Thursday, June 23, 2011

Expiration Date

I recently cleaned out the cabinets in my kitchen. I have limited cabinet space and wanted to organize my food. It came to my attention that some of the food in the cabinets had expired. That’s understandable right? You pack new groceries and some of the older ones get pushed to the back.

The funny part was the “actual” expiration date on some of the cans. There was a can that expired in 1997. That was not a typo. I meant to write 1997. This means I moved that can from West Virginia to Washington State to Texas and to New York. Fourteen years seems to be enough time to be carrying something around that could kill you. What was I thinking? I really don’t know. It was something that slipped through the cracks. I’m just glad I never fed it to my family.

Before you judge me, it’s easy to forget about or overlook things in your closet that you don’t use often. It’s quite possible to push things aside and let them fall through the cracks. Granted I did pack it up several times and took it with me, but I did have help with that. I wasn’t always the one packing up the kitchen. I had friends who helped.

Okay, so I’m blame shifting a bit. Isn’t that the easiest thing to do? – blame someone else. It’s better than taking responsibility for it.

The way my mind works, it made me wonder what else was hidden in my closet that had expired? What am I carrying around with me that could possibly kill me? Am I carrying around old hurts and wounds? What judgments or resentments? What were the things of life I needed to take responsibility for?

This experience gave me an opportunity to check in with God and ask Him to clean out my closets of those things that I don’t need to carry around anymore. The things that could harm me or hinder my walk with Him. It doesn’t matter how it got buried. What matters is that it causes no further harm.

Price of a can of beans - $.79.
Price of a can of beans that is 14 years old - $.29.
Price of not eating a 14 year old can of beans – PRICELESS.

© Nadine Zawacki 2011

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Such a good blog. Hmm now you have me thinking about what I'm carrying around that should just be thrown out...or given to God.

Emancipation of the Freed said...

I love your heart Babe, another powerful post drawing inspiration from everyday life. You amaze me!

Susan said...

Glad you're back Nadine. Enjoyed this post. Thanks for the sweet, caring comment you left me :o)

Dawn said...

So glad you're back to blogging. I love how you are able to draw analogies from everyday life!

You're not alone in finding expired food in the pantry - I recently came across a box of tea bags that expired 8 years ago. Probably wouldn't have killed anyone with expired tea - but not worth the $1 it cost to toss it! Ha!

Anonymous said...

Nadine, not only are you a good cook; you are also a good teacher. I love this object lesson. That's how God speaks to me also with everyday life lessons. Letting go of the old also makes room for the new. I love you. Thanks for sharing. <3 Donna

Ginnie said...

great post Nadine. I have recently THROWN away some expired things from my inner closet, and you are right... it was poisoning me, and it made so much more room for God. and

Christina said...

I am right up with you in cleaning out my spiritual closet, and my kitchen closets also. What a great analogy and so true. Now I am going to prayerfully clean out my closet.

PS we live on Ft. Lewis, close to Tacoma. I like WA but the weather here lately has not been fantastic but this seems to be the norm for a lot of the country.

palmtreefanatic said...

what a great and thought provoking post Nadine!:)