My Day At the River

I saw a bird walking along a log in the water, just a few inches from the water line.  Long orange curved beak standing about 16-18 inches tall. He had a muddled brown body and lighter head. I watched as he took about three or four steps on those long spinally legs. I must have moved as he made that single leap, spreading his wings gracefully as only a larger bird can do.  Taking to the air he flew only about a foot off the water going up stream until he was obscured from my vision by the willows and mesquite trees that had taken root on the sand bar. As he did so I could see that the body was a brilliant white, the browns were only the wings that were folded around his body as he walked along looking for fish or mussels in the water. As it turned out he was a Juvenal White Ibis I would discover after looking him up in my bird book after getting back home.

I had found a spot on a little null about 6 feet above the flow of the river and not 10 feet from the water's edge. I don't really know why I had come to the Guadalupe river that day, other than I needed to get out of the house. Having grown up in the St Louis aria with majestic rivers from the Mighty Miss to crystal clear streams that you could drink right out of. The Guadalupe isn't much of a river, especially after this worst drought in history.  The water is a noticeable color of city run off because it is only water flowing into the river is being pumped into it to keep if flowing. Riverside park, well it's not much better, it's over used and beat down after the drought too. Kind of depressing in a lot of ways having grown up in the lush Midwestern forest and spending the past 20 years living and working is some of the most amazing natural places in all of God's creation.

I don't know why I looked up at that moment, the Ibis certainly didn't make any noise. But there he was, not 10 feet away from me, looking like he was out for a Sunday stroll.  It has been years scene the last time I truly had this kind of experience. Years scene I had just sat and listed to the water flowing down river.  Tho we have had many "family adventures" with four kids we had often happened upon many storks, herons, even some bald eagles, an once while leaving Yosemite nearly hit a mountain lion as he crossed the road in front of us.  But this was different. This was not in the mist of a hurried trip with an agenda and schedule. In fact I had come to the river to try and get some modivation to HAVE and agenda. This was not my world running into his world. This was OUR worlds being the same for just a moment. As that moment passed I began to notice the red tail calling in the tree and the 30 or so yellow finches all around me in those willows and  mesquite  trees. Maybe I am starting to find my way home after all, maybe after all these years I'm finally finding my way home.

Who I am

All though I try not to define my self, or anyone else, by what the do and equate it to who they are in my case the two really are one in the same.  I’m a “retired” Camp Minister and Eco-Theologian who spent the better part of 20 years in school and working in every part of camping ministry from fund raising to camp nurse to maintenance and washing dishes to the proverbial summer staff consoler.  I say “retired” because it sounds nicer than telling you that I worked myself into a state of depression and inability to be of any use to anyone after a career of trying to prevent others from doing just that.

                For now I am a stay at home dad focusing on making it up to my wife and kids. They followed me around the country literally from border to border and from coast to almost the other coast in our sixteen amazing years together. We have drug the four most reliant and amazing kids along on all of our “Adventures” around the country.  Besides Jen and I not really being up to it anymore these travels (content moving) is starting to both show and flower in them.  They have lived most of their life in places most people only dream of visiting and have been to some of the most beautiful parts of creation there are.  However, it's time to lay some roots. 

                What is Eco-Theology you ask?  Well in its most basic form and definition Eco-Theology is the intersection of theology (thinking about God) and ecology (the study of the environment and systems that make up that environment, or ecology) The scientist can tell you how to save the tree and where the tree fits into the ecosystem, I’ll explain to you how that tree fits into creation, God’s plan, and why we should save the tree.

                Although some Eco-Theologians get close to, or even cross the line into arguably no longer dining Christian theology (No I’m not going to name names) I try really hard to stay well within the boundaries of “Yahweh is who created it all and Christ is who is fixing, saving, recreating it all” or in other words Christian theology.  I love to discuss the different views, but I don’t like to argue and won’t.  I'm not scientist so I will probably make mistakes from time to time talking about the science part, but if you are going to critic it use facts, not something a think tank funded by corporate interest or what Rush said, and I'll try to do the same.

                Someday we may get back into ministry, but right now I am just focusing on healing my spirit and supporting Jen as she builds her career as an amazing high school math teacher and being “dad.”  If you would like some help with a "green" project or someone to come speak to your church or group about how the Church fits into the environmental movement and what you can do, let me know I still love to tell people the greatest story ever told.