Thursday, May 30, 2013

Just takin' a break, folks.

I could not stop laughing at how this bear was sitting when we went to the zoo earlier this week. Seriously! Look at that hunkered down, old man pose. It must be good being a bear:)

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Life and Death

Well, it has been a while....again.

Springtime gets a tad bit frantic around here. Spare time is suddenly all spent planting, watering, weeding, harvesting, and cooking lovely vegetables. No complaints. Just busy!

Yesterday, I had the privilege to attend both a funeral and a baby shower. Both were wonderful celebrations: one of a life well-spent, the other of a life yet to come. My mind is still churning over all that I took in. I was able to hear stories of adventure, love, heartache, and fulfillment of one woman's life. I was able to hear the excitement, planning, and preparations from another woman for the life inside of her.

Through both events I was simply touched by the beauty of life. I feel so blessed to see incredible examples around me of people living life with joy and purpose and doing good unto others. I feel equally blessed to watch sweet couples around me find joy and purpose in fulfilling their divine ability to create and nurture life.

I believe in a loving Heavenly Father that sent our spirits here to this Earth to learn and grow and gain a physical body. I believe that when we die it is not the end, but that our spirits carry on in learning and growth.

To be so close to life and death brought both tears and laughter. Opposition is beautiful. We learn from the good and bad, the easy-peasy and the difficult. I am grateful for this earthly experience which gives us the chance to be a part of life and death. But mostly, I am grateful to know that birth was not the beginning, and death is not the end. It is all part of one eternal journey.