Food & Thanksgiving

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 3:12

    

    In this time of recalling and naming our blessings and thanksgiving, we need to consider where we can help others. Food can take a large chunk of our spendable income if we aren’t smart about buying. With people stockpiling and hogging resources, even good budgeting can become strained. I will not allow my heart to grow cold during this prolonged period of ME AND MINE FIRST mentality. To receive, we must give. To give, our hand must be open and willing, not clenched. We cannot receive when our hand is shut. It must be open and waiting expectantly. I will not let hope fail. I will give and continue to show love and compassion. Matthew 25:35&36 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

    There are two rules of thumb: 1-don’t buy more than you can use 2-if you buy it you need to use it. I have read some websites telling me to make a meal plan and then shop to fill in the gaps to make the meals. As Willy Wonka said, "Strike that. Reverse it."

    I dare suggest: Take an inventory of what you do have and use up what is about to expire or something that has been in the freezer.  You may only have to shop for basics for the week. I AM NOT saying don’t stock up if there’s a good sale.  I AM saying don’t be a hog.  There is plenty in America to go around. When you're a hog, it puts lots of people in a bad spot.  (Yeah, I’m talking to you CoVID-19 hoarders.)  Remember, not everyone can shop once per month.  Sometimes you have to buy what you can when you can.  So if you buy it all up there will be none left for the folks that have to get it when they can afford it. And if you have taken your inventory properly, you won’t have excess you won’t use which in turn saves you money.

    You need to have a go to meal. Mine is pasta. I love spaghetti. It is easy for us to make a big pot of sauce, eat what we want and then portion the leftovers and freeze it for later. To make things even easier make extra noodles, add to sauce, and freeze them together. There you go! Servings for lunch, dinner, snacks, or left over night!

    Think of a meal you make well and learn how to best preserve it for when you just don’t feel like cooking. Again, you can eat out - just budget for it. While you are learning how to preserve your meal, remember we don’t want to waste food. Believe me, I have made some awful tasting meals that we just could not gag down. Thankfully, we had our old stand-by in the freezer and it was ready in just a few minutes.

    Buying on sale is great, if you intend to use or preserve your bounty.  Don’t just get it to hoard it.  If you find an unbeatable sale, get some for the neighbor or your friend as a gift!  Everyone uses food!  Make them a surprise basket to let them know you were thinking of them.  Is there a family or person you know is struggling to keep food on the table, count it as charity and grab them a few cans of vegetables, a loaf of bread, and a package of meat.  Include basic directions for a soup (see below) or casserole along with a note of encouragement.  The best part, you don’t have to sign your name! If everything is sealed, you can leave it on the doorstep like a delivery service. Ideally, send a text to make sure the person is home then drop it at the door.  You don’t need to be noticed in everything.  Do it because it’s the right thing to do not because you want to be noticed. Matthew 6:3&4 - But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Did you see it says WHEN not IF...)

    We try to do a family "big give" each year. This shows itself in different ways based on what we are led to do throughout the year. Last year we made 100 packets of "supplies" to hand out at the street church where we have the opportunity to volunteer. These had simple things like candy, pen and paper, stamped envelope, lip balm, and some other small things we hope were useful.

    This year, we did two boxes. Yep, just two.

    It is with these two boxes we hope to convey the love God has for each of His children - not just the ones who think they have it all together. Using these two boxes, we hope to remind each of these persons he/she is not forgotten. They are important. They do matter in the the scheme of things. They are here on this earth, at this time, for a specific purpose, and if they allow the Lord to work through them, blessings will abound.

    Each box will be placed at the "camp home" of people we have found living with nothing. Literally, nothing. They live under a bridge by a creek. We don't know their names. We have never seen them. They probably are pretty leery of people - I would be after being scorned by society and pushed to the perimeter. We only hope they will accept this small gift as a token they are seen. I see you. God sees you. You matter.

    In this coming holiday season, be kinder than you need to be, give more than you are expected to give, love deeper than you thought possible.

In God's Love,

Me - the Mom

Dad’s soup - excellent for gifting a quart

1/2 to 1 pound browned, rinsed, ground sausage or hamburger

2 cup water

14 oz can tomatoes, can be seasoned if you like

10 oz frozen mixed vegetable

8 oz V8 style juice

1 envelope onion soup mix (or use 2 teaspoons beef bouillon and 1/4 an onion, diced)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

Pinch of garlic powder

Mix everything and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Add elbow noodles and cook in soup or boil separate and add when serving.