The First Month Wrap Up

Month One of 7 is coming to a close.  It is amazing to me how blessed we are.  I know I keep saying that.  But, it blows my mind that God has provided for us so richly and we go through everyday life not even realizing it.  Much less continually thanking Him for His goodness and provision to us.  Part is a feeling of entitlement, we work hard therefore we should have, but part is also a little fear of not having enough.  Not trusting Him enough for our daily provision.

As we come to a close I feel a tad bit guilty.  It is hard for us not to waste.  Not to take food for granted.  At this moment I have a fridge full of leftover soup, three cooked sweet potatoes, a package of hot dogs and container of lettuce, applesauce, three tomatoes that are on their way out, not to mention carrots and condiments and plenty more.  All just sitting there waiting to be eaten.  And, try as we might, I am not sure we will get to all of it before it spoils. (I can only eat so much!)  ;)

That really is heartbreaking to me.  That we can be so gluttonous as a family.  Obviously we have made changes, but that is not enough.  We still are not being good stewards of our food.  I don't know why I feel it so profoundly.  But I do.

Maybe I think of the boy we sponsor in Abbas, Ethiopia and the little bit we send him a month has to feed and cloth his family.  Maybe I think of the pictures that an acquaintance of mine posts of Facebook about the need in Haiti.  I know we can do better.  Spend less.  Eat less.  Plan better.  Realize we just don't need it all.  And take that extra, give it to God and let Him bless a family in some unknown region of the world who has nothing.

I just don't know.  I have been affected by our food experiment.  For the better I believe.  I know I am not done with this.  I don't want to be done, until I can thank God continually for His provision for us.  And then take our extra and use it for His glory.  Then I just might be done.  With the food that is.

Next month is clothes.  The author wore only 7 pieces of clothing for a whole month!  Two pants, shoes and four different shirts.  I have been pondering that a great deal.  This is an area where I know I can use a new way of thinking.  Again, such an area of not much gratitude and an over abundance of stuff.

We won't start month two until February 11th.  I will have plenty of time to think about and pray about how God might use this experiment to refocus our brains on less of us and our junk to more of Him and His love.

Can't wait to share what we are going to do . . . .