paravanes:meditations

I am browsing through one of my favorite magazines, one I've only recently discovered. The magazine, Yes! , has articles about healthy living, sustainability, social activism, etc. A recent issue, the Spring 2011 issue, features an article titled "Can Animals Save Us?" on the front cover. I already know the answer to this question. I also wonder why caring for the environment sometimes gets disconnected from a Christian belief in caring for creation. Maybe it's because so many who call themselves environmentalists don't accept that the God of the Bible created everything and that hugging a tree is not hugging a person, nor are we hugging God expressed as a tree. It's just a tree. Or a bird, a fish, or a deer. Still, since we have a command in Genesis 1:28 to subdue the earth and rule over things, some people have gotten it wrong. That command challenges us with the responsibility to love and care for creation. Anything created by God is worthy of love a

Some have asked for a text version of Mary's Legacy of Care Giving , a sermon preached on Mother's Day this year. It's available here as a pdf: http://www.archive.org/details/MarysLegacyOfCaregiving

Hunger is a big problem in the United States, as it is in many other countries. Are those of us in the US too proud to admit that in the "greatest country on Earth", we have a lot of hungry people who are making things look better than they are? How can the Church-- personally and corporately --respond to this? Just as in spiritual matters, never assume things are as good as they appear. Who wants to admit they can't feed their children or themselves? I have found that if I want to help, I can keep my eyes, ears, and heart open for things I don't expect to see, things I may not want to know. It never hurts to invite someone over for a meal, share extra garden produce, or treat someone to a grocery/superstore gift card. The gift of hospitality did not go away with the apostles. Nor should it have. *********************************************************** It'll be OK Lunch seems like a long time ago. I can skip dinner tonight. Maybe a cup of tea