Preserving Eden

Water is the essence of life. Imagery of water as a representation of our spiritual longing is all throughout scripture. Water is one of the most basic human necessities both physically and spiritually (John 4:14). It is necessary for nearly every aspect of life. Look around you right now. Water was used in the making of everything you see. Wood and cotton need water to grow. Water is used in the production of all plastic goods. The human body is 60% water. Water is the source of life, water is life. Yet we often treat it with disregard. Some places in the world seem to have an abundance of water and it’s easy to excuse wasting it. Only 2.5% of all the water on earth is fresh, the rest is saltwater. Of that 2.5% only 1% is easily accessible. And, most of that 1% is trapped too deep in the ground or permanently frozen. Only 0.007% of the water on earth is readily useable. Sadly, as pollution continues to contaminate our freshwater sources, filtering it becomes more expensive. As more pe...

I recently read an article that asked a very intriguing question. The book of Revelation informs us with vivid language that this earth is going to be consumed by fire in the end, so why, the article asked, should we bother trying to take care of nature? On the surface the answer may seem simple, we don’t need to bother. A deeper analysis shows that we are tenets living on God’s land (Job 41:11, Psalm 24:1). We do have to look after its upkeep after all. The earth is wearing out (Isaiah 51:6) and God will eventually destroy it with fire (2 Peter 3:10-12). But he has not abandoned it yet. One of the biggest issues God’s creation is now facing is the proliferation of plastic waste. It has accumulated around the globe and poses a significant issue with no clear solutions. A 2017 joint study by the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Georgia, found that of the 9.1 billion tons of plastic produced since 1950, approximately 5.5 billion tons litter Earth’s lan...

Kid’s favorite season is summer. There is lots of sunshine and great weather. They are off school and spend lots of time at home. Have you ever wondered why they have a long summer break? It was not always so. Prior to the 1900’s many schools had a summer term. But kids also had longer breaks each season to help with their family farm. The 1900’s brought mandatory school for children and thus bigger schools to serve all the kids who were not attending before. Large school buildings were hot and stifling in the summer. Improved transportation and a growing middle class meant more people could travel for vacation during the nice weather. These and other factors lead to the trend of a long summer break. School break is a necessary part of child development as it provides time for them to develop skills other than academics. Take this opportunity to spend time outside with your family. Encourage your kids to play outside often. Make them spend at least a couple of hours outdoors regular...