Lent Recap: Food Bank

The food drive at church has not officially started up, but I am ready with my contribution. Amazingly, I was able to buy tons of food at a very low cost because of smart shopping: coupon doubling, sale items, etc. In fact, the overall cost was so much less than I thought it was, that I have bought more items to add to the pile each time I've been to the store since!

This reminds of how fortunate I really am to be able to afford good food in the form of fresh fruits and veggies, organic foods, and very little that is "ready-made" and lacking in real nutrition. Healthier food costs so much more than regular canned food, but I now feel a little better about people who don't have much to spend at the store: a little money really can go a long way if you know how to stretch it. Maybe this is the one thing that under-privileged families have going for them.

After the food drive at church is over, this food will make its way to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

This Week's Contribution: medicine and medical supplies

Please send me your ideas for other ways to contribute to the community!!

Lent: The Plan

The church seasons of Lent begins tomorrow, and with it, many people will be sacrificing something they love as a discipline - usually food. (I once knew a family that gave up wheat - quite a hard sacrifice if you eat the average American diet!)

This year I am inspired to do something different. Chris and I don't have a history of giving to churches financially. No specific reason - we just don't. This year, I want to make money my sacrifice. Once a week, for each week during Lent, my goal is to spend our hard-earned money (which there is not much of, by the way) to better our church or someone else.

So here goes:

Week 1: Food drive. Chris and I will fill up a grocery cart with non-perishables for the food drive at church. Pictures to follow!

I'm going to need help coming up with ideas!! I have one stored away, but I need at least 4 more meaningful ways to make a financial contribution to help someone else. Please send me your thoughts!!

Great Quote

Currently Reading: The Likeness, by Tana French

Check out this amazing quote:

"Regardless of what the advertising campaigns may tell us, we can't have it all. Sacrifice is not an option, or an anachronism; it's a fact of life. We all cut off our own limbs to burn on some altar. The crucial thing is to choose an altar that's worth it and a limb you can accept losing. To go consenting to the sacrifice."

This is amazing on so many levels, I'm not even going to touch it. Just wanted to share it with you.

P.S. - This book is excellent. I can't put it down. Well-written and well-executed suspenseful mystery.

Deep Thoughts with Becca

Today I have been thinking about what we want for ourselves verses what God wants for us. And of course, what we are meant to do. I don't believe that there is only one thing that we are meant to do or be in life, but I do think that in every stage of life, we serve a unique role to ourselves and to other people in our lives.

Today my prayer is that my desire for my life is the same as God's desire for my life. Which is good, since I can't seem to pinpoint either right now! But I am so thankful that God has guided me and taken the time to show me one of my biggest passions.

West Wing and the Census

I am a huge fan of West Wing. At home, Chris and I are working our way through the many delightful seasons, which are all available for perusal on DVD. Here is one of my favorite topics from West Wing, which is particularly relevant since 2010 is a year for US Census.

I had an appointment yesterday with a funny guy who is working on the census numbers to count the homeless. My church is listed as a shelter because we participate in the Room in the Inn program, which allows 12 men to stay here overnight during the coldest months of the year, have 3 good meals, wash their clothes, etc. We do this once every two weeks. The days between their visits with us, they spent nights at other places of worship in the city. This year, on March 29, US Census workers will travel to all of the homeless shelters that are open to count the number of people.

I am excited about this for several reasons:

• I got to participate in the US Census! (Well, kind of)
• The Census does not forget to identify the homeless.
• I got to participate in the US Census!
• The Census is also conscious enough of the homeless to realize that they are transient, so in order to get a relatively accurate head count, they must be counted when they are in one place for the night.

One of the biggest overarching problems with people in need is that fact that we so often choose not to see them. It is nice to see at least one instance where the government and others are actively seeking to know who they are.

Of course, there are still miles to go.

An Update in Pictures

We took Lucy out to play as it snowed on Friday afternoon! She adores the snow and she romped around with delight (truly)! Our 5 inches of snow and ice has been labeled the "worst snowstorm in 7 years by The Tennessean." Interpret that however you like!

Who can resist that face?

Beautiful icicles hanging from a rocky ledge on our hike at Montgomery Bell Park in January.

No, we're not crazy for wearing few clothes - it was unseasonably warm!

Our 6 mile hike was not very challenging, but it was fun to spend some much-needed time outdoors.

We got into a biscuit habit, and this is what came out: delicious, gingerbread men biscuits.