Happy Birthday Joshua.
You're twelve years old today.
I hope you know how much your Grandma Baadsgaard loves you.
You have an important place in your family as the older brother to your three younger brothers.
But sometimes even the oldest brother needs to know
that he also has an older brother that he can count on.
I love you Josh.
Joshua and His Older Brother
by
Granny B
When he should have been sleeping
Josh was thinking
And before he could blink his eyes
He got a bad case of the dreaded disease
Called, Oh dear, what if I . . .
Can’t remember the school song,
Or my science fair project turns out wrong?
What if a girl asks me to dance,
And all I can do is stand there and pant?
What if I turn in my homework late,
Or can’t keep all my math facts straight?
What if my orthodontist is going crazy
And my teeth end up looking like hazy mazy?
What if the school bully punches my head,
And nobody ever listens to what I said?
What if it hurts so bad I cry,
Or what if I have a heart-attack and die?
What if the neighbor’s dog takes a bite,
And leaves me a bloody chewed up sight?
Soon Josh was a wreck, all tied up in knots
He wanted to sleep but he could not.
Then Mitchell crawled in bed next to his older brother
And said, “Josh, I’m scared. I need my mother.”
Josh pulled his younger brother in close
So he would know he loved him the most.
“Just close your eyes and repeat after me,
I’m as brave as the wind and the waves of the sea.
I’m not scared because I have an older brother.
He comes in handy when there is no mother.”
Then Mitchell relaxed for he knew Josh was near
With his big brother close-by there was nothing to fear
So Mitch went to sleep and started to snore
Then Josh closed his eyes and sang this score. . .
“I’m as brave as the wind and the waves of the sea
In God’s loving arms, safe I’ll be.
And if I get scared and there is no other
I’ll remember that I too have an older brother.
Jesus is my longest and only best friend
Who will stick by my side to the bitter end.”
