Thursday, September 9, 2010

Day 9

9 straight days of Beans and Rice for dinner.... I knew it wouldn't be easy but I didn't think that the smell of rice and beans would actually make me nauseous nightly.

I know I can do this for 21 more days but I can't imagine having to eat beans and rice 3 times a day, every day just so my stomach is full.

But as we sit down to dinner every night I am reminded of how blessed I am...
  • to be eating beans and rice. To have something to warm and filling so I don't have to go to sleep hungry.
  • that Matt has a job that provides us with a home, food and all of the essentials of life.
  • for the opportunity to challenge ourselves to eat beans and rice for a month to save money, raise awareness and try to make a difference
  • that God is using this beans and rice experience to change the way day I look at everyday life. I'm becoming more grateful for what I have, more aware of the unjust social and economical differences that separate us from those less fortunate than us.

And as the close of September draws nearer with every passing day God keeps breaking my heart over pictures like these:

pictures of children who usually go to bed with empty stomachs and are some of the lucky ones to have beans and rice to eat at every meal.

I can do this; I can eat beans and rice for 21 more days. And with every meal I'll know that God is helping us save money for our adoption so that our sweet little one doesn't have to eat beans and rice everyday or go to bed with an empty stomach.

They'll be home with us, living a remarkably different life filled with lots of love, laughter and food.

2 comments:

Mari Bryant- Marks said...

Wow. Really amazing Meredith.

krafterskorner said...

Yes, you can do it! I know, easy for me to say! I have been fasting lunch on Fridays and giving the money I would normally spend towards our feeding the homeless program at my church. I thought it would get easier after the first few weeks, but it doesn't seem to. About 2 PM my stomach starts saying, hey stupid, you forgot to feed me!

By the way, I've been reading your blog for several months and never commented. I applaud your commitment to orphans and the less fortunate. I would love to adopt someday.