I looked down at my meal recently and found myself laughing. It wasn’t a full on laugh – Wendy made the meal and I didn’t want her to think I was laughing at her food she had prepared. That would have been difficult to explain. And she is a wonderful cook – seriously. But internally I was really laughing. I looked down at the dish in disbelief. To understand, you had to know me as a kid.
Growing up, I had 4 main foods to sustain me: Mac and cheese (always a winner no matter what), egg sandwich (a staple no matter the meal), orange juice (I know it sounds weird, it just was), and chocolate (well, duh). I could and practically did live off of these – much to my mother’s dismay. She couldn’t even get the doctor to tell me different, and she tried. Most meats were out (shoe leather pork chops were a winner) and most vegetables were avoided (can’t remember any I really particularly liked). Now again, you have to know my mother tried. She did what every good mother does. She made me try things I did not want to eat. I tried them more than I wanted to – I just wanted the mac and cheese please. And, since I am writing this, I survived. I know it is shocking.
As I stared down at the plate, this is what was before me – a dish of rice topped with baked carrots and peas with a vegan sauce on top. There is no way I would have touched this as a kid. And here I was, enjoying it. It was good. It was healthy. These days, I am a vegan – so vegetables and fruits are a part of every meal. I haven’t eaten meat in more than 10 years. So much has changed. I giggled because I was eating a healthy meal, I had run that morning, and was actually feeling good. What a concept.
We never know what the future holds for us. We never know what is ahead. Sometimes we can sit back and just laugh at how things have worked out. We can smile at the changes. That isn’t always the case – I understand. Just a challenge to find a little joy in how things have changed for the better for you. Or maybe you see a future that looks much healthier and better. Smile a little smile and keep moving. Change is coming. Change is here.
Focus Scripture:
Genesis 1:29-30
29 God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 