"Paying a little more for fruit that is actually eaten is cheaper than paying less for fruit that ends up in the trash."
For the last three years, because of our family's large consumption of fruit, we were constantly on the prowl for the best deals in town, often buying fruit by the case. We discovered a huge outlet that sold fruit and vegetables at almost half the price of other supermarkets. Brown spotted fruit at the reduced bin was my first stop in shopping. Pale, sickly, yellow, half-ripened tomatoes on sale for 60 cents a pound. Slightly rusted, wilted lettuce could be found for 40 cents a head. Thick-skinned, woody, seed-filled oranges for 99 cents a dozen. Green skinned, pale color cantaloupes that taste like chalk dust, 99 cents each. Bruised and abused avocados with black rancid veins, 50 cents each. My children longed for the sterile flavor of Kraft Dinner.
There comes a time when you must buy quality. We discovered a Sunkist grocery store in Toronto. The display counters piled with fruit and vegetables enticed us to stop and take a closer look. I died and went to fruit heaven, surrounded by every known fruit and vegetable. No brown spots or dull pasty colors. These fruits and vegetables were sun-ripened, picked at their peak, and shipped with care. Then I saw the price! But I couldn’t resist, and spent 30 dollars.
Mangoes, cantaloupes, seedless grapes, delicious apples, watermelon, cherry tomatoes, oranges, washed and placed in a bowl on the kitchen table. Two hours later, they were gone.
Disappeared! Vanished! Then an astonishing thing occurred. My daughter Joy, who is normally a picky eater, asked, Dad, is there any more of that awesome fruit?
The next day our whole family took a trip into Toronto to shop at Sunkist. We left with a carload of fruits and vegetables. Vine-ripened cherry tomatoes are as sweet as candy. Ruby red, thin-skinned, firm Delicious apples. Seedless, sweet, juice-filled oranges. Sun-ripened, fragrant cantaloupes with honey-flavored, bright orange flesh. Green and red seedless grapes which explode with the flavor of the sun. Tropical large heavy mangoes with inviting orange flesh. Exotic Lychee nuts with their jelly-like nectar. Mysterious papaya with a musty, sweet-flavored flesh. Rotund watermelon with its iridescent red sponge-like flesh, saturated with sweet juice. What an awesome Creator! A car filled with His blessing, representing His creativity, love, and provision. Bright colors, smells and flavors. Such diversity!
He is the God of Imagination. The Lord of Creativity. He has an Artist's heart, an eye for color. He’s got flare, pizzazz, style, and knows how to make a fashion statement. He is not a boring, gray, pale, monotone, suit and tie, retrained, dusty, ordinary, locked-in-tradition, close-minded, theological, melancholy, lifeless God.
Butterflies, tropical fish, peacocks, nebulae, quartz, a snowflake, fall colors, rainbows, reflections on a dew drop, an orchid petal, the cotton white of a cloud, contrasted by rich, deep blue—living paintings of the Eternal Artist of Heaven. How can we be so blind not to see and so deaf not to hear. How can we not taste and know Him for who He is? He is the Eternal Living God!
We experienced the joy of His presence when we ate. A taste of heaven to come. A food fit for angels and kings. A taste of Eden. God’s banquet table. Cells and taste buds created to receive such a blessing. This food was worth every penny. My children have discovered a love for raw food.
Related Article: Most Nutritious Fruit Guide