the earth

I awoke this morning to a special radio broadcast of discussions occurring in Copenhagen, where the climate summit is being held. It was a little discouraging. We seem to be on this downward spiral of destruction that we cannot control or contain, let alone reverse. We've been watching the BBC Planet Earth series at home lately, which has been awe-inspiring, to say the least. The beauty of this world and its life is breathtaking, and mysterious. In a sad way, the earth is even more beautiful when viewed with the knowledge that it is not going to last forever. Like all of us, it is dying.

I've been doing some daily readings during Advent from the liturgical calendar. After the Copenhagen broadcast, today's reading was:

"The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains;
The world, and all who dwell therein."
- Psalm 24:1

Hm.

It is a tiny bit comforting, I guess, to be reminded that humanity's power to damage and destroy - great as it is - is yet far, far smaller than God's power to create, sustain, redeem, and renew. It takes faith to believe this, but I have hope.

more quotes

I have posted these on FB so sorry if they are repeats. Mainly I am reposting them here for my own sake- so I can look back on them later.

Papa (after Alex and Sam bumped heads): "Ouch, that hurts, doesn't it? Heads are not for bumping!"
Alex: "Yeah. Heads are for singing!"

Heads are for singing. I like that. I bet a lot of my neurologist friends don't even know that. Or Bryan's psychiatrist friends, either, for that matter. In fact, if we could get more of our "head" patients singing, maybe that would help them.


Alex: "When I grow up I want to be a construction man. I would be very good at that." I can just see Alex hard at work in her little yellow hard hat. I'm pretty sure she would be the director of the crew.

Alex (completely out of the blue): "Spoiled milk controls me." Don't know what that means, but it was a truly unique thought.