“Before green apples blush,Before green nuts embrown,Why, one day in the country,Is worth a month in town...”

“One day in the country Is worth a month in town”

“They're pretty conspicuous.""Why? Are they green and horny?" I willed a blush away and said, "I mean, as in having horns,not...the other.”

“I miss sunrise even more. The green scent of dawn in the forest? The color blushing back into the world, different every day.”

“Most of what is wrong in horizontal church flows from attempts to get green apples interested in Jesus. Green apples are very articulate about that they do and don't want in church. They don't want to hear about money, because that is one of their idols; they don't want to be told about sin, because that assaults pride; no interest in pressure to decide for Jesus, because that threatens their autonomy. Sadly when church becomes what green apples must have or they won't come. It ceases to be what it must be for God to attend. Church needs to be offensive to green apples or it can be helpful to those who are ripe.”

“Outside the leaves on the trees constricted slightly; they were the deep done green of the beginning of autumn. It was a Sunday in September. There would only be four. The clouds were high and the swallows would be here for another month or so before they left for the south before they returned again next summer.”