Adventuring

Last Saturday Jonathan and I packed up the kids, some sack lunches, and our trusty explorer journals and went up to the mountains. 

We soaked in the fresh air and beautiful blue skies, climbing ever closer to them. It felt so good to be outside after being indoors almost the entire week before, and I could tell the kids appreciated it too. As we hiked, they kept exclaiming their love for hiking! for nature! for our family! and for the beautiful creations all around them. I wanted to absorb every second of their sweet natures and always remember the way they walked, the way they pointed out every little thing, and their endearing smiles.

We made it to the top and found a beautiful lake surrounded by rocks and trees where we stopped for lunch. Madelyn got out her clipboard and sketched a drawing of our surroundings, while Evan and Luke started writing down facts they observed about the animals and plants around them. (They were pretty disappointed the chipmunks weren't eating lunch with us this time.) And Henry just kept climbing rock after rock. 

The kids asked how the rocks and water were made and we explained to them the creation of the earth. We know that it was created by our Savior, under the direction of our Heavenly Father. We told them that on the very first day He created the Light--this was the very first thing! We talked about how His separating the Light from the Darkness is so important and that we know that the Light of Christ is something that all of us are born with when we come to this earth. We then can choose whether or not to keep that light within us. 

We talked about how He created the Earth and the Seas and all of the beauty that lie within--the grass, plants, flowers, fruits, trees and all of the birds, sea animals, and land animals. We then told them that on the last day, God created man and woman. We explained that they are both crucial to His plan of happiness and that they both need to work together to fulfill their eternal destinies. 

It is so beautiful to me that our Heavenly Father created all of these things for His children. He wants us to learn and grow in this world--to love, to make mistakes and get back up, to humble ourselves and turn to Him and our Savior for strength and help. He wants us to "fill the measure of our creation." We are His work and His glory--His entire purpose in creating this earth is so that we can grow and return to Him, changed and better. 

What an amazing and unbelievable thought. And yet when I look at these 4 children of mine right here…

I get it.