Part of responsible stewardship entails examining every aspect of our lives to determine if we are taking care of our God-given gifts. Living in town as I do, I am struck by the time, energy, and money my neighbors expend on behalf of their flat green front yards.
My own yard is not flat, but it's certainly green, among other colors. I'm a lawn revisionist.
My front yard is full of perennials, something blooming from the end of January to the first of December, crocuses and snowdrops to chrysanthemums! Even in July and August, while my neighbors' flat green turns brown in the Ohio dog days, my property is an oasis of green and flower.
On top of that, I harvest apples, currants, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers.... I don't spend hours each week mowing--I mulch twice a year. I don't pay for a mower, or gasoline for a mower, or repair. I compost my kitchen wastes, too, and recycle bottles, cans, and paper, so the trash I set out for collection every other week or so is minimal.
Think about it. |