Advent Earth Care

My theme for this first week of Advent is "Cherish and care for the earth". I express my unity with nature at Advent in two main ways:

• by offering small gifts of love and attention in recognition of all I receive from the earth
• and by finding joy and fulfillment in simply being alive, instead of in an excess of buying, eating, using, and wasting.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Define my work for earth care
3. Make bird feeder pine cones

1. Journal queries:

How do I seek the holiness inherent in the order of nature, the wildness of wilderness, and the richness of the world?

How do my daily habits and choices reflect my respect for the web of life?

How do I educate myself and others about living in harmony with the earth?

2. Define my work for earth care:

I'm working with four different environment groups now, and today I'd like to define my goals for the next year. My overarching query for the year is: 

How do I effectively witness to my community about my leading to live in Unity with the Earth, and share the Truth in a way that inspires the passion for change that I feel?

1. The Friends Meeting Earthcare Support Group has been very grounding for me; we meet once a month to listen, share, and support each other. My goals are to continue to write a weekly blog, create synergy for monthly events, and grow together in our understanding and practice of unity with nature. I'd like to witness wider, raise the energy level, and get more people involved in Earthcare events.

2. The Friends Meeting Peace and Justice Committee is where I bring the EC ideas for action, which we season, and then brings to the Meeting as a whole. I'd like to continue to weave peace and justice issues (like war) into my blog posts and Earthcare events.

3. The Interfaith Earthkeepers is a consortium of faith communities "committed to the care of God's creation". I find it to be an informed, passionate, and active group of people, and I want to be more involved. I'd like to find a small project I could do from home to forge connections.

4. 350Eugene's goal is to "build the global grassroots climate movement that can hold our leaders accountable to science and justice." My goals are to continue to build relationships, get educated, and join in actions when I can.

3. Make bird feeder pine cones:

When it gets colder, the wild birds will look for high energy foods. 

Peanut butter is high in fat and full of protein, and could be considered the perfect bird food. Be sure to get natural, no-sugar peanut butter, or use vegetable shortening as an alternative.

Supplies: 1 c. peanut butter or shortening, or a combination, 1 c. oatmeal or cornmeal, large pine cones, bird seed, yarn or string

Yield: Makes 2 bird cones-

1- Mix equal parts peanut butter or shortening with oatmeal or cornmeal until well blended. (I used half a cup of each and it just covered this one medium-sized cone.)

2- Choose a pine cone. Cut a long length of string to hang the bird feeder, and tie around the pine cone near the top (about 3 sections down).

3- Use a butter knife to spread peanut butter inside the pine cone and around the edges.

4- Fill a bowl with birdseed. Roll the pine cone in the birdseed and use your hands to pack it on firmly.

Go out and hang it in a tree where you can watch from a window.