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{SFTH} *The Grave No One Tended* 5/31/01
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Have a great day!
Michael
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THE GRAVE NO ONE TENDED
Cheryl Costello-Forshey
The day was lovely as I strolled along,
peering at stones on the way
And that's when I saw it, that pitiful cross,
that looked splintered and faded away
With flowers in hand to tend Father's grave,
I knew I must hurry along
But I couldn't help but linger awhile,
at that cross that just didn't belong
The date on the front confirmed my suspicions,
of what already I knew
A child lay beneath that horrible cross,
and its faded color of blue
What selfish parents they must have been,
to bury their child all alone
Without flowers or candles to light the night,
and not even a simple headstone
I looked even closer at that awful cross
that was nearly splintered away
And there on the back,
I read the words that changed me forever that day
"This cross isn't grand, but it was carved by my hands,
so you'll know son, how much I care
It's the color of blue to remind me of you,
and how painful it is I'm not there
That it's you who is gone and it's me living on,
while your young life has come to an end
And I'm left alone, never again with a home,
and a grave that's too painful to tend"
Tears stung my eyes as I looked all around,
at the monuments that ragged cross put to shame
And I shared with those parents their horrible loss
that brought them such terrible pain
And all the tombstones, some even taller than me,
suddenly seemed small in a way
Next to that little handmade cross,
carved with such love and the flowers I planted that day
Cheryl Costello-Forshey
costello-forshey@1st.net
Send Cheryl an email and let her know what you thought of her poem!
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Cheryl is a poet whose work has been published in several of the Chicken
Soup for the Soul books--- A 4th Course, A 5th Portion, Teenage Soul II,
Teenage Soul III, College Soul (in which The "No-Hug" Rule has been
published) and, Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul as well as the books,
Stories for a Teen's Heart, Stories for a Faithful Heart, and A Pleasant
Place. Cheryl also writes personalized poetry and memorials on a
commissioned basis. She is currently seeking a publisher for her first book
of poetry/stories, Heart Impressions. Anyone interested in contacting her
can do so at: costello-forshey@1st.net
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Thought For The Day:
"A wise man hears one word and understands two. There are two sides
to every story." --Yiddish Proverb
Verse for the Day:
"Any story sounds true until someone comes to tell the other side and
set the record straight." --Proverbs 18:17 TLB
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"Garbage bags or umbrellas do not make good parachutes."
Parent's Thought For The Day:
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 1:4
Coach's Thought For The Day:
"A vital team characteristic is the ability to overcome adversity. Any
team acquires experience and endurance as it learns to fight back. This
in turn builds the kind of character which seldom crumbles at a time of
crisis or testing." --Tom Landry
Deep Thought For The Day:
"There are indeed two sides to every argument, but I don't have time to
listen to yours."
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REQUESTS:
Michael,
Thank you so much for posting my prayer request about my son and
his company in the Army. I have received so many emails from all over
letting me know that they are keeping my son, his company and me also in
their prayers. Feels so good to know there are so many out there praying.
My son called and emailed me to let me know they made it to Kosovo safe and
sound and he's just counting the days until he gets to come home again. I
forwarded all the emails to him and he wanted me to thank everyone also for
their prayers. God bless you!
Tamia
whidbey22@hotmail.com
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Please add our family to your prayer requests. My husband is a computer programmer and is the sole breadwinner for our family and has had to take a temporary job in VA and is gone all week and comes home on the week ends and that leaves very little time for him to spend time with our family. Please pray that he will locate a permanent job back here in NC real soon. At this time the only insurance we have is I have Medicare and he has nothing.
Also, pray for our daughter as she misses her daddy and is only 3 1/2 and does not understand why daddy is gone for so long.
Thanks,
Cheryl Mann
misscheryl38@aol.com
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_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
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the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli-- College Station, TX
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