In Memory of Alvin Gafford--God Transplants Another Lily into the Heavenly Garden

Our dear friend Bro. Alvin Gafford whom Jonathan has known all his life, at age 95, went to be with Jesus a little after three o'clock this afternoon. Jonathan and I were on our way to visit him after a day of errands and business in town when I called Katherine to make sure it would still work, but she softly let me know he had gone to heaven just a little over an hour earlier. I had written this poem two months ago on another night which Katherine had thought might be his last, but God gave him another two months. 

God Transplants Another Lily Into His Heavenly Garden

                   by Anna Lucas

    In loving memory of Alvin Gafford

The Lord looked down from His window in the sky,

And saw a wilted lily in earth’s garden lie.

He said, “I created Alvin to bloom on earth a spell,

But somehow it looks to Me like he’s not been real well.

It looks to me like earth’s garden is piling high with snow,

It’s frozen clutches reach and stormy wind doth blow.

Now I’m not the type of God to turn my head around

When a lily I’ve created lies helpless on the ground.”

So the Lord came walking out of heaven’s open door,

Right down to Pleasant Street garden to look a little more.

He walked right up so softly to Number Seven 0 Seven,

And asked the frail lily, “Would you like to go to heaven?”

The lily tried to answer, but teardrops rained instead,

Just streamed from out the lily’s heart upon the garden bed.

The Lord looked upon the lily, and saw the wordless tears,

He knew just what the lily meant when words were not quite clear.

So gently did His fingers pick the bowing lily up,

So tenderly within His gentle hands He held the lily’s cup.

So carefully God dug around the lily’s fragile roots,

Where often had the devil tramped with muddy, callous boots.

“Come bloom within my garden,” the Lord whispered clear and low,

Then carried our friend Alvin where healing waters flow.

God held this lily to His heart and kissed the tears away,

And carried Alvin gently to a better home to stay,

To a heavenly garden where lilies never die,

Where roses never fade and where bluebirds fill the sky.

Where the land is always summer and there is lots of room,

Where the Son is always shining and lilies always bloom.