September 14, 2007

• Chick Chat … Part V of Psalm 23

  

  
   Well, it is still a day to be thankful … every day is, right! … so I thought I’d better move on into Friday … but I notice that it is just about over {my sister and brother-in-law came by and we spent some time talking with them so this post was just a little delayed} … still, old news can be good news!  Hope you’ve all had a day of blessings!  First of all, thank you for your hugs, and prayers!  I’ve been so blessed by every one!  It’s very comforting to know others who have gone through similar situations with their children, and know just how a person can feel!  Thank you, all, so much!! 
  
  Good news … yesterday, {which was Thursday, if you’re not reading this until Saturday} a dear friend of mine, Marcia, got to see Ian and Tim for breakfast in Pismo Beach!!  She had flown out to California last week to see some of her family, and decided to check with them to see if there was a possibility of getting together.  Well, it worked out beautifully!  We had talked by IM on Tuesday, and she let me know that she would be seeing them on Thursday.  Ian called me yesterday, and told me they were on their way to meet her, and it being a 2 hour drive for them, he wanted to ‘share the scenery’ with me over the phone!  He’s done that before, and it gives me a chance to ‘see’ where he’s been!!  It sounded beautiful, as has all of the other places he’s been to.  
  
  We hung up after a little bit, and a couple of hours later, Marcia called and I couldn’t get to the cell phone in time, I was on another call on the house phone, and couldn’t hang up quick enough, so I missed her call! :o(  I tried calling back as soon as I ended the other one, and she said, “Awww, if you had called just a couple of minutes earlier…..”, and as I stood there sadly thinking I’d missed him, she handed the phone to him, and he said he just wanted to play a joke on me!!  Ha, ha!!!  Anyway, it was a nice ‘joke’, I suppose … but, he said they had a great breakfast at a place called The Spyglass Inn on Pismo Beach!!  Look at those pictures!  He’s asked us to come visit so we can see where he’s staying, and so he can introduce us to his new friends.  We’ve been talking about it, but it’s not always easy to get away, especially this time of year with our busy show schedule!  But if we do, we’ll have to visit this restaurant, maybe stay a night ‘at the “inn”! Anyway, I checked out the menu … he said he had Eggs Benedict, one of my favorites, and that looked pretty reasonable in price … the rooms for an overnight stay, with an ocean view … a different story.  We might ought to bring the tent and camp on the beach!!  Lol!!  Is that even allowed these days?? 
  
  As we were talking I kept hearing the wind in the background … he said they were on the beach enjoying the ocean breezes!  They had forgotten the camera (  but, PTL, Marcia had hers, and took alot of Ian and Tim, and they also recruited a kind soul to take pictures of them all together!  As soon as she gets back home here, and gets those to me, I’ll post them!  Still waiting on all of the ones from their drive out there, and from Lake Hume, and …. etc, etc.!!  {One thing I’m learning out of all of this is ‘picture’ patience!!}  Before we hung up, he said it was so good seeing someone from home, and he wished I could have been there too … but he did have a great time with Marcia, and I’m so glad she was able to be with them!  Her two sons, along with Ian and Tim, practially grew up together and are all good friends!  Can’t wait to hear her side of the story on their visit!  You know how boys are … I asked him if he had a good time when I typed to him today, and he said “absolutely”… oh, and that he had the Eggs Benedict … I was hoping for a little more info, but that’s about all I got out of him on IM … one-liners!!  )  He sure didn’t get that from me, did he?!!  Lol!!   I’m sure he’ll tell us about it later … on the phone!  Okay…that’s all for now!  But, again, thank you so much … I really do appreciate all of your prayers!  
  
  If anyone has been following this study on Psalm 23, I’m posting verse 5 below.  Hope you all have a great weekend!  I think we are headed to the Irish Fest downtown tomorrow.  It’s supposed to be a beautiful pre-fall day, and we’ve  never been.  They have it every year … every thing Irish … and hubby being Scotch, Irish, and Welsh, wanted to go see what it was like.  Hey, they even have sheep herding, huh (?) … downtown??  in the city?!  This we just have to see!!   
  
   Hugs,
          ~ Deborah <><
  
                                                         
  

  
  

  

  
  
  PART V ~ PSALM 23~
  THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
  by Lura Langenback
  
   ~ PSALM 23 ~
  THE TABLE IS FULL!  YOU ARE INVITED TO EAT.
  Rest, relaxaton, and a good meal.  What more could you want?
  
  “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” vs. 5
  
  Up to now, we have seen that the whole Psalm has centered around peace, rest, and safety.  Nothing changes in this verse.  The Shepherd walked with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  He led the way up to this table.
  
  Once again, picture this with me.  You have walked through the valley and dark places with the Shepherd leading the way.  Coming through the woods, there appears to be an oasis ahead.  The Light is brilliant.  This wonderful place has a beautifully set table with all types of your favorite foods and drinks.  No matter how fearful you were, now it is quite peaceful.  Despite the fact that you know there are wild animals all around, enemies hunting you down, and the darkness holds much fear, still you know not to be afraid.  The Shepherd has prepared this time of rest for you.  He has placed a table in front of you so that you can have a meal, even with danger all around.  The assurance is that, no matter what the fear, no matter the problem, the Lord is with you.  He is a constant in your life, even if you are not consistent with Him. {Amen!}  Think for a moment what it would be like to be in the midst of a hurricane.  Right smack in the middle is the eye of the storm.  Have you ever been there?  I have.  It is so peaceful that you wonder how such a storm could possibly be raging around you.  More often than not, you let your guard down during a meal, become more relaxed then.  Can you feel the peace in this scene?
  
  The next part of the verse talks about anointing your head with oil.  Unless you know the history there, it does not make much sense.  In the hotter climates, such as the desert places, the custom is to put oil on the body to prevent excessive perspiration.  Usually mixed with perfume, it gives a truly delightful, refreshing, invigorating feeling.  Athletes would anoint their bodies before a race.  Throughout the scriptures, we see the anointing of the oil of the Holy Spirit.  The picture is of refreshment, not only physical, but also mental and spiritual, as well.  How do I know this?  Because the whole scene is about relaxing, refreshing, renewing.  When you are relaxing in whatever manner you chose, you are allowing yourself to let go of the problems and worries of the day.  Restoration of the spirit, soul, and body come.
  
  You’re enjoying your meal when you notice that regardless of how much you drink, your cup never seems to go down.  It is always so full that it runs over the top.  I am quite sure almost everyone gets the idea that this is the bottomless cup.  Years ago, restaurants used to charge for one cup of coffee but you could have as much as you wanted.  The Lord’s cup is bigger!  From His point of view, the cup represents giving to you a neverending supply.  I see that as such a beautiful thing.  God’s grace and love are a free gift, a bottomless cup that overflows.
  
  So, exactly what does all of this mean to me and to you?  Looking at the full picture so far, we have protection in the form of the Lord Jesus Who is the Shepherd.  We have peacefulness, rest, renewing of spirit, mind, and body.  Relaxation.  Of course, we can not forget the meal and drink that never go away.  The anointing of the oil on the body is for refreshment and restoration since the fluids are less likely to leave as quickly.  The picture is quite breathtaking after all.  But still, what does it mean?  Taken as a whole, not only is the Lord involved in your life, He is also caring for you … as long as you want Him to, that is.  Spiritually, each thing is a symbol of what the Lord does for all of us.  We are to give Him our concerns, worries, cares.  He will walk with us through whatever it is we are going through at the time.
  
  This does not mean that He will ‘get you out’ of things that you put yourself into through sin, but He will help you get past the problem.  His Grace is never-ending, His love everlasting, His peace is not of this world.  When you get ahold of that fact, you learn that you have already won! 
  
  
  
  PSALM 23:  1–5
  The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
  He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
  I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
  Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
  
  

  

  • 11:44 pm
  • 10 Comments