I don’t know about you, but I have terrifying memories of
having to sit at the dinner table until I ate my brussel sprouts. Can you think
of a substance nastier than brussel sprouts? I guess you could count COLD
brussel sprouts as worse, but that’s about it. I don’t care if you cover them
in cheese, douse them salt and pepper, or eat them very quickly so you don’t
taste them. They’re just plain ga-ross! That vegetable symbolizes my ungratefulness with a lot of things, though.
I wish I could say that’s the only food I’ve pitched a fit
about. Surely a person is allowed to break into a semi-tantrum over brussel
sprouts, but when you add to that the surely thousands of foods I complain
about, you start to see a problem. I consider it even more tragic that I also
gripe about food that I actually like, but isn’t quite up to par to my
apparently fancy taste buds. You know what I mean…well that plate of warm,
sizzling fajitas just wasn’t the BEST I’ve ever had, or I could have had MORE
spice to that spaghetti…it was practically inedible. Let’s not really mention
when I roll my eyes at the prospect of just making something myself instead of
going out to eat. Those are the REALLY low points when I dare use the term "brat".
I’m reading Jen Hatmaker’s 7, and that’s on the heels of
finishing Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I never really considered myself an
ungrateful person and definitely not a selfish person, but alas, I am. I do the
figurative stomping of the feet when it comes to food choices and many other
parts of my life filled with complete comfort, when really how blessed am I
that I actually have food, have spices, have choices! I actually have the excessive
LUXURY of paying someone to cook food for me…sometimes I don’t even have to
leave my car to get it! While I have heard the adage “Eat what you have…there
are others who would LOVE to have that”, I don’t think I’ve really allowed it
to be a personal mantra. Instead, it’s more of a casual thought.
I must change this about myself. Not should. MUST. I have to
show my children, myself, my circle of people that I am NOT driven by anything
but Christ. I have way more of everything than I deserve and it’s time to quit
holding on to things that aren’t truly important. Matthew 22:37-39 tells me
that I am to love the Lord with all that I have and then love my neighbor as
myself. It’s hard to admit it, but that direction does not include acquiring
more and more while giving less and less. I don’t believe that God is against
me enjoying life, including good food. I think he just wants me to realize that
having more than you NEED is a call to help others, not an excuse to stay in
our little cozy bubble. God, help me to do my part.
