I'm sick. This is the first excuse I've given myself to come up here and spend any length of time on the computer for a while. (Well, I have been up here playing Spider Solitaire for a few minutes at a time...but mostly right before we're all supposed to play a game or watch a movie.)
So, lately I've been thinking about (here it comes, controversial phrase) The Environment. How we really don't care for this Earth that God has given us. We Americans consume so much more than is necessary, buy all kinds of things that we never use, throw it out in our landfills, shop at Wal-Mart....etc., etc. Even though gas is 3 times as expensive as it was five years ago, we still don't really make the effort to conserve by using non-fuel-powered transportation, more fuel-efficient vehicles, or simply driving less. I, for one, complain at least inwardly when I can't afford something I want but don't need. And in addition to all this, although we can do a few things to make lives better in third-world countries, we often opt not to. I don't know what everybody's excuse is, but mostly the attitude I've come across has been something like this: "I earned this money by my own work. Those who want to have more should learn to be self-sufficient, and I'm not responsible if they can't afford enough food.... It's the culture they're in--if they were Christian, like us, they would be blessed with wealth. It's up to them to get that blessing.... I hardly make enough as it is." And in regards to the environment: "Environmentalists are wackos who care more about dolphins than humans; therefore, I'm going to be completely opposite and care only about people and nothing about endangered species, forests, rainforests, the ozone layer, or any of that. Besides, God told us to take dominion, which means killing whichever animals we want to, right?"
Personally, although I think our wealth in America is sometimes a blessing, it's also a curse--which may be hard for many to swallow.
On a lighter note, we've been having a great time with Rick & Rachel. Kyrie is so adorable--got her first tooth here, has been walking around the furniture (holding on, of course) and is much entertained by the boys. Although I did have to get after David for punching her. I don't think it was out of malice, just he got too wild.
Noelle turned three months old last week. In the past three weeks she's learned to laugh, discovered her hands, started "talking," and learned how to grab her left foot. She gets more beautiful all the time.
