The Footprints Of Alfred E. Newman

Remember Alfred E. Newman of Mad magazine fame? His gap toothed grin gracing every cover with the caption “What, me worry?” Alfred can be oblivious, but what of the dozens of things that tug at us daily? My children are all adults but I still worry about them. In low moments I worry that somehow I have strayed down the wrong path in my life and won’t find my way back.

Today when worry creeps into my thoughts I turn to God as close to immediately as I can. When the World worries me I remember “The Captain is on the Bridge.” My children, gifts from God, so when I fear for them I ask God to do for them what they cannot do for themselves and to give me the strength to do what He would have me do in their lives, and not meddle. I don’t care what anyone says, letting your children make their own mistakes so they can grow just as we had to requires a lot of prayer. And when I begin to worry I have stumbled and lost my way I remember this truth:

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.” 

So I guess Ol'Alfred had it right all along. Nuff said.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

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