On this Earth Day, falling on day 2 of Easter, the celebration of the day Jesus burst from the earth in his resurrection.  A declaration that death does not have the last word, that death has met its match in Jesus’ resurrection and will be followed one day when we all will burst out of the earth in our resurrection.

In remembrance of Jesus resurrection and participating in Earth Day, I dug in the earth this morning, planting and fertilizing until I used up all my allotted energy for the day by lunchtime.  So, I spent most of the rest of day on the back patio reading.  Our neighborhood is filled with mature oak trees now in full blossom with emerging baby leaves.  After supper I was once more on the back patio when I noticed the trees filled with squirrels.  Remember those years when by spring we were tired of eating softening potatoes and carrots dug out of the sand pail in the basement and looked forward to the spring lettuce and radishes, because we couldn’t buy them in the store as we can now?  Well, those blooming oaks in our neighborhood provided some fresh produce for the squirrels after a winter of buried nuts and whatever gets them through.  Climbing about on precarious upper branches they ventured out on twigs to gather the spring salad. Some would grab a paw full and then race to more solid footing on a larger branch.

It was fascinating to view this symbiosis between two of God’s creations as we mark Jesus’ resurrection which has put us and all creation on track for the completion of his new creation and the restoration of Eden.  Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of a new creation is an impetus to take care of our present creation as God’s gift while we wait for the renewed to appear.