FHE Favorite Song "Give," Said the Little Stream

Memory by Alice

So, all the many years we had family home evening together, we had one favorite song, "Give," Said the Little Stream." I am not exactly sure why this was always the song of choice. Maybe because it was the one and only song dad remembered from primary, maybe it was the only song we could sing all the words without a piano, maybe because we liked the tune, or maybe because we weren't creative enough to think up a new song. My opinion is that it just became such a habit that we had fun with the repetition...it became kind of a joke.

There have been times in my life when I have thought about the words in the song and I really think now that this song represents who we are as a family and the example dad and mom gave us to live by. Dad really was the instigator in singing this song so much as a family. Here are the words...

Give, said the little stream, Give, oh give, give, oh give.
Give, said the little stream, As it hurried down the hill;
I'm small, I know, but wherever I go, The fields grow greener still.
Singing, singing all the day, Give away, oh give away.
Singing, singing all the day, Give, oh give away.

Give, said the little rain, Give, oh give, give, oh give.
Give, said the little rain, As it fell upon the flowers;
I'll raise their drooping head again, As it fell upon the flowers.
Singing, singing all the day, Give away, oh give away.
Singing, singing all the day, Give, oh give away.

Give, then, as Jesus gives, Give, oh give, give, oh give.
Give, then, as Jesus gives; There is something all can give.
Do as the streams and blossoms do: For God and others live.
Singing, singing all the day, Give away, oh give away.
Singing, singing all the day, Give, oh give away.

We only knew the first verse of the song, but now that I know all 3 verses and really understand what the song is about...I have found the meaning of this song. It is about service and everything that my dad taught us about service. Dad always gave service as Jesus did, because he knew "there is something all can give." As everyone knows, dad would give anyone the shirt off his back, or the quarter in his pocket. I am thankful to have a family theme song that reminds us of the legacy our father gave to us. I hope that we can always find opportunities to help others.

Thanks for the legacy of service Dad!