This week I had to write a paper after we watched this movie (The Day After Tomorrow) in Spanish class. For any of you have seen this movie and just love it (like most of my teachers here in Costa Rica) I am sorry, but the science in it is way off. I do believe that the climate is changing, and surprise... I do believe it is a result of man's actions. Now here is the kicker. I believe that we are in the end times because Jesus clearly states in Matthew chapter 24 that we will see many changes here on the earth that will signal the begining of the end. Are these changes a result of our actions? Yes! These changes are occuring because we have sinned against God and against each other. I do not believe in global warming (I think most scientists today have said that with the polar ice caps refreezing at such a quick rate the "warming theory" has way too many holes in it) but I do believe that the world's condition will deteriorate drastically before the return of Christ because He has allowed these things to happen.
Anyway, this is my paper in Spanish class. It basically gives the reasons the Bible gives for being good stewards of what the Lord has given us (the earth). I did not get on a soap box, but I did think about it once or twice. For those of you who have never seen my post on "Iron Eyes Cody" from last fall, it will give you a good idea of how many central Americans see the environment as being very seriously... somebody else's problem. The river behind our house which stays full of trash, the cars and trucks with no fuel emission standards, the raw sewage allowed to flow in rivers and streets from houses and even government park buildings (see Manuel Antonio and the recent shut down for health reasons) are good examples...not to follow.
Anyway, here is the paper, and by the way, my teacher gave me an A.
La Biblia y el Medio Ambiente
Hay muchas cosas en el mundo que debemos cuidar, pero a veces los cristianos no vean el medio ambiente desde esta perspectiva. La película “El Día Después de Mañana” me hizo pensar,“¿Qué dice la Biblia sobre el medio ambiente?”
La Biblia dice que Dios nos hizo e hizo el mundo para que Él recibiera gloria y honor. Dios tenía la intención de que cuidáramos el mundo. (Génesis 1:26 Hagamos al ser humano a nuestra imagen y semejanza. Que tenga dominio sobre los peces del mar, y sobre las aves del cielo; sobre los animales domésticos, sobre los animales salvajes, y sobre todos los reptiles que se arrastran por el suelo.) Dios nos encarga que tengamos responsabilidad sobre los animales y la tierra (Génesis 2:15 Dios el Señor tomó al hombre y lo puso en el jardín del Edén para que lo cultivara y lo cuidara).
Ojalá que siempre hubiéramos cuidado el mundo como el Señor quería. En el Antiguo Testamento la gente tenía problemas como hoy. Dice Jeremías 2:7 “Yo los traje a una tierra fértil, para que comieran de sus frutos y de su abundancia. Pero ustedes vinieron y contaminaron mi tierra; hicieron de mi heredad algo abominable.” El mundo va a tener problemas hasta que nosotros tratemos de cuidarlo. Por ejemplo, no debemos matar a los animales hasta que ellos se extingan, pero muchas personas los han hecho (Proverbios 12:10 El justo atiende a las necesidades de su bestia, pero el malvado es de mala entraña.)
Además a mi me molesta que mucha gente use el rio como un basurero, y la calle también. Ezequiel 34:17-18 dice: En cuanto a ti, rebaño mío, esto es lo que dice el Señor omnipotente: Juzgaré entre ovejas y ovejas, y entre carneros y chivos. ¿No les basta con comerse los mejores pastos, sino que tienen también que pisotear lo que queda? ¿No les basta con beber agua limpia, sino que tienen que enturbiar el resto con las patas? El Señor nos dio la tierra para cuidarla y tenemos que ser buenos administradores de lo que Él nos ha dado.
El Señor no recibe gloria por nuestras malas acciones y no la recibirá mientras no cuidemos el mundo como Él lo desea. Pero, es evidente que no debemos adorar el mundo con nuestras acciones. Hay gente que no cree que la vida de los humanos sea más preciosa que los animales o la tierra. Ellos creen que "demasiada gente" debe interpretarse como un "contaminante" del medio ambiente o la naturaleza y por eso, el típico "el control de la natalidad" y el aborto por lo general son las teorías de apoyo. Es triste que hayamos permitido que esto suceda.
Finalmente, Deuteronomio 8:10 dice:"...alabarás al Señor tu Dios por la tierra buena que te habrá dado." Si tuviéramos respecto por la creación que Dios nos dio, desfrutaríamos más su creación. Por todo lo que recibimos, debemos dar gracias al Señor.
Now...English...
The Bible and the Environment
There are many things in the world that we should care for, but at times Christians do not see the world from that perspective. The movie, “The Day After Tomorrow”, made me think, “What does the Bible have to say about the environment?”
The Bible says that God made us and the world to bring glory and honor to himself. God had the intention that we would care for the world. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. (Genesis 1:26) God gave us responsibility over the animals and over the plants of the earth. The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15 Dios el Señor tomó al hombre y lo puso en el jardín del Edén para que lo cultivara y lo cuidara).
I wish we always cared for the world as the Lord wanted. In the Old Testament the people had problems very similar to today. Jeremiah 2:7 says, “I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.” The world is going to continue to having more problems unless we take care of it. For example, we should not kill animals to the point of extinction, but many people have done just that. A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10)
Also, it bothers me that so many people use the river and the streets like their own personal trash can. Ezekiel 34:17-18 says, “As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? The Lord gave us the earth to take care of and we need to be good stewards of what He has given us.
The Lord will not receive glory from our bad actions, and He will not receive them in the future either if we do not care for the world as He desires. It is evident, however, that we should not worship the world with our actions. There are people that do not believe that human life is more precious than the animals or the environment itself. They believe that “too many people” are considered a “contamination” of the environment and nature, and for this “birth control” in the form of abortion is a theory they support. It is sad that this has been allowed to succeed.
Finally, Deuteronomy 8:10 says,”... praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.” If we have respect for the creation that God has given us, we will better enjoy His creation. In everything that we receive, we should give thanks to the Lord!
This last week I reached a milestone that I never really thought about reaching when I was younger; I turned 40. I awoke the morning of the 17th a little bit down as I went for my 30 minute run. My body ached more than it did when I turned 35. I also admit that my pace is probably quite a bit slower than it was at 35 too. Because I only had one class that day I thought of skipping school entirely, but I didn't. I really need all the studying I can get as it is a little harder to remember things it seems with each year that passes.
perfect thing to brighten my day - flowers! When I arrived at grammar class late they all started singing to me, "Feliz Cumpleaños". I was even able to lay down and have a siesta for a little while that afternoon with Cade. I hear that's what you do when you get older.
hat was another unexpected blessing for sure. When the waiter at Otero's asked how many would be coming we told him probably around 12-20 people give or take a few. Before I knew it there were 53 of us! I had to send Ken around the corner to get another cake from the bakery. I felt so special to have so many friends there. 
