children of God - stewards of His earth

:: JMJ :: 


















:: Much to my dear Mama's joy, one of her favorite magazine's, Mother Earth News, brought their festival right into our back yard … at least, it felt like it. (Driving 15 minutes away isn't so bad for someone used to driving an average of 1/2 hour anywhere.) Now, I must be blunt, I am not big on the whole "back to nature" mentality; and therefore, I was a little hesitant at first. However, by mid-afternoon I could not deny, no matter how hard I tried, that I was having a lovely time.

It was a very eclectic experience, I thought. From learning to make soap at home (hopefully an adventure I shall take on before Fall …) to using one's chickens as a tool in one's garden, my little red notebook now holds some wonderfully diversified notes, hastily jotted down throughout the day. I am so blessed by the great amount of knowledge I was able to glean from many of the opportunities the festival offered.

And so another day has come and gone, and once again, I am so very blessed. I still feel the same way about the tree hugger mentality and about dreadlocks and tie-dye shirts, but I must say … today's festival had some fairly amazing, down to earth content. Thoughts, concepts, and ideas that were essentially Christian were the bond that created a comradeship between every human being at that festival, believer or non-believer. It was beautiful to see those who do not believe in Christ, or even in God, perceiving the dignity of life, the importance of sustainability, and the beauty of creation and the earth; they are able to recognize their important role as stewards of these gifts and seek to act in this role. That was powerful.

Educated, inspired, and motivated by the convictions of my brothers and sisters in Christ at this festival, as well as many of the presentations (although not all, as I am still reticent about this idea of a "yurt"), I have been emboldened to move forward as a better steward of God's earth and creation. ::

Blessings,
                                      
"Our insistence that each human being is an image of God should not make us overlook the fact that each creature has its own purpose. None is superfluous. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God." (81)

"It must be said that some committed and prayerful Christians, with the excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of concern for the environment. Others are passive; they choose not to change their habits and thus become inconsistent. So what they all need is an “ecological conversion”, whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them. Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience." (217)

{Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home - Pope Francis}

Comments

  1. Mentink FamilyAugust 10, 2015 at 11:15 AM

    Amen! This momma still feeling the love of the weekend and fair. Blessings abound!

    ReplyDelete

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