Loving God

Cardinal Flower

"The Earth will end only when God declares it's time to be over. Man will not destroy this Earth. This Earth will not be destroyed by a Flood," Shimkus asserted. "I do believe that God's word is infallible, unchanging, perfect." - 2009 Representative John Shimkus (Illinois)

I understand that this is old news, but I recently came upon this quote by an esteemed member of Congress.  I agree with all of it with the exception of the second sentence.  I guess it is a matter of how one defines "destroy".  If destroy means to cause the literal destruction of the planet, as in the Earth being blown to bits in a massive global explosion, then no, I do not think that man will destroy the Earth.  If destroy means to make the Earth, in total or in part, uninhabitable, then yes, absolutely man will, and I would argue has already begun, to destroy the Earth.

Acid runoff and herbicide treatment of OH56 roadside in Athens County, Ohio.

I think God will step in before we blow the planet to bits.  Yes, the Bible says that the Earth will not be destroyed by flood.  The Bible does not say that the Earth will not be destroyed by fire, locusts, war, or glyphosphate.

Rather, my concern I want to express in this edition of My Search for Creation is the attitude that usually accompanies the type of statement expressed by Mr. Shimkus.  The attitude is that we can do whatever we want to the Earth because God will not allow the planet to be destroyed until he is ready for it.  

When Christ was asked what the most important commandment is, he responded, "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength." (Matthew 22:37)  Let me ask, if we really truly love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, why would we willingly inflict injury upon something so wondrously and purposefully created by God?  I know Mr. Shimkus believes that God created the Earth, because he says so in a different portion of the transcript from above.  If we love God, we should love His creation as well.  And we should treat it in such a way as to express that love.

I love my children.  And because I love my children I do not go into their room and trash their stuff.  If anything, I encourage them to take good care of their things so that they can continue to enjoy them.  Why would somebody who claims to love God be so willing to trash his Creation?

I have to wonder if some folks' Christianity is more politically driven than love driven.  While I never will think that some people are beyond hope, I do believe that it will take an act of God to bring some people around to loving Him for love's sake and not for ulterior motives.  As for the rest of us, how do you show that you love God?  Is it a convenient pick-up line for Christian mingle.com or to garner political votes, or is it something that you show on a daily basis?  Let me offer a suggestion.  Go out into Creation and and tell God how much you love Him and show it through your behavior.

Quiet Waters

Black River in eastern Arizona.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

Psalms 23 is probably the second most quoted scripture in the Bible, next to John 3:16.  Denzel Washington quotes this scripture in the movie Book of Eli (one of my favorite movies by the way!).  The portion of the psalm that many people know is in verse four; the valley of the shadow of death part.  Above is the NIV version which reads a little differently.

For me, the comforting part of Psalms 23 is verses 2 and 3.  I recall when my oldest daughter and I were training for a 60-mile, 5-day backpacking trip along the Mogollon Rim in central Arizona.  We would take shorter, 10-20 mile overnight training hikes to help prepare us for the big one.

On one of those training hikes, we were backpacking near an area called Blue Ridge, not far from the gas station and small post office known as Clint's Well.  At one point in the trip, we descended close to 1000 feet into the Clear Creek Valley. At the bottom, we took off our boots and soaked our tired feet in the creek.  Of course, the mountain water of the creek was quite cold and after about ten minutes our feet were approaching numb.  We walked across the creek barefoot, needing to cross the stream anyway, dried our wet feet with dirty laundry from our packs and continued up the path.

I guess it all depends how one defines "quiet".  Yes, the water gurgled down the creek bed, occasionally crashing against a rock.  In that sense, perhaps the waters of Clear Creek were not quiet.  If one defines "quiet" as being at peace, then Clear Creek went well beyond quiet.  When Eileen and I were sitting in Clear Creek, we embraced this peace.  The only sound to be heard was the wind rushing down the valley, an occasional raptor screaming at something beneath where he circled overhead, and the creek itself.  I was very fortunate that my daughter, who was only twelve years old at the time, respected this peace.

Every time I go hiking, at least by myself, I try to dedicate time to just sit. Perhaps my feet are dangled into a cold stream or maybe I am just leaning against a rock.  Listening to the water flow or the wind finding its way through the tree branches above brings me peace.

I find myself in a position now-a-days where I need to find some quiet waters.  I think every now and then we need reminding that the rat race is not what God intended.  Stroking egos and picking lint is not what God intended.  These are human priorities that have been thrust upon us.  God intended for us to be at peace.  And while we can find God (and His peace that surpasses understanding) anywhere, I find it best beside the quiet waters.

Ready for Spring

Like many folks, I am ready for spring.  Here in Ohio, this seems like the coldest and snowiest winter on record.  Not sure if it has been officially.  Seems like pretty much everyday of 2014 it has either snowed or we have had temperatures ten to twenty degrees below normal; several days have been both.

Psalms 104 says that:

"He made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening."

God made the seasons, and I certainly understand the logic behind having seasons. Winter is a time of rest. Creation still rests in winter.  Man . . . well that's a different story.

The Bible also says that God will not give us more than we can handle. Therefore, I will survive the cabin fever I am feeling. But in the meantime, here are some pretty spring pictures to lighten the mood!

Hepatica

Snow Trillium

Yellow Trout Lily

Monarch Butterfly: Poster Child for the Mismanagement of Creation

The data is out.  This week the WWF-Telcel Alliance released data from the annual estimate of the monarch butterfly population at the overwintering sites in central Mexico.  This winter, to no one's surprise, has the smallest number of monarchs ever recorded overwintering in Mexico.  Rather than actually counting each individual monarch, a daunting and impossible task, researchers estimate the area (in hectares) that the densely clustering monarchs are occupying.  The estimate for the winter of 2013-2014 is 0.63 hectares.  The previous record low was set last winter at 1.19 hectares.  The best winter since 1994-95 when data began to be collected was the winter of 1996-97 with 20.97 hectares.

For those who may be math challenged, this winter is a 97 percent decrease from 17 years ago.  Why such a precipitous drop?  There are a number of issues at play.  This past spring, when monarchs were leaving Mexico to head back north, the weather in Mexico and south Texas was very cold.  Normally what happens is the migratory generation of monarchs, those who spent the winter in Mexico, lay eggs and die in northern Mexico and south Texas.  The children, once they grow to adulthood, continue the trip north and east throughout North America.  In 2013, due to cold weather, many of the nectar and host plants needed to support the monarch life cycle were not available.  Spring and early summer in eastern North America had similar cold temperatures, thus putting the monarch life cycle further behind schedule.

The bigger problem for the monarch however is loss of habitat.  In December 1994, if an airplane had dropped DDT on the monarch overwintering sites in Mexico, killing 97% of the monarchs, there would have been a massive outcry, both from environmentalists and non-environmentalists, from everyday people who think butterflies are pretty.  However, we have managed to do the exact same thing through habitat loss, whittling away a little more each year, with only butterfly nerds seeming to notice.

Some of the habitat loss is happening on the Mexican side of the border with the illegal logging of pristine overwintering habitat.  And while I think we can find other ways for Mexicans in that area to make a living, I can understand the local inhabitants' perspective.  Genesis 2:15 tells us to use the land for our sustenance, but to also take care of the land.  The Mexicans have been logging these mountains for generations; it will take awhile to transition them to a different economy or to educate them on sustainable logging practices, such that there can be plenty of trees for man and insect.

The bigger problem for the monarch is on the American side of the border.  The use of Round-up Ready crops, conversion of wild lands to subdivisions, and roadside mowing to the point of obsession has made the once plentiful milkweed that the monarch depends on, a relic in its own right.  We are not taking care of the land wisely.  The Lord created a wonderfully intricate system when he formed Creation; a system that manages to stay in balance when left to itself.  As humans, we are using the land but taking care of it only in terms of our own selfish needs, rather than the needs of Creation itself and the system God put in place to operate it.

So what happens now?  I don't think the monarch is going to go extinct, only because nature nerds will not allow that to happen.  However, I think it is imperative for all believers to feel a sense of urgency to bring Creation back into balance.  The monarch is only the poster child for a divine system that is out-of-whack.  Every believer should be all about creating wildlife habitat in their home landscapes, having a minimal impact on Creation, and farming with an attitude of what is best for Creation and not just what is best for the next season's crop.

Start today!  Dedicate a section of your yard to convert back into prairie or woods or whatever it once was.  Plant milkweed in your yard for the next generation of monarch butterflies.  Replant the wildflowers that the hummingbirds once used for nectar.  We can bring Creation back into balance, if we ALL work at it a little bit at a time.

Happy Thoughts

Large-flowered Trillium

Twin-leaf Cutwort

I have found myself getting a little depressed over the last twelve hours or so.  I have seen, primarily via social media, too many examples of injustice in the world; too many acts of judgement against those who choose to live a Godly lifestyle.  I find it interesting how non-believers are so quick to accuse Christians of passing judgement, yet Christians cannot practice their faith without being called ignorant, hateful, and believers of pixies and fairies.  We have come to a place, or perhaps we have been there for a long time and I'm only just now noticing, where I feel like I am under constant attack, not because of how I treat people, but rather because of placing my faith in something other than myself and science.

Once upon a time, back in the early history of our nation, some of the most noted naturalists were men of faith, clergymen.  When they were not preaching, presiding over funerals, and other official duties, they were out learning from Creation.  Now-a-days, it is very difficult for  person of faith to share their enthusiasm for Creation, because most naturalists are not people of faith.  They believe that those of who are, are nothing more than flakes out searching for leprechauns.

So, as I began writing this I found myself in need of finding a happy place.  My happy place is the Stone House Trail at Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge, Ohio. This trail, located on the north side of the park, is perhaps one of the best wildflower walks in Ohio come April and May.  Even in bad wildflower years, this trail is stunning.  In good years, the overwhelming beauty is almost enough to bring a tear to the eye. Sometimes I like to sit on one of the rocks surrounded by trillium and just listen to the waves of the lake, lapping up against the shore, the wind brushing against the leafless twigs above me.  It is refreshing to be absorbed into the raw beauty of Creation, nobody around to tell me I am not conservative enough, or to tell me how hateful I am because I do not agree with the latest social trends, or to ask if I have seen any unicorns pass by (snicker, snicker).

So please excuse me as I close my eyes, find a rock to sit upon, and listen to the only words that really matter; those of Creation rejoicing around me.

Something Foul A Foot

Skunk Cabbage season is once again upon us.  In swamps near and far, or at least in the northeastern fourth of the U.S., Skunk Cabbage will begin breaking ground any day now.  While many of my non-Christian friends will disagree, I think this plant has divine design written all over it.

Also known as Symplocarpus foetidus, this plant is completely designed to attract pollinators at a challenging time of year.  Not long after the flower (the lovely red and yellow structure) breaks ground, the spathe, the large outside 'envelope', starts to rot.  The process of rotting generates heat, enough heat to actually melt the snow directly around it.  Also enough heat to encourage the pollinating insect, most likely a fly or beetle, to crawl in to warm up.

Of course, as things rot they typically start to smell bad.  The foul odor yet again helps direct pollinators to the spadix, the yellow ball inside where the reproductive structures are located.  The pollinator crawls around on the spadix, thus picking up pollen and moving it around.  As if any more help were required, the color of the spathe is eerily reminiscent of decaying flesh.

The Skunk Cabbage is therefore designed to attract pollinators through sight, smell, and touch (heat).  If that is not design, redundant design at that, in action, then I don't know what is!  Let me encourage you to visit a woodland swamp near you and seek out these little gems, poking up through the icy crust.

Winter Beauty

While I like to connect Creation with scriptural truths, sometimes it's nice to go out into Creation just to enjoy the beauty of it.  Winter provides a unique opportunity to view Creation in a different light.  My youngest daughter and I went out this afternoon to view winter in all of its splendor in Clear Creek Metro Park just south of Lancaster.  There was no shortage of icy stalactites and natural black and white shots thanks to a recent snow.  Creation always looks so clean in the winter; all of the roadside trash hidden under a blanket of snow.

Let me encourage you to get out and enjoy the beauty of Creation in its wintery wardrobe!

A Season of Rest Part 2

I have been learning lately a lot about the 'resting period' that I spoke of in my last blog.  Creation is designed with resting periods, for organisms to slow down and rejuvenate  I had always thought that most butterflies overwintered in the pupa or chrysalis stage.  This would make sense.  The pupa in a way is a resting stage, being unable to move, at least unable to cover distances.  The pupa stage for many creatures can wiggle, which is a little freaky when you see it, but they cannot run away, fly away, etc.  And of course, winter is the natural season for a resting stage.  With the cold as debilitating as it is, it is difficult to move the life cycle very far forward in sub-zero temperatures.

However, in the past few weeks I have learned several butterfly species actually overwinter in the larva, or caterpillar, stage.  Pictured below is the Great Spangled Fritillary.  These fritillaries spend the winter as very early instar caterpillars, meaning very small caterpillars, perhaps only a few millimeters in length.  The caterpillars seek shelter in the deep cracks of tree bark.  Once the weather begins to warm in the spring they will crawl down the side of the tree to feast upon violets on the forest floor.

The caterpillars of other butterfly species, for example satyrs and grass skippers, will overwinter buried within the stems of the grasses that they will feed upon in the spring.  Of course, these overwintering caterpillars do not feed, but simply bide there time until the weather warms.

How are you using your resting period?  Creation was designed to meet all of our needs.  One of those needs is rest.  Take advantage of God's planning for your rest!

A Season of Rest

As I sit in my living room, wearing my Mexican blanket and toboggan, I have opportunity to reflect.  The weather outside is brutal from the human perspective; 5 degree air temperature with a wind chill around -20 degrees.  Snow covers the ground.  My furnace is set at 60 degrees in an attempt to save money on natural gas, hence the reason for the blanket and the stocking cap.  Yet, this brutal season is all by design (in my opinion).

Frequently, living in a capitalist country, there is a sense that we have to constantly be Go, Go, Go.  My employer is open today, hoping that every school in Ohio being closed will create opportunities for admission paying visitors.  We do not let bad weather stand in the way of generating revenue.  Fortunately today is a scheduled day off for me.

Instead, I view days like today, and seasons like the Midwestern winter, as opportunities for rest.  Creation needs an opportunity to rest.  Constantly being in Go mode weakens us and makes us more susceptible to disease.  Creation is the same way.  In the Midwest, that resting stage for Creation in winter.  The trees lose their leaves and go dormant.  The above ground portions of perennials and grasses turn brown and wither away.  The animals seek shelter in caves and hollow trees.  Aquatic creatures retreat to the warmest parts of their water body.  All of these organisms are seeking their rest, as intended, waiting for more favorable conditions in spring.

In the desert southwest, the season of rest is summer, when air temperatures top 110 degrees.  Trees lose their leaves.  Animals and insects find shaded hideaways to ride out the heat until the cooler nighttime arrives.
 
It would seem that us humans are the only ones who have not figured out that we need a season of rest as well.  We scurry around like headless fowl, trying to make money for ourselves or our employers, totally blinded to the fact that God created the world to have times for rest and rejuvenation.

My plan, which has already been implemented, is to take tomorrow off as well.  I am not a doctor, a police officer, or an EMS technician.  For there is nothing so critical that my presence is needed, beyond a divinely inspired day of rest!