Wednesday, April 6, 2022

​Psalms 133:1 
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! 
We recently returned from a trip to Antarctica. While I don’t know the religious background of our fellow travelers, the demographics of the group were such (members of various US higher education alumni groups whose average age was likely about 70) that it seems reasonable that many would have claimed “Christian” as their religious affiliation, if asked. 
 
We were definitely “kindred” spirits living in unity for 10 days on a ship together. Strangely, doing that during COVID both created more and less unity simultaneously. We were brought together by our desire to see the awesome work of God that is the pristine environment in Antarctica. We endured many COVID restrictions and costs to do that. Masking and social distancing requirements made socializing a bit cumbersome, but all of us made new friends during the trip. We recognized that while we came from different schools and states, we all were brought together by the experience. Our expedition crew came from many different nations and backgrounds (from scientific/research types to a folklorist), but their passion for the Antarctic environment led to them functioning as a unified team that enhanced the experience for all the passengers aboard. 
 
After seeing the landscape and wildlife in that ecosystem, all of us were filled with a sense of wonder and humbled by the power and resilience of the natural world. While maybe only some viewed that through the lens of a benevolent creator, all left with a greater understanding of the delicate balance required to sustain the natural world. The crew implored everyone to be an ambassador for the Antarctic, very much inline with scripture that reminds us that we are to be good stewards of this wonderful world that God provided for us.
 
Dear God,
Thank you for the world you made for us. Help us to remember that you expect us to be good stewards of our home and to do all we can to pass it along for future generations to thrive on it. Provide discernment to leaders, spokespeople and ambassadors to find ways to work in unity to allow a good and pleasant life for all on earth now and in the future.
Amen
 
Carla Rossi