God and lawn care

God and Lawn Care - GOD: Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles. St. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass. GOD: Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there? ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn. GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy. ST FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week. GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay? ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags. GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it? ST. FRANCIS: No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away. GOD:   Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away? ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir. GOD:   These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work. ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it. GOD:   What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life. ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away. GOD: No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose? ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves. GOD:  And where do they get this mulch? ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch. GOD:   Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight? ST. CATHERINE: 'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about... GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author Unknown

Is it possible to live without regrets?

Every normal human being makes mistakes. We also quite regularly make bad choices, that is, choices which we later regret.  We make these unfortunate decisions sometimes accidently, sometimes on purpose. Religious folks will refer to these deliberate bad choices as sins.

There are mentally ill people whom psychiatrists label "psychopaths".
They are incapable of feeling remorse for any action. They lack the capacity to feel empathy for others. The material in this article does not refer to these unfortunate souls. Neither can they be regarded as being guilty of sin, since they cannot recognize any personal personality flaws or acknowledge any personal wrongdoing.

However, for most of us, we know very well when we have deliberately made a choice  which we would not want to see printed on the front page of our local newspaper. If any particular thought, word or deed were to become public knowledge, we would be thorougly ashamed.

The small inner voice warning a person that he or she is about to break a rule forbidden by training, law, culture or personal ethic is known as "conscience".  Christians believe it is the voice of the Holy Spirit, encouring them to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. However, everyone has been given free will and no one is perfect one hundred per cent of the time.

Conscience is a delicate gift. It can become numbed when frequently ignored. If someone routinely cheats on tax returns, or conceals items to avoid paying duty after shopping across a national border, the actions will soon become rationalized with excuses like "Everybody does it", or " I pay too many taxes anyway!".

For major wrongs such as theft, murder, perjury, or intentionally causing serious harm, normal human beings will later experience pangs of conscience and a nagging sense of regret. Is there any way to escape this uncomfortable, distressing state of mind?

For many, their best hope lies in confessing to the victim, or appropriate authorities, expressing sincere sorrow, and trying to make amends for the wrong committed. Often, there will be punishment imposed: a prison term, a compulsory fine, or mandatory community service. At the very least, a relationship may be broken and a sense of trust destroyed.

Roman Catholic Christians have the Sacrament of  Reconciliation to deal with regrets after the commission of sin.

On Easter Sunday evening, Jesus appeared to the Apostles and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them. Whose sins you retain are retained." (John 20:20-23) 

After receiving forgiveness from God, the next step is to forgive oneself. This is not always easy, but the realization that God has forgiven, challenges one to imitate the Divine and erase all memory of past transgressions.

" It is possible to live without regrets. Christians possess the best means to achieve this goal: (a) ask God to forgive you, (b) believe that God has forgiven you and finally, (c) forgive yourself.

"I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." Isaiah 44:22

Going forward, firmly resolve to avoid repeating that sin in the future.