Day 1: Or what should have been Day 1

Day 1 Welcome to the Garden

Genesis 1:1-2 "In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters"

A few years ago, God began to work in my heart a desire to serve Him by serving our Earth. This is better known as 'going green' in our secular world and 'creation care' in our Christian world. For the last two years, I've tried and sadly failed to bring my goal of blogging about creation for a full thirty days during the month of April when the world celebrates Earth Day on April 22. This year is different. This year, I'm rededicating my self and my goals and my desire to serve Him. So this blog is more for me studying God's word than anything else. (note: not counting these first two days of April I missed already, God willing)

To be perfectly honest I've always been at odds with how I'm suppose to serve God. First as a kid growing up in a church that is in another county from where I grew up. That made it hard for me to connect with my fellow Christians in the youth when they went to different schools and lived in different neighborhoods. Then in college, I majored in Apparel Design and Merchandising. The world of fashion and creativity and design is completely fascinating to me. However, as my professor said, really only about 1% of the US population really cares about and follows fashion. Which makes me a weirdo.
I guess in hindsight, that's similar to my walk in Christ where I am suppose to be set apart. The difference is, the fashion industry is notorious for fueling the American drive of consumerism and selfishness. And yet I felt called to this career path by God. Weird I know, but it's the truth as revealed to me. So how was I suppose to reconcile a desire to serve God but work in an industry that works to serve itself? A few years ago, I got a small glimpse of the answer when I happened across a sewing website that encouraged being environmentally responsible. I asked myself what the bible had to say about protecting the environment and after a little research on the Internet, and reading the bible cover to cover, I discovered protecting the environment can serve God, because everything in God's creation is meant to give Him glory. So I can be a designer and serve God but creating environmentally sustainable clothing. Neat huh?

I'm not there yet (thanks to a sewing machine I swear is possessed by the devil) but I now know what direction to head in. In the meantime, I'm preparing myself by working hard to pay off my debts to give me the time to pursue my career and studying His Word on creation care.

I think April is the perfect month to study creation care. Especially this year. My church is undergoing a revival in a few weeks, and the purpose of revival is to renew one's faith and get right with one's walk with God. And spring is a time the earth renews itself. And Easter is usually around April, so that is about the ulimate renewal.

So here is how it's going to work. This first day is an introduction. An outline of topics I'll discuss in the next few weeks. The last day will be a wrap up. A conclusion of thoughts and a prayer for achieving goals. The twenty eight days in between will be divided into four lessons with seven days to cover each lesson. And those lessons are as follows

Intro Day 1
Day 2 Excuses
Day 3 why protect earth when we're going to heaven?
Day 4 Dominance, a true definition
Day 5 Only something non-Christians do
Day 6 Naturalism
Day 7 I disagree with environmentalist and scientists
Day 8 Who is my neighbor? The good Samaritan

Day 9 Why Christians are called to care for the earth (how we give glory
Day10 Helping the Sick
Day 11 Helping the Poor
Day 12 War
Day 13 Money
Day 14 Natural Disasters
Day 15 Showing God's Love

Day 16 Palm SundayThe Earth keeping principle The Lord keeps us, so we should keep his creation
Day 17 the Fruitfulness principle enjoying God's creation
Day 18 The Sabbath and discipleship principle letting creating rest and reconcile with it as Christ reconciled with us
Day 19The Kingdom principle seeking first gods kingdom
Day 20 The Contentment principle be content and practice what you preach
Day 21 the Conservation principle serving the earth as it serves us
Day 22 Happy Creation Day! and Good Friday!

Day 23 Doubt winter
Day 24 Happy Easter! Imagine a world without Spring
Day 25 What Jesus Did after rising
Day 26 How to pray (the Lord's Prayer)
Day 27 How to serve the Earth
Day 28 How to think of God's Glory
Day 29 How to Be Still (psalms)

Day 30 My prayer for Creation