Shirley Goodnest and Mercy

[june72]

Jimmy was a little five-year-old boy whose Mom loved him very much, and
being a worrier, she was concerned about his walking to school when he
started Kindergarten. She walked him to school the first couple of days,
and at the end of the week, he came home from school and told his mother
that he did not want her walking him to school everyday. He wanted to be
like the big boys, he protested loudly.
So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor, Mrs.
Goodnest, if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying
at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her. Mrs. Goodnest said that
since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for
them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.
The next school day, Mrs. Goodnest and her little girl, Marcy, set out
following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor boy he
knew. She did this for the whole week.
As the boys walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's
little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do
every day all week.
Finally he said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us to
school all week? Do you know her?"
Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I know who she is."
The friend said, "Well, who is she?"
"That's just Shirley Goodnest" Timmy replied, "and her daughter Marcy."
"Shirley Goodnest? Who is she and why is she following us?"
"Well", Timmy explained, "every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd
Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the psalm,
it says 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy' shall follow me all the days of my
life,' so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!"
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon
you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and
give you peace.

Prayer for the New School Year [Portals of Prayer]: Heavenly Father, as the
school bells ring out, calling together students and teachers, parents and
administrators in their role of education, help us by the power of Your Holy
Spirit to seek not only knowledge for its sake, but also divine wisdom to
make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus. For what shall it
profit us if we gain the whole world and lose our souls? Bless our schools
and colleges, our nurseries and Bible classes, that Your Word may be grafted
into our hearts and minds, not only to make a profitable society in this
world, but also to enlighten souls who know the way to eternal life through
Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

May "Shirley Goodnest" and "Marcy" be with you, today and always.