Tonight at bedtime, you asked, seemingly out of nowhere, “why are the glaciers disappearing?”

My mistake was thinking I needed to give you more to be a good Mom. Recently your aunt asked me what my favorite toy was growing up. I gulped, I didn’t have one- it was the outdoors, sliding down a ravine of leaves with my Dad, skiing and camping. Today is October 12th, 2021 and I am still going to be giving you a lot, it’s going to look a little different – love, experiences, education and a healthy planet.

A culture of consumption is the reason that my world faces such an ecological crisis, it is both necessary and proper to address the fundamental mindsets that have created such a destructive culture.

In the coming months, we plan to complete a full assessment of our environmental impact online. We hope to discover our biggest areas of resource consumption, learn what we can do better, and create an action plan to improve over the next year.

It is today on March 6th, 2017 that you have made the decision to make a difference in this world.

It’s never too late to make a difference. Our actions have very real consequences. We can educate ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and take action. We can hold companies like big oil and big plastic accountable for their negative impacts on the environment. We can educate ourselves and others about what causes climate change and what actions we as individuals can take to lower our carbon footprints.

As a minister, I have preached that we are here to be of service to others and to be care takers of this wonderful planet that God has given us.

I am writing this to keep myself accountable and push myself towards taking action towards a sustainable future. I hope children of the future can still appreciate the wonders that nature and all its beings have to offer, appreciate the beauty in the world around us.

There is a promise in the Bible: ‘I shall restore the years that the locusts have eaten’ and that points to a promise of complete healing and restoration. But until that comes I intend to do my best to ‘save the planet’ in whatever way I can, and I encourage you to do the same.

Make the most of every day because remember yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.