Last Saturday Lalo came down from the ranch to report that some of the cows have calved and that they are thin and need hay to help them raise their calves. We decided to send up a load of hay and bring back a couple of heifers to sell to help with the expenses of the feed and the salaries. In explaining to people why we have the Ranch and why we will not sell it we tell them that we need a little place in the mountains where we can go and camp and enjoy the beauties of the Lord's handiwork and just be able to be still and let our souls be filled with the peace and quiet that is there. Especially we have it for our family and so any one that so desires can go and have a nice, quiet, safe and beautiful place to camp and spend some time and let it stand still. I think we have a fundamental need to have vacations or change of pace or recreation as it is some times called.

This morning as I was waiting for the truck to get serviced I sat in a convenient shade and looked up into the bright blue cloudless sky and marveled at it's great expanse and it's blue color in spite of the bright sunshine all around. I then noticed some crows flying to join others in a big circle of black crosses that was slowly soaring around and around and gradually rising higher and higher. I realized that they all had discovered a rising thermal air current and were just soaring with their wings outstretched motionlessly rising. I thought that I could feel their joy of living and the careless abandon of daily food seeking. It seemed to me that they just wanted to enjoy the freedom of flight without flapping their wings taking advantage of that rising current. I could think of no other purpose except to enjoy being alive and with many other crows nearly disappear into blue sky. I know there was a good rising current because I could see a white plastic bag high among the crows rising and rising until it became a tiny spec of white in the deep blue.    

The Savior told us to consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air in application to our lives. I thought our Heavenly Father permits even the crows to just enjoy and have fun why not take a lesson from them. I am sure they were not worrying about the scarcity of food this time of year or where they were going to find a mate and build their nest. For that little while, soaring in the sky, they were getting rejuvenated and enjoying life.

We don't need a rising current to carry us into the blue but we do need some time occasionally to be still and know that He is God the creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them. We need to stop and smell the flowers and see the beauties around us and let our souls rejuvenate. That does not mean that we can neglect out responsibilities or the work we are called to do nor our jobs or even our families or friends, but there is time for everything.

Back in time when we were very busy, I mean very busy. I was teaching Seminary in the Academy with five preparations a day plus a Mexican Geography class. Naoma was teaching the second grade in the Dublan Elementary school. We were called as branch presidents in the Casas Grandes branch with all of that responsibility. We were running the ranch with the help of our kids and finances were short. In the summer when all were out of school we would load up the vans and go up to the mountains for a family outing. Usually we would drive to Cebadilla then pack up the mules and saddle up and get down to trout creek about sundown in the evening. There we would fish and swim and ride the country just for the joy of living and the joy of being in the beautiful mountains. We always returned home on Sat. so as to be here for Sunday and fulfill our responsibilities.          

Then again in the Turkey season all of the family would go together for another enjoyable trip. Nearly every time we would return Lynn Taylor, a dear friend of ours, would ask, "when can you take me and my boys on a mountain trip". I always urged him to break away and come with us and we set up many different dates but about a week before the time would come to go Lynn would call up and say, "I just can't get away I just have too much to do". I tried to tell him to change his priorities but with no success. Lynn took too much antibiotics through the years and sickened and died young while his boys and his wife still needed him. Lynn worked very hard in fact he worked so hard and so long that he really didn't have much time for church or family. I thought at that time Lynn you never did get to take your boys on that mountain trip you wanted so bad.

When we get too busy and don't have time for family and fun and time just to enjoy living in any way that it might be right for each of us, then we are too busy. All of you our dear Loved ones, the purpose of this letter is to help you take a moment and stop and be still and take a deep breath and a long look at things as they are and say am I enjoying life?