RITAS BEACON

By Rita Bennett

Here we see a balancing act between human and animal species"

Ive been concerned about the economic crisis of California, especially in these last few years. It seemed so prosperous when I lived in the Los Angeles area in the early 1960s.

Ive been concerned about the horrendous fires burning homes of the wealthy. Some fires have been set by humans, others resulted from lightning strikes in dry areas.

Now while this beautiful state is trying to cover its losses, the latest crisis is the effect of the government Endangered Species Act. It has seemed necessary to turn down the water supply to one of the great fruit and almond production centers of America, the San Joaquin Valley. The reason given is to save the rare three-inch Delta Smelt.

Here we see quite a balancing act between human beings and animal species. Nature versus farmland.

On television recently, I saw how dry the San Joaquin Valley farms are becoming. It looks like a huge dust bowl. One farmer opined that with only 10 percent of the previous water supply allowed, his almond farm would no longer be there next year.

Many farmers are out of work. One citizen held a sign that in essence said, We buy oil from another country and soon well buy our food from another country. This situation affects 30 million people.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he has no control over whether to turn the water back on, but he will do anything he can to change the situation in the San Joaquin Valley.

How about a few prayers in that direction and, while were at it, let us pray for rain for them.

BOOKS TO

HELP US!

C.S. Lewiss sci-fi Space Trilogy is a must read! Out of the three books, the significant one deals with trying to save our planet amid things going awry as told in That Hideous Strength.

I had to read it twice to get the full impact but then realized just how powerful it is. Clive Staples Lewiss That Hideous Strength warns us about what might happen to the world in a battle between environmental concerns and those who control society.

I read it during the time of George H.W. Bushs presidency and felt it would be a valuable gift so mailed the trilogy book series to him. On Feb. 28, 1990, I received a letter from the then-President Bush thanking me for remembering him and his wife Barbara in such a thoughtful way His letter is one of my keepsakes.

OUR FALLEN RACE

What concerns me in our fallen race is when a nation gets a perfectly good idea to help improve its world, but then it changes to something less than having the welfare of others at heart.

Over a lifetime one notices this scenario being replayed.

You can see it in the Barnes & Nobles synopsis, which follows: That Hideous Strength concludes the adventures of the matchless Dr. Ransom A sinister technocratic organization is gaining power throughout Europe with a plan to recondition society, and it is up to Ransom and his friends to squelch this threat by applying age-old wisdom to a new universe dominated by science. The two groups struggle to a climactic resolution that brings the Space Trilogy to a magnificent, crashing close (www.bn.com)

My hope is that America and our world will not have a crashing closing scene.

What can we do? We can prayerfully let our age-old wisdom gained from application of Gods good Book make an impact on our world. We could begin by making a goal to keep the 3,500-year-old wisdom of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 1-17).

Instead of being reconditioned, the Apostle Paul exhorts us: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2 NKJV).

(Local author Rita Bennett is CEO of the Edmonds-based Christian Renewal Association. She can be reached at (425) 775-2965 or at www.EmotionallyFree.org or ritabennett.cra@gte.net, or by writing her at P.O. Box 576, Edmonds, WA 98020.)