Greenery
Greenery
Greenery
Greenery
Out Door Life In Nature
Amid the Scenes of Nature
The Garden of Eden, the home of our first parents, was exceedingly beautiful. Graceful shrubs and delicate flowers greeted the eye at every turn. In the garden were trees of every variety, many of them laden with fragrant and delicious fruit. On their branches the birds caroled their songs of praise. Adam and Eve, in their untainted purity, delighted in the sights and sounds of Eden. And today, although sin has cast its shadow over the earth, God desires His children to find delight in the works of His hands. To locate our sanitariums amidst the scenes of nature would be to follow God's plan, and the more closely this plan is followed, the more wonderfully will He work to restore suffering humanity. For our educational and medical institutions, places should be chosen where, away from the dark clouds of sin that hang over the great cities, the Sun of Righteousness can arise, "with healing in His wings." Malachi 4:2.
From the standpoint of health, the smoke and dust of the cities are very objectionable. And the patients who for a large part of their time are shut up within four walls, often feel that they are prisoners in their rooms. When they look out of a window, they see nothing but houses, houses, houses. Those who are thus confined to their rooms are liable to brood over their suffering and sorrow. Sometimes an invalid is poisoned by his own breath.
Effects of Outdoor Life
Why deprive patients of the health-restoring blessing to be found in outdoor life? I have been instructed that as the sick are encouraged to leave their rooms and spend time in the open air, cultivating flowers, or doing some other light, pleasant work, their minds will be called from self to something more health-giving. Exercise in the open air should be prescribed as a beneficial, life-giving necessity. The longer patients can be kept out of doors the less care will they require. The more cheerful their surroundings, the more hopeful will they be. Surround them with the beautiful things of nature, place them where they can see the flowers growing and hear the birds singing, and their hearts will break into song in harmony with the song of the birds. Shut them in rooms and, be these rooms ever so elegantly furnished, they will grow fretful and gloomy. Give them the blessing of outdoor life; thus their souls will be uplifted. Relief will come to body and mind.
"Out of the cities," is my message. Our physicians ought to have been wide-awake on this point long ago. I hope and pray and believe that they will now arouse to the importance of getting out into the country.”
CH 268
Greenery
Greenery
"A Lesson from the Grass"
"As for man his days are as grass" (Psalms 103:15), "and all the glory of man as the flower of grass." 1 Peter 1:24.
There was no grass upon this earth until the third day. There was no place for it, because the earth was covered with water. But when God had gathered the waters together, there was plenty of dry land on which it could grow. Then suddenly at the word of God, the earth put on a robe of the richest green; grass, beautiful grass came up everywhere! We learned last week how useful it is, and how hard it would be for man and beast to do without it. Do we thank God as much for it as we should? We see it so often that we sometimes almost forget to notice it or think how wonderful it is or remember who made it for us. The Bible says, that, "He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered." Psalms 111:4. He wants us to notice them and watch them and think about them. If we do this, we shall learn useful lessons from the tiniest things that He has made.
Now the next time you go out to play just try it. Get down and take a good look at the pretty grass. Lay your hand in it and see how soft it is. Notice the color; isn't it a lovely green? Look at the little stalk, the curious roots, and the tender leaf or blade. Perhaps if you look you may find a tiny flower peeping out somewhere. Touch it gently or you will break it. How very tender it is! A rude touch, or a strong breeze will cause it to drop to pieces. And the grass itself is almost as frail. It may look ever so bright and stand up ever so straight in the morning, but if the sun shines a little too warm, before night it will droop and die. Or the grass-cutter with one stroke of his sharp scythe may cut it down and leave it to wither and dry up. It is a very weak and helpless little thing, isn't it? It cannot cause itself to live, and it cannot keep itself alive. It can do nothing at all, which God does not give its strength to do. It cannot live a moment without His care. Do you think it has much reason to be proud of its strength or what it itself can do?
Is it possible that God wants us to learn anything from such a helpless, tender little plant? Yes, there is something that He wants us to remember every time we see the grass. Listen to what He says: "As for man, his days are as grass," "and all the glory of man as the flower of grass."
He wants us to remember that we are helpless, and tender, and die easily just like the grass; and our strength and beauty and learning and good name and riches fall to pieces and become worthless as easily as the flower of the grass.
The very strongest and healthiest man does not live long. In the morning he may go up to his work as strong and as wise as ever, and before night brought home still and dead. A very little fall, a hit on the head, or a short illness may kill him. Ah, is he not as tender and helpless as the grass? He cannot cause himself to live, nor keep himself from dying. He can do nothing at all which God does not give him strength to do. He cannot live a moment without God's care. Do you think that he has any more reason than the grass to be proud of anything that he himself can do? Do you think that he ought to hold his head high and say proud things and tell how he can get along just as well without God?
How it must grieve our Father in heaven when we feel proud and want to praise ourselves, when the praise all belongs to Him. Whenever you feel like being proud, just run quickly and look at the grass. Remember how helpless it is, and how God says that without Him you are just as helpless as the grass. He says, "Pride do I hate" (Proverbs 8:13), but "I dwell. . . with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit." Isaiah 57:15.
October 12, 1893 EJW, PTUK 445