Two Sides, Same Story?

I am an advocate of local, organically grown food as most of you know. The last two years I've planted what I thought would be a pretty sufficient garden for my family, and last year the crop was bumper and this year, well, not as good but still enough to keep us eating good things for the majority of the summer. Local-grown advocacy has expanded as well, and it isn't surprising that consumerism/capitalism/entrepreneurship have turned on the local-grown movement, or "locavores" as some call it. I'm offering two links for your inspection, of stories where local-grown works into the fabric of the culture."Detroit City Gardeners?""Local Grown--and we deliver?"

My point in offering these two articles is that I think there is an innate tie between spiritual disciplines (of which I consider gardening one), justice (not just "social" but real YHWH-brand justice), and the movement from brokenness and alienation to the God-intended nature of humanity. Genesis indicates that the inital relationship between humanity and God included, either for narrative or literal purposes, an organic relationship with the Earth. I find it very interesting then when I hear people talk about feeling "disconnected from God" when they have no connection with the broader organic whole of creation, including other people, efforts at hospitality/generosity/justice, and the Earth itself (Note: I have heard Rob Bell express this same thought, so I should say he did influence some of the wording).

Jesus' greatest parables about the Kingdom of God had agri-centric themes such as vineyards, seeds, sowers, and harvests. Is that merely a result of a literary/rhetorical device, or is there some credence to the fact that perhaps a connection to the earth and the fruits and vegetables it produces is able to shape and reinforce a relationship wtih the Creator God?

I welcome your thoughts and your prayers for Holley, Bailey and I as we walk this path together.

listening: "bed of lies" matchbox 20reading: "the grapes of wrath" john steinbeck