Tears in Walmart...

The fluorescent white and blue looked as if it were glowing through the automatic doors. There I was, about to enter a store that I never wanted to be entering. Everything, BIG. Including the carts! What on earth do I need a cart this size for? I roll my squeaky cart over to produce. As if the cart is screaming, LOOK, LOOK, SHE'S SHOPPING AT WALMART! As I glance at the produce my eyes start welling up with crocodile tears. Nutrition is something my husband and I are very passionate about. Organic Nutrition is another. Looking through the produce, all I can see is pesticides and fertilizers... Pale fruit and vegetables... They almost looked dead. You're plants should never look dead. They're purpose is to bring life to your body. So if they look dead before you put them in your body,  they aren't going to give you the fullness of nutrients they should...

Rewind to the day before grocery shopping day...

 In order to reach a goal we've set by September, we decided to go over our bank statements from the past 3 months together, to see exactly where every penny of our money was going. Tallying up 3 months worth of expenses, and than seeing which expenses where accurate, and which ones were "OH MY WORD WE SPENT HOW MUCH ON GROCERIES!?! Whenever anyone asked me "What do you and your family spend monthly on groceries" I would respond "$500.00/month"... For three months in a row we had spent about $900.00/month just on groceries!!! For my husband, me, and a 1 year old! What they hay! Not to name drop on stores, but we tended to by most of our food at two stores in Portland... Right next to each other. One full of organic goodness, and the other filled with a lot of the same products, a little less organic, and a little less expensive! Yea that's right Whole foods and Trader Joe's! I'm talking about you!!!

I can almost hear scissors snipping when I think back on how much we decided to snip out of our grocery budget! Snip snip snip! There goes my organic! We've said for a while now that we would never compromise our health. That we would always cut everything out we needed to be able to eat well, and feed our family well. Problem is, when you've already cut everything out possible, and your only bill every month is Groceries, gas, and cell phones... You've got to think about what needs to happen. Cell phones= The cheapest phone on the market, along with getting on my parents family plan= Our phones are not the issue... Gas= gotta get to work. Gotta get to church. Some days, just gotta get anywhere I can, as long as I'm out of the house! = I already cut back on driving to save money= gas is not the issue. GROCERIES! Groceries are the issue! Snip snip snip. There goes my organic, and hello Walmart! 

I felt a little bit better when I saw some organic produce! Love you WF's but... I've been noticing lately the amount of produce you've been purchasing from Mexico! You too Trader's, most of your produce comes from Mexico... So, as far as I'm concerned you both have something in common with Walmart! Except! I can get 5 oranges from Mexico at Walmart, for the price of 2 non organic Mexico oranges at WF's, and 3 non organic from Mexico at TJ's... Let's talk Yams... I was all excited that WF's finally ran a deal on Yams... $2.99 per pound! They were on my grocery list. I go to Walmart, and they always sell yams for $0.99 per pound. I smiled. Olivia Garden tomatoes, normal purchase at Hannafords OR WF's for no less than $2.99 a pound. Walmart, $1.99 per pound. I smiled again. Bob's Redmill products... Between $2-$3 per an item cheaper at Walmart. Annie's organic products. $1.00 cheaper at Walmart. I still don't like the morals of Walmart. However, to reach our goals, I appreciate their super low prices, and that they surprised me with the amount of organic products they carry! I have been able to shave $100.00 per week by only purchasing certain  items at my favorite stores, and buying the most of my groceries at my, hopefully temporary store! 

My last blog I mentioned "We gave up, so we could gain" This is an area that I have given up. I know it's not forever, but for now, I have to say goodbye to the luxury of organic. To some this may seem crazy, but to you who put your faith in God I will say this. My heart was broken over the new foods we had to eat. I was asking the Lord why we didn't have enough to provide the kinds of foods, we believe He would prefer us to eat. The Lord gave me a very specific prayer, to pray over our food for every meal. "Dear Father, we ask you to restore every nutrient to our food that it was originally design, by You to hold. We ask you to take out anything that would bring harm, and hinder fullness of life. We ask you to take out any pesticides, or fertilizers that were used to grow this food quickly. To restore our foods nutrients back to 100%. AMEN! I believe that by praying this prayer, my food is restored. I believe that while we are sacrificing, the Lord is good to not only provide, but to also protect us! 


                                           Because He gave up, so He could gain!