Savings Has a Price...

I Saved Me Five Bucks…NOT!

Theology in the Trenches

By Kathleen Kjolhaug

 

Standing in front of our small hometown deli, I was able to envision the provisions needed for not only the potluck on Sunday, but another supper invite for which I was to bring desert.

Entering the store with the idea of purchasing a box of brownies to bake, I was quickly sidetracked. There, on the bottom shelf, stood a beautiful lemon, coconut layered cake. For only a few bucks more it would be an amazing desert. Into the cart it went. Since splurging on the cake was an obvious must, cutting corners for the potluck seemed to make sense.

At the moment of decision, into the store walked a fellow parishioner. Comparing notes, she gave me a thumbs-up on the idea of bringing coleslaw. Although the investment would entail little work as it sat in containers within reach, I hesitated. My thoughts kept wandering back to the cupboards at home. I just knew there was something within them from which I could create a dish…thus saving myself five bucks.

Raiding the cupboards and fridge once home, I came up with one box of noodles, some packaged peas, refrigerated carrots, and a jar of salad dressing. The combination looked enticing, but as these were special noodles, they priced out at well over three dollars for the box. As there was no other choice, stove top they went. Digging through the shelves, I grabbed the dressing and added that…adding another two bucks which now totaled the five dollars I was trying hard not to spend. Tossing in the peas and carrots raised it another three bucks and so far, my homemade savings placed me squarely in the red.

A quick taste test proved that a little onion was needed and for another fifty cents, into the pot it went. With tongue and eyes burning from just a little too much of the oniony blast, I ran to the fridge to find something to dampen the bite, and for another couple of bucks, into the unscripted recipe went the sour cream. By this time, the dull subdued flavor needed a bit of a perk so I grabbed a full jar of sliced olives and dumped them in…not to mention topping it off with some yellow grated cheese.

Adding up the “cost savings” put me about triple the price of the coleslaw…well over budget. What I thought I’d be able to achieve on a dime, was more like “penny wise, dollar foolish.” But what it added up to be…was fun…innovative…extremely tasteful…not to mention worth every penny per pound/dollar for dollar. Serving it was a memory maker all its own as taste buds were satisfied. Simply put, you can’t put a price on some things.

1 Peter 5:2-3 sort of caught my attention. “Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly – not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve…” As it was in the beginning, now and ever shall be, world without end…Amen