And it was good...

Today's post is simply a collection of slightly random thoughts (But, it turns out, linked by a common thread):

1. I mowed the "grass" this morning, then I edged: While I was circling the garden I noticed huge amounts of work needing to be done. Weeding - just about everywhere. Landscape timbers - they all need replacing. Erosion - we need probably 10 cubic yards of soil. Dead stuff from winter - it seriously needs removing.

Then I retreated to the house for some cold libation. Guess what, it all looks good from in here. So it looks like I'm all caught up around the yard after all!

2. Mailed huge birthday box to Andrew: Can't say what's inside because there's a "one in around a hundred" chance that he'll read this blog. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. But I can say I paid the extra dollars for "priority all the way to Bahrain" mail.

Associated serendipity - found this picture of aforementioned son from Italy last year while searching for his address.

Tuscany is still just about our favorite vacation destinations to date. We'd love love love to repeat. But of course, it's a beautiful world all over, and there's so much to see that simply takes my breath away.

3. BP and the Gulf of Mexico: I think what works so well about Italy is how the human impact has blended with the natural beauty instead of industry fighting against nature - an approach that seems to define far too much of the way we "manhandle" today's world.

Here we are, living on the Gulf Coast, one of the great, lush wonders of the natural world. It's not enough that we've built over the wetlands, devastated most of the beaches, and over-developed the barrier islands so they're unable to do what they were intended to do... Now we're turning the entire Gulf of Mexico into an environmental wasteland.

• What is it going to take before we make a serious move away from dependence on oil?
• What is it going to take to make us realize that making more money is not necessarily the best avenue to a more satisfying life?
• What's it going to take to finally convince us that catering to the greed of big business is never the answer when the question is, "How will America and its people define themselves going into the heart of this Twenty-first Century?"

4. Which leads me to this question: What's it all about? You know - the big picture thing? Look at today; I'm mowing the garden, sending birthday packages to my son, worrying about the environment. Then I got the car worked on, washed it, cooked a really delicious shepherd's pie for dinner, cleaned the kitchen and made a cup of tea. Now I'm in my study, writing.

So what's it all about? Why do all this stuff? What's the point?

Well, it makes sense to me when I understand the purpose behind why I am here in the first place. I was created - I believe - as a being in the image of God. My life makes sense inasmuch as I actively embrace the fact of that relationship, and live to the fullest extent in a way that honors the intention of my Creator.

It's the thread that runs through it all. The garden, the birthday package, the writing, my concern about God's magnificent world... All of it.

And here's the kicker. I still believe it can be good. So very good....

And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them... (Genesis 1)