Psalm 23 Revisited

How many times have you read Psalm 23? Maybe you have heard it only at funerals. Possibly, it brings you back to Sunday School Bible memory contests. I read these precious verses anew recently.

This October brought memories of the sadness God allowed in our lives. We would have enjoyed having our little girl, Julia, with us, but God has chosen to lead us through this valley and bring us into another path. As I worked through the vacillating emotions of remembrance, my Savior reminded me of his life-giving words in Psalm 23.

"The Lord is my Shepherd." He will lead me, carry me, and care for me when I am hurt.

"He restores my soul." When everything in me cried out, when no song could be found in my heart for months, when I had to live totally on what I already knew to be true about God, He was working on restoring my soul.

"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." What can I say? Life brings pain, but God pours goodness and mercy. I am humbled.

The Bible is amazing. No matter where you are in your life, God's Word meets you there. Where has God met you lately?

Reality Check

She walked into the waiting room lugging the infant car seat with her little one snuggled safely inside. The pleasant receptionist welcomed them by name. It quickly became obvious to me this little family had made frequent visits. I had settled in with my baby on one side of the room waiting for our name to be called for a simple blood test. The young mom settled in with her little one on the opposite side. Our girls appeared to be close in age. I asked. They were. One simple question opened up a conversation between moms. This sweet little baby had been diagnosed at four months with a tumor behind her right eye. At such a young age, she had to deal with chemotherapy and weekly doctor visits with lab work. This precious mom spoke frankly about her precious daughter, but if you looked close enough you could see fear and concern. Rachel, her daughter, was her first baby. What would tomorrow bring? They were still unsure if her eye could be saved. Would the cancer spread? Her tumor had shrunk one-third its original size after treatment. Would it truly be eradicated? I wanted to hug that precious mom. All I could do was ask if I could pray for her and her daughter. Her eyes lit up knowing that prayer would be critical in her daughter's survival. Surveying the rest of the waiting area there were other young children dealing with serious pain and illness. Cancer had invaded the lives of families in that room. My heart hurt, and my eyes burned as I was reminded of grace and the gift of healthy children in my family. There are six children in my home, none of whom are dealing with much more than developmental delays and asthma. My life intersected with a mom whose only daughter's life lay uncertain. My visit to the CHOP lab pricked my heart for the rest of the day. I will remember Rachel and her family. Her mom will not see this. I don't even know the mom's name. However, if you feel so led to remember this precious family in prayer would you post a comment? Today was another reminder that my life is not my own. God's grace and mercy are new every morning.

Gratitude

Rain continued to fall as I entered the bookstore to meet a sweet friend for tea, conversation, and prayer. I should have looked at my messages sooner, however. Our meeting would have to be rescheduled because my friend was sick. Should I stay? Should I leave? I chose to stay and take advantage of a few quiet minutes to read as well as jot down a few things that I was thankful for. Rain . . . Mondays . . . cancelled plans . . .

Reading beautifully illustrated children's books

Sleeping babies

A toddler's gentle resolve after a timeout

Baby smiles, toddler smiles, kid smiles, teen smiles

Strong families

Errands that can be done quickly

Warm brownies

Date nights

New homeschooling friends

Lessons in grace both taught and learned

Mercy poured into my life

Slippers

Freedom