The Bended Knee

      
The earliest memories I hold in my mind 
flow easy to the surface not very hard to find 
A sense of joy that my heart could not hold 
A blessing from a generation in the past began to unfold 
Seemed like a perfect place a special treasured land 
Where fairies, Santa, and Disney pixie dust I could hold in my hand 

I had cousins and sibs that played with me 
we sang, expolored and climbed every tree 
The miracles around us held a treasure every day 
but more to life was certainly on it's way 

As small as the tiny mustard seed 
the very essence of life that filled my need 
was planted long ago in a family destined for trials 
we shared it all the loss, the suffering and the smiles 

The seed which the generation before us planted 
Was a fervent prayer on bent knees granted 
by Our Savior Jesus Christ, the Lord of All 
The proud, the lowly, the large and the small 

He gathered us so long ago 
He made us His own though we did not know 
Twas the bended knee of our Moms and Dads 
That gave us hope in a world of passing fads 

The roots grew so deep 
into our beings the love began to seep 
And it bore such fruit, the angels would sing 
and they embraced us all under their wing 

Yes we would face many trials and tests 
but we would be blessed with God's love and tenderness 
In a world we really don't belong 
We remember the hymns and sing the song 

A faith passed down to fill our need 
Our parents planted the mustard seed 
Inside while we lived our lives it grew 
Each test would bear witness God always knew 

We longed for answers and learned to trust 
That God had a plan and faith in Him was an absolute must 
With every pain, cross and sorrow 
We picked ourselves up and welcome each tomorrow 

For all that was taken from this family of ours 
we learned to treasure the years, days and hours 
of loved ones who came into our lives for a while 
who left footprints on our hearts and held a joyous smile 

For each knew that their time here had a reason 
and we learned to treasure the memories and the season 
the holidays, the ordinary days our memories expanded 
though on a desert island we each felt stranded 

Alone each one of us, thought 
but we all fogot what the generation sought 
The beliefs that held so close to their hearts 
was greater than money and material things that fall apart 

They left us a faith that believed in a life 
that was free of pain and sorrow and strife 
they worked hard to teach us to strive for our dream 
Made the way simple and gave us the foundation to beam 

Upon which beliefs that built our great nation 
We saw all people equal no matter what race 
we embraced them all and sought just for grace 
We now grow older and see why they persevered 
For the love and fear of the God they revered 

Was the promise of life of pure joy and peace 
a place they went to before hand to prepare a feast 
the family event where all will be whole 
twas whispered to all as the almighty goal 

They cared for our body, our mind and our soul 
they took an oath to pass on the torch 
they carried that faith though miles away 
this memory would forever with me stay 

What was taught at the knee 
my eyes began to see 
the lives of my family unfold 
and the test, and trial would forever be told 

We remember them all the young and the old 
The lives lived with faith bore hearts of a mold 
that made us one in joy and in sorrow 
that we had a future a joyous tomorrow 

Not of this earth, 
though destined to from birth 
we traveled the road, 
as our lives began to unfold 

As immortal teenagers testing all lessons 
We saw loss and life held so many questions 
That brought us back to the lessons we learned 
that our ancestors knew and wisdom they earned 

to protect us from harm they gave all they had 
The wisdom of the generation before- Our mom and our dad 
They always tried to spare us the pain 
But without the pain there would be no gain 

So they leaned on the Lord 
through the rain as it poured 
the sorrow and pain, the joys of our life 
we learned through experience and strife 

That the generation on bended knee 
Held the secret to life, the golden key 
that faith in God would always prevail 
that the crumbs they left would lead us to the trail 

did they know so very long ago 
did the time move fast or did it linger slow 
that the seed they planted is deep in our heart 
did they know the faith they shared would never depart 

Did they know that one day we would really understand 
that more than money or material this gift is so grand 
it encompasses all we believe and how we live our life 
it gives us joy to rejoice and peace in our strife 

We know that we are never alone 
for the generation on bended knee 
prayed for angels to guide our way 
prayed we keep the faith each and every day 

That we carry on the prayer that they prayed 
we kept the goal in sight and would not be swayed 
that in the end each knee will bend 
and all the prayers to heaven we send 

for all those who come after us 
we entrust this sacred trust 
A story of love from a generation ago 
that life has given us the whys and we know 

That what happens here is to no avail 
if we don't follow the ancestors trail 
the crumbs of faith they left behind 
gave us the way to truth and enlightenment to find 

We follow with a heart filled with gratitude 
we realize the gift is of such great magnitute 
that nothing oh nothing more sacred than this 
the promise of heaven and with the Lord, Bliss 

They lived their lives quietly on bended knee 
they fingered the rosary, and it lay under the pillow 
the faith they planted as the mustard seed would grow 
and the legacy was left to you and to me. 

The generation on bended knee 
filled our lives with hope of promises to be 
A book to lead us on our way 
A scripture verse for every day 

As the years pressed on the bended knee 
has been passed down to you and me. 
The answers we have not attained 
but it was always our faith that was our gain 

for answers we sought for naught 
there is no explanation or reasoning taught 
to explain this marvel, this gift for free 
that of the generation of bended knee. 

The Generation which has gone before 
has left us the truth, the open door 
They spent their lives on bended knee 
And left behind The Most Blessed Legacy