Happy Father’s Day

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL FATHERS!
At the time of writing this article, I am worried about the lack of rain. We are almost four inches of precipitation behind the normal amount at this time of year. I am sure that you can see the lawns of many people starting to turn brown. We expect this to happen in late July or August, but not early June! Farming and raising crops is always a gamble with precipitation, temperatures, and winds. I pray for peace of mind and heart for the farmers (and gardeners) who rely upon the timely rains.

Keeping our earth healthy is a universal obligation. Each of us has a responsibility to care for our common home, as Pope Francis wrote in the encyclical of a few years ago: Laudato Si! Care for Our Common Home. Conserving water, recycling paper and plastic, and decreasing dependence on fossil fuels are a few of the efforts that each of us can make to demonstrate our care for each other and for nature. However, there are global policy decisions that will need to be made in order to conserve and protect our planet for future generations.

Each personal and local decision we make can be a stimulant for decisionmakers to confront challenging long-term policy changes, the results of which many who are alive today will not see. Such decisions are hard because they are for the long-term good. The human race is very focused upon the short-term. Still, we must help elected officials and leaders to lead! Such leadership requires a long vision. May we and they be courageous!

In regard to health, some of you know that I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last fall. I did not do a very good job of heeding the warning of “you are pre-diabetic.” So, now I am very dependent on eating foods and meals that have little to no added sugars. Also, I need to watch cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat levels in all foods. The result is that I now eat more fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. I enjoy a variety of beans and legumes, like lentils. No-fat yoghurts to which I add fruits and nuts have been good for me. I do not like to admit, but I now must take a diabetes drug and a high blood pressure medicine. I have added ground flax seed, fish oil, and a multi-vitamin. Please pray for my good health as I pray for yours!

Peace, Fr. Andy