The Best Birthday Present Ever

December 10, 2009

In memory of Charles Tilley and Georgia Brasfield

I wrote this poem to commemorate what would have been the fourth birthday of Georgia Brasfield, the late baby daughter of my friends Andy and Jill. A couple weeks before Georgia’s birthday in 2009, Jill lost her dad, so December was especially difficult for her. It occurred to me that it must have been an amazing birthday treat for Georgia to celebrate with her grandpa for the first time...on the streets of gold, with Jesus! Of course, I don’t know how the reunion actually went, but this poem is how I imagine it. Jill told me that her dad, when asked how he was feeling, would often say, “I’m finer than a frog hair split 8 ways” or “I’m like a cross-cut saw: it would take two men to handle me.”

A young child was playing on the golden streets with Jesus.
They ran together.
They played tag.
Jesus threw her in the air and caught her.
As she squealed with delight,
He sat her on her favorite golden bench.
He gave her a big hug,
And He told her,
“My dear sweet Georgia,
It’s almost your birthday,
And I have a special surprise for you.
Close your eyes.”

With her eyes closed,
She heard her loving Master say,
“OK, My son, you can come out now!”

Then she heard the sound of excited feet
Running, jumping, leaping, dancing
She couldn’t help but squeal with glee
As she felt familiar hands lift her up
And throw her into the air

As the new hands caught her,
Her eyes opened and beheld a face
One that looked so much younger and more brilliant than she had seen it before
He was wearing a dazzling white robe and glittering jeweled crown just like hers
He looked so different from how she remembered
But she would know that face anywhere

And in her joy, she yelled, “PAPAW!!”
The three of them joined hands
And danced, and leapt, and embraced

They were finer than a frog hair split eight ways.
They were like three cross-cut saws: It would have taken two angels to handle each of them.

It was the best birthday present ever.