Footprints of Jesus

I had two older brothers. ...ten and eleven years older.  Both were over six feet tall. They looked like giants to me.  Blair,  the older one was a  hunter and fisherman. If I promised not to whine or lag behind, sometimes he let me go with him to hunt or fish.  His strides were lo-o-o-ng and his footprints far apart. Try as I might, my little  short legs could not stretch far enough to walk in his footprints.  If snow or mud were underfoot I was sunk.  Literally.

My brothers left the farm when I was about seven years old.  For the next ten years I would spend much time by myself, figuring out what to do and how to do it.  My parents worked hard to take care of my aging grandmother and keep a big farm, livestock, poultry and a garden functioning.  I helped in the summertime, but in the winter I was in school in a town eight miles away.   I was alone much of the time. Sometimes when I walk down my road to the bench on the curve I think: "Some things haven't changed. I started life alone and I am ending life alone."

Whining isn't allowed any more now than it was when I was a little girl. ...but groaning?  Oh, sure.  Paul says that's o.k.

I do want to step squarely in His footprints. If I can't quite make the stretch He will stop and wait for me to catch up.  My Abba will not leave me stuck in the mud or floundering in the snow.

Footprints of Jesus Hymn

Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,
Come, follow Me!
And we see where Thy footprints falling
Lead us to Thee.

Refrain

Footprints of Jesus,
That make the pathway glow;
We will follow the steps of Jesus
Where’er they go.

Though they lead o’er the cold, dark mountains,
Seeking His sheep;
Or along by Siloam’s fountains,
Helping the weak.

Refrain

If they lead through the temple holy,
Preaching the Word;
Or in homes of the poor and lowly,
Serving the Lord.

Refrain

Love, Jo