Oh , boy!!! Last night I sat my family down to watch this movie. I had an idea what it was about and had watched the trailer alone. But what I viewed I did not expect but it was what I had hoped for, Truth. The interesting thing about truth is that sometimes it is not pretty and sometimes it is hard to swallow. As the cook in my house and the Akeret HaBayit of my home I have been going through a process of awakening if I can say it like that. We are not a wealthy family and even struggle to be close to what is considered middle class. These titles never do justice but are important. More often than not peoples claims at not changing habits when it comes to food is cost. As we watched the video it featured a low income family who didn't have money for healthy food but could bust $11.00 on a dollar menu. I understand this been there done that! But this life is about choices and information. The fact that information affects your choices is what we need to work toward.
My sweetest daughter posted on many matters that impacted her in her
blog. I on the other hand am becoming very aware of Social Injustice!! Boy that really hits a nerve with me!! The purpose of watching this video was to create an awareness in my family about why we need to change how we shop and how we view the idea "This is cheaper". This year my family went through the toughest financial difficulties we ever experienced, it was tough. And in that some old food habits found there way back. It has been a challenging issue for my husband as the bread winner, because when you buy organic and or bulk the initial expense is larger, but at the end you save more is you are making your stuff from scratch. For him growing up a shopping should fill your pantry with pretty little boxes that look like food!!! LOL In the past this would drive me nuts, but I understand I grew up the same way.
The funny thought I had last night that I shared with my family is that I know and have seen welfare recipients have play stations, xboxes, nikes, roccawear, and the list goes on. Is it not choices????? Shall we continue to turn a blind eye to where our food comes from, what is in our food. Who is it costing by means of labor so that you can have the pretty little can. Now this is not about an alarmist mentality which I find myself repeating, it is about a consciousness, being present with these areas of our lives. Is it possible to remove or eliminate all that disturbs us? NO. But we can choose who we buy from, what we buy, and what we value. We can choose where we put our little dollars. We can choose to inform ourselves as to healthier diets and or alternatives. Sure it takes time to get used too, everything does.
Why not put our money to people we know have a respect for human life, animal, nature. Not worshiping the creation over the creator, but honoring!!! The Holy Torah is full of laws to protect in a balanced way all that HaShem has created. Read for yourself. Our home is about to undergo an enormous shift, which will take time and hard work. We are puertoriccans and our staple meal can be altered wisely, but there are other habits that need to be worked on. We can choose!!!
As we learn what are we doing to inform others, and make information available. Often we find sista's talking about mentoring in the womanly arts and such. Which I agree, we lack mentoring, we also lack the idea that we all have the power to influence. When I first started my journey I longed for someone to meet who would teach me how to eat healthier and how to alter what we ate. I never did find her, but when WE can't find WE must become. So as I have gotten older and B'zrat HaShem wiser my attitude is a can do!!! And I have made a personal promise to myself to share my journey so that others are not alone.
This is my heart, this is my truth. In this last year all I could think of is how sheltered and secluded one can become. Often locking oneself up in our own world, happily baking and gardening and raising our children. But what of the world out there? What of the sharing and spreading of Emmunah (Faith+Belief) While I am a big proponent of season in life, a mother with small children should be tending them. But I am sure that we can find a way to share with others. To open our doors and hearts and share the beauty of Torah, not in that preachy way, but one of the things I love about Torah is that it is DOING. Torah brings awareness of the value of community, of Shalom, of letting the land rest, of Shabbat, of humane slaughtering, Torah has so much in it. I wonder how we sit back and watch the world crumble and do nothing, say nothing. Do we not know the KING of ALL???? It may just be that this is my season for action.
But as I take inventory of my life, I have not survived many things to then sit in silence while they happen to others. B'zrat HaShem I can become educated and informed and share it with others, so that they, as I can see their options. And that it is possible to change and they don't have to do it alone.
These are my thoughts, obviously long and a bit of a ramble. It was an emotional evening and yes I did cry!!! It's hard sometimes to know that while I can't save the world or effect global change, I have sat back and played the blind eye. I am grievous over this, and profoundly repented.
I leave you with this Psalm 148, if we wonder at our responsibility wonder no more because if the things listed can praise him how much more should we be faithful stewards of it??
1.Praise the L-rd. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
2.Praise him,
ALL HIS ANGELS, praise him,
ALL HIS HEAVENLY HOSTS.
3.Praise him,
SUN and
MOON, praise him, all you
SHINING STARS.
4.Praise him, you
HIGHEST HEAVENS AND YOU WATERS ABOVE THE SKY.5.Let them praise the name of the L-rd, for he commanded and they were created.
6.He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that
WILL NEVER PASS AWAY.
7.Praise the L-RD from the earth,
YOU GREAT SEA CREATURES AND ALL OCEAN DEPTHS.
8.
LIGHTNING and
HAIL, SNOW and
CLOUDS, MY WINDS THAT DO HIS BIDDING,
9.you
MOUNTAINS and all
HILLS, FRUIT TREES and all
CEDARS,
10.
WILD ANIMALS and all
CATTLE, small
CREATURES and flying
BIRDS,
11.kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
12.young men and maidens, old men and children.
13.Let them praise the name of the L-rd, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14.He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the L-rd.
Micah 6:8He has told
you, O man
, what
is good
; And what
does the L-RD
require
of you But to do
justice
, to love
kindness
, And to walk
humbly
with your G-d
?
(
What does this mean just be just to man or to BE JUST IN ALL????to LOVE KINDNESS toward man or ALL???)
The King's Wise Woman
May it be so!!
Shalom Sista's
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
