Category: Our Cool Planet

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Stewards of The Earth

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Genesis 2:15

I have been stirred this day by God’s Spirit, by the beauty of the evening sky and this world beneath it.

I am moved by the thought of what our God has given us, and by the greatness of the blessings He poured out when He created this world through His wisdom and power.

It uplifts me, to know His deep love for us, His children, and to sense His deep pride in the incredible creation which He bore us into.

What God has given us is greater than we can understand. Can we truly value the amazing gift of our life? Or, measure the incalculable blessings that He placed here upon the Earth?

Because, we were given skills and an intelligence like no other, we were elevated to live differently than all the other creatures that exist here.

Not as conquerers, or as selfish and greedy Lords. But, as those who live according to God’s love and understanding. As His servants, doing good and sharing in the bounty of this world.

God has called us to be as His stewards upon this Earth. That we should respect and care for it. To do our duty as God’s children.

Not as those who would, in negligence, harm it for their own profit. But that we might care for it as God’s precious creation for the good of our species, and equally, for the good of all that lives here.

We have been tasked with the responsibility of keeping this planet in good condition, so that all might prosper through its good condition

Also, so that we might love and honor it, because it is God’s precious creation

In recent times, we have learned how significantly our health is connected to the condition of the habitat of this earth; That we are vitally linked with all the conditions and life that surrounds us.

The health of this world is our collective health manifested.

And we see now, in these times, how we are failing in this God given responsibility. It seems clearly evident to many, but to others it is not that important.

By failing in our responsibility as stewards, we dishonor God, and bring needless harm to this earth.

We are beginning to create a greater peril for our own species, especially towards the poor and needy. Our God demands better from us, He understands what might happen.

As He has done from the dawning of time, He encourages us to flee from our errors. To honor Him in all that we do, by serving Him responsibly with love.

It is a daunting task, but one that each of us can play a part in

God is always just and forgiving.  He will help us overcome what we are causing

Each of us was created to be a good steward of our home, this Earth.

May we work together at this task so that all would benefit, and so that God’s love would abound. 3/1/2024

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The Incredible Wanderer

The Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)

One morning a few weeks ago, I stepped out into my yard and entered a familiar place, my pollinator garden. Almost immediately I spotted a plain looking Dragonfly resting on a branch soaking up the early sunlight. It had large eyes, clear veined wings, and a body that was light green and dull yellow. I was lucky that I came out early and it was still at rest, for I was able to sneak up and snap a couple of pictures. Seconds later, it flew up and circled the garden in effortless flight.

I’ve learned something important in recent years. When we take the time and effort to look closer at the life that lives all around us, we see so much more that we ever thought possible. There are thousands of species living in the places near where we live that we regularly pass by and never learn anything about. Some of these are truly incredible creatures that inspire us, wow us with their beauty, or surprise us with a unique ability. Life on this planet is amazing, and a wonderful slice of it is happening every day just outside our doors. As I have looked closer at what lives in the world around me, it became obvious that God did not make a simple world for us to live in. It is truly astounding in its complexity and function, yet in equal measure, it is filled with beauty and life giving qualities. 

When I went back in to have a morning cup of coffee, I thought about the visitor I had just seen. It looked a little different than other dragonflies I had seen recently. So, I uploaded my pictures and used an app to help me identify it. It came up as a Wandering Glider. Hmm, something I had never seen before, and I felt honored that this new visitor felt inclined to stop by this tiny garden within God’s vast creation.

As I sipped my coffee, I began to read about this creature. There was a lot of information about this one, perhaps because it was an unusually widespread insect. Infact, the most widespread Dragonfly on the entire earth. But, even more surprising to me was its ability as a long distance traveler. This small bug is perhaps the most exceptional migrator and navigator I had ever heard of. Some populations of the Wandering Glider have multigenerational migrations that span over eleven thousand miles. They travel across continents, the worlds highest mountain ranges, even vast oceans to follow the wet warm seasons of winds and moisture such as the famous monsoons.

I read about a scientist who studied one of their most amazing journeys. He found that a very large population of these insects migrate across the entire Indian Ocean from East Africa to India, nearly two thousand miles. Out over the water, these Dragonflies cannot land, or eat, but somehow they have enough strength to cover this distance flying nonstop in about five days. They use an inate knowledge of the weather and seasons to follow the monsoons and weather patterns of this region. They ride on the winds of these storms at just the right times and altitudes like fine skilled sailors. Back and forth they fly from Africa to India and from India to Africa over and over, for multiple generations. It just so happens that these weather patterns bring rains which wet the land, allowing this dragonfly to successfully lay millions of eggs into puddles and ponds on both continents. Being the voracious preditor they are, their larva consume literally billions of mosquito larva in these pools of water, keeping the pest populations in check and reducing the spread of infectious diseases like Malaria and Dengue.

After a couple days, the Wandering Gliders who had visited my humble garden moved on, likely to the north to a place of there own knowing. But I have not forgotten them. Life is truly surprising, and I’m reminded what an incredible place this Earth is when I see something that may not appear that special, but really blows me away. It strengthens my belief in God to see these wonders in the world that He created. I believe we all benefit from eachother and that this place is not just for us, but for all the life that lives here. It strengthens my resolve that it is absolutely worth protecting, because all of God’s creatures and plants each can tell similarly amazing stories. How important then that we try to save this place and keep things intact as best we can. For God created all of this abundant creation for our benefit and also for the prosperity of the life that lives here. 

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Let All The Earth Praise Him

“Oh Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:9

Shout praises to the Lord of all creation. Give glory to Him who reigns

Sing songs of gratitude for His mercy and love; give thanks for the multitude of His blessings

Sing forth all you mountains. Bend low, every hillside. Tremble, before His power and majesty

Raise your branches, every tree. Reach them high towards the heavens. Dance as the wind of His Spirit rustles through your leaves that catch the sun’s glowing light

Give honor to Him, all you vineyards; and blessing you fertile fields. For He has given you richness in great abundance, so that you might bless all the earth with plenty

Call forth you songbirds. Cry out every Eagle on high. Give honor to Him, darting swallows, for He has given you the wind beneath your wings

In thanksgiving bow before Him. With gratitude give him praise. For He has fed you from His abundance and placed the miracle of life within your frame

Call out you azure heavens. Raise up you mighty thunder clouds. Give glory to Him who stands above you, and stirs you like dust beneath His feet

Shine forth, every golden sunbeam. Illuminate God’s good earth, whom He alone has made

Give light to all His children, so they might glory at the beauty of His creation

Whisper soft hymns, you quiet waters. Reflect forth images of His goodness and mercy. Give drink to all those who thirst, and life to all that lives and breathes

Give honor to the God of the heavens, sing praise to Him who made this Earth

Offer, each day, a sacrifice of grateful thanksgiving for all the good things He has done

Our God is higher than all of His creation. He is greater than anything known

Sing, for He is awesome

Raise you voices, because of the magnitude of His glory

Lift up His name, for He is more than worthy of all of our praise. 11/5/2006

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The Significance of Caring

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did also for me.’ Matthew 25:40

How is it that we have become separated from our home the earth? That we have forgotten the connection we have to its function and beauty?

Has our technology insulated us from this reality? Do we not remember that caring for the Earth is caring for all its people, and indeed, all other life?

Our God created this place for us and all the wonder that abounds here. It is not ours to do with as we please

Because of our standing and our place in the order of things, it falls to us to care for the health of this place. As stewards, each of us must try to leave this place in better condition for the next generations

We should lead as a good example to our children, so, they might learn this important truth and not ignore it like we have

It is such an obvious goal to achieve and should never be neglected again

I hope the children of the future will look back at us kindly and forgive our generation for not recognizing this sooner. For at no time in history has our species created such a damaging impact upon our home

We have no choice now; we must reduce the harm we are causing. Because caring for the earth is, caring for its people

This is especially critical for our poor, the needy, and the vulnerable. Are these not the same ones God calls us to care for?

Can we also learn to share this place with each other, and give our time and wealth to help solve these problems? It is not going to be easy, but it must be done 

Neglecting to address this will place incredibly difficult burdens on future generations

We must begin to act now and swiftly ramp up our effort so that we can lessen the impacts and begin to heal this incredible place

Each of us bears some responsibility, we are all in this together

Lend a hand in any way you can. Use your strengths and skill to help others and to reduce your impacts. Support the efforts of others and our leaders who recognize the magnitude of this crisis

Become a caregiver of this earth and of its people and life

There is so much to be done

God will honor those who honor Him. He will consider our efforts as helping Himself when we care for those affected by this danger

We are all in this together, let us act in love, with concern for those who need our help. 1/29/2022

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A Mornings View

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

The heavens call out to me this morning. They sing a chorus over the darkened land

Their song shouts forth the glory of their place in the heavens above and speaks in quiet praise of the wonder of God’s creation

What joy I feel to see the stars and planets sparkling. How awesome to watch the smiling sliver of the moon poking up just above the horizon. The sun is chasing it, not far behind. Reflected light from earth illuminates the dim circle of its face

Great is our God who made all of this, He is wise beyond all the capabilities of our mind. By His power with a Word, He swung all this into motion. What wondrous things He has done

Our world is set amidst this endless creation. We have been cast as a grain of sand into the vastness of this place

How blessed am I to see all this beauty today, to ponder the width and depth of all God has made and to see its power, depth, and glory

It’s amazing that we have just begun to explore this space around us

Our ships have sailed out across the solar system

Our feet have walked upon the dusty surface of the moon

Our eyes have looked out across nearly 14 billion light years of space and seen to near the beginning of all we know that is

But God knows infinitely more

I wonder about our future here on this planet, can we somehow overcome our frailties?

Will our species grow more compassionate and loving towards each other, so we don’t mess up our chances for survival or a good outcome

For we are self-centered creatures, prone to greed and war. We have learned many amazing things, but have failed to solve the most difficult problems of our times

Our God looks down from the heavens above. He sees and knows what lies within us and offers us the wisdom of His Word and Spirit; the grace and mercy of His salvation, He freely gives

Will we truly acknowledge Him and go before Him in faith this day?

Oh, the beauty and wonder of God’s creation, what an incredible place He has made

Our Earth was formed by the strength and will of His hands and we were brought forth here, as His children

Our problems, which we have created, are rising above our heads. They threaten are very existence, but with God, we have the promise of a future

When we connect with Him, the creator of all that is, we will see and know that every good answer resides in Him.  11/30/20

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The Wonder of Water

All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place from where streams come, there they return again. Ecc 1:6

There is something beautiful about watching a river flow into the sea. To see them, born in mountains high and distant, rushing into the vastness of the oceans of our earth

What stories could those waters tell?

How many lives did they touch along the way?

Who thanked the river for the countless blessings it gave as it crossed their land?

Water is a miracle. It is the magic substance that all of life depends on, the stuff that we are made of

Earth is set apart from everything else we see in the universe by its water. It’s what makes this planet full of an abundance of life

Water is the solution that allows us to exist. All the millions of processes happening in us every second, occur only because of its incredible qualities

Its chemical properties are amazingly varied and unique. Water dissolves, transports, adheres, oxidizes, reduces, blends, and mixes. It flows, floats in the air, and becomes like a rock when it’s cold

It can gently wash the dust from a leaf, or, split solid rock and wear down mountains

On Earth it is ever present and life giving. All of life relies on its life sustaining properties

God has created an incredible world for us to live in. He has made this watery place filled with great abundance. It exists in a perfect balance of temperature, gravity, and mix of elements that ebb and flow, supporting this miracle we call life

Give thanks, be in awe of this wonder created by His hands. consider the wonder of water and its beauty; the power of the ocean when a storm has stirred it, when it creates mountainous waves of awesome power

Remember the beauty of a waterfall cascading over cliffs, the roar of rapids in a river at flood stage; the towering summits of thunderstorms white against the sky that pour flooding torrents of rainfall upon the land beneath

How beautiful to watch a river meet the sea, to observe it completing a cycle that gives life to all it touches

How distressing then, is it to see scarcity and pollution. Of lack, that has caused great suffering across this world

To see the flash floods and rising seas that threaten so many, or to hear about pollution that we have dumped into our precious waters; poison that has stricken many who have no choice in the matter

All these tragedies are of our own making, caused by a warming climate and the runaway waste of industry. Propagated by selfish and cost centered decisions that value wealth above our health

Water, one of God’s most miraculous substances is being defiled and altered

As we raise the earths temperature and reduce the quality of our waters, we place all life into increasing peril

God has made us responsible for what we do here within His glorious creation. It is up to us to clean up our waste and give honor to Him and regard all that dwells within His world

Consider, this day, what we are doing to our waters. Thank God for the wonder of its existence, then make a difference with your life.  11/12/2021

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Wake Up, This is Real

 

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy them; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:17

This world is changing, our climate is warming, the balance of our living world is degrading and few of us are paying attention

It appears, that the ways in which our climate is changing does not easily set off alarms in us. Perhaps it is happening at such an incremental rate that it defies our deep perception

We notice things are different, but we endure or adjust, and then move on. This  has left us profoundly vulnerable to this danger

Wake yourself, arouse your mind and sharpen your perception, become an observer and listener of nature. This is more important than we realize, a problem which will be difficult to recover from

Never forget that this planet was made by our God, created for life and for wonder. It is a miracle of His work

Do you think God applauds its destruction?

Many say they don’t see the climate changing. Look more intently, study the data determined by the experts.

Remember the harm you have seen across the lands nearby. Recall the gigantic fires, the powerful storms, the unusual freezes and unrelenting heat; the devastating droughts, and all of the collective damage done so far

Sense the enormity of environmental stress that covers most of the world now. It is all there for you to see, just open your eyes and understand

Some say it is a hoax or scheme to defraud us. But, why are so many brilliant people telling us there is now no doubt?

Climate change is happening. It is real, and our own actions are to blame. The real hoax may lie in the disinformation and lies spread abroad, sowed by those who can gain by creating confusion and distrust in the truth

Our God is a God of justice and righteousness, He considers those who act justly, and those who aspire towards what is good, but He is against anyone who acts selfishly and propagates lies

How do you think He feels about those who are damaging this precious Earth?

Some say it is our right to subdue this World that God gave us to live in. But we have gone far past overcoming the challenges of living on this planet

Never has there been so much destruction wrought upon our land, seas, and air; harm that has affected all life, especially our poor and our defenseless, the ones God calls precious in His eyes

Oh Lord, I pray for our collective climate awareness, that we might sharpen our focus upon this threat. Please help us grow closer and more united as we seek to find good solutions

We elevate you, the Lord of the heavens and of this Earth, so that we might regard You in all our ways, that justice may be served, and the health of our world, upheld

May we always acknowledge You, as we work to restore the bountiful abundance of this world, so that it may be well for us, and for all who live here, and so that You may be forever praised for your all Your awesome works. 3/5/2021

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Our Reason to Praise

Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. Psalm 104:1

 

Holy is the Lord God Almighty. He reigns over all the earth, and all of His creation

Our Lord looks out across the universe and sees that it is good. By His will it was created, along with all the things that exist within it

He formed all the nuances of light, motion, and matter. It was His thought to blend them to be just as they are, so that awesome formations like galaxies, black holes, and solar systems would exist; and so that life could spring forth to praise and worship His name

Holy is our God who made all this to be. He exists in every dimension He has created

Our Lord, and God, blesses everything that is, because He loves all that He has made. Glorious is our God; through the creation He has given us life. When we observe what He has done we cry out to Him, and praise Him for His wisdom, power, and love.

You are worthy, oh God, to receive all honor, and glory, and praise. For we amount to nearly nothing in relation to what You have made. We are but a breath, a small flash of light against the backdrop of the creation; inconsequential, but you have given us meaning for our life

For You, oh Lord, have considered us, and come to us. You have blessed us with Your Word, and sent to us Your very own Son as a minister and savior, so that we might live in harmony with You, forever

How great is Your love, it stretches out across all the universe. Yet, has become focused here upon this earth, our home; the place that You made for us, and for the life we share this planet with

Therefore, we give you our praise; we worship You alone, oh God. For there is nothing else as worthy as You

Great is our God, the One who has created all things. By Your will they were created and have their being. We bow before You and acknowledge that You are our God

We lay down our pride and possessions. The power that we thought we had over our life, we give to You.

The little strength have, we turn over to You, oh Lord; so that Your will can reside in us and allow us to consider You always, that we might receive Your love and live near Your throne, forever

Great is our God, and worthy of our praise. We were created by You, and in You we have our being. May You alone receive all our honor, our glory, and our praise

For You are our God and You love us and have blessed us with the gift of life. May we understand the depth, width, and height of all this, so that we might glorify You all the days of our life.   1/5/2021

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There Is Proof All Around Us

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Each day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2

 

When I see wonders throughout all of creation, it is proof enough to me that there is a God

Clouds streaming across the sky, even from beyond the curve of Earth’s horizon. Some form before my eyes, others shrink and disappear altogether

And in the distance, mountains rise up in their own quiet strength, beckoning me to explore their lofty reaches.They are not so much places where the Spirit of God resides, but temples, filled with the inspiration of beauty and solitude; places where God can speak to our hearts and reveal a measure of His glory

There are countless marvels within this creation. If we take the time to look and to explore, then we will become convinced of the priceless value of God’s creation

Who can gaze up across the expanse of stars that are spread out across the vastness of the heavens, and not be shaken deeply within their soul

Or, who can attempt to explain their place within the reaches of the universe, without being humbled by the scope of its magnificence, after looking at the small size our footprint

What man has learned about this place sheds light on the awesome power of God

But, there is so much more. God only knows the wonders He has formed, that we have not yet seen or explored; or barely determined, through the efforts of our curious minds

God is due our honor

He is worthy of our praise

The Most High is great beyond all measure. Give thanks to Him for what He has done

It is sufficient that I experience His presence; that I feel the touch of His Spirit upon my life. That I know without a doubt, His goodness and love towards me

And, it is proof enough for me to believe, as I contemplate His Word and His promises, because, I have experienced how His instruction has changed my life; To live in a way that is so much different than before.

I believe in His love for me. I have hope; and I know, each day, the blessing of peace and joy

I also trust in God, because all of life and creation validates Him, and proves to my heart, that there is nothing more important than to have faith in Him.   10/7/2007

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Give Praise to the God of All Creation

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens. Psalm 148:13

Shout praises to the Lord of all creation. Give glory to Him who reigns. Sing songs of gratitude for His love and mercy. Give thanks for all those He has saved

Sing forth all you mountains, bend low every hillside; tremble at the power of His footsteps

Raise your branches every tree. Reach high towards the heavens and dance as the winds rustles through your leaves that catch His glowing light

Give honor to Him all you vineyards, and blessing you fertile fields. For He has given richness in great abundance, so that you might bless all those He loves

Call forth you songbirds, cry out every eagle on high; give honor to him, you brightly colored hummingbirds, for He has given each of you the wind beneath your wings

In thanksgiving, bow before Him; with gratitude, give Him praise; for He has fed you from His abundance and place each feather upon your frame

Call out, you azure heavens; raise up, mighty thunder clouds; give glory to Him who stands above you, and stirs you like the dust beneath His feet

Shine forth, every golden sunbeam; illuminate God’s good earth, which He alone has made. Give light to all His children, so that they might glory at the beauty of His creation

Whisper soft hymns, you quiet waters; reflect forth images of His goodness and mercy. Give drink to all those who thirst and life to all who live and breathe

Give honor to the God of the heavens; sing praises to Him who made this earth

Offer, each day, a sacrifice of grateful thanksgiving for all the good things that He has done

Our God is higher than all of His creation; He is greater than anything known. His glory fills up each space within the universe, and His power steers the stars

Sing!, for He is awesome. Raise your voices, because of the magnitude of His glory

Lift up His name, for He is more than worthy of all our praise.  11/5/2006