Happy Mother's Day to the Earth

What is the best thing about spring/summer? Enjoying the sunny weather after the cold winter, through walking or biking or hiking...whatever you want to do outside, just enjoy it!  Nature was created for us to enjoy, and I love living in NC because the weather is so beautiful this time of year... and as I take my daily walk in my hilly neighborhood (no gym membership for me) and smell the honeysuckle and look at the beautiful flowers and trees everywhere, I am reminded of why I love "green" since I am surrounded by it! :)

If you are interested in eco-friendly products and green living,  most likely, it is because you care about Mother Earth, the planet God created for us to live on, and we need to value what has been given to us. You understand that we have finite resources to enjoy and we need to make the most of them. It is in our best interests to use less fossil fuels, to conserve where we can, to recycle and use less resources where possible...all these things contribute to making everything we have last longer and be more useful to us. Most of us can't live "off the grid" but we can admire those who do, and make steps in that direction.

So what are you doing to educate yourself about green living topics? First of all, you are reading this, so kudos to you! If you are a member at www.facebook.com/globalforce,  then you are aware of various online sites that alert you to problems that exist and various ways to help. I am always fascinated by the creativity to tackle some of our biggest problems head-on and I am pleased to see those that get actively involved.

Secondly, you can get a newsletter from me (Go Green, Live Rich - green tips every week) and get more aware of what the simple things are that you can do to conserve and use more natural resources and products. You CAN save money and save the earth at the same time!

Go to www.laurelsgreenplanet.info to sign up and learn more about me and why I am passionate about green living. I want to GIVE rather than TAKE and so I invite you to join us!

Join the Global Force call on Tues or Thurs evenings (notify me on the Facebook group site if you can attend and I'll reserve a spot for you!) and learn more about what Global Force is doing to contribute to the global mission, with education and eco-friendly solutions to products we use every day!

Here is a poem that one of my local green friends has shared with me - please enjoy! 

Mother Sun, Mother Moon
by Diana Henderson

On a sunny summer morning, the breeze whispers, "Mother,"
And I perceive her face among the pure white clouds,
Touch her essence in the softness of rose petals,
Feel her warmth in the rays of the sun.
Memories of silken hands upon childhood's blooming cheeks,
Embraces soft to soothe wounded pride or scraped knees, 

Smiles from eyes and heart to dry the fiercest tears 

Encouraging voice and tender words to quell the deepest fears.
 

On a quiet summer evening, the moon whispers, "Mother,"
And I see her spirit in the pure white moonlight,
Sense her sweetness in the fragrance of honeysuckle,
Glimpse her brilliance amid gleaming stars in a velvet sky.
Yet none of these, while glorious and bright,
Captures her spirit or compares to her loving nature.
Her light sings strength and effuses truth.
Hers are gifts enough to induce blossoms in the desert,
To sow seeds of life in the wilderness,
To bring beauty to a dying world.
To all of us, she offers her most prized treasures--
Charity, kindness, understanding, patience, wisdom, beauty
And, most of all,
Love.