As I sit here sipping my favorite beverage, green tea, I am realizing that April, the month of all things green, is drawing to a close. As I reflect on all things green, I want to know why the emerald is the birthstone of May and not April? The emerald stone, being a brilliant green, should definitely represent April not May. This makes me think of the aptly named Emerald Isle, which is Ireland of course, the country of all things green from shamrocks to leprechauns.

On St. Patrick’s Day there is the wearing of the green, not to be confused with the hanging of the green at Christmastime. But green is definitely Ireland’s color, it is green that colors their countryside so beautifully. Who knew there are so many shades of green?

I suppose I should add green vegetables to the list of all things green for which I am grateful. I actually do like broccoli and green beans and peas and green peppers and asparagus and pickles (not really a vegetable, but made from a vegetable) and my favorite, avocados. Wonder why we are always told to eat our vegetables? Because they are good for us, they say. Why? Well, green being the color of life, of living things, and vegetables being plants, they are or were, living plants until we harvest them and eat them. They nourish our bodies with the goodness of the green life stored up inside of them.

The ocean is often varying shades of shimmering green and is also home to many things green, not the least of which is the green sea turtle. Also, green, growing and sometimes glowing are green moray eels, giant green anemone, sea sheep and green algae. The ocean is full of green. The ocean is full of life.

I find it interesting that the shamrock, a three-leaf clover, (which is green, of course) symbolizes life in a unique way. St. Patrick taught that the three leaves of the shamrock represented the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Additionally, the three leaves are said to represent faith, hope and love. Finding a four-leaf clover represents an additional blessing and luck.

Green represents the gift of life we are given by God the Father when He created us, by Jesus His Son, when He died and rose again to give us eternal life and by the Holy Spirit who lives in us and sustains our lives every day. Psalm 23 assures me that God will lead me to green pastures where I can find rest and renewal. In fact, Jeremiah 17:8 tells me that when I trust in God, I am –

” . . . like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

grateful to God for all things green, as He is the Creator, Sustainer of every green and growing thing –

sincerely, Grace Day