Walking Through the Valley

Psalm 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 in the paths of righteousness, for His names 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.  KNJV

I've heard Greg officiate several funerals and he uses this scripture passage in each one. We do have to walk through the valley, with each death that touches our lives.  They key word here is Walk ~ the Lord walks with us, leads us through the valley.  He doesn't plop us down there and leave us to flounder in the valley (but sometimes it did seem like that). 

19 years ago today, I got the devastating news that my first husband had died.  In the words of the dr. in the private room area off the emergency room, "I am sorry, he never regained consciousness" ~ me, not understanding what he meant had to ask for clarification.  The Lord sent many to minister to my children and I during that time ~  shoulders to cry on, many hugs, offers of help from people who actually followed through and did what they offered (unfortunately there were some who promised and never delivered ~ watch what you say!), many meals, house cleaning, Christmas toys for my children the next month, help moving, a generous Granny who asked us to move in with her (many, many thanks MOM), a ride to Social Security to file for survivors benefits (Thanks to my sister, Brenda), and many, many prayers over the years.

My children were 12, 7, and 7 months at the time.  19 years have passed ~ they are now 30, 25, and 18.  The 19 years have been full of life ~ some good, some bad.  The Lord has carried us through each situation that has arisen ~ he has given us comfort, he has given us guidance, he has given us wise believers to help us.  He listened to my many WHY's.  He led us beside still waters and restored our souls. 

Even though we don't have answers to our WHY's,  we did walk through the valley.  We slipped, we fell, we even wallowed some in the Valley, but He was with us always.  My cup does fully run over and has run over and spilled out on many occasions.

Many of my friends are walking through their own valleys ~ the death of parents, the death of a precious newborn, the death of a spouse ~ the Lord is with you.  He will lead you through the valley and send His children here on earth to help you.  Even though it feels like it sometimes ~ you are NOT alone.  Many are praying for you.  You don't know the impact your journey through the valley will have on someone watching you.  Many don't say anything simply because they don't know what to say ~ and its better not to say anything than to say something insincere.  You quickly learn who means what they say and is genuinely concerned and who isn't (that sounds cynical but its true).

And now to the cup running over part ~ my children are grown, they all have jobs, we have good relationships, I have been blessed with an incredible Godly man to travel on this journey of life with, we have the privilege to be grandparents to 3 beautiful young boys, we have friends & family to love us and journey with us.

We are blessed beyond measure.

Why did the past events happened ~ we don't know and will probably never know until we reach heaven ~

But when we are united with Lord ~ will the why's even be important then?