For Christmas this year we gave Noelle and Evan 12 date cards - 6 with mommy, 6 with daddy. They will get to choose one every month so we can have some quality time together. We totally forgot to pick one in January (great start!) so both kids got a date this weekend.

Andy took Noelle to see a movie on Saturday. They even got popcorn and a coke, what a special treat! Noelle absolutely loves movies, and loves her daddy, so it was a perfect afternoon for her.

Today, Evan and I went to the store to pick out a new toy for him. On the way I said maybe we could also get a candy bar to share. His response? "Nah." I asked why, and he said, "I'll just eat it myself." Ah, I see! But the point is that you get half and then give me half. "Okay, I'll eat half, and then I'll have the other half." Well will you at least share your new toy with me? "Yes. Actually, no." Goofball.

I'm pretty sure Evan looked at every single toy in the store. We eventually had to pull out about 8 of his options and put them on the floor together, then systematically eliminate one at a time until finally he was satisfied. He chose a Thomas the Train railway set. We split a peanut butter cup and were on our way. It's not often that I'm with just Evan. Being in the middle, he's always either part of "the big kids" or "the boys." It was fun to see how he acts when it's just him.

We'll see what the kids choose for February. Planning and cooking a meal of their choice, doing a craft project together, choosing a cookie recipe and baking together...it will be something to look forward to each month!

Everyone I know is making an effort to eat better foods. Natural, hormone free, organic, whole, no artificial colors or flavors, and no preservatives are what many people are looking for. This is a great thing, and certainly we would all be healthier if we ate this way all the time. I recently read an article about ground beef having red dye added to make it look better for consumers, among other issues like the diet of the cows. Chickens are fed unnatural diets and raised to be heavy chested so we can have our boneless skinless meat. Processed and packaged foods can have all kinds of strange and potentially harmful ingredients in them. I recently read that "caramel color" is thought to be a carcinogen, found in pop, soy sauce, lunchmeat, and many other foods. We have decided to cut out certain additives and ingredients from our diet, and there are some things we buy organic. But recently we have developed more of a heart for the poor, and I was left unsure of how to move forward.

I recently responded to someone's link about disgusting McDonald's burgers by saying it's a tough balance. It is such a first world problem to be able to say my abundance of food isn't high enough quality for me. Our church just watched the movie Live 58, about living out the message of Isaiah 58. We think our healing will come in the form of pure, perfect eating, or raising our children in the exact right way, or rehashing our past and current problems over and over to achieve some kind of understanding or growth. These are noble goals to have. I don't think they will bring healing as much as serving the poor. Get your mind off yourself. Find someone that needs the love of Christ more than you. Carry someone else's burden.

To say I deserve the best quality food for my family and will spend extra money to get it, but then know that there is a mother in Ethiopia that cannot feed her children every day just doesn't sit right with me. I'm not saying we should all just eat whatever junk is cheapest and send all of our money to the needy. It is important for us to take care of our bodies and give them proper fuel, and we should take advantage of the opportunities we have here in America to do so. There isn't one right way.

For us, we have decided to ease off on our concern about a few things. I'm going to keep buying the $1.99/lb Perdue chicken instead of the organic free range variety, and that money can be used to help feed the hungry. We're going to have a basic, modest meal on Sunday nights to free up more money. We are going to find ways to meet the needs of those in poverty right here in Nashville, with our time and other resources.

The bottom line for me is something that came to mind when I was reading the blog of an extreme health nut. As she was describing all the rules she has created for herself (ex: eat these foods raw, never these) I thought MAN! Doesn't she realize that we are all going to die? Her life may be a little longer and healthier than mine, but is it worth it? I can't answer that for her, but I have for me. God does want me to take care of my body and my family, but even moreso, he wants me to care for all of his children in the ways I can. I will do what I can for my family to eat clean, as long as it doesn't get in the way of me loving others. Our finances are tight right now, so in small ways I have to choose, me or them. I pray that whenever I am faced with a choice like that, I choose them. I am so thankful to have a choice.