I saw this photo essay, called What the World Eats, at Mommy Life and I thought it was so interesting. There are families shown from all around the globe with the foods that they normally eat. Each photo also has an amount the family spends on a week's groceries.
This is a family from Ecuador. The first thing I noticed is how happy they look! (Click on the picture to enlarge.) Just look at the smiles on their faces and notice the 2 babies playing on the right . I also noticed their little house. I looks like some sort of very small hut and their all natural food is displayed on the floor on a layer of straw. This family is reported to spend $31.55 weekly on food and it looks like they have 7 children.
Then, in contrast, there is this German family. It looks like they live in a very nice house and have access to lots of convenience foods. This family spends $500.05 on food weekly! Did you notice their expressions, though? What in the world? Were they under the impression they were being held hostage for this photo shoot? Did they not understand that this picture would be published in a book and on the world wide web?
Now, I have had me some bad days, friends, but there is just no excuse to have a stinkin' attitude for the camera. I have plastered on many a smile that I didn't feel like smiling for the sake of not burdening others with my bad attitude. Just look at Miss Thing there on the right with her arms all crossed up on her chest. She and I would be due for a mighty long talk if I were her mom.
These two contrasting pictures say so much about the attitude we choose, don't they? The second family looks like they have every modern luxury and convenience that the world says we need to be happy, yet they look miserable. The first family, bless their happy hearts, look like they have no idea that they are missing out on central air and heat, ceramic tile, solid surface countertops, or even a kitchen table!
I want to be like the first family, don't you? Just as joyous as I can be with what the Lord, in His infinite mercy, has supplied for me. Whether it be a little or a lot.
11 comments:
Connie, I saw this this morning and thought the exact same thing! As my kiddos would say, "Someone doesn't have a happy heart!..."
It is interesting when you look at families across the world. Those that live in countries with far less money and tangible things seem far more happy than those who do.
You can really FEEL the difference in the two photos, can't you?
I will chime in with my "Amen!" and add that I would so much rather have less and be content than to have more convenience but be lacking in joy.
No worries about your comment! I'm afraid I've been neglecting this blog lately so I just saw your comments. Thanks for reading my random posts and giving encouraging comments. I especially liked what you said at the end about being subject to our husbands and what they think we should be doing. :) Many times I think a lot of women (myself included) tend to focus entirely on what we're commanded to do and don't realize that by not including what's truly important to our husband to that list, that we're actually not honoring him or God even though we're doing everything else!
And a sidenote, I love Titus 2 because - for the most part - you're always a younger and older woman. It always encourages & reminds me to seek guidance from older women and also to try to be a better example b/c I am an older woman to some, and that's important even when it is just one or two! :)
- I guess I could have just written a post on my blog instead of this horrendously long "comment." Sorry! ;)
That German family at least has some fruit for the week. Harmony was somewhat appalled at the American black family (from SC, was it?). Soooooo much convenience food. I don't remember if I saw any fruit there, but I certainly did not see any flour, honey, or a grain mill ;)
I thought that was a teenage boy in the picture. You probably wouldn't be able to discipline him/her these days, with the way the socialist state is intruding these days.
That is a dramatic difference! Wow!
I tried commenting a moment ago and was not sure it went through, so I shall try again *because I am a persistent little buggar!* :-)
You have a lovely blog and I just LOVED this post. So interesting! I just pulled up the original site and am going through it now.
I am not a MAJORLY obsessed environmentalist (but I do my part) but I DID notice all the GARBAGE the bottom family produces. All those bottles and containers! I didn't realize the hefty conributions ONE family makes to a landfill each week! :/
As for there sourpuss expressions...perhaps all the soda has bound them up??? ;-)
Or maybe the photographer has a grudge against western society and caught them at a bad moment and that's the picture he chose to use.
Hmmmm...media bias? It hadn't occured to me. I do hate it when I recognize it, though. I still say the only way I would give the stink eye to a camera that would be publishing my photo world wide, would be if the photo essay were going to be "How Would You Feel if Hilary Won the Next Election" or some such thing. Otherwise, I'm puttin' on my happy face.
Another thought is that culturally Germans don't necessarily smile as often for the camera. At least when I dated a German and we visited his family and a lot of his friends I notice that there are very few pics that involve smiling, no matter who they are of? Just a thought..........
This is such an eye opening post! I was horrified at the difference in expressions in the families. I had to go over to see the original site, of course.
I, too, would like to be like the first family, but suspect I'm much more like the second.
And who in the world spends $500 a WEEK on food? Our family of 6 and a half eats for $100 a week or less. Geeze!
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