Prof. Isbell & Praxis

7/25/2018

Dr. Isbell reflects upon one of her Praxis Practices:

As one of my praxis selections, I chose the activist option of taking special note of all the animals I encounter for an entire week. My family’s recent trip to Charleston, SC and the surrounding beaches provided the perfect opportunity to put this praxis into practice. I found myself watching intently and hoping to see new creatures, and praising God for His creativity and ingenuity with each new species I encountered. I thanked God for the joy that dolphins bring to all who see them, for the unique opportunity to observe osprey nesting, and for the beautiful horses that work so hard in the Charleston heat to cart tourists all around the city. But as a Bible scholar, I also thought frequently about God giving Adam the task of naming the animals (Genesis 2:19-20)—what would I have named them? Would I have called the manatee a “gentle giant” (and how amazing to see two manatees out in the wild!)? Would I have named the pelican after his unique beak or the seagulls after the laughing sound of their call?

I capped off the week of focusing on God’s amazing creatures by returning to my parents’ home, where I was thrilled to see three baby birds in a nest under the deck and two beautiful butterflies enjoying Mom’s plants. And, of course, I had to praise God for my sweet pup when I picked him up from the boarders.