2010 is here and  while we make and break resolutions, our God is constant.  The good news is that now more than ever, no matter what obstacles we meet, we - as Christians - are determined to share the Good Word about God's character. Eden's Bridge encapsulates how this Good Word travels in spite of ill health, personal betrayals, natural catastrophe or economic and political mayhem.  In their song, "The Way Goes On" we can be inspired in our walk here and now and be reminded of our privilege to serve - not judge or condemn -  humanity.  As you listen in, follow the lyrics and think of how your life has impact on planet earth as a citizen of heaven and child of God. 

"The wanderers and the pilgrims sought to share Your precious Word and to travel in Your footsteps was their purpose and their goal.  But the journey lies beyond the heart in a deeper faith.  And the road goes on into the light as we seek Your face.  And the way goes on across the oceans through the deep woods and the desert and the way goes on in the seeking of my spirit into tomorrow.  Alone inside my empty cell I search for You in the silence a road to life art thou O Lord and at journey's end lies my dwelling."

And The Way goes on...

In Matthew 6, Jesus prays to his father in Heaven that God’s name be kept  holy, that the kingdom comes soon and that God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  What does God’s will on earth look like? Not like it did 2,000 years ago. God’s earthly parents inquired for room in Bethlehem for the new born King and they were turned away (Luke 2:4-6). How much have we advanced? Do we make room for the King today or do we turn Him down in exchange for our own gain?

Even at our most selfish moment, we can take heart in knowing that God is able to quell our most self-centered mindset.  How does He  melt the human heart? By exchanging good for evil. When we hand him a crown of thorns, He gives us the crown of life (Rev 2:10). When we slam the door in his face, He says,” There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?”  (John14:2).  When we are at our worst, God is at his best! (Isaiah 61:3)  When we are at our weakest, God makes us strong! (2 Corinth 12:7-10). May the love of God be particularly evident in our lives this moment so that we may ring in a new year of hope, trust and commitment to the Prince-iple of Peace!

I recently picked up a copy of the The Green Bible and began reading the intro by Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth.  He was instrumental in creating the first environment friendly bible printed on recycled paper with soy inks.  The bible has highlighted scripture in green font whenever it pertains to nature or creation in a special sense so if you are particularly fond of the outdoors and learning how to take better care of our home – you are in for a treat and then some.

What impressed me most about Dr. Sleeth’s story was that when he felt God had called him to “save the earth” he put his money where his mouth is in a huge way.  He says, “When I read the Gospels and thought about the world’s environmental problems, I found answers. Matthew 7:1 struck me as particularly compelling, “Do not judge so you may not be judged.”  How often, in all walks of life, do we judge others by a standard different from the one we used to measure our own shortcomings?

“When I applied these words of Christ to myself, I did not like what I found. I was concerned about pollution and the death of the world, but what about our family’s part in it?   So we took an accounting. Our family added up all the energy we used and the trash and pollution we made. This process is called ecological foot printing.  We found our family was average for the United States...

By now, some of us  have a  genuine Rockwell holiday planned while others only dream of such a perfect picture.  Most of us look forward to this time of year but we also know that every family has its tensions. We are human and with that blessing comes drama. Unfortunately, it is during the time we wish for peace the most that we often experience high drama.  Take heart, even meals with God have been less than harmonious - downright sad in fact.  Near the end of Christ's life, he planned a Passover feast - a Last Supper - with his disciples in an upper room located in the heart of the city. As God made plans to fellowship with his friends, one of those men was busy selling him out for 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests.  As Jesus Christ prepared a table before them, one was plotting Christ's death - and Christ knew it. "When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:14-19)...

According to a Time magazine article, dated 1938, “a promising, extravagantly polite young scientist named John Warkentin” was busy studying the eyesight of various animals.  Using a large revolving cylinder with alternating black and white stripes of diminishing widths, individual animals would be placed inside to see to what degree they followed the moving stripes.  Based on the animal’s movement, the scientist made presumptions about their eyesight. 

His testing revealed that: White rats, white mice and Gila monsters showed no response at all, and presumably have extremely poor vision; Frogs, toads, alligators and;opossums showed weak responses, and thus poor vision; Snakes, contrary to popular supposition, have good vision.  Those tested included garter snakes, king snakes, ribbon snakes and rattlesnakes.  They see worst just before shedding their skins, and best just after shedding, because the snake's cornea grows opaque as shedding time nears and is sloughed off with the skin; Turtles, woodchucks, guinea pigs, rabbits and gophers have good eyesight; Cats and birds see best of all; Guinea pigs and dogs vary greatly from one individual to another.  Monkeys could not be tested because they kept peering curiously over the cylinder's top.

That was 1938.  More recently, we benefit from Animal Planet, National Geographic, and numerous zoological societies that have taught us much about animal eyesight.  As with we humans, eyesight is based on what the particular animal needs to see in order to survive.  Hunting, being hunted, protecting one’s family, access to food—all these are considerations that factor into an animal’s ability to see.  And what of our eyesight?  What do we need to see in order to survive?...