The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
    He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name. – Psalm 23

Regular readers will be aware of my recurring Monday morning “TGIM” theme. But it’s really not so much “thank goodness it’s Monday” so much as it is, “Thank God for the gift of each and every new day!”

Today, however, rather than a “rah-rah-rah!” “go get-em!” “Let’s kick Monday’s butt” word, I’m thinking more along the lines of serenity; the long deep breath that takes in the goodness of God’s good creation, and the implicit invitation to participate in the opportunity of a new week.

I was out of the house earlier than planned, jogged from my I-need-to-sleep-in-today slumber at the crack of dawn, by the sound of Scout Labradoodle in the full “throes” of a digestive crisis. Once I was up, dressed, and outside it simply made sense to take a walk while the coffee was brewing.

We live in a beautiful neighborhood, and my usual route takes us through a small park. Today, for some reason, Scout and I walked in the opposite direction, so I enjoyed a perspective of the view that I wasn’t used to.

So I saw Tyler Run Park differently, and I immediately thought of the opening verses to the Twenty-third Psalm; “He renews my strength and guides me along right paths…”

Sometimes it requires looking at things from a new direction to remember how beautiful life is, and how each day is simply loaded with possibility.

This morning, I want to enter the second week of July with renewed strength because I am guided along the right path by my shepherd. In so doing, I pray that I will bring honor to the name of Jesus.

– DEREK