My Prayer

• I hope to ever keep the white light burning in my soul,
  
  And ever keep my ideals clean and whole.
  
  I hope to shun the dark and dreary ways,
  
  Keeping my eyes toward the light always,
  
  I hope to leave a ray of light when the day is done,
  
  To help my children dear to follow on.
  
  Maud E. Van Order
  (my Great-Grandmother)
  July 10 1946

Earthly Treasures

• A bough of apple blossoms
  Rain washed ‘neath blue sky
  A yellow tulip leaning
  Against a wall nearby
  A bluebird perched upon a bush
  Trilling a gladsome lay,
  A spray of goldenrod a-smiling
  And nodding across the way
  A sparkling April shower
  A rainbow lighting the sky
  A row of purple lilacs etched
  Against the twilight
  Of a sweet spring night,
  And over all canopy
  Of heaven’s starry light
  A group of little children romping
  Beneath a gnarled old apple tree,
  These are few of earth’s bright treasures
  To make life sweet for you and me
  
  By Maud Elinor Van Order