The Accidental Basil

The name we chose for this blog comes from a basil plant which planted itself in our "backyard." Our backyard is really a very small, brick-enclosed area where protective hedges are used, ostensibly, to keep would-be predators out of first story condos in the complex we live in. For the Summer of 2008 through Spring of 2009 we had an "on-purpose" basil (along with an on-purpose green onion plant) in the same enclosure. Then, when our downstairs neighbors left town with the first hint of heat (like the good snowbirds they are) another set of neighbors thought it good to retrieve the small planters they believed our downstairs neighbors had left behind and put them to "good use" -- effectively stealing our basil and green onion. Worse, they supplanted our perfectly good/healthy basil and green onion with fake flowers! Honestly! Who would replace a perfectly good basil plant with an array of fake flowers??! (For whatever reason we have yet to steal back our planters). Fortunately, to our surprise another basil grew near where the on-purpose basil had been, watered by a PVC pipe designed to divert condensation from the air-conditioners on the roof above to the soil below. Our on-purpose basil clearly had the foresight to circumvent his cruel fate and ensure a lasting legacy!

Mary and I have talked about our accidental basil on occasion, and, while we don't want to take the analogy too far, we feel that in some ways it reflects the Kingdom of God; it showed up in a place that no one was expecting, it blessed those few who knew of its presence, and while it is fragile, it is clearly not to be underestimated as its continued presence demonstrates.

This blog will primarily be about our humble attempt to live in the Kingdom of Heaven which we affirm is already present (but hiding in unexpected places). We believe that the Kingdom is about seeking peace, justice, love for God and love for our neighbors -- here and across the world. It is a Kingdom composed of the foolish and weak; of those who believe against all hope that peace can overcome war and love can overcome hate; where to serve is far better than to be served; where love for our neighbor and love for the planet our neighbor lives on are not separated; where the old is made new and the broken is restored; where independence is left behind in the name of interdependence; and where the One who embodies all of this is present, here and now, ushering us all to come and live in this Kingdom.

We hope you'll journey along with us as we strive toward this Kingdom reality -- a Kingdom where old pipes, carrying along runoff water, can spring-forth new life, blessing those around it.