I Was Never So Delighted

I WAS NEVER SO DELIGHTED

by HELEN STEINER RICE



MY DEAR FRIEND, I WAS NEVER SO DELIGHTED,
NEVER SO COMPLETELY PLEASED AND NEVER MORE EXCITED!
YOU COULDN'T HAVE SENT ME ANYTHING THAT MEANT AS MUCH TO ME AS PETALS FROM "THE CROSS OF CHRIST" MADE FROM THE DOGWOOD TREE.
MY DEAR FRIEND, YOU'RE AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE, FOR ONLY SOMEONE VERY BLESSED COULD MAKE SUCH A LOVELY SURPRISE.
I'VE HUNTED EVERWHERE IN A VAIN ATTEMP TO FIND SOME SPRAYS OF HEAVENLY DOGWOOD THAT WERE JUST THE PERFECT KIND.
AND NOW, I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO PLACE THEM IN A VASE AND SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY LOOK, BY MY MADONNA'S FACE.
AND EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THEM, IM SURE THAT I WILL SEE THE FACE OF SOMEONE WONDERFUL WHO'S BEEN SO NICE TO ME, AND THE FACE BELONGS TO SOMEONE I ADMIRE VERY MUCH, WHO HAS THE WAYS OF AN ANGEL AND ALSO A HEAVENLY TOUCH, AND, OF COURSE, YOU ARE THE ANGEL THAT I AM SPEAKING OF,
FOR EVERYTHING YOU EVER DO IS DONE WITH TENDER LOVE.
YOU PUT SO MUCH OF YOURSELF INTO YOUR LOVELY FLOWERS, YOU SHARE YOUR TALENT AND YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR HOURS, AND ALWAYS WITH NO THOUGHT OF PRAISE OR ANY THOUGHT OF PAY,
BUT ALWAYS WITH BUT ONE IDEA-TO BRIGHTEN SOMEONE'S DAY.
AND MAY IT PLEASE YOU TO KNOW THESE DOGWOOD SPRAYS ARE MORE THAN A THING OF BEAUTY, THEY'RE REALLY AN ANTHEM OF PRAISE.
AND ALWAYS A QUIET REMINDER OF THAT SACRED AND BEAUTIFUL STORY
THAT ONLY BY CARRYING THE CROSS OF CHRIST CAN
WE REACH THE KINGDOM'S GLORY!





GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, CALL ON HIS NAME;
MAKE KNOWN AMONG THE NATIONS
WHAT HE HAS DONE.
SING TO HIM, SING PRAISE TO HIM;
TELL OF ALL HIS WONDERFUL ACTS.



PSALM 105:1-2
NIV



HE OPENED THE ROCK, AND WATER GUSHED OUT;
IT FLOWED THROUGH THE DESERT LIKE A RIVER.



PSALM 105:41
NRSV



OH HOW GREAT IS THY GOODNESS,
WHICH THOU HAST LAID UP FOR THEM THAT FEAR THEE;
WHICH THOU HAST WROUGHT FOR THEM
THAT TRUST IN THEE BEFORE THE SONS OF MEN!



PSALM 31:19
KJV



I WILL CRY TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN
WHO DOES SUCH WONDERS FOR ME.



PSALM 57:2
TLB



YES, THE LORD WILL GIVE WHAT IS GOOD;
AND OUR LAND WILL YIELD ITS INCREASE.
RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL GO BEFORE HIM,
AND SHALL MAKE HIS FOOTSTEPS OUR PATHWAY.



PSALM 85:12-13
NKJV



I SAID TO THE LORD, "YOU ARE MY LORD.
EVERY GOOD THING I HAVE COMES FROM YOU."



PSALM 16:2
NCV