Day 7: Strength

So of all the comments I've gotten over the last week about this crazy project, the most common thing I hear is "wow, you must be really strong to do something like that".

Nope. I'm not strong.

I have the ability to substitute my cravings. No sugar? How 'bout salty, or high fructose corn syrup. Those are both acceptable substitutes.

Yeah, this process hasn't made me feel strong at all. Just crafty. And so incredibly blessed that I have the ability to substitute hot dogs (sugar free!) for peanut butter and jelly.
Really, if you want to think about strong, think about those millions of moms who don't have the ability to make that kind of substitution. They don't have access to basic food resources, much less the great abundance of snack foods that I have access too. 
I have an imaginary friend. She lives in Africa. She has 6 children, with one on the way. For dinner last night she made rice and squash. She felt so incredibly blessed to have enough to feed everyone as much food as they wanted. She didn't care that there wasn't any Mountain Dew to drink with her dinner, nor did she care that there wasn't any Doritos or Oreos. She just felt happy to have food in her belly, and in the bellies of the ones she loves most.  
I want to be like her. 
I don't see how my choosing fruit over chips makes me a stronger person. I see each choice as an opportunity to be aware of what is really happening on my planet. An opportunity to be grateful for the life giving food that I have in abundance. And an opportunity to pray for those who don't have that same abundance.

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