I know — school lunches? It’s still summer! But recently, I was talking about school lunches and the normalcy they’ve provided us throughout the past year. School lunches, of all things, have served as a reminder to me that God sees, knows, and cares for us even in the smallest of ways. Here’s how:
In March 2020, we started hearing about this new disease called COVID. People were saying it was coming and that we’d better buy toilet paper and water bottles.
(I still have ten bottles of purified water in the basement that I bought in case the water plant people couldn’t come in to work and get the water going. I wish I was kidding.)
My kids came home from school one day and never got to go back to their classrooms. Do you remember that day too? They came home and ended up doing distance learning from March 19, 2020 till June 2, 2021. That was sixty-one weeks without in-classroom school. Right about 300 days of school from the dining room table, their at-home desks, the backyard, and sometimes the van.
We logged in to preschool, first grade, and third grade from iPads. The kids learned how to use Schoology and Seesaw and Media Center. They had Lunch Bunch, where the kids ate “together” as if they were in the cafeteria, except they were on Google Meet.
Everything was so weird. It still is — less weird but still getting there.
As parents, my husband and I did our best to keep things as normal as possible, but we were both working from home and occasionally relying on the occasional instant cash advance app to put food on the table. Also, I had a baby in the middle of it all! So nothing was really normal, and everything felt like a blindfolded trust walk.
Except one thing: We picked up school lunches every day.
We would go to our elementary school, walk up to the entrance, and grab a bag full of fruit, veggies, milk, and something fun like chicken nuggets or pizza. There were breakfasts too: mini pancakes and frozen fruit and yogurts. Eventually, our schools transitioned to a weekly box pickup, so on Mondays we would load up the van and drive to get our boxes full of frozen breakfast treats, like French toast sticks and orange juice, lunches of mini-corndogs and chicken patties, and sometimes giant bags of frozen veggies. I used them for cooking all year!
School lunch provided us with a new kind of normalcy. Lunch pickup provided a regular routine. Every day, we hopped into the car and drove to school at noon. It kept food in our fridge, fruit bowl, and pantry, which helped for meal planning. It saved us a lot of money and time, which was so helpful. For the kids, it was the regular school food that helped them feel connected. Was it delicious gourmet meals? No, but was it fun? Yes! And it made lunches and lots of breakfasts easy — my nine-year-old could make meals by himself, which was a huge help to me as I worked from home and held a baby all the time!
School lunch kept us connected to friends. We were able to help neighbors and family by picking up their lunches and dropping them off at their doorstep or sharing ours when we had too much. People in our neighborhood picked up for each other, and one friend dropped off items her kids didn’t want to eat that my kids loved.
School lunch was one way this past year that I saw God taking care of us — by being the actual Bread of Life.
When everything was falling apart and crazy, God provided a helpful, tasty, bright spot that showed He hadn’t forgotten us. God was still there, taking care of us.
It seems like a silly thing, but honestly some days it felt like manna. It felt like abundance. It felt like water from a rock.
Not a lot of things outside were good, but I was overcome with gratitude that in our home, things were cozy, warm, and we were fed — both by school bread in our bellies and the Bread of Life in our hearts.
God is able. He is our provider. And, therefore, we are taken care of.
What is the price of two sparrows — one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31 (NLT)
You are so beloved by God. He cares for you immensely, deeply, wholly, in ways both big and small. God is able, God provides, and God has numbered the hairs on your head with love.
Oh, Anna, for reasons that I am not sure I understand (and I know I cannot articulate) these words touched me at a soul-deep level. Thank you for sharing and reminding me that God is taking care of me even when I feel forgotten.
Thank you so much, Mary. I for sure wept while writing it and I’m not sure what nerve it was rubbing, but certainly a tender one.
Those lunches were a lifesaver for me as well! As a single momma on a tight budget, it assured that I had some options that my daughter would enjoy when things got tight.
Yes!! What a relief and a gift, right?! There are always fun things in there that I don’t usually splurge on and that’s always a fun surprise for the kiddos too!
In spite of being hurt in a traffic accident & in spite of Covid, there were so many good Samaritans on my way to recovery. Thank you Lord. You are wonderful!
So glad you’re on the way to recovery, Rosaria.
Thank you, Anna, for your honesty. I rarely write comments of any type but your reflection really moved me. I have chosen to work among the poor and struggling most of my life. Often they are judged and criticized for needing to use things as simple as school lunches to meet their daily needs. It is so encouraging to have you write openly about your experience, and remind us all that something as simple as school lunches are a blessing from God’s hand and should be received with open hearts and mind. Thanks again.
Damaris, thank you for your sweet spirit and comment here. I’m so glad you piped up. There are so many blessings and everyday gifts all around, aren’t there??
This is so beautiful!
My husband and I made a list of all the good things that happened in 2020, we didn’t want Covid to overshadow the blessings from God.
One of these blessings was our first granddaughter being born in the start of this crazy time. The unknown of the future and the fear Covid brought could not ruin the miracle of this beautiful healthy baby’s arrival!
There were many other blessings that we notes, our teenage daughter even chimed in with her blessings. God continually blesses us and I believe there were many families who also share the gratefulness for school lunches in this crazy time.
It is so good to have those tangible lists, something we can come back to when it’s a struggle. So glad your family started such a tradition — and congratulations on the birth of your granddaughter!!
Your post is also a testimony of the power of gratitude. I have noticed what a difference it can make in my life, how it can change my attitude and outlook almost immediately. May we always dig deep to find blessings even in the midst of hard times.
Yesss this. Such power in the practice of gratitude.
Anna I don’t have kids. But I can see were you are coming from with what the food you got. It showed that God provided. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. In things like Covid. When we look back at 2020. We can see in our lives God provided. God cared. We still a every day to rejoice in God as he made the Day. Like Psalm 118 verse 24 says. This is the Day the Lord has made lets us rejoice and be glad in it. God also woke us up to enjoy another day in his beautiful world. So that means God gave us time to thank him for doing that. Plus pray for those who have no food. Or thoses with no homes. Home less. To be thankful for what God has given us. That he does care. He is with us in our difficult times and the good. That he never leaves us. We just have to trust him and when things happen also go to him in prayer. As Proverbs 3 verse 5 & 6 says. ,”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him And he will direct your paths.” How true that is. Thank you again for sharing your story. It touched my heart. Love you all incourage. I learn so much from what all share. I pray for you all. Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland. Xx
I always say more good things happen in this world than bad, and your post is one of the beautiful examples of the everyday goodness. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Maura. Glad and grateful that you’re here.
Dear Anna,
My sister-in-law/best friend invited me to join her church’s Zoom Bible studies last fall. Every week, I met with ladies familiar to me, and many unknown, to study a part of God’s word. It was great! I even joined the less intense summer one. And I plan to sign up for the new fall study. It helped me feel connected. And I learned a lot!
Love to you and yours, dear Anna!
How great is that!! I love the creativity in connection that’s happened over the last year. So glad you got to experience that!
I am deeply moved by this story. Jehovah Jirah. God of Providence. I am reminded that He is always present, providing and loving us, if we can only recognize and receive His blessings. Thank you for your beautiful gift of writing and helping us see His heart and hands in simple things.
Yes, yes. Thank you for being here, Jann.
Thank you, Anna, for sharing your story. I’m at a crossroads right now looking towards a journey that may be a huge financial cut but knowing God is leading me there. (The big part is to care for my 3 grandchildren and not have an outside job.) He keeps telling me He has a plan and I need to take the step. Your article confirms what I feel God has put on my heart. Thank you.
Thanks be to God, He has given me His perfect peace in the midst of hard decisions. I have seen His provision and blessings this year in so many ways. Thank You Jesus!
I love your family story of school lunches and this up close and personal glimpse of God’s provision for your family. It honors God in the telling!
What a lovely comment, Kathy! Thank you so much.
Anna,
God kept my hubby & I gainfully employed while many lost their jobs. He got furloughed for six weeks in the beginning but then went back & worked extra-I, too, was able to work some extra. Jesus has always provided for my family no matter the situation. It is because of that I volunteer with a local food bank. I know many people aren’t as fortunate as we are. No one should go hungry. 3 nights a week I go make food boxes, help cook or help fill trays with delicious food. It makes me acutely aware of how blessed we are.
Blessings 🙂
Such a vital ministry that you’re a part of, Beth, for stomachs and souls alike.
I have been restricted due to a very painful knee that has hindered mobility. When a friend asked what he could do, i asked if he would water my plants. Now, my outside plants are getting a much needed drink on a regular basis. God answered a small need in a great way!
I just tried to leave a comment about a small way I have been helped & my comment was rejected?????
Sorry, it did get posted. My apologies