Monday, April 20, 2009

Gardening Eden



by





Did you know that the oldest recorded profession is that of a gardener? That was Adam's job in the garden of Eden. I doubt that there were any weeds, but I imagine there were flowers to be deadheaded, fruit and vegetables to be harvested, and invasive plants to be trimmed back. I wonder if Adam was born with a sense of color harmony and an intrinsic ability to know when hostas needed divided? Did he create new paths and create new designs by moving different flowers around? Did Eve cut flowers to create arrangements for their dinner table? How about their meals? Were there exciting new salads every night?

It's easy to feel close to God when I'm elbow deep in the rich soil he created, watching the worms work their way around the entrenched roots of perennial flowers. But I don't often think much beyond my garden harvest and the smiles my garden will bring in season.

What are my responsibilities as a Christian to this world God created? While carrying out the Great Commission to bring non-Christians to the feet of Christ, what role do I have to care for the Earth God created? Michael addresses how creation care will change our faith, our lives, and our world in this important book.

Purchase it on Amazon

ABOUT THE BOOK:





Before the snake, the apple, and the Ten Commandments, God created a garden, placed humans in it, and told them to take care of it.



“Spiritual environmentalism” did not start out as an oxymoron—it was an invitation. Yet today, many believe God’s original job description for humankind has been replaced by other worthier pursuits. So when did this simple instruction become so controversial? How does one sort through all the mixed messages? Is making the world a healthier place for the next generation really a responsibility—or even possible?



]Gardening Eden is a new understanding of how the spiritual dimensions of life can find expression and renewal through caring for our incredible planet. Empowering, simple, and never polemical, Michael Abbaté outlines the Bible’s clear spiritual benefits of caring for creation, exploring new motivations and inspired ideas, and revealing the power of our basic connection to all people and living things through the growing interest in spiritual environmentalism.



Green living is no longer a fad—simple lifestyle solutions are now available to everyone.





Gardening Eden shows readers how this shift transforms not only our world, but their very souls as they’re drawn into deeper harmony with the Creator. This book invites them to discover the powerful spiritual satisfaction of heeding the call to save our world.

Go HERE to read the first chapter.

Author Bio:
A nationally recognized expert in “green” development strategies, Mike Abbaté is a founder of GreenWorks, an award-winning landscape architecture design firm. He frequently speaks to students and leaders about practical ways to minimize the impact of building and landscape design on natural resources. Abbaté’s work has been featured in national magazines such as Metropolis and Landscape Architecture and in many local newspapers and trade publications. He and his wife, Vicki, have two adult daughters and live near Portland , Oregon . You can learn more about Mike at his website.

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