Buying Less Milk


Now that both our boys are away at college, grocery shopping has become quite different for Kim and me. Rather than buying food for a family of five, we are now buying and cooking for three.  Not only that, but the two who are currently not here, were and are the biggest eaters in the family.  With Jonathan and Nathaniel away, you can only imagine how much less food we go through in a week! 

Nowhere is that more evident than in the amount of milk we use.  During the summer when everyone was home, we would go through four gallons of milk per week.  Now, however, we can’t get through one gallon in two weeks.  In fact, yesterday Kim had to discard about half a gallon because it had gone bad. But, even with that, as I was in the supermarket, I had to stop myself from picking up another full gallon of milk.  After all, it’s been almost a habit to pick up a gallon of milk every time we stop at the supermarket. 

But, we are making our adjustments.  We buy less milk (and much less cereal!).  We cook smaller amounts of food—or, plan on having more leftovers.  With both boys away, we continue to adjust not only the way we shop and cook, but also many of the other details of our life as a family.  Adjustments and changes are always a challenge, but somehow we do it, whether we like it or not. 

All of this is a reminder to me that, so much of life is constantly changing.  Seasons come and go. The years pass by.  Our children grow up. Our bodies age. Our situations and circumstances are different than they once were. Every few years, at least, we are making our adjustments to whatever changes have come. Thankfully, God has built into us the ability to adjust with change.

At the same time, I have found that the changes of my life have become a reminder to me that there are some things that do not change—especially that, there is One who never changes.  More and more I have come to realize, I serve a God who is constantly the same and thus, one on whom I can always depend.  I never have to wonder what he will be like in days or years to come. I do not need to figure out how to adjust to him. Rather, he has promised to be a constant in my life. 

The Psalmist wrote of God, “But you remain the same, and your years will never end. (Psalm 102:27 - NIV) God himself said through the prophet, “I the LORD do not change.” (Malachi 3:6 – NIV)  And, the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 – NIV)

Yes, you and I will need to adjust to all the various changes that come our way throughout life.  (Currently, for me that means buying less milk!)  At the same time, let’s remember to live our lives always trusting in the God who will never change. 

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris

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