God said..."I'll lend you my child..."

I'll lend you for a little time a child of mine, He said ...

For you to love while she lives ... and mourn for when she's dead. It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three, but will you, till I call her back, take care of her for me? She'll bring her charms to gladden you. And shall her stay be brief, you'll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay, since all from Earth return. But there are lessons, taught down there, I want this child to learn. I've looked the wide world over in search for teachers true, And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes, I have selected you.

Now ... will you give her all your love ... nor think the labor in vain? Nor ... hate me when I come to call ... to take her back again?

I fancied that I heard you say ... “Dear Lord, it will be done! For all the joy Your Child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run. We'll shelter her with tenderness. We'll love her while we may, And for the happiness we've known ... forever grateful stay.

“But shall the angels call for her much sooner than we've planned, We'll brave the bitter grief that comes ... and try to understand.”*

I will spend the rest of my life striving to give my children everything that Alivia's parents managed to provide to her in just over 2 years. There are many thing in this world I struggle to make sense of and this has been added to the list...

Sweet peace, sweet Livi.



(*author unknown)