Richard & I went camping at the local state park over the weekend. For the last number of years I complained that we don't go camping as often as I would like because it's difficult to coordinate everyone's schedule. We've been encouraged by multiple people to just go camping anyway; if the kids show up- great, if not, don't let that suck the joy out of it for me. So that's exactly what we did. The kids showed up for an hour or two. Total. It felt like a juxtaposition between fun and a waste of time, going through the motions for just 2 people.
In any case, we ate good food and caught up on our loafing.
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I've been listening to audio books by Kelsey Timmerman lately. Most recently "Where Am I Eating?" While I enjoyed the entire book, I was especially struck by the ending. When we pray before a meal and asked God to bless the food & the hands that prepared it, I've always thought locally- the cook(s) present. And sometimes to the truck drivers who delivered it. But Kelsey challenged me to think beyond that -to the people who caught, picked and grew it, wherever in the world they are. (In the book, he dives into the global food economy, specifically coffee from Columbia, chocolate from West Africa, bananas from Costa Rica, lobster from Nicaragua and apple juice from Michigan.) God bless the people who prepare the food we eat!
