Green Acres

So long as we are occupied with any other object than God Himself, there will be neither rest for the heart nor peace for the mind. But when we receive all that enters our lives as from His hand, then, no matter what may be our circumstances or surroundings--whether in a hovel or prison-dungeon, or at a martyr's stake--we shall be enabled to say, " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places" (Ps. 16:6). But that is the language of faith, not of sight nor of sense.   A.W. Pink

Those of you who are not the ripe old age of me might not have ever heard of this show but it was one I loved to watch as a kid.  Green Acres was a show about a big city attorney named Oliver and his Hungarian wife Lisa.  Oliver was originally a Manhattan attorney who decided to trade the big city life for the rural countryside.  It portrayed the lives of city folk moving to the country as greenhorns. Lisa hated the country and wanted the big city life back, but she actually fit in better than Oliver because of her quirkiness. 

There were episodes about Oliver arguing with the phone company about moving his phone inside the house.  It was installed on a telephone pole and you had to climb the pole to answer the phone.  There was Mr. Haney the salesman who sold the ramshackle “Haney Farm” to the gullible Oliver. 

Oliver and Lisa had elderly neighbors who never had children so they adopted a pig named Arnold Ziffel as their son who understood English, went to the local school and loved westerns.  Oliver seemed to be the only one who understood that Arnold was livestock and not a person. Arnold would sometimes show up at Oliver and Lisa’s house to watch TV. 

I was thinking about this long ago show and it actually made me long for the country life.  We grew up in the country where riding horses was the norm.  We rode in the evenings as kids.  Dad would get home from work and we would saddle all the horses and all six of us would ride for several hours.  It was amazing how much you could see riding around the neighborhoods.  We actually caught up with neighbors along the way because they would be out in their yards so we would stop to talk and catch up.  We also had great family time.  You had plenty of time to talk with no traffic noise or exhaust fumes and no one was ever in a hurry to get anywhere.

When I look back I long for those days.  I live and work in the big city now and there are more motorcycles than horses and fewer kids riding bicycles and more playing video games. 

If I had it to do over I would spend more time with God than I did back then.  It is wonderful to reflect back on those long ago times but I realize now that I didn’t appreciate God’s creation as much as I do now.  There were many years that I wasted in not seeing God in everything around me.  Think of how much I missed by not tuning into Him. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I miss those long ago days of carefree summers and where life was much simpler.  Now I am always in a hurry all the time because there isn’t enough time in the day to get to everything.  Help me to slow down in this fast paced environment and appreciate Your creation.  I can find You anywhere but I need to slow down so I won’t miss a detail.   

Scripture:  Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.  The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.  My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, though hail comes down on the forest, and the city is brought low in humiliation.  Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.  Isaiah 32:16-20