the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils. The human came to life. The Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east and put there the human he had formed.

Genesis 2:7-8

Monday lunchtime, Rebekah and I drove over to the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, a 10 acre garden taken care of by NC State University.

We were there for a picnic, the opportunity to enjoy a gorgeous fall day, and – essentially – a little serenity in the midst of a storm. And we found, of course, exactly what we were looking for because that is what green spaces tend to do.

And we didn’t even explore the whole garden. Just a packed lunch at a picnic table and then wandering, slowly, from bench to bench. So a lot of sitting, a lot of looking, a lot of listening, a little crying, and a lot of holding hands.

The Lord God, the scriptures tell us, created human beings and “blew life’s breath” into them. And so we came to life. But then – and this is critically important information – God put us into a garden, and it was the garden that helped to sustain the “breathed in” life.

We spend too little time in gardens being sustained. And I don’t have to do much persuading for anyone to understand that we all need a little sustaining now and again!

Here are a few of the best photos. Enjoy. Breathe them in and, along with a commitment to engage with God’s breathed in life, allow the gift of creation to sustain you – DEREK