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Orange County was a quiet place filled with orange groves. Nobody ever lost sleep over the trees moaning in the night as they made those gorgeous, succulent oranges.

Likewise up in Napa County. The vines don’t disturb the tranquility grunting out their world-class grapes.

It’s John 15. Vine. Branches.

Just BE in The Vine.

I was talking about this very thing with one of my best friends last week. I’m just about to the point of subscribing to the idea that, if I’d JUST BE in The Vine; if I’d JUST focus on “First Commandment, First Place,” — if I’d just REMAIN, to use Jesus’ verb from John 15 — then all of the DOING I invest (waste?) so much time trying to make happen would be Divinely re-ordered, and the things that REALLY need to get done would actually flow naturally (and peacefully) out of my relationship to God, instead of being this forced mass of chaos that I keep cobbled together all over my mental calendar.

In that context, Matthew 6:33 looms large on the page: “Focus on The Kingdom of God as you FIRST priority, and all of the temporal things you really need will come to you in due course.”

That mentality is shockingly counter-intuitive to the entrepreneurial, “Seven Habits...” go-getter culture our business community has touted for so long. Still...there it is, with the attached promise of our needs being fully met.

It’s like, “Who ya gonna believe: Jesus or Stephen Covey?”

I want to shoehorn a poem in here:

Just BE in The Vine.

I was talking about this very thing with one of my best friends last week. I’m just about to the point of subscribing to the idea that, if I’d JUST BE in The Vine; if I’d JUST focus on “First Commandment, First Place,” — if I’d just REMAIN, to use Jesus’ verb from John 15 — then all of the DOING I invest (waste?) so much time trying to make happen would be Divinely re-ordered, and the things that REALLY need to get done would actually flow naturally (and peacefully) out of my relationship to God, instead of being this forced mass of chaos that I keep cobbled together all over my mental calendar.

Here In God’s Garden

I’m here in God’s garden. I have my own place,
The good feelings it gives me, please! Never erase!
Not part of the flowers, nor am I a weed,
I’m less than a raindrop, but more than a seed.

I’m doing a job here, I know it is true,
I hold my position, as I’ve learned how to do.
I stand near to this wall, holding dirt at the base,
Prepared for the morning, and warmth that I face.

A rock in God’s garden, neither beauty nor waste,
But witness to miracles, I am blessed to be placed.
Over here near the wall, there’s a rise to the land,
I can see a good distance, and I like what He’s planned.

I’ve seen plantings and harvests, and beauty and tears,
I’d be happy to stay here for many more years,
But I go where I’m sent, and I do what I must,
I can skip over oceans, for in God do I trust.

NicknamedBob . . . . . September 27, 2005

In that context, Matthew 6:33 looms large on the page: "Focus on The Kingdom of God as you FIRST priority, and all of the temporal things you really need will come to you in due course."