the myth of scarcity

When we were in Costa Rica, the Pastor taught a class on Christian stewardship and the environment.

Since I was there without a whole lot else to do in the rainforest, I sat in on parts of the class and the Pastor made me read one of the books for the class Serve God Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth.

One of the things Dr. Sleeth talks about in his book is the myth of scarcity. This is basically the misconception that some people (me) think that there is not enough food to go around, so they hoard the food when in actuality there is plenty of food, the hoarded food rots and people without food starve. Dr. Sleeth wrote a very good book, but I'm guessing he was never unable to obtain whipped peanut butter.

Most of the time I don't understand what the heck the Pastor is talking about. But I completely understand the myth of scarcity.

Tomorrow is my birthday. Last year on the birthday, I requested that Mom not bake me a cake but oatmeal cookies instead. She did, and buying into the myth of scarcity, I did what any *normal* person would do. I hid the cookies. I rationed the cookies out to myself around my birthday. I probably only rationed them because, let's face it, they weren't the only cookies I was eating and there may have also been cake. The oatmeal cookies that I was too full to eat were secretly sealed in the deep freeze for me to enjoy all year long. Or, for me to rub in the face of my brothers in case Mom would have died sometime during the year. (Yes, Mom is gone, but look! I still have her cookies! So suck on that!!!!!)

I enjoyed a cookie here and there, up until about ten days ago when I realized I still had plenty of cookies left, my birthday was coming up and Mom would be making me more cookies. I no longer had to buy in to the myth of scarcity.

Mom brought over a new batch yesterday. I did share two, which was, I think, very big of me. Have I learned anything from the Pastor and Dr. Sleeth? The rest will probably end up in the deep freeze, with the single serving slices of cherry pie Mom made me for Valentine's Day. Ha! I've been holding out on you!!!

And the best part? I keep typing myth of scarcity myth of scarcity myth of scarcity hopeful that someday some theologian or smart person will be googling the myth of scarcity and instead of getting useful information will get my blog entry about pie and cookies.