God and His Pollinators
This morning I took some extra time in nature to learn about our nature as human beings. My husband came in from working outside early this morning and suggested I go down to the cedar circle because there were lots of flowers in bloom and the temperature was a cool 79 degrees F. In the process, I learned something from the flowers and the pollinators about who we are as children of God.
We have a cedar circle on our property, which is a circular grove of junipers with a sitting area inside it. Native Americans believed that cedar circles were sacred. They believed that cedars are medicinal (or healing) and that the ancestors lived among the cedars.
On the way to the cedar circle, I spotted some interesting fungi growing in a pile of woodchips. Anytime I see mushrooms / fungi, I think of my son Joshua. He is a microbiologist who has taken a “lichen” to “fungi.” I always have to take a photo of any mushrooms or fungi I see and text it to Josh to let him know I love him and am thinking of him. And, yes, Josh is a “fun-guy!” 🙂
Why Native Wildflowers Are So Important
As I made my way down the short path to the cedar circle, I saw the beautiful flowers in bloom. We have spurred butterfly pea, lespedeza violacea (aka wand lespedeza), and sawtooth sunflowers. Each of these are native plants to North America. The beauty of native plants is that pollinators love them. Non-native plants tend to be invasive and local pollinators don’t know what to do with them. Pollinators’ bodies aren’t adapted to consume non-native plants, so this means they are useless in attracting pollinators. Worse, their invasive nature crowds out the native plants and takes over.
The more you attract pollinators to your property by feeding them native plants, the more they’ll pollinate the things you want pollinated – like your vegetables and fruits. Having native plants also supports the ecosystem of the world because pollinators are critical to everything. Without pollinators, nothing grows. Life depends upon pollinators.
Cedar Circle
I took my study materials with me and spent an hour continuing research I’m doing on the nature of our souls – awareness, intelligence, light and truth. The cedar circle was even cooler than the 79 degrees with the shade. It was a perfect place to read, ponder and journal.
During my study, this verse stood out to me:
“He (God) comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever.”
Doctrine & Covenants 88:41
As I spend time in nature, I feel and sense this truth that God truly is in, through, and round about all things. All things are by Him and of Him! One cannot look at a flower, a sunburst, or the tiniest of creatures and not see our Creator’s miraculous power on display. Not only is God inside nature, He is within us! At the core, we have a divine nature. Unfortunately, we let distractions keep us from noticing or even discovering this. If we do discover and know of our divine nature, we let thoughts, other people, entertainment and our busy lives keep us from living from that centered divine space.
You Are a Pollinator Too!
Another verse that stood out to me was:
For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.”
Doctrine & Covenants 88:41
As you go through life, you will be drawn to different things. You’ll have an inexplicable pull to learn about one topic or another. Perhaps you’ll feel drawn to certain people, different hobbies, organizations, and pursuits. The things that resonate with you are brought to you because you are in alignment with them. Your intelligence is drawn to the intelligence within other things. Your inner wisdom is drawn to the wisdom you need next. The light inside you is drawn to the light found in what you are attracted to.
Sometimes you may feel like you’re flitting from one thing to the next and accomplishing little. But know this: while you follow the light (the truth and intelligence) you are attracted to, you are pollinating the world!
Just like this tiny pollinator I photographed (which is carrying pollen all over its body) you are quite literally carrying important “pollen” to everyone and everything you encounter. It’s not so much about what you are doing, but who you are BEING while you show up in the world. That is what matters most!
The video below is music I created and set to photos I’ve taken over the last couple weeks. I hope you enjoy it.
