8 January  2026

I used to love watching my grandmother opening her Christmas presents.
Her life, especially in the early years of her marriage had meant much scrimping and saving and a lot of hard work so she was careful about everything and that included Christmas presents. The wrappings were NEVER torn or thrown away but the Sellotape was cut, the paper was carefully opened, and then folded and the string or ribbon - even elastic bands - rolled up. All were then put away, along with any unwanted presents, to be 'recycled' during the following year. Nothing was wasted.
Her influence has helped John and I throughout our lives. Much to our children's amusement, I still hate throwing anything away that might have the remotest chance of being useful one day and this foible has often proved to be both helpful and economic - as well as 'eco-friendly'.
According to the Bible, God gave human beings 'dominion' over the earth. As I see it, dominion is not 'domination'; we were not given carte blanche to do what we liked with it but were called to share with God in his work of wise nurture and care for his perfect creation. We do not have the right to kill just for pleasure, to use wastefully or to destroy without consideration for the consequences but we have the solemn and joyous duty to care for and use the earth, God's earth, wisely and with consideration for all creation from Periwinkles to  giant Sequoias, from nematodes to whales and that includes ourselves and all other people.
 
God loved 'all that he had made and saw that it was good' and we are called to love and nurture it too.
 
With love,
 
Jacquie