Apricity and Earth Day

 

Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas, and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:9-10

It is I who made the earth and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands and I ordained all their host. Isaiah 45:12

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice. Psalm 96:12

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Luke 12:27

Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:11-12

Apricity: a word that means the warmth of the sun in winter. We may be in the middle of spring right now, but we can still see winter in the rearview mirror. (Plus, I wrote this devotion in February!) 

Apricity is an old word that is not used much anymore. Hearing about it reminded me of reading that native tribes of Canada (Yupik and Inuit) have many words for snow. Using specific language to convey feelings is a beautiful way to communicate and share ideas.

My love of nature has prompted me to write a devotion for Earth Day each year (since 2018...this year Earth Day is a Saturday, tomorrow). Our natural world has so much beauty and diversity and possibility! It’s fun to find a special word to convey something that we may have a hard time communicating, but sometimes a piece of art or a photograph can show others exactly what we mean…or invite a variety of reactions!

A Lincoln neighbor is the National Geographic photographer behind the Photo Ark: highlighting species in danger of extinction so that we care about them. When Joel Sartore needed to remain at home in Lincoln when his wife was hospitalized, he paid a visit to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. This prompted his idea to showcase animals so that the world could get to know them better, with the implication that if we care about something, we will work harder to protect it. On his website: "Joel is the founder of the Photo Ark, a groundbreaking effort to document species before they disappear—and to get people to care while there’s still time."

Showing an appreciation and getting to know this world we live in can go a long way toward realizing God’s words in Genesis (scripture shown above).

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful world we call home. Help us to appreciate it so that we can protect it and care for it. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

(photos shared by Donna Gustafson, all taken in January and February 2023 in Lincoln, NE. Click on each photo to view larger)