Friday
March 6, 2009

In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens...then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.  And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put that man whom he had formed.
- Genesis 2:4, 7-8

Walking within the manmade canyons of a city inspires awe at the ingenuity and industry of humans.  Buildings and bridges are marvels of engineering, and traffic moving smoothly, if chaotically, through crowded intersections seems a miracle.  Cities seem to point to the self-sufficiency of humans; it is perhaps too easy to forget about God, the creator of all that lies beneath and hovers over, of the dandelion that reaches up through the cracks in the pavement, of each one of us.  Urban green spaces—parks, wild areas, landscaped waterfronts and urban gardens, to name a few—serve as reminders of God’s power and presence in the natural world.  Green spaces provide important spiritual, social and environmental benefits—they cool streets and homes in the summer heat, give a children chance to experience the growing cycles of plants and animals, and stimulate our senses and spirits in ways concrete can't.

• National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Habitat Program can help you make your own space greener
• The American Community Gardening Association can help you find a community garden (or start your own)!