I ran across this quote, the other day, as I was sorting through old letters and journals:
"All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen"--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Short, yet profound. When we take a deeper look at nature we can't help but notice the intricacies and design in everything that is around us. The artistry speaks, even though One voice is not audible. The chorus of creation echoes throughout the seasons, all around us.
Over the years, my love for the environment, and space where I live, has grown. If at all possible, I want to preserve what is here with the least amount of damage. It continues to be a learning process for us. The management of land is tricky. We do crop-farming alongside our other occupations. How to till(or not)the ground, fertilize, plant and harvest...challenges often arise, from season to season.
Sometimes trees have to be removed because they will change the landscape and alter the ecosystem. Our wetlands have regulations that involve what is allowed to grow and what is not. So there is constant management. We have seen the rewards in trying to keep things as they are: Sandhill Cranes have nested here for several years now. We see more eagles than we did a decade ago. Wildflowers are growing in abundance on our preserve. So much beauty to behold!
*I'm going to share a little deeper than I normally would here. Bear with me as this personal experience does connect these thoughts together:
About 13 years ago, I went through a difficult season of life when my mom died from cancer. During that time, I was a fairly new mom myself, with a 2yr. old and newborn in tow. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. Life was changing fast and I was trying to keep up.
My mom lived 6 hours away. Not only was I not able to spend much time with her, throughout her illness, I was continually aware of the gaps in our history, during my childhood. It seemed no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't make up for that lost time. We did have 3 short years to gain some closure. For that, I will always be grateful. Her letters are a treasure to me now.
My whole being had little time for grief. I felt numb and in survival mode. About two years after she was gone, it started to come out. I found myself very depressed and crying easily. I got some help; little by little, I was able to come out of that dark time and live in the present. It's still hard, but I can better manage the triggers and memories when they come.
One of the most healing practices I found was sitting on my patio during those warm, sunny mornings. My kids were little and full of wide-eyed wonder. It was a beautiful time of life: being under four-feet tall, having a keen vantage point for anything that crawls and moves about. So they would come and tell me what they found, and to bring my camera along so I could take pictures. And we did that...a lot. It's how I came to photograph so many dragonflies, butterflies and other creatures that had found homes in our garden. Today, I still enjoy starting my day this way. Hello Spring!
Creation speaks. Its voice continues to become louder and more obvious to me. These creatures know exactly what to do. They are wired with instincts and they just do what they were made to do. And here I was, not knowing what to do in the midst of my grief. I felt humbled and very small.
I have come to realize the love that God has for me, and for all that He has made. He knows when the sparrow falls to the ground; if that is so, then He knows everything that is going on in my life. I don't have to worry that I have been forgotten, even though I may feel that way in the moment. Anything we go through in this life will help us become stronger and more empathetic towards others that are hurting.
These words from the book of Acts, chapter 17, are some of my favorite:
"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.
Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for
'In him we live and move and have our being';
as even some of your own poets have said,
'For we are indeed his offspring'."
I hope these words inspire you to think more deeply about what is here, all around us. May you leave encouraged and know that you are loved...and a part of something bigger than yourself. Let's seek to do what we can to make the world a more beautiful place, giving credit to the Artist behind it all.
Cheers,
LP
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