Spring Time Reminder: Recycle, Rejoice!

“Celebrate God's green Earth: reduce, reuse, RECYCLE, REJOICE!”

(Continued from Spring Time Reminder: Reduce, Reuse...)

RECYCLE

I'm big on recycling! Separating paper products, bottles, plastics, and cans from actual trash is second nature to me. I don't even pay attention to it anymore until one day, when I asked Alison to throw something away for me, she asked: “Trash or recycling, Mommy?” I lit up! If all 4-year olds are learning this now, we just might be able to save our planet, I thought.

What a blessing it is that this value is being reinforced at both Edward's and Alison's schools! Just recently at our parent meeting, the Site Supervisor at Alison's preschool encouraged us to donate household items that we no longer use. Asked if we could all chip in money to buy what the school needed, she responded that recycling is what the school wanted to emphasize. Edward's school also has a structured recycling program, where you can donate aluminum cans, cell phones, printer cartridges, etc.

Once a quarter, I would go through our closets and weed out clothes and shoes that the kids have outgrown, or take out stuff that I haven't used for a year or so. We are lucky to have automatic reminders in the mail: flyers from the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) asking for clothes or household items that are still usable. The flyers have the actual date of when the UCP volunteers will come by the neighborhood to pick up our boxed up donations.

For more recycling/donation ideas, click here - thanks to my April 2008 issue of Redbook!



REJOICE!

All this is my own little way of setting a good example for Edward and Alison, who I want to grow up to be responsible citizens of the world. One day Edward exclaimed with sheer excitement, “Mommy, come see our room!” After dragging me to their bedroom, he proudly announced, “Alison and I cleaned our room!”

My heart rejoiced!

“Wow! I didn't even have to tell you both to clean up your room!” (Click here to read about our “10-to-1-Clean-up-Countdown Exercise”) I hugged my children with so much love and pride.

How much more joy will we give our Father for “cleaning up” His planet?


Dear Lord, May we be always reminded that the green Earth is Yours and we are but stewards of Your creation. Help us to hand it over to the next generation - better, greener, healthier - than when we found it.