the secret life of beekeepers
Her-meneutics, a Christianity Today blog for women, posted an excellent entry last month by Lisa Graham McMinn, an author and professor of sociology at George Fox University in Oregon. Lisa's post is titled "The Secret Life of Beekeepers," and compellingly describes her recent foray into beekeeping with her husband Mark:
When we learned last summer that the bee population was in decline, my husband, Mark, and I decided to become beekeepers. We spent the year reading, took a beekeeping class for beginners, built our brood frames and supers, and ordered our bees.
Lisa writes about her desire, above and beyond collecting honey, to "preserv(e) the pollinating labor of bees that yield us food," and push back against the looming reality of Collony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. Though the cause of CCD hasn't been completely located, she mentions a variety of very possible contributors including pesticides, genetically modified foods, mites and disease (see link above, and other links provided to Scientific American, NPR and a LoHo article on a response from the US Senate).
She's goes on to communicate a profound admiration and respect for the bees she keeps, and the lessons they can teach us as humans. The examples of bee behavior which she gives are well worth reading, as is her reflection on the role they play creation care: "Keeping bees reminds me that I need God’s good earth to be healthy so that I, and all human and non-human life, can flourish."
While it might be added that bees have a value to their Creator, and thereby to each other and to us, before any services they may offer, Lisa's reflection is a commendable and important tribute to bees and to their caretakers.
ps - On a somewhat related note, The Secret Life of Bees is one of the best and most heartwarming movies I've watched this year, perfect for an early Summer's night. I should note, though, that the original book by Sue Monk Kidd is equally, if not more, worth picking up, and delves a bit more into the bee theme.
(photo copyright 123rf.com)
May 12, 2009
Reader Comments (4)
Ben, thanks for this reminder that none of God's creatures is too small to treasure. "Then I heard EVERY creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!' " (from Rev. 5)
The Other Cheryl
Thanks for highlighting Lisa Graham McMinn's blog post about her foray into beekeeping. Recently she wrote another post for Her.meneutics, about Earth Day and the nature documentary "Earth," if you are interested.
Thanks mom, for your encouraging note and the excellent verse, not to mention for turning me on to "The Secret Life of Bees" a couple of years ago. And Katelyn, thanks for your note, and for posting a link Lisa's other recent blog post. It's a great reflection, especially as a moderating piece in response to Kay Warren's, and I didn't put two and two together that Lisa had written it. Ben
mannnn bees are scary! their passion is beautiful, but i'm not sure i could ever be that brave.