Friday 31 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 20

Lesson 20: Share the Harvest

The final lesson from my garden is to enjoy and share the harvest. As summer began to draw to a close the tomatoes began turning red, the beans were growing bigger, and the beets were rising from the earth. At least once a week we gathered something from our garden—greens from our turnip tops and beets, onions for our salad, and beans. When visitors came we liked to serve them something fresh from the garden. It was a delight to enjoy and to share with others the harvest from our backyard garden.

All of us have been blessed in many ways. These blessings are not just for ourselves. God has blessed us so that we can bless others. If God has given you money, share it with those who have none. If God has given you a house invite others to come and visit. If God has given you a talent use it to serve others. If you have an education or a car or good health enjoy them and share your blessings with others. The essence of Christianity is loving God through loving other people. God will reward those who share.

Matthew 25:40
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Thursday 30 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 19

Lesson 19: Not everything grows well

Despite our best efforts not everything we planted grew. Some things grew well. The tomato plants produced tomatoes. The bean plants produced beans. The beet plants produced beets. But some things just never grew. I could not blame it on the rabbits or the groundhog. I treated every plant alike, watering and feeding them. For example I planted a little spruce tree, put fertilizer underneath it and carefully watered it every day. But despite my best efforts it died. So did some of my turnip plants and all of my asparagus. But I was thankful for those that did grow.

In your life not everything you attempt to do for the Lord will succeed. You do your best to plant seeds of faith in the hearts of children in your life. Some grow up to be preachers. Some grow up to prostitutes. You did your best. You witness to your friends and neighbours. Some come to faith. Some do not. You volunteer at your church or favourite charity and your project fails. You start an outreach program and it does not work. But some things that you do will work. Some things will grow. Be thankful for those that do.

Mark 4: 7,8
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.

Wednesday 29 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 18

Lesson 18: Beware of Fruit Thieves

When tomatoes began appearing on the tomato plants and our garden was getting green my wife and I thought it would be nice to encourage birds to come around. We bought a bird feeder and a bag of birdseed and placed this near the garden. As we usually ate breakfast on our back deck we imagined colourful songbirds chirping around us. Well things did not turn out quite like that. Mostly we attracted crows, starlings, and blackbirds who drove the smaller birds away. And then came the granddaddy of groundhogs. He ate the birdseed that fell on the ground and then started on our tomatoes, stealing the fruit before we could harvest it. We took down the bird feeder. After a few mornings of getting sprayed with the water hose the groundhog eventually left.

In the old days the veteran Christians would sometimes talk about the devil stealing their blessing. By that they meant  that after they had had a great blessing, perhaps at a revival meeting, a few days later things would go wrong and they would get upset and discouraged. In your Christian life, don’t let anyone or anything steal your blessing. Don’t let the devil rob you of your joy. Don’t let anything spoil the fruit that the Spirit is cultivating in your life.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 17

Lesson 17: Thinning the plants

One of the most difficult lessons from my garden was that of thinning the plants. The instructions on the seed packets said to sow liberally, then after the plants began to grow to thin out the weaker ones so that the stronger plants would not be crowded out. To uproot plants that were quite healthy and were doing what that were designed to do was difficult. I felt sorry for them because they were being uprooted for no reason of their own. I had to learn not to be so sentimental about my plants.

In our Christian life we can sometimes be so eager to serve the Lord and the Church that we crowd our life with too many good things. As a result nothing that we do mounts to much. It is better to do a few things well than to do many things shoddily. If we try to do too much too quickly the result is that very little gets done properly. And we can get burnt out. We need to weed out some things so we can do those things that we do best. No one can do everything. Don’t feel guilty because you have to say no to some things. Concentrate on using the gifts God has given you.

Romans 12:6-7
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;

Lessons from a Garden 16

Lesson 16: Water Often

Summers in Southern Ontario where I live can be very dry. This summer was no exception. After we planted our garden there was a long period of no rain, so it was necessary to get out our garden hose and water the young plants three or four times a week. It is amazing how much the plants depend on water. It is their life blood. When the leaves start to wilt and the stalks start to bend, a good soaking revives them and brings them back to life.

In the Bible water is a powerful symbol used to describe both the Spirit of God and the Word of God. The Bible talks about the Spirit being poured into our hearts (Acts 10:45) and the Church being washed with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). As Christians we need both the Spirit of God and the Word of God to nourish our souls. As plants cannot survive without water, neither can we survive without God’s Spirit in our heart and God’s Word in our mind.

Joel 2:28-29
And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your old men will dream dreams,
    your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 15

Lesson 15: Lending Support

Besides planting seeds into my garden I also put in about a dozen tomato plants. They were small, fragile things that I bought from a local nursery. I put them in with hope that some day they would produce fruit. In anticipation of this and as a sign of my faith in nature I bought a tomato cage for each of the plants to give them support as they grew. The plants were about four inches high, and the cages were about three feet high. They would have a lot of growing to do, but they would be surrounded by a support system as they grew.
Perhaps in your life there are new Christians or children who are just learning about Jesus. Their faith is small. Their understanding of the Christian life is very limited. As they start on their journey with God they need the support of Christians who are older and more mature than they are. They need help to remain upright in their life. You can be that support. You can be part of the church team or the network of friends who help others to grow in their faith.

Galatians 6:2
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Lessons from a Garden 14

Lesson 14: Starting Over

Because of the damage that the rabbits did to my vegetable garden I lost all my lettuce and some of my carrots and beets. Several weeks of the growing season were past, but I figured if the weather stayed warm there was still a good chance to replant. So although it was late for planting I once again put seeds into the ground and started over. This time the seeds were secure in their protected boxes.

It is not always easy to start over, but it is not impossible. If after you began your Christian journey something happened to diminish your faith or interrupt your walk with God, don’t despair. It is never too late to start over. Our God is the God of second chances. You can rework the soil. You can plant the seeds of faith again. You can produce a crop for the Lord. In the Bible many of God’s children started over after failing the first time. Remember Moses, Jonah, and Peter to name just three. There is yet a promising future for those willing to try again.


Jonah 3:1-3
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.

Lessons from a Garden 13

Lesson 13: Feeding the Plants

I rescued my vegetables from the rabbits and built boxes around the plants to protect them. But they still needed one more thing: food. The soil where I planted my vegetables was not the greatest. It needed improvement. I went to the garden supply centre and bought ten bags of topsoil, rich in plant nutrients. Carefully I mixed this into the soil in the boxes, thus creating a healthy environment for my crop.

Sometimes you can’t do much about where you live and where you work. If your home environment is rich in a heritage of faith, a place where people encourage one another and forgive one another and pray for one another, then you have a healthy spiritual environment. If your workplace is one where you can interact with your colleagues in a friendly, non-threatening way and perhaps at times even talk about your faith, you have a lot going for you. But if your home or workplace is not like that, don’t despair. Find ways to enrich your spiritual life through your church and Christian friends. Then you can be the one to make life richer for others who as yet do not believe.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-12
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 12

Lesson 12: Protecting your crop


Once I discovered that rabbits were eating the shoots of my vegetables before they had a chance to develop I had to figure out how to protect my crop. The solution was to build wooden garden boxes with mesh top to keep the critters out. It took some time and effort and a little financial investment, but I eventually built two critter-proof boxes that provided a safe environment for my little crop. The tops of the boxes could be removed for weeding and thinning.

If we find that our faith is slipping or we feel that we are not as close to the Lord as we once were we need to determine why. Then we need to do something about it. We need to protect ourselves from whatever is drawing us away from God. The Bible talks about putting on the armour of God, using the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. There are things we can do to protect ourselves spiritually. Things like developing a healthy devotional life, participating in a good Bible study group, and worshipping regularly at your church.

James 4:7
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Monday 20 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 11

Lesson11: Beware of Rabbits


Both our vegetable garden and our flower garden were doing well. In early spring the crocus shoots peeked through the ground. Shortly afterwards they began to disappear before developing blooms. I took a close look and discovered the shoots had been bitten off. Then early one morning I caught sight of the thief. A rabbit from the park across the road. Two months later when we planted our vegetable garden I had forgotten about the rabbit, and when the vegetable shoots began coming through the ground my carrot, lettuce and beet shoots began disappearing. Then I caught sight of him (or her) again. The little varmint was persistent...I had a battle on my hands.

In our Christian life there are little things that eat away at our faith. If we are not careful these things will destroy or seriously damage our Christian witness. In a previous generation Sunday school children would sing a somewhat silly song with a thoughtful message: Root them out, get them gone; all the little bunnies in the field of corn. Envy, jealousy, malice, pride; they must never in my heart abide.
As your faith begins to grow, be aware of the little things that may rob you of your joy and peace. And do all you can to protect yourself from these spiritual predators.

Song of Solomon 2:15
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards,
    our vineyards that are in bloom.

Friday 17 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 10

Lesson10: Weeding

It was not long after the vegetable shoots came through the ground that weeds also began to appear. In fact in some cases they appeared at the same time so that it was hard at first to tell which was a weed and which was the vegetable plant. So we had to let both grow until we could identify which was the weed and which was the vegetable. After a while it became obvious which was which and we then dutifully extracted the weed. But they never gave up easily and kept coming back all summer long so that it was a constant battle to keep an eye out for them and to keep removing them.

The lesson here for us Christians is obvious. The weeds in our life are those things that should not be there. They are the things that choke our faith and hinder our spiritual growth. These "weeds" are things like bad habits. Watching too much TV, being overly involved in sports, having a negative attitude, grumbling, laziness etc. The "weeds" can be sins. Addiction to alcohol, drugs, or porn. Telling lies, gossip, decitfulness. Whatever hinders our spiritual progress is a weed and needs to be removed.

Luke 18:14
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 9

Lesson 9: Care for the First Shoots

Almost every day after planting seeds in our vegetable garden my wife, Shirley, and I would check the ground to see if anything was growing. It seemed to take forever before anything green poked through the earth. And then one day it happened. Shirley came running to me shouting, "Something is grown in our garden!" I checked, and sure enough, a row of little green shoots was peeking through the ground...and then another...and another. Our garden had begun! It was now our responsibility to care for these tender shoots and help them to grow.

In your life too there are probably "little green shoots." By that I mean people who are new to the faith, people who have only recently begun a relationship with Jesus. They may be older in years, but as Christians they are "babes in Christ." Or there may be children in your life, whether part of your family or your friends' families. They also are tender shoots even if they don't yet know Jesus. If God has placed such people in your life it is because God expects you to help with nurturing them. Do all you can to help these "little ones" to grow in their relationship with the Lord.

Mark 6:14
He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden

Lesson 8: Water Often

Everyone knows how important water is to plant life. Without water ground become a desert, plants shrivel and die, crops fail. Once we had our seeds in the ground we had to make sure that we watered the soil daily and continued to do so once the young shoots appeared. In fact watering was something we had to do throughout the entire growing season. Sometimes rain came and the plants were watered naturally, but with the hot, dry summer we experienced we had to do the watering ourselves most of the time.

In the Bible water is a powerful symbol used in various ways. The Holy Spirit is symbolized as water being poured out upon God's people and being poured into our hearts. In that instance God is the one who is watering our souls. Water is also used to symbolize the care that Christians give to one another. Through their encouraging words and uplifting attitude they refresh each other's souls. As a Christian you need both God's Holy Spirit filling you daily and the support of other Christians to encourage you. Seek to be spiritualy refreshed each day and find ways to refresh others.

1 Corinthians 3:6
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden

Lesson 7: Transplanting is Sometimes Necessary

In the course of planting our vegetable garden it was necessary for me to transplant two perennials and a bush. The bush was in the corner and tended to spread out onto the garden area. The perennials were in the middle of the ground where I wanted to plant vegetables. With a great deal of digging and a lot of grunting I managed to uproot the bush and transport it to the front of the house where it covered a bare spot. Moving the two perennials was easier. These went into a garden of perennials to the side of our property. Now everything was where it was supposed to be for the purposes we intended.

During our more than 40 years as Salvation Arm Officers my wife and I were often "transplanted" from one community to another. Like those plants in my garden we did not have any say in the matter but we put down roots and did our best to do our duty in each new place we lived. In your life, too, there will be times when you will be transplanted, sometimes by your own choise and sometimes by circumstances out of your control. It is wise to remember in such times that God is the Divine Garderner and although decisions seem to be made arbitarily by others, God's purposes for us will work out in the end.

Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the one... whose delight is in the law of the Lord
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Monday 13 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden

Lesson 6: Plant in Hope

We'd decided what to plant and where. We'd prepared the ground and purchesed seeds for the vegetable garden and plants from the nursery for the flower garden. Now it was time to plant. We started with the flower garden. We sorted out the tiny flower plants and laid them on the ground to create a pattern of colors that we thought would look good. Then we dug shallow holes in the earth and carefully place each individual plant into its place. When finished, it looked very promising. For the vegetable garden we dug shallow trenches and filled each one with seeds. A row of carrots here, a row of beans there etc. Then we covered the seeds with a shallow layer of soil. When finished all we could see was a flat area of soil... and a lot of hope in our heart. We also put in some tomato and rhubarb plants and a raspbury bush.

Christian witnessing and evangelism has often been described as planting seeds. In fact Jesus compared himself to a farmer who was scattering seeds on his land. Although not all the seeds would germinate, take root, and produce a crop, some would. For that reason the farmer did not lose heart. Jesus planted seeds of faith as He preached the gospel and ministered to people. One of our responsibilities as Christians is to plant seeds of faith as Jesus did. Plant in hope.

2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Friday 10 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden

Lesson 5: Cultivate Vegetables
Vegetables are practical plants. They are necessary for life and health. Growing your own can save you money, which may be the real reason I wanted to grow them instead of flowers. The truth is that both my wife and I like the idea of going to our vegetable patch and harvesting our own, home-grown food. We chose mostly root crops—carrots, beets, turnip, and radishes—but also some veggies on the vine—tomatoes and beans. And some green onions and lettuce, which I don’t know how to classify. It was sheer delight for the both of us when we harvested our first radishes and lettuce for a salad after only a few weeks.

Perhaps you would like your Christian life to be all roses and tulips, full of color and pleasure. While those days will come, there is also a practical side—the vegetable side— to our faith. Enjoying pot luck suppers at church, dancing to praise and worship songs, and watching kids perform in a biblical drama are the flowery parts of the Christian life. The real meat and potatoes parts of our faith are the day to day things that build us up spiritually. These are things like daily prayer and mediation on the Word of God, participating in a serious Bible study group, and being part of a Christian ministry team. Enjoy the flowers, but don’t pass over the vegetables.

James 1:22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Thursday 9 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 4

Lesson 4: Plant Flowers

We don’t usually link flowers with men. That is probably because flowers are associated with beauty and attractiveness, which is why my wife is in charge of the flower garden. That is not to say that I am uninterested. It was I who had to dig out all the old ground cover and spread and mix new topsoil into the garden. But she had the final say as to what flowers to purchase, and it was a joint decision as to how these were arranged in the garden. Flowers add color to our front yard and create curb appeal. They make our property more attractive and inspire admiration. Our yard would definitely be less inviting if we did not have flowers.

Where are the “flowers” in your life? By that I mean, what is it about your life that is attractive? And I don’t mean just your physical appearance, although that, too, can be attractive. But there are others things that can attract people to one another. Things that we do—smiling, offering a friendly handshake, assisting a neighbour, volunteering at a church. Things that we say—words of encouragement, giving praise, complimenting your spouse. Your life as a Christian can attract people to the Lord if you strive to be like Jesus in all you do and say.

Matthew 5:16
…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden

Lesson 3: Preparing the Ground

We decided what to plant and where, but we couldn't just scatter the seeds on the ground. Nor could we just dig holes and put the bulbs in. We first had to prepare the ground for planting. For the backyard vegetable garden this meant removing several large, flat patio-type stones and levelling parts of the ground. For the front yard flower garden this mean digging up a lot of ground cover that was choking up everything else. On both sites the ground had to be broken up and made workable. We also added ten bags of topsoil to the sites.

Sometimes in our eagerness to witness for Jesus we forget to prepare the soil before we plant the seeds. By that I mean that sometimes Christians begin to testify about their faith to people who are not yet ready to listen or who don't even know the vocabulary that the Christian is using. Before we can begin to plant the seeds of faith in the lives of others we first have to build trust and let the other person see that we are real and that we care for him or her. We may have to remove obstacles to faith such a negative conceptions and a judgmental attitude. We may have to create more level ground between "us and them." We have to add something to our relationships before we can plant those seeds.

2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Lessons in a Garden 2

Lesson 2: Bloom Where You're Planted

Once my wife and I had decided what we wanted to grow, the next big decision was where. There were already two flower beds of sorts at the front of our house (we had just recently moved here) so we thought it best to utalize these rather than dig up our lawn. The bulbs in the fall and plants in the spring would go at the front of the house. The backyard had a few scraggy plants in one corner that seemed out of place. This would be our vegetable garden. We tansplanted a bush to the front of the house and two prennuals to one of the flower beds. The bulbs, bushes, and vegetables had no say in where they were put. Their responsibility was simply to bloom where they were planted.

While we often have choices in life, sometimes there are circumstances that restrict or eliminate choice. An illness may force us to retire early. It is not our choice. The company we work for closes and we are forced to look for work elsewhere. It is not our choise. A flood destroys our neighborhood and we are forced to relocate. It is not our choice. Our spouce dies and we are forced to make decesions about our future. Somtimes we are uprooted. Sometimes we are like plants growing in rocky soil, struggling to make a living. In situations beyond our control, we have to learn to trust God completely and to bloom where circumstances have planted us.

Philippians 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Monday 6 August 2012

Lessons from a Garden 1

Lesson 1: Deciding What to Plant

Today we begin a series of lessons I gleaned from the backyard vegetable garden and the front yard flower garden that my wife, and I planted. I figure that the flower garden is hers, but the vegetable garden is mine, but she might argue with that. Our first task was to decide what to plant. Way back in the fall Shirley said she wanted tulips and crocuses coming up in the spring, so it was off to the store to purchase bulbs. With cold weather approaching and snow falling in some parts of the country we buried bulbs in anticipation for spring that was six months away. I said I wanted to plant vegetables in the backyard and dreamt of carrots, turnips, tomatoes, and perhaps potatoes. But I would have to wait until spring to make my selection and begin planting. The spring would also reveal whether the bulbs we sowed would grow.

An old gospel song says,
"Seeds now we are sowing, and fruit they must bear,
For blessing or cursing, for joy or despair;
Though we may forget them, the things of the past
Will work out God's sentence upon us at last."

God has given us the power to decide what "seeds" we want to plant in our life. These can be seeds of bitterness, hatred, resentment and the like, or they can be seeds of thankfulness, love, forgiveness and joy. The choice is ours, so let us examine our lives daily and decide well, what we want growing in our lives.

Galatians 6:7-8
A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Friday 3 August 2012

Lessons from a Shed 22

Lesson 22: Help Someone Else Build a Shed










We've come to the last Shed lesson: help someone else build a shed. It is true that building one shed does not make a person an expert in shed building. However, experience counts for something. At the very least I can point out some of the mistakes I made along the way so that my fellow shed-builder won't make the same ones. And at best I can pitch in and lend a hand. After all I now know how to use a table saw, a mitre saw, and a power drill, not to mention my hammer and handsaw. Helping others gives as much satisfaction as building your own shed.

Christianity has always been a religion of "others." It is about helping others, encouraging others, carrying the burdens of others. William and Catherine Booth, the founders of The Salvation Army, dedicated their whole adult lives to helping the poor and marginalized in society. Mother Theresa, a Roman Catholic nun, was world-renowned for her work with the downtrodden of India. Jesus, our Saviour, said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). As followers of Christ, let us help others build a better life for themselves in His name.

John 13:15
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Thursday 2 August 2012

Lessons from a Shed 21

Lesson 21: There Are Different Kinds of Sheds











After building my shed, I began to notice other people's sheds more. I saw that some people built bigger sheds than mine, and some people built smaller sheds. Some were built from scratch and some were built from kits with all the lumber pre-cut. There were garden sheds and tool sheds, wooden sheds and plastic sheds. There were sheds with shingles and sheds covered with tin. There were sheds with gambrel roofs and sheds with gable roofs. There were hardly two sheds alike. I was tempted to compare my shed with others' sheds, but I quickly realized that this would be a big mistake. I was happy with my shed. It may not be the best, but it is mine. It serves my purposes. I will therefore enjoy my shed without comparing it to others.

One of the most destructive things we can do is compare our lives with the lives of others. Every person is different. Some become presidents, some become plumbers. Some become doctors, some become dancers. Some people become famous, others live in relative obscurity. The careers we pursue or the jobs we do are not nearly as important as what we are as human beings. The important thing is first to be all that God intends you to be, then to do all that you are capable of doing with the talents and gifts that are uniquely yours. Always work to improve yourself, but never compare yourself to others. Enjoy your life, the life that God has given you.

John 21: 17, 21, 22
Jesus said (to Peter), “Feed my sheep.
When Peter saw him (John), he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “...what is that to you? You must follow me.”

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Lessons from a Shed 20

Lesson 20: Enjoy Your Creation











The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them in six days (whether literally or figuratively it doesn't matter). God then looked at what He had made and declared it to be "very good." And then God rested from His work of creation. God did not rest because He was tired; He rested to enjoy His creation.
Now that I have finished my shed, I sometimes sit on my back deck and admire my creation. I say to my wife, "That's not a bad looking shed."
And she says, "It's a good shed, Fred."
And I say, "Yes, that's exactly what it is. It's a Fred Shed."
And we both laugh.

Christians, of all people, should appreciate and enjoy God's creative work. This includes both the world around us and God's work within us. Artists and poets are probably closest to appreciating the beauty of God's creation. Farmers and those who work with wild things - fishermen, hunters, ranchers, and naturalists - also appreciate God's creation. People whose work is helping others probably appreciate God's design in humanity more than anyone - doctors, nurses, teachers, clergy, and humanitarians. In addition to appreciating the Creation, let us also give thanks to the Creator.

Revelation 4:11
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”