So, I found a great book that speaks along the lines I've been thinking about. It's called Serve God, Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth who was an E.R. doctor, living the American dream; big house, fast cars, all the modern conveniences one could employ. He began to suspect that the Earth and its inhabitants were in deep trouble as he bore witness to increasing cases of chronic diseases. Turning to Jesus for guidance, he discovered how the scriptural lessons of personal responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship could be applied to modern life. The Sleeth's have since sold their big home and more than half of what they owned and are sharing in the joy of adopting a healthier, less materialistic lifestyle which has led to stronger relationships and a richer spirituality.
I will share our experience in this journey as we come to a deeper understanding of our responsibility as stewards and the adjustments in lifestyle that such a worldview will inevitably entail.
For those of you anxious to start your own journey, I would definitely recommend this book!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'll have to pick up this book. Funny story...a couple months ago Brian and I were at this young adult discussion thing at church called "being Catholic in the 21st century" so Brian brought up the whole idea that as Catholics/Christians we are called by God to protect the planet and we need to be better environmentalists etc. Well this girl flipped out saying God just wants us to worship him and she thinks environmentalists take it too far for example she's engaged and she reads all the time on The Knot how people are having green weddings and their losing the whole point of the sacrament. I was livid and I said to her as a gift for our guests we planted trees and we felt it was a gift for our children and children's children etc. and doesn't that better express our love and love for God's planet then some trinket. That totally shut her up. Sorry for the long comment. Do you know what specific numbers are recyclable for plastics btw??? Erin :)
ReplyDeleteHey Erin! I know! It's unnerving how many ppl of faith look at it that way. I wasn't that bad, but I definitely saw the world through selfish eyes. Regarding plastics, Look for the recycle symbol with letters and numbers on the bottom of the plastic item. Plastic numbers 1 through 7 are generally recyclable. The list below can help you determine which plastics to recycle.
ReplyDeleteNo. 1 PET: Polyethylene terephthalate--Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready meal trays.No. 2 HDPE: High-density polyethylene--Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.No. 3 PVC: Polyvinyl chloride--Food trays, cling film, bottles for squash, mineral water and shampoo.No. 4 LDPE: Low density polyethylene--Carrier bags and bin liners.No. 5 PP: Polypropylene--Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays.No. 6 PS: Polystyrene--Yogurt pots, foam meat or fish trays, hamburger boxes and egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for electronic goods and toys.No. 7 Other: Any other plastics that do not fall into any of the above categories. An example is melamine, which is often used in plastic plates and cups.
NOTE: I would recommend checking with your local center because even though 1-7 are recyclable, some centers don't accept all 7. For example, my center only accepts 1 and 2. Bummer. Anyway, thanks for the comment. Hope it helps!