The Bright Side

Sitting in the spa waiting room, I noticed a large book on the table next to me titled "Eden Restored". The botanical garden photograph on the cover was stunning. The book was filled with the most beautiful gardens throughout the world. I found myself being drawn into the pages as a lilac scented candle burned nearby, adding to the floral ambiance. Each photograph was accompanied by a description and location of the garden featured along with a "how-to" article for creating a similar look in your space. What struck me was the feeling of serenity that came over me simply by looking through pictures and breathing in the sweet aroma. There seems to be some kind of need within us to return to a "paradise", whatever that means by our personal definition. If what I was feeling in that moment was based on a simulated reality, what must the original Garden of Eden have been like? Breath-taking in beauty beyond anything we have ever seen or imagined, it canno

We were having a group discussion on legalism when a friend shared a situation that had occurred in a church she once attended. People were always gossiping and complaining about how things should be done according to their own personal views or traditions. The pastor became concerned about legalism that had crept into his beloved church. So he placed a large wooden cross in front of the congregation during worship and asked that they focus on it. My friend said that afterward people still complained about aspects of the worship (ie; too loud, too soft, off-key, too many hymns, not enough hymns, too contemporary, etc)... you get it. Shaking her head she added, "someone even complained about the cross being 'in the way'!" We all suffer from this blindness; unable able to see the forest for the trees. Just yesterday in fact, I complained all the way to work about the icy roads when suddenly my attention turned to the majestic snow-capped peaks straight ahead