Preface Poem by Della Hodgson James

I'm a native of these beautiful Ozarks. A love of all nature you will see. I grew up among these rivers and hills.  There's no other place in life for me.

I've lived close to nature, and God every day. And His hands in all things I could see, while blind, I promised, if my hands were spared,  
God's servant, I would faithfully be.

I've blundered, and floundered, but God is my light.  And his student, I mean ever to be. That through His Teachings, I may be able to tell…
 Of the wonders that daily surround me.

And all through these pages I'll try to disclose...Some of the worthwhile things of life. No glitter, no glare, no artificialery can compare...  Such things bring only vexation and strife.

We must fully appreciate the gifts from God's Hand,   but let greed and grasping quite alone. For just such mistakes cause wickedness and crime, for which the Savior's Blood was shed to atone.

But the real, the natural are God's given gifts...Free from his bountiful hands. Enjoy them freely, but if you've wealth here to spare, lay it up in the heavenly land.