I have always enjoyed photographing an old fence.  Many times as I set out to look for something to photograph, I look for themes.  On this day, my theme was fences and I was happy when saw this old fence.  The fence posts were all rugged and rough cut; the barbed wire was old and rusty and the only thing that appeared relatively new was the wire that was nailed between the posts.

                This old fence seemed very sturdy and effective as I looked at the cattle held securely within its borders; none of them had escaped and its builders could rest easy knowing that their livestock would be here in the morning.  I then began to think about the fences we build in our lives.  We all have experience in constructing barriers, hedges and fences of one kind or another around areas of our lives.  Perhaps someone broke our heart; what do we do?  We build walls around our hearts to protect us from being hurt again; without realizing that our walls fence out more happiness that they fence in.

                We make many different kinds of fences; some people build the hedge of hatred around their hearts to protect them from those they perceive have done them wrong.  Others prefer the enclosure of prejudice to isolate themselves for those they do not understand or are different.  Maybe your fence is an unforgiving spirit, possibly your barrier is busyness and endless activities; but no matter what our fences look like the fact remains we always fence more happiness out that we fence in.

                Why do we choose to limit ourselves with fences when all they really do is enslave us?  How sad to be enslaved by fences of our own construction.  It is like painting yourself into a corner when we isolate ourselves from those your Master has put in your life.  We are here to love and to serve those in our lives, not to build fences and walls.  Look around you today, are you a “Free Range” person or are you living inside a cage?  Maybe those bars we thought would protect us have been transformed into a prison?  Let’s not limit ourselves with fences.  Let us choose to live a life of faith, courage and freedom. 

Something to think about:

• You must either conquer the world or the world will conquer you. You must be either master or slave.

• Love is the only true freedom. It lets us cast off our false exteriors and be our real selves.

• All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.

• Where apathy is the master; all men are slaves.

• We are slaves to our gadgets, puppets of our power, and prisoners of our security. The theme of our generation is: “Get more, know more, and do more,” instead of “Pray more, be more, and serve more.”

• The sweetest freedom is an honest heart.

• Man is free at the moment he wishes to be.

• Who has lost his freedom has nothing else to lose.

• Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.

Your “Free Range” friend
Rickey Moore