For the record, I believe human activity is contributing to global climate change. All of the stuff we are pumping into the atmosphere combined with deforestation has to be destabilizing the climate. I also believe there are “natural” cycles and atmospheric events that cause changes to weather patterns. These human interventions and natural occurrences are systemically intertwined making it impossible to determine the extent humanity should be blamed. What is clear to me is that we must do everything within our power to be good stewards in the care of creation. If we do not we will be judged by our negligence.
Here in east Tennessee we are living with climate change. Four of the last five years have seen drought conditions. In the other year we had over fifteen inches of rain above normal. It is the end of September and until today the daytime highs have been in the nineties. At our house we have had less than a half inch of rain since the first of August. Our grass is brown. My pasture is barren. Shrubs and trees are dying. My pears only grew to a quarter of their normal size. Most of the figs swiveled and died on the bush.
The meteorologists have stated we have a good chance for significant rain this evening, tomorrow, and Monday, up to 70%. But eastern Bradley County is the Bermuda Triangle of rain. Time and time again we watch the showers to our south or to our north. They just seem to slide around us. Often it is like Moses parting the Red Sea as the radar shows a system splitting and going around us. Earlier today it not only split, it dissipated over us in order to reform to our east. Other than a few sprinkles, we were a doughnut hole of dryness.
Tonight, we hope for rain. And hope is a good thing. It makes the heart merry. I am thankful just for the hope. But Dear Lord, if You read my blog, I will be even more thankful for a couple of days of slow steady rain.
Cleveland, Tennessee
September 24, 2010
JDJ
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