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Soul-Restoration
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
-- Psalm 23:1-3a
I bought a house a few years ago. The house has a very large backyard, most of it covered with rocks and bushes. But nearest to the house, beside a covered patio, is a small lawn area. At the time I bought the house, the lawn area was filled with dead grass and a lot of weeds. I tried to pull it all up, but it seemed like an overwhelming task, so I just left it and rarely went out to the backyard except when necessary.
But this year I was determined to make this a space where I would want to sit out and enjoy being outside. So, I dug up all the weeds and dead grass, planted grass seeds and covered them with mulch, and watered regularly as the grass began to grow. I bought some outdoor furniture, potted some herbs, and my sister provided potted flowers. It still involved a lot of weeding, but it began to bear fruit, as the lawn became filled with grass and only occasional weeds!
My mom moved in with me this year and together we have been walking that long, difficult journey of her progressing dementia. There are hard days, but what we have found is that the backyard has become a place of respite for us. Sitting out on the porch in the cool of summer mornings, feeling the breeze, watching the butterflies and bees, hearing the birdsongs, and now with the cooler weather, listening to the raindrops and watching them water and nourish the thirsty ground, it has become a place of peace, healing, and soul-restoration for us. I had forgotten how much I needed it until I experienced it.
McCurdy Ministries in so many ways has become a place of respite, of peace, of healing, and soul-restoration for the people of the Española Valley through the services, support, and presence offered here. But we are working on a more tangible, physical way to offer respite through the creation of more green spaces, walking trails, rest spaces, and more on our campus, so that people can experience the same kind of peace, healing, and soul-restoration my mom and I have experienced in my backyard. Restoration for the whole soul – heart, mind, and body – is God’s desire for each of us.
I hope that if you have not already found it, that you will find an outdoor space to restore your own weary soul and find peace in these really difficult times. God has created a wondrous world for us, knowing how much we need to experience it.
May you find peace in this Celtic blessing:
Deep peace of the running waves to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the Son of peace to you.
Rev. Jeanie Williams
McCurdy Board of Trustees
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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