I don't live in the Arizona desert, I live in what they call "high-chaparral" country. We get too much rain during our two monsoon seasons 12 inches is the average) - although we are pretty parched the rest of the year. So when it rains, this landscape turns green and lush and plants aggressively take over EVERYwhere. So to me, these are simply lovely.
And beautiful. Our INSANE amount of birds. who take advantage of even our CACTUSES to protect their babies.
I'm sitting here feeling pretty good. And I began wondering WHY. I normally have a nagging sense of doubt, worry, and/or fear hanging around. And right now, I don't because: ... my oldest daughter and family are safely back in the United States after being in the Middle East and Europe for a month. ... my son passed his final test and begins working tomorrow. ... my brother's dialysis has been knocked down from three times a week to two, and I have the transportation to it adjusted and okayed. .... my husband's boss, who was supposed to leave for Afghanistan next month, isn't going - he's sort of the only one my hubby feels support from. .... I got out early and got the fly masks and spray on the horses. ... I don't have a Gospel Doctrine lesson to prepare, just a nursery email and Facebook update to do. ... I feel rested. It feels nice.
Some Sundays, I get more than a little irritated by some church-goers "airs." Especially with the "we are obviously better than they are." By the virtue of being born in the United States - of being white - of being born into the LDS church. Like we are the top dogs, in every possible way. I've been looking at it a little bit differently. If we come down to earth to gain a physical body and learn and accept the gospel, yeah, this makes it easier, perhaps, being born in America. But we also do temple work for those who don't get the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ in this life. So people who DON'T learn about it, get their temple work done, and ACCEPT it, aren't denied any blessing. So perhaps.... Just perhaps.... Those of us who get dumped (in the mortality sense) into a comfortable, clean, civilized area like the U.S. of A..... maybe it's because we couldn't HANDLE a more difficult environment. And perhaps, just perhaps, people who are born in deepest darkest Africa or being the Great Wall in China, are the MORE valiant - the MORE righteous - the MORE spiritual ones.
And CAN handle a darker world. How about the people who lived through the Dark Ages? Most of them had no resources - no scriptures - very little direction, and in a lot of Europe, very little hope. Maybe they JUST needed to come down to get a physical body. Hmmm. Maybe you comfortable Americans SHOULDN'T be so proud of being you.
Have you ever seen the movie "Labyrinth" with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly? My kids grew up with watching that movie on VHS tapes like every week. So do you remember this scene?
Today I was stalking around the house, wielding a flyswatter, and COUNTING as I killed the stampede of flies that had invaded our house. And felt JUST like Hoggle!
Okay, there are two commandments that Jesus emphasizes in the New Testament. I'm even gonna quote it here from Mark 12: 28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Once again, "There is none other commandment greater than these." I think Jesus meant that. Love God.
And love each other. That's the test. He's saying, right here, this is what He wants. And I think He is NOT saying, "AND decide how other people live THEIR lives" He is NOT saying, "and love everyone EXCEPT FOR THOSE PARTICULAR SINNERS." And finally, I am CERTAIN He is not saying, "AND JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON'T DO THINGS THE WAY YOU DO THEM." It's pretty simple, isn't it?
There's a great song by the Barenaked Ladies, called "If I Had A Million Dollars." You can hear it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8zdNe_l3M8. Really, if you don't know the song, listen to all of it. Isn't it cool? Now, most times it you ask a person what they'd do with an unexpected windfall (landfall? which word is better here?), most people would IMMEDIATELY pronounce something that they would purchase... FOR THEMSELVES. "A 1967 Chevy Impala!" "A Fiat!" "An island in the Pacific!" But in this song, the dude is getting something FOR SOMEONE ELSE. I like that.
So when it rains, this landscape turns green and lush and plants aggressively take over EVERYwhere.
