God Is Love (and so are his children!)

I love flower gardens. When we designed our front yard landscaping we set aside a place for a flower garden. This spot has become my project. After 6 years here, I've got it down to a planting schedule that is successful every year. I plant twice a year. Winter flowers are planted in mid-October and summer flowers are planted in mid-May. This May, however, I was unable to plant due to my injury. The boys pulled out all of the dead winter flowers and I decided that it would be ok to skip the summer planting this year. Well, my visiting teacher noticed that I didn't have anything planted and came and trimmed and weeded and planted summer flowers and did amazing job. She was out there for hours. Would I have survived with just dirt there through the summer? Yes. Am I absolutely delighted that she planted them for me? Definitely yes.

There is a hymn that goes like this:
"Earth, with her ten thousand flowers
Air, with all its beams and showers
Heaven's infinite expanse
Sea's resplendent countenance
All around and all above
Bear this record-- God is love."

I think of this hymn every time I see those beautiful flowers that she planted. There is really something to be said about this way of caring for other people. While it is so important that we see that others' most immediate needs are met, someone who is in tune to the Spirit sees beyond those needs. Life would have gone on without summer flowers planted out front but she knew that they were important to me. This is the loving, personal service that we all need every once in a while. Someone recognizing what is important to us and then going the extra mile to do it.

We have been on the receiving end of so many acts of service over the past little while. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for even the smallest act. It is hard to not be able to take care of your family the way you would like to. Not being able to drive has been one of the hardest parts. Trevor is out of town this week at Scout Camp and Aubrey needed to see a doctor today. A dear friend gave us a ride to the doctor and then to the pharmacy. She will say that it wasn't a big deal but to me it was such a big help. Thank You!

I think people in general don't get enough credit in our society. The news rarely reports anything positive and yet there are so many good people in this world. Yes, there is plenty of bad stuff around but there is also so much good. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many of the good ones!