The Lord is My Shepherd

James 4:14 (NKJV)  ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Kelly opened the passenger side of her old beat up Ford pick-up truck and lifted her squirming five-year old daughter into the passenger seat.  

“Stop wiggling Jessica”, she said gently buckling her into the seat trying not to wrinkle her frilly yellow taffeta dress. She completed the task with a tender kiss on her forehead and reveled in the sweet smell of Jessica’s freshly washed hair. Jessica laughed out loud wiggling her feet, happy to be wearing her shiny black dress-up shoes. She was delighted to be going to a church on a Wednesday.  

Jessica sang loudly, “Jesus loves me this I know. For the bible tells me so.” 

Kelly took a deep breath as she settled in behind the wheel of the truck and began the forty-five minute drive to Our Saviors Lutheran church. Her cousin Robert died last week at the age of fifty after a long battle with cancer. The memorial service is at 1pm and they should make it with plenty of time.  

Jessica stopped singing and with eyebrows furrowed asked, “What happens when you die?”

Kelly gulped and thought for a moment trying to figure out how to articulate an answer that a child her age could understand. 

“When you die”, she started slowly, "it is because God wants you to come home to heaven to be with him, so he puts your body into a deep, deep sleep and then your soul fly’s up to heaven.”

“Like a bird!” Jessica exclaimed clapping her hands.  

Kelly nodded and smiled at her beautiful precious daughter. 

With unending curiosity Jessica asked, “Mommy, what is a soul?” 

Kelly took her time and after a few minutes explained, “Your soul is the joyful spirit that God put inside your body when you were born. Your soul never dies or sleeps like your body. Your soul lives forever.”

During the ten minutes of silence that followed Kelly remembered the fun she had with her cousin Robert when they were children. Robert had dark curly hair and the deepest blackest mesmerizing eyes she had ever seen. He was always small for his age but lived life with a quiet yet very determined spirit. At family gatherings Robert was the leader and organizer for every activity. He loved life with a passion that inspired and being a bit of a prankster he loved to have fun. 

She fondly remembered family camping trips in the mountains, summer picnics, Christmas at grandma’s house and blessed weekend trips to the shore. The thought that she would never see him, hear his voice or hug him again on this earth suddenly struck her and she began to cry. 

“Mommy?” Jessica asked with concern at seeing her mother cry “Are you afraid of dying?” 

Kelly smiled through her tears lovingly at her daughter and said, “No darling, I am not afraid of dying. When we die, we get to go to heaven to be with our heavenly Father. There is no pain, no sickness and no worries in heaven. Everyone is beautiful just as the Father sees us here on earth.”  

“I want to go to heaven someday Mommy”, Jessica proclaimed.  

“You will honey, don’t worry, you will.”  

Psalms 23: 1-6

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
 He restores my soul;
He leads 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 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 runs over.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell^[ in the house of the Lord Forever.

This blog is dedicated in the memory of our dear friend Herman who passed away this weekend.  He is now in the loving arms of our heavenly Father, happily strumming his guitar free from pain.  Play on Herman, play on!