“. . . Surely goodness and mercy

shall follow me all the days of my life . . . ..”

I love that David makes this statement while walking “in the valley of the shadow of death” and “in the presence of his enemies.”

after supper, on the deck with the girls

Life is such a funny thing —– such a mixed bag of good and bad, joy and struggle, dread and anticipation.

In the midst of my own valley these recent months, I have also savored the life given to me  . . . . . . . . .

my children’s grandparents and 90-year-old great-grandmother just through the woods

my children’s Great Aunt Jane, who now lives down the hill . . . .little girls’ voices “We LOVE Aunt Jane, Mama.  Aunt Jane is our friiiiiend.”

a rocking chair on the front porch; young, tender spring-green leaves dancing in the breezes and blue jays flashing blue

a husband who saw my distress and exhaustion, set aside his own workload (again) and organized a mass clean-up of the basement, turning dread to eager excitement, work into a fun family time

a little girl who rarely fails to give me a hug and kiss after supper, “Thank you for supper, Mama” even when she doesn’t like the supper

little girls’ voices enunciating carefully as they recite Psalm 23 at the breakfast table

evening meals eaten on the deck on spring evenings, surrounded by sky , trees and birds

my husband showering me with affection —“I love you.  You are my greatest treasure,” he says.  “You are beautiful.”  The less I do, the more I fail, the more he loves.

So undeserving and yet given so much.

Why?

It is a mystery to me.