this I believe

Forgiveness Flour
Marguerite Stewart

When I went to the door,
at the whisper of a knocking,

I saw Simeon Gantner's daughter, Kathleen,

standing there, in her shawl and her shame,

sent to ask "Forgiveness Flour" for her bread.

"Forgiveness Flour," we call it in our corner.

If one has erred,

one is sent to ask for flour of his neighbors.

If they loan it to him, that means he can stay,

but if they refuse, he best take himself off.

I looked at Kathleen . . . what a jewel of a daughter,

though not much like her father, more's the pity.

"I'll give you the flour," I said, and went to measure it.

Measuring was the rub. If I gave too much,

neighbors would think I made sin easy,

But if I gave too little, they would label me "close."

While I stood measuring,

Joel, my husband, came in from the mill,

a great bag of flour on his shoulder.

And seeing her there, shrinking in the doorway,

he tossed the bag at her feet.

"Here, take all of it."

And so she had flour enough for many loaves,

while I stood measuring.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

- Luke 6:36-38

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Happy Easter

(photos found on flickr)