Greening Ramadan

I have written about some of the "green" initiatives during the season of Lent which have been encouraged during the past few years. Lent is the Christian season of reflection and spiritual renewal which historically included abstinence in different forms. Fasting was part of Lent for Roman Catholics for centuries and tradition holds that eating hard-boiled eggs on Resurrection Day to break the fast gave us our Easter egg practice.

Green Lent has included giving up meat or plastic or fasting from carbon (drive cars less, etc,), all for the sake of Creation.

It's interesting that Green Ramadan is now being encouraged in many mosques. It seems to me that Muslims are far more committed to fasting from food during Ramadan (sunrise to sunset ) than most Christians are during Lent. They are allowed to drink water during the day, which means that many observant Muslims buy the bottled stuff.



One Scarborough mosque is going green during the month of Ramadan by participating in Waste Free Ramadan, an initiative that bans plastic water bottles from being used or distributed in  mosques. At the Islamic Institute of Toronto worshippers are encouraged to bring reusable bottles, which they can refill at various water coolers and dispensers located throughout the building. This is a big deal because up to 25,000 water bottles were discarded during Ramadan at this centre alone. There are now about 30 mosques participating in Waste-Free Ramadan in the GTA.

This is encouraging, and one more reminder that God's people, whatever their faith, share one planet and can take practical steps to honour the Creator and Creation.

Rachel Carson and Seeing as a Child

 

Rachel Carson. Image: US Fish and Wildlife, Robert Wilson


[Jesus]called a child, whom he put among them,  and said,
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:2-4  (NRSV)

Yesterday was the birthday of the late Rachel Carson, arguably the most influential science writer of the 20th century. Her book Silent Spring, was pivotal in ending the use of the poison, DDT, and changed the way humans perceived their relationship within ecosystems.

Carson is an eco-saint for me, as many of you will know. I feel this way even though she was ambivalent about organized religion and its conventions. She had a remarkable sense of wonder about the natural world. Certainly Silent Spring was a challenging book, but she conveyed wonder in the books which first brought her to fame. 

I saw an article by Paige Madison marking Carson's birthday which was actually published a year ago. It's called Seeing as a Child Sees: Science, Wonder, and Excitement http://fossilhistorypaige.com/2018/05/world-of-marvels/ and here is an excerpt:

 

A Child’s World: Full of Wonder

Marine biologist Rachel Carson saw this in her study of the sea, claiming that it was her retention of childhood wonder for the ocean made her career meaningful. The perspective of children was more clear, truer than an adult’s. “A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement,” she wrote. The problem, she felt, was adulthood. “It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood.”

Carson was extraordinarily concerned about this dimming of excitement concerning the world around us. She begged others to teach children to maintain this unique worldview, writing,

If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantment of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.

"Dimming of excitement" --what a powerful phrase. One of the delights of this stage of my life is participating in the excitement and wonder of our three grandchildren who are 1 1/2, nearly 4, and 6. All three love being outside and exploring and, praise God, their parents are excellent at supporting their explorations. Needless to say, we do as well, as we did for our three children through the years.

With all the serious and discouraging news we hear about the planet these days which we should heed, we can listen to Rachel Carson in her encouragement to sustain the instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, and do so as God's children, all.

Woodsmoke & Oranges & Holy, Holy, Holy

The Painter in His Canoe -- Kim Dorland

By woodsmoke and oranges, path of old canoe,
I would course the inland ocean to be back to you.
No matter where I go to, it's always home again
To the rugged northern shore and the days of sun and wind.

We nosed her in by Pukaskwa, out for fifteen days,
To put paddle and the spirit at the mercy of the waves.

The wanigans were loaded down and a gift left on the shore,
For it's best if we surrender to the rugged northern shore.

In the land of the silver birch, cry of the loon,
There's something in this country that's a part of me and you.
The waves smashed the smoky cliffs of Old Woman Bay,
Where we fought against the backswell and then were on our way.



We attended the season-ending concert of the Cantabile Choirs in Kingston last evening at the wonderful Isabel Bader Centre. It was a very worthwhile two hours of music with the guest a cappella quartet Quartom from Montreal and a range of pieces from different genres performed by the various choirs.

Did we have a favourite piece, or two, or eight? It's a tough call but an old Ian Tamblyn tune called Woodsmoke and Oranges, sung beautifully by the youth choir, got both of us kinda misty-eyed. We have spent so much meaningful time on the water and in wild places through decades together that the lyrics of the song "sent a shiver up my spine" -both our spines. It could be our theme song, if we had one.

For us paddling and hiking brings us into God's presence in a powerful, joyous, contemplative way like no other. It truly is holy, holy, holy, and it never gets old, even though we are.

Great concert and a great song.

Ian Tamblyn 'splains how this song came into being in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnxdDZUuybY

I could speak to you of spirit - by the vision pits we saw them
Walk the agate beaches of the mighty Gargantua.
I have turned my back upon these things, tried to deny
The coastline of my dreams, but it turns me by and by.

It tossed the mighty ship around, smashed the lighthouse door,
Sends a shiver up my spine, oh the rugged northern shore.
In the land of the silver birch, cry of the loon
There's something 'bout this country that's a part of me and you.

 

 

The Beaver Dam - JEH MacDonald

 

Loving Turtles

This is World Turtle Day, so I'm gonna give a shout-out to turtles everywhere. When we moved to Belleville six years ago we were delighted to realize that there are lots of turtles of varying sizes and shapes in the waters of this area. We are paddlers (canoe and kayaks) and we see them often, pulled up on logs and rocks to sun themselves, but also swimming. On calm days we'll paddle on the Bay of Quinte and see the snouts of turtles above the surface or watch them move mysteriously beneath us. Turtles and tortoises are threatened in many places on the planet, particularly the behemoths of the oceans and we should pay attention. Still, I want to appreciate God's gift of turtles as we discover them during our forays.



I've included the Robert Lenz icon of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Aboriginal saint of the Roman Catholic church, once again, because it includes the image of "turtle island" to signify the Earth. I love that the First Nations symbol is incorporated into a piece which pays homage to a Christian who is now revered as a champion of Creation.

We have this icon in our home, but perhaps we'll head out to find a turtle or two in honour of the day. Turtles deserve a lot of lovin'!

The Miracle of Bird Migration

 

 God of the sparrow God of the whale
    God of the swirling stars
    How does the creature say Awe
    How does the creature say Praise

God of the Sparrow  Jaroslav J. Vajda

 Even the stork in the heavens
    knows its times;
and the turtledove, swallow, and crane
    observe the time of their coming;
but my people do not know
    the ordinance of the Lord.

Jeremiah 8:7

We were in Killarney Provincial Park recently, Ontario's southernmost wilderness park and a beautiful gem of pink granite, quartzite, and pine trees. Killarney has it all with the LaCloche mountains, a system of lakes, and access to Georgian Bay. We were fortunate that we arrived a couple of days after a late Spring snowfall, as well as the ice having just gone out on George Lake, a central access point. We hiked and paddled and delighted in the return of birds. We saw several loons while canoeing and first heard, then saw sandhill cranes which were making their way farther north to their nesting grounds. These sightings, both on a Sunday, were a gift and a spiritual experience. They occurred just a few days before Migratory Bird Day. 

 

Migratory Storks in Israel

Bird migration is one of Creation's miracles, with avian travelers as tiny as as hummingbirds making journeys of thousands of kilometres using internal homing systems which humans still don't comprehend, despite concerted scientific efforts. I realize that speaking about a Creator and suggesting that this is a kind of miracle may seem anti-scientific but I enjoy hearing about the science of migration even as I revel in the complexity of God's wondrous world. 

There are a fair number of hymns, old and new which mention birds but I can't think of any which mention the wonder of migration. The bible speaks of birds often, but not much about migration either. As the prophet Jeremiah admonishes the people of Israel for being clueless he points out that birds know their routes and patterns, referring to several migratory species. I have seen the storks in migration in Israel from atop Mount Carmel and it is awe-inspiring, as the hymn suggests. Jesus also invites us to consider the birds of the air in the Sermon on the Mount. 

 

Excellent documentary films such as Winged Migration and The Messenger remind us of both the wonder of  bird journeys and the growing threat to these essential rhythms, thanks to humans. 

We can all "have a clue" this Spring, paying attention to the arrival of migratory birds. And with this spiritual discipline  we can do what we can as people of the Creator to ensure their well-being. 

 

Happy Mother's Day, Leviathans!

 

 This is my first Mother's Day without my Mom who died last November, weeks away from her 93rd birthday. She led a full and generous life, and we were blessed that she got to know her grandchildren and meet her great-grandchildren. She is certainly not forgotten and is cherished by her family.

This is my environmental blog, so I'll acknowledge a special Mother's Day in the Bay of Fundy. Last year there were no North Atlantic Right Whales born in what is an endangered and diminishing population. This lack of births, coupled with the death of  at least 17 Right Whales in 2017, mostly in collisions with ships, meant that this fragile population was even more threatened. 

The good news is that researchers have identified seven newborn calves this year, a baby boom for a species that deserves human protection after centuries of reckless predation on our part. A decade ago we saw a mother Right Whale and youngster while on Grand Manan Island and it was a thrill. It's so encouraging to know that this many have made the trip from southern waters to the Bay of Fundy. 

Are there whales in the bible, you might ask? Well, there are references to Leviathan, a sea beast, in Job, Isaiah, and a couple of Psalms. Some scholars say that Leviathan(s) were likely whales which took on mythical proportions in scripture. I would rather that we fulfill our biblical mandate to be respectful stewards of all creatures, including whales, rather than have them pass into lamented memory and mythology. 

Happy Mother's Day to North Atlantic Right Whale moms. 
 

Heavenly Super Bloom

 

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,

the desert shall rejoice and blossom;

like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,

and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,

the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the Lord,

the majesty of our God. 

Isaiah 35:1-2  

We went for a ramble in the woods of a nearby conservation area a couple of days ago and to our delight the trilliums were opening into bloom. Spring doesn't seem to be Spring unless we have at least one walk through the blossoms of Ontario's provincial flower. Wildflowers are a special kind of delight wherever one might be. 

Apparently California experienced what is described as a Super bloom this year. After years of drought there was a huge snowpack this past Winter and millions of dormant seeds have sprung to colourful life. According to Miriam Pawel in a New York Times entitled
California Is Swooning Over a Heavenly Super Bloom of Wildflowers:

this super bloom has offered a particularly welcome respite, a reminder that the increasingly extreme climate conditions can produce beauty as well as destruction, wondrous golden fields as well as mudslides and wildfires. The conditions necessary to transform millions of long-dormant seeds into an explosion of flowers generally occur about once a decade; they are drought followed by abundant rain, temperatures not too hot and not too cold, and an absence of strong wind. 

 

California

It sounds marvelous, don't you think?  I've been in Israel in April, which is the beginning of Spring. After months without rainfall the hillsides come alive with wildflowers, the visual praise of the Creator.My first trip had been in October and I was astonished by what I saw that April.

I hope you're able to get out in the woods during the next couple of weeks for the trillium feast for the eyes. And give thanks for the God who brought it all into being. Now to find some marsh marigolds...

California

The Crack is Holy, Holy, Holy

Ruth Near the Summit of The Crack, Killarney

Early Sunday morning my phone told me that CBC's Sunday Edition was offering a piece on one of my ultimate pet peeves, the noise pollution of leaf-blowers. If you want to watch Ruth's eyes roll back in her head (who wouldn't?) pay attention to her rather than me if the subject of these infernal devices is raised. Apparently there are about 2.5 million of them spewing toxic fumes and their high-pitched whine across the country. 

I didn't have time to listen though, because we were heading out for an early hike on a favourite trail in Killarney Provincial Park on the shore of Georgian Bay. We wanted to tackle The Crack, and because it takes the better part of four hours, return, and involves climbing, some of it strenuous, we were underway by eight o'clock. For the next two hours (a little less, perhaps) we met no human as we walked and scrambled. Nor did we hear any human made sounds. It was bliss.

There was the dawn chorus of birdsong,  and the urgent pounding of a pileated woodpecker, and the thumping mating declaration of a ruffed grouse. We passed several melodious Spring freshets coming down rock faces, and heard the sough of wind through pine trees, which is quintessential Northern Ontario music. 

Methusaleh Scrambles

All this was profoundly spiritual for both of us, joyful and restorative. Finally we reached the famous "crack," a boulder scramble through a defile which leads to the "big reveal" of multiple lakes and Georgian Bay. We had to be careful because there was still ice in the shaded confines of The Crack. It was all worth it for the stunning view. 

When we reached the top Ruth began singing the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, and I joined her. I read a portion of Psalm 104, the great Creation hymn which celebrates God and all that lives. While this was lovely, it didn't compare to what we were experiencing in the great panorama at the summit, or what we had heard along the way. 

Then a group of six hikers appeared and pleasantly chatted us up. On the descent we met a couple of dozen people in various groups, all friendly and none carrying a leaf-blower, yet the mystical spell had been broken. 

Thank God for the tranquility of that hike. We were celebrating our 43rd wedding anniverary and it was one of the best outings ever.  It was contemplative and holy and a wonderful way to participate in Sabbath. 

Climate Change Will Cost More

I'm convinced that climate change is human-caused, and a sin against Creation and Creator. It is what some describe as an "existential threat", a concern of profound proportions which affects all living creatures on the planet. 

Enter the shockingly short-sighted Ontario government and its abandonment of responsibility to address climate change. More than that, Premier Ford and his minions are spreading misinformation about federal attempts to mitigate climate change. Soon there will be ridiculous stickers on gas pumps and if owners don't post them they are subject to fines, a plan which is probably illegal.

I love that the Ontario Green Party has come up with an alternative sticker showing the risks of not acting responsibly. Clever, and unfortunately, true. I hope they mass produce them. As a Christian I might engage in civil disobedience and slap them on the pumps as I fill up.I owe it to my grandchildren and to Creation.

Tree Planting as Spiritual Practice

 
 Sugar Maple

 Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you sea monsters and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and frost,
    stormy wind fulfilling his command!

Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars!

Wild animals and all cattle,
    creeping things and flying birds!

Psalm 148:7-10

On Saturday morning I headed out early to pick up some tree seedlings for our back yard. Although I ran another errand first I arrived half an hour early for the 9:00 AM start for the distribution and huddled in the cold -- and snow flurries! -- awaiting my opportunity to receive up to five wee trees. It turned out I was first in line and got a red oak, a white birch, a sugar maple, and a serviceberry, which now reside in our backyard. Of course they are small and while I hope they'll flourish it's doubtful that I'll see them attain a metre in height, let alone provide shade or berries. Yet it's important to look beyond ourselves to the generations to come. By the time I had my trees the line behind me was at least 20 people long, well before the official start.

We have planted a number of trees in our yard already and they have flourished despite the rabbits. A "rescue" heirloom lilac survived the transition from Bowmanville to Belleville, a cherry tree we brought home in the back of our vehicle six years ago is now four metres tall, and a pagoda dogwood is growing nicely. 

 
Red Oak

I've been researching trees in the bible for our summer ministry in Algonquin Park, which will have the theme of trees this year -- the weekly worship will be called Cathedral of the Trees. I'm struck by the hundreds of references to trees and they are often named by species. Trees sing and clap and praise their Maker in scripture, and they regarded with respect. Our bible begins with the the trees of Creation, and concludes with the heavenly city with a river lined with trees. 

We're told that if we planted a trillion trees around the planet (actually a "doable" project) we could mitigate a significant portion of the effects of climate change. In the end though, trees are more than utilitarian. They are a beautiful gift from God and planting them can be a spiritual practice.

Have you planted a tree lately? 

To Live With Respect in Creation Gary Crawford