Now and forever more

The song fills my house...

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help,

my help cometh from the Lord,

the Lord which made heaven and earth.

He said He would not suffer thy foot, thy foot to be moved;

the Lord which keepth thee - He will not slumber nor sleep.

Oh, the Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade

upon thy right hand.

No, the sun shall not smite Thee by day, nor the moon by night.

He shall preserve thy soul even forever more.

My help, all of my help, cometh from the Lord.

I miss Dad so much. I think a lot about those days in the hospital, the quiet hours passing, our conversations, the precious moments. I see Dad lying there in the dim light, knowing the truth of these words - that our Lord was right there. And now, still, He is right here with me.

I think about Dad's journey - the one he had to walk alone - and what must have been going on in his mind, and how often we spoke of God and His plan, the appointment of our days. I think about God being my keeper, my shade - right there beside me, beside Dad as we sat there hour after hour. The words of the song ring true - Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade

upon thy right hand.

How can I adequately express the truth that I have not been abandoned by God - to the contrary. The Almighty, the One, the I Am who held us close to his bosom through the dark hours, the saddest days, is still holding me, is still my shade, stands at my right hand ready to lend me aid.

And my father, my daddy, now sits by His side and he shall no longer feel the heat of the sun or the cold of the moon. His soul is preserved forever more. The help he called on is the God he now praises forever.

And that is the same God I love.

I lift up mine eyes unto the hills.

All of my help cometh from the Lord.

I lift up my eyes, overflowing with tears, and I am sad, thankful, in awe all at once.

All of my help cometh from the Lord.