eat well

The snow falls again. For some reason this puts an ache in my heart. To think that every snowflake is unique in itself. Oh, the beauty. Yet, I long for the days when I can smell spring, when I see the buds grappling for the the warmth of the sun. I cannot wait to get my fingers and toes in the dirt and work the ground until my back can no longer handle it. Lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, basil, and rosemary. Warmth, where are you?

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending Jubilee, a conference for college students. While the crowds overwhelmed me to exhaustion, I took delight in the small groups talking about Wendell Berry, farming, growing roots where you are at, and eating well. The topic of eating well has always been important to me and I was able to gain some new insight on what that actually means.

As Americans, we are surrounded by fast things...fast food, fast internet, fast this fast that. The food industry has become unhealthy with its preservatives and colorings. Evidence of its unhealthy nature is simply seen in our population with obesity and cancer running rampant. Everyone knows that red and yellow means Mcdonalds and a purple and yellow bell means Taco Bell.

What will it take for Americans to get healthy again? Perhaps we need to slow down. We need to discover where our food is coming from. We should find out what foods are in season in our state so we don't invest in more pollution from trucks making their way across the nation. Maybe we would even venture to grow some of our own food. The process is slow, but worth it.

Honoring God with every part of our being includes the food that we eat. Let us gather around the table, discovering more of Christ and who we are in Him.