happy at home

PROVISIONS

I am just back from my trip to Williamsburg and have resumed my social experiment, as of Thursday. I will be spending a lot more money this week, due to throwing two birthday parties. I hope to make up for it in subsequent weeks and I plan to purchase everything I need at locally owned stores (IGA, party store, hubby, etc.).
While I was away, we were blessed with tons of food, which I am very excited about. The deer came back from being processed, and I have a freezer full of ground venison. Yay! My grandmother came down from TN and brought me 12 jars of green beans she put away this summer, as well as a big jar of honey from their bees, and 12 ears of frozen corn on the cob. I am so inspired by my grandparents. They work hard all summer putting up food they have grown, baking, taking honey from their beehives, picking berries, etc. I love how they eat off the land and in season. Additionally, my grandmother makes oak baskets...chopping down the tree, making the splints, weaving a basket. It is amazing! She is also an amazing quilter. I wish I had paid more attention to learning from her when I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with her.

Also, the hubby brought home more samples...8 pounds of lunch meat (we haven't had lunch meat since I started the experiment), 60 individual ice cream bars (Ben and Jerry's, Chocotacos, ice cream sandwiches, etc.), 6 bread bowls, 1 loaf of italian bread, and 25 wheat hoagies. My friend, Charlotte, brought me several red and green baby bell peppers that she had grown. Our freezers are packed to bursting, and we still have to find room for a whole other deer that The Deer Slayer has killed. I filled a grocery bag of different items from our freezer for one of my brothers, a starving college student, which he was very excited about. I am thankful for God's provision in a whole new way, now that I am becoming more aware of where our food comes from, how it is prepared, how much it costs. My new challenge of spending under $200 a month on groceries will be much easier because of these unexpected food gifts. Yet another benefit of this experiment: becoming more thankful.

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" Phil. 4:19