World Food Day (Day 16)

**I began this post yesterday as I wanted it posted on World Food Day. Unfortunately exhaustion consumed me and I was unable to finish it. I'm not going to let being a day late to join the voices that are being raised to end world hunger stop me from completing my task. **
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This morning Yesterday I was up earlier than usual as my son had an early morning appointment for knee surgery. As we sat waiting for him to be taken for surgery my stomach grumbled and my thoughts turned to food....and coffee. In my rush to get out the door, at an hour earlier than I'm even thinking about hitting the snooze button, I was unable to have my wake-me-up coffee. By 8 am I was longing for coffee and I was starving. STARVING! Friends, I have never known true hunger. I may have been a bit hungry as I hadn't eaten since dinner. Dinner which was only a mere 13 hours ago. I'd live. I was not "starving to death", a phrase which slips so easily from our mouths although many of us have never been close to the point of starving to death. Yet, around the world, there are people who are hungry. 1 out of 8 people are really, truly hungry. So hungry that starving to death is a reality. 

868 million hungry people living in the world, 49 million of whom live in the United States alone.

We don't have to look across our U.S. borders to see hunger. It's here. It's in our backyard (not in my backyard as even my chickens don't know hunger). 49 million people in the United States live in hunger and yet 41% of Americans are on diets. Livestrong.com states:

The Boston Medical Center indicates that 45 millions Americans diet each year and 

$33 billion on weight loss products.

$33 BILLION.......what could that kind of money do to solve/help the crisis of world hunger? Most Americans live in such excess that it shows up our hips. Friends, I'm not pointing any fingers here as I am just as guilty. Instead of showing restraint, I continue to satisfy cravings and wants instead of using food as a means for life. Eating becomes a past time, a want rather than a need. What if, instead of spending money on the newest diet fads - books, supplements, pills, etc - I used that money instead to help others? 

About once a week my family travels to "town" for some sort of errand. Usually this trip means a stop of Kwik Trip for gas....and snacks. Instead of waiting the 30 minutes to get home we've fallen in this terrible habit of getting just a "little something" to tide us over on our long journey home (sarcasm here). Coffee and donuts for the hubs, coffee and a Kind bar for me, chips/candy and a soda for each of the kids and we've spent $20. Twenty bucks on a snack. Snacks which are giving us little nutrition and are simply adding to the spare tire around our waists (my son is only 14 with an active metabolism so he doesn't have to worry about the spare tire. yet.). What if instead of spending $20 a week on unnecessary snacks we donated $20 of food to our local Channel One or to an organization, such as World Help, which is helping to supply not only food but also water, medical supplies and education to places that need help the most? 

What can we do to help feed the hungry? I've mentioned before that three ways in which we can help is to PRAY! GO! GIVE!

PRAY!

• Thank God for the way He has provided for you! Ask Him to reveal areas in your life which you are living in excess and how that excess could instead be used to help others.

GO!

• This doesn't have to be a mission trip to a foreign country. The Salvation Army  and Channel One provide food for many communities across the U.S. The Salvation Army nearest me hosts an annual Thanksgiving dinner which my family had the privilege of helping serve a couple of years ago. Channel One uses volunteers to stock shelves at the food bank.

GIVE! 

• I have a coupon clipping friend who gives her excess to Channel One. She has a limited budget but she has a gift for using coupons on items that are on sale which sometimes means she pays little to nothing for some of her groceries. She uses her gift to bless others.
• I'm sure some of you, like me, have budgets that are stretched thin. Give of your self and donate your time to be a volunteer. 
• Short on time and money? Think about something that you "treat" yourself to every week. Maybe it's a pumpkin latte at Starbucks. Learn to make pumpkin lattes at home and put your savings into a jar. Use that money to help others. 
• Start a fundraising campaign of your own! I did this last week at World Help which helped me set up my fundraising site. Instead of birthday gifts I'm hoping friends and family will help me raise money to help Syrian refugees. 

Join me in providing help for Syria!

Thank you, God, for your daily provisions. Thank you, for providing me with enough. Open my eyes to the areas of my life in which I can use my excess, my gifts, to help those in need. Break my heart for what breaks yours.