October 17, 2019

Have you ever noticed how life has a way of coming back to bite you? It happens to me in the most unexpected ways.

All of my adult life, I have made fun of vegetarians because there’s just something plain wrong with someone who doesn’t eat meat. It’s not right. And don’t even get me started on vegans.

But this past summer, I got to the point where I was having trouble walking. I didn’t tell anyone except Shannon because I knew I was too young, healthy, and good looking to experience that kind of pain.

Three weeks ago, during my annual checkup, I decided to tell my doctor what was going on.

After carefully listening, asking questions, poking and prodding, and looking at the medication I was taking, he explained I may be experiencing statin induced myopathy. He recommended pulling me off the medication and changing my diet to see if the symptoms abated.

I was all for getting off the cholesterol medication but the moment he mentioned diet, I heard warning sirens and saw red flags everywhere.

He asked me to consider trying a plant based diet for six months. As I whined and complained about God making me a carnivore for a reason and that eating like a cow would be a betrayal of all that was holy, my doctor explained he ate a plant based diet. This got me thinking.

The fact that the doctor was asking me to do something he already did made me consider giving up my primary food groups – meat, eggs, and cheese.

When I explained to Shannon what the doctor thought, being the supportive, domineering, controlling, loving wife she is, she said, “We are doing this.”

So for the past three weeks, I have only eaten a plant based diet. It has been worth every second because all my pain is gone. And while I do miss steak, ribs, brisket, sausage, hamburgers, French fries, nachos, cheese, ice-cream, cheesecake, chocolate, and everything else that’s good, I am going to stick it out for six months to see what my numbers look like.

The point to this meandering story is I am now living a reality that I never dreamed of. But that’s how life works. None of us are in control of much of anything. This is what James meant by saying, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:13-14)

Just know that life will throw you some curve balls. When that happens, swing the bat with all your might and trust that God will continue to walk with you. In the end, that’s all that matters.

Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, today as I face the unknown, I know that I am not alone. I humbly ask for your guidance, wisdom, and grace to be the person you designed me to be. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Just for the record, when the doctor started talking to me about a plant based diet, I told him I was not eating Brussels sprouts because they are of Satan. He agreed.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.

Tom Robbins