An Excursus

excursus : noun : an appendix or digression that contains further exposition of some point or topic

Here is how I see (and as you can tell, take so seriously) where we shop for groceries. As a mother and homemaker, my primary ministry is to my husband and family. Bill works hard to provide for us and, for a large portion anyway, I spend the money. I decide what to feed my family and how to serve them. I decide what's important enough to spend our money on. So the actual cost of food is important. But the other side is missional ministry. Being a stay-at-home-mom, my missional ministry is limited by nap time and the demands of three kids. My outside contacts are generally the people we meet each week as we go about our routine. The lady at the library storytime. The seniors at the retirement center that oooh and aaah at the kids as we visit. And our grocery store friends.

When I see our grocery store friends and they ask how things are going, I try to give a better answer than "fine." I try to give a real answer, whether things are going good or bad. I hope to build a relationship and minister to people in whatever way they need. And in turn it's been a blessing and they have ministered to me. It might seem silly. But if we are all in full-time ministry, regardless of what we get paid to do, this is how I want to approach my weekly routine. This is partly why I don't want to just grocery shop wherever has the best coupon deal that week, but stick with what I know. For the cash and for the relationship that God has put in front of me.

Being "on mission" extends farther than what bible study I'm in, it should be something ongoing all the time. It wouldn't be bad if I shopped at Albertsons, because after a while I'd probably have some grocery store friends there, just like at Cost Cutter.

Just some thoughts. Although take it with a grain of salt as it is nearly 1am. The point though is we're always to be in ministry, wherever God has placed us. For me that ministry includes the people I meet while choosing what cereal to buy for the week. :)