Stone soup

This morning I am preparing for our annual Harvest Party with our Homeschool Group which is today. I am the party planner for the group and its been a lot of fun this year getting everything planned out especially since I have more help this year than last year. One of our traditions is serving stone soup. If you are not familiar with the story of stone soup here is a synapsis from wikipedia:

Stone Soup is a Grimms Brothers tale about returning soldiers and their guise to get a selfish, starving town to learn the lesson of cooperation and its benefits. As with all Grimm Brother tales, it offers a lesson to those willing to read between the lines. The fable of the stone soup is about cooperation amid scarcity. In varying traditions, the stone has been replaced with other common inedible objects, and therefore the fable is also known as button soup, wood soup, nail soup, and axe soup.

Story
According to the story, some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty pot. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the hungry travelers. The travelers fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire in the village square. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making "stone soup", which tastes wonderful, although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavor, which they are missing. The villager doesn't mind parting with just a little bit to help them out, so it gets added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which hasn't reached its full potential yet. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all.

So in our group we come together to celebrate the season, and our thankfulness for all God provides us and we each bring an ingredient for the soup. I am bringing the pot today and although I am not bringing food I know I will be fed a hearty soup out of my empty pot by lunch time. I am reminded that we all have something to give no matter how small or how seemingly insignificant and if we work together as a community we can accomplish so much more than by ourselves. I am so thankful for my community of friends, my church, fellow homeschoolers, and fellow moms. My cup runneth over with support from these people. Even in times of economic hardship I know we will get by if we stay strong as a community and lift each other up.

In the election on Tuesday our country made history by electing its first black president. I am happy to see how far we have come, although I did not vote for him because I do not share his political views. I was moved to see the impact his election has had on so many people who were moved to tears to see this day come.

As Christians we get concerned when our country embraces leadership that has more liberal views than what we are taught is the truth in the bible. I am praying for our country and the direction its leadership takes us. I pray specifically for our new president-elect and his family. I hope during this time of transition that President-Elect Obama will pray as he is professes to be a Christian too. I pray that he will surround himself with good people of moral fortitude, and wisdom, to help him in our new administration's cabinet. Just as with the story of the Stone Soup if we can all come together and share our wisdom, talents, ideas, prayers, and the truth maybe we can get through the economic crisis our country is facing as well as through the crisis of faith so many people in our country are experiencing. I know it is all in God's hands and His purpose.

In closing I will leave you with this verse from Philippians 4:19 - My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Lets keep our focus on Him and we will get through all the problems this world can throw at us.