Green Pastures

    The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
        He makes me lie down in green pastures.
    He leads me beside still waters.
        He restores my soul.
    He leads me in paths of righteousness
        for his name's sake.
    Even 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 overflows.
    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
        all the days of my life,
    and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
        forever.
(Psalm 23 ESV)

      My youngest daughter (on the left) is our photographer. After looking at our Easter photos I was told over and over, "It is so green there". "We live in  a tin can in an irrigated pasture", is my response.
        Psalm 23 has meant different things to me at different times of life. As a small child I memorized the passage to help myself sleep when I was frightened. In my early teens I remember reciting it as I walked to church. It was only less than a 1/2 mile, but in the frozen fog one night I remember especially the peace I had walking in the quiet of the fog on a Sunday evening. (I looked like a snow princess when I got there as my long blond hair for covered in hoarfrost.)
         In recent years I have lived in a Pasture by still waters. I haven't looked at it quit that way, but now I see that He has restored my soul. Often I did feel I was in the shadow of death and with His help I feared no evil. As I close this blog post I will ask that goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life and that you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Shalom,

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