I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.  Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works (Psalm 145:1-5)

Poor Rachel Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) can’t seem to rest in peace.  Ever since her book Silent Spring virtually spawned the modern Environmental Movement, her scientific conclusions about DDT have been accepted, rejected, challenged and re-researched so often that it’s hard to know the truth about it.  Mostly, however, the issue has been an economic football kicked from post to post in a hard-fought battle between conservative libertarians and perceived “liberal” scientists.  For sure the issue has kept in everyone’s attention the advisability of spreading “cides” all over the landscape and has rightly cautioned us about using them without knowing all of the effects and side-effects of their use.

Rachel grew up in rural Pennsylvania and loved to explore and learn from the natural world as she ambled around her family’s 65-acre farm.  She was such an astute observer and good student that she had an article published when she was eleven!  Her sense of wonder in nature never left her.  In fact, it became the topic of another of her books: The Sense of Wonder.  The following quote from the book is found on the WOC page Creation Quotations and Wonder Kids.  Although Carson was not known as a follower of Christ and was probably a secular naturalist, her views on children and the sense of wonder are wise words for us to heed:

A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Parents often have a sense of inadequacy when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature, inhabited by a life so various and unfamiliar that it seems hopeless to reduce it to order and knowledge. In a mood of self-defeat, they exclaim, “How can I possibly teach my child about nature—why, I don’t even know one bird from another!”

I sincerely believe that for the child, and for the parent seeking to guide him, it is not half so important to know as to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused—a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love—then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, it has lasting meaning. It is more important to pave the way for the child to want to know than to put him on a diet of facts he is not ready to assimilate.

[From The Sense of Wonder, by Rachel L. Carson]

[Our grandchildren---from top to bottom:  Gunnar, Elle, and Anna]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (John 1:1-5).

I’m always amazed at and a bit amused by the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).  The search is related in part to what is called the Fermi paradox:

The apparent size and age of the universe suggest that many technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations ought to exist. However, this hypothesis seems inconsistent with the lack of observational evidence to support it.

This lack of evidence has broadened the search to merely finding evidence of life—any kind of life—outside of the earth’s atmosphere.  The reason, of course, is that if scientists find even the simplest form of life outside earth’s biosphere, they could extrapolate from such a fact that life is not unique to the earth and that, indeed, maybe other intelligent civilizations do exist “out there.”   SETI was the theme of Carl Sagan’s novel Contact and the movie made from it.  [See the RBC Discovery Series booklet "Are We Alone in the Cosmos?"]

You may recall the famous Mars rock that some scientists suggested may contain fossilized remains of primitive life.  The extensive media coverage that very questionable “discovery” made provided evidence of another sort: that some people and their organizations (including several governments) are willing to spend billions for scientific evidence that we are not alone—and give to secular humanists a weapon to use against “foolish” religious people who actually believe that life did not arise naturally, but exists because of the supernatural Word.  This seems to be the driving purpose behind the careers of hundreds of anti-Christian scientists.

To this point the score seems to be zero for facts pointing to life anywhere else but earth opposed to hundreds of billions of facts for life on earth.  In fact, the universe we know seems to be entirely hostile to life—except on earth.  But because we have life and are surrounded by life, I believe we take it for granted to such an extent that we devalue it.  The prologue to the book of John should compel us to awe regarding the fact of life:  it has its origin in Christ the Creator, our Savior.  So even the simplest forms of life are remarkable.

We need to recover the fascination we had as children with the life that surrounds us—fascination I saw even this past weekend in a couple of our grandchildren, one of whom was mesmerized by a tiny speckled beetle some five times smaller than a ladybug and the other by an “inch worm” actually about a quarter of an inch in length that she allowed to roam her index finger.  This reminded me of a school recess exercise I once undertook with my friend Lanny.  He and I brought magnifiers to school one spring and spent several recess sessions competing with each other over finding the smallest living creature.  The micro rock stars, of course, were the tiny red mites we found in great abundance.  They were about the size of four grains of sand.  Lanny and I of course did not know this about these creatures:

The presence of red velvet mites is extremely important to the environment. “These mites are part of a community of soil arthropods that is critical in terms of rates of decomposition in woodlands and in maintaining the structure of the entire ecosystem,” says [Liam] Heneghan [of DePaul University]. “By feeding on insects that eat fungi and bacteria, they stimulate the decomposition process. And when they are removed from the area, many critical processes in the soil go much slower. . . . The planet is home to millions upon millions of mites. Biologists believe there may be thousands of species of red velvet mite alone. Mites remain an under-researched enigma, says Heneghan. “I think we have no real idea what their role is,” he continues. “We’ve only come to realize the importance of the food web in the soil in the last 15 to 20 years. It is the great undiscovered frontier.”  [Source]

In my last post I spoke about the goodness of the creation.  That goodness is directly related to life.  I’m not sure how significant we can make it, but the Genesis account speaks of the goodness of the creation first after the appearance and separation of water and soil—the foundational elements of life (vs. 10).  Thereafter, the emergence of every form of life is called good.  And after the creation of man and the outline of his responsibilities regarding the living earth, it is called “very good.”  God is not only good and great, He is also life.

As amazing as their extraterrestrial excursions are, most astronauts will tell you that the greatest benefit they gained from their experience was to reinforce their wonder at the miracle of life on earth—and their becoming convinced even more how we need to value it and protect it.  Scientists have discovered thousands of facts—and about as many mysteries—about the forces, expanse, and dynamics of the universe.  But the greatest mysteries still seem to be the what, why, and how of life on earth and its endless forms.

Perhaps more awe should be demonstrated over the existence and goodness of the living red velvet mite beneath our feet than the most massive—and lifeless—galaxy known to man

[The Lord, the God of Israel, says] “They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul (Jeremiah 32:38-41).

I [Jesus] pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me (John 17:20-23).

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of polarization—polarization in virtually everything:  Public policy. National defense.  Theology. The state of natural environment.   And the list is growing—in large part because of polarizing talk shows on both radio and TV and because of media sound bites that capitalize on differences, not agreement.  Conflict sells.  Harmony doesn’t.

Sadly, the Body of Christ is not immune to sharp division—in spite of the fact that God the Son prayed that His followers would be one and God the Father wants to give His people “singleness of heart” as Jeremiah proclaimed.  Note, however, that Jehovah’s aim for His people is not merely singleness of heart, but also singleness of action.  That’s the really hard part.  We can feel that we are unified in heart, but if we are not unified in action, that feeling may be unjustified.

In his inspiring devotional booklet Resist the Powers based on the writing of Jacques Ellul, Charles Ringma reflects:

Harmony is seldom a windfall.  Instead, it is a reality that needs to be won in the face of great odds.  Ellul rightly points out that “harmony is to be found when certain events come together, but above all it is to be made, created, invented, and produced.”  Because harmony has nothing to do with uniformity, it will always remain a fragile commodity that needs to be continually recreated.  Essential to harmony is the all embracing concept of wholeness.

The importance of wholeness struck me a couple nights ago when Marge and I attended a right-to-life banquet arranged by the organization our son Eric works for: Life International. The enthusiasm demonstrated there for the sanctity of human life was electrifying—and unquestionably appropriate.  One result of that event in my own heart and mind, however, was to look upon my present calling as an advocate for the celebration and care of creation as far less significant.  We know from Scripture that human life is seen by God as more valuable than any other life.  It was the value of human life that brought the Creator to humble Himself and become a man—a Man who would die that we might attain everlasting life.  After the banquet, if someone had asked me what work I do, I might have felt a bit uncomfortable to tell them.  How can compassion for soil, trees, birds, rivers, atmosphere, and oceans hold a candle to compassion for human life?  For a time I saw myself standing at an opposing pole.

It took me a while to come back to reality and recall that care for human life and care for the creation upon which human life depends are not bipolar.  They belong together.  My son and I are working for the same Creator and the same cause: the health of all life created by Him.  It is folly to care only for the unborn child.  It is folly to care only for the state of the natural environment.  The Creator requires us to care for both.  How I wish and pray that the Body of Christ would come together in harmony on these vital concerns.  Consider Charles Ringma’s conclusion:

In achieving harmony, we seek to bring together those elements that seem to be opposed to each other.  Harmony, therefore, not only creates peace.  It also brings about a richness of life, for it draws into our orbit that which we first thought was incompatible.  Harmony will not be achieved by the insecure and those who are easily threatened.  It is created by those who are secure in the knowledge that they can learn from others.

Let us all be secure in our calling as we look forward in harmony toward the time of wholeness spoken of by the apostle Paul: “[God] made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Ephesians 1:9-10. See also Colossians 1:20).

[Awesome baby photo By TinaQuispehuaman]

These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:1-6).

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children (Proverbs 17:6).

Let me tell you about life on Ellavia.  Ellavia is a small island on the shore of the east arm of Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay—about 100 feet long and 50 feet wide.  It’s inhabited mostly by herring gulls and mallards—and briefly by two little girls: Ava and Elle.  The girls did not live long on it—less than an hour.  The island, which really was not an island but a small spit of land, is now a vital part of Elle and Ava’s memories.  They had claimed the “island” after braving the current of a small stream that emptied into the bay, leaving Grandpa and Grandma Ohlman on the other side not particularly wanting to drench pants and shoes before getting back into the van.

The first order of business when you claim an island is to name it.  Elle suggested that they certainly must include the discoverers’ names in its designation; so Ava proposed “Ellava.”  But, with perhaps some placename pattern in mind, she changed the suggestion to “Ellavia.” It was immediately and enthusiastically agreed on by both that such was a most excellent name.

With a stick, a found child’s beach pail and shovel, and a half a loaf of sliced bread they explored the island, collected clam and zebra mussel shells from the creek and surf line, and fed the inhabitants—saying angry words at piggish gulls who wouldn’t share with a pair of mallards.  Having a sandy lake shore, an infinite horizon, a creek on which fresh beaver-clipped branches floated, an ample hill with steep drop-off to the creek, and sand to dig in, it was a momentary paradise in which they found joy—their time in Eden.  The only enticement sufficient to get the granddaughters back off the spit was the promise of the indoor pool at the motel.  But Ellavia was now in their hearts and on their minds, and we heard it mentioned frequently during the rest of our grandparent/grandchild weekend getaway.

This adventure reminded me afresh that the outdoors—God’s other book—captivates children and dramatically reduces the tensions our modern world and hectic lifestyles creates for them.  Why is it that when we wean children from milk, we also want to wean them from their feelings of natural connection to God’s good earth? Not deliberately, yet surely, we stifle those feelings and break those links.

My heart aches for children today who are not given the opportunity I had as a child growing up with free and safe access to woods, pastures, ponds, creeks. This is especially poignant for me in the spring when joy fills my heart and nostalgia grips my emotions as I wander anew among the born-again violets, adder’s tongue (trout lily), trillium, skunk cabbage, and marsh marigolds in the April woods and marshes.  Still vivid in my memory is making handled cones out of construction paper in school the day before May 1 and then filling them with wildflowers to take home or hang on the knob of a nearby widow’s front door.   We’d knock boldly on her door shouting “May Day, May Day!” and quickly hide in the bushes to see her open the door to discover not a visitor but a floral delight already wilting from the grip of our hot and grubby little hands.

Our children need the outdoors.  They need intimacy with it.  We know we are to teach them the “decrees, commands, and laws” of the Scripture—God’s special revelation.  But the facts, wonders, and wisdom that come from nature—the Creator’s general revelation—are also vital.  Sunday School at church is  important, but Saturday School in God’s great outdoors also provides wonderful, even everlasting, rewards.

Understand it, harried parents!  Get it, busy grandparents, aunts, and uncles!

The Wonder Kid’s page of this website offers suggestions about how adult caregivers can create wonderful memories and provide essential understanding of the creation to children.  It is intended to be an interactive page where you can provide suggestions of your own.  If you have forgotten how to register on the WOC site to make comments, you can send me a suggestion on Facebook (search “Dean Ohlman” there) or you can email me at RBC using “dohlman at rbc dot org.”

Be sure to check into the Children and Nature Network if you want learn more about curing kids of their NDD: nature deficit disorder.

If a couple readers of WOC have a desire to be regular “Wonder Kids” associates who would like to research children and nature connections and ideas and share them on the site, I’d love to have you contact me. –Dean

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1-3).

[Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:15-17).

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP

One of my favorite old hymns of the church is “Fairest Lord Jesus,” in part because it was the first piece of choral music I sang in high school choir—in a secular high school! Miss Van Alsberg would probably be fired if she did that today in most secular schools. But the song came to mind afresh yesterday when I heard it on Christian radio on my way up the hill from Palm Desert to Joshua Tree NP. The lyrics of its first verse grabbed my attention because of my Wednesday post on who Jesus is to our young people today. They will be familiar to many:

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.

Yosemite woodland

The remainder of the lyrics speak of Jesus being fairer than the meadows and the woodlands in their spring attire and brighter and purer than the sunlight, moonlight, and starlight. This, of course, restates a key Christian doctrine: that the Creator is greater than His creation and is wholly separate from His creation. Most Christians understand and believe this.

Because I was a nature lover from my earliest days, I liked all the references to the natural world in the hymn.  However, even as a high school student I did not fully grasp the meaning of Jesus being the “ruler of all nature.” If I had stopped to think—or a pastor had made it clear when I was young—that there is a connection between the Jesus who loved and welcomed children two thousand years ago and the Jesus who is supernaturally acting today to sustain the creation and Who will one day redeem it, I think I would have had a lot more love and respect for the natural world much earlier. 

Merced River, Yosemite

That’s one key reason I feel that what we seek to accomplish with this Website is of vital importance to the church today. Maybe, in fact, some of you reading this are pastors or you are in a position to suggest to your pastor that sometime around Earth Day (April 22) a sermon or two on the implication of the passages above might be appropriate. Only in one of the churches I have attended have I ever heard sermons on Jesus as the “ruler of all nature” and what that might mean in our relationship to the natural world.

I’d be willing to wager that such a sermon or two would resonate with children and young adults. It’s a message they need to hear. And an important question comes out of this consideration: If Jesus is sustainer and ruler of all nature, how might we be working against Him?

The Wonder of Creation mission:

To showcase the wonder of Creation, to encourage trust in the wisdom and power of our Creator, and to inspire a desire to care for the natural world that He has entrusted to us.

[Yosemite photos by Daleberts from Flickr]