The Manna Principle

                                               

The Manna Principle was born on an airplane trip back home from a Christian conference.  My husband and I were discussing all we had learned and were excited to implement some new changes at church.

                                                                 

The conversation led to me expressing my feelings about how I always seem to live either in the past or in the future.  I was longing to slow down and take life day by day.  I wanted to live in the present and not look backwards or forward.  Just enjoy each day as it came.

                                                        

Of course, I never expected what was about to come next.  Carl, my husband, challenged me to try for the next 30 days to live day by day, literally. As he explained what was running through his mind, I immediately had an answer for him. “No!” It was too difficult, too radical, just down-right crazy for a family of seven to try and implement all that it would take to pull it off and personally, I wasn’t looking to complicate my life any further.  Did he not just hear me? I was longing to     s l o w   
d o w n. 

“Let’s make it an experiment,” he coaxed me.  “Remember when I first mentioned homeschooling to you?” Yes, I remember.  At first I thought he was nuts and I rejected the whole idea for about two years.  Now eight years later I’m still homeschooling and loving it.   But this was different.  This was...so him and so not me!

                                               

In his attempt to convince me, he kept talking, as if he were unaware of my resistance.  Everything he said after that was a blur to me since I was trying to come up with something to say that would put this idea to bed, for good. Well, almost everything.  “You could even blog about it, about the experience, the pros and cons, the spiritual principles connected,” on and on he went.  In my mind, he had me at “You can blog about it.”  

Now I started to really consider it.  The thought of taking on such a huge project was terrifying.  I had more questions than answers but then again, wasn’t that the point? To dig deeper into the principles that God gave us and search them out.  To wonder why he set certain things in place and then discover those truths in our lives? It wasn’t going to be easy but I was up for the adventure. 

                                                                       

The notebook and the pen came out and Carl and I were sent on a journey.  We began writing everything that came to our minds that would be part of this project.  Whatever questions we had, ideas, rules and comments, were all jotted down.  We wondered where this project would lead us.  At the very least, we hoped to have learned a few things while drawing closer to God and that in its self would be a tremendous experience for       our family. 

Well, I guess since you’ve made it this far, I should explain what the Manna Principle is.  I’m sure you’re curious about it. 

                                                

 It begins with scripture in the book of Exodus.  The Isrealites were out in the desert griping to Moses about how they longed to be back in Egypt where although they were slaves, they at least had an abundance of food.  Now here they were, wondering if God had saved them just to starve them in the desert.

Moses met with God and God told Moses to let the people know that he would make it rain manna from heaven.  This would be what they would eat.  Everyday they were to collect a designated portion, for each person living in their house.  They were to eat of it and not save any of it for the next day.  The day before the Sabbath they were to collect twice as much and prepare some to have for the Sabbath because on that day, manna would not fall from heaven. 

God told them not to save it from one day to the next.  For those who chose not to listen, they found that the manna had maggots on it and began to smell.

                                                       

                                                                                              

  
Fast forward to Jesus teachings a few thousand years later and we hear Jesus telling the people not to worry about what they would eat or drink because our Father in heaven would supply all our needs.  We even hear Jesus praying to the Father in the Lord’s Prayer saying...”Give us this day our daily bread”. 

                                                                                                                            

                                                       

     So we decided (actually, Carl did) that in an attempt to live day by day why not start in the food department.  Why not, get up every day, head to the supermarket, and buy what we would eat that day. NOW do you understand my resistance? Everyday, get up and take five kids to the supermarket to buy our daily bread?  Think about the implications, hungry kids in the store daily and an average of 30 trips to the supermarket in one month. 

                                                                     

      What good can come out of living day by day? Will we depend more on God?

Be more grateful? Eat healthier? Learn to live in the present? Or will we grumble like the Isrealites? Spend more money? Or end up quitting?

                                                            

                        




Join me for the next 30 days as I give a daily  account on our learning experience. I can't wait to tell you all about it!