General Readings
These I can Promise – Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)
I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart’s devotion
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.
Happiness – Anon
Happiness is to be found among life’s common things. It is not great wealth, great learning, great genius or great power; it is not these things that make the possessors happy. It is health, friendship, love at home; it is the voices of children, it is sunshine. It is the blessings that are commonest, not those that are the rarest.
Take Time – Anon
Take time to think, it is the source of power
Take time to play, it is the secret of perpetual youth
Take time to read, it is the fountain of wisdom
Take time to pray, it is the greatest power on earth
Take time to love and be loved, it is God’s greatest gift
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness
Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul
Take time to work, it is the price of success
Take time to be charitable, it is the key to heaven
A Baby Blessing
Lord, bless this tiny infant,
Who is brought to You today,
And teach those precious little feet,
To follow in Your way.
Lord, bless the baby's parents, too,
And with your loving care,
Grant them all the happiness,
A family can share.
I see an Angel sleeping
Accidents and troubles arrive with little boys,
Tumble-downs and skinned up knees,
"Lost" and scattered toys.
But when his head begins to nod,
Secure in love's safekeeping,
All trouble disappears,
for I see an Angel sleeping.
A Blessing
May God grant you always
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel so nothing can harm you,
Laughter to cheer you,
Faithful friends near you,
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you.
Why God made Families
When creation was finished, each star in its place,
God cradled the earth in His thoughtful embrace,
And knowing that there would be problems to face,
His wonderful plan came to be...
For he wanted His children to learn to be strong,
And not become frightened if things should go wrong,
So He placed in each heart a desire to belong
Somewhere they felt needed, yet free...
Then He added acceptance and patience and trust,
Love that was selfless and caring and just,
Where questions were welcome and laughter a must...
And He called His great gift Family
A Mother’s Blessing
Blessed is the mother who understands her child,
For she shall inherit a kingdom of memories.
Blessed is the mother who knows how to comfort,
For she shall possess a child’s devotion.
Blessed is the mother who guides by the path of righteousness,
For she shall be proud of her children.
Blessed is the mother who is never shocked,
For she shall know confidence and security.
Blessed is the mother who teaches respect,
For she shall be respected.
Blessed is the mother who emphasizes the good and minimizes the bad,
For her children will follow her example.
Blessed is the mother who treats her children as she would like to be treated,
For her home shall always be filled with happiness.
A Child needs a Daddy
A little girl/boy needs a Daddy
For many, many things:
Like holding her high off the ground
Up where the sunlight sings!
She needs him to be the voice
That will tell her it's all right
When she awakens crying
And needing holding one night.
She needs him to be the man
Who teaches all she needs to know
And be the tower of strength she leans on
The source of love that helps her grow.
God gave you a miracle,
A sweet baby brand new
So we think (Child's Name) is very lucky
To have a great daddy like you.
God’s most precious gift
A baby was created by the hand of God above,
To give the world the sweetest touch of tenderness and love.
With the softest whisper God made baby's skin,
Then designed two trusting eyes to put the starlight in.
With giggles from a waterfall and breezes passing by,
God made a baby's laughter and a tiny, sleepy sigh.
God made the world a precious gift more dear and pure than gold,
With little toes to play with and tiny hands to hold.
He sent this brand new person on sunshine's golden beam,
All wrapped up in a rainbow of wonder, hope, and dreams.
God child
As pure as the winter's first snow...you are,
A vision of innocence blessed from afar.
Sent to this earth for us all to love,
A cherished, adorable, gift from above.
A child of the angels and *Godchild to me,
The dearest of treasures there ever could be!
* Specify Godchild, Godson or Goddaughter.
Our Child * Suitable for Adoption
With anxious hearts and open arms,
We sought you everywhere.
You, dear child, are a gift from God,
The answer to our prayer.
No matter whether birth or choice,
A home is blessed from above.
When caring parents claim their child,
A family is formed by love.
Walk a little slower daddy
For My Daddy
"Walk a little slower Daddy,"
said a child so small,
"I'm following in your footsteps
and I don't want to fall.
Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.
Someday when I'm all grown up,
You're what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who'll want to follow me.
And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true,
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you."
Nursery Rhymes
(1)
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
(2)
What are little boys made of, made of?
What are little boys made of?
"Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails;
And that's what little boys are made of, made of."
(3)
What are little girls made of, made of, made of?
What are little girls made of?
"Sugar and spice and all that's nice;
And that's what little girls are made of, made of."
Meditation on the Upbringing of Children - Dorothy Lowe Nolte
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn;
If children live with hostility, they learn how to fight;
If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy;
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient;
If children live with encouragement, they learn to
have confidence;
If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate;
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith;
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves;
If children live with love around them, they learn to give love to the world.
A Celtic Blessing – Anon
May the strength of the wind and the light of the sun,
The softness of the rain and the mystery of the moon
Reach you and fill you.
May beauty delight you and happiness uplift you,
May wonder fulfil you and love surround you.
May your step be steady and your arm be strong.
May your heart be peaceful and your word be true.
May you seek to learn, may you learn to live,
May you live to love, and may you love- always.
The more you laugh, the less you fret - Anon
The more you do unselfishly
The more you live abundantly
The more of everything you share
The more you’ll always have to spare
The more you love, the more you’ll find
That life is good and friends are kind
For only that we give away
Enriches us from day to day
Together for always.
Poetry for Boys
IF - Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936)
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run --
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!
Little Boys
Little boys come in all shapes and sizes,
Shy and adventurous, full of surprises,
With misshapen halos and mischievous grins,
Small dirty faces, and sweet, sticky chins.
They'll keep you so busy, and yet all the while,
Nothing can brighten the world like their smile.
And no greater treasure has brought homes more joy
Than a curious, active, and lovable boy!
A Son
A son is a wonderful blessing,
A treasure from above.
He's laughter, warmth and special charm,
He's thoughtfulness and love.
A son brings a special joy,
That comes from deep inside.
And as he grows to adulthood,
He fills your heart with pride.
With every year that passes,
He's more special than before.
Through every stage, through every age,
You love him even more.
No words can describe the warm memories,
The pride and gratitude, too.
That comes from having a son,
To love and to cherish just like you, (name)!
Why God made little Boys
God made a world out of His dreams
of majestic mountains, oceans and streams,
prairies and plains and wooded land,
then paused and thought...
"I need someone to stand
on top of the mountains, to conquer the seas,
explore the plains and climb the trees.
Someone to start out small
and grow sturdy and strong like a tree,"
and so...
He created boys, full of spirit and fun,
to explore and conquer, to romp and run,
with dirty faces and banged up chins,
with courteous hearts and boyish grins.
When He had completed the task He'd begun,
He surely said, "That's a job well done."
Poetry for Girls
Why God made little Girls
God made our world from a great shining star
And filled it with marvellous things,
Like shadows and rainbows and dimples and bees
And dreams that come true of wishes.
But He needed something special and dear
To make all He'd created worthwhile,
To sing songs, pick flowers, be dainty, be sweet,
To dance and sing and giggle and wink,
So God made the world Little Girls.
Whom forever He will cherish and love
For of all His creatures in Heaven and Earth,
He sees in a Little Girl's eyes,
The wonder and glory of Paradise.
A Daughter
A daughter is a wonderful blessing,
A treasure from above.
She's laughter, warmth and special charm,
She's thoughtfulness and love
A daughter brings a special joy,
That comes from deep inside.
And as she grows to adulthood,
She fills your heart with pride.
With every year that passes,
She's more special than before.
Through every stage, through every age,
You love her even more.
No words can describe the warm memories,
The pride and gratitude, too.
That comes from having a daughter,
To love and to cherish just like you, (name)!
Life’s sweetest gift
Daughter Woman Child
Angel of the Heart
You are the strength of the future
and the Beauty of past Memories.
You are Love and Light and Hope.
You are Life’s Sweetest Gift
an unbelievable and precious Miracle