It's only a tiny rosebud, a flower of God's design -but who wrote it.

Recently someone posted a comment referring to my posting of the poem "It's only a tiny Rosebud". The individual claimed that the Author of the poem was Vernie McMqueen and that I am to remove the poem. Well, I had searched the internet for the Author and had not seen any. Now after perusing the "turn back to God Blog" I have observed a very interesting exchange on who the poem actually belongs to:

Someone posting as Wendy wrote on "Turn back to God" :

I would like to advise people that this author is known. No one has the right to repost with any links to any site. Be advised that if you post, print, collect any said monies, etc. will result in further actions. No one has permission to post or print or give authorization of such actions

When challanged on what right she had to post such a thing Wendy wrote:

The copyright is in the works and this poem was written for the old preachers back in the day by a lady who died of cancer. She has many paintings and poems but got thrown around after her death. She was a great and true christian lady who believed in God. If you like to know who the author is and give credit without rendering monies or any other type of payments than email me at wen_lynn@hotmail.com

Another woman called Jana gave her story on the poem and how it came about:

The “old preacher” was the late Rev. I. H. Terry who pastored a thriving church for many years in Bakersfield, California. The “younger preacher” was Rev. Vaughn Morton who had just gone through a terrible divorce. Rev. Vaughn Morton currently is the pastor of Truth Tabernacle in Fresno, California. As a young evangelist, Rev. Morton told the story of Rev. Terry taking him into his garden, cutting a rosebud off a bush then handed it to him and told him to unfold it. Rev. Morton tried and made a mess of the rose. Then Rev. Terry told him to be patient and let God unfold his life. From that, Rev. Morton preached a sermon he titled, “Just Let It Unfold.” I happened to personally hear him preach this sermon in 1969 at Apostolic Gospel Church of Delano, California. The following week, a woman brought a framed piece of art that was a drawing of a rose around this poem. I don’t believe the real author has ever been given credit for the poem. I don’t recall the woman’s name. I do remember seeing the framed art she brought to the church after Rev. Morton preached the sermon, “Just Let It Unfold.” To be honest, I’m not entirely certain the woman authored the poem but she did have it typewritten with some rose artwork around it in the frame.  

Then the plot thickened. A man posted that HE was the actual Author of the poem:

HI, MY NAME IS DARRYL L. BROWN. I AM NOW A PASTOR. I WANTED TO GET THIS POEM OUT MANY YEARS AGO BUT I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD GET OUT LIKE THIS. GOD GAVE ME THIS POEM IN 1974. I HAD LOST MY WIFE AND CHILDREN THROUGH ADULTERY. I WAS LOST, I SAT UPON A ROCK AND I WROTE BY INSPIRATION OF GOD THIS POEM IN ABOUT 3 MINUTES. I AND ONLY I HAVE THE COPY WRITE REGISTRATION NUMBER FOR ROSE BUD, I HAVE THE ORIGINAL TEMPLATES OF CARDBOARD AND WOOD I USED TO MAKE THE FIRST ONES. I SOLD ABOUT 12 OF THOSE WOODEN PLAQUES AROUND 1975. I STILL HAVE AN ORIGINAL PLAQUE. AND 3 OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS STILL HAVE A ORIGINAL ONES ALSO THAT I MADE IN 1974. I HAVE A COPY WRITE NUMBER AND WILL GIVE IT TO WHO EVER MAY NEED IT. I HAD THE COPY WRITE DONE IN 1985. I NEVER PUT THAT STORY ABOUT TWO PREACHERS, SOMEONE ADDED THAT TO IT. I WANTED TO REACH EVERYONE NOT ONLY CHRISTIANS BUT PEOPLE WHO MAYBE SEARCHING FOR GOD! I HAVE SENT PROOF TO ABOUT TWO WEB SITES ALREADY SO THEY COULD USE MY POEM. I COULD DO THE SAME FOR YOU. BUT I WANT TO WARN THOSE WHO WOULD LIE AND CLAIM THIS POEM, THE COURTS WILL JUDGE YOU AND THEN GOD WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY! P.S. GOD RESTORED MY WHOLE FAMILY BACK TO ME. I AND NOW I HAVE 12 GRAND CHILDREN AND 3 GREAT GRANDS. THANK YOU FOR LOVING ROSE BUD I BELIEVE GOD WANTS THE WORLD TO HAVE THIS POEM.

What followed was an intense discussion of opposing views. Both parties seemed to believe that the poem belonged to their camp. Pastor Darryl Brown says that he did not add the preacher story to the Poem, the other party insisted that it did happen. It would seem that Pastor Brown want's to reach many people and the children of Vernie wants acknowledgement and perhaps something more. Nonetheless, as the good Pastor says God will be the judge.
Now. The real question is " Who do I get permission from to leave my post up?


Here again is my version: IT"S ONLY A TINY ROSEBUD

A newly ordained priest was walking with an older, wiser Priest in a garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had in store for him, the younger asked the older for some advice.
The older priest walked up to a rosebush and handed the younger a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals. "What does this have to do with anything" he thought to himself, still out of respect for the older man he tried but soon he realised he could not achieve what was asked of him.
Noticing the younger priests inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem...
"It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine."

"The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so easily,
But in my hands they die."

"If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?"

"So I'll trust in God for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to God for guidance
In each step of the way."

"The path that lies before me,
Only my Good Lord knows.
I'll trust God to unfold the moments,
As He unfolds this rose."