God’s provision in variety
God’s abundant provision for Adam and Eve was repeated in His promise to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 8:7–9:
“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land — a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing.”
If you have visited the Caribbean, Latin America, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Asia, the South Pacific, or any other places where shopping for fresh food daily is the norm, then you have experienced the joy of seeing whole foods at their best. Having lived in Latin America for more than a decade, I truly miss this part of everyday living. I could spend hours going from one vendor to the next, touching, smelling, squeezing (being careful, of course), and tasting, just spellbound at the sights.
Sweet memories
Such memories steer my mind to the abundance of the Creation’s garden, the promised land, paradise — fresh whole foods as far as you can see. Not just produce, but meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, legumes, nuts, yogurt, and cheeses.
I can still smell the freshly baked bread and the roasting coffee beans in the markets of Venezuela and Costa Rica. I can taste the freshly squeezed tangerine juice — my favorite! I can see the purple pineapples (yes, purple), the blue-tinted eggs (from the grass the hens ate), and the freshly hung cheeses. I relish these memories; however, I do try to forget the flies!
With globalization, most Americans are beginning to appreciate many new tastes from around the world. Many of our most “American” foods are really adaptations of foreign foods. Hot dogs, pizza, doughnuts — all of these have come into favor thanks to our melting pot!
Variety is the spice of life (and food). The more variety, the more nutrients, the more colors, the more tastes.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
