Tag: nutrition

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Take care of your soul

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on pexels

A “through the bible” devotion from Deuteronomy 4.

The monthly car payment fits into your budget. Sweet! Now, what about the maintenance and upkeep? What? A good rule of thumb is to set aside at least as much as the payment each month for things like oil changes, tires, tire rotations, filters, and cleaning supplies. Yikes. Those things add up quickly.

As he reviewed the law for the people, Moses said, “Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 4:9).

I know how to take care of my body. I know how to maintain a car. But how do I care for my soul? Souls get hungry, thirsty, and tired. My soul needs rest and sustenance, too. How do I do that?

Anxiety. Fear. Doubt. Worry. Panic. Restlessness. Impatience. Those could all be signs that my soul needs something. My soul needs to remember what God has done for me, the future he’s secured for me, and his mercies I’m experiencing today. When Jesus calls himself the bread of life, he invites us to come to him and drink, and is described as our Sabbath rest, he’s nothing less than a much-needed buffet for my soul.

Fix your eyes on him.

Posted in Food, Life

Did I really eat a better school lunch?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I just read the news that Lunchables will now be included in school lunches next fall. I’m sure that raised a lot of eyebrows. I was under the impression that Lunchables, though loved by children, were one of the unhealthiest meal choices. Kraft Heinz, who produce Lunchables, says they have reformulated them to meet government nutrition guidelines. Hmm.

My daughter told me that in her school district, every child gets free breakfast and lunch. Everyone. On the one hand, that’s a blessing for those families who are struggling financially. On the other hand, I remember what school lunches were like when I was growing up. That’s why I usually brought my own lunch with me. More on that later.

When my children were in school, spring standardized tests were a big deal. So big that the schools served breakfast on test days. Brain food they called it. It consisted of honey buns and mini-donuts. Brain food?

The only days I didn’t bring my lunch to school was pizza day. I guess you could call it pizza. It was more like a piece of cardboard with some red sauce and melted cheese on top. When you’re in elementary school, there’s nothing better.

The rest of the time, all the way through high school, I brought my own lunch. In a brown paper bag. My mom wanted me to save the bag to use a second or third time, but I rarely did. Typically I had a sandwich made with white bread with Oscar Meyer bologna, sliced ham, or peanut butter and jelly. Every once in a while, a tuna sandwich wrapped in aluminum foil. I also had an apple, once in a while an orange. I bought milk or juice to drink. And that was it.

Unless the desert of the day was a peanut butter bar or a slice of cake wrapped in cellophane. If I had a little bit of money, I would get one of those. But those moments were few and far between.

I never envied the kids who bought their lunch at school. It was often hard to identify what the cafeteria served, even though the school published the menu each month. (That’s how we knew when there was pizza.) I doubt that our lunches were much more nutritious than Lunchables or whatever else is available today. We survived. I guess our grandkids will, too.