Shade Tree Wisdom 4/23/09

Yesterday was Earth Day when people are supposed to maybe rethink their lifestyle to make it conform more to saving instead of squandering.  The emphasis is on recycle, reuse, make do.  On saving things, making them last, re-using items etc.  Wonderful. Sally and Pete, a young couple living in the city, decided to move to the country and make an effort to ‘live off the land’.  So, they moved to a small plot of land outside a village.  They planned to use those twenty acres for orchard, vegetable garden, maybe raise some chickens.  Live a more laid back life.  They were warmly welcomed by the villagers, many of whom pitched in with tools and expertise on using them. Things were really going as planned, and they were starting to feel right at home.  But one thing bothered Pete, and he approached the village leaders for help.  He said there was a “Deer Crossing’ sign on their road which was quite busy with traffic, and he wanted it moved.  They asked the reason for this request, “Well,” he said, “There is this sign, and too many deer are using the crossing and getting killed.  So please move the sign to another place where the traffic isn’t quite so heavy.   Well, such things do happen in this world.  But once we've had our chuckle, let’s move on with “What’s next?"  Because St. Paul offers us advice for life.  Paul could either fix his attention on his past failures and rue them, or have the attitude he did have.  He said, “forgetting those thing which are behind, and reaching toward those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  He had also confessed, “Not that I had already attained, or am already perfect, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has already laid hold of me”. Philippians chapter 3, 12-14. Easy to say, often hard to do because of the things we have in our past; wrongs, sins, false dealings, and the list goes on.  What of them?  Repent, cried Jesus, and then makes this promise, “I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.” (Heb. 10,17.  And Isaiah’s word, the Lord will blot out “Like a thick cloud, your transgressions. Is. 4,22.  And the word from Jeremiah, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jer. 31,1. So we can “Press on toward the mark of the high calling of Jesus Christ.” Do. GPD 4/23/09