advice

I finally took the hand of someone much older and wiser than I,

and came to a hill, with a little rise.

Through aged, but not much wrinkled eyes--for an instant--

I see the world and scan the skies.

psalm 23

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.


...so.... beautiful.....

for the first time in a long time i picked up on something.  the verse, 'your rod and staff..." i never really thought about.   i always thought of the phrase as just something in the poetry... like "my cup overflows" (really, i don't have a cup and what is that reference talking about) but~ it's a picture of God!  his rod of correction and staff of help.  {think of sheep, they need to be wacked in the head every once in a while to be hearded in the sheepfold and also helped by the shepherds staff out of crevices they had fallen into.}  goodness... i need both. i'm such a sorry excuse for even a dumb sheep.  and to think that i have a loving shepherd that would punish me, help me, do anything, even leave ninety-nine others for me.

your rod and staff, they comfort me.