dealing with a no

A trip to the allergist yesterday came with a definitive statement. "Completely eliminate garlic and onion from your diet." It seems that the allergy I have suspected for some time is worsening to the point the Dr. told me I may want to consider carrying an epipen. That's enough to scare me into obedience!

Not that I needed that scare tactic. The symptoms I have been experiencing over the past year are enough that I was already writing myself menus of what I could eat and researching new ways of creating things like cream-of-anything soup or bouillon cubes which contain enough garlic and onion to set off a reaction. I've been reading food labels on things like ham, bacon (the vegetarian brand has no garlic or onion added, hurray!), hot dogs, ketchup, and even french fries to see if I'm safe (today's brand had a "natural flavoring" that apparently had something in it since my nose and eyes were itching after I consumed it.)

It's easy to dwell on the things I cannot eat anymore. I love Mexican and Italian food, casseroles made with cream of anything soups, pepperoni pizza, and potato salad with fresh raw onion. There are all kinds of appetizers, crackers, and chip dip that are completely off limits now. Oh, how I am going to miss chips and salsa!!! And almost any meal you order at a restaurant. If you stop and pay attention you will be amazed at how much onion and garlic are in the typical American diet.

So my joy came yesterday as I wrote down a list of all the things I can still eat!! Almost every dessert is still on the menu, as well as fruits, vegetables, and meats that are prepared carefully. I can still eat cheese!! And there are all kinds of ways to make my own seasoning mixes to leave out the offending ingredients. Oh what a myriad of choices remains!!!

It's human nature to get caught up in what we can't have. It started a long time ago in the Garden of Eden. "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." God warned Adam and Eve of ONE tree in the garden from which they could not eat, and it was the tree they fixated on! Don't we do the same?

Today Micah came to me and asked to play outside. More specifically, he asked to ride his bike across the street, which he knows he cannot do unless there is an adult present to supervise. I told him "Yes, you can go outside but since I am working on some things in here, no you cannot go across the street." "But Mom, there's NOTHING ELSE to do outside!" I can immediately think of at least 10 other things he could have done. He chose to fix his attention and passion on the one thing that I said no to.

So there's my option when faced with one of the "do nots" God has given. How many other things has He freely opened to me? What will I do with all the possible yes's that I haven't even considered? It may make me dizzy if I really consider the options.

Now back to my menu planning...