It IS easy being green!

Kermit the Frog has nothing to do with this.  Nor am I speaking of the environment.  Well, perhaps neither of those statements are true.  As I sat on my 8th floor condo balcony in Clearwater, FL this morning, I realized some very profound insights into Jesus, heaven, and the book of Hebrews.  (Greg Smith, if you read this, "Thanks again for that Hebrews commentary.")

From my perch as a friend's 8th floor condo overlooking Belleair Golf Course and a small bay, I enjoyed quiet and lush green surroundings.  It was wonderful to just be still and "know that He is God" as I thanked Him for loving me, gifting me this opportunity, an mostly for allowing me to be in the forever family Jesus' death and resurrection are making possible. 

I watched the grounds keepers do something I have never observed.  One guy came up the green of the hole nearest my perch on the porch.  This green looked perfect but apparently it wasn't ready for the day.  This guy unhooked a strange little lawn tractor from the back of his John Deere gator/mule thingy and began mowing the green ... side-ways.  He was facing one way but the mower traveled left and right.  It was cool!  It was like watching a ballet on the green but without the tutu.

He finished; hooked up his mower to the mule and left. 

A few minutes later another gentleman arrived on his Gator and stepped over to a rough spot of turf near the green.  He began to stand, not stomp, on the higher places in the rough and push and press with his shoe-covered feet until the rough places were smooth.  He did his dance on the rough then left for points unknown. 

The final dancer was another guy driving still another John Deere Gator.  This time he just looked over things and picked up a fallen palm frond, threw it in the back of the vehicle and propane-propelled himself away.

So what is the point?  The point is I was still.  I listened / read the book of Hebrews.  Insights and encounters with Jesus were not difficult to experience.  Maybe God means what He said in Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God..."   Why do I have to be reminded to be still, slow down, enjoy the moment...so often? 

On the heels of this More Than Married Workshop Carol and I co-led on Saturday.  We took time together Saturday evening to celebrate God's goodness, our marriage and family, the friends we've made and to celebrate Jesus.  With Jesus in us and in control we truly live, love, love to live, and live to love. 

Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength takes time.  Loving your neighbor (near ones) as yourself takes time too.  Obviously when time is ended for us or we've put too many activities in the time we have, we won't do either very well...loving God or other...even ourselves. 

Prayer:  Our Father, I want to do really well at the two things you told me were most important.  I want to love you, and I want to love others as you do.  In the work that I do and the people-investments I make, may your love for me and for others be the motive behind the acts of righteousness you have marked out for me.  Thank You for loving me and allowing me to live here and hereafter through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  Ephesians 2:10 is a great place to see this more clearly.