Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The 40 Day Journey

Home
Progressive Christian
Food and Religion
Day 29: At the Mercy of Time

Day 29: At the Mercy of Time

Last updated on: March 24, 2015 at 7:00 pm by Guest Contributor

Day 29: At the Mercy of Time 2015-03-24T19:00:31-06:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

(We’re revisiting this post from 2014.)

At the Mercy of Time

by Rev. Ivan Herman

Wilderness experts will tell you to prioritize your needs in order to increase your odds of surviving a crisis situation. Most important is shelter, then water, then fire, and finally food. We can survive without food for longer than we can water or shelter. However, in a long-term survival scenario, such simple categorizations break down. Without food, weakness sets in and the will to live and work (and the ability to do so smartly) diminishes. For far too many people, survival in our civilized context is a complex daily crisis, and the greatest challenge is prioritizing time.

Our family of four, with two adults and two school-age kids, followed a food stamp diet during Lent 2013. We allotted ourselves $1.10 per person, per meal for six weeks. We had shelter, water, and heat already; the budget constraints were limited to food. We found that our greatest challenge in preparing nutritious meals on a tight budget was not limited finances, but limited time. Preparing dry beans over canned beans saved at least a couple dollars per pound. Baking bread saved at least 50 cents per loaf. Cooking from scratch boosted the nutritional value of the food, but also boosted the amount of time required to prepare it. We estimate that we spent at least an hour per day in from-scratch food preparation above what we do normally, and compared to most American families, I believe we already do more from-scratch and less “semi-homemade” cooking already. Whether you’re wealthy or poor, time is always in such short supply. A pastor in Chicago contacted me to let me know that he and his congregation were pursuing a similar Lenten discipline. Three weeks into Lent, he had already failed in following their budget. It was time—not money—that did them in. They both had jobs, and spending the hours required to prepare dinner every night as they were between the daytime commute and evening commitments was beyond their managing. There is a reason why fast food and convenience food has become so popular in our society, and the reason is certainly not nutrition or value.

Reflect:

How have I allowed convenience or speed to dictate my health decisions? In what circumstances do I make convenience an idol? What are the danger signs that I’ve placed my value of time above all else, including God? How can I prioritize my time in order to live a life of justice?

Pray:

Lord, I confess there are times when I’ve allowed speed and convenience to dictate my choices. Guard my heart against doing what is easy, and instead guide me into what is right and good, that my health, my body, my relationships, and my time may be used in worthy service to you and to others. Amen.

———————

Ivan Herman is the associate pastor at Carmichael Presbyterian Church in Carmichael, CA. He is a husband, father, oddball, activist, peacemaker, occasional triathlete, and all-around nice guy. Yuck. He sometimes tweets from @ivanherman and blogs at 40daysofSNAP.wordpress.com.

———————————-

Lenten Calendar for MARCH 23

Look up “world hunger” on the Internet and read through the resources you find.

————————————

We need your stories!

We’re already looking ahead to the 40 Days for Food Justice Project for 2016 and we’re looking for more stories, experiences, prayers and resources about food justice and food injustice.

If you would like to contribute – or would like to recommend a contributor – please send us an email and let us know.

About:

In addition to being the founder and editor-in-chief of the “40 Days for Food Justice Project”, the Rev. MargaretAnne Overstreet is a mom, a Presbyterian pastor, and a certified Health Coach. She does ministry with and among the good people of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Belleville, Illinois, where she gets her hands dirty in the community garden and, every Sunday, preaches with bare feet. She treasures family time, relishes every opportunity to teach and write about food justice, and loves to play outside with her dogs. Find out more about her at www.AnInBetweenPlace.com

Food Justice

2015

day29

Previous Post

March 21, 2015

Day 28: The South Hayward Emergency Food Pantry

Next Post

March 24, 2015 Day 30: Cooking Fresh

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Food Justice

Select a Month March 2015 February 2015 April 2014 March 2014 January 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am an offering without defect, completely burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A peace offering A sin offering A grain offering A burnt offering