It's the day after Halloween. Our doorbell rang off the wall last night for about three hours as I dashed to the door to hand out candy of all sorts to little warriors, princesses, super heroes and cheerleaders. They were darling! (For my readers from Africa we have this custom in America on October 31 where kids dress in costumes, go from house to house, and get candy that they store in a bag or pillowcase!)
When I knew it was too late for another trick-or-treater I looked at Bobby and sighed. We bought too much candy...again! I'm really not a big candy lover, and Bobby only enjoys it occasionally. So we accessed our candy loot, saved a few pieces we thought we would like, and threw the rest out. I know some readers are gasping right now! What about the waste? Why couldn't we find a way to give it away? How can you put something as yummy as candy in the trash?
Back when I was teaching I would bring the leftover stash to my classroom and use it throughout the year- but since I don't have a classroom now, it goes into the trash- and I can honestly tell you it doesn't bother me a bit. As a matter of fact- it's actually quite liberating.
I remember a time when I would have compulsively eaten away at that candy stash...damaging my heart, soul, body and teeth! Somewhere along the line we have bought the lie that if we throw food out we are terrible people. Yet we are willing to waste it in our bodies. The logic is crazy, yet we abide by it, thinking it's better to eat food we don't want or need to avoid wasting it. Here's a bit of truth to chew on... Our bodies are not garbage cans to be filled with compulsive amounts of food.
It's so freeing to throw something out instead of consuming it in guilt and deceit.
I often think of these words penned by the apostle Paul "Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food; but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord- and the Lord is for the body." (1 Cor. 6:13)
In other words, all the fretting, hiding, dieting, binging, and lamenting food...in the end- means nothing. It's just food. Our bodies (and sane minds) are for the Lord, and He is for our bodies. How wonderful!
So if you struggle with not wasting food, please realize that eating compulsively to not waste- is waste inside our bodies. It's OK to get rid of food that you don't really want or need. I often say this phrase "Garbage in the trash can, garbage in my body- I'll pick the trash can..."
I LOVE this. This whole concept is one that was "beaten" into me as a kid (starving kids in Africa, and all that), and I have never been really keen on it. What a novel concept to have freedom from food by not feeling that we need to eat EVERYTHING that comes into our homes. I think I am going to post your statement about our bodies not being garbage cans in my kitchen. I need the reminder AND the freedom to not feel so compelled to eat everything in there. Thank you so much for your sage words, they are so timely!
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