Stewarding the Earth: Daffodils and Trash

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15

A few mornings ago, I was curled up in bed, bundled under the covers. I woke to the melodious songs of birds and the sun streaming through my curtains. I breathed deeply, imagining the smell of spring floating through the air. I quickly stretched as I jumped out of bed and played “Good Day” by Forrest Frank as I embarked on my morning. I instantly felt the winter hibernation cloak sloughing off, while energy surged through my body with fresh ideas and motivation. Spring had arrived and I was ready.

A few days later, I noticed the cheerful daffodils had burst on the scene, welcoming me as I drove along the streets of Carlisle. The lines from William’s Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” flitted though my mind: “Ten thousand saw I at a glance, tossing their heads in a sprightly dance.” These yellow and white blooms seemed to reaffirm spring’s arrival along with the golden yellow forsythia bushes edging people’s lawns.

It’s interesting that the first signs of spring flourishing come in the form of yellow. Even as the trees’ new leaves start to unfold, the green has a yellowish tint. Baby yellow chicks are appearing at our farm stores, waiting to be purchased. And in my opinion, the original yellow Peeps are the only ones to devour. In color psychology, yellow is often linked to energy, joyfulness, and happiness. It also happens to be my favorite color. This seems to match the vibe early spring is giving off. Winter has ended so let’s energetically spread joy and happiness through nature.

But along with the daffodils, chicks, and forsythia bushes comes the melting of snow, leaving our highway shoulders and medians covered with trash. Plastic bags, fast-food containers, and boxes litter the landscape, dampening my excitement for spring. I can only speculate where this trash came from, hoping that the wind knocked it off the back of someone’s truck. More likely, people threw it out, choosing to make the outdoors their personal garbage dumpster.

The juxtaposition of daffodils and trash in spring leads me to examine my responsibility towards the earth. If I believe that the earth is a good gift from God, and He expects me to steward it well, how am I measuring up? More importantly, would someone see my treatment of the earth as aligning with the Christian values I espouse? And an even greater question, do others see Christians in general valuing the earth?

In honor of Earth Day on April 21, I will explore my relationship to the earth and some changes I have been making in a series of posts called “Stewarding the Earth”. I will share some concepts I have been learning about such as light pollution, plastics in placentas, local ecosystems, and what I hope to leave for my grandchildren in relation to the earth. Please join me for this series and let’s show gratitude to God by our actions towards the earth!