Laureen spent some time with her dear friend
Kelly in Memphis this week. She flew back to Washington on Wednesday and drove
up to New York to spend a few days with us. Lord provided for her dream job in
Washington. She will start working in a few days. Tom is recovering from his
surgery. Jessie and Tom are planning to be with us for the weekend. Sunita,
Andy, and Gabe are flying back to the States from Cypress to attend a family
wedding in Michigan. Then they will be returning back to Cypress next week
following the wedding. Our granddaughter Ada (Three years old) dislocated her
elbow - with what is termed nursemaid's elbow. She spent two days in pain as it
took 6 attempts to reset the joint. Praise the Lord that her arm has been reset
and Ada is once again living life out loud. Janice and her family are planning
on coming to New York for the weekend.
In view of the family gathering and
celebration Alice picked out two bushels of the best New York apples - Jonagolds
and Northern Spies. I harvested a bucket of peppers from our garden. There
are hot, mild Hungarian, green, red, purple, habanero. We have about
two bushels of winter squash yet to harvest. I picked a lovely summer squash
the other day, probably the last for this season. Summer squash in Autumn? One
of the gigantic Forsythia Bushes in the church grounds is in full bloom. Spring
flowers in Autumn Season? The Lord of all seasons displays His majesty and
beauty in technicolor in every season. We can say, "My cup runneth
over".
The Psalm that deals with still waters and
green pastures also deals with death valleys. In Psalm
23 we see ourselves laying down in the
green pastures. We see ourselves being lead by the still (quiet) waters. We
see our selves walking through the valley of shadow of death, and walking
through darkness with the Shepherd as our guide. When we walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, we are not alone. The Good and winsome shepherd
is with us.
In C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and
the Wardrobe, as Aslan makes his way to the stone table he comes to a point
where he does not allow Lucy and Susan to go any further. They are not
permitted to make that last leg of the journey with him. It is a path which he
must walk alone, into the heart of death and darkness. We might say "What is to
become of us when it is the Shepherd's valley of the shadow of death?"
Perhaps this is the place where our faith is
most shaken, those long hours before the dawn, that silence in which we so often
live.
The Chief Shepherd has passed through the
valley of the shadow of death. There is no valley so deep that the Son of God
can not fathom. There is no mountain so high that the Son of Man can't climb,
no darkness so grim that the Prince of the dawn cannot illuminate, no sin God
can't forgive, no person so lost that Christ can not find him. There is no
bondage so great that the Deliverer can not burst it asunder. The valley is the
Lord's. The way is safe. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the
days of your life. And you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Amen.
In Christ,
Brown
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