Prayers for the Gulf

Hello Loves,


Although, I've already posted once today, I think this issue deserves it's very own post! Are ya'll following the oil spill in the gulf? If you aren't you should be, and be aware that the news media hasn't been providing us with all the information on the full extent of how bad this spill really is... Please drop by Bumpkin on a Swing to see all of the information.


This spill will have a huge impact on the gulf shoreline that has just barely started to return to almost normal after Katrina. It will affect the economy, the wildlife, and the livelihoods of the entire south. I'm usually not a doom and gloom sort of person, but really our hearts should be sick over this... they should be breaking... and we should be praying and crying out...

The frontline of the oil spill is now only 20 miles from the Louisiana shoreline, and there's a good possibility it will hit almost all of the gulf coastline. Once the oil hits the shoreline, it will destroy the oyster habitat along the gulf, it will take years for the commercial fishing and shrimping industries to recover, and all of our favorite gulf shore beaches may never recover. It is spawning season for many fish in the gulf, and many of these fish (such as blue fin tuna) are already struggling due to overfishing, and poor wildlife management... an oil spill of this sort in the middle of spawning season will cause a huge drop in already dangerously low populations. This will also affect sea turtles, sea birds, dolphins...It's not just the surface dwelling animals that will be affected, but also the deep water animals... when Exxon had it's last oil spill in Alaska amongst all the other wildlife that was lost, even wales where washing ashore dead and covered in oil.

Please ya'll, as often as you think of it, pray. Pray that the Lord will protect the wildlife and the coastlines. Pray that the burning of the oil would cause the wildlife to swim far away from the affected area... that the birds and shore dwelling animals will be on alert from all the smoke and will stay as far away from the area as possible. Pray that the teams working to stop the gush of oil from the underwater pipeline will work quickly and efficiently and intelligently. That they may have nimble hands and quick minds to problem solve and to stop these huge leaks (there are three of them). Pray that our media would be honest, and that we would be generous to give to wildlife protection and recovery efforts in the area. I know this is going to sound preachy, but we also need to repent and ask for forgiveness for our lifestyles and habits that destroy the earth. The cars we drive, the manufacturing we support, the products we buy... they all create this insatiable hunger for oil, that leads to things like off shore drilling. We need to ask the Lord to help us be better protectors of our land, to consume less, and give more. I admit I am the worst of these, consumeristic, selfish... I am weak and broken, and in return I abuse and break this wonderful earth that God has given us. I am the first and foremost who needs forgiveness and change... so ya'll together... lets learn from this... lets reflect on how our behaviors can change to be less dependent on oil... how can we together become better citizens of this beautiful planet?

I know many of us are experiencing donor fatigue after the difficult spring season with the earthquakes, and the volcanoes, and the tornados in the southern US. But once this oil hits the shoreline, it will take a great amount of labor and money to clean up. Start thinking now about where you can cut back in the next few weeks and months to give to recovery and clean up efforts... even if you can only give a small amount... every dollar really does help!