Doxology

Why is it that beauty in nature strikes us with such a powerful force?  A friend shared a personal moment.  I want to retell this with his words.

I woke up early one morning of a camp retreat.  I decided to go for a quiet walk on the trail around the lake.  I turned a bend and was stopped in my tracks.  The way the sun was shining through the tree leaves onto the dewy grass and branches made everything around me glow like pure gold.  I had never seen anything so beautiful.  I was overwhelmed.  Right there, I broke out into The Doxology, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!"  No camera could ever catch what I was seeing that morning.  I'll never forget it.  

You have to know; this friend is not prone to spontaneity, nor songs,  nor overpowering emotions.  I cannot even in my wildest dream imagine him busting into song!  Sure, I will sing for the whole world to hear, I get emotional over everything, and spontaneity is expected in my house.  But not this guy!  He's a librarian!!

So what would make this guy, this librarian, get all caught up in praise like that?  I believe it's the Creator's handiwork.  His stunning details.  The majesty of it all.  I know it is being surrounded by only the work of God's hands and having distractions removed.  ---Interesting, look up "beautiful" in a thesaurus.  I still couldn't find a word all-encompassing enough to describe God's creation.

But what about city-folk?   Or people that believe all of this is a giant cosmic accident?  Maybe it's just easier to believe in an accident, if you're in the city surrounded -not by God's work- but by Man's creations.

I just know I was reminded to enjoy the world around me.  To look for as much of God's glory as I can see.  To clear away distractions.  If all of creation is already praising the LORD, then I need to join in the song.  And maybe my friend was lead to do just that.  "Praise Him, all creatures here below!"

Psalm 19

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

² Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

³ They have no speech, they use no words;

no sound is heard from them.

⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

^{Psalm 96}

¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
   let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
¹² Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
   let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
¹³ Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
   he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
   and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Inspiration

This gal is amazing!  

I really just wanted to "Pin" this picture, so I needed to have it posted somewhere real!

Don't Call Me "Green"

     I wouldn't want anyone getting the wrong idea of me, so I'll have to explain myself very carefully here.  I'm cheap.  It's not that I don't care about the environment, or that I'm not bothered by the amount of chemicals we take in, but that I hate spending money.  Or at least that I'd rather spend my money wiser -- because I admit, I do love shopping!  Anyways, I'm going to tell you all the things I hesitate to talk about for fear of being labeled "green".  

     I make my own laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent.  I don't use shampoo or conditioner.  I wash my face with Olive Oil.  And my only real cleaning product is a spray bottle of vinegar.

     These were easy changes that are pretty decent money savers.  Going "poo-free" was probably the scariest idea, because I love my hair, but also the biggest money saver.  Simply baking soda in water to wash and vinegar water to condition.  Instead of a $4 bottles of shampoo and conditioner.  Actually my hair feels cleaner and thicker with much less fall-out!  (Though the hair-dye color is fading a touch faster.)

     I'm always looking for other DIY alternatives.  And yes, I want them less toxic.  But honestly, it comes down to the cost right now.   I do believe that as a Christian, I  have a responsibility to be a better steward of God's creation.  However, I refuse to let "Environmentalism" become my religion and Mother Earth become my god. So send me any ideas you find, but don't call me Green!!