Joy is God’s gift.
It’s meant to be shared.
For we are the children
Of a Father who cared.
God loved us so much
He gave us his best.
We’re given great joy.
How can others be blessed?
Family stories and objects
We received from the past
Are what we are sharing
To make memories that last.
Our Mother’s prayers,
Her work and her care,
Encouraged and freed us
To learn and to share.
Our Grandmother marveled
At the wondrous display
Of God’s work in the flowers
She tended each day.
The flowers she planted
Are a heritage we share.
They still tell the story
Of our Creator’s great care.
Our Dad was an artist.
Through paintings he showed
Events from the Bible
Where joy was bestowed.
He painted our ancestors,
Who came to this land,
Who gave thanks for blessings
That came from God’s hand.
He worked with farm tools,
With paintbrush and knife.
He strove to show others
What gave joy in his life.
Together we farmed.
We tilled the land,
Gave thanks for our blessings,
And worked and planned.
Our farm became
A place to observe
Flora and fauna
We’d like to preserve.
Mammals and insects
Reptiles and birds
Share God’s story
In their own words.
We’ve taken the stories,
The old and the new,
Grandma’s diaries and records
And things our Dad drew.
We wove them together
In patterns quite new
So that peace, love, and joy
Can come shining through.
Joy is a gift,
A blessing indeed.
A blessing to share
With others in need.
Visitors who come
To just view the past
Hear stories of treasures
That truly will last.
