The OTC

My sweet friends,

Our little tribe is in transition right now. Nolan and I have been praying for God's guidance and direction. Originally we had planned to stay in the burbs... mostly because of safety and good schools. Those things are still very important to us. But my heart is strongly feeling tugged at and pulled back to the city again. I have been fighting it for years now. I think I even wrote about it in a past blog... but ended up staying in the safety of the suburbs. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with suburban life. Who doesn't want their family to feel safe? But there is a big difference between the natural instinct of protecting your children and sheltering them from the world. I have not only been overly protective of them, but also over myself as well.



It has been bothering me lately. I don't like that they think that if we run out of food, all we have to do is go to the store and buy more, so they can eat as much as they want. I don't like how demanding and selfish and unappreciative they have become. I don't like having to remind them before every meal to say a little prayer of thanks to God. I don't like that they think they can have whatever they want whenever they want without understanding the blessings behind it all.



Things need to start changing very soon. I don't ever want my children to worry about starvation, but I do want them to understand where their food comes from and the sacrifices each person along the way made for it to get from the ground to their plates. I also want them to understand that many people do not have the finances and/or access to healthy food. This knowledge has been plaguing me for quite some time now and I can no longer ignore it. I think it's awesome what food banks and soup kitchens help provide people with groceries and meals. But I can not help but question how healthy those foods are that they provide. I know that budget is always an issue... but it seems to me there has to be a way to provide people in the inner city with access to affordable organic produce. That is one of the reasons I love the idea of urban community gardens so much. Not only does it provide healthy food, but it brings people together to work towards building a stronger neighborhood.

This is what the boys and I had for lunch today...



Although I noticed that veggies were missing, so I will have to make sure that they get some through snacks and dinner. I have a difficult time getting them to eat enough veggies, so I juice a lot... carrot apple celery is our favorite. :) Today the boys had veggie "chicken" nuggets, organic corn chips, fresh pineapple slices, and organic chocolate milk. Normally they will only drink soy, but they will drink cow milk if it is in chocolate form. I had a turkey, cheese, and avocado sandwich on flax seed bread, corn chips, and pineapple slices. This is a pretty typical lunch for us. Not a day goes by, or a bite of food taken, that I forget to give thanks for the blessing our rich Father in Heaven has poured upon us. That's not to say that we don't have to skimp and save at times... to ration it out... to be aware of how much money we are spending and to make it last. But, He has always been faithful in taking care of our basic needs. I am acutely aware that there are others who need provisions, and I can not sit by any longer and do absolutely nothing to help.




They are also in the habit of eating lunch at 11:00 and dinner at 4:00 every single day, and they make sure to remind me of this. I don't know what they would do if their little schedule was suddenly thrown off. It would be an enormous catastrophe, there would be chaos and destruction, and also probably lots of whining and pouting, along with dramatic performances... including props, which would consist of empty plates and clocks. They have no idea what it feel like to be hungry. I mean truly hungry, in the sense of not having eaten for a long time and not having any idea when your next meal will be. I don't EVER want them to know what that feels like, but I DO want them to understand that it EXISTS in our world, and that people every day are suffering from it.



I feel myself being drawn to the city... and as terrified as I am of leaving my little comfort zone and am distraught at the thought of my time schedule getting turned upside down, I can not fight these stirrings any longer. So, I am praying for God to prepare me for this path I am feeling lead down. The other issue I am having to pray about is protection from my past demons. Another reason why I struggle with spending time in the city is a result of the life I once lived there many years ago. Most of you don't know that I used to be a drug addict (amongst other things). Although it has been over 12 years ago now, it is something I am still dealing with. I know that God has forgiven me, but I have been in the process recently of trying to forgive myself. My heart aches for people who are where I once was, and so I have been asking God to use me however he can... even if it's just to listen.



I have been putting all of my energy into my children for the past 8 years and have been recently focused on homeschooling. They are still my first priority, and I feel it has helped me to become stronger as a woman and has also taught me to be patient, understanding, and more loving. But there are things now that I feel called to myself. One of those things is school... I have gone back and forth about what area of study to focus on. Health/ nutrition/ and natural beauty products are very important to me... but beyond that, is the desire to teach that God has given us EVERYTHING we need to be healthy. And even beyond that... to help others understand the importance of taking care of our souls as well, through Scripture reading, prayer, and by forming and nurturing healthy relationship with God, our family and friends, and other people around us.

So, I have been praying... Lord, how can I combine all of my desires and passions into one ministry? And the answer was so clear and simple to me.

The Olive Tree Community.



I feel I still have a little way to go as God continues to prepare me... please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I embark upon this new journey.

Much love and many blessings,

Erin



Also, you may or may not be familiar with Jamie Oliver. Admittedly, when I first discovered his cookbooks years ago, I had a bit of a crush... but he has since become one of my biggest inspirations. He is a husband, a father, and a young crusader in the world of food. If you have a chance, please check out his website and click on "Campaigns". :)

And for further reading, check out this list of books on food/politics at Amazon.com