Nancy Sleeth
Reducing Water Waste
Last summer, we visited a friend on his family land in eastern Tennessee. The stone cabin under construction at the top of the hill seemed like a metaphor for the young couple’s marriage—strong yet fledgling, promising yet new. The view from the hilltop must have been spectacular one hundred years ago; it was still quite pleasant. But now the skyline was obscured by a persistent haze. The nearby mountains, it was explained, act like a catcher’s mitt, keeping a close … Continue reading
Red, White and Blue Go Green
What could be more patriotic than caring for the planet this Independence Day? Whether you’re hosting a picnic at home for friends and family or simply marveling over your town’s fireworks display, here are some simple ways to add green to your red, white, and blue celebration. Food choices Throwing a picnic or having a BBQ on the Fourth? Choose locally grown, organic produce. Also, consider offering a vegetarian option, such as veggie burgers. Want to know how the foods … Continue reading
My Family’s Journey to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint
In the next twenty-four hours I’ll be interviewed on three national radio shows. I’m feeling a bit nervous. Okay, terrified. But that’s what these interviews are about—walking out in faith, despite the terror. Doing what you are called to do, even if you look loony to the rest of the world. Sharing our faith and environmental journeys with the world feels a bit like walking into the store naked. On videotape. Broadcast internationally. It all began with two simple questions. … Continue reading
For the Beauty of Our Own Backyards
Late last fall, I went for a bike ride just before sundown. At the entrance to the park was a long, fairly steep hill. A family was out for a walk. The parents were pushing a stroller, and a set of twins, a boy and a girl about seven years old, rode ahead on their bikes, stopping and waiting now and then for Mom and Dad to catch up. The little girl on the miniature two-wheeler reminded me a lot … Continue reading
Restoring Eden in Your Own Backyard
If I can learn to garden, anyone can. I grew up in the suburbs. Every spring, I helped my mom plant annuals—petunias in our sunny beds, impatiens in the shade, and a few geraniums in planters. One of my chores was to deadhead the flowers—especially the petunias. Pinching back the dead blooms and leggy stems always left a sticky residue on the tips of my fingers, and the smell of summer under my fingernails. In early summer, my dad had … Continue reading
From a Mother’s Heart
Upon receiving a missive from our daughter, Emma, and our son’s girlfriend, Val, in India, a friend just wrote to me: After reading the bit about the mosquito bites, I have to ask you, altogether seriously, how are you doing??? Thank you for asking, Mattie. Emma has such a blistering mass on her arm that the doctor she is working with asked if she had a rash. And Val, our son’s girlfriend, has more than dozen bites on her eyelids. … Continue reading
Go Green: Small Changes, Big Results
The day I turned forty, my older sister called. “Forty is okay,” she reassured me. “It’s a couple years from now that the body really starts to slide downhill.” And she was right. Within a couple of years, I couldn’t read the road signs quite as easily, especially at night. The arches of my feet started to ache if I didn’t wear shoes with good support. And my clothes seemed to shrink all at once—or was that my waistline growing? … Continue reading
Miracles for Our Family
Our family’s environmental journey has paralleled our faith journey. As we try to live out what it means to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, we feel inspired to live more simply. The first and most important miracle is that we all came to know Christ, not just in our heads but in our daily actions. Hanging clothes on the line, washing dishes by hand, and growing our own … Continue reading
The Sleeths
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