Thoughts about a Sea Lion

Filed Under Pastor's Blog by Pastor Meredith

This past Saturday, I found myself sitting in a kayak in Monterrey Bay, CA, paddle in hand, heading toward a sea lion. It was not, needless to say, a typical Saturday in my world! It was my first kayaking experience, my first time in Monterrey Bay and certainly my first time being anywhere near a wild sea lion.

Hanging out in the kayak in the bay, I was struck by how diverse God’s creation really is. I was surrounded by lush, green mountains and a beautiful landscape. Approaching the sea lion, I was struck by what a funky animal the sea lion is. The sound coming out of its mouth was a cross between a lion’s roar and a bird’s chirp. It had these flappers that helped it move and it looked funny. Yet, there it was. Doing the things that God had created it to do. My paddle kept getting stuck in the kelp forests that had grown to the surface. Each thing that I saw was unique and wonderfully made by God, the Creator.

St. Paul’s has recently started a Stewardship of Creation team that is helping the congregation think about how we can be better stewards of this creation that has been entrusted to us. This team of people is working on creating a better recycling program at the church, replacing our current light bulbs (when they burn out, of course) with energy efficient light bulbs and reducing our carbon footprint. I would encourage you to think about this in your homes, offices and schools as well. I would love to hear your ideas, so please be in touch!