One of the most obvious reasons is that we need the Earth!  We need Trees, and Bushes, and Grass for Oxygen as well as food!  Green plants produce fresh O2 through Photosynthesis, a chemical reaction that takes place in the leaves of Trees and Plants and even Cactus!  Photosynthesis is “triggered” by Sunlight.  The plant absorbs Carbon Dioxide, CO2, from the surrounding air and transforms it through an interior chemical process into O2, sugars, and water.  Remember, we need Creation much more than Creation needs Humans!

In order for us to survive, and thrive, we need O2 just to keep going through the day.  We also need clean water.  One new problem concerns the large amounts of water that are necessary to run the new AI Infrastructures.  These are being proposed across the country.  Many communities are having serious second thoughts because of the amount of water and the overall cost.  

These facilities use great quantities of water to keep the system cool.  The expense for a city or town can cause the price of water and other utilities to go up for the whole community.  Usage can also affect the local ecosystem.  So, what originally looked like a “good deal”, could easily become a liability!

Human Beings, as  well as All Creatures Great and Small, need daily nourishment.  In other words, we need food!  And, we need food that is healthy and full of nutrients!  Much of our soil is depleted.  Even using fertilizers and soil additives does not always restore the nutrients that we need to thrive!  

During WWII, backyard Victory Gardens supplied more than ⅔ of the fruits and vegetables that people ate every day.  There are ways to restore nutrients as well as the health of farm soil without using commercial fertilizers or spraying crops!  Healthy Soil is a key factor in the health and well-being of all Humans and Animals.  One solution is to grow your own produce!!!  We could all benefit by growing and sharing our “home-grown” produce !!!

Christianity originally arrived in “Great Britain” with Joseph of Arimathea!  For unknown reasons, following Jesus’ crucifixion and ascension, Joseph traveled to that island, bringing the gospel of Jesus to the Celtic tribes.  There is no written record of this, only legend.  According to this legend, Joseph came to the area we know now as Glastonbury.  He carried a hawthorne staff.  He discovered a spring that provided fresh water.  When he sat down, he put the staff into the ground where it immediately took root and blossomed.  The spring became known as the Chalice Well, and the hawthorne is still growing and blooming at Glastonbury!

Stories of Jesus and his teachings spread through the Celtic tribes and were woven into their daily life.  These native people had deep respect for Nature.  They did their best to live in harmony with Creation.  They had respect for a Teacher who could walk on water, heal the sick, and cure the lame.  They understood Jesus as a mystic who loved the deep mystery of Creation.  In the Celtic practice of Christianity, all Life is Sacred, from the birth of a lamb to the spring blossoms of the hawthorne.  They blessed the glory of Sunrise, grateful for the gift of another day.  We know all this from their ancient prayers.  The same ones we use in our spiritual practices.

~ Morning Prayer ~

I arise today, through the Strength of Heaven:

Light of Sun,  Radiance of Moon,

Splendour of Fire,  Speed of Lightning,

Swiftness of Wind,  Depth of Sea,

Stability of Earth,  and Firmness of Rock.

~ Evening Prayers ~

Blessing of the Three

The Sacred Three

My Fortress Be

Encircling Me.

Come and be round,

My hearth, my home.

Fend thou my kin

And every sleeping thing within

From scathe, from sin.

Thy care, our peace

Through mid of night

To light’s release.

Our Democracy and our ability to retain it, is certainly being tested!  We had another week of ups and downs.  Among the “ups”, our Buddhist Brothers arrived in D.C. to a wonderful welcome by Bishop Budde and a host of dignitaries.  Many thousands welcomed them as they walked into the city.  Several thousand people came when they spoke at the Lincoln Memorial and at Washington Cathedral!  They were able to make this amazing journey because of their mindful intentions and spiritual practices.  Walking meditation is one of their core practices.  When we combine prayerful intentions with conscious walking, we are “walking” that intention into the World. 

This practice is so similar to the way the Celtic Christians wove prayers into their daily life.  They had spoken out loud prayers, quiet prayers, prayers for journeys, prayers for working, prayers for cooking, and prayers for sleeping.  They expressed gratitude for everything in their lives, especially the blessings of Nature and “All Creatures Great and Small”.  They felt Blessed and intended to be a Blessing in their community!  This is one of the reasons we use Morning and Evening Prayers in our Celtic Study Group!  We are building Spiritual Muscles!

~ Morning Prayer ~

"Thanks to you, O God, 

that I have risen today,

 to the rising of Life itself; 

May it be to your own glory. 

Even as I clothe my body with wool, 

Cover my soul with the shadow of your Wing".

~ Evening Prayer ~

"I lie down this night with God, 

And God will lie down with me. 

I lie down this night with Christ, 

And Christ will lie down with me. 

May the peace of the Spirit be mine this night, 

To bring me rest, 

And keep me from

Celtic Morning and Evening Prayers

As far as I know, my ancestors did not think of farming and gardening or ranching as “Caring for Creation”.  They considered their relationship with the land as “survival”.  A good crop of alfalfa, oats, or wheat meant cash as well as feed for livestock.  That translated as survival.  In other words, as farm people were waking up in the morning, no one was thinking, “What do I feel like doing today?”  No one would even imagine using any kind of telephone to check the weather!  Unless, of course, you wanted to call your cousin in the next county to find out what their weather was like!

Any grown-up who lived in a farming community had one general thought as they were waking up.  And, that thought was, “What does the weather look like today?”  Most farming and ranching activities are outside.  It didn’t matter whether it was raining, or snowing, sleeting, or way too hot, certain chores just had to be done!

This is also one of the reasons that our ancestors had “large” families.  Large families meant “free labor” as well as increasing the odds that at least a few of the children would survive.  I am always a bit surprised by people who take vaccinations and inoculations for granted or want to do away with them entirely.  Growing up after those early years of inoculations and vaccinations, meant more infants and young children grew up to become adults.  

Taking a walk through the older section of any cemetery, 1900 ~ 1950  anywhere in the world, will show a significant number of graves for babies and young children who most likely died of “childhood diseases”!  I remember the first time I started paying attention to the dates on gravestones and figuring out how old people were when they died.  I was Surprised!  There were always babies and always young children in the cemetery!  What a heartbreak that must have been for parents and their families!

Mumps, measles, chickenpox, influenza, whopping cough, pneumonia, as well as tetanus and typhoid were often the cause of death for young people.  

When I was growing up, it was not uncommon to hear about a family who had lost a young “almost” adult in a tractor accident or a gun accident.  I grew up with horses and cattle.  An unruly horse or a startled cow could easily cause injury or death for anyone in close range of their hooves or horns.  If my mind was wandering when we were working with cattle or riding horses, my dad would usually say something like, “You better watch what you’re doing!”  

Fortunately, I seem to have a strong immune system as well as functioning peripheral vision, usually good for seeing large animals heading your way at high speed.  We all have an Immune System.  It is built into our bodies, part of a whole system of maintaining our health.  And, most of the time, it works really well.  However,  in order for Human Beings to stay healthy, we need Fresh Air, Clean Water, Healthy Food, regular Exercise, as well as sufficient calm and restful Sleep.  If we don’t take care of ourselves, then our Immune System will not work as well.  Human Beings are tough and fragile, resilient and tender.  If we get better at taking care of ourselves, then we will be healthier!

We know that vaccines have saved countless thousands of lives around the world.  We also know that we are picking up chemicals and other toxins from our environment and from the food we are eating.  We also know that spending hours a day in front of a screen is Not Healthy for us, for our children, or grandchildren!  We know this … !  And, now so many of us have a very strong addiction to “our screens”!  Research on immunizations is controversial, and everyone seems to have an opinion, usually a very firm opinion!

So, what can we do … ?  We can start by taking better care of ourselves, using good common sense.  We can use AI to research recent studies about vaccines (remember to ask AI to list all sources at the end of your research request).  If possible, talk to people who have good information along with experience.  Remember, once a subject becomes politicized, we may have to dig really deep to get to the facts we need!

We are living in very challenging, difficult, and divisive times.  Getting factual information may not be easy, even with AI.  So, if you can, start a small vegetable garden.  Take a walk in the woods.  Spend one whole day away from all the screens we hang out around.  And, be very kind and patient with yourself.  That will strengthen your amazing Immune System for sure!

This is very similar to the experience of the Celtic people when they had surprise attacks by the AngloSaxons or Vikings.  These raiders were likely to take livestock, and any supplies they could carry.  The Vikings might take healthy women, or young men and young women to sell into slavery.  So, when Celtic families were praying for protection, they meant every word!  They were not sitting calmly in a well-appointed church, reciting prayers from a book with family and friends.  They were on their knees, keeping warm by the hearth, praying fervently for protection and well-being.  The ongoing chaos in our country can help us understand their challenges as well as their spiritual commitment.  We are blessed to have their prayers!

 ~ Morning Prayer ~

Christ above me,   Christ below me,

Christ before me,   Christ behind me,

Christ within me.

Christ be on my right,    Christ be on my left,

Christ when I sit down,   Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I arise.

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me.

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me.

Christ in every eye that sees me.

Christ in every ear that hears me.

~ Evening Prayers ~

May the Angels watch me

As I lie down to sleep.

May Angels guard me 

As I sleep tonight.

Uriel be at my feet.

Ariel be at my back.

Gabriel be at my head.

Raphael be at my side.

Michael protect my Soul

With the strong shield of Love.

And the healing Son of Mary

Touch my eyes with Blessedness.

The events of January 2026 have gone beyond anything I could have imagined, ever.  That is not because I have a limited imagination.  I just never imagined that we would experience the level of cruelty, violence, and inhumanity that we have seen in less than one month into the new year.

There are “wild animals” who do kill for food and defense.  However, humans are the only creatures on Earth who organize, arm, and kill each other for power, property, money, or revenge.  And, we consider ourselves to be the most intelligent species on the planet!  What we are seeing and experiencing is Tragic and Senseless.

There is no excuse for this kind of violence.  I have lived in Texas, New Mexico, and southern California.  I have never been attacked, robbed, held up, had an accident, or any kind of violent encounter with an illegal immigrant during that time.  Yes, I know there are illegal and undocumented immigrants in this country, and it is a problem in definite need of a solution.  But illegal “aliens” are not lurking in every parking lot!

So, what can we do to restore our sanity and heal our Hearts after seeing and hearing about all this violence?  Good Question, and there is an answer as well as a cure!

No matter how insane our Human World seems to be, Creation continues to work just fine.  Do we ever wonder if the Sun is going to come up in the morning?  Do we ever doubt that we will have a New Moon followed by a Full Moon?  Water is still H2O.  The sky continues to be infinite shades of blue.  Squirrels still bury acorns, and forget where many of them are buried.  Buffalo herds are increasing in number and gradually restoring the Prairie!

This year, the number of Monarch Butterflies wintering in Mexico has increased!  Beavers are restoring wetlands in the US and Great Britain.  Honey Bees and Beekeepers are eagerly awaiting Spring.  And the Earth continues to rotate on its axis and follow its usual orbit around the Sun.  

Gardeners, especially organic gardeners, tend to live longer, are more active as they age, and are usually more hopeful.  They are also good problem solvers!  Given the right conditions, seeds still sprout in the Spring.  The roots “know” to grow downward, and the stems always grow toward the Sun.  Sunflowers will continue to follow the Sun when they are in bloom.  “Plant a Radish, get a Radish, not a Buttercup!” (from the Fantasticks).  In other words, Creation, also known as Mother Nature, is working just fine.

Unfortunately, our culture has made wealth the ultimate goal rather than well-being.  How much property do we need to own to be content?  How many houses does one person or one family need to be satisfied or even feel safe?  From the perspective of Creation, human greed is a form of insanity.  We seem to have lost our sense of proportion as well as our ability to create Community.

Screen time is no substitute for a glorious Sunset or watching a fawn follow its mother through the woods.  Are we starving for the Beauty and Coherence of Creation?  Probably we are.  The good news is this … all we need to do is go for a walk in the woods or in a nearby park.  We can give ourselves and our families the Blessing of fresh air, Sunshine, and the Beauty of Nature.  Studies have shown that a few hours of “forest bathing” increases our sense of well-being, strengthens our immune system, and lowers our anxiety and stress, all for free!

When our human world gets to be too much, turn off the screens and head for the nearest park.  Or, plant some vegetable seeds in paper cups using a seed-starting mixture.  Keep the dirt moist and the cups in Sunshine.  Before too long, you will have the beginnings of a vegetable garden, right there in your window!  And, that will feel good!  Nature has the capacity to restore our sanity and heal our Hearts, always!

Most of us are familiar with the text in the New Testament where Jesus is asked by the Sadducees and the Pharisees what is the greatest commandment.  Jesus responds, saying Love G~D with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul.  Then Jesus continues, saying, “Love your neighbor as yourself”.  He goes on to say, “all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."  This sets the foundation of Christianity, and our commitment to these 2 abiding principles.

Just as the people of Jesus’ time lived under the heavy weight of Roman occupation, so did the Celtic people.  They also endured invasions of the Vikings, and the Anglo-Saxons for several centuries.  We are faced with the same challenges now.  How do we “love our neighbors as ourselves” in the midst of constant upheaval and violence?  We are seeing a good demonstration with the non-violent marches in Minnesota this weekend.  In freezing weather, more than 10,000 citizens braved the temperatures and possible violence to reclaim the rule of law for all of us.  They were potentially risking their lives, their freedom, and their safety to stand up for the constitutional rights of their neighbors and their own.

~ A Blessing for the Stranger ~

I saw a Stranger yestreen,

I put food in the eating place,

Drink in the drinking place,

Music in the listening place,

And in the Sacred Name of the Triune,

He blessed myself and my house, 

My cattle and my dear ones,

And the Lark said in her song

Often, often, often

Goes the Christ in the Stranger’s guise.

~ Evening Prayers ~

Blessing of the Three

The Sacred Three

My Fortress Be

Encircling Me.

Come and be round,

My hearth, my home.

Fend thou my kin

And every sleeping thing within

From scathe, from sin.

Thy care, our peace

Through mid of night

To light’s release.

What a Mess!  It seems our American Experience has turned upside down!  Food and other basic expenses are up, and continuing to go up!  Political alliances are being bought and sold!  American debt continues to climb, and is rising faster than ever, apart from the pandemic.  What a Mess!

We are living through very stressful times!  When we have ongoing stress and especially increasing stress levels, we need to take better care of ourselves.  We need to take better care of ourselves every day!  If you are tempted to retreat from life or revive any old habits that are not particularly healthy, then reconsider.  Think about the possible results of too much fast food, or too little sleep, or too much “doom scrolling” on your phone at night before bed.

In order for Human Beings to survive and thrive, we need the basics.  We need wholesome food, fresh air, Sunshine, and daily physical activity.  We need to be more grounded and spend a lot less time sitting in front of a screen!  The answer is staring us right in the face!  We need to get started on our herb and vegetable garden for this Spring!  

Gardening, all by itself, meets all the requirements for Healthy and Happy living.  Numerous studies throughout the whole wide world have established that Gardeners, especially Organic Gardeners, are healthier, stronger, have better digestion, usually have better attitudes, and are great problem solvers!  Seriously, the gardeners and farmers I have known since I was very small are generally more patient, more resilient, and more positive about the future.

From my own experience growing up farming and ranching, gardening and hanging out with Gardeners, I believe being directly involved with Creation is the answer.  That is what happens when we are gardening.  To grow anything, from flowers or herbs to organic vegetables and delicious melons, we have to pay attention to Creation.  Therefore, we are grounded in “what is working”!  Creation works just fine until humans, that’s us, start messing around with the internal programming or wiping out entire ecosystems!  Creation has worked just fine for millions of Centuries, all by itself! 

You may have noticed, the Sun comes up in the East every morning, right on schedule.  We can time the beginning of the New Moon and the Full Moon every month.  And, we can time the beginning of a Solar or Lunar Eclipse right down to a split second, no problem.  If we put healthy organic vegetable seeds into good soil, in a biodegradable pot.  Then we keep it moist and let it sit in Sunshine.  Before you know it, there is a Sprout growing upward from the Seed!  All by itself … just Imagine!  Given the right conditions, that seed knows exactly how to grow and produce!

When we are involved with and focused on Gardening, we are directly involved in Creation.  We are Grounded.  We are breathing Fresh Air and getting real Sunshine.  Studies have shown that our Heart Rate often slows down.  Our breathing is slower and deeper.  And, our whole system begins to relax.  That is real Health, all bundled up in one activity.  And, as a big bonus, we get good food!  What more could you ask for … ?

Every city that I know about, has local gardening groups.  Even small towns have expert gardeners.  And, there are always local Farmer’s Markets!  And, most Gardeners are happy to share their knowledge and experience.  Gardening is such an easy way to make new friends!  We are also learning how to work with Creation.  And we are usually taking better care of the Earth!  What could be better?

If you are considering starting a garden to grow vegetables and a few fruits this Spring, here is a guide that explains how the ground beneath your feet shapes the health of your garden, your food, and your family.  Remember, our health starts in the Soil !!!