Introspection

In a way, holiday can be a little damaging than to do me good sometimes.


I tend to have difficulty waking up early to prepare breakfast after short hols like the recent one. The shopping bags are yet sorted and the petty weather is sure helping my laundry basket... Gee, thanks!



Zzz...



Top on my hate-list : grocery shopping for the week. The Japanese has one such demanding table, there's much ingredients to be prepared, for 5 days' consumption at least. I'm so uptight on 'shopping days', that I don't need a checklist for help. Like a robot, I see to the requirements while jamming my baskets. The robot would comb every corners of edibles down the never-ending mart. It's a dry, automated operation and the only human aspect to it : Bear carries the heavier bags without being asked.


Upon reaching home, I'll allocate the groceries into the fridge fast and furious, organized. The more on being storage efficient, the less room our fridge good for 4 enables me. I blame that pack of miso, Japanese preserved goods, tofu, anything of Jap's, without pointing finger at my soy sauce, belachan chilli jars, a large bottle of Ribena and more bottles from Singapore. What? They travel all that distance, you know?



Devil whispered in my ear on Sunday, 'Admit it, you're tired.' when an edged pack made a hole in the plastic bag again, and there went my free garbage bag. =(

Monday morning, I had breakfast prepared, but too sleepy to eat. So I checked the documentary I've recorded previous night, and had my biggest chunk of lesson in days...




Why should I be complaining about grocery-shopping, when I'm blessed with the means to? We need not worry about where our money comes from, does it take days to reach a mart, if the goods are fit for consumption, whether the supplies will last us another day... God has had everything worked out, we just have to help ourselves!



And how could I nitpick on the poor fridge, because it's innocently full of goodies that nourish our health?



So what exactly am I tired of? Of blessings which I've deemed as nuisance or chores??



I must have been a robot then, and most heartless. I don't deserve the ice-cream that must be finished before winter, especially when I have never for a second thanked my overworked fridge, or the great mart I patronize, or God's gracious providence while many around the world don't even get to smell discarded leftovers that have gone bad.

*****

Since Monday night, I tried hands on simple dishes. Less hassle, less oil, less presentable, just healthy. For a change, I didn't want Bear to feel it's an 'ought' to have a sumptuous meal every night even if it makes me look lousy. We need to eat bland, or anything less lavished from time to time, if it helps us remember the poor, the hungry and humble. I'm reminded of those days when my church fasted for serious prayer, and a hunger raged within my soul. How am I to do any tiny bit for the world, when I'm ignoring a massive hole in my attitude?



Food however simple; is delicious, when I'm reminded of multitudes that could be sweeping the ground for grains this moment. The extras in cash, they'll go somewhere good as God prompts us.



I've just got home after getting a pack of corn-starch, and gently placed some red bean snacks into the fridge. For a moment, good fridgey looks like a golden chest of glittering treasures. =)