17 SEP 2014 :: FOOD!

I needed a recipe last week and decided to look in my older copy of  LAUREL'S KITCHEN, which I have always considered a standard for the vegetarian movement (at least, when I was younger and looking for information). It is a really nice book with lots of information about healthy foods, calories, and changing to a better diet. I have been exploring it again, reading and taking notes, checking out recipes, etc.

Today I made a variation of the CORNBREAD recipe there. It seemed way too liquid for my cooking experience, but I added corn kernels and juice to the recipe, along with red pepper flakes. I cooked it in a bread loaf pan instead of a flatter pan. So I adjusted the temperature and baking time. It seems to have turned out well.

I am looking forward to exploring more recipes and trying to add the calorie and health information to what I am gathering from a variety of places.

I noticed in my reading that UNICEF was declaring the first international food shortage about 1975, which was important to the author. That was the year I entered the welfare system in the US. I'm not sure how much has changed since then. There are continual disasters to deal with, wars, famines, and a lack of education and medical care still.

I have a photo that I discovered somewhere and kept for personal reference and reminder. It shows two large bellies, one from obesity and the other from starvation (I assume).

I once had a news photo of women scraping dirty water from the bottom of a gully...I was trying to keep that to remind me of what some people have to do to get water for their survival. It may still be hidden in my remaining belongings, but I don't think so. I wish I would have separated it from my other files and photos for my personal references about poverty and survival issues.

I have other photos that are important to me, one of a 9-year-old boy with a tumor the size of a basketball stretching out of his neck and into his shoulder, making his arm a thin (and I believe limp) extension. They had to use a SWAT team to get him out of his neighborhood because of the drug cartels.

Another photo I found when someone added it to an email without reference information. It looks like it was in an earthquake disaster area, but there is no way to know. It is an older brother of about 5 years holding a younger brother of about 1 year. Both are sleeping on an outdoor step, the older brother holding the younger, who is about half his size. There is no way to know if their parent/s are anywhere near.

My sons are older now, but I still worry about them and lament that I cannot help them more. I understand the difference between various definitions of "love" because of my life experiences. Not being able to provide for your family is not the same as not loving them.

I have been noticing more how the government, including the US government, often attacks the poor and takes away the things they need for basic survival...especially food stamps. It is easy to attack the poor because they don't have the resources to fight. I think the consequences for this habit will hurt the US further down the road...as will several other issues being decided now. Another election year is at hand...what will it mean for all of us?

I pray that GOD will help me (through Working Together) to be part of the provision process for as many people as I can...for Christians first, for others after that...for the US first, and for other international regions after that.

The Bible tells us that when the End Times become desperate, people will give all their gold and silver and wealth for food to survive on. That tells us what matters most...and how we need to keep our priorities right. Food, shelter, fellowship... these will be most important.

To make places for Christian fellowship as we provide for the things we need to survive together is going to take time...we had better get busy.