Caring For Creation ~ February 2008
We can [not] live harmlessly or strictly at our own expense; we depend on other creatures and survive by their deaths. To live, we must daily break the body and shed the blood of creation. The point is, when we do this knowingly, skillfully, reverently, it is a sacrament; when we do it ignorantly, greedily, clumsily, destructively, it is a desecration…in such desecration we condemn ourselves to spiritual and moral loneliness and others to want. ~ Wendell Berry
As winter rolls on I slip deeply into the meaning of the season for faith, for life, for creation. It is a time when fields and souls are meant to rest. For me winter is a time of preparation, this year with even more intention. It is a time of turning inward, turning to God, to prepare my soul. Winter is when I most deeply pray about and envision what seeds to plant in my garden and in my life.
This has been a good, strong winter of contemplation, prayer, and preparation. There have been a few books that started the journey. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, and Food & Faith edited by Michael Schut all challenged me to be more intentional in finding and keeping to my path this year.
For me, the most important seed that has been planted in my family’s life this winter is an intention to create a space for new intentions rather than try to give things up. Last fall when I really became intentional about caring for creation, all I could see is what I would have to give up: time, money, familiar things, pride, habits, favorite foods, convenience. It seemed so undoable, so overwhelming, and as if nothing was going to make enough of a difference. This is the perspective that has had me in a perpetual stall mode for so many years.
This seed of “creating space” as an alternative to giving up is an amazing gift. Here is an example of how gracefully this happens. When Isaiah moved into our lives, we had many practices (like watching Friends re-runs nearly every night) that simple disappeared. As we created a space for him in our lives, other things simply didn’t fit, and compared to the love, joy and entertainment he brought into our lives, they were not missed. If we had first said, let’s get rid of these practices we don’t need, oooh what a struggle. When we created a space and an intention to care for and love Isaiah, the things that conflicted gracefully slipped away.
In our lives we are finding the same is true when we create a space to care for and love God’s creation. When we care for our new backyard chicken, it doesn’t matter that there is less time to go shopping for new things. We are present with her and she nurtures our souls. When we caringly grow our vegetables and fruits, prepare a meal, make bread from scratch, cook with our son, we forget that we had less time to play on the computer because we made a space to care for each other and for the creation that sustains us. When we thank God for creating and sustaining all the creatures, people, and resources that gave of themselves so that we may live, we don’t even notice that some of our favorite ingredients are out of season and aren’t on the table this month. We have started on a path of creating a space for caring for creation. One step at a time, we add new ways to care. One step at a time, ways we’ve been unintentionally but truthfully harming creation, simply slip away. May this winter season provide you with moments of quiet reflection where space is created to lovingly and intentionally care for God’s creation, one step and one moment at a time.
Blessings to you!
Jennifer Cedar, Earth Ministries Liaison
Easy Resources to Help Create Spaces for Caring for Creation:
http://www.earthministry.org ~ Faith Coalition that supports congregations in Caring for Creation
http://www.localharvest.org/ ~ resource for local farmer’s markets, CSA’s, & restaurants cooking locally
http://www.slowfoodusa.org ~ National group dedicated to supporting good, clean, & fair food practices
http://www.seedsavers.org ~ source of heirloom organic seeds
