美國榆樹、白蠟樹… 伊州10類樹種瀕臨滅絕

根據一份在「植物、人類、星球」(Plants, People, Planet)發表的報告顯示,美國的881類本地樹種中,有 11% 至 16% 的正面臨滅種危機,其中17類受威脅的樹種目前在任何植物園或種子庫中都沒有受到保護。光在伊利諾伊州就有10類樹種正面臨絕種威脅,包括有美國榆樹(American elms)和白蠟樹(ash trees)。

原生樹木面臨的威脅包括入侵性病蟲害、氣候變化、伐木和野火增加,最常見的原因是病蟲害。像是白蠟樹受翡翠灰蛀蟲甲蟲的攻擊而極度瀕危,這種昆蟲於2000年代初在密西根州首次被發現,並迅速傳播到其他州。在明尼蘇達州聖保羅市種在馬路兩旁的白蠟樹,也因為受這種甲蟲感染而整排被砍除。

芝城西郊莫頓植物園(Morton Arboretum)的科學與保護單位的副總裁韋斯特伍德(Murphy Westwood)說,「一旦美國本地瀕臨滅絕的樹種消失,它們就永遠從地表上消失了」,他因此希望加緊採取行動。

目前研究人員使用國際自然保護聯盟的紅色名錄(Nature’s Red List)和 NatureServe評估全國的樹木滅絕風險,並列出樹種詳細清單及狀況,來考慮先從哪些樹種開始進行保護工作。

報告中還提到,美國受威脅物種的比例與其他國家相比仍然偏低;像是在馬達加斯加就有超過 60% 的原生樹木受到威脅。但韋斯特伍德表示,美國擁有充分研究的資源,應該要提出更好的護育成果。

他說,保護工作的方式有創建更多的自然保護區、改善現有保護區的棲息地、清除入侵物種,以及早期發現新病蟲害等。

另外,因為氣候變化也會使樹木生長減緩,所以韋斯特伍德建議一般民眾對保育樹木所能採取的行動,包括減少開車到城市以協助降溫,防止地球暖化。他說即便種植一般樹木也能協助復育這些受威脅的樹木。

莫頓植物園已加緊保護在美瀕臨滅絕的樹木,特別是那些目前沒有保存在植物收藏品或種子庫中的樹種。

軍人

有全職軍人,有點召軍人

我生活、我待命、我上戰場迎敵,

全聽我主耶穌元帥的吩咐。

A vision for a lost soul

I see God’s mighty hand,

Hold on to her hand,

Break off all the evil chains,

Destroy all the sinful stronghold,

Hug her into His chest,

Touch her head, saying

“You are my sweet heart,

I delight in you,

You are mine forever.”

天父上帝大能手,

牽起緊握你的手,

主耶穌基督釘痕手,

為你斷開邪惡鎖鍊,

為你擊碎罪咎營壘。

主聖靈褓抱你入懷,

輕輕拍拍你的頭

慈愛溫柔對你說:

「你是小甜甜,我好高興跟你在一起,你永遠屬於我。」

Fill me up

I am set free to love, to give, to live.

Praise God for opening His arms to me,

With joy, with comfort, with love.

It’s all God’s grace,

Showering on all He loves.

Each open his/her mouth,

To be filled up as much as he/she wants.

So I run into Father God’s arms,

Boldly, confidently,

Through Jesus Christ,

And my faith in Him.

For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. (Psalm 81:10)

先知訓練

學習跆拳道,不為參加奧林匹克;

學習先知訓練,全聽主吩咐去傳達。

只要心中有意願學,就是主賜的恩典,

因此我單單順服來被主挑旺。

你們要追求愛,也要切慕屬靈的恩賜,其中更要羨慕的是做先知講道。 (哥林多前書14:1)

Come to Jesus

來到主前敬拜祂,

浸入祂完全的愛,

一切世界的恐懼都融化,

一切控告的聲音都消滅。

Come to His holy throne.

Let His unfailing love,

Expel all fear.

Let His invincible blood,

Cover all faults.

Let His living manna,

Satisfy your soul.

Let His pure water, 

Quench your thirst.

Let His mighty power,

Consume all guilt.

Let His new songs,

Be sung from your heart.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

He satisfies

I wake up early as I wish last night,

For God gives me the spirit of might.

So I know whatever I desire,

Father God is ready to satisfy,

Throughout my heaven advancing life.

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. (Psalm 145:16)

Keeping me humble

Thank God for giving me no attention from men,

But only His loving attraction.

So I seek His praise, not men’s,

With a changed heart produced by His Holy Spirit’s glorious flame.

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. (Romans 2:29)

Golden thread 金縷線

The little white hat with two flowers on it,

my hat
My hat

I see and fall in love for the first sight,

Purchase and keep for a long long time.

It is the golden thread of God,

Reminds me of the plan that

He weaves His gold of truth,

Into my little life since young,

Fills the crack of my broken pot,

Like a 金継ぎ tea cup,

To be forever cherished and kept,

By His master hand of art.

我是祂的藝術品,獨 ‧ 一 ‧ 無 ‧ 二。

Note: God’s Golden thread brings meaningful purpose, practical strategies, and goals together to make my godly aspirations (desiring Him) more credible (sufficient capability to be militarily effective) and more likely to achieve. 

He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. (Psalm 18:19, ESV)

Affirmation from God

I heard God saying to me:

Eat fully of His word.

Let it sink into my own heart.

Listen carefully for myself.

Then, go to tell people, no matter if they accept it or not.

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth…And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.” (Ezekiel 3:1-3, 10-11)