Freedom of love...

Freedom and love, how do the two coexist? 2008 was the year of Freedom, 2009 the year of Love. I found this past weekend on our voyage to the less inhabited places of our country that both coexist in perfect harmony. It is such a beautiful reminder that mother nature knows how to adorn her beautiful creation of Earth without unnatural methods, chemicals, and/or mandmade interventions. In blissful harmony she adorns it with wildflowers (red and blue in honor of 4th of July),

 lovely creatures, 

tall trees,

rushing waterfalls, 

mountains, slopes, peaks, and meadows. 

I came to a realization yet again about the nature of our lives this past weekend.  While it is necessary that we train and refine ourselves to become mature responsible adults in this world, there is still something significant in letting go, in letting your hair down, in not showering for a few days, in giving up the cell phone, the blog, the email, the internet. There is something healing in hearing only the sounds of birds, water, wind, rain, and laughter of our friends. There is beauty in spending the unstructured time with family, whether it be Uno, walking the nameless puppy,

 or preparing tasty meals on the campfire. 

There is a profoundness in simplicity. It is sometimes more complex to find simplicity in our lives then to keep them constantly busy. 

I found for many years that I found solace in constantly going, never stopping, always finding one activity to bleed into the next. While this made for a nice way to soak up time, I realized that I never left time to ponder, to reflect, to sit back, and to enjoy the splendor of this magnificent earth.  As I went on with this lifestyle for sometime, I realized I wasn't leaving space in my life for the things that really mattered. Time to just be.

 

This past weekend as we celebrated the birth of our country, and honored of our freedoms I was deeply reminded of the significance of this - time to just be. 

When I was a girl one of my favorite songs was a primary song 'My Heavenly Father Loves Me'. The words are so sweet and tender I want to share them as they run through my mind. 

Whenever I hear the song of a bird, or look at the blue, blue sky, 

Whenever I feel the rain on my face, or the wind as it rushes by,

Whenever I touch a velvet rose, or walk by our lilac tree,

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful earth, Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see, the color of butterfly wings.

He gave me my ears that I might hear, the magical sound of things.

He gave me my life, my mind, my heart; I thank him reverently.

For all his creations, of which I'm a part,

Yes I know Heavenly Father loves me.