HAPPY-SAD TEARS

This needs to be put down on paper’
Maybe it’l help to relieve the tension.
I guess we took for granted that you’d stay
In our midst, ‘till you drew your pension!
 
I’ve had the privilege of knowing you
For the past, worth-while twelve years;
We’ve ‘grown in the lord’ considerably, you and I,
But your news today produced “Happy-Sad Tears”.
 
Are there ‘happy-sad tears’....is there such a thing?
Well, they describe how I feel today.
Part of me rejoiced, if you’re happy with your choice
But the rest of me says, “Pastor John, please stay!”
 
Pastor, when we met, some twelve years ago
I was a ‘year-old’ Christian in search of a home.
I told it like I saw it and Boy! So did you!
Since then, I’ve found no reason to roam.
 
Our son was stricken with a terminal illness...
“Four to six months is what you can expect!”
That’s what the doctors diagnosis was,
But they knew nothing of ‘ol ‘split-hoofs’ tests!
 
Remember Marty, and her “Happy Day Singers?”
Our children were part of that great group of kids!
They sang carols to Mark, in his hospital bed,
But to get them there, it took a few ‘fibs’!
 
Marty told the head nurse, a ‘few’ friends had dropped by
To sing, and to wish him well.
Five elevator-loads later, God knows how many kids
Sang their hearts out and rang Christmas bells!
 
We ‘prayed-through’, thanks to you and the church.
Even our son, from his bed said, “I’ll be OK!”
Need I mention the results?  He was eleven then;
He’ll be twenty-three in the coming month of May!
 
Rough times came along, and we came to you,
Yes Sir, Christians are put to the test.
Sound advice from you, and your persistant smile
Made our twentieth anniversary the best!
 
As the Lord would have it, shortly thereafter,
We learned there would be no twenty-first.
In His magnificent plan, I became a lonely man...
In my lonliness it seemed my heart would burst!
 
You were there!  Praise be to God!
You were there through that terribly empty space.
Your words of encouragement and that same old smile
I knew I could face what I must face.
 
The Lord saw me through, and time passed, as it will,
He gave me encouragement to push back the strife;
He led me, in time, to a fine Christian woman,
You said the words, and she became my wife!
 
So now I’m an ‘old married man’, but a ‘newly-wed’ too.
Is it any wonder there are “Happy-sad Tears”?
Pastor Walker, our message today is to you:
Thank you, for giving us these years!
 
But now it appears your job here is done,
Evangelize Omaha, was the vision you had.
You got the ball rolling, no doubt about that;
But your leaving makes our tears ‘Happy-Sad”.
 
                                jac 2-12-84
 
God Bless and keep you,
Joe and Mary Cavallaro and family.
 
 

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