40 days without cheese - pt 1

Growing up in a Catholic church, we gave up something during Lent. I remember years where my sisters and I would give up candy, chocolate, desserts, ice cream, anything in the realm of sugar, really. We would discuss it shortly before Ash Wednesday, get the ashes on our foreheads then be diligent in keeping our commitments to abstain from whatever chosen confection we decided upon. Catholics don't take Sundays off during Lent. We were all in for 40 days.

This tradition has stuck with me as an adult. Lent 2012 included giving up pizza, most Mexican food, and my favorite dish at Village Tavern - Chicken Colorado (covered with cheddar). I had to think a lot more about my meals. My salads had to be ordered specifically. I had tacos instead of quesadillas and no queso with my chips. I made bacon and eggs rather than a quiche and I went without almost every kind of Italian food. It was (and still is through Easter) a challenge. God used the challenge in an interesting way this year than any other Lenten season. Because I thought a lot more about what ingredients made up my meals, I started thinking about food and how we as a society use it.
About 2 weeks ago I was commuting home and considering my options for cheese-less dinner. While I was brainstorming and driving along, my stomach let out a loud growl (even with the music on). At that moment I was consumed with the thought of my bodily response. I was hungry. I had breakfast that morning and a late lunch on the run from one appointment to the next, and now I was hungry again. I found myself putting my foot harder on the gas and looking around my car for a snack. When finding none, God put a profound and simple thought into my heart and I was dumbfounded. Far too many people live with this feeling everyday. Hunger is defined as "A feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food, coupled with the desire to eat." and almost 1 billion people suffer from hunger regularly in our world today. This is the same year I gave up cheese and the year I didn't have a snack in my car.
I'm working on "sitting with it" when God reveals something to me, so I'm not sure what to do about these thoughts, but do want to continue reflecting on them in hopes of bringing others into the conversation, investigating what can be done and what my role should be. I'll be in touch.

Check out this infographic from the World Food Programme regarding some facts about hunger.