Do More Ministry: Guest Post: The Silent Middle

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August 13, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Spoiled on a budget

As I reported a few weeks ago, I attended my first coupon seminar in an attempt to save a little more on the grocery budget for the month. By instituting a few of the practices shared during the seminar, I have managed to save about 25 percent on my grocery bills so far. (Woo hoo!)

Part of the coupon success strategy is what they call "stockpiling" - it's buying large quantities of things that are really, really good deals. In the past three weeks, I have managed to "stockpile" eight boxes of cereal in my pantry. If my husband and I had to exist on cereal for all of our meals, we would be set.

Couponing to me is a challenge, and seeing my pantry stocked with lots of food from good deals is exciting to me, even a stamp of success and accomplishment. But this week God gave me a little dose of reality to put my stockpiling in perspective.

A few of my coworkers and I went to serve breakfast at the local homeless shelter before work this week (a separate dose of reality that I can talk about at another time). When we arrived back at work, I was sharing with another coworker about our experience, and she mentioned that her church had committed to have each family bring at least one perishable item a week to church to help their community food bank. She said that the gentleman who proposed this idea volunteers at the food bank and he was inspired by one single question proposed by a young boy to his mother as they walked out of the food bank one day. With food in hand, he turned to his mother and said,

"Mommy, do we get to eat today?"

Hearing this from my coworker immediately made me sick to my stomach to think of the eight boxes of cereal in my own pantry. It is good to save money and my husband and I will definitely end up eating all of the cereal, but who am I to hold on to eight boxes of cereal while children are going hungry, desperate for food?

Even though my husband and I are on a budget, we are definitely spoiled. God opened my eyes this week, which is really the first step in giving. We all have resources, whether its money or groceries or clothing we don't wear, that we can share with others in need. Ask God to open your eyes today to areas where you, like me, are spoiled on a budget and can instead give with an open hand in His name.

Jenny Wingard is passionate about God, local church ministry, and giving. She can be reached via Twitter or e-mail.

Posted by bstroup at August 13, 2009 7:32 AM

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Do More Ministry

August 13, 2009

Guest Post: The Silent Middle - Spoiled on a budget

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