DAY FIVE! March 28, 2002

May His love be your light at Easter and always.

God bless you at this Easter time

And always grant you, too,

The wonderful assurance

That He's watching over you.

Easter is an extra special day for rejoicing -

Hope yours is blessed with much happiness.

The Dogwood

Good friend, do you know the symbol
Of the blooming dogwood tree?
A beautiful old-time legend,
as the story was told to me.

Once the dogwood was as mighty
As any great tree of the wood;
As strong as the oak was its timber,
For manifold purpose good.

And thus it had come to be chosen
For the wood of the Master's cross,
That should stand on the rugged hilltop
With its burden of sorrow and loss.

And the dogwood tree was saddened
To be called for such cruel lot,
And it asked that the shameful service
By the world might be soon forgot.

Then the Lord in His pity, hearing
The sorrowful little plea,
Gave a tender, loving answer
To the prayer of the dogwood tree.

For "Never again" was His verdict,
"Shall the tree grow strong and tall,
And he who a cross would fashion
Nevermore for its wood shall call.

"Henceforth shall its trunk be slender,
And twisted its branches all,
But the shaping of every blossom
Shall the form of a cross recall.

"At the edge of each tender petal
Shall the prints of the nails appear,
And a thorny cross in the center
Make the sign and its meaning clear."

So now when the springtide flowering
Brings the dogwood again to view,
As we joy in its woodland beauty
May our hearts keep the legend too.

And recall in the bloom the symbol
Of a sacrifice made complete,
And eternal life triumphant,
Holding death in a sure defeat.

by: R. Bell Chapman

All backgrounds and graphics made by "Fuzzy Ears (Sandy, aka Furby)" unless otherwise noted. © 2002