bring,
the risk of
grief we run.
We'll
shelter her with tenderness,
we'll
love her while we may,
And
for the happiness we've known,
forever
grateful stay;
But should
the angels call for her
much sooner
than we've planned,
We'll
brave the bitter grief that comes
and
try to understand."
written
by Pat Burnette in memory of Terri Sue
and
my special thanks to Pat for the use of her loving poem