Early morning pondering

This weekend I got to spend some time with some of my long time friends. We really did not do much but just being together was so fun. Not everyone could make it but still we had a great time. I have this nasty habit of waking up early, even when I have stayed up late. On Saturday morning while everyone was still sleeping ( I had awoke at 6:30am) I got up and read for a while. The house was so quiet and still. Cindy has a beautiful view overlooking the Willamette River. Thinking about what I was reading and looking at the beautiful view I really came to realize how absolutely lucky I am to live in the wonderful country! I don't really think about the freedoms I enjoy that much as I go about my daily business, so as I was studying some about our founding fathers and the struggles and adversity they faced so I could enjoy this freedom I became very overwhelmned with gratitude. I thought about how wonderful it is to be guided by a living prophet. I know things are hard in the country right now for a lot of people. But knowing that we have been cautioned and taught correct principles gives me peace. Our founding fathers tried to set up our country based on correct principles. These men knew that God had to be a part of our lives to help us continue to live a happy, free and productive life. They risked their lives to ensure that we all could continue to live under the freedoms that they helped establish. It is so hard sometimes to imagine a time that this kind of freedom did not exist. We know from the examples in the Book of Mormon that as long as God was the center of the peoples lives they enjoyed freedom. This time of year as we come close to celebrating the 4th of July I am reminded of these things. I have an opportunity to play a double duet (two pianos, four hands) on the third of July with some very talented ladies. We are doing a patriotic song and I am so excited to get to participate. So because the music has been running through my head and I have been reading more about our constitution this desire to better appreciate the freedoms I have were on my mind early Saturday morning. I am grateful I got up early and let my mind fill with such wonderful thoughts! I think the music I get to play will fill my soul more having let my mind fill with all the ponderings of freedom. It has been too long since I let myself just ponder and enjoy the sweet quiet of the early morning!