Day 6 A trolley-full of blessings

As a further lenten discipline for 2010 I am 'Counting my Blessings' with Christian Aid . I am joining in looking again at the good things in life and changing the lives of others living in poverty across the world. Each day there is a challenging statement and then a personal challenge to give to the work of overseas mission.

I have just been practising the presence of God in the supermarket. It was a good time to do it as there were only a few checkouts open! Difficult people, slow checkouts and trying to use my money off coupons were a good challenge, but more so was the Christian Aid one. This week I read that 'poor people in developing countries spend 50 - 80% of their income on food.' The challenge - to give 5p for every pound spent in a supermarket. When my bill was totted up - it raised my donation to Christian Aid by £5.85! I don't go shopping every week, but it made me ponder something else in the queue - not just how much I spend on food compared to those in other parts of the world, but also how much I have available to spend on other things.

Loving Father
Often we forget your gifts to us,
letting them pass unnoticed through each day.
Show us how to look again, to see through your eyes
and give freely in response to what we see.
And often we forget those who struggle -
those whose greatest need is lost among our riches.
help us to look again,
to see through your eyes.
You gave so freely. help us freely give.
Amen