I just returned from the funeral at Island Park Idaho, Mack’s Inn.  It was a whirlwind experience with all the emotions and craziness.  We flew there and back adding extra heartbeats…on my end anyway.  The wold experience had me thinking of my path, your path, every one’s path on the earth.  It always takes funerals to make me really stop and think about how fragile every day is.  

We spent time with the Ellisons, long time family friends.  I love them all and care about them so much.  They have had their ups and downs, like any family…but sometimes it just seems like some families get the downs more than they deserve.  Adding this funeral to their list of downs, I have to wonder how some people can make it through so much, while others check out of life.  I looked in their faces and saw love, defeat, hope, anger, sadness and so many other emotions that come with death.  When all is said and done, I know they will get through it with the help of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

Mack’s Inn was an amazing place to take the family and I hope to take mine back sometime the end of this summer.  They have a ton of little cabins right along side the Snake River.  The river is pretty slow and shallow so there are lots of kids that play in it and people that enjoy fly fishing and floating down it.  Jamie and Le Grand Ellison run the place (The mom and dad of Brittany, the wife of Leanord that passed away.)  It is a huge job but they do a remarkable job!  There is a play house, ice cream shack, cafe, float trips and more.  If you are ever in the area, it is an affordable fabulous family trip!

Without getting into too much personal, unbloggable, detail…the weekend was hard.  Hard for everyone, but an important tribute to Leanord and reason to get together with close friends.

(Jon even posed for me in front of his dream plane before we left, he must love it!)

(The airport where we pick up the plane)

(Nick fuelin’ her up!)

(The view above Provo when we took off.)

(This is Mount Timpanogus, what I will be hiking in August)

“Look Shmo, no hands!”

I was loving the huge rainbows clear across the sky!  I felt like a care bear…a nauseous care bear anyway.

The peanuts helped just a tad, but the Dramamine did a bit better.

I couldn’t believe my eyes after about an hour seeing the Tetons in Wyoming!

And the land in Island Park Idaho, home of Mack’s Inn

Our cute little cabin!

Jon’s broad shoulders couldn’t even fit in the doorway!

This is Rock, one of my bestest friends!  He wouldn’t pose, so I took it anyway 😉

We searched high and low for a car for Brittany on Monday because she lost hers in the crash

I think we found it!

On the way home I was SO exhausted, I wasn’t even nervous to fly.  I just relaxed, listened to my music and reflected on the weekend.  I wrote the following “thing” I am not even quite sure what to call it, but it was my raw feelings…unedited…and I chose to post it as is.  I wrote as I flew about the magnificent mountains and watched the sun set.

Flyingabove the earth at about 11,000 feet, I can’t help be contemplate my path.  

The earth looks so small.   I am lost in the lyrics of my music and feel of the beet.

  It is so peaceful up in the clouds…it seems not a single thing could get to me. 

 I am invincible and at the same time so vulnerable.  

The song “Let It Be” by none other than “The Beatles”, starts on my ipod and I hear

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, 

speaking words of wisdom, let it be. 

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, 

speaking words of wisdom, let it be. 

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. 

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. 

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, 

there will be an answer, let it be. 

For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, 

there will be an answer. let it be. 

Let it be, let it be, ….. 

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me, 

shine until tomorrow, let it be. 

I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me, 

speaking words of wisdom, let it be. 

Let it be, let it be, ….. 

I guess this is exactly how I feel as I think of my path.  There will be an answer, let it be.  

We are here for a reason.  We are here for a purpose.  Although we try with all our might, to know our future and calling

 it ebbs and flows just like the ocean changing all the time. 

 I find I am at the most peace when I give everyday the best I can, pray for the best, and have faith that it all happens for a reason. 

 Let it be.

There are people that come and go in our lives.  

Some are a for a short time and some for longer. 

 They are all blessings, teaching us something we need to learn.  

People get on and off our path. 

We can’t regret why people come and go, they just do.  They are meant to be part of our life at that time.  Life doesn’t make sense…we can’t make it.  It just doesn’t. 

 Let it be. 

 I think of the path of those that are cut short and I cry, but then I think…they just got off my path and they are still progressing in a different way.  We have only a moment to touch others lives..let it be for the better. 

 Let it be. 

 How long will I be here and what is my path?  Only heaven knows.  All I can do is try. 

 Why is it that so many hurt?  

How can God’s hands be in so many lives…and know the direction it all needs to go.  

How can he orchestrate our us all to be instruments in his hands?  

How can he be nowhere and everywhere at the same time?  

How can so many draw from HIS strength? 

 I have so many questions and only one answer.  

Because he is Jesus Christ.  He just can. 

 We aren’t meant to have all the answers, we aren’t meant to understand.  We are meant to build our faith…even as we loose ones we love, even as we stumble through each day feeling weaker than before.  We are meant to believe and even smile.  The people that are here in our lives NOW are here for a reason.  

We need to take care of them and cherish every moment we have because that’s all it may be, a moment.  I wish I could freeze time…the special seconds that I want to hold forever.  

But we cant. 

 imagine it. 

 imagine grasping those times and being able to put them in your pocket.  We can only live every minute to the fullest.  You never know when someone will get off your path and be on another.  Live as one…when we can .