Wednesday, August 3, 2016

The Miracle of a Seed

Almost without thinking, this morning, I bowed my head as I placed my cantaloupe and eggs before me and asked God to help them nourish and strengthen my body. I wouldn’t even categorize my words as a prayer or a blessing. I offered one of those vain repetitions the scriptures caution us to avoid, and I knew better. Obtaining, eating, and enjoying foods that nourish my body has never been a problem, so why do I use those words. It used to be ignorance. But now, I simply allow old habits and laziness to invade my prayers. Yes, my mother – as most moms have done – told me to eat all of my vegetables because there were starving children in Africa. Now, when I take the time to pause and pray over my food, I think about those children, and I realize how blessed I am for not only the abundance of food, but also the variety available and the ease in which it is obtained. So, instead of asking for heath and strength, I think about how I can use that strength to bless others, I express gratitude that I have never experienced real hunger and the food I eat provides nourishment, I think about all the farmers and workers who labor long hours to make my food possible, and I contemplate the beauty of rain, the wonder of the sun, and the miracle of a seed. Perhaps, in a few days, old habits will creep back into my prayers again, but the seed of gratitude has been planted, and I know if nourish it, it will continue to grow. 




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