…After all the storms this week. I wasn't feeling too productive. So, I decided to go for a short ride to see what the rain had done to and for our neighborhood park.
So I grabbed the old GoPro and the even older bike…
and took off on a ride.
As I rode through the neighborhood, I saw three downed trees, leaves all over the street, and water running swiftly in the gutter. As I rolled into the park, there was more running water, sunlight light dappling through the trees, and a lot of drought-stricken vegetation breathing a huge sigh of relief. It was glorious.
Well, it was all glorious except for the downed trees and specifically that one branch that fell out of our elm tree and smashed the old Ford's windshield.
I had just put new-to-me tires on the old bike, and (for a while) they were doing great on the wet trail. As I pedaled further, the tires were overwhelmed with mud and leaves and sticks. My shoes and the pedals had the same problem. Even the brakes had the same problem.
Even so, it was still glorious…
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Just a few weeks ago the park was a very different story. The break in the trail where the ponds meet was the only spot in the park that still held water.
The puddle that was left was just a bit larger than our kitchen table. It was filled with carp, mud cats, mud cat fry, bullfrogs, and tadpoles.
Those still alive were gasping for air. Nothing was thriving except the herons and egrets that stopped by for an easy meal.
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Over the last several years we've seen increasingly extreme drought and extremely high temperatures eventually followed by increasingly extreme storms. And when we look around, we see similar cycles all over the planet. Hurricanes. Floods. Wildfires. Earthquakes.
For years now, there's a word that keeps popping up in my reading, writing, and prayers - "stewardship".
Lately it's been very, very present - enough so that when I sat down to write my top five core values "stewardship" was first on the list.
On Sunday morning. I went to church and was not surprised to see our pastor bring his sermon home to rest squarely on the idea of stewardship…
Man, it's nice when the spirit gives you a nudge to let you know you're on track.
…
So, hopefully, you'll be seeing more posts and more videos (maybe even some audio) on just that - stewardship for our environment, for our plants or animals, and for all of our fellow people.
I pray that you and yours, no matter your specifics, heal and thrive in a world that is doing the same…
Now, I might just have to go for another bike ride…
Thanks a lot for coming along for the ride.
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