Fanny Crosby has always been my favorite writer of Hymns. She wrote all 8000 hymns in the 1800’s and we sing them still today.She often said she never wrote a hymn without kneeling in prayer. We have all been under pressure to finish our project by a certain day or hour. This happened to Fanny Crosby as well.

One day she was asked to write lyrics for W.H. Doane, who was a composer in the 1800’s. He needed these right away. She sat down to write and found it impossible.Finally she remembered she hadn’t prayed before she started writing. She got down on her knees and prayed even though she knew Mr. Doane needed the lyrics right away. the words came as she was praying: “Jesus, keep me near the cross”. We still sing that hymn.

We must always be expectant when we pray. Fanny Crosby found that out when one day she needed five dollars badly. She hunted around her house a long time. Then she thought, “Why don’t I pray the same way I pray for lyrics?” She got down on her knees telling Jesus how little she was and how much she needed him. Later, a man came to her door. He handed her a five dollar bill telling her he was reminded this morning that he borrowed the money at a concert they were both attending. She told him her story and both of them agreed that their prayer life would change.

I cannot get down on my knees, but I can know who Jesus is, that I am just a little 95 year old girl wanting to talk with him. He already knows what I need. but I’ll tell him just the same. The important thing is that I realize how truly great God is and how little I am. But he wants me to talk with him. He wants you too, and it helps if you get down on your knees. That just reminds you how great he is and how little you are. We have so much to bring to him, Our America seems to be falling apart. Jesus knows that, but he wants us to place our needs on his shoulders. So, let us pray for everything we need and let us pray humbly. Two friends need to get together often. Don’t you think?

I know a mother and her just born baby knows just what I mean when I write, “Hugs have a meaning that’s hard to explain.”I read recently that every baby that’s born needs a hug. Once in a while a baby is born and is never given a cuddling by anyone. When that goes on for some time, the baby dies. A baby and it’s mother both need cuddling. God made us that way.

I know that to be true. My first two boys were born a year a part. They were both full term, the first one lived a couple of minutes and the second one was born dead. I am 95 years old and I still feel that cuddling that I needed so many years ago. My third baby was born, but needed a full transfusion so I didn’t hold him for eight days. The doctor said we should wait a while before having another baby. Since that time I have had three babies, two I have cuddled and one was born with her cord around her lungs so I didn’t see her for three days. I still feel the loss of cuddling on four of my babies. So, I believe in hugs.

My kids hugged me a lot after my husband died. That’s pretty natural because they were mourning too and a hug helped. After a while the hugs stopped. I don’t know why because I know, even if they don’t, how everyone needs a hug sometimes.

We all need hugs. The past year has been awful for all of us. Forget about hugs! We also had social distancing too! In fact, we could hardly see another person at all. People in ICU with that disease often died without seeing anyone they knew. I think that rule is awful, don’t you? But your family needs a hug and you need one too. Perhaps someone you know, one who has been alone for over a year, desperately needs a hug. There are plenty of people I’ll bet, who really need a hug, but I don’t think you should go around town hugging folks, Do you? My kids started hugging after they were totally vaccinated. it feels so good!