A few months ago, we were on our way home from church and Luke told us his “dream” he had at church that day. We do this special thing in our R.E.A.L. Church (Childrens Ministry) called “Quiet Time.” The kids just have a few minutes of stillness and we just ask them to listen to that still small voice of their father. They hear what he is saying to them because he is always talking if we will listen. (It is AMAZING! It's my most favorite thing EVER to hear what they did with Jesus after two minutes of quiet time!) Anyway, Luke said, “I went to Wal-mart with Jesus. We could get anything we wanted, but Jesus didn't get donuts. He got broccoli so I got salad.”
Kids are our teachers and this teaches volumes on all kinds of levels, but I especially love that it was about food. This was a vision about prosperity, responsibility, freedom, wisdom, and provision/not feeling deprived. Let me break it down to the way I see it. First, they went to the biggest superstore in town. They had the freedom to get WHATEVER they wanted. The big treat for our boys is donuts. It was evident to Luke that even though they could have whatever they wanted in the store, Jesus didn't pick donuts. That is what Luke would have probably picked. Jesus picked broccoli which is one of the very best vegetables...high in nutrients. I learned in school that if I am every taking a standardized test and the question says, "Which of the following foods is high in (whatever nutrient)?" ALWAYS choose "Broccoli" as the answer if it is given. From seeing the wise choice of his big brother, Jesus, Luke also made a wise choice. Salad.
When I ponder on what that four-year-old said, my Spirit does flip flops on the inside. We. Lack. Nothing. Our Father has given us all things. He has even given us the freedom to choose what we want for ourselves. AND he has given us wisdom. It's not even our wisdom. It is his wisdom. We should not make choices for health by depriving ourselves of the "bad" foods. We feel like our pleasure is being taken from us, when really he has given us all things. I can just hear him say, "You can have that if you want to." Let us allow him to change our "want to." Free to eat it, and free to not eat it. We are worth broccoli. Knowing this is freedom.
Wins For Today:
It is the weekend (weak-end,) but I did choose better choices when I could.
Nutritional Nugget:
When preparing vegetables, try to leave them as whole as possible. Lately, I have not even been peeling carrots, but just washing them very well. I have been steaming them whole in the microwave with a little olive oil and favorite spices. My boys LOVE getting the "biggest" carrot. They eat these really well.
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