Psalm 121 - "My Help Comes From The Lord"

I woke up with the song "My Help Comes From The Lord" going through my mind. This song is from Psalm121. It was written for those in Jerusalem who were making a trip and needing protection. Luke 10 tells us of the parable of the Good Samaritan on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem. I remember taking this picture of the landscape there and thinking about all of the ones who God protected as they walked there. There was much danger in the trek yet the people knew God was there to protect them. God is with us today to protect us from danger. Sometimes danger comes in the form of people or circumstances the enemy tries to put upon us. Sometimes danger comes from ourselves as we make decisions not from God. No matter where the danger comes from God is there to protect us. As we read Psalm 121 we are encouraged. David reminds us where our help comes from and gives us the confidence to continue on no matter what is happening in life. I was thinking this morning of Thanksgiving morning five years ago. I was going through the breast cancer diagnosis, surgeries, etc. When we got up, Doc suggested we walk the bridge before eating. I don't remember if I cooked or what we did as far as the meal but I do remember walking the bridge. I wasn't sure I was going to make it but I did. Another Thanksgiving morning was in 1980 when I was nine months pregnant with Paul. The day before I had an X-ray to see if he was still in the wrong position to be delivered and he was. I asked if the c-section could be done the day after Thanksgiving and the surgeon refused because it was his day off. I was told to take it easy and the c-section was scheduled for the following Monday. I was one scared nineteen year old! I ate too much and even went shopping and sure enough by evening I was in labor even though I did not realize it. Once again God was there to help me through a trying time. In the mid nineties I had an exasperation from the MS and had to go to the hospital Thanksgiving morning for an IV treatment. That Thanksgiving my sister Linda came and made our dinner. I will never forget the 'hissy' she had when Paul came to the table without a shirt. LOL! Last Thanksgiving was not a 'typical' one by any means. Carrington's were caring for me in their home atter my release from the hospital from my fall. I was so emotional with it being my first Thanksgiving after Doc's death from this earth. I had a great sense of needing to be home so they dropped me off for a couple hours in the afternoon. I cried ugly tears as I sat here. I thought about past Thanksgivings and how they would never be the same again. I needed that time here but I also was thankful when my friend Elizabeth picked me up and took me to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. I am so blessed to have so many people in my life who love me through 'tough' times. Yesterday I had a cinnamon roll from Tiffany for breakfast, Sandy took me out for lunch, and my neighbors the Strever's brought over low country boil for my dinner. God sure provided me with lots of love yesterday. As I think of today, I am sad Rickey can't be here to celebrate with us. I am thankful for those who are coming to gather around the table with me as it is my first Thanksgiving dinner to make since Doc passed. I am thankful for the way God continues to provide me with exactly what I need. I am thankful for the way He protects me from both known and unknown things that come into my life. I truly can sing these words and rejoice this morning...

Maker of heaven, giver of life
You are my strength, my song in the night
My refuge, my shelter
Now and forevermore
My help comes from the Lord

Dear Jesus, Thank You for another day of life ahead! Thank You for the way You blessed me yesterday through Tiffany, Sandy, and Strever's! Thank You for Brooklyn who came over and helped me! Thank You for all the ways You protect me! I am so blessed to be able to say and mean, "My help comes from the Lord..." Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be seen/heard through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts. Thank You for Ofie and Lisa being with my Momma today so she is not alone! Thank You for continuing to be with her during these 'tough' days! Thank You for the three deer walking around in my front yard right now! What a beautiful site to watch Your creation. Lord, I pray for the four hundred homeless people in our town to find a warm place to be with food in their stomachs not just today but every day. I pray for those who have no where to be today to have someone invite them. Lord, days can be so hard when alone but especially holidays. My heart breaks for Rickey being alone today. I continue to pray healing prayers over him. Be so near to Him today. I pray healing prayers over many who have recently gone through surgeries and/or having treatments for 'c', those dealing with other diseases, and those having 'tough' days in their life. May You be so real to them and may they lift up their eyes to You. JoAnn; Donald; Kate; Mike; Little Ivy; my pastor friend finishing up radiation agin; Doug and Gay; Sharon's daughter Ashley and niece Amy; Chrissy's cousin; George and Sharon; Tisha's Daddy; a breast cancer survivor that had something show on CT scan; two friends waiting on test results for their husbands; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Ben and Colleen; Tony and Madeline; Pete and Delores; Cait; Norma Hall; Carrie; Little Jensen who needs a heart; many with COVID including a thirty something father/husband who was life flighted; Owen; Sharon Sebolt; Pottenger Famly; Serena's husband; Tim and Kathy Kilgore; some young ladies with anxiety; a man in rehab for anger issues; a young man out of rehab who needs strength in his daily walk; a teen in a volatile home situation; a husband/father separated from his wife; and many others. Thank You for being My Help! Amen.