Giving Thanks...

When I was growing up we were taught a simple table grace,

"God is great, God is good,
Let us thank God for this food,
by His hand we all are fed,
thank you God for daily bread."

As a child, we would race through this prayer on our way to gulping down our milk and stuffing ourselves full with food.  As I've grown older, I've thought more about this table grace.  As I said it this morning I was really struck by the words.  Over the past few days I have not really been thankful for the food that I have.  I've spoken with other participants and I've heard stories of struggle, or complaint, uncomfortableness, and even trying to figure out how to 'cheat' and still participate.  None of this reflects an attitude of gratitude.  Truly, most of us are looking at this challenge as a struggle, and we're not thankful for the food we have.

During the season of Lent (the 40 days that precede Easter) I choose to fast from all food for 24 hours.  In that time of emptiness, I struggled with hunger.  My stomach gurgled, groaned and growled.  I found myself looking forward to my next meal with the eagerness only a 4 year old could muster.  That was a struggle.  While I enjoyed my bowl of oatmeal this morning, I noticed  how grateful I was for the food that I had both in the course of a normal week, but also for this week.  I have had something for every meal, and I have even had enough to snack.  In fact, most meals I prepare come with a side of leftovers.  I have made most meals stretch for two.  This morning I finished off my bag of oatmeal, but it did see me through 3 days!  My box of Kraft Dinner was 2 meals, and after 4 suppers with rice I still have some left for one more meal!

Granted there's still a few days left, but I am not going to starve over the next few days, and I will eat rather well.  I will be content and satisfied.  Do I have complaints? Yes.  Am I full after each meal? Not entirely, but that's probably not a bad thing.

I certainly wouldn't eat this way normally, I have been carefully rationing my grains, and I haven't eaten as much fruit and vegetables that I normally would and I am really missing some of my more indulgent snack foods, pretzels, chips and popcorn.  I am uncomfortable, but I am not starving.  I am hungry at each meal, I haven't slept as well as I am used to, and my concentration and energy levels aren't what they usually are, but I am getting by.

Last Mr. Noodles lunch

 The other thing that I have come to appreciate is how well equipped my kitchen is.  It never occurred to me earlier, but if your cooking knowledge and resources are limited, your meals are also going to be limited.  I recognize this as a sign of my privilege.  Most of my early meals were very simple, boil water, add stir and eat.  My suppers were a different story.  For my first evening, I looked at what I had and noticed that I had every thing I needed to make a fried rice dish.

So what can yo make with an onion, rice, egg, canned peas & carrots, some chicken bouillon and soya sauce?

I cooked the rice with chicken bouillon so it would absorb the flavour, meanwhile sautéed the onion.  I scrambled the egg, and once the rice was done I mixed it all together with some soya sauce and the canned vegetables.

...why Food Bank Fried Rice of course...

 It wasn't the most amazing thing that I had ever made, but it was filling and it fed me for 2 meals!

The other supper that I made has impressed on me my own privilege.  I made a slow cooker lentil and ham soup.  It didn't occur to me right away but most clients at the food bank probably don't have a slow cooker at home, and yet this was perhaps one of the easiest and most abundant meals for me to prepare.  I simply chopped a carrot, an onion and my tomato.  Added a cup of lentils, my tin of ham, and then 7 cups of water and an assortment of spices from my cupboard.

And this here...

...is a lentil, and ham soup, I expect to get 3 meals out of this!

Serving this over rice made for a very satisfying and fibre filled supper.  I probably will make this again, and I have enough left overs for 3 meals!  

I have eaten pretty well with the items given to me.  Part of this is from the knowledge and creativity that I have in the kitchen, and some is because I have the tools that enable me to cook in these ways.  Not everyone has either or both of these.  This realization is another dimension to the poverty and hunger 'problem.'  One that doesn't present itself with an easy solution, one that I'm not sure I know how to engage.  

So how does one humbly give thanks, recognizing that not all enjoy such bounty?

-C