For Mother’s Day this year, my family knew what would bring me the most joy: a picnic. My husband, Matthew, served as sous chef. Our daughter, Emma, made the fruit salad and homemade bread. Clark brought his wife, Valerie, along with her extraordinary storytelling abilities. The evening air was punctuated with cheers from a friendly… Continue reading A Picnic for All Occasions
Category: Nancy Sleeth
New “Go Green, Save Green” Resource – and it’s Free!
Good news! We have a new resource to accompany my book Go Green Save Green: A Simple Guide for Saving Time, Money, and God’s Green Earth. Go Green, Save Green is the first practical, faith-based book to help families, churches, and schools save money while saving the earth. Thousands of individuals and groups have used Go… Continue reading New “Go Green, Save Green” Resource – and it’s Free!
Q&A with Nancy
This Q&A with Nancy was originally posted September 14, 2011 on Jason Hess’s blog “Ecksermonator: Evolve Your Thinking.” It is reposted with permission. This month I was able to ask Nancy Sleeth, the co-founder of Blessed Earth, a few questions about the organization. With more and more people getting involved in the green movement, environmentalism… Continue reading Q&A with Nancy
Blessed Earth partners with the National Cathedral
…and five other major churches in the next five years Last spring Matthew was invited to speak from the pulpit of the National Cathedral, the “Nation’s Church,” in Washington, DC. His talk and forum were the centerpiece of their Earth Day celebration. As a school child, Matthew had taken yearly field trips to visit with… Continue reading Blessed Earth partners with the National Cathedral
Irresistible “Healthy” Cinnamon Rolls
My friend, Bethany, makes Sunday cinnamon roll a special treat. She bakes and slices it the night before, then leaves it out for breakfast so she and her husband can stay in bed an extra hour on Sabbath morning while her three young children enjoy a special meal. I always make two loaves when we… Continue reading Irresistible “Healthy” Cinnamon Rolls
A Place at the Table
Last month, we had John and Margo from the Wildlands Network over for dinner. John is doing an east coast trek to raise awareness about the need for wildlife corridors in North America. One of their staff members follows Blessed Earth on Twitter and Facebook, and she asked if John could stop by while he… Continue reading A Place at the Table
Spring Clean, Green Clean
“I love a clean house. I just don’t like cleaning.” That’s a direct quote from our twenty-year-old daughter, Emma, who recently graduated from college and is now living in her first apartment. Emma is honest enough to express what most of us feel—we want our homes to be uncluttered, fresh, and inviting, but getting there… Continue reading Spring Clean, Green Clean
The Earth is Yours
Photo by Jeff Rogers Thanks to letters from you, some days just start out right! This one from a pastor’s wife in California literally filled me with music. The tune is stuck in my head (a good thing), but I always have trouble understanding lyrics (I’m deaf in my left ear), so I’m glad Erin… Continue reading The Earth is Yours
Easter, Naturally
My favorite worship time of the year is sunrise service on Easter morning. I love worshipping the Creator in his creation, even if it means getting up early and bundling up in very un-Easterly mittens and jackets. My least favorite part of Easter is the commercialism. At the risk of sounding like an Easter Grinch,… Continue reading Easter, Naturally
The Triple Bottom Line
When Matthew left medicine nearly a decade ago, I returned to full-time teaching. By choice and necessity, we had significantly downscaled our lifestyle at home, and now I felt it was time to help lighten the footprint of my workplace. During my first contract meeting with my boss, I explained that taking care of the… Continue reading The Triple Bottom Line
Delicious Challah on the Sabbath
One tradition that you may want to incorporate in your Sabbath is challah, a simple braided egg bread. If you have a bread machine, baking challah is incredibly simple. Add ingredients to the bread pan in the order given: 1 cup warm milk 3 T soft butter 1 t salt 2 large eggs, beaten 3… Continue reading Delicious Challah on the Sabbath
On Accidents, Weddings, and Zinnias
Last Saturday, we celebrated a milestone: the marriage of our son Clark and Valerie. The wedding was simple, joyous, and God-centered. Although they did not set out to make the wedding “green,” it was a beautiful and environmentally sustainable ceremony. Everyone contributed their skills and talents: Val’s mom made the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses.… Continue reading On Accidents, Weddings, and Zinnias
Resolution for 2010: Sabbath Quiet
When people ask me about the first thing they should do to care for the earth, I give an answer that they don”t expect: Start observing the Sabbath. The intent of the Sabbath laws is restraint. We are not supposed do it all, just because we can. Sabbath is about taking our hands off the… Continue reading Resolution for 2010: Sabbath Quiet
Students provide hope for the Kingdom
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking at Belmont University’s convocation, as well as with a freshman seminar class studying creation care. When I told the director of spiritual life that I would share my creation care journey and then ask students to work in small groups on a Good Steward Covenant—committing… Continue reading Students provide hope for the Kingdom
Is Conservation Enough?
Conservation is the first answer, since it costs little or nothing and makes up the lion’s share of “low hanging fruit.” I don’t, however, believe it is the only answer. The example I give is the clothes line. It costs little or nothing to conserve energy by hanging them on the line. But once we… Continue reading Is Conservation Enough?
Shop, Share, and Save!
Over the last three decades, the Three R’s–Reduce, Reuse and Recycle–have become a regular part of our speech and practices. Now it’s time focus on the Three S’s—Swop, Share, and Save. John the Baptist tells us if we have two cloaks, to share one with our brother. Isn’t it time for us to take an… Continue reading Shop, Share, and Save!
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… Continue reading Reducing Water Waste
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… Continue reading Red, White and Blue Go Green
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… Continue reading My Family’s Journey to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint
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… Continue reading For the Beauty of Our Own Backyards
