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March 1 Find or create a natural spot to pray or meditate Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. Jonah 4:6 Today try to find or create a natural spot to pray or meditate, during your Lenten journey. Studies have shown that adding just a little bit of nature into your life can help relieve stress. So whether it be growing a plant in your back yard in a tyre or pot, or creating a corner in your bedroom with an indoor pot plant and some light from the window, combining nature and prayer is a good practice. Try to get away from your desk and create a more meditative environment Spending even a few minutes a day in prayer or meditation can restore your calm and inner peace. When life is hectic we are often tempted to drop our daily prayers because we are rushing too much. That should actually be the time when we prioritise our daily prayers as it will help us to cope better with a busy, stressed day. Before you start your prayers (talking to God) make time for silence (listening to God). Some people find that sacred music helps to concentrate. A growing body of scientists support the health benefits of a time of meditation and prayer, to reduce anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, tension headache and sleep problems. So, firstly remove yourself from distractions such as cell phone, TV, laptop etc. Create a space where you can relax, either outside  where there is a tree or plants for shade, or bring a plant into your room.  You might like to place a candle, icon, sacred picture there too. Focus your attention on your breathing, or the candle, or repeat a verse of Scripture over and over. Listening to sacred music such as Taize chants is also helpful.   Spend some time just in breathing deeply, feeling the presence of God, breathing out the stresses of the day and breathing in the healing presence of God.  Then turn to your prayers and Scripture reading as normal. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858 https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/even-a-tiny-patch-of-nature-in-a-front-garden-reduces-stress-and-makes-people-happier/

#Fast4earth Volunteer in a community garden Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. – Ecclesiastes 11:6 It was during hard lockdown in South Africa  that the seeds of a boom in urban gardening were born. Many people were left without jobs and desperate for a way to survive. Coming from rural areas, many had the skills to grow their own food.  For other people, being stuck at home gave them a chance to realise a dream to get their vegetable garden going, and others started one as there wasn’t a lot else to do! Churches and NGOs began to add seeds and seedlings to food parcels that they were handing out. Across South Africa the CANS (community action networks) linked under-resourced communities with more well off ones, and were able to help local communities start dozens of community gardens on waste land.  Often this was hard work, as the waste land had become a dumping area for rubble and rubbish, full of glass and plastic.  It is a tribute to the hard work of community members to see these  gardens coming alive From backyard veggie gardens to communal gardens, people are rediscovering the skills and joy of growing your own food.  People are turning verges into food gardens and digging up wasteful grass lawns so that they can feed their families and give away to those in need. It is happening all over the world! Atlanta has created  the nation’s largest free food forest  to address food insecurity, with 50 volunteers helping out. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/22/us/atlanta-free-food-forest-trnd/index.html The Episcopal church has the wonderful  “good news gardens” programme https://www.episcopalchurch.org/good-news-gardens/ There are so many ways to help, get involved with clearing and digging – dig up your verge and plant some seeds for a free harvest by passers-by. Sponsor compost or gardening equipment for a community garden…. Plant a fruit tree on a public space and water it for two years….  

26th Feb  Drink more water With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation .( Isaiah 12:3) Water is life! As Christians we became part of the family of God through the sacred water of baptism and so we should treasure it! It is our sacred element. Remember too that we do not just partake of bread and wine in the communion, water is added to the wine.  This is because the Eucharist is  a reenactment of the last supper and commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Wine is the symbol of life and blood. When water is added to wine we are  reminded  of the piercing of  Jesus with a spear when blood and water flowed from his heart. So our two most important sacraments have water in them – Baptism and the Eucharist We need to give thanks for the gift of water – it is very precious and it is very scarce . It seems that the Earth has an abundance of water – that is why it is a blue planet – but unfortunately, only a small percentage (about 0.3 percent), is even usable by humans. The other 99.7 percent is in the oceans, soils, icecaps, and floating in the atmosphere.  So to waste or pollute water is a sin Our bodies need water If you don’t drink enough water each day, you risk becoming dehydrated. Warning signs of dehydration include weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, or urine that’s dark in color. So how much water should you drink? Most healthy people need about four to six cups of water each day. If you are exercising or sweating due to the heat you should drink about two to three  cups of water per hour. If you are on medications that make you retain water , you might want to reduce the amount of water – check with pharmacist or doctor when you get your prescription. Remember that it is not just water that keeps you hydrated, all drinks that contain water help your need of water. It is better to drink gradually throughout the day . Water is always the more healthy choice. Sugary sodas are particularly bad for you . They give you extra calories without any benefits, they don’t make you feel full or give any nutrients.  Those large amounts of sugar will get turned into fat in your liver. They are of course damaging to your teeth, so if you drink them when you are out and about you are unlikely to brush your teeth.  Did you know that one can of coke contains 9 teaspoons of sugar? eeeurgh This Lent choose to drink more water, both by increasing the amount of water you drink, and by cutting out sugary drinks and reducing caffeinated drinks.  Have a jug of water on the table with each meal and drink water before you drink anything else. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-water-should-you-drink

FAST FROM JUNK FOOD “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast” Proverbs  12:10 Junk food is bad for your body and for the planet Impact on your body Especially in this time of COVID19 it is important to stay as healthy as possible.  Studies show that obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are all risk factors for suffering a more severe case of COVID19. The global food industry promotes cheap, sugar sweetened beverages, and ultra processed foods that are high in salt, sugar and saturated fat. They only leave you filling full for a short while and then you are hungry again. Taking a fast from junk food is one of the fastest ways to lose weight and to feel more healthy again. Impact on the planet Most of the meat, eggs and dairy products  used in fast food is produced in factory farms, where animals are forced to endure cruel and inhumane conditions, crowded together. They are fed hormones which make them grow too fast, for instance chickens can grow so fat that they cannot stand up.  When they get sick they are pumped full of antibiotics which end up in our systems. Fast food uses a huge amount of packaging – wrappers, straws, Styrofoam containers. It is estimated that 40 percent of all global litter comes from fast foods. And Styrofoam takes 900 years to breakdown to landfill Fast food is contributing to climate change – from the methane produced by cows, to deforestation to make space for more cattle, from transportation to production of packaging – fast food has a massive carbon footprint So , this Lent take a fast from fast food , and see how you feel at the end of it. Your body will thank you – and so will the planet! 10 Ways Fast Food is Destroying the World

FEB 23 PLAN A HIKE “Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth Gen 13:17” Rather than taking your family to the shopping mall for an outing, why not plan a hike.  A hike is different from ‘going for a walk’ – it should really get your heart rate going and make you feel you got somewhere! Hiking is about seeing the world at a human-powered speed — not the speed of a car. When we move at 5km  per hour, our eyes, body, and brain operate at a pace where we can really notice things. You may be lucky and be able to access nature either by car or public transport, but for others that is more difficult. The word “hiking,” usually conjures images of mountain ranges, sandyt paths, or forest trails. But what if you live in a concrete jungle and communing with nature isn’t an option? Why not go  on an urban hike! Urban hiking combines the best of the outdoors with some of your city’s greatest sights. Like a traditional hike, you get the health benefits of walking— boosting the immune function, counteracting weight gain, you’ll get to discover new areas and neighborhoods that you may never have explored otherwise. You might  not have hills or mountain trails in your city, you can still boost the cardio effect by taking stairs as often as possible. These concrete “hills” will get your heart rate up just like the  climbs you get in a wilderness setting. Hiking should take you to places  that are different from what you see every day. Urban hiking stimulates you to see and do something new. Notice the architecture and sometimes there is amazing graffiti! Give thanks for the presence of parks and have a picnic there or treat yourself to something to eat or drink Pack some snacks and water in a school backpack, put on a sunhat, pop on your mask – remember social distancing and you are ready to roll!