Stone Soup

The best part about teaching first grade is that you read these nostalgic stories and then get to make the food that is in them. We just finished one such story and decided to make Stone Soup.

Let me refresh your memory. Stone Soup is about the hungry soldier who comes into town and no one will share their food with him. So he tells them that he is going to make stone soup. They are intrigued. First he put in the stone and then adds water. But do you know what would make this soup really good would be some carrots, well, wouldn't you know someone has some carrots. And potatoes would really make it taste better, oh, wouldn't you know someone has potatoes. And so the story goes until they have a full pot of delicious vegtable soup and oh yeah, there is a stone inside it too!

So each student brought in veggies and we made Stone Soup - but you could probably guess some of the responses we got - "I don't like it" (with fingers pinching his nose) "You've never had it before, so there is no way you can know!" Each child got a small helping and all but one tried it - some had 3 helpings!

So you can draw the moral - sharing is better than hoarding!

But what does that look like in real life! We used to live in townhouses that were connected. On summer nights we would decide on a menu and everyone would bring something. One would bring salad, another pasta, and another meatballs. The kids would play and the adults would sit around and "visit". One night my neighbor was commenting on how good the chilli was. She asked what the  recipe was. The cook told her that after every meal he would put the families leftovers into a tupperware container including whatever was left on his baby's high chair tray. Then he would add it to the chili. My neighbor just about threw up!  So maybe sharing isn't good!!

But you get the point, the Bible tells us if you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. Look around, what is it that you could be adding to the "pot"? Pray today and let the Holy Spirit tell you what it is you should do. Maybe it is sharing your time, your money, your food, your clothes, your cars, your house... If you have never done this before, it is fun. Get real quiet and real still and just listen....no, I mean really listen. And then act on what it is God is asking you to do. You probably already know what it is and you have been making excuses why you can't or that God must have you mixed up with someone else - no it's you (and me) that He is talking to.

Just the other day God was prompting me to call a friend who had shared with me a work struggle. Well, I put it off - doesn't God know that I work all day and then I have to make dinner, do the laundry, blah, blah, blah. Well, by Thursday, she called me - I guess God was tired of waiting on me and I missed out on obeying God and the blessings that brings- my bad! But other times I do listene - like the time I sent a note in the mail to a friend and was able to encourage her through some tough times.

It's pretty exciting to live this way - taking time to read the Bible, pray and then  listen to what God would have you to do. Try it - and just like Stone Soup you may like it! Sharing with others makes cents and sensibility!