Reflection 05 - Harvest Thanksgiving

On Sunday we celebrated harvest: thanking God for his provision, giving to those who are in need and learning about the work that BMS World Mission are doing amongst Christians who are living in countries where it is hard to be a Christian.

If you missed the service you’re not too late. 
• You can watch it here www.c-b-c.org.uk/TV
• If you want to contribute towards the Foodbank you have until Thursday to get your dried food items to us, and
• If you want to find out or donate to the work of BMS you can do that at www.bmsworldmission.org/iwillstand 

Shopping is a necessity to be endured, rather than something to be enjoyed. At least that is my opinion. But I should say that this is an opinion that is not universally shared in our household! But even so, there are a few exceptions – books and board games for example. So no prizes for guessing my favourite destination in Cambridge!

When I was still single my weekly shop took 11 minutes – from the moment I entered the shop to the moment I left. Since the beginning of the pandemic I’ve only visited a supermarket a handful of times so I’ve not been confronted with empty shelves since the toilet paper and pasta shortages of last March. But even with online shopping you get an awareness of shortages. Items that are greyed out and unavailable. For a few weeks it was lemons. Last week it was orange juice. Actual tomatoes (not in a tin) were missing for a while. And don’t try and get a 24 multipack of Walker’s crisps (classic not meaty) – they’ve not been available for over a month.

Back in the early days of the pandemic we were restricted to 65 items per shop, at the same time as our supermarket was reducing packaging and so lots of items were being sold individually rather than in multipacks. 5 apples counted as 5 items. 5 jacket potatoes – another 5 items. We were really thankful at that time for our church family who were able to help out.

Of course, there was never a danger that we’d actually go hungry. I was recently reminded by a Facebook memory of a challenge that Su and I did a while ago – to eat for a week based on a budget of £1 a day. (If you want to read about that start here: https://milkandnosugar.blogspot.com/2011/10/let-challenge-begin.html ) 

So, whilst we might have been limited in our choices we would still have had enough to eat.

The last 18 months have certainly made me more thankful for the food I so often take for granted. More recent events highlight the hard work, poor pay and poor conditions that often go with keeping food prices low, as one supermarket competes with another. Whether it’s the back-breaking work of picking crops in all weathers, to working in a meat processing plant, to HGV drivers – it seems as if these are the sorts of jobs that nobody wants.

I was recently reading an article written by a reporter who was reflecting on the time he had spent in the past with the Mujahideen in Afghanistan – back in the days when the west was supporting them in their fight with the Russians. It was November, he was an American, and trying to explain about Thanksgiving. Their response – we thank God everyday not just once a year.

Let’s take this opportunity of harvest to pause and to give God thanks for all his goodness towards us. To thank him that we have enough to eat – and to pray for those who don’t. And to develop a thankful heart which takes time each day to say ‘thank you’ to God and to others.

Grace and peace, Keith