May 6, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, May 6.
Mother’s Day is coming! And during this week leading to that BIG Sunday, we’re focusing our little daily thoughts on “all things mom”. Today, a story behind a song. You can tell a lot about somebody by their favorite song. Do you know your mother’s favorite?
My mom was named Faye Estell Wortham Mathis and her favorite song was “His Eye is On the Sparrow”. It was written, by a mother, in 1905. Cevilla Martin was married to Walter, a Baptist evangelist. On one of their crusade tours they spent some time with an older couple named Doolittle. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for over 20 years and Mr. Doolittle was in a wheelchair.
Cevilla was moved by the great challenges that this couple faced, but equally inspired by the joy in their life. She asked Mrs. Doolittle, “What’s your secret?”. The old saint replied,”His eye is on the sparrow, so I know He watches me!”. Once she heard those words, the lyrics flowed quickly. But she struggled to come up with a suitable tune to turn her poem into a song. At her husband’s urging Cevilla sent her words to a family friend, the legendary hymn writer, Charles Gabriel. Second to only Fannie Crosby on the list of great gospel songwriters, he’s known for such classics as “Higher Ground”, “I Stand Amazed in the Presence”, “Since Jesus Came Into My Heart”, and “Send the Light”. Gabriel completed Cevilla’s puzzle by composing a lovely, lilting melody.
It is that melody that Ethel Waters sang time and time again at Billy Graham crusades. Her recording of “His Eye is On the Sparrow” was a prized part of my mother’s record collection, and we played it over and over during her final days in hospice care.
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely and long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
