Easter Faithfulness

We lived out in the country fifty miles from a big town,
We had a little church for all of us who lived around.
The minister was part time and came every other week,
So when he came we all would go to hear the preacher speak.

Once a year on Easter we would drive to the big town,
That was the only place a sunrise service could be found.
So once a year on Easter to a church in town we'd go,
My kids would make a fuss, but my sweet mother loved it so.

She lived with us, my wife and I, two daughters and a son,
And everybody loved ole Na Na; She was so much fun.
She had a personality that was controlled by love,
She always said she got it from the angels up above.

So every Easter morning we would all dress in our best,
And go to sunrise service that would start before the rest.
Once a year that preacher knew that we would all be there,
Because that was the only sunrise service anywhere.

He knew my mother loved the sunrise service that was here,
And he knew all of us by name and we went once a year.
He loved ole Na Na and he knew that she would never miss,
His sunrise service Easter morning, he had told her this.

He knew we had a country church and minister part time,
He knew that we could not join his and he said that was fine.
He said he thought he knew our preacher, "Godly man," he said,
"I know he likes to travel that's the calling he's been led."

When mother died in early March our part time preacher came,
Out to our little country church where we put her remains.
Our little church was crowded, Na Na's friends for miles around,
But we forgot to tell the preacher that was in the town.

Easter morning came that year, but we were not up to,
Going to the sunrise service like we always do.
As we ate breakfast feeling guilty that we did not go,
We decided we should go and let that preacher know.

They had a later service and it started at eleven,
We really should go tell the preacher Na Na's now in Heaven.
So we got dressed and off we went, much later than before,
When we arrived we saw the preacher standing by the door.

He smiled at us and shook our hands as he began to speak,
And as he spoke the words he said just made my knees get weak.
He said I knew something was wrong you all were not together,
The sunrise was so beautiful we had such perfect weather.

But you have made this service that is why we have another,
And then I started telling him what happened to my mother.
A puzzled look came on his face when I said mom had died,
A look that someone gives you when they think that you have lied.

We just stood in silence as my heart began to vex,
And to this day I'm still in shock of what he told me next.
It's something that you don't expect; it comes without a warning,
He looked at me and said, "I saw your mother here this morning."

[ by James A. Kisner © 2002 (PoppyK1@aol.com) -- {used with permission} ]