Up until just a few weeks ago, I had never even heard of the fruit ninja game before. But of course, I'm one of those nerds that doesn't have cable and has zero interest in video games (aside from a little Tetris here and there). Then, suddenly, the kids I nanny (I will call them B & A on here) were so excited that their Saba (Jewish grandfather) was coming for a visit! Saba comes to visit them every couple of months or so, and he stays for at least a week, sometimes longer.
I also happen to love it when Saba visits. Not only is he a huge help with the three kids that I normally care for all on my own for hours each weeknight (in the midst of homework and extracurriculars and dinner and viola practice), but we all love the stories that he tells us. Saba has a million stories (many of which are probably exaggerated but are still hilarious), which he tells us in such an animated fashion through his thick Hebrew accent, usually while peeling fruit for the kids. It's precious!
And there's another perk to Saba's visits. It is the only time that the kids are allowed to play games on the iPad...and these are kids that are not allowed to watch any television at all. I know that I don't sound like supernanny right now, but anything that will keep an energetic 6-year-old boy and precocious 4-year-old girl occupied for any amount of time is absolute heaven every once in a while. So, this past week, B and A have spent more time than they should playing Fruit Ninja while Saba is off with the baby, and I have felt a little guilty about getting paid big bucks to relax with a cup of decaf and some rare silence. The kids have even invited me to try my hand at slicing those coconuts and bananas with fast finger swipes. I've found that I'm actually quite talented at this new game, thank you very much.
The theme of our church service today was based on this popular game that I've recently discovered, and how it's important to fuel our minds and bodies and spirits in order to be properly nourished to take on the tasks that we're called to do. They even served some fruit and veggie kabobs after the service (an adorable and tasty idea!). During the service, we watched a video about a man that was suddenly struck with a furious passion to run the Boston Marathon. This is someone who weighed over 300 pounds and was never able to lose any weight until he committed to this dream. Not only did he end up accomplishing his goal, but he also lost over 100 pounds in the process!
Wow! I really needed to hear that tonight. I have an addiction that I've been trying to shake for a few years now: the need to cook delicious (and expensive) gourmet meals every single night. I love to cook, I'm pretty good at it, and I love to eat yummy food even more. This expensive consumption has been the biggest hurdle for me...not only for weight loss, but also in keeping our budget under control. I've failed miserably and have constantly beat myself up time and time again during this ongoing cycle I've been on these past few years.
Tonight, something amazing happened, and it occurred right after our Fruit Ninja sermon. I've stressed out about how I'm going to afford the mission trip to Uganda I'm taking in just seven months. It's something I JUST HAVE TO DO. I want to see the impoverished school in Ntandi that our church supports...in person...and to hold those orphans in my arms! Right now, nothing gives me greater pleasure than my daydreams about walking those dirt floors with barefoot children that have gigantic smiles a million watts brighter than most American kids who lack nothing (like B and A). And I realized that this dream is my own personal Boston Marathon.
Will I stop spending too much money on food so that I can lose weight and save money? Nope. However sad it is, that hasn't been enough to motivate me. I really don't care how I look in a bikini because I'm not planning to enter a beauty pageant, and my husband is still attracted to me even though I gained weight. Will I do so in order to afford a trip to Uganda so that I can spend time with genuinely hungry, malnourished orphans, and be a part of a team that brainstorms more ways to help them have the ability to eat every day? Absolutely! Nothing can possibly stand in the way of that dream. It's going to fuel the sword that slashes through our food budget just like the ones on Fruit Ninja!
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