Meal plan for July 11th-17th

Some times I sit down, and I don’t know what to write.  That happens at moments when I am tired, or busy, or just emotionally not in a good place.  I’ve sat here with the cursor blinking for a long time, trying to put words down that makes what happened in Dallas, Minnesota, and Louisiana remotely make sense in my head.  And it won’t.  And my heart agrees.

I’m sick of trying to explain why these things happen.  I’m sick of saying this will be the last time our country has to face these events.  I’m sick of trying to be positive for my friends who are so down about the state of the world.  I don’t get it, and I’m not going to try.  I saw a quote about all this recently and while I don’t remember who said it, they basically said “hate never wins”.  I fully believe that with my whole heart, but I’m ready for love to win right now.

I’m ready for racial profiling to stop.  I’m ready for a very select few members of law enforcement to stop tarnishing the reputation of millions of hard-working police and other public servants who can and do put their lives on the line for us every day.  I’m ready for hate to lose.  I don’t have any answers.  I don’t have the solutions.  But I do think love and grace need to become more deliberate in our world.

Rather than share our meal plan (spoiler alert: we’re having food this week), I’m going to make a suggestion.  You don’t have to follow it if you don’t want to.  It’s not going to solve what is wrong in society, and it certainly won’t generate world peace.  But, it may help you take a micro-step towards feeling better about the state of the world.  My suggestion?  Bake some cookies.  Or a cake. Or some delicious banana bread. And then wrap half of it up and take it to a neighbor you’ve never talked to, and introduce yourself.  Tell them your name.  Leave your phone at home. Look them in the eye. Say hello.  Ask them what their name is.  Tell them you like their flowers, or the color of their house, or how they always decorate so nicely for Christmas.  Be neighborly.  That is a dying art these days.  Food is the universal language all people can speak.

Then, take the other half of your goodies to a place where public servants work, like a police station, or a fire house, or a hospital.  Introduce yourself.  Tell them you are a part of the community that they serve.  Tell them your name.  Look them in the eye.  Say hello.  Ask them what their names are.  Thank them for the work they do to make sure you get to stay healthy and safe. Acknowledge that these people have chosen a career that could mean they give up everything to make sure you don’t have to.

Hate never wins.

Love should.

Do your part to move the needle towards the good guys.

Amen, and God bless.