Doing "7" in September - Food...

As I've mentioned, I'm reading the book 7:  an experimental mutiny against excess right now.

I'm participating in a book club through (in) courage and it's been fun!

In the book, Jen Hatmaker chose 7 foods to eat for an entire month.  I decided that this just may be a bit silly for us to do since we are in the middle of harvest here, and we've been gardening and eating less, simple and local already for the past few years.

So - this is what we decided to sacrifice:  Eating Out.

When I presented this to the family, Sophie was very quick to yell, "No date nights!"  She knows we do date nights well - every Friday night!  OUT!  Not in September.

We said, "Yes, Sophie, we know.  This is a sacrifice for us all.  A time for us to be grateful for the luxury of eating out and date nights."

September will be a time to be grateful for date nights IN!  :)

This also means, no quick trips through fast food for the kids - when I haven't planned so well.

For an entire month, we will not eat outside of homes.  We will eat as much as we can from our garden and local Farmer's Markets.  We will buy as little as possible from the store.  We will also be on a strick food budget - something we easily stray from because we can.

One more thing - I'm praying about who we can bless with food.  We are harvesting and preserving like crazy around here.  I've been asking God several times throughout the day, "Who needs food from us?"

Today, I was able to bless 3 families - in addition to ours.

"God, I'm not spending the month of September eating 7 foods like Jen Hatmaker did.  I don't feel called to do that.  But I do feel called to sacrifice the luxury of eating out.  I'm very aware that eating out is a complete luxury we take for granted.  God, I do feel called to share our harvest and abundant food with others.  God, who?  Who needs it?  Bring them to me.  I'm in!"