The Optimist's Good Morning Part 13

_Yes, clean yer house, an' clean yer shed, An' clean yer barn in ev'ry part; But brush the cobwebs from yer head, An' sweep the snow banks from yer heart._

SAM WALTER FOSS.

Gracious Father, help us gratefully to begin this day with Thee. We expect the day to bring its accustomed routine of cares and duties, and its round of petty irritations, but we confidently believe that Thou wilt help us in all our experiences. Let this morning's freshness, hope and vigor be ours through the whole day. Help us to put faith in the place of fear that all our efforts may be crowned with the success of helpfulness. May we go blithely about our business with kind words and cheerful faces that our day's work may be our day's wors.h.i.+p. Amen.

AUGUSTUS B. CHURCH.

April 7

_Ye seek for happiness--alas the day!

Ye find it not in luxury nor in gold, Not in the fame nor in the envied sway, For which O willing slaves to custom old, Severe taskmistress, ye your hearts have sold.

Ye seek for peace, and, when ye die, to dream No evil dreams; all mortal things are cold And senseless then; if aught survive, I deem It must be love and joy, for they immortal seem._

Sh.e.l.lEY.

O Thou Eternal G.o.d who hast given us life, help us to love Thy will and to walk in Thy way this day. If flowers chance to grow beside our path we would pluck them, but most of all would we rejoice in Thee alone, knowing that in Thy will is perfect peace. Fill our souls with Thy joy and strengthen us in the spirit of self-forgetfulness to spill it out into the lives of others. Give us hearts "roomy, radiant, and full of laughter," learned of "Jesus Christ, whom not having seen we love; on whom though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls." Amen.

WALTER HEALY.

April 8

_A gush of bird song, a patter of dew, A cloud and a rainbow's warning, Suddenly suns.h.i.+ne and perfect blue-- An April day in the morning._

HARRIET P. SPOFFORD.

_There is something in the air That's new and sweet and rare-- There's something too that's new, In the color of the blue That's in the morning sky, Before the sun is high._

NORA PERRY.

Infinite and Holy One, be with us in the beauty of this new day. May the dewy sweetness of the dawn Thou hast given to us be regarded as a token of Thy love for Thy children. As an atmosphere of joy and peace may be the thought of Thy consolation and Thy care. The delicate tints of Thy sky arching over us may we compare to the blue of a constancy that is divine, and which is freely shown to even the humblest and more erring of Thy flock. Bless us and guide us on our pilgrim way, and inspire our hearts and our hands to perform well their daily task. In His name do we ask it. Amen.

EDMUND Q. S. OSGOOD.

April 9

_As I have walked in Alabama my morning walk, I have seen where the she-bird--the mocking-bird sat on her nest in the briers hatching her brood, I have seen the he-bird also, I have paused to hear him near at hand inflating his throat and joyfully singing, And while I paused it came to me that what he really sang for was not there only, Nor for his mate nor for himself only, nor All sent back by the echoes, But subtle, clandestine, away beyond, A charge transmitted and gift occult for those being born._

WALT WHITMAN.

Thou great Spirit of Life, Our Father, in heaven, and in the earth, with what myriad voices dost Thou speak to us, sometimes with the voice of thunder and sometimes with the voice of bird. Even the rocks and hills have their language. With every manifold voice Thou tellest us that we do not live nor work for a day only. The song and the word and the work of today have larger relations. They pa.s.s over into other days. We pray this morning that the thoughts we think, the words we speak, and the work we do may be so true that they may be fit for another day. So may we begin _now_ to realize the meaning of Eternal Life. Amen.

GEORGE L. PERIN.

April 10

_If the stream had no quiet eddying place, could we so admire its cascade over the rocks? Were there no clouds, could we so hail the sky s.h.i.+ning through them in its still calm purity?_

_The night is mother of the Day The Winter of the Spring, And ever upon old Decay The greenest mosses cling.

Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, Through showers the sunbeams fall: For G.o.d, who loveth all His works, Has left His Hope with all!_

JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER.

Our Father, with childhood's glowing morning face we would turn to Thee and be conscious that the brightness of life comes only to those upon whom the sun of righteousness s.h.i.+nes with clear light. Full of trust, full of joy, we turn our faces towards the light and take up the labors of life with entire confidence in the Divine care and guidance that blesses the open vision, the faithful hand and the loving heart. We would follow our Master, feeling that we could choose no better way, and content if we be not called to suffer more than He in His life of service and sacrifice, while our hearts praise the giver of spiritual things with unceasing happy songs. Amen.

RALPH EDWIN HORNE.

April 11

_Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west, And I smiled to think G.o.d's greatness flowed around our incompleteness,-- Round our restlessness, his nest._

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.

_And I saw that there was an Ocean of Darkness and Death; but an infinite Ocean of Light and Love flowed over the Ocean of Darkness; and in that I saw the infinite Love of G.o.d._

GEORGE FOX.

Father of Light, in whom is no darkness at all, to Thee we lift our longing eyes again. s.h.i.+ne away the darkness of our minds by the light of Thy presence. Complete our incompleteness. Bring us out of our restlessness into Thy rest. We thank Thee for our daily gifts,--bread to feed the body, strength to sustain the soul, light to guide the feet.

Help us to put away the mistakes of the past, remembering them only with the penitence that shall cause Thee to remember them no more. Help us all through this day to know ourselves surrounded by Thine Infinite Love. Amen.

A. GERTRUDE EARLE.

April 12

_Just as you now play a piece without the music and do not think what notes you strike, though once you picked them out by slow and patient toil, so, if you begin of set purpose, you will learn the law of kindness in utterance so perfectly that it will be second nature to you and make more music in your heart than all the songs the sweetest voice has ever sung._

FRANCIS E. WILLARD.

Father, we rejoice and will be glad all the day that Thou hast made it possible for us and all Thy children to learn the sweet song of true life and that Thou dost give us so many opportunities for its practice.

O Lord, give us patience and kindness toward our fellowmen and trust in Thee, so that whether the lessons be easy or hard we may take them cheerfully, believing that Thou dost give us only that which is best.

Grant that we may be earnest and faithful until our souls can sing the highest, purest and sweetest notes, until we are in harmony with All Good. Amen.

ABBIE E. DANFORTH.

April 13

_So many little faults we find: We see them, for not blind Is love--we see them; but if you and I Remember them, perhaps, some by and by They will not be Faults then, grave faults to you and me, But just odd ways, mistakes, or even less-- Remembrances to bless._

GEORGE KLINGLE.

Our dear Father in Heaven: for this day help us to be good. All through the long night Thou hast watched over us. Under Thy wing have we been sheltered as the chickens under the wing of the mother. Now that light has come we will help Thee to keep this world sweet and bright and clean. Help us to be true to this our promise; we resolve to be patient, steadfast, cheerful, kindly, st.u.r.dy, and good. Our Father, we need Thee.

We want to walk in Thy way. Help us, for we are Thy children. Amen.