Sunday, November 30, 2014

Psalm 146, 147 Isaiah 1:1–9 2 Peter 3:1–10 Matthew 25:1–13

Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:13

One of my happy places is my own backyard. I love

to sit on our swing chair admiring the garden I have sowed with vegetable and sunflower seeds. The birds, squirrels, chipmunks and Beatrix Potter-sized field mice feast on the seeds from our birdfeeders. Sometimes I am lucky enough to see a tiny rabbit munching away. My large Labrador Retriever, Joey, lies at my feet.It is in the wonders of creation that we see the hand of God, “who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them.” It is why I feel a strong desire to help protect the earth now so our children’s children can enjoy “this planet earth, our island home.”

In a consumer and convenience driven world with corporations hungry for profit that destroys or disturbs the environment, this is no easy task. We can do our part locally by composting, recycling and being conscious about our choices. Tap water over bottled water, washable dishes over disposable ones, taking transit rather than driving alone and buying some food in bulk rather than in excessively-packaged containers are choices we can make.

I am thankful for the ‘watchdogs’ who keep an eye on how large corporations are extracting products for profit from our earth, organizations protecting wildlife and those monitoring gas emissions responsible for the ‘greenhouse effect’.

Our God-created world is an awesome place. We are all responsible to lovingly protect it, to prepare it for future generations. Is this not a way we engage in welcoming the Messiah?

– Lynn Samways-Hiltz