October 16, 2017

The Lord is my Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul.  He leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS Name's sake.  Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: YOU anoint my head with oil my cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"  Ps. 23

Whenever I read this Psalm I think about my childhood life growing up on the farm.  This verse was such comfort and so seemed to relate so fully to my life I was living on earth.  I even had a baby lamb named Nora that would follow me everywhere I went.  She would go for walks with me and I felt like when I directed her if she would go off the path, that my rod and staff comforted her.  The pasture was lush and green and the horses and cows and sheep would be grazing all day long with fat bellies and lie down in the green pastures.  

I would spend much of my time helping out on the farm.  We had acres and acres of land. We had fresh eggs from the chickens.    Much wildlife surrounded us as well.  I would love spending much of my time up on the hill looking down at the meadow.  I would take my horse and ride through the meadow deep into the woods and pick watercress out of the fresh springs near the water and put it on my tuna sandwich. .He led me beside the still waters and restored my soul.   The baby foxes would be playing sometimes in the meadow.  The ducks and swans would be swimming on the lake past the meadow.  My friend and I would spend hours in the running brooks catching snakes, frogs, turtles, pollywogs, and fish.  We had hours of fun.  There didn't seem like a care in the world. 

I would go to that place often.  I would always stop at the top of the meadow and look down and across as the wind would blow across the wheat grass.  There were apple trees that we could just eat fresh apples. Our gardens would be full of fresh veggies that we would go out and eat right from the plant.  We would take pea pods and dip them in buttermilk dressing; rhubarb and dip it in sugar; green beans that were delicious.  For hours my sisters and brothers and I would play hide n seek at dusk in the corn fields. I would think of this scripture and how my cup runs over.

Grandma and Grandpa and my Uncle and Aunt and cousins lived next door.  Down the street further was another Uncle.  The street was named after our last name as my Grandfather built many of the houses on the street. My sister and I would spend hours lying on the grass and looking up at the clouds to see what they were shaped like.  We would think we saw dogs, elephants, houses, faces, etc. in the clouds.  It seemed like a heaven to me.

I would go up on the old hill where the big tire swing was on the old oak tree and sing songs to God for hours I would just make up song after song thanking HIM.  I would sing to HIM and thank HIM and Praise HIM for the beauty I was staring at, and for my Mother and Father and 6 siblings.  I loved that life. I knew the Lord was my shepherd and I shall not want".   

That will always be my favorite place to live and most definitely one of my favorite Bible verses.    Now the meadow is all houses and the fields are roadways to the houses.  I sometimes shed tears at the difference but am happy that I got to spend my childhood in such a beautiful place.  Oh Lord thank you for my cup runneth over and surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Through my life have been many valleys as well, but then I remember this scripture for yea, even when the time comes to walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.  Notice the Lord says in His word the shadow of death.  It is just a shadow.  Fear not for He is with you.