Have you ever given any thought to exactly how MANY phrases or idioms we use daily that revolve around food or eating? “That boy is the apple of their eye”… “Titles aside, she is definitely the big cheese in that organization”… “In my opinion, they bit off more than they could chew“… “She was proud to bring home the bacon for her family.” Sounds like we have the beginnings of a nice picnic here!
But, now that this idea is in your head, it kind of becomes a “mental earworm” and you’ll notice it EVERY time you hear it used – or even inadvertently use one of these phrases yourself. It’s an involuntary thing. The truth is, once you become truly aware of something, your brain has now been “tuned” to that particular frequency and will no longer just “skip” over it. Think of it as learning the “secret” behind a magic trick. You can never look at it the same way again!
So, now that we’ve planted that seed to germinate in your head, let’s get down to the meat of this matter… see what we did there?! And, it’s actually quite apt, since the majority of people consider “meat” as the foundational building block of most dietary food pyramids. This probably accounts for the number of those “food” phrases – generously spread throughout our speech – that involve meat:
- He’s a “meat-and-potatoes” kind of guy
- She’s got “steak taste on a hot dog budget”
- If he makes one more mistake, he’s “dead meat”
- I don’t get the whole ketchup on eggs thing, but “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”
- She has a gift with that, it’s just “meat and drink” to her
- They went “whole hog” for the party
- AND…of course, what we’re talking about today: Getting down to the “meat of the matter”
Each and every one of these represents some sort of foundational or basic concept. With that in mind, consider this perspective. Imagine your discomfort when you off-handedly use a “sound” phrase around someone who may be hearing-impaired. Or a “walking/running” one, in front of someone who may be wheelchair-bound. Now, did you realize this might be happening with these “food” idioms around someone who regularly experiences food insecurity?! They lack that basic NUTRITIONAL foundation in their lives, yet you probably don’t even know it!
The odds of someone you know facing this plight are MUCH greater than you think! We explored the tip of this iceberg in an earlier post, and will continue to shine a spotlight on this largely-unnoticed need in our own communities. And we have some solid biblical inspiration for this quest:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, ‘Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,’ but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?…” (James 2:14-16)
And at Blind Faith Foundation, we take this as a personal challenge, which led to our new Meat2Eat Program… a vision to be the “meat-and-potatoes” safety net for our neighbors and communities in need. Fortunately, we have the real deal – and not just some colloquial phrase – to fill those freezers and pantries! Thanks to the unprecedented donation of white-tailed venison, by generous hunters, we have already begun to make the holidays a bit merrier for countless Texas Hill Country families.
“Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: ‘Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.'” (Genesis 44:1)
Although, our “sacks” are professionally-processed and frozen packages, we believe recent actions could be considered comparable. This week alone, Blind Faith gave 250 pounds of venison to members of four local fire departments, for distribution among their communities. And we are just getting started!
“…if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon.“ (Isaiah 58:10)
We’re literally taking this mission to the streets… with another donation of 80 pounds of this straight-from-nature meat to The Church Under the Bridge in neighboring San Antonio. This organization ministers to the growing homeless population and provides not only support services, but also those “bread-and-butter” needs so frequently overlooked.
And speaking of bread and butter, this Meat2Eat initiative also fills any other nutritional gaps. Thanks to more selfless donors, we can purchase bulk basic pantry supplies and grocery store gift cards, so these individuals can purchase other staples, we may take for granted in our own kitchens.
We also recognize we need help to identify these “invisible” individuals within our communities, so we reached out to area non-profit organizations. Because their work places them in a unique position to see the local individual needs, they can direct resources effectively and where they will do the most good. Can you think of a better place to provide some “Meat2Eat”? Neither could we… leading to another donation of more than 20 pounds of this pristine venison to a local non-profit.
So, as more individuals and organizations take this “leap of blind faith” with us, we plan to make a real impact to alleviate this food insecurity problem on a much larger scale. And, we don’t think anyone would have a “bone to pick” with us over THAT dream!