He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of death,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me..." (Psalm 23)
What is the image you see as you read this? What are your visions and expectations that run through your mind and heart? I used to see Ferdinand the bull, the children's book. A peaceful day of laying in belly deep alfalfa with birds singing and the aroma of summer erasing every care. This is what I used to see until I started to listening to Ray Vander Laan a man who takes you on adventures through Israel and the footsteps of Jesus.
As Ray was watching the Bedouin people leading their sheep through the desert. He turned and asked his guide, "What do the sheep eat? Are they rock eating sheep?" His guide laughed and quoted the Psalm about the green pastures. Every night a strong east wind comes through the desert bringing in moisture from the sea. With this moisture that collects behind the rocks, small sprigs of grass rise from the ground, about four inches tall. As long as the sheep stay with their shepherd they will be safe and led to their green pastures and be fed for that day. When the sun brings heat upon the land it dries up the grass and with each new day, new grass will appear.
"He leads me beside quiet waters," what is the vision you have here? My vision is Mirror Lake. Water so deep and quiet you can see every insect make its ripple as it lands upon the water. This is not the image Ray paints for the desert water. A wadi is a river bed that is usually dry, until it rains and floods during the rainy season. If you do not know about the flood danger and find some still water in this bed, you may be in great danger of a flash flood, but the Bedouin people have a system that will keep their shepherds and flocks safe. Quiet waters refer to waters that are safe and will not kill you if your shepherd is close.
We are a blessed people. I am a very blessed woman, but I often see things through the wrong eyes. My vision may need to be broadened. We see life from the eyes of green mountains full of green valleys. Then when the deserts of life are upon us we seem to crumple and wilt under the heat. I have had MS for 19 years. It has been a journey that has taken me to places and discovering things about life and God that I probably would never have tried for without it. I recently went on a new adventure with stem cell therapy through StemGenex. Most of my 19 years with MS have been years in survival mode.
For example: Tuesday nights I have LIVE with my young adults. Before LIVE I spend most all day Tuesday reserving every bit of energy I can by sleeping most of the day. Then Wednesday, I don't leave the house. I'm in recovery.
Thursday I usually go up to Crested Butte and take care of our properties we have through our real estate business. Thursday afternoon is spent in recovery. Friday is usually my laundry day where I fold most all of the clothes I have washed during the week. Time spent on the couch folding, watching a movie, sleeping. Life has been a time of precious energy spent and much recovery "time wasted".
I have always thought that I was missing out on the blessings of God, but through a little different vision, actually I have been learning to follow my Shepherd to my green pastures. I have survived this long, not without suffering and trials, but in-spite of them. I have a joy that no one is allowed to take from me, a joy that I can only give away if I stop looking in the right direction. I will not fear the valley of death for my God is Always with me. I will be comforted and He has blessed me more than I ever imagined. After my treatment I have more energy now than I ever remember. I no longer feel I am in survival mode. This is huge in my world, but it has taken much time and endurance to get here. But this journey with my new treatment has just begun, the next nine months will reveal more and I cannot wait to take that new fresh taste.
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