Packaging and Waste: Practice 2

Food: So much packaging is used for food these days. Just think about how much packaging is used for one person to have a value meal at a fast food restaurant. All of that is made for one meal then thrown away. We package and serve food this way at home as well.

In the same way we talked about gift packaging, try to focus on more on what’s inside the packaging than how it’s wrapped. For instance, in the meat section of the grocery store, you can find ground beef wrapped in plastic or in a sturdier plastic box with cellophane covering. This is, of course, better protection for your ground beef, but do you really need that much protection between the store and home? Look at these items that are pandering to your sense of safety. This may cause you to buy another brand than you are used to. These are lifestyle changes that may speak to companies that are packaging this way.

Look for ways of using less packaging. Try not to buy as many individual wrapped products unless it’s a necessity. Try to buy packaging that is recyclable. Know, as you do this that you are using the resources God has given us more wisely—this is a way of giving thanks.

Packaging and Waste: Practice 1

During the holidays, it's a great time to think about packaging gifts. Think of all the paper and gift bags and bows and boxes and labels that we buy for one moment and then throw away. Think of what this says about us on a day that we say is about hope, generosity, and love. The Wise Men brought extravagant gifts to give baby Jesus. I do not imagine, though, that after the gold, frankincense, and myrrh were presented, that Mary and Joseph had multiple bags of trash set outside the stable door.

If we are to give extravagantly, do we really want the extravagance to be, in part, something we hardly value after the gift is opened? Try this practice: Focus more on the gift than the packaging. Wrap your gift in something you already had, that was to be thrown out anyway like newspaper or magazines. It can be made much more personal this way. If you are using the gift bags, save them for next year. You will never buy gift packaging again. They fold neatly and don’t take up much space when stored with the rest of you Christmas decorations.

Make every bit of your gift meaningful and humble yourself this Christmas season. Think of how perfectly peaceful the story of the Wise Men rings. A poor family by the world’s standards is given gifts by rich people by the world’s standards who have been humbled by God.

December Focus: Packaging and Waste

Sometimes it seems that for many people December and the holidays celebrated during the month have become more about "stuff" than anything else. Certainly we feel that this displays a misplaced focus. But assuming people will buy things for the holidays, we do want to offer some tips to make the holidays greener.

Most of our hints will focus on waste and packaging. Packaging is a big deal in today’s world. We want everything fresh, undamaged, and wrapped in something appealing to the eye. But then, most of this packaging gets thrown away. Though it is clearly necessary at times, it is often wasteful. Consider how much we throw away just to temporarily package something.

When you buy something, do you think about its life cycle? Do you ask yourself how much energy and resources it required to make, what it will take to function, and what will happen to it when it is no longer useful? Do you compare the packaging involved? If not, we hope you will start to consider these issues and make decisions that display better stewardship.

How We Eat - Practice 2

Meals building community with family and friends: We have become so busy these days that we must find ways to multitask everything. It is difficult to sit down to eat without doing something else. At least once during this week, take a shot at sitting down with friends and family just to eat. Set aside an hour or more for everyone just to enjoy the act of eating together. Do not waver from this time even if you finish eating before time is up. This is fantastic time to build community. Take time to slow the meal down, don’t just woof it all down and be done. Pause between bites to talk and share. Let the meal last a while. Think about how many times in the gospels food or a meal is involved. There is so much ministry to be had around the table. Share food with each other. Consider your blessings. Look at each person around the table and relish the fact that you are children of God and you have been fed today.

How We Eat - Practice 1

Spend some time on your blessing.

Often, for me, when I sit down to eat, I go right into shoving my face full of food. I don’t think a lot about the food I’m eating and what it took for it to get on my plate. Food is not as much the centerpiece of each day as it may have been in the past. Much of work for humans used to be food related—think about it.

Today, though, we don’t have to think of food outside of making sure we eat it. By doing this we run the risk of not appreciating and thanking God for one of the most important things in our daily lives.

So, try this: At least once a day, think about everything that had to happen for the food to make it on your plate when you sit down to eat. Think of the animal or plant that lost its life, the worker who harvested, the machinery and manpower needed to deliver the food, the cook who prepared the food—take all of this in and realize how much happened so that you could have this meal you are about to eat. Think about how it will keep your body going longer for all the things you need to and love to do. Be grateful for this incredible thing. Thank God piece by piece and be humbled by all the ways you are given sustenance.

November Focus: How We Eat

Thanksgiving is coming up. It's become a holiday most known for eating, and likely overeating. It also kicks off the grand holiday eating season for many people who will have parties and other gatherings that center on food. We've already talked a few months ago about what we eat, but how we eat can be an expression of faith too.

Often in our culture how we eat doesn't seem very holy. We're busy people, and we usually grab food on the go, eat in our cars, and shovel food down our mouths in order to keep going to our next destination. Consequently, food ceases to be anything special or in any way sacred. It is fuel or nutrients - something to be consumed, but not savored. Such a view can cause us to totally dismiss a relationship of thanks with our food. In many ways this way of eating is radically different from our ancestors who had a close connection with what they ate because, for the most part, they raised their own food or hunted (for necessity, not for sport).

Of course whether or not we share our meals with others has a large impact on us. Many studies have shown that eating together as a family can make a tremendous difference in the lives of children and teenagers. It's mostly common sense - socializing and connecting around food is basic to who we are. I would dare say no one ever wants to eat alone. We would all prefer to share a nice meal with others.

In the Biblical worldview, how you eat, and particularly who you eat with is of tremendous importance. One of the key charges against Jesus by his critics (or opponents) was that he ate with the "wrong" people: "And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, 'This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them'" (Luke 15:2).

Think about the last great meal you had - not in terms of the food, but in terms of the fellowship and friends you shared it with. Pray about eating with those who may have no one else to eat with.

Transportation Practice 4

Get the most from your vehicle: Cars are hard to figure out. There’s a reason we have such a hard time finding a mechanic we can trust: because we so often don’t know anything about cars. For many, if it’s moving it’s working and if it isn’t, it needs to be fixed. But usually, it needs to be fixed long before it stops, and while this is going on, the car is wasting resources and your money. So, it is good stewardship to learn more about your car and know what it needs. It can also be fun and a big ego boost to maintain or fix your car yourself.

But, even more simply, we can drive in a way that does not wear our cars out faster. For instance, making slower more gradual stops, where you see the stop earlier, anticipate, and ease on your brakes will make your brakes last longer, use less gas, and help your tires last longer. If you avoid gunning it as soon as the light turns green, you use less gasoline. I’ve seen a difference of 5-10 miles per gallon when I drive like this, as opposed to riding the brakes and gunning the gas pedal. The more gradual you can make your stops and acceleration, the better—especially when you’re dealing with hills.

Working on cars and driving with more restraint probably doesn’t seem overtly spiritual unless you’re thinking about it in the stereotypical kind of man’s man way. But, this is, like so many other things we’ve talked about, taking care of something. It is using our resources wisely. This is a praise to God that you realize all he has blessed you with and you do not intend to squander it. So, roll up your sleeves, get greasy, watch your driving, save some money on gas, replacements and repairs, and know that you are giving greater glory to the gifts God has put in your life.

Transportation Practice 3

Take the Scenic Route: We like to be able to drive fast. When I was in college, driving from Jackson to Knoxville was a huge chore to me, and so I wanted to finish it as quickly as possible. I wheeled down I-40 well over the speed limit, feeling almost like I needed to. We are in such a hurry these days that the most important thing to us becomes making good time at all costs. Even if we deny everyone in the car a bathroom break, completely miss everything we drive past, and even endanger some lives all in the name of good time.

I discovered one day when I got a little bored on my way home that, from Camden, you can take Highway 70 to Jackson rather than the interstate. I had some time to spare, so I figured, “why not?” I took the route and, first off, learned that it wasn’t much longer than my I-40 route (5 or 10 minutes if even that). In my constant quest for gasoline efficiency, I started thinking about this and realized that I had likely saved on gas, because I was driving at a speed limit of 55 mph or less, rather than the 70 mph of the interstate. So, I had made about the same time and gotten better gas mileage.

But, I also began to like this route for reasons other than money savings. Along this route, I passed through 5 or 6 small towns along the way. When you do this, you see quirky local businesses and restaurants. You pass through pastures and farms. You see things that you can’t on the interstate, because either you’re driving too fast or the interstate just has to be separate from these small town main streets to have such high speed limits.

Along these routes, I am frequently tempted to get out and explore, and, every now and then, I give in to those urges and really have some great experiences. I remember one day on my way home, using Highway 70, there was a gorgeous sunset with purples and pink of all shades in the sky. I was passing by a large cotton field and couldn’t help but pull over to really look at it. I pulled into a country road, and for about 20 minutes, sat on my hood and just took the beauty of God’s creation in. I would not have even considered this on the interstate.

So, just try my advice out: take a way you don’t normally travel and see what you find. Or, slow down on that route that’s usually just a means to get from point A to point B. Take in some of the natural sites God has put in front of you: pull over next to one of those creeks you drive past every day and just look over the bridge, thanking God for this time. Pop in on a neat little business establishment you’ve wondered about, and talk to the people for a minutes. These activities are connectional, and there is no doubt that the God we serve wants us to connect.

Transportation Practice 2

Carpool: Think about this: if every person in your town carpooled with one other person, it would cut rush hour traffic in half. If every person carpooled with two other people, you’d have one third of the cars you have to sit in line with each morning to get to work. That’s appealing enough on its own for many, but you also cut out pollution, so the air in your city is cleaner, and you probably cut down on auto accidents in your town too.

And, here is the spiritual component of this practice: you will be forming a community. It will, no doubt, take some coordination. You may have to look for people who work in the same vicinity as you that live in your neighborhood. Or, you may have to pick some people up in different neighborhoods. It will not always be easy—some will run late, some will be grumpy, some will talk on and on about things you don’t care about (I’m really selling this, right?). But you will also have a few more people to share your life with. People who you can talk to after a long day to help you cool down before getting home. You could say a prayer together each morning for a safe and productive day. For me especially, my urges tell me to look for ways to isolate myself. I do enjoy driving alone, getting to listen to what I want to listen to on the radio. But, some of the best conversations of my life have been had with people in a car.

We have cars that normally at least have seats for 4-5 people. Doesn’t it seem like a shame that there are lines of these cars with just one person? So, look around you and find out who from your place of business lives nearby. Also, see who from your neighborhood works near you. Coordinate a carpool, even if it’s just one day a week at first. As with most environmental practices, this will save you money. Just imagine the cool things you can do if you cut your gasoline bill in half this month.

Transportation Practice 1

Walk or Bike Somewhere: There are so many places that we drive to that could easily be walked. One of the greatest sources of pollution in our world comes from the enormous amount of cars on the road. But this practice is not just about reducing pollution. I am lucky enough to live close to the place I work. From my house to the office is a little over half a mile. So, generally, on my lunch break, I walk to my house, eat, then walk back to work. There are, occasionally, days that I go into town to eat out. Those afternoons are almost always much more difficult for me to get motivated for, because during that 10 minute drive back to the office, something happens to my body. I guess it’s the food sitting there and me sitting there, and I just get tired. Whatever it is, I have a tough time waking up in the afternoons when I drive back from lunch. However, when I walk back from lunch I have much more energy and usually go right back into whatever project I’m working on. You also notice more when you walk. You see plants and animals around you that you’d just be lucky to glance at if you drove by. You have time to think and reflect. You see the place you are traveling in a different way and know it a little better. This has had a great spiritual effect on me. It helps me sort through things at the beginning and end of my days. It gives me time to reflect. It also gives me exercise. There are so many who join gyms to get the exercise they could get by simply walking to the places they have to go. This practice has so many potential benefits. Find a walk you can make instead of driving. If you don’t walk much, don’t push it—keep it below a mile. Take time to notice the things you don’t when you drive the route. Spend time in prayer, let the walk focus you.

October Focus: Transportation

The Christian faith has always been a faith "on the move." Jesus and his followers were always traveling - albeit not great distances. But what Jesus and the disciples lacked in terms of distance they accounted for in terms of frequency. They are almost never in the same place for very long. Often the gospel writers tells us they are "on the way" which is both literal and figurative. They were "on the road again," but they were also on the "way" to God and the bringing about of God's kingdom. One of the earliest names for the Christian movement was "the way."

We have considerably more options from getting from place to place in our day. But our options should raise questions about how we choose to be "on the move" and what that says about our WAY of life.

Here is another introductory video with some hints to get you thinking and praying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_RKnGjfnQY

Another September Practice

Another great thing to do regarding food is to buy locally. The other day, I was in the produce section and noticed that there were muscadines for sale. These are type of grape that grows wild in Tennessee and much of the South. If you live near woods, you can likely find them on the ground and hanging from vines this time of year. I looked at the packaging for them and noticed that they were produced somewhere in Georgia. From the store I was then shopping at, I could go to a local farmer’s market and buy muscadines harvested in Benton County, just a few miles from my house. Why should I care about that? There are several things to consider.

Much more had to happen to the Georgia muscadines to get them in my grocery than the Benton County versions. There was the road trip from Georgia, of course, which used gas. On top of that, their transport had to be cooled in these hot summer days when the temperature might make them spoil faster. The Georgia muscadines have to be packaged in a specific type of plastic that will keep them fresh but not contaminate them. And, to make the trip to Tennessee (and probably farther on to other supermarkets as well), these muscadines probably have some sort of preservative to help them last long enough to get to the store, wait for you to buy them, and not spoil immediately after you get home. The Benton County muscadines just have to be picked and driven down the road.

So, you cut out the pollution, use of resources, and probably eat healthier muscadines, but you also invest in your community. In this great era when we can have Costa Rican bananas and Chilean Plums shipped right to the store down the road, you can help out the people who live within walking distance who are trying to grow food themselves. You will likely get to know these people, thereby becoming more a part of your community. This is at the essence of what God teaches us throughout the Bible—to live in community with those around you.

What to Eat: Practices

One way to eat in a more healthy and holy way is to cut back on your meat intake. This is a difficult one for me, because I have always loved meat. There were years in my childhood when I ate very little besides the meat offering at each meal. I still, to this day, crave meat more than other types of food. And, if I wanted to, I could eat meat at every meal, because these days, I have easy access to affordable meat. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father kills the fatted calf to celebrate his son’s return. That is a big statement of the father’s excitement. Killing a cow was a bigger deal in years passed, because it was just harder to get your hands on meat like that. Today, we are at no shortage for however much meat of any kind we want.

The dilemma is that too much meat is not just bad for our bodies. It takes far more grain to feed a meat producing animal than it does to make bread. That grain that goes into producing a hamburger or pork chop or chicken breast could be used to feed far more people than its meat counterpart. Also, lots of land has to be cleared for pasture for these animals. That is land that could be oxygen enriching forests. We are disconnected from this, because most of us have no involvement in the process of getting the meat we eat until we buy it. Like in the prodigal son story, meat eating has been much more of a luxury in the past. Meat is much more difficult to produce whether you grow the animal or hunt it.

So, think about that the next time you order a hamburger or have that cold cut combo. Appreciate the difficulty that is involved in getting meat to your plate. Thank the God who created life and set this cycle of life into place. Celebrate like the father that you get to eat in such a way.

September Focus: What We Eat

What did you eat today? No, really, WHAT did you eat today? Do you know where it came from? Any clue how it got to your plate? For most of us, if we really start to think about these questions, we probably lose our appetite. Many of us are quite disconnected from our food. We likely have little actual knowledge of what goes in our bodies on a daily basis. This is somewhat shocking considering that just a few generations ago everyone knew exactly where their food came from. In most cases it came from their backyard. Yes, this meant sacrifice. In most cases, meat was extremely rare - sometimes only eaten once or twice a year (so that Thanksgiving and Christmas meals were truly feasts).

It's beyond naive to think that we can return to this way of life on a grand scale, and many of us will never fathom such a shift. However, we can all know more about our food. We can all make choices to eat locally, and most of us can plant gardens and grow at least some of our own food. We will examine a few practices we think will help what we eat not eat at us and creation quite so much.

New Creation Care Video

Check out our latest video with tips for reusing and reducing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8C8dZrHwcA

Reusable Practices

The Challenge: To Use As Little As You Can

This challenge is fairly simple to relate: try to avoid using as many disposable things as possible. Putting this into practice can be a little more difficult. Nearly everything we buy has something disposable along with it. It’s sanitary, it’s quick, and most of all it’s easy. But, we are making lots and lots of trash, and using lots of resources to make it. Each of us is responsible in a lifetime for so much more trash than our great-grandparents. It is hard not to just go with the flow. I find it very rewarding, though, to know I am contributing less, even if it is extra work. But, you have to be ready to remember to bring reusable things with you, for strange looks, and to do much more cleaning. But, this can be spiritual, as menial as it sounds. To me, it is getting the most from what we are blessed with and not wasting God’s gifts just because it is easier. Here are some common examples, but I am sure there are plenty others to come up with. If you have other ideas of practices or ways of making the practices habits, please post them as comments on this post.

Water Bottle/Cups/Coffee Mugs: Carry a water bottle or cup with you, even when you go to get fast food. Most fast food places these days will let you use your cup for water or soft drinks once you explain what you’re doing and that you are saving them money on cups. You can still find water for free nearly everywhere you go, too, and most city water standards are the same or even better than bottled water company standards.

Silverware: Just like with cups, you can carry a fork or even spork with you and never have to use the disposables. You can do this with chopsticks as well.

Reusable shopping bags: Next time you are in line at Wal-Mart, look at how many plastic bags get used by the people checking out. One family doing a week of shopping uses many. Multiply that by everyone that day, then by all the Wal-Marts in the world, then by each day in the year and think about how much plastic that is. And, that’s just Wal-Mart. The toughest thing about the reusable bags is remembering to bring them with you.

Plates: I have noticed that churches have gotten into the habit of using paper or Styrofoam plates much more with meals. I remember going to the Men’s Breakfast with my dad every first Sunday of the month when I was a teenager. We had a great breakfast from scratch, a speaker, and then we cleaned up. One of the most vivid images in my mind, is washing and drying dishes with the men of the church—all ages—and I wonder how much of my memories of those men would be lost if we had simply thrown away the paper plates, because it was so much easier than washing the church's dishes.

Paper: So many people waste paper on a consistent basis. Be sure to save paper you print on and use the other side if your document is not something official. Recycle the paper you finish using. You can use it to stuff packages. If you are really industrious, you can turn it back into new paper yourself.

Diapers: Of all the ones we looked at, this is clearly the most difficult and requires the greatest sacrifice. Not being a father, I cannot say that I would be enthusiastic to wash diapers, but I do know it would save a great deal of resources and landfill space. And disposable diapers take a very long time to decompose (if ever).

Doggie Bag: Keep some Tupperware in your vehicle, so you don’t have to use the typically Styrofoam take-out containers restaurants offer.

Sandwich Bags etc.: My wife and I have not bought plastic, zipping sandwich bags in the entire time we’ve been married, because we simply wash them after we use them.

These are just a few practices you can carry on. Basically, anytime you throw sometime away, ask yourself if there is a better way to use that resource. You will have to remember to keep these reusable items with you. You will deal with huffs and puffs from people thrown off their routine. You will have to explain yourself to more people than you care to. But like many lifestyle changes we choose to make, we don’t choose it because it is easy, but because we feel convicted. To me, this is a way of praising God for his gifts—to use them to their utmost. For me these lifestyle changes have been an act of praise.

August Focus: Reuse

Some people make "going green" or "living green" into a herculean challenge. But this month, we want to highlight the fact that one of the most effective things to do involves simply doing more of what you do already and with greater intentionality.

You probably don't go out and buy new bath towels every week. Instead of throwing towels away after every use, you clean them and reuse them. I'm also guessing you eat on dishes that you reuse, use utensils that you clean, and drink from cups that get washed and put back in the cabinet for another use. In fact, most of our daily routine consists of lots of reusing.

We're suggesting you turn what you already practice in your daily living into an intentional mission - reuse as much as possible. Use your towel several times before cleaning it. Even hotels are now asking people to do this. It saves them water and energy, but also money, and it will do the same for you. Take your favorite coffee mug to work with you. Use it for coffee and water throughout the day. Then bring it home, rinse, and repeat. If you really feel courageous, start taking your own cup to restaurants (especially those that use styrofoam) and ask them to let you use your own rather than using theirs. If they balk, remind them that you are saving them money because they aren't losing a cup on you.

The outcome is fairly simple: less waste. When you reuse, you automatically reduce.

Watch for more updates in the days to come about ways to reuse and motives for taking this green step.

Annual Conference Message

Hey Memphis Annual Conference, Go Green for God!

Weekly Green Practice: Volunteer in Some Sort of Outreach

We have concentrated, so far, on animals and plants in nature, but we cannot forget helping in the growth of humans as well. I have spent a good bit of my life helping children, youth, and adults to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Through this, I have learned as much as I have taught. There are so many possibilities to be involved in the growth of people around you that we will only throw out some ideas. What you have available specifically will, of course, depend on where you live.

• Volunteer to help with young people. Churches are constantly searching for people to help with children and youth ministries. In many cases they aren’t looking for a director, but simply someone to be a mentor and help lead. In addition to the church, in larger cities, there are many youth organizations such as sports leagues, scout societies, service organizations, and many others. You can basically help with just about anything you have an interest in.
• Volunteer to help the marginalized. This is another type of ministry where there is no lack for need of help. You can find ways to help the poor, hungry, refugees, homeless, sick, abused. There are programs in the church and in cities throughout our conference. It would be as simple as asking your pastor to get put with the proper people.
• Volunteer to visit shut-ins, the elderly, or the imprisoned. Companionship can sometimes be a greater gift than money or food. There are many people who need more people in their life. By going and using a resource which so many of us seem to be short on: time, you can change lives, one of which will probably be your own.

Finding the Spiritual in this Practice: This, for anyone religious, is a no-brainer. To reach out to those in need is one of the most important things we are called to do as Christians. There are many verses that resonate with these actions that you can repeat to yourself each time you begin this type of work. This type of work calls you to prayer for the people you are helping. The more you develop ways to help other people, the more you tend to learn something about yourself. I believe that we become better by helping others to be better. It is the nature of God to cause things to grow. When we can take part in that, it is a truly holy thing.

Weekly Green Practice - Get to know the other animals around you

In addition to the birds, there are many, many other animals around you that you may not even know about. There are plenty of those animals that you probably want to continue not to know about, but there are some that could benefit you practically and spiritually.

• Communing with the wild animals around you. You have to be very careful with which animals you interact with and what you do, but appropriate actions can be very beneficial. You don’t want to begin feeding animals and having them come to depend on your food. On top of making them less able to survive in the wild, it can become quite a nuisance around the house. So, you can’t exactly go feeding the raccoons, snakes, coyotes, mice and other wild animals around you as you would the bird. You can put out a salt lick for the deer, though. Putting up a bat house, while not supporting the most beautiful of animals, will help control your mosquito population.
• Adopting a pet. With so many domesticated animals being abused or just left out, it is very generous to give one of these animals a home. This is yet another chance to care for something God has created, but with these animals it goes a little deeper. You are caring for one of God’s creatures that has been hurt or cast aside. This is not only an act for the benefit of having a pet—it is an act of charity.

Finding the Spiritual in this Practice: I’ve had many spiritual experiences with animals that I can’t really describe. They are a source of comfort. They can be challenging. They can be wonderful representatives of the nature of God. Whether you are just observing animals or taking responsibility for an animal’s well-being, you are coming into contact with a life besides yours. I recommend seeing this time as a Sabbath time. Clear your schedule and your responsibilities and us this time to connect to God and part of his creation. Take a time of prayer. Read scripture that references animals. Notice those qualities in the animal you are observing. I find that these planned or chance encounters with animals can be very spiritual.

Weekly Green Practice - Grow plants around you

I, by no means, am gifted at growing plants, but the more I try, the more I get right. I have gone from being a plant killer to an occasional plant rescuer. I like to dig up plants and move them near me. I enjoy growing plants from seeds. I am still not always successful in these endeavors, but there is something nice about getting it to work and figuring out what a plant needs. Here are some of my amateur suggestions and ways these practices have become spiritual for me.

• Grow a plant. It’s as easy as going to the store and buying some seeds, then getting soil and a container that will let excess water get out. You can grow flowers, herbs, or just a plant that you like. Many people talk about having plants in offices and other rooms that bring life into that place. Anytime you are responsible for the life of something (parents and pet owners understand this) it changes you. If you care for your plants, this can have the same effect.
• Transplant a plant. I really enjoy rescuing plants that might not make it. For example, I like to dig up young cedar trees that grow up on roadsides. I know eventually road crews will come in and mow them down, so I find a place to plant the tree where it might be useful. At camp, I’ve been able to save some trees, plant a tree in a spot Lakeshore needs one, and saved the camp the cost of buying a tree (which can get pricy). I also love to think about the possibility of one day being next to a tall tree that I put in the ground as a sapling.

Finding the Spiritual in this Practice: For me, there is just something deeply spiritual about helping something to grow. In the routine I make for myself of watering my plants, pruning limbs and dead leaves, and adding mulch and compost, I feel like I am part of something God is doing. To see my plants bloom, sprout leaves, and bear fruit is a satisfying feeling—a call for thanks and praise. Pray as you carry yourself through these routines. Find the metaphors between tending a garden or house plant and God taking care of you. Read verses that have to do with plants growing (there are so many). Growing plants is a major theme throughout the Bible. These practices will help you to identify with the stories and parables throughout the Bible. You may begin to see yourself in your plants.

Scripture: Read Jonah 4:6-11. This is one of my favorite passages. God is asking Jonah to see things from God's perspective. Jonah is whining about a plant he had nothing to do with, and God is saying, "Imagine what it's like for me the Creator to see my creation destroyed." When we take part in helping something grow, we re-connect with creation and with the Creator.

Weekly Green Practice - Get to know the birds around your house

No matter where you live, there are birds of some sort around. We go through life, often, not even noticing them. It can be a wonderful thing to simply watch them and listen to them chirp and sing. Here are ways you can help the chances of seeing them and ways to make it spiritual.

• Put out a bird feeder: You can make a bird feeder or buy one pretty cheap. They are easy to put up or hang, and you can watch birds from your porch or window. You may want to keep it out of reach of squirrels and cats, but otherwise set back and enjoy the different types of birds that come to visit.
• Put out a bird bath: Having any kind of consistent water will draw birds. It can be the fountain type that circulates water, but a simple bowl will also draw the birds in. This is another item, when properly placed, you can watch even from a window.
• Erect bird houses. There are many types of bird houses out there. Bluebird houses are popular. Martin houses are popular and, I’ve heard, help keep the mosquito population at bay. What is also neat about putting up bird houses is that you know birds are raising their young there. I love knowing that these life cycles are going on right under my nose.
• Try to get to know these birds as you watch them and become more familiar with them. You will notice certain birds move in different ways. You will recognize songs and calls. If you have a bird book or knowledgeable family member you can start picking out what types of bird are visiting you. You can read up on them and know their behaviors and what they do.

Finding the Spiritual in this Practice: It is said that Saint Francis of Assisi preached to the birds. Here is something attributed to him:

My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing through the sky and He has clothed you... you neither sow nor reap, and God feeds you and gives you rivers and fountains for your thirst, and mountains and valleys for shelter, and tall trees for your nests. And although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you and your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses you abundantly. Therefore... always seek to praise God.

I like to imagine this image of sharing God’s love even to the animals. I also think this is a great opportunity for Sabbath time. This is a time to rest the mind and body, simply being in God’s creation with his creatures. I recommend taking this time daily and putting everything on hold for whatever amount of time you decide. Sit outside or by your window. When you begin this time, spend some time in prayer. Take time to look up scripture on the birds of the air. There are plenty in the Psalms, or the creation story in Genesis can get you started. Let those words resonate in your head as you watch the birds. Feel the connection you have there by providing something for them. If your experience is anything like mine has been, you will begin to notice birds everywhere you go where you did not before. You may also feel more urges to praise God each time you notice them.

Scripture: "Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them." Luke 12:24

Creation Care Team May Focus - Taking Part in the Growth of Something Living

This blog will be taking on a new focus. My friend, Troy Taylor, and I are members of the Memphis Annual Conference's Creation Care Team. So, we are going to be adding material related to our mission of helping our conference better care for God's creation. We will continue to have other material here as well, so check early and often.

Taking Part in the Growth of Something Living

I find few things as fulfilling as helping something living to grow. I realized this first while working at camp. I was involved in the lives of so many young people, and I got to watch them grow up over the years. I’ve been here long enough to see Elementary campers grow up and become staff members in their college years. It is a blessing to watch these young adults work at camp and see how brave they are. I watch them during the summers. They comfort crying children like a parent. They sing with the energy of a brand new Christian. They work until they have no energy left to give. And, I remember when they were just over four feet tall. I remember talking to them as they got out of their cars on the first day. I remember how they shied away, not sure what to make of all these people and all this excitement. I remember a few years down the road when they got out for Junior High and Senior High camp. It was a highlight to their year. I remember how they jumped out of the vehicle and ran to all their favorite people. And now, they are doing the work of this place.

I am so happy that I get to play some part in this growth—that I have had chances to talk to these guests and share their joys and their pain. I have been able to give advice and to offer comfort. I have rejoiced in their successes and continued to enjoying playing with them through all of this. To know that some of my presence in these years might have helped these young people become what they have makes my life seem so much more worth while. This is not always evident to me—it is a thing that is realized when you step back after days, months, or even years and see how something or someone has grown.

I think everyone needs to be involved in helping something grow. It can be a plant or an animal, even a person. Something in it, I feel, brings you closer to God. You are brought closer to the miracle that things are living at all. This helps you look at your life and how you have grown over the years. You see how God can work through so many things, including you.

This month, we ask you to involve yourself in the growth of something. Take on a new project or take more time with those things you already do. Grow a plant. Feed the birds. Take time to involve yourself in the lives or others. You probably already do at least some of this daily. In the upcoming weeks, though, I would like for us all to think more about how God is at work. We are providing verses, devotions, and activities to help you along with this.

Check out our monthly video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSLCutcOtkY

Green Speech

Wanted to kick off "Earth Week" in a big way. Here's a letter Joel Allen (Minister of Discipleship at FUMC) and I sent to the editor of The Jackson Sun. Not quite nailing 95 theses to a church door in Wittenburg, but it's something.

Caring for creation is primarily a theological issue, and people of faith who see creation as a gift from God have a deep responsibility to lead the way in an overall “greening” of Jackson. Given the number of faith communities in Jackson, the city should be one of the “greenest” in the nation. Unfortunately this is not the case. Perhaps this is because caring for creation is often confused for a political issue in which there are polarized sides. Of course this is a mistake because people of all political stripes (as well as other definitions by which we divide ourselves) are dependent on creation for life in the same way. It is one of the great levelers in life. We all share this planet, and its health is vital for ours and all other creatures. “The environment” is not something separate from us. We are all part of the environment - intricately woven into it and inseparable from it. This should be evident to all humans, but people of faith have a further responsibility. We who profess to love God must love what God made. Certainly this applies to our loving one another, but we are called to show great care for all that God brought into being. It is wonderful to see curbside recycling and other movements in our community, and we pray people of faith who call upon the God of all creation will recommit themselves this Earth Day to loving the Creator by caring for creation.

Rev. David Brent Hollis

Rev. Dr. Joel Allen

Turning Over A New Leaf

I've been pretty nonexistent on here lately. It's certainly not due to a lack of passion about this issue, but lately I have struggled with "the next steps." I think for a while I have felt a stirring to pursue something "big." For whatever reason, I've been putting it off. Well, a couple of things have happened.

First, the church I serve (www.jacksonfumc.org) committed to host the "Hope for Creation" Simulcast on April 21st at 6:30 p.m. (CST). This was even accomplished without my cajoling, and I'm very excited about it. You can see more about the simulcast here: www.blessedearth.org

Second, the conference in which I serve has a creation care team that I have been a member of but on which I have done very little. The other day, one of my closest friends shared with me that at the last meeting (which I didn't attend - a cautionary tale) we were nominated to have more responsibilities. He's pumped about it, and so am I. This blog may become a larger forum for this work, and he might even become a co-contributor.

So, the big thing is I want to help bring curbside recycling to my community. I have really no idea how to accomplish this. We have some recycling, but honestly it's pretty meager especially considering our size and resources. All I really know is we generally live in a society where if enough people want something badly enough it tends to happen. So I hope I can be a catalyst for this. If anyone reading this has accomplished such a goal, please tell me how.

I also hope to post each day during Holy Week to make up (slightly) for my dismal record lately.

Weekly Green Thought

"I do not worship matter. I worship the Creator of matter who became matter for my sake, who willed to take His abode in matter, who worked out my salvation through matter...Because of this I salute all remaining matter with reverence, because God has filled it with his grace and power. Through it my salvation has come to me." John of Damascus, On the Divine Images 1:16

Weekly Green Thought

"The whole earth is a living icon of the face of God." John of Damascus (675-749), Treatise

Combine and reduce

My calendar post the other day had a great suggestion I hadn't considered. I constantly look for ways to cut my lifestyle and live simpler. This post suggested combining as many hygiene products as possible. If everyone in the house can use the same shampoo, body wash, etc. you can buy in bulk and use refillable containers. Cuts down on waste and expenses. Of course, I'm single so there's no one to share with except my dog, and I'm not sure I should use her shampoo. But hopefully I'll have a larger family someday to share with.

Weekly Green Thought

"Poor innocent little creatures, if you were reasoning beings and could speak, you would curse us. For we are the cause of your death, and what have you done to deserve it?" Isaac the Syrian (late seventh century)

Happy Green Year!

For Christmas I got a "Living Green: 365 Ways to Make a Difference" desk calendar. I'm quite excited about it, and I will use its wisdom to supplement the "Weekly Green Thoughts" (which will hopefully be more weekly than they were in 2009 ;) from The Green Bible.

I like this one a lot since I recently bought a new house. It is on the calendar's box rather than an actual page I've seen yet - but I think it works anyway. "What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on?" - Henry David Thoreau

What if we start to think about the virtue of a house not in terms of square footage or amenities, but in terms of its impact (or hopefully lack thereof) on the earth which is home to all creatures?