Ncumisa

I am who I am, because I believe in the protection of Godly created things

Friday 27 February

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Smart Fish Friday : Grow vegetables, herbs and fruit in your garden. If you don’t have one, start one or use pots on a windowsill or in a sunny spot GROW SOMETHING Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Gen 1:29 During World War 2 when there was a food crisis, the government initiative a campaign called “Dig for Victory” These gardens were also considered a civil “morale booster” in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. This made victory gardens a part of daily life on the home front. We have a food crisis in our World  and perhaps now is the time that we encourage all Christians to take this small action to grow something in their homes. How satisfying to put your own chives into  a salad or to share the excitement of your granddaughter as she sees a tiny tomato growing on the tomato that she planted herself. By growing something, we also become co-creators with God and learn something of the joy of growth. Remember those bean sprouts you did in primary school? http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Bean-Sprouts-Indoors grow some of those to throw into crunchy salads. How about some herbs on your window sill and grow from there! http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/growing-your-own-herbs And if you want to start a veggie garden: http://home.howstuffworks.com/starting-a-vegetable-garden.htm

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Thursday 26 February

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Write down what food you throw away this week. Aim to reduce it by a third by eating leftovers and shopping more carefully – using a list and planning your meals. WAR ON WASTE  When all of them had enough to eat, Jesus spoke to his disciples. “Gather the leftover pieces,” he said. “Don’t waste anything.” John 6:12 In the feeding of the 5000, Jesus told the disciples to collect up all the food and not to waste anything. I wonder who the people were who received those leftovers? the elderly, the orphans, the physically challenged, who had not been able to walk to where Jesus was preaching. How would Jesus feel about the amount of waste we create and throw away now? At the Rio + 20 conference food waste was highlighted as a key problem. “ Food wasted by consumers in high-income countries (222 million tons) is roughly equal to the entire food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tons).” Here is South Africa a staggering one third of annual food production is wasted! Some of it is on the farms, where products are considered “substandard quality” and are left to rot. Some of it is during transportation from farm to shop. More food is wasted in shops as it passes its sell by date. And then there is me, and you. We buy too much, cook too much, leave too much on our plates. Our challenge today is to write down what food you throw away this week. Commit yourself to shopping more carefully, preserving leftovers, giving to those in need, and composting to improve your garden….

Thursday 26 February Read More »

Wednesday 25 February

1 Comment / Carbon Fast 2015, News / /

Buy local. Have a dinner with ingredients from only your area and taste the deliciousness from what can be made near you! Ezekiel 47:12 ESV  And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, Buy local, reduce your food miles! Have a diner with ingredients from only your area and taste the deliciousness from what can be made near you! What on earth are food miles? They are the distance that your food travels from the grower to your plate, including travel to and from processor and retailer. Why should I want to reduce them? Because transporting your food long distances involves lorries and aeroplanes. And lorries and aeroplanes use lots of fuel and emit tons of CO2 emissions, contributing to global warming. Buying locally prevents some countries from cutting down forests and losing their own food, because big companies see food as a commodity, rather as a way to feed the people of that country. Locally grown food tastes better. It is usually picked in the last day or two. Produce that has been trucked or flown in is much older. fresh produce loses nutrients quickly Local food supports local people and creates jobs. Buying local food creates community! How to reduce food miles: When shopping in supermarkets, check the labels. Buy food that is grown or produced locally. Eat what’s in season. It won’t have travelled as far as out-of-season fruit and vegetables. Visit your local Farmers’ Market. Find your local farm shops, producers and pick-your-own farms Grow your own. Get an allotment, or start a veggie patch in your back garden. Support your local greengrocer, butcher and fishmonger, and ask them to stock more local produce. Walk or take the busto your local shops. This way you won’t add to the food miles already accrued. As you enjoy your ‘local’ meal, make a list of potentially the number of people that you have contributed something to their well being through the products you bought. 10 Ways to reduce food miles 

Wednesday 25 February Read More »

Friday 20 February

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Smart Fish Friday : Educate yourself on which fish species are sustainable and the threats to life under the ocean’s curtain. Download an app with the best/worst choices  Genesis 1:20-21 :Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. Why was it traditional to eat fish on a Friday?  Because Jesus died on Good Friday, Christians kept Friday as a day of fast. Meat was considered a luxury food. You either had to buy it in a market or you had to own enough land to keep cattle. On the other hand, anyone could grow vegetables or forage for them, and anyone could catch a fish in a lake or a stream. You could buy better fish and vegetables, but the point is that you could eat without money if you were poor. So meat was rich people’s food and fish was poor people’s food. That is why the most common form of fasting was to omit meat and eat fish. Today fish is often not a cheaper option. It is however better for our bodies and often better for the planet! However it is important to eat only sustainable fish. Many types of fish are overfished and stocks are perilously low. Join a local awareness campaign, guides are typically constructed into three categories, some using a traffic light’s colours: red, yellow, and green. Green: Always choose from the green list: These are the most sustainable choices from the healthiest and most well-managed populations. These species can handle current fishing pressure, or are farmed in a manner that does not harm the environment. Orange: Avoid where possible. This group includes species that are depleted as a result of overfishing and cannot sustain current fishing pressure, or because the fishing or farming method poses harm to the environment and/or the biology of the species makes it vulnerable to high fishing pressure. Red list: NEVER BUY. This group includes unsustainable species as well as those that are illegal to sell. Follow these links for the list of sustainable fish South Africa

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Thursday 11 February: Rise with the Son

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  “Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised. The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens.…” Psalms 113:2-4 Welcome to the Carbon Fast for Lent 2016! For Anglicans, Catholics and many others, Lent is the time when we remember the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, facing challenge and temptation. It is a time when we reflect on God’s purpose for our life. This year we challenge you to take a carbon fast – to reduce the actions which damage God’s Creation. As we prepare for the Carbon Fast, we take time to prepare our hearts with a few actions that connect us with God’s Creation.   You cannot love what you do not know!  So we will take time to connect with the sunrise and the beauty of God’s creation. Perhaps you feel ‘but I want to do something!’ Saint Francis had similar challenges, he wanted to serve the poor but he was also attracted to prayer out in nature. So he asked Sister Clare to pray about it and tell him if he should dedicate his life to prayer or action. After a few weeks she came back and said that he should dedicate himself to contemplative prayer but also be active in ministry. Francis was to go back and forth between the two as Jesus did.   Before Francis, “secular” priests served the poor and the community, “religious” priests went off to the monastery to pray. Francis did both, he  took prayer on the road; in fact, prayer is what enabled him to sustain his life of love and service to others over the long haul, without becoming cynical or angry.. For me, that is still the greatest art form–to “dance while standing still”! (  Adapted from Richard Rohr) In preparation for the Carbon Fast for Lent, take a moment to watch the sunrise or the sunset, and fully absorb the miracle of light that is the rising and setting Sun. Say this prayer to guide your day: I arise, facing East, I am asking toward the light, I am asking that my day Shall be beautiful with light. I am asking that the place Where my feet are shall be light, That as far as I can see I shall follow it aright. I am asking for courage To go forward through the shadow, I am asking toward the light!   Mary Austin, Earth Prayers, page 337    

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