These days, seems I feel better about throwing out some food, because it means I didn’t eat it all (keeping in mind my waistline).

While it still sounds funny to cry because I didn’t want to throw out food, I wish I still hated wasting like I did as a child.

@Britt: I like that idea. My mum was raised to eat it cold for breakfast the next day. I keep thinking about how picky some of the kids I’ve watched are and wonder how it would be different if what was on there plate was the only food the family had.

We sponsor a little girl in Ghana through Compassion. Having her picture on the fridge and praying for her to have enough to eat daily has already changed how we view things.

We generally eat pretty healthily and I cook almost 100% of the time from scratch, but I’ve been struggling with how it seems we think we deserve such “rich” meals. Do we really need to top our chili with cheese or have meat every day?

I’ve come to the conclusion that it is fine to enjoy our food as God has graciously created so many wonderful flavors. However, I’ve also concluded that every day doesn’t need to be filled with all the extras. I’ve certainly been cooking simply already, but have just been taking a step back to reevaluate. We’ve lived in Africa and ate similarly to our neighbors while there, although we had meat more often than they.

Now that we’re back in N. America, we no longer see poverty on a daily basis. For myself, I am looking to cook a simple meal of beans & rice or rice & a vegetarian sauce for at least one or two of our main meals each week. The hope is that, although it isn’t exactly “fasting”, God will use those meals as:
-a reminder to my family about how much we
have to be thankful for
-a reminder to be in prayer for our Compassion child and other children & families we know from our years in Africa

Just a way to hopefully stop the “out of sight, out of mind” process we feel we’ve gone through since our return to N. America.

PS A small portion of leftover rice makes a great hot cereal for breakfast warmed up with a little milk & sugar & cinnamon, if you like.

About two months ago, my 6 year old daughter was complaining that she didn’t “like” what I had made for dinner. She followed up that comment with a disgusted look on her face. I don’t know what got into me, but I responded, “That’s alright. You can go to bed and tomorrow you may have a cup of rice.” She thought I meant for breakfast. I informed her that, no I meant only once during the day. Her eyes became HUGE and she realized where I was going with this…we sponsor 4 children with Compassion and she is very involved in letter writing, praying for them, etc.

I think it is so easy to forget how blessed we are…we live in a society where *more* is never enough.

(By the way, I came here from blog.compassion.com)

Times have been incredibly tough for me in the past year (I got injured and then lost my job because of it) but I’ve known that my pain is only for a season and God will bring me through. Despite the bills mounting (at one point 6 weeks behind in rent & 2 months behind on phone etc) it has always been a top priority to have money there for my sponsor child. Sponsoring a child through Compassion is very rewarding and I encourage all readers to sponsor a child.

A friend just had the opportunity to visit his sponsor child in Uganda late last year and it has changed his life perspective forever.

Also, I’m pleased to report that God has done miraculous things in my life, I’m now caught up with bills and I’ve managed to pay off a $1650 engagement ring (ticket price $3300 – the ‘recession’ has its benefits too . We live in Gods economy on Gods terms, not the worlds economy.

Sponsor a child today!

God bless.

As a Compassion Australia staff, I’m encouraged that the answered prayer of a mother from Nicaragua has made such a profound impact on your stewardship & on the way you’ll educate your children! They are blessed

To all you precious readers who’re wanting to reach out to impoverished children (& mothers – yes Compassion reaches out to pregnant mothers & infants up to 3 years old too) living in poverty – you can do that right now @ http://www.compassion.com.au.

Through child sponsorships, you offer children an opportunity to grow OUT of the poverty they were born into, and empower them to become fulfilled Christian adult living the dreams God planted in his / her hearts.