My Lord has cared for me these past two years even in the midst of the world’s most devastating pandemic, making sure that I didn’t stray too far from His fold. He has cared for my needs and inspired me to move forward into a positive future, even as so many have fallen ill to the disease or met an untimely death. He walked beside me as I searched for green fields to lay my body down in and brought peace to my troubled mind beside so many beautiful streams and lakes. He led my paths through many sad times so that righteousness remained in my soul and heart. Even as I witnessed so many friends and relatives falling prey to this disease, I did not fear that it would ravage me. His solemn promises and mighty staff were comforts to me as each day brought anguish to others. As the Evil one sought to destroy my faith, my Lord kept my home clean and safe for me to isolate in and provided company with my beloved pets. He placed healing oils on my head, anointing me with healing from the clutches of the disease. Goodness and mercy will continue to follow me as our world continues to fight against this horrible monster. While others have walked in different directions and made their own choices without Him, I will keep Him in my life’s heart forever.
The thoughts for this writing came as I watched one of the last movies to star Betty White, “The Lost Valentine.” This beautiful love story was about a young couple who married shortly before WWII and then the husband was sent off to be a naval pilot in the Pacific theater. In his farewell scene at the train station, his pregnant young wife gave him a valentine that she had made for him to carry beside his heart. It was a significant gift of unconditional, sustaining love that she hoped would carry him through the war. He didn’t return home, but sixty-six years later, his body was returned to her thanks to the efforts of a very industrious and intelligent television journalist. As a sign of a powerful and committed love, the valentine was returned to the wife along with several personal items and several metals awarded posthumously. Due to her husband’s courageous, Christian sacrifices, another pilot and a young, six year old Bataan boy were saved from death’s grasp.
As tears fell down my face, I thought of how powerful Betty White’s commitment to making people laugh for six decades has helped thousands of Americans to walk through so many dark times. Her love of animals and her concern for their welfare made her a “one-woman activist” for all of God’s creatures. Even in death, Betty will continue to tell us that laughter is the best thing in times of trouble and pain. Her honesty, generosity, dry wit, and heart-felt caring will inspire us in the future to take care of one another and to keep love in our hearts. In the movie as the young pilot’s blood spilled into the stream he fell into as he was shot, his last words were from “The Twenty-third Psalm”. Holding the cross around his neck, he reached out to his wife and the son he would never hold thousands of miles away.
My connection to the young pilot was sealed with those words as I have said those same words every day to help me walk through my shadow of death with COVID. It pains me that so many people have decided to take care of themselves rather than the people of the world as Christ would have wanted us to do. In their selfish desires, they are only aiding and abetting this monster that has claimed over 800,000 people. It is my prayer that the world will soon return to this psalm and remember that Christ is the good Shepherd who will meet our needs. Even as we walk in the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil for He is with us now and to the ends of the earth.
Anna Hartt
