Our Beloved Son.For Joey:
I'll lend you for a little time
this child of mine, he said,
For you to love him while he lives,
and mourn when he is dead.
It may be six or seven years
or twenty-two or three
But will you, til i call him back,
take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
and tho' his stay is breif,
You will have lovely memories
as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay
since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught down here
I want this child to learn.
I have looked the wide-world over
in my search for teachers true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes I have selected you.
Now will you give him all our love
nor think the labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call
to take him home again?
We fancied that we heard them say
"dear lord, thy will be done"
For all the joy thy child will bring,
the risk of greif we run.
We will shelter him while we may
and for happiness we have now,
forever grateful stay.
But shall the angels call for him
much sooner than we planned
We shall brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.
You will always be loved and missed. Keep watching over us our little Jo-Jo's
Love always, Mom, dad, Scotty, Dallas, Zach, David, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunts, Uncles, and all your cousins.
