Yes our planet is off-kilter…we’ve known it for years. 23.5 degrees, to be precise.
And with today’s proliferation of wars, global warming, chemicals, habitat destruction, etc., that surround us…it is obvious that living in such an unbalanced, frenzied manner is catching up to us.
As I visited Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, the trees spoke to me.
They said to have peace on this God-given planet, there are some things you must do:
10. Together you can stand strong. Be supportive of family, friends, and neighbors, including those who live across the globe from you.
9. Create your own habitat. Shelter your neighbors and friends with strong boughs of friendship.
8. Develop a thick skin. Prepare for the fires, droughts, sicknesses, and diseases attacking you way by eating well and taking good care of your body. Keep the big picture in mind by reading the Bible and attending worship; don’t waste your time responding to belittling attacks from others.
7. Stand for what you believe. You are planted where you are, so take root and grow strong.
6. Honor the sacredness of Mother Earth. She gives and gives and so should you.
5. Steward the earth with wise actions. Don’t throw away the things that are irreplaceable.
In the 1880’s through 1920’s, loggers cut the down the Sequoias thinking the trees would provide a goldmine of lumber. Instead, when these thousands of year old massifs fell, their brittle heavy wood would shatter. After harvest, much of the lumber obtained from them was suitable for such unremarkable items as house shingles, fence posts, and matchsticks.
4. Be generous and remember to care for those who are with us and those who will inherit the earth.
3. Even though you haven’t seen it with your own eyes doesn’t mean the fantastic doesn’t exist.
The Centennial sequoia tree was a 24-foot diameter tree that was cut down. Sixteen feet of its outer shell was transported and reassembled at an exhibit in Philadelphia. When visitors on the east coast saw this display, many thought it was a fake and called it a “California hoax”. On the positive side, this piece of wood inspired believers into trying to protect these giant trees, whose native range is found only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
2. You are wonderfully made.
1. (#6 revisited) Nature gives selflessly to us, and let us do the same for her. Let your voice be hers. Join conservation groups who act on behalf of nature. Support leaders and treat this planet like the forever home it is…for the sake of nature, your children and friends, and…you.
If you are a private landowner, take a look and enrich your property to benefit the native ecology of your area. Green lawns might look neat and tidy, but they are ecological deserts; think about making them smaller and plant native perennials, trees, and shrubs in their place.
Have a great one!
Wildly Ever After 