GOODNESS AND MERCY

A MUM WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER

KINDERGARTEN SON WALKING TO SCHOOL.

HE DIDN'T WANT HIS MOTHER TO

WALK WITH HIM.

SHE WANTED TO GIVE HIM THE FEELING

THAT HE HAD SOME INDEPENDENCE,

BUT YET KNOW THAT HE WAS SAFE. 

SO, SHE HAD AN IDEA

OF HOW TO HANDLE IT.

SHE ASKED A NEIGHBOUR

IF SHE WOULD PLEASE FOLLOW HIM TO

SCHOOL IN THE MORNINGS,

STAYING AT A DISTANCE,

SO HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T NOTICE HER. 

SHE SAID THAT SINCE SHE WAS UP

EARLY WITH HER TODDLER ANYWAY,

IT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY FOR THEM

TO GET SOME EXERCISE AS WELL,

SO SHE AGREED. 

THE NEXT SCHOOL DAY, THE NEIGHBOUR

AND HER LITTLE GIRL SET OUT

FOLLOWING BEHIND TIMMY

AS HE WALKED TO SCHOOL

WITH ANOTHER NEIGHBOUR BOY HE KNEW.

SHE DID THIS FOR THE WHOLE WEEK. 

AS THE BOYS WALKED AND CHATTED,

KICKING STONES AND TWIGS,

TIMMY'S LITTLE FRIEND NOTICED

THE SAME LADY WAS FOLLOWING THEM

AS SHE SEEMED TO DO EVERY DAY ALL WEEK.

FINALLY, HE SAID TO TIMMY,

"HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT LADY

FOLLOWING US TO SCHOOL ALL WEEK?

DO YOU KNOW HER"? 

TIMMY NONCHALANTLY REPLIED,

"YEAH, I KNOW WHO SHE IS." 

THE FRIEND SAID,

"WELL, WHO IS SHE"? 

"THAT'S JUST SHIRLEY GOODNEST,"

TIMMY REPLIED.

"AND HER DAUGHTER MARCY." 

"SHIRLEY GOODNEST?

WHO THE HECK IS SHE AND

WHY IS SHE FOLLOWING US"? 

"WELL," TIMMY EXPLAINED.

"EVERY NIGHT, MY MUM MAKES ME SAY

THE 23RD PSALM WITH MY PRAYERS,

BECAUSE SHE WORRIES ABOUT ME SO MUCH.

AND IN THE PSALM, IT SAYS,

'SHIRLEY GOODNEST AND MARCY SHALL

FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,'

SO I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO IT!"