Go figure: in a country where one of the natural resources is gas, our city has a gas shortage! For a week now there have been massive line-ups outside every gas retailer in the area, including the little store on our street, and people wait for hours on end with their empty tanks ready to be filled. When…nay, IF a delivery comes, a kind of mayhem breaks out around the truck. After about twenty minutes the flurry of activity subsides, and then the frazzled workers lock up the store once more, while those who were not aggressive enough push home wheelbarrows with their still-empty tanks inside.
As luck would have it, our tank–which we thought would keep us for at least another month–ran out about four days ago, and our extra tank lies empty in the storage area. At first we figured it was no big deal: we’d just pop down the street for some rice and roasted chicken. Heck, eating take-away here is almost cheaper than eating at home! This was a great plan except for the small hiccup that our local chicken restaurant has ALSO run out of gas! So we’re eating a lot of raw foods these days, as well as experimenting with foods cooked by electric kettle.
I might be tempted to complain a bit, except that:
a) My dear friend, whitegirl, is a brilliant chef, and just had me over yesterday for our third turkey dinner in four months! Soooo good!
b) The fruits in season here right now are awesome! Seriously, where else can you eat copious amounts of really inexpensive watermelon in January!
c) You don’t need a stove to make my favourite dinner: Dill Pickle Pringles!
And really, we are still so very blessed. I’m going to think on that while I go munch on another carrot stick.
Psalm 34:8-10 “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”
I can’t believe you didn’t talk about my gas issues. I HAVE GAS ISSUES TOO, YOU KNOW! But you are right, we are BLESSED even in the SHORTAGE for our STRUGGLE is not our OWN!!