I am not a hippie.

I am not a hippie. I wear makeup. And deodorant. I shave my legs and consider myself a Moderate. I am not a hippie. I tell you this because I have been hearing it a lot lately. I have also been called cute, simple, nerd, and dork in conversation with people whom I know actually love me and whom I'm pretty sure, meant those labels as compliments.

I love nature. This is no secret. I like digging in the dirt, the smell of the earth, and the sounds of creation waking up, as well as going to sleep. I regularly stand in awe of the fact that I can plant a seed and with some care and attention, not much later eat of its fruit. That amazes me. I will always rejoice over the first green bud poking through the brown soil, the first bloom of a plant, the kamakaze dive of a hummingbird overhead, and the first hint of a new season. I suggest you do the same.

My ideal home is small with land for a bigger garden and some chickens. And I wouldn't mind if that house was in a tree.  And of course, near water. None of this makes me a hippie. I'm a consumer who is trying to consume less.  I was meant to be a good steward, not an anomaly.

I recently spent a week preaching the virtues of connection--to God, man, and nature. It made me realize I still have a long way to go. But I believe we are on the right path (pardon the pun) when we seek to live a little more the way we were intended to live. Giving more than we take. I want to do more to subdue the Earth, not consume it. Maybe we wouldn't have to create "experiences" to try to connect with God, if we understood a little bit better that He is there if we will just be still and quiet and not so hard to impress. He is there. We just have to turn off the television.