I’m going to be honest. Summer of 7 had me in a funk earlier today. I left a sleeping family this morning to drive in the rain for 45 minutes to go to the office and I was just a little irritated that I couldn’t have my once-a-week Starbucks like I normally do when I head to the office. I couldn’t even have my French pressed Dunkin Donuts. If I’ve missed anything this week I’ve missed coffee. I’m not addicted to the caffeine. I’ve had no headaches and I haven’t been tired. I just miss the smell and the warmth and it’s just plain comforting.
Then because I’m not doing take-out I had to take some leftovers from last night for lunch. Ranch chicken and a baked potato. I don’t want to sound whiny but I pretty much hate leftovers unless it’s Italian. And then our barely-there microwaves didn’t heat it well. And we were out of sour cream. So I was eating dry chicken with a reheated baked potato with only butter. With water. I hated lunch today.
I started giving myself a pep talk about how I should be grateful I have a job to take leftovers to and the fact that I had leftovers to take. But really the bottom line was the food was not good. So then I started thinking about people that struggle for food. I’ll admit I kind of always assumed that people that were hungry loved any food they got their hands on. But, you know. I’m pretty sure that’s not true. So I thought about how we’re feeling pretty good about giving people our excess during Summer of 7 and then I thought well that’s not so noble. Giving people what we don’t want, especially our seconds, doesn’t magically make someone ecstatic to have it. I thought about Alene’s post where she posted a letter from a former homeless person and how he said you always had to watch out for mold because many donated items were old. And then I thought about how God gave us his very best in Christ and it really made me think not just about giving but the quality of what we give.
If I were super hungry and someone had given me the dry chicken and the reheated potato I would have eaten it gratefully but I don’t know. I just don’t think giving leftovers is what Jesus would do.
Mark 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
You can read more posts about the food week of Summer of 7 below:
Oh my, I was thinking of leftovers today. What I recalled was when Jesus fed the 5000. He took what was there, a little boy’s meal, had everyone sit down and fed them. They all were blessed. Jesus blessed them so much there were leftovers. Then there’s the story of the manna and quail falling from the sky. But God only allowed for them to take what they could use that day all the other leftovers they tried to hoard and sneak away with turn gross. So many countless stories and thoughts. I have left your post in tears. Processing here. I’m so wondering if my “clothes” week next week is going to mess with me this bad.
Positively Alene recently posted…select your accountability wisely.
Oh wow. What different perspectives of those two stories. Definitely processing too.
I was thinking about gleaning today…gonna post a bit about it tomorrow… I think it’s all about love. Nobody gives moldy gunk with love! My son cooks weekly with a group of college kids who feed hungry people in their neighborhood. He’s been so cool about calling me to get his favorite recipes so he can serve what he loves to the folks there.
Kay Bruner recently posted…too much, so what?
Oh Kay – I love this. Love your son’s heart. Love that he shares that with you.
Positively Alene recently posted…select your accountability wisely.
I love that, Kay. Always goes back to our hearts.
I thought about this from another angle when I asked my readers what to do with stained kids clothes because I thought Goodwill wouldn’t take them. No, apparently they do. They send them to Africa. I thought, sheesh, can’t we give them UNSTAINED clothes!! And I’m reading about food deserts and probably going to post on that. It makes me think, why can’t we have the Farmer’s Market IN THE FOOD DESERT since all the yuppies are driving to it anyway. Then at least the poor people could walk to it instead of having to cart their food back on the bus and have it get all mushy and melty. This is the main line of yours that got me . . . “And then I thought about how God gave us his very best in Christ and it really made me think not just about giving but the quality of what we give.”
Katrina recently posted…Stress-less Summer
Yes exactly! Like Kay was talking about love. What does that say when America sends stained clothes??
Educate me on food deserts. Is that just a farmer’s market?
I love the honesty of this. I could very much relate to so much of it. Especially the coffee part!
I’m not going to lie, I’m going to SAVOR my first cup of coffee this weekend! But isn’t that the point–gratefulness?
Amy recently posted…Leftovers
Amy, I love this. I can relate to your experience but also in my work I see how the homeless and low income are so often given junk. Cheap, processed, bad-for-you-food, and often old. And you’re right, they have taste buds just like us. They have favorites they long for and miss, but don’t often get. I once read a book where a noblewoman used to send the milk from her milk baths to the poor, and felt she was doing her part. I wonder if in our good intentions we don’t often do similar things in giving our unwanted, discarded leftovers. It’s def made me think.
But thens there’s the adage one mans trash is another’s treasure, which I know can be so true. So, it really does boil down to the heart and obeying what Jesus is asking of us in each situation… He knows… But I want to be ready and willing to give up my best, my favorite.
Lana, I so appreciate your viewpoint on this. It’s a good reminder…one man’s trash is another’s treasure. I think you and Kay nailed it that it’s a heart issue. If I want to give my excess in hopes that someone will treasure it and don’t want it to go to waste then that’s ok too. I think I just realized though that sometimes the first and best is in order too, especially around food. I think I’ve thought of that like when we go shoeboxes or angel tree gifts but never really around food.
Amy recently posted…Leftovers
I’ve thought about this a lot over the years. I remember being a full time missionary with no money whatsoever and being handed “seconds” and it was hard. I was grateful but it really wasn’t easy to take. I wanted the new as well, not the worn out and tattered clothing that seem to be there. It is one reason why I like to buy new things for people and not given them my hand-me-downs. I definitely learned a lot while in that position and try to be as grateful as possible for all that God has blessed me with. Great post!
Becky recently posted…A little bit of a rant here:
Yes, Becky, I think more gratefulness is definitely something God is showing me through this.
Amy recently posted…Leftovers
I feel the same way about leftovers. Whether its food or clothes. When I was 8, my family moved from the Midwest to California, and our U-Haul truck was stolen. Everything we owned was inside. The people who stole the truck sold everything at a yard sale and then had a bonfire with our personal belongings like pictures and baby albums because those things linked the stuff with us.
Long story short, we had to move in with my grandma, and people from the small town we were in brought us boxes of leftover clothes and dishes and everything else imaginable. I remember looking around our house and everything was somebody else’s leftovers. People gave us clothes with stains on them and stocks with holes in them! I guess we were supposed to be grateful because we literally didn’t have anything else. But I hated it.
I love this post. It really strikes at the heart of generous giving. Nowadays, I’m just as guilty as most when it comes to excess, but I’m so convicted about only giving away the things that I would truly appreciate receiving.
Denise J. Hughes recently posted…The Writer’s Library — My 10 Favorite Books on the Craft of Writing
Denise, that is an awful story! I just can never believe how mean and nasty people can be. Thank you for sharing though. I definitely will be thinking of this when I give as well!