Friday, November 20, 2009

What shall we eat? What shall we wear?

When my alarm went off at 5 this morning, my first thought was "I'm so glad it's Friday." Because this has been a long week. My second thought was "What am I going to make for dinner?" Will is going to be out with the guys tonight, and Robbie, understandably, does not like to play by himself when he finally sees us after a day at daycare. This week's menu, because of super busy work schedules, has been:
Mon-quesadillas (tortilla, cheese, cooked spinach, Sunday's leftover chicken)
Tues-leftovers for Robbie at the babysitter's, Taco Bell for us
Wed-hamburger patties with peas, mac & cheese for sides
Thurs-frozen pizza with spinach on the side

We're now out of leftovers, because I didn't really cook this week. So any dinner tonight will be a repeat of earlier this week, require more effort and attention than I can/want to give today, or require cash. Will's going out with the guys, Robbie and I can go out too. I made him eat spinach with his pizza last night. I can feed him nuggets and fries tonight. We'll eat real food tomorrow. I need to do a Target/Walmart run anyway. So, we can go to the store, then I can let him play on the playplace. What do we need from the store? Lightbulbs, shampoo & conditioner, Robbie needs some new clothes....
Clothes!!!!!
My only clean socks and Robbie's only clean pants are sitting wet in the washing machine. I've got to go put those in the dryer. Will I need to do another load tonight or does he have enough clean clothes for tomorrow?

"Do not worry saying, 'what shall we eat?' or 'what shall we wear?'" (Yes, the words of Jesus did interrupt my internal monologue this morning in a way that completely floored me.)

Wow, guilty as charged. That verse is aimed right at me as a wife and mother. Those have been my primary concerns these last few weeks. I've made out my menu from now until December 5 using what we have in the pantry and freezer. I've been making lists of what new clothes each of us need, and if I should get them now or (mostly in Robbie's case) put it on the Christmas list I'll give to interested grandparents.

I used a concordance to help me locate that passage this morning. And when I read it, ouch.
Matthew 6:24-25 as I read them in my Holman Christian Standard version.
     No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and money.
     This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?
What?! Worrying about what to feed your family and what to dress them in is actually worshiping money? But I'm just trying to be frugal, a good steward, responsible... Obsessing over the wrong things with good intentions is still wrong. Matthew 6:33
     But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
I'm not sure how God will provide clean socks and balanced nutrition for my family, but I'll be trusting Him for that and looking for ways to obsess over His kingdom.

And, good morning! It's now 7am.

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

These verses were pulled from the full text available here.