Green Pastures

Haven't you always loved green pastures? Growing up, I would go to the top of the hill behind the house and sit and watch the hills roll... especially in the spring, those beautiful green pastures of the Palouse. I miss those hills. Green pastures are the sign of life, of providence, a sign that God is in the details of the landscape.

Yesterday, my email devotion talked about green pastures. I actually think KD might have already blogged on this one:

“He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)

And it asked, what are your green pastures? Where does the Lord restore you? So, I have had to focus on this, because I want to be taken away by the stress of the dissertation, the mounting pile of work, the "Let's have Pizza." because I can't imagine trying to cook a real meal, the need to take down the 2 Christmas Trees I love to much...tasks, tasks, tasks.

And yet, the Lord will provide, daily, minute by minute, if necessary a way to restore your soul. Yesterday I re-read an email KD sent to me - four times. I re-read an email my Mom and Dad sent to me, I talked with two friends, I laughed uncontrollably with my sister (seriously - I think she was going to commit me), I was calmed down and prayed over by my husband, I listened to the voice mail of Tawnya, I read for fun for 15 minutes before I fell into a deep sleep, I went for a walk this morning to STARBUCKS with Mark and Boone...and I feel restored today. Restored enough to finish a daunting task (and no, I am not done, close, but not quite done).

But I have to tell you, yesterday when I went to bed, I was TIRED...I had a huge knot between my shoulder blades and I was done...and yet today I am restored.

If I feel this much better in one morning, think if how great that will be the day we are fully restored in heaven.

So today, I pray to contemplate the beautiful ways that the Lord restores my soul. I vow to find the green, beautiful, rolling pastures of the Palouse in snowy Ft. Collins, CO. Like the rainbow is God's covenant to his people, maybe those beautiful green pastures are a covenant with us that he will restore us, continually, until we are finally fully restored with Him.

Thank you for your love and prayers.