This year we planned to travel the week before Easter, and with all of my last-minute preparations, I procrastinated getting my Easter ham. I had been bound and determined to redeem the free ham coupon I had earned at the grocery store! But time got away from me; I would have to pick the ham up after the trip- the day before Easter.
Arriving home from our trip, I went right to the grocery store. But alas! When I got to the meat department, there were no hams left. My procrastination had cost me my Easter ham! I was stewing in self-recrimination (am I the only one who feels like grocery shopping is a competitive sport?) until I noticed that my coupon said it was also good for a discount on a premium ham. Desperate to complete the shopping order and the preparations for Easter dinner, I decided to make the best of the situation and purchase the smallest ham available for my family of three. I went to the self-checkout and tried to use my coupon, but it didn’t work. After some confusion, the manager came over and deducted the entire price of the premium ham from my total! This was completely unexpected! I had been thinking that I would get a discount, but I certainly didn’t think that I was going to be getting the better ham for free!
The next day I prepared half of the large, boneless ham for my family‘s Easter dinner, with enough left over for sandwiches.
But what to do with the rest of it?
Coincidentally (or not), my friend and Bible Study leader was at my house on Tuesday being interviewed for the podcast I host. She was planning to host our Bible Study group for breakfast the next day and shared with me that she was still working out the details of the menu. Well, I had just the thing! I opened the refrigerator, and….viola! Half of a boneless ham!
That same evening, I had a message from another friend whose mother-in-law was gravely ill. She was hoping to meet up for lunch the following day for some much needed support so I made plans to head to her after my Bible Study breakfast. Wednesday morning, I sliced the ham as well as some fresh pineapple and decided to put it into a cooler of ice, just in case it didn’t all get eaten. Our Bible Study group enjoyed some ham and pineapple that morning, and I was even able to give some to our hostess to become pizza toppings that evening. Still having a generous amount left, I packed it back into the cooler.
Lunch was a much-needed respite for my friend, and she was grateful. It had been a few rough days for the family and she just needed to spend some time with her girlfriends. As we were leaving our lunch, she mentioned that she had yet to figure out what to have for dinner that night (which can feel impossible when you’re grieving). I thought…wait a minute! How about pineapple and ham! Sure enough, my free ham was able to provide yet another meal!
As I was thinking over my busy week, I noticed how God works things out - providing for us even when we feel like we have procrastinated or have fallen short. I had received an undeserved gift in the form of a free ham, and in turn was able to share that with others. My gratitude for the simple ham was exponentially greater by sharing it- and I hadn't even earned it in the first place!
God’s love is like that. It doesn’t matter how hard we try or don’t try to earn it; all we have to do is accept this undeserved gift. He is always there to provide for us: to take our efforts and turn them into something greater than what they would be without His provision.
Convenient grocery stores notwithstanding, I relish the idea that a simple thing like sharing a ham could bless so many people. I don’t often notice the little things that God provides for me. It can be easy to gloss over or miss them in the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. It took a free Easter ham to help me see that God continually takes my meager loaves and fishes and turns them into blessed provision for those around me.
ABOUT THE BLOGGER:
Sarah Flowers lives in idyllic Chadds Ford, where she is steeped in beauty and connection to the land and its history. She loves coffee and flowers and getting to know Jesus. A lifelong learner, she seeks to follow God’s plan to bring hope to His children. Sarah is a self-declared serial optimist and melodiphile; there’s always a path to the sunny side and a soundtrack for the journey! She is a mom and wife and a grateful alumna of Northwood University. Her former iterations include automotive professional and shoe diva. Sarah is one of the co-hosts of the podcast Trustworthy and is “most likely to ride bikes in the woods!”