The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. Psalm 145:15

Monday, November 7, 2011

Generosity on a Budget

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this. Deuteronomy 24:19-22


We have always been fairly good at setting aside a tithe (10%) of our income to the church. This is the standard amount commanded throughout scripture, and most Christian bodies agree that it is really the minimum we should devote to the God who in fact saved us from "slavery in Egypt." We have on occasion decided to give more than the 10%, usually in response to a pressing need in the world (natural disasters), an organization we hear about, or a fellow believer needing funding for a mission trip. Because we are not very intentional about giving above the minimum, it tends to not happen very often.

In the U.S., the holidays seem to invoke a spirit of giving in people. This happens with us too, although part of me wonders if the reality is that we are reminded how little we have given of ourselves in the past year, and we scramble to somehow "make up" for it before that new year comes around and the resolutions start all over again (or repeat, as the case may be).

So... here we are. It is November, and while we have tithed this year, we find ourselves wanting to create more of a habit out of this charity thing. The biggest thing in our way of course, is money (imagine that). We are on a strict budget, and barely making ends meet - I know we are not the only ones, and it seems we have cut a lot in order to make day-to-day life work. But I know that in the scripture passage above, these farmers, these winemakers - they were likely a little strapped for cash too. But God, remember, didn't decide to hoard for himself or spare any expense when it came to you. He gave it all. And although slavery in Egypt sounds pretty horrible, it is not even comparable with the havoc that the power of sin can have on a person's life, not just here on earth but for all eternity.

We have a budgeted amount of money set aside for food every month. So starting in November, we are going to take whatever is left over in our food budget (our sheaves overlooked, if you will) and give that money to someone who needs food. Sometimes it might be $5, or sometimes $20, maybe more. I'm sure we might have times where we will be lazy and eat out a few more times, look over our vine a second or even third time, and use it all, but I hope we can do better. Our prayer is that we continue to be creative about how we spend our money and conserve it in the direct interests of others. We want to eat out less, make more from scratch, waste less, and give more. We are no longer going to take the residual of our budget, and allow it to give us permission to spend more than we need. Instead, we can rejoice in spirit with those who will benefit from our overlooked sheaves.

This doesn't sound like too much for God to ask of us, and I think as we witness the poor and hungry coming into our vineyard to gather what is left over, our hearts will open to them and our desire will be to leave them with more and more of our abundance.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Local Advantage

When we set out to eat more local food, we did so for a few good reasons. Namely, to cut down on our food's transporation footprint, support local businesses, and get away from the consumerism culture surrounding our demand for any type of food, any time you want it.

These are all still great reasons to buy locally, but as the growing season is nearing its end, we have some time to reflect on some of the extra benefits we discovered along the way!

Local food tastes better. We never really stopped to think about why the food we buy in the supermarket fails us so often. In order for most fruit to make it to the grocery store before going rotten, supermarket produce is picked way before it is ripe, and distributors count on it "ripening" on the way. When you buy it, then, it is either under-ripe, or, it is soft like ripened fruit but void of flavor. Fruit that is picked at its peaked ripeness is the sweetest kind. Thanks to some local farmers we will be enjoying some tree-ripened peaches from our freezer all year long, not to mention all of the other amazing fruit we've had this season. We also found out how much sweeter and juicier the tomatoes are when they come from your own garden.

Local food is more informed. Can you imagine going up to your grocery store butcher and asking him what he fed to the chickens? No one knows better than the farmer herself what the farm's practices are concerning pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Not to mention that it is just good to know what kind of business you are supporting with your food dollars.

Local food is more fun!! This season we learned how to cook with ground lamb, eggplant, and squash just to name a few. Our favorite meals were ones we had to invent with items from the farmer's market that week. We really enjoyed the culinary adventure!

You probably have a bit more time to visit a farmer's market or roadside stand and pick up some local produce. What do YOU love about eating locally?

Friday, January 14, 2011

Goal #3: Buy Local Food

He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth. Psalm 104:14

God designed the world with provisions for us in mind. Plants that we can use as food, the water, soil and sunlight to cultivate them, and even weather seasons to provide for growth, harvest and renewal for the next year. Although all of these natural systems are so complicated that they encompass entire fields of study, really the concept for us is quite simple. God created the means, we work within his system, and we are given the privilege to partake in the goodness that comes forth.

We live in a culture that is demand-focused. We shop online and receive items on our doorstep days later - never seeing the raw materials, the laborers, the distributors, or even the delivery truck in some cases, and I think we have grown quite oblivious to the rest of the world. I am sad to say that we have done the same thing with our food. While our backs were turned, the food industry has globalized and at no fault of any one person, has become subject to our high demands and materialism.

God gave us food in our own backyards (sometimes literally), or close to it. And we wonder what God thinks when what he gives to us here and now is not quite good enough for our tastes. Instead we want ripe red strawberries in January. But it is possible to eat great tasting food from just around the block - and doing so has many benefits.
  • Support farmers directly and help sustain your local economy
  • Save the energy and pollution it takes to transport and refrigerate food products before they get to your local grocery store
  • Enjoy foods that are fresher and minimally processed
  • Get more for your money - pay for your food, not its travel costs
Buying locally is a huge challenge, and it takes a lot of work. Last year we found a website where we could look up "what's in season" for our area. We planned a meal around asparagus, only to find that the asparagus in the grocery store came from Peru. However, there are a lot of practical ways to get started in the local food movement.
  • Shop at local farms and farmer's markets Find one here
  • Sign up for a CSA (community supported agriculture) and receive regular deliveries of produce from your local farm. Find one here
  • Join a food co-op, or just shop at one. Find one here
  • Buy foods that are in-season, and preserve for use later by freezing or canning
  • Grow your own food! Start a vegetable garden in your own backyard, or cooperatively with others in your community or church group
  • Try new recipes designed for seasonal cooking. Subscribe for a weekly recipe