World Oceans Day 2025

Although I really like my Santa Monica photograph, it didn't translate well enough into a WOD design. Here's a better one using one of my previous pictures.

• UN World Oceans Day

• World Ocean Day

A day late, here's a poster design for United Nations World Oceans Day 2025; I'll let it cover World Ocean Day, as well. World Water Day on March 22nd emphasizes water with less saline content; WOD is about saltier water.

As much as I often admire my own design, this one disappoints me. For the past few years I'd used the same group of pictures, but I really wanted to incorporate my Santa Monica beach scene this time, so here it is.

Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us is this year's theme.

Five Minute Friday :: Honor

• Five Minute Friday :: Honor Linkup

• I'm picking up on this old one about towels and service—honor, as well.

Yesterday I asked a guest who was checking in at the hostel where I've been staying and working if he needed a towel. He said no, he didn't; he had a couple of towels with him. I replied I always travel with a towel, too. I started that habit when I stayed in European hostels, and continued it traveling cross-country USA, occasionally lodging in a motel or hotel, but often in a hostel or with a classmate or friend who had limited linens with limited or no laundry facilities.

To receive, claim, or possess an honor is a privilege. It's a charge. It's a responsibility. It's often a trust from other humans. It's often a sacred trust from God.

Revelation 7:9,10,12

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
¹² "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

Consider honors we have in our families, cities, towns, and workplaces. Honors the church gives us on occasion. The privilege of preaching law and gospel to bring a word of grace; breaking bread and pouring wine, making sure the eschatological feast has flavor and substance. Counseling and consoling. Calls for justice and righteousness.

In order to receive thanksgiving, honor, and glorious blessing, God in Christ Jesus has been responsible – fully responded – to our human needs.

But I started out with towels and time is limited, so where's the honor there?

I observed that to receive, claim, or possess an honor is a privilege. It's a charge. It's a responsibility. It's often a trust from other humans. Often it's a sacred trust from God.

Part of privilege is following Jesus to help make a person or a community more whole. Like a surfer's towel, if you carry one all the time as I generally do (when I travel, not usually round about town) and like that guest does, it can mean warmth and compassion. It can soak up tears, blood, rain, sweat, or water after a refreshing shower. Honoring that other person's needs is a high honor for us. Amen? Amen!

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