Little Andy's New Pastor

Hi, Mr. God.
Are you still awake, up there?
Daddy says I can talk to ya any time,
Because you always care.

I need to ask you somthun
That's 'portant to me.
Since daddy is our new Pastor,
He has more 'sponsibility.

Momma says, I gotta be a good boy'
More better than I use'ta was.
She says, since daddy is the new Pastor,
They will want to know how well he does.

I don't un'erstand his new job.
Momma says he's preachin'. But, he jest talks
And, some days, he cleans
And sweeps the walks.

He don't have much time
To play with us, any more.
And all the time, when we sit to eat,
There's someone at the door.

Sometimes, he asks them
To sit and eat.
But, mostly, they go to his office;
Where the big people meet.

Daddy is real smart
And he helps them, I guess;
Like the other night,
He helped a lady named Bess.

Mr. God, she was so sad.
Her eyes were black and blue,
She must's fell or somthun'.
Daddy says they talked it over with you.

Momma says she will stay with us,
For just a little while.
She can help with grandma and
She really makes little sister smile.

But, Mr. God, I'm scared.
Her husband came by, last night.
He was dirty and smelt real bad;
And said bad words, to make daddy fight.

Mamma was a'scared, too.
But, daddy made him go away
And Miss Bess
was glad we let her stay.

Daddy never said what happened.
But I think her man might of hit her.
He was drunk, Bess said,
And he was mean; for sure.

Daddy says, we have
To take care of the sheep
'Cause that's what a pastor does.
Where we gonna put some sheep....

I guess, where the shed use'ta was.
Do you know how many sheep we're gonna get?
I think dad is going to take them to the church.
He said we need more pews for them to sit.

I don't think daddy knows
That won't be san'tary.
But, he says he loves them all 
And knows the load they carry.

Do sheep carry groceries or boxes?
I jest thought they eat grass and sleep.
I heard daddy say you told him,
"Son, feed my sheep."

What do you feed them, Mr. God?
We ain't got much grass in our yard,right now.
But, daddy said you'd provide
And you will show him how.

Well, I know it's bedtime
And you get tired from all you do.
So, if it helps for daddy to keep your sheep,
Then that's jest what he will do for you.

Well, tell Jesus I stopped by
And I love Him, a whole lot~
And, if there is anything he needs,
I will share what I got.

I gotta go to bed.
There's church, tomorrow, too.
Tell Jesus' mom 'hello', from me,
And that I love her. Will you?

~*~

Mr. God,
If daddy can have sheep,
Why can't I have a puppy?

Love, Little Andy.

Copyright by Sandra Griffin