Tag Archives: Creation Care

Things You Won’t Find in My Apartment

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Something I find interesting, is what things some people find necessities while others don’t. Here are things that I do without:

An iron – Yeah, I’ve never owned an iron. I’ve rarely used one. When something has to be ironed, I usually beg someone else to do it for me. My seminary graduation robe? Yep, my mom ironed it for me (thanks, Mom!). In the days when I had a dryer, I would just take my clothes out of the dryer out immediately, and that was good enough for me. Now that I don’t have a dryer, I do need to invest in some wrinkle release.

A washer and dryer – Like I said above, I don’t have a  dryer. In fact, I don’t even use a dryer anymore (though I’ll still be drying my sheets and towels that way, but will save them up to do one load a month). Not having a washer in unit is already getting old, but a short walk for laundry is good for me. I don’t mind hanging my things to dry, and enjoy the fact that I’m saving over $0.80 a load (not to mention the “costs” of shooting more coal smoke into the air we breathe). I don’t need these things.

Coffee pot - I don’t drink coffee. I’m glad I never started. I’m going to have friends over in a couple of weeks that might prefer I serve coffee, but I’ll just let them know if they want it, they have to bring the pot and coffee themselves. Actually, I only have one coffee cup, so that could be a problem too…

Coffee table - You may have noticed in my apartment tour that I don’t have a coffee table. Not having one was a conscious decision: I felt like it would clutter up my small living room. I still think that way, though it would be nice to have a place to put the stack of books I’m currently reading while I’m in the middle of reading (I do have a place to put them “away”). Probably should invest in some TV trays as that could solve that problem.

A bed big enough for 2 - I don’t invite others into my bed (at least not before he puts a wedding band on my finger!), so my single bed is enough for me. I wouldn’t mind a bigger bed, I suppose, but it’s definitely not something I need.

Knick knacks – I have two picture frames (both with pictures from my brother’s wedding) besides the ones on the walls, and a vase with some fake flowers in it. Besides that and a few candles (that I use), I don’t have anything that would qualify as “knick knacks.” It’s very freeing.

More than 1 sharp knife – I have one knife that I got when I went to college that I’ve always loved and used exclusively. I looked up where to buy more like it, and that’s when I found out it’s actually a really nice knife, a J. A. Henckels. No wonder I like it! That said, I couldn’t justify buying more, but I will put it on my wish list.

Internet access - This also was a conscious decision on my part. If it was important to me, I could work it into my budget. I even had a generous person in my life offer to pay for my internet, but I politely turned them down. I have nothing against the internet, but it’s a big temptation for me. I can spend way too much time on it watching TV, spending time on Twitter and Facebook, and checking my email. I spend 40 hours a day in front of a computer…I’d rather use my free time to exercise, write, read, and serve others.

Plastic bags – By which I mean what we always called “Walmart bags.” Actually, this is a bit of a lie…there currently is one Walmart bag in my apartment, left over from the move. I’ve been using reusable grocery bags almost exclusively for over a year, and will definitely be keeping this up.

Now for a couple of things I hope to soon do without:

Paper towels - I bought two rolls when I moved in, and promised myself they will be the last. I bought a pack of rags that I can use for situations I would usually use a paper towel. This isn’t an easy transition, but I think it’ a good one.

Traditional cleaning products – I have already made my own kitchen cleaner that works well (equal parts vinegar and water). When the bathroom and toilet cleaners I have are used up, I plan on making my own of those as well. I still have a full container of laundry soap, but when I use that up, I’m actually looking forward to making my own laundry detergent. I haven’t made up my mind if it’s worth making my own dishwasher detergent or not, but I’ll make that decision later, as I still have a huge tub of the stuff that will last me a long time.

I’m not someone obsessed with natural things. How can I be when I still drink Diet Dr Pepper? But I do enjoy saving money and introducing less unnecessary chemicals into my home. It’s a journey, and I’m taking the next steps down the road.

What do you do without that others find a necessity?

More about America

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“Well, I got a degree, but I’m not going to let it ruin my life.” – Sully, Bones episode “The Girl in the Gator”

“No one around may see the black, indelible spots I am covered with, but I know that I–a criminal–have no right to be among these frank wide-open faces.” – We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, p. 140

“I never want to run away from anything because it is considered cool or fun by the secular world.  I also never want [to] run toward anything because it is considered glam-worthy.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 16

“I was born a seesaw, auntie, and nothing can ever prevent me from teetering.” – Philippa in Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

“It’s a shame,” he said, “you don’t learn more about the countries you f*** with.” – An Aussie to an American in His Illegal Self by Peter Carey

“Though God wants us to protect our land, we keep treating it like dirt.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 106

“In 1995 the world spent less than US$250 million trying to extinguish the HIV epidemic. These days, Americans spend over eight times that amount, two billion dollars a year, just on Botox injections to extinguish their wrinkles.” – The Wisdom of Whores by Elizabeth Pisani, p. 20

“Exactly, just like children, we must always ask, ‘And what next?’ ” – We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, p. 175

“…it isn’t fair to fault Jesus for failing to offer answers to questions the culture wasn’t asking.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 85

“How very odd, to believe God gave you life, and yet not think that life asks more of you than watching TV.” – An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, p. 33

“Psalm 19:10 says that Scripture is sweeter than honey, but you’d never know that judging by some believers. You see, there are three basic kinds of Bible students. There are the ‘castor oil’ types. To them the Word is bitter–Yech!–but it’s good for what ails them. Then there is the ‘shredded wheat’ kind. To them Scripture is nourishing but dry. It’s like eating a bail of hay. But the third kind is what I call the ‘strawberries-and-cream’ folks. They just can’t get enough of the stuff. How did they acquire that taste? By feasting on the Word.” – Living By the Book by Howard and William Hendricks, p. 19

“If everyone on Earth actually consumed resources the way Americans do, experts estimate that it would take several Planet Earths just to sustain life.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 126

Book Review: Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt

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I first heard about Green Like God from Carol (her review is here).  It sounded like a very interesting book.

And then I looked at the author and recognized the name; we had gone to seminary together.  Cool to know the author…or at least know of the author.  I promise that hasn’t influenced my review of this book…he blew me away in spite of the fact that we sat before the same teachers.

When I was about halfway through Green Like God, a friend asked me if this was a worthwhile book.  I said I thought so.  It wasn’t wowing me, but I enjoyed it and felt like there was some good stuff there.

And then I got to the second half of his book, “Our Assignment in God’s World.”  Merritt confronted me with facts that I’ve long since avoided…when most environmental horror facts are presented in a doom-and-gloom way, you become jaded and in my case, uncaring.

And then there was chapter 9, “The Enemy in Us All.”  It’s an absolutely must-read for every American pastor. Scratch that, for every American believer.

Our actions have consequences.  Our affluence is no excuse (if you are reading this right now, yes, you are affluent because you have regular access to a computer, among other blessings).  All the paint in the world won’t fix a broken building, but may mask it for a little while.

Merritt is right to point out that the blame for pollution and the destruction of creation (not to mention the exploitation of other peoples) rests largely on America.  We’ve allowed consumerism and materialism to be the American way.  If we don’t have to live in the filth (or at least we don’t feel like it), then what does it matter, right?

One particular passage struck me:

At the May 7, 2001, White House daily press briefing, Ari Fleischer, White House spokesperson for President George W. Bush, was asked a tough environmental question: “Does the president believe that, given the amount of energy Americans consume per capita–how much it exceeds any other citizens in any other country in the world–does the presdient believe we need to correct our lifestyles to address the energy problem?”

Without hesitiation, Fleischer snapped back, “That’s a big no.  The president believes that it’s an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to protect the American way of life.  The American way of life is a blessed one.” (p. 117, emphasis added)

YIKES.  Nine years later, this attitude is still way too common.  What’s worse, we aren’t content to keep this me-first-and-only attitude to ourselves, but spread it around the globe.

So, yeah, I think this is definitely a must-read.  It’s about time someone with a balanced view and a level head addressed this issue.  Our environmental irresponsibility is neither the extinction of the human race nor is it a myth.

And Merritt is right: Christians have every reason to be the best at creation care (after all, our Savior took on human flesh), not the worst.

I’m off to put in to practice what I’ve learned.

I Do Love Being an American, Really

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“All the questions I have given you are very important,” he said.  ”But the most important question you can ask is, ‘Where is Jesus in your theory?’ ” – quoted in Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 83

“You held out your arms, I walked away / Insolent, I spurned your face / Squandering the gifts you gave to me / and holding close forbidden things” – “The Prodigal,” Sovereign Grace music

“Most Americans don’t hate the environment.  They don’t start forest fires to watch them burn or refuse to carpool because they think the sky looks prettier with a sooty grey hue.  They just think they have more important things to do.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 50

“I do know my own mind,” protested Anne.  ”The trouble is my mind changes and I have to get acquainted with it all over again.” – Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

“[C]hurchmen who look at God, so to speak, through the wrong end of the telescope, so reducing him to pigmy proportions, cannot hope to end up as more than pigmy Christians, and clear-sighted people naturally want something better than this.” – Knowing God by J. I. Packer

“My tendency to pursue more and better is impossible to reconcile with the divine plan.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 133

“You’re not racing?” the officer asked, chaffing him.
“My race is a harder one, ” Alexey Alexandrovitch responded deferentially.
And though the answer meant nothing, the general looked as though he had heard a witty remark from a witty man, and fully relished la pointe de la sauce.
-Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

“I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart.  There is a saying that “paper is more patient than man;” it came back to me on one of my slightly melancholy days, while I sat chin in hand, feeling too bored and limp even to make up my mind whether to go out or stay at home.” – Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl

“Overconsumption of energy, and virtually every resource imaginable, has become ‘the American way of life.’  What’s worse is that Americans are the only ones who don’t seem to realize it.” – Green Like God by Jonathan Merritt, p. 117

“But do you know, they interest me more than blind conformity to tradition–somebody else’s tradition–that I see among our own friends.  It seems stupid to have discovered America only to make it into a copy of another country.” – Ellen Olenska, Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

“While entertaining is having guests with everything prepared and served correctly, hospitality is having people feel comfortable in my home and happy to be there no matter what we are doing or eating.” – Laurie Twibell, Practicing Hospitality, p. 64

“A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about him.” – Knowing God by J. I. Packer

Even a Global Warming Skeptic…

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I have no idea why I’m writing an Earth Day post.  It’s not likely that this will be the first one you will read, if you spend any time at all in the blogosphere.  But over the past year I’ve been taking more intentional steps to take better care of our home.

I’ve already mentioned our garden a few times.  It’s been growing, especially the cucumber and tomato plant (which is already about 1/3 to half it’s full size).

I wish I could show you pictures, but that’s what I get for having supervised-visitation only with my plants (I joke that I feel like I don’t have custody of them as I haven’t yet moved in with Jen).

You’ll just have to picture growing plants (except for the mint which I apparently killed by burying the seeds WAY too deep).

Another thing that I’ve finally gotten good about it using reusuable shopping bags.  I’ve only gotten a few eye rolls from cashiers (that used to be me, so I understand), but it’s worth it on many levels.  I wish I could tell you my primary motivation for this is creation care, but that’s secondary.  I really just hate having to mess with plastic bags.

I’ve also been working on water usage. Still haven’t figured out how to help with the garden water, but I have figured out that I don’t need to run the shower while I’m shaving my legs.  Saves gallons of water, especially when it’s been a while since the last time I shaved (I apologize for any men reading this!).

I’m not trying these things because being green is in.  I’m doing them because I believe that as a Christian I’m called to be a good steward of everything God has given me, not just my time and money.  And that includes this beautiful planet God has given us for a home.

I’ve still have got a lot to learn.  That’s why I’m excited to read Green Like God which I just ordered from Amazon.  I heard about it on Carol’s blog, got excited about it, and then realized I knew who the author was, as he was a student at Southeastern when I was.

Even a global warming skeptic like me can take steps to take care of the Earth.

Have any more suggestions?

Photo by cygnus921

Dear Earth

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Dear Earth,

Happy Earth Day. Of course, I don’t really think you can read this. I don’t believe the earth has a spirit or any mumbo-jumbo like that. Maybe that’s why I’ve been slow to get on the whole eco-friendly train.

I do feel like many other things take priority over “saving the planet.” The earth itself isn’t as valuable as human souls, made in the image of God. That doesn’t mean that I should pollute and waste as much as possible, but it does mean I shouldn’t feel guilty about having to use my non-hybrid vehicle to take a meal to someone, or flying halfway across the country to visit my family, or choosing to run over an animal rather than hitting another vehicle where injury or death may occur (that last example is hypothetical).

In fact, I’ve never really felt guilty about not doing the things that I should do such as recycle, carpool, or use compact florescent bulbs (I don’t ever plan on doing that last thing, sorry. They annoy me. Don’t worry, I’ve been called a vampire before for good reason: I don’t like a lot of light and prefer one lamp to be on than the much brighter overhead light). Maybe it’s because I don’t believe like many do that this Earth will self-destruct. No, it won’t last forever, but it will be God that will sustain until the end times when it will pass away.

Though I believe that the Lord gave us this earth to use, I do think it is our responsibility not to make it more of a mess than necessary. There are definitely steps that I need to take to do a better job of being a good example, not a bad example. As a Christian I should be one of the leaders in the movement to care for what we’ve been given (stewardship – the same is required of how I use my time and possessions).

That said, each new alternative and method to “saving the planet” needs to be evaluated ethically. Sophie does a great job here of pointing a little known fact: biofuels create worse conditions for those living in poverty, as the food they depend on is either unavailable or costly as those plants are being turned into fuel or not being grown in order to grow plants to make into fuel.

So, Earth, I’ve neglected you too often. I do hope to take some positive steps to being more “green” myself. When we move, I plan on recycling (I have no idea how to do that now, but our new complex has the bins for it). I also want to be more conscientious of the amount of water, electricity, and gas I use. What other steps could/should I reasonably take?

Down to earth,

Ronnica