A Free Lunch

On the way home from the post office I found myself thinking of varieties of ways of getting free food.  Dumpster diving at grocery stores.  Not to be sneezed at.  Showing up at a friend's house at dinner time.  Check.   A nice gift of goodies at the holidays from church.  It's happened.  A friend of mine told me that he survived college by going to bars at happy hour and eating the treats they put out. Why did I think of such things?  Was I in need?  No, but what if some day I were?   There could be a war.  There could be a famine.   What if there were another depression?  I felt guilty to think such thoughts.  Why?   Psalm 37:25 "I have been young, and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."  Such thoughts betray a faltering faith in God.  

No, no, no, they are sometimes the ways God provides.  I guess.  

My brother told me that the Episcopalian church where he lives has a wonderful free lunch on Tuesdays, and a food bank where they give away food.  He has told me glowing tales of his hauls of fresh produce there.  Really? Yes, he had so much he gave it away to friends. It's the big social event of Tuesday afternoon.  Hmmm....  Interesting.  Episcopalian church on Tuesday, post office on Wednesday....  Pot luck at the church on Sunday.  Wow.  You could live free.  I imagine you could.   

As I drove along I passed a house with a 25 lb sack of onions on top of the mailbox.  What's this???? I thought.  I left them alone though.  It might not be a gift for me.  It's not sporting to steal.  

Back to living free.  This probably would depend on one's tolerance of eating regularly.  Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday...  there are four more days of the week.  Sadly, in the event it were necessary I think the knowledge, for me anyway, that fasting four days a week did not result in much weight loss would tell you that if you ate enough on those days that you could find a free lunch you could get by.  For some crazy reason I liked this thought.   It made me feel more secure.  I hope it never comes to that.