On Sunday morning in the heart of summertime, on my way home from church, after a feast of faith, after the sacrament of word and bread, I stop at the Kroger supermarket. The parking lot feels like an oven, and that first step in the door like a cold shower.
I have no idea what I’m shopping for, just waiting for some inspiration.
My eye is drawn to a neat trapezoidal pile of bright green limes. That’s it! I grab two and decide it will be the center piece of my dinner tonight. Culinary wheels start turning in my head but Then I’m quickly thrown off course by the blueberries. 2 packs for 5 bucks. Round balls of sweetness. Thank you Jesus. I can just taste them tomorrow morning embedded in Greek yogurt.
Moving on, I head for the fresh baked loaves. A rosemary and herbs loaf, square shaped, grabs my eye. That’s lunch today and toast tomorrow. No further deliberation needed. Pick up olives, a mozzarella ball, lunch meats.
Now back to dinner and those limes. A skirt steak is on sale, and I feel a challenge to see what I can make of this poor mans cut. Lime, onion, and and jalapeño marinade all-the-day-Long. Yes! I pass up the $15/lb rib eyes with my conscience soaring and feeling like I just paid down my mortgage.
My cart fills up row by row. Pete texts: “you bringing any food home?” I push on into pet section and hoist a big bag for Holly, then milk, eggs, fresh salsa, but Then I bog down on corn ships. There are 30 varieties and it pissing me off. But I spot a bag that says “Just corn chips, nothing added”. Some Brilliant marketing guy just cut through all the noise for me. Thanks man.
At check out, I look at the blue plastic card in my hand. A quick waive of guilt, why me?, It’s all to easy and so abundant. There starving somewhere, faceless and nameless hoards. The guilt-wave passes, and I send up a prayer of thanks for all these ingredients as they move along the belt and for the masses of humanity, God’s children, may they be fed today. I punch in my code and sign the little screen and push my cart out into the asphalt oven and then home to a day of rest. The boys start opening bags, fixing sandwiches and chowing down, oblivious to me just watching them and taking in all this abundance,and feasting. There are so many gifts flowing in, around, and through this Sabbath day, this life.