Even though it is now the 26th, I am still meditating on Psalm 23. For some reason this favorite Psalm is really ministering to me these days, and I hope you'll bear with me as I share some of my meditations with you.

The Lord is My Shepherd - I used to think David wrote this psalm as he perched on a rock overlooking his flock of sheep when he was a boy. However, most commentators (who know a lot more than I do) think he wrote it when he was the King of Israel. As the Shepherd king, I now picture him meditating on his life as King of Israel and thinking that just as he was the shepherd over his flock, God is a shepherd over him (and God is a shepherd over each one of us). As a good shepherd David made sure that his sheep did not want for anything. He was careful to prepare a place for his sheep to graze that was free of noxious weeds. David prepared this field of grazing, but he could be sure of the presence of the enemies of the sheep (lion, bear, wolf) lurking in the shadows to pounce on the unsuspecting sheep.

I started thinking about the table God has prepared for me. This table has a main dish of grace, followed by side dishes of mercy, love, and forgiveness with a rich dessert of peace slathered with gobs of joy. There are some condiments like fellowship with other sheep and hymns of praise. He prepares all of this in the midst of my enemies - pride, selfishness, low self-esteem, anger, fear.

I haven't begun to scratch the surface of the table God has prepared for me. I am so grateful that the Lord as my shepherd, and He is vigilant in His watch over me.

Let me know your thoughts - what's on the table God has prepared for you?

Meditation

I love God's Word. I try to read something in the Bible every day, and the pattern I follow is to take the day's date (today is the 23rd) and read Ps. 23 + 30 (53)+ 30 (83)+ 30(113)+ 30 (143). This method takes you through the book of Psalms once each month. I confess, however, that when day 29 comes up and I should read Ps. 119, I skip it if it's a 30 day month, and read it on the 31st of those months. Then I read Proverbs for the day of the month.



Today's date being the 23rd - my favorite Psalm - I didn't get past it as I just began to meditate on it (I was listening in my Sunday School class yesterday where we learned we should meditate on scripture), and I began to realize again how awesome our God is. I don't use that word 'awesome' loosely as is the custom today. God truly is "awe-some", and I am awed by Him all the time.

I've taught extensively on the 23rd Psalm, taking it apart sentence by sentence, but today I saw something I'd never seen before - or maybe today something registered that never did before.

The Psalm goes like this:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul. He guides 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 love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Here's what really registered today. God, at times, wants me to slow down (lie in green pastures) so I can be quiet before him (still waters), so he can get me back to right thinking (restore my soul). When I'm all agitated about something, I can't lie down, relax, and get my thinking straightened out. But, God does for me what I can't do for myself. Sheep don't like rushing waters. Now, I like water (well I'm not too fond of whitewater rafting in the freezing rain), but I wouldn't be very relaxed in a row boat in the middle of a hurricane. When my soul is restored (mind, will, emotions), then he can lead me in the way of righteousness. A couple of verses later, the Psalm says, "He prepares a sumptious meal for me in the presence of my enemies (fear, worry, weariness). When I get into the Word and let it speak to me through the Holy Spirit, I am completely restored. Those enemies are gone - kaput!


I'm not walking through the valley of the shadow of death right now, but a dear friend is. As I prayed for her this a.m. I prayed that God's rod (His Word) and His staff (the Holy Spirit) would comfort her, and that she would be convinced that no matter what happens, God is goodness and mercy, and she will dwell in His house forever.

Definition of elderly

Today I met a lively 'young' woman who is 92 years old. I had gone to a friend's birthday party, and this is her mother. We hear alot about this lady, and today I had the joy and the privilege of meeting her.

She is in the same category as my sister, whom I wrote about earlier. I asked her one of my favorite questions. "How old do you have to be to be considered elderly?" Her quick reply - "I don't know, but I'm not there yet".

I love it. She really isn't there yet. However, I know some 70 yr. olds who are already 'elderly'.

Several years ago after Bob and I had returned from a 6 mo. stint in Brazil, we were in the car one day listening to the radio, and the news person was talking about a 69 yr. old 'elderly' couple in Fulton who had been murdered some time in the past, and the trial for the perpetrator was being held. Since I was 69 at the time I perked up at this news that I was now considered elderly. That Friday I met with my Friday morning breakfast group, and again posed the question: How old is elderly? Mary Alice, age 84, spoke up and her words were identical to the lady today - "I don't know, but I'm not there yet. Like the first lady, I could heartily agree that she wasn't.

So what is elderly? I'm beginning to think it is an attitude of the mind. If we think we're old, and therefore cannot accomplish what we could when we were younger - that's true in a lot of ways. We move slower, run out of energy faster, go to bed earlier, gain weight easier, etc. etc. etc.

But despite these obvious limitations, we can still study, learn a new game, learn how to use a computer, enjoy people, enjoy life, be interested in the world around us and participate in it.

I think we are elderly when we stop trying to be a part of life around us, sit down, and withdraw into ourselves. Elderly people live in the past lamenting that life isn't what it used to be, kids are disrespectful, etc. etc. etc.

So, folks, if you ask me how old is elderly, I'm going to reply - I don't know, but I'm not there yet.

Heroes

Everyone needs a hero. As a Christian I'm eliminating Jesus as my hero in this instance because He is my personal hero. But there are others whom I call heroes - Billy Graham and Dr. James Dobson come to mind. Both of them have fought the good fight, not given into the temptations that would be rampant in the celebrity world in which they move.

How about a hero closer to home. My 92 yr. old sister is my hero(ine). There is so much I could write about her - how well liked she is, how industrious - even at 92, how loving, how she sends birthday and anniversary cards to everyone of her countless grandchildren, nephews, nieces, great and great great grandchildren, nephews, nieces.

My own children consider her more of a grandmother type than their favorite aunt - probably because their grandparents on both sides were either deceased or distant. I try to call my sister once a week, and she'll often say - Chris called Sunday Night, or it was so good to hear from Joanne. Ray's wife sends her a letter every week.

I was trying to think of an adjective that best describes her. I finally decided she is grace-full.
The word grace - unmerited favor - is something I've heard about all my Christian life. We are saved by grace through faith, not be works, lest any man should boast -Eph. 2: 8,9. A basic verse that we all learn. So many other words come from grace - gracious, graceful, disgrace, gratuity for a few. There are many more.

But, my sister is grace-full - she is full of grace. She absolutely exhibits grace in all situations. She is the most unconditionally loving person I know. She can be very firm when needed, she has strong moral values, but without fail she unconditionally loves everyone - even those who have hurt or disappointed her. I have never heard her say a critical or judgmental thing about anyone else.

She's my hero and I want to be just like her when I grow up!

Procrastination

Today I had an "aha" moment.

I've taken these quizzes before where we're supposed to look at ourselves in the mirror and determine some wonderful part of our body - or we're supposed to look at ourselves in the mirror and say something wonderful about yourself

Well, today, I had an 'aha' moment when I saw a trait (not a good one, by the way) that I'm sure I've thought about, but haven't really said - Yep! That's me!

I've discovered that I'm a procrastinator. Never do today what I can put off till tomorrow.

As president of a social club I was supposed to get a nominating committee together in July so that a slate of new officers could be presented in August and voted on in September. I knew in the back of my mind that I needed to do this sometime! Sometime came, it wasn't done, and now I have a nominating committe who will have to come up with a slate of officers quickly or people won't know about them before the September meeting.

Another thing - we have two couples with whom we were good friends when we lived in St. Louis. Even though we've been gone from there 23 years, we still keep in touch. I kept thinking - "I should call couple #1 and couple #2 and we should get together with them sometime. Well, if one waits long enough maybe they will call me. Couple #1 called last week and we tentatively set up getting together for this Thursday pending when my niece's memorial service was. (We can meet this Thursday - I've procrastinated and not called them back yet!) Couple #2 called this a.m. and wants to get together - guess when - this Thursday!

Lord, right now I am repenting of procrastination. My resolution, even tho' it's no where near New Years - is to stop procrastinating. When you put someone on my mind, I am determined that henceforth I will either call them, or pray for them.

Thank you for the grace you extend to me all time.

Conversations

It all began when I had dinner out with one of my dearest friends. She'll recognize herself in this blog.



K: Ruth - you need to have your hearing tested. You don't hear well any more!

Me: I'm o.k. I think I hear fine.

K: No - you are always saying - "What did you say?"

Me: Hmmmmm



Next day - with two other friends - M. (age 93) and E. (in her 80's)



Me: One of my friends told me I need to having my ears tested and need hearing aids.

M: - If people would just talk slower and notmumble I could hear just fine.

E: - Yes, and if they would enunciate that would help!

So there you are folks - speak slower and enunciate and we'll be just fine!

It all began when I made one of my regular phone calls to my 92 yr. old sister. After we'd gone through news of both our families she said something like this:

Jane: You're a computer whiz. Why don't you try to find Mike Barber (our nephew)
Me: You don't know who you're calling a computer whiz. I hardly know how to turn on the computer.
Jane: Well, I hate to lose track of him.
Me: O.K. Where do you think he lives?
Jane: The last time I heard, he was in Arizona.

So, being the computer whiz which she thinks I am, I googled White Pages, Arizona. There were 6 Michael Barbers, but one had a wife named Madel that sounded vaguely familiar.

Now to give you a little background - Mike, and his brother Ron, are sons of my deceased brother, Ken. For a lot of reasons that I won't go into, Mike and Ron were sometimes in our hometown in New York, and sometimes with their mother in Washington State. When he graduated high school he joined the army, and has made a career out of it. He apparently is quite good at learning languages, and spent quite a bit of time in Panama where he met his wife.
The last time I'd had contact with Mike was when we were in Brazil. At that time he was in Germany with his family (3 boys). Ken's widow was still alive at that time and she had given me his e-mail address. We corresponded for a couple of times, but lost contact again.

I called the number that was given and left a message on his machine.

"Mike, I think I am your Aunt Ruth. If you spent some time in your growing up years in Lima, NY, and if you have a brother, Ron, and your Dad's name was Ken, please call me at -----------."

Then, while I was out Mike called and left a message on my machine. I had, indeed, gotten the right Mike.

Since then Mike (who is now deployed to Afghanistan) and I have kept up correspondence. I don't want to lose him again.

The best thing is that Mike, his wife, and three sons are all Christians. What a joy to "meet" this man who is not only my long lost nephew, but also my brother in Christ.