The Least of These

The "Snack Bag"

I give food to the homeless almost every single day.  As I drive to the girls school I'll hand out pirate booty, granola bars, applesauce pouches, yogurt, etc without a second thought.  The girls are used to this now and have come to expect a slightly smaller after-school snack than they would normally like.  No squawking though-they know we'll stop at the store if they are too hungry or they'll just wait till we get home.

Today, I realized that I never give out fruits and vegetables.  I always have a full container of each nicely chopped and ready for snacking in the snack bag.  I never give them away because of the container.  "It's not mine-it belongs to my bosses.  It's their money.  How can I give it away?"  And if that weren't dumb enough..."I'd rather have the girls have veggies and fruit, its more healthy.  I'll give away the snacky stuff, they don't need that anyway."

Oh really, Linsey?  The girls, who eat fresh fruit and vegetables at EVERY SINGLE MEAL for their entire lives?  They can't go without veggies one afternoon?  Oh, please!  Isn't it more important for someone who might NEVER get fresh produce to have a healthy snack than it is for my well-to-do girls who have an endless supply of the best Whole Foods has to offer in the way of fresh, organic produce.

If Jesus was standing on the corner, you better believe I'd hand him the veggies, and fruit and everything else in the bag...containers and all...heck, I'd go to the store and buy more stuff...isn't that how I should treat anyone in need I come across?

The contents of the snack bag today, minus the veggies...

I make myself sick.

I think it might have to do with the book I'm reading.  It's called 7: Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, by Jen Hatmaker.  It's an amazing book.  You should pick it up.

Anyway...today, as I was realizing all of this I reached into the snack bag and handed out a full container of fresh veggies to the homeless man I always see at North and the Interstate.  I guess my boss will have to learn to deal with one less plastic container.  If she can't handle it, I'll go buy her another one.  And I'll pack fruits and veggies in ziplock bags from now on...