I've decided to take up gardening recently. In a Wal-mart-society, I think it is probably a good idea to have some sort of regular connection with the land. Gardening also teaches patience and allows one to intimately reflect on the wonders of creation. Things like gardening allow us to be co-Creators with God-- participating in the restoration of the earth as it groans in expectation for its Creator to restore all things. I've decided that I like gardening a lot.

Last night, however, as I was watering the little seeds that have yet to germinate, I felt a bit guilty. Here was gallons and gallons of drinkable water pouring out of my hose while many people go without drinkable water, or even water at all. Perhaps I was a bit more aware of such things after hearing a report on NPR radio about how Las Vegas is running out of water and is planning on shipping water from a couple hundred mile radius around them--a move that will drain many ranches and small oasis towns in middle of nowhere Nevada not only of water, but their very livelihood. All to keep swimming pools and water fountains (I can't even imagine how many) in a city designed to keep tourists happy. (Part of a Series: Struggling over Water aired on Morning Edition starting on June 11, 2007, weblink here )

The more I keep reading about the environment and global issues--and then keeping in mind cities like Las Vegas, the more I grow alarmed. Instead of exercising outdoors, we keep HUGE gyms that are powered by electricity and constantly running air conditioners--these places are everywhere. We keep city lights on all night in empty skyscrapers simply to have a nice skyline. We eat fruits and vegetables that are shipped thousands of miles so that we can have things like strawberries in December. And then, we are alarmed when the third world is starting to adapt our lifestyle. It was ok for the planet we when lived this way, but when 1 billion Indian people start this way, the planet is in trouble.

The world keeps feeling smaller and I am constantly reminded that my neighbor doesn't just live down the street. My neighbor lives in Africa and Europe and Asia. My neighbor is also the people living in future. And how does my use of resources affect my neighbor? Some things are really outside my control. But, we need to keep in mind these things as we live our lives. Do we really need air conditioning? We go without and its surprisingly comfortable. Its warm, but that's what summer is. Can we consolidate our weekly shopping so that we aren't running around so much? Can we try to buy local produce that is in season? Can we exercise outdoors?

There are many theological reasons for thinking in this way. A desire to restore the earth and return to Eden. A need to worship God as the God of this earth...Creator and Redeemer. A way to love our neighbor. A realization of our selfishness and materialism. A call to realize our place within a community. And perhaps, if we all began to think like that, and make little changes, we would end up doing something big. Maybe its silly to think about 'stealing water.' Then again, maybe its not.