GroshLink

This week begins the Journey into the Brokenness of Hunger.* I've decided (wimped out?) that the Mutunga Challenge would be too difficult for our family at the stage of life we're in (small children and nursing mom who is constantly hungry). Although I do try to be conscientious about our food budget on a regular basis, I'm sure we typically exceed $2 per person per day. I've decided not to go grocery shopping this week. If you'd look in our freezer and pantry you'd probably say "Duh!" Where's the sacrifice there? Our shelves are overflowing.

So this challenge may extend beyond this week. Could mean we'll be eating a lot of beans, tuna, and cereal. The no shopping rule will be most challenging to me as it means I can't run out for those few key ingredients that would make my dinner menus superb. Below are the dinners I have come up with for the coming week:

• Monday:  Oriental Chicken Ginger (Fix-it & Forget-It Lightly, p. 32)
• Tuesday:  Grilled Cheese & Left-over Tortilla Soup (From a friend)
• Wednesday:  Joining our local assembly for dinner
• Thursday:  Mac-n-Cheese Crock Pot Style 
• Friday:  PA Dutch Chicken Pot Pie (The Lighter Side of Lancaster Cookbook)
• Saturday:  Mini-Meat Loaves (Parenting Magazine, August 2008) 

To make the kids feel the sting of the sacrifice I'm considering nixing dessert for the week too. Now, our desserts (or their desserts) are often not more than a couple Hershey kisses or a cookie. But they've come to think they are entitled to these extravagances. And I confess to breaking Rule #18 of the Good Parenting Code of Conduct --Never use dessert as a bribe for finishing your meal/eating your veggies. Oh, come on! Who hasn't?? Now, if I don't have dessert (which I usually eat after the kids go to bed), does that mean I can't have any snack after dinner? Or just not something sweet? Hmmm, where's a good Pharisee when you need one?

One of my daughters was quick to point out that giving up dessert and refraining from grocery shopping is not actively aiding those who are hungry. So we'll still need to think about that. I did explain that, although she was very right, these small sacrifices serve as reminders to us of our abundance and that others in our world go hungry each day.

Lord, open our eyes to the needs around us. Help us to have courage to make daily choices that may seem small but will affect Your Kingdom for good. Help us to "do unto others" with the sacrificial heart that you so generously shared with us. Amen.

*Visit the updated Lenten Guide courtesy of Christine Sine.  For more (particularly w/regard to the people of God's journey through the recession with a concern for the whole creation), visit Mustard Seed Associates: Creating the future one mustard seed at a time.