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Well, you may wonder exactly how I got this way.  If you’ve known me for a long time you may call me different.  I have been called a hippie numerous times.  I have been called weird.  I have been called a tree hugger.  That one comes from one of my closest friends.  She’s kidding.  I think.  I love these titles actually.

I’ve always considered myself to be somewhat “eco-conscious.”  My Dad had a few copies of Mother Earth News when I was younger and I loved to look through them.  He worked for the National Park Service and used to talk about recycling.  We never did it at home, but I knew that I wanted to when I got out on my own.  Sometime around 2003 or so, I was introduced to natural cleaning products and ideas.  And, like most things, once you get started down an alternative path–you’re there.  There is no going back.  I began questioning things.  I’ve always questioned how things work and their effect.  This was no different.  I started reading a lot.  Two books that helped me in my “slippery slope” were this one and this one.  The last one is co-authored by the president of Seventh Generation.  I’m not pushing that company or anything.  I do like, and use, some of their products though.  In that book they mentioned the first book.  Both were excellent in opening my eyes.

After that . . . I really don’t remember.  I began to think about things more.  I questioned things.  Is this normal?  What is normal?  I found Mothering Magazine.  I became more interested in natural baby products.  I read up on water births, midwifes, vaccines, etc.  I dove right into the alternative minded views on just about everything:  what we eat, what we wear, what we buy, etc.  It has been fun and I am continuously learning each and everyday.

Recently, someone close to me expressed concern that all this “earth/green” stuff  was becoming too important to me.  It was suggested that it was becoming the most important thing to me.  This person thought that the most important thing to me must be Jesus Christ.  Well, what this person doesn’t realize, or get is that my interest in living a more earth-friendly lifestyle is part of my faith.   Someone who explains this the best is Sara over at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly.

My interest in living a more earth-friendly lifestyle is rooted in my faith. I believe that those who follow Jesus should be the most outspoken environmentalists there are! Christians talk so much about being good stewards of their money, their time, or their body…but being a good steward of the earth He has entrusted to us is just as important. God cannot be pleased when he sees excessive waste, excessive chemicals being poured out into the waters, and excessively nonchalant attitudes among His people. You don’t have to be a radical tree hugger to take care of creation. It’s just part of stewardship.

So, as I continue down this slippery slope I have also drug a few others with me.  It overjoys me to see and hear Chris talking with friends and family members about how to reduce, reuse or recycle.  It literally fills my heart with pride to hear him speak with conviction about waste and plastics that we are polluting our children with.  I also have a few friends and family members that have come to me when they have questions on how they, too, can put forth more effort.  And futhermore, everytime we drive by McDonald’s, Wendy’s or whichever fast food restaurant, Bryce always yells out “Yuck!  That’s bad for you food!”  I’ve taught him well

Filed under: About Me, Cloth Diapering, Green Cleaning, Green Living, Waterbirthing on August 7th, 2009