Step away from those wimpy bags, M'am.

I finally figured out that the fabric bags people keep handing out… the ones with their logos on them… are supposed to be grocery bags. Not sure what took me so long to get “with it” but better late than never. So, in an attempt to stop hoarding those lame and wimpy plastic bags, I decided to really use those fabric bags when going to the store. I have never done this before. I was so dedicated to this idea that I put several fabric bags in the back seat of the car to be sure I had them. Great idea, in theory, that is. I was hoping this would operate like the giant freezer storage bag that’s in my trunk for when I go to Sam’s Club and have frozen food or meat and I am not able to make it home right away; keep the bag in the car and you’ll have it to use when you need it. Right?

Thus far, the score is about 7 to 0. That is, out of seven trips to the grocery store I have yet to use a single fabric bag. And this occurs to me when I put my groceries, in the lame and wimpy plastic bags, into the back seat of the car right on top of the pile of fabric bags. How effective is this?

At the same time it has occurred to me that this could become a study in that dreaded word: change. I am now walking in lock-step with the way I’ve always done it for years and years. I have, at the same time, attempted to set myself up to behave in a different way (fabric bags in car), seeing the wisdom of the “new thing,” but I continue my lock-step march toward hoarding more and more wimpy plastic bags. This is just absurd.

Using those wimpy plastic bags will not be the death of anyone. But making the change sure seems smarter, and it also guarantees I won’t end up on the show Hoarders because I have A LOT of those bags hanging around here. And even though I’ve gotten good at “re-using” those, I still see the wisdom in the next logical step: fabric bags.

It makes me think of the church and a favorite excuse for not making changes we know will be for our own good (and hopefully the good of others): We’ve never done it that way before. Some say those are the seven last words of a dying church. This is a lot more serious than my issue with fabric grocery bags.

But it reminds me that change can be tricky. Change can be resisted even unintentionally. Which brings to mind my final point: the fabric bags need to be moved from the back seat to the front seat. Perhaps when the intended change is front and center… I’ll remember to seize the day and grab the fabric bag before heading into the store.

Confession of a Negligent Blogger... and news....

By definition, I think blogging in the blog-o-sphere means you post really regularly because time online goes event fast than time in the real world, right?  That makes about as much sense as how times goes fast the older we get. That, I finally nailed down. You see, if you are 10 years old, one year is one-tenth of your life; whereas if you are 40 years old, one year is 1/40^th of your life. It is a much smaller slice of life and therefore it “feels” quicker. Get it?

So, in reality, it really hasn’t “FELT” like I haven’t blogged in a while because I am more than 10 years old. But, I apologize none-the-less.

Now, to reward you for reading through this nonsense… I will offer this:

On the Threshold of Soup Kitchen

Attica United Methodist is just a step or two away from Soup Kitchen final approval from the Health Department. That being said, I say, “For such a time as this, Lord?” With the State of Michigan poised to cut families off from support on October 1, our group of faithful servants hopes to be offering a community meal right around that time. We probably will start out two times a month, on the second and fourth Tuesdays… details will be announced once we pass final inspection and we etch more items in stone.

In asking the question “If your church left town, would you even be noticed,” I am pleased to reflect and remember the people who attend our Food Bank. I am excited for the faithful followers of Jesus who come regularly and serve there. And, I’m excited for the new volunteers who will take part in this new Soup Kitchen adventure.