The problem with global warming and evolution

Global warming is a hot topic (no pun intended, or was it?) in politics, media, and social circles all over the US. I don’t typically throw my snow cap into the arena on this subject because it’s not something I get hot about either way (pun definitely intended), however while I was driving around for hours yesterday (sorry, earth), I came up with an interesting proposition concerning global warming and evolution. The reason I paired those together is because the folks I’ve seen most concerned about global warming are probably also believers in evolution. Lovers of science, they are! But before we get into it, let’s start with one reason why folks care about global warming. The continuation of life for mankind, right? Basically we don’t want to go the way of the flightless dodo bird.

Become extinct? Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Here’s what I’m getting at: I find it difficult for anyone to believe in evolution and also worry about global warming. Why? Because evolution in it’s most simplest form is the process of adapting. For instance, adapting to things like… global warming! Humans have evolved over millions of years, they say, so why would we stop evolving now? Wouldn’t mankind be able to adapt to the changing climate, as mankind has done for millions of years? Especially since the rate of change is extremely slow. Nasa shows that the temperature has risen a bit less than 2 degrees in about 135 years. Surely generations would progressively change over the course of years and decades, right?

So why are people vocal about global warming these days? Well, people like to argue.

People want to fight. I think that’s really what’s at the heart of most of these protests and rallies (whether it’s about Trump, or about science (yes, there were rallies about science recently!)). And before you get onto me about using parenthesis inside of parenthesis, I’ll go ahead and say, yeah I just did that. Wanna fight about it?? 🙂

Then there’s science. It’s my belief (until someone enlightens me) that all those science rally supporters can’t have their cake and eat it, too. Either evolution is real, in which case they’d believe mankind would be able to adapt to global warming; or global warming ending the human race is real, in which case they’d have to resolve within themselves that maybe mankind can’t adapt and evolve so maybe evolution isn’t a thing.

Evolution and global warming are not two soapboxes one person can stand on.

Anyway, I’m no scientist, but I think I’m on to something here. Feel free to enlighten me if you care and have the time! *Picking up my snow cap now from the middle of the arena*

-Out of the Wilderness

 

God is able

A phrase that’s been on the front of my mind lately is one you’ll hear in sermons, in songs, or written on posters or in sympathy cards. It comes from Ephesians 3:20.

God is able.

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If you’re like me, though, every once in a while you might ask yourself, “What is He able to do, exactly?” I think the Sunday School answer is everything. But that doesn’t necessarily help me when I’m stuck in traffic and frustrated, or when I make a mistake at work, or when I say something that’s not exactly encouraging to someone. Or for you, maybe you’re losing patience with your kids, or lost out on a big work project, or didn’t do so hot on a recent test. Or maybe you just accomplished something significant, or did get that big work project. There’s still a need for God even in those situations, right? It could almost be anything at all that points us to a need for something more.

What has made the phrase relevant in my life recently is acknowledging that I sometimes get caught in this cycle:

Feeling discouraged <turns into> thinking something will or won’t happen <turns into>  doubt <turns into> unhealthy behavior <turns into> guilt.

So I’ll admit, then, sometimes I wonder about it. “Is God able?” I’ll ask. Is He actually able to help me with what I’m doing today? Using the cycle above, is He able to keep me from diving into discouragement, etc?

Then recently it dawned on me: Yes, He is. Because His ability to “do” isn’t constrained by and doesn’t rely on my belief that He can. He can. He can. That’s it. He can. It’s like wondering if a beagle howls. Or a dolphin jumps. Or if grass is green. The answer is yes, yes, and yes. Whether I believe it or not, the grass is still green. A dolphin will still jump. A beagle will still howl.

And God is able.

So I’m thankful today that even in my wavering ups and downs where for one minute I’m singing How Great Thou Art and the next I’m quoting one of my favorite lines from Rescue Dawn – “God, why don’t You help us when we need You most?” – God is still there, and He is still able.

-Out of the Wilderness

An apology to my mom

I can now say with certainty that I must’ve been pretty annoying sometimes when I was growing up. But not just me; also my brother and sisters. I’m not taking the fall alone on this one! You see, I was recently napping. Just like this except alone, so not like this at all, but you get my point.
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Then out of nowhere one of my dogs, who’ll remain nameless (cough cough Asia cough), uses her megaphone bark to let the neighbor’s dogs know she’s inside but still very aware of their complete inferiority. Then Piper arises from her slumber to join in with all the fun barking.

Is it a full moon or something?

Still horizontal on the couch, I realize my nap will not be continuing and it dawns on me. My poor mom. All she ever wanted was a 30 minute nap. “Wake me up in 30 minutes,” she’d say. “Wake me up at 5,” she’d say.

But either me or my brother, probably my brother, yeah MY BROTHER! would wake her up before we were asked to with a whisper that went something like this: “Mom, <insert irrelevant question here>”. Sorry Mom! He was really annoying wasn’t he? 😉

-Out of the Wilderness

Watching Santa Clarita Diet, then I noticed THIS…

I could totally be an extra on Santa Clarita Diet. Why? Just check out the shirt this background guy is wearing in season 1, episode 9.screen-shot-2017-02-13-at-8-17-36-amscreen-shot-2017-02-13-at-8-18-13-amscreen-shot-2017-02-13-at-8-18-34-am
I HAVE THE SAME SHIRT!!!!
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I guess I’m not the only one that shops at Target. I knew that was a good shirt to pick up. Score one for Wilder!target-logo

-Out of the Wilderness

Stay calm, count to 10, then go slash his tires~~

Anyone that knows me, knows that certain things really tick me off and I can get mouthy about it. I think it boils down to a few things, when people do stuff that comes from:
1. laziness
2. entitlement
3. arrogance

My response to those things is something I’m constantly working on (more honestly: battling with). Today this jack leg passed me on a neighborhood road and it ticked me right off. Here’s the dash cam footage:

Funny thing is we both ended up in the same parking lot about a minute later, he arrived 10 seconds before me. Way to go, dim wit! I shouted a few things at him, he looked my way, and kept walking…into Planet Fitness…to roid rage on the dumbbells.

-Out of the Wilderness