Hello, God. It's me, Mara.

Horses were the means of transportation 80 years ago. A family with four girls had a big white horse named Daisy. These little girls loved all of their farm animals but especially Daisy, as she was their means to get to their rural school, 3 ½ miles north of their home. Picture them, youngest to oldest, astride Daisy. Occasionally baby sister Donna got to visit school, too, rider number one on Daisy’s back.

Prairie scene, besides various grasses, flowers, birds, it might include coyotes, gophers, badgers, skunks, maybe even weasels; these last three their Dad trapped. Come winter, their Dad galloped them to school in his open sled with team, Buck and Nellie. They dressed appropriately those cold days: woolen long-johns, blue jeans, caps, scarves, etc., tucked in with woolen blankets, and some heated rocks under straw to keep their feet warm.

But before Daisy, Flossie pulled a buggy with three little girls — baby Donna wasn’t along on this trip. One day, Muriel wanted the last nibble of her lunch so holding the reins, she pried the lid off the lard can, her lunch bucket. As she did, she pulled Flossie, turning her so the buggy bumped the edge of the culvert which spooked the horse who took off on a gallop, throwing Muriel out, breaking her arm. Gladys, the lively one, leaped to safety but first grader Norma, grabbed buggy edge, hung on, screaming, but riding it out until Flossie stopped at the fence.

Your word (Matthew 18:10) says, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

Jesus loves children, they’re important to Him. Thank you, Lord, for blessing and protecting these little girls, so very long ago.

Love, Mara