April 6, 2022
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.” Psalm 23:1 GNT
Anne-Sophie, age 8, had a homework assignment, and Seth took a photo of it and sent it via text to the family. Under the I WANT column she listed 1) a giraffe for my zoo, 2) candy, 3) a dog, 4) toys, 5) iPad, and 6) a cat. Under the I NEED column she listed 1) food, 2) water, 3) air, 4) shelter, and 5) sleep.
I am glad to see that she can differentiate between wants and needs. I will remember that the next time we are in a grocery store and walk past all the items strategically placed to catch the eye of young shoppers. Just kidding! I asked her during a nightly WhatsApp call to tell me about her zoo. Her zoo has sharks, a killer whale, cats and dogs in her zoo and a giraffe would add height. A child’s imagination is amazing.
In the past 4 weeks, the combination of grief, and a COVID diagnosis have left me rather depleted. I find myself adding to my own personal I WANT list. But a simple elementary school activity reminded me of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. Quite frankly, I have more than I need. I have more than most of the world has. There is a simple prayer of Psalm 23:1 I discovered decades ago. Put your two hands or bare feet in front of you and going from left to right beginning with your left-hand little finder recite the ten words moving consecutive fingers with each word. I have prayed this way in meetings, in hospitals, while trying to fall asleep, and most recently as I sat by Carol’s bed.
The Lord is my shepherd. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 