NOT GREEN. JUST GOOD.

Today is Earth Day and I confess over the last couple of weeks, I've thought quite a bit about my part in maintaining this beautiful Creation God has given us. Not so much about my family's "imprint" or our "carbon output", but more about real, everyday, simple things that we as a family can do to be good stewards of this wonderful gift of LIFE. Not because it's the "cool" thing to do, nor because I've got some agenda I feel like pushing, really it's just about living simply, using resources wisely, and investing a little more time in making choices that are better for everyone. Like taking reusable shopping bags to the market for groceries. I've not been good about that, and it's something I'd really like to try to do. Kroger has a contest right now to design a reusable bag, and I did just that. Here's my design.

You can vote for it EVERYDAY until May 21st. Just click on the button above, and it will take you to the website to vote. Don't forget to vote daily. :)

Honestly, I don't see me winning right now, behind by over 8,000 votes! LOL! But, that's not the point really. I designed my bag for our family, and so, I purchased 4 of them. Expensive - yes. Worth it - I think so. The bag is stronger canvas than the cheap ones you get at Wal-mart. It is washable too. And I plan on keeping them in the back of our van for years to come, so I decided to pay more for something that will no doubt last longer. Really, there are a lot of things like this that we can all try to do.

Recycling for instance. When we moved to our new home four years ago, we realized pretty quickly that we couldn't afford the recycling costs associated with our trash pickup. Sometimes living on just one income requires major budgeting that squeezes out things that we would LOVE to do, but can't really financially cover. Still, David and I both knew the benefits of recycling, and we made some quick phone calls and soon discovered that we could just recycle ourselves. No need for paying high pick-up costs. We bought plastic tubs and set them next to our trash can in the garage. One is for cardboard, one is for plastic and glass. As we go into the garage to dispose of trash, those plastic bins are a reminder to think "recycle" before "trash". Sometimes just laziness gets in the way. We'd rather just throw out the used salsa jar instead of rinsing it out. I know, I've done that too. But, by forcing myself to see the larger picture. That the salsa jar going in the trash takes up landfill room, and that landfill room is limited space, space that I'd rather see my children and their children use as parks and living space, well...I guess you get the picture. By putting the rinsed jar in the recycling bin, I've just given it another go 'round in use.

Challenging myself to be a better steward of what God has given me is something that takes effort and sacrifice, but there is also great reward in realizing this little part makes a difference. So at least once a month, we load up the overflowing bins and drive to our local recycling center which just happens to be only minutes from Wal-mart. Tossing the contents into the HUGE containers brings us a sense of "doing our part" and making this trip just prior to shopping for the month at Wal-mart puts into perspective what we are buying. Is the container recyclable? Do we need a new one or can we purchase a refill pack? Can we make do with what we have? Is this a necessity or a want? Can we buy used and save the difference (the Duggar's motto)? As we push our full cart out to the van, and begin to reload those same plastic recycle tubs with our new purchases, there is a sense of full circle for us and for our kids.

Do we need to Reuse. Reduce. Recycle. because we belong to a certain political party? Nope. Do we do those things because it brings some Eco-status to our lives? Not. Our family chooses to recycle because it's the smart thing to do. Because it frees up space for the future. Because God's creation is beautiful and deserves to be kept that way. And, because we hope that by doing our small part, life will be just as abundant for our kids.

The biggest thing I've been thinking about today is: What if we rephrased our lives to indicate our desire to be good stewards? What would change? Well, the first thing I could think of is relabeling the week day that we set out our trash on the curb. Instead of having a "trash day" every week, what if we had a "recycle day" instead? Our kids would look forward every week to the "Recycle Truck" coming to pick up the big container called a "Recycle Can" and empty out into the truck all the "Recycle Bags" (of course made of Eco-friendly materials).

Instead of a monthly on-line bill for "trash pickup", we'd be paying a bill for "recycling" and the trash would be the lesser of the amounts. I know, over the top. But, it's just that kind of thinking that creates a new way of doing things. One thing for sure, if you had to pay twice as much for the trash to be taken away than for recycling, I think more people would be on board. Just think of all the things you threw away this week that could have been recycled. Don't worry, no one's judging. I'm the first to put up my hand as "guilty". I can think of toilet paper rolls (cardboard) and school papers (should have just shredded them and recycled at school), a soup can because I was just too tired (oh, alright, lazy) to rinse it out. All that and more for sure, if at any given time our trash can has more in it than our recycle bin, definitely time for me to re-evaluate. Stop and think. Not green, but God. What would the Creator of the world want me, want us, to do?

"God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take Charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth. God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! "Genesis 1:28 & 31 {The Message}

No, it's not about being green. It's about cherishing God's blessing. Being responsible for the Creation He made for us. Faithful to Him in our choices, wise in everyday decisions. These simple things: recycling, reusable shopping bags, rethinking purposes. Not green. Just good, so very good!

Blessings,