Another prayer in preparation for Earth Day.
I love this prayer which I came across in David Adam’s Rhythm of Life: Celtic Daily Prayer. This book has long been a favourite of mine. I love to use it when I travel, finding that the short daily offices help to ground my spiritual practices during what can otherwise be a very disorienting journey.
How wonderful, O Lord, are the works of your hands!
The heavens declare your glory,
the arch of the sky displays your handiwork.
In your love you have given us the power
to behold the beauty of your world in all its splendour.
The sun and the stars, the valleys and the hills,
the rivers and the lakes, all disclose your presence.
The roaring breakers of the sea tell of your awesome might;
the beasts of the field and the birds of the air proclaim your wondrous will.
In your goodness you have made us able to hear the music of the world
the voices of loved ones reveal to us that you are in our midst.
A divine song sings through all creation.
For those of us who live in urban areas the music of God’s world is so often drowned out by the clatter and commotion of the world around us. This prayer reminds me of how much all of us need time amongst God’s good creation to reconnect once more to the divine song that reverberates through God’s world.
With Earth day rapidly approaching, I thought that I would post some of my favourite nature related meditations. I am finding these to be very enriching this week and hope that you will too.
You might also like to check out some of my previous Earth day blessings, liturgies, and resources:
We are getting ready for the summer, planning our annual Celtic retreat and setting aside time for reflection and renewal. We hope that you will join us – in person or online.
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Reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel message. Through the Holy Spirit, God’s love has flooded our hearts, reshaping and transforming us. We are journeying not just toward renewed relationships and communities, but toward a new creation in which we are all reconciled to the image of God within us, within others, and even within creation.
Our annual retreat on August 7th-9th is your invitation to enter this journey. With the inspirational 6th century Irish monk Columba as our guide, we will walk together through scripture, reflection, worship, and creative spiritual exercises, stirring our imaginations and opening our hearts and minds to the reconciling power of God. There will be plenty of time and space for inner renewal, plus lots of fun, fellowship and food as we journey together toward restoration and wholeness.
We will set aside the busy clutter in our lives and create a quiet space for prayer and renewal as we worship God in a beautiful outdoor cathedral surrounded by maple and cedar trees.
Following the Celtic Christian tradition, this retreat will incorporate the rhythms of work and rest, community and solitude, prayer and biblical study.
Camping, great conversations, and morning/evening prayers, Friday & Sunday
Look at the clothes you are wearing right now….Would you believe that 80-90% of what you are wearing was made in inhumane, unsustainable conditions? Well, the sad fact is, this is most often the case. Sweatshops are not a thing of the past. Buying well-made, high end clothing does not mean that it is made in any different conditions than Old Navy or Walmart clothing. This is hard to swallow, and as someone who loves fashion and also believes that all people bear the image of God ,it can seem too overwhelming to even think about. However, information and acknowledgement is where change begins. So why should you care about where your clothing comes from and what can you, practically, do?
Ethical Clothing Brand: Same Thread
When discussing the issue of ethicality in the clothing industry, one may have images of sweatshops and child laborers in developing nations toiling all day in inhumane conditions. Although this image may seem extreme, it is a very real aspect of our current garment and fashion industry practices worldwide. Sweatshops from Bangladesh to Cambodia routinely pay their workers less than $1.20 per day for their work. This is not a living wage, even in poverty stricken communities. The chronic underpayment of garment industry workers creates a cycle of poverty in already struggling communities, in turn contributing to other social issues resulting from poverty such as lack of access to education, health problems, and prostitution. Sweatshops are not only present in developing nations but are also a growing problem in the United States.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in recent years roughly 11,000 U.S. based factories were cited as violating workers rights and not paying laborers a minimum wage. This shows the problem of human rights violations in textile and garment factories is not only an international problem but a domestic problem as well. Additionally, many companies touted as being ethically made have had numerous sweatshop scandals. When it comes to clothing ethicality we must learn to be active, not passive, consumers of information.
Female Garment Workers in Thailand
In 2006, a study was done by the American Sociological Association regarding the marketability of fair trade products; this study found that an overwhelming majority of consumers would pay $1-$5 more for items they know are made in an ethical way. Although large strides towards ethical production have been made in the coffee, chocolate and food industry, the clothing industry remains hugely underserved.
I am someone who loves fashion and clothing. The thrill of a new dress or pair of shoes is not lost on me. However, I also believe that all humans are entitled to certain God given rights that must be respected. As I’ve become more interested in ethicality and the fashion industry I keep asking myself, “What can I, practically, do?”. Not all of us can afford to shop exclusively from fair trade clothing brands, and more often than not the aesthetics in fair trade clothing is extremely lacking. So what small changes can we make to have a positive impact on the clothing industry?
Ethical Clothing Brand: Same Thread
1. Realize that someone is paying the price for your clothing…is it you or the garment worker? Jeans should cost more than $9.99. When you come across clothing that is extremely cheap ask yourself, “what kind of production practices lend itself to producing a $3 tank top”? The answer is usually pretty obvious.
2. Inform yourself about your favorite brands. It is well-known that companies such as Forever 21, H&M, Victoria’s Secret, and Walmart have unethical supply chains. However, information and transparency is severely lacking for many brands. Do some digging online and if nothing is available, request information. Here is a thorough list to get you started on what companies to avoid and which to buy.
3. If you are unsure, shop local and second-hand. Finding local markets and boutiques supports your local economy and makes it easier to engage in conversation and get information. Also, second-hand and vintage shopping can be a cost-effective and fun way to go! Most of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe were found at great vintage stores. I love that shopping locally and second-hand gives me a unique wardrobe and personal style.
4. Start exploring and support fair trade fashion companies. As I stated earlier, finding fair trade clothing that is actually fashionable can be a struggle. Many fair trade clothing companies are either insanely expensive or produce clothing you wouldn’t want to wear. However, lately there has been a huge surge of new fashionable clothing companies that are competitively priced. Here is a list of some of my current fair trade favorites: Mata Traders, People Tree, Fair Indigo, Sseko
Due to the lack on choice in the ethical clothing market, myself and my business partner are actually in the process of creating and launching our first collection of fashion forward, ethically made clothing. Same Thread helps to empower women vulnerable to the sex industry in Thailand by providing economic opportunity while expanding fair trade choices for consumers. For more information visit us at samethread.com.
Informing ourselves and leaning into change is the first step to breaking our collective addiction to fast fashion.
No matter what, when you buy Fair Trade, it can deepen your love. Love for the planet, love for your fellow human beings, and love for beautiful craftsmanship. Money cannot buy you happiness, but when you buy Fair Trade, your money will serve other people and the planet with compassion. And that’s as close to happiness as money can buy.
Join me in working to bring reconciliation and progress to the fashion industry!
Katie is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Same Thread, an ethical clothing brand for women. She also serves on staff at Mustard Seed Associates and The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. She is a native Pacific Northwesterner with a passion for social justice and bringing fair trade business practices into the mainstream. In 2014 she completed her MA in International Development at Northwest University, where she focused on social enterprise and it’s capacity to economically empower women. She has a background in event planning, marketing, design and retail production. On a typical Saturday she can be found cooking, sewing, drawing, listening to records, vintage shopping, sipping whiskey and playing with her puppies.
Yesterday I conducted a Spirituality of Gardening seminar in Bellingham. One of my favourite stories to relate is the making of compost. Garbage in, gold out. And as Earth Day approaches it seemed appropriate to reflect on this. The transformation that worms, bacteria and bugs accomplish is truly incredible.
When I lift the lid on our worm bin and watch the thousands of red wriggly worms diligently working to transform our stinky food waste and garbage into fertilizer I am overawed. Gone are the moldy leftovers, the rotten potatoes and discarded broccoli. Gone is the smell of death and corruption. Everything has blended into something new – sweet smelling, rich black compost ready to spread on the garden. Now listen to this fun video about making compost.
What is your response:
God is in the business of transformation. Thank God for compost and worms! Thank God for the healing and transforming power of the Holy Spirit. God can take the very worst of who we are and transform us all into the kingdom of God people we are intended to be. If you have a compost bin go out and lift the lid. Can you remember what you added – what your kitchen and garden garbage looked like? Reach into the bin and pick up some worms. What are the “worms” in your life that God is using to transform you? What could you do to enhance the transformation?
As I contemplated this amazing transformation I could not help but think of the ways that God transforms our lives. Often it is the stinky smelly things from our past, those things we want to throw out in the garbage that God wants to transform into the foundations of our faith and ministry. It is often the addictions, failures and inadequacies of our lives that God transforms into our strengths.
And it is not just we who are transformed. Out of the rich soil of our changed lives other seeds germinate, grow and flourish. My compost bin grows the best squash and potatoes in the garden.
What is your response.
Think about the lives that have been transformed through your “compost” and the soil that has been enriched as a result. What kinds of seeds have germinated in the broken down places God has transformed? How can you continue to nurture and grow these seeds?
As you end this meditation listen to Steve Green sing In Brokenness You Shine. Sit in silence and allow God to speak to you. What other places of brokenness might God want to transform and shine through?
Yesterday I mentioned that Earth Day is almost here and so I wanted to give some creative (and subversive) suggestions on what to make to spread the word and the seed of God’s good earth. Making seed bombs with clay, compost and seed is a great activity for Earth day.
As Eliacin Rosario Cruz mentioned in a recent sermon, seed bombs are not meant to be held onto, they are meant to be shared – throwing them into abandoned lots, toxic waste fields or your neighbour’s empty lot. Here is a great video from UrbanFarmOnline.com that really gives this substance.
For good instructions check out How to Make a Seed Bomb
or download this How to make a seed bomb guide from kidsgardening.org I love their suggestion to make this a summer project for your kids.
For a complete guide to seed bombing visit the Guerrilla gardener. – there are lots of ways you can do this.
Earth Day is coming on April 22nd, and in preparation I plan to post prayers and liturgies from different faith perspectives to get us ready. Sean Gladding just sent me this wonderful Native American prayer. I find that like many native peoples, America’s first nation peoples are very much in tune with the rhythm of the earth, just as Christians once were.
I am also adding another one, also by Chief Yellow Lark that I posted several years ago. It has been extremely popular and I always like to use it as I begin my Spirituality of Gardening Classes.
Earth Teach Me To Remember.
Here is the complete prayer.
Earth Teach Me to Remember
Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth Teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep in the rain.
Both of these prayers remind us to take time to listen to the wonder of God’s creation. It reminds me to notice not just the majestic mountains outside my window but also the small and seemingly insignificant creatures that are so vital to the healthy thriving of our world. It also reminds me to sit quietly in the presence of the One who has created all things and whose great love is revealed in every dimension of that creation.
The stillness of the earth speaks of stability and constancy. It speaks of the enduring faithfulness of God who sends the seasons in their due time, who waters the earth with the spring and the autumn rains, who brings forth the harvest to nourish our bodies.
It is certainly time for stillness in my own spirit too and I find that the changing season outside is a wonderful affirmation of that. Learning to hear the promptings of my spirit calling me to slow down, sit still in the presence of God and listen is not always easy. But it is essential.
So sit still with me today. Drink in the wonder of God. Quieten your spirit and allow God to refresh and renew you.
Join us for more garden insights and prayers: Spirituality of Gardening Online Course!
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