Today is my 52nd birthday, and I began it by doing two of my favorite things--drinking coffee and sitting on my front porch. In a matter of minutes I witnessed a crow trying to balance on the evergreen branch and a scene of two regular squirrels and one black squirrel fighting for position on a tree. Seems like things work the same way in their world--the black squirrel was aced out and pushed into the street.
These days I prefer to spend Sunday mornings on the porch rather than in the church pew. This is all part of my spiritual journey. Life began in the Lutheran church where I spent thirty years of my trek. I then began to question some of their practices and went on to a non-denominational church where I spent about ten years before once again my curious and questioning nature took over. All of these experiences were necessary in my journey, and I'm grateful for all the memories and lessons learned. However, at this point I don't miss the standard church experience and am very satisfied with seeing God in nature. I don't feel close to what I currently perceive as God in a building, but when I am in nature and still is when I feel enveloped by some thing larger than myself.
Having the freedom of religion that this country has should include the ability to choose to find spiritual fulfillment on your own front porch. We cannot know what is in another's heart; we only need to work on finding peace in our own.
Thought for the day: I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels. Pearl S. Buck
