A Warning to Vegan Converts

 I am reading (actually, listening to) Michael Pollan’s new book, Cooked.  Am I enjoying it?  Well, yes and no.  “Yes,” to the expanding of my foodview (I think this is a new word I’ve invented but not yet patented…so use it without charge) but “no” to my vegan commitment.  Halfway through the book I have learned so much about what it means to actually cook my own food.

            We do a lot of cooking around my house.  My wife is a gourmet-quality cook.  She loves to make tried and true recipes and to try new recipes.  Alas, she is in poor health and I have taken over a lot of culinary responsibilities.  So, I was very interested in what one of my favorite authors had to say about the subject.  As with all Mr. Pollan’s books, I am enlightened, inspired and encouraged to keep the culinary faith.

            I became a vegan after doing a lot of research about what clogs up the circulatory system of Americans.  (You may know that heart attacks are the leading cause of death for those who eat the American way.)  I found that I have a lot of plaque in my veins and arteries and decided to look into ways to reverse the condition.  That led me to begin eating a no-fat (or very low fat) plant-based diet.  It is satisfying, inexpensive and delicious.  But, you see, I am a convert to this way of eating from the vein and artery-clogging omnivorous way I have eaten for decades.  That means that my mouth still waters at visions of various forms of meat.  I am eating the no-fat plant-based way for health reasons only. 

            If you fall into my category, it means you retain strong memories of succulent sausages, bacon, steaks, barbeque ribs, lamb chops, roasts, etc.  After listening to the first part of Mr. Pollan’s book, I wanted nothing more than to find a whole-hog barbecue joint and chow-down.  I wanted to find me some good Texas brisket or cabrito and, fat dripping from my chin, enter into a kind of carnivore nirvana.  Be warned: Michael, a committed omnivore, will make you think twice about, well…sinning.

            I am happy to report that I have righteously remained vegan…so far.  One day at a time.  We all have to die of something but I would like to be as healthy as possible and then, when my time comes peacefully, painlessly drop dead.  At my age, departure is not too far off and I could say I prefer to leave this life with fried chicken in stomach.  But, since I am already noticing some benefits of veganism, I think I will continue with the oats, peas, beans and barley…etc.

            My garden will help.  In spite of the funky weather and bad knees, I am steadily getting things planted.  I look forward to harvesting baskets of summer fruit.

THANK YOU!

 

I am thankful to God for so many things…primarily that He has loved me so much that He has made provision for my eternity through the gift of His Son and the Grace and truth He introduced into the world.  It is beyond possible to thank Him enough.

I also have multitudes of people to thank in this life.  If it were not for my late father-in-law, and his generosity life would have been very difficult in some of the early years of our marriage when medical bills threatened to sink our ship.  I don’t think we ever asked for his help, he was just tuned-in enough to know when it was needed.  I trust he is enjoying his heavenly reward.

Nearly every job I’ve had was the result of someone suggesting, recommending, pulling strings, pulling rank or vouching for me.  I can only think of a few times I was hired because I acted totally on my own.

The church has been the source of so many blessings.  Lake Highlands church in Dallas was my sponsoring congregation as Brenda and I did mission work in Australia.  Aside from their prayers and monetary support, they sent things to us that made our work easier.  North Davis church in Arlington literally saved us from being homeless and broke during a very difficult time.  Our present church home, University church in Abilene has overflowed with kindness toward us many times.

I don’t ever want to be guilty of forgetting those I cannot embarrass by naming here.  Brenda and I have been the recipient of gifts from many people in Australia and here at home.  Frequently those gifts have arrived at very critical times.  We have enjoyed the hospitality of wonderful Australian and New Zealand saints in our travels.  They have fed us, sheltered us and entertained us simply out of their love for Jesus.  Truly, God works through His people!

In my meditations I often review, with tears, the kindnesses and mercies of God and His people who have loved us, prayed for us and given to us.  I can only say from the depths of my heart, THANK YOU!

Doctor’s Office Dilemma

Doctor’s offices are odd places.  Yes, you have an appointment and you manage to arrive on time or, maybe, a bit early.  Then, early or late, the waiting begins.  You will wait for thirty minutes to one hour in a room filled with sick people.  If you are not sick when you arrive, it is certain that you will be exposed to some malady before you depart.  You will breathe their polluted air, sit in their infected chair and handle their fouled magazines.  Who knows what microbes you have given or received?  Talk about a “human petri dish” and you’re not even on a cruise!

Finally, you are called back to an examination room where you will languish in solitary confinement – often for more time than you spent in the waiting room.  Wipe out any of your previously scheduled appointments, projects, or meetings.  Chances are good you will not make them.  But you had better make your doctor’s appointment because if you don’t…it will be a long time before you can get in again.

Let’s say you are so sick you can barely roll out of bed to feverishly stumble to the bathroom – much less get to the Doctor’s office.  Too bad!  You will have to get well enough to go see why you have been so sick!  House calls have gone the way of the horse and buggy.  Emergency rooms or walk-in clinics are just as bad – maybe worse.  So what’s the answer?  Simple.  Don’t get sick!

Edit!

Take this from a person who has made their share of writing boo-boos.  I rarely have a perfect first draft of anything I write.  I have learned (painfully) to carefully go over what I write and almost invariably discover something that would be embarrassing to publish.  This is especially critical when writing advertising copy destined be read by great multitudes.

Today I came across this example:

“Over time, this can add to unwanted weight gain that you do not want.”

A good, solid edit would have discovered this and restructured it.  Unwanted mistakes like this are something you do not want.

Reproductive Rights

Okay, I am getting weary of hearing about “reproductive rights” and “a woman’s right to choose.”  Get real.  These are just code words.  Everyone knows we are talking about abortion.

We who are “of age” all understand where babies come from, right?  (Clue: storks and cabbage plants are not involved in any way.)  Let me speak plainly: whether or not to “have sex” is every healthy person’s choice, right or wrong.  Men, you have a right to choose whether to father a baby or not.  You choose whether to keep your pecker in your pants or not.  Women, you have a right to choose whether or not to grant male access to your reproductive accessories (not talking about rape here but consensual sexual intercourse).  Whether or not to use birth control is also a right.  But this is where your “right to choose” ends.

What none of us has a right to do is kill babies resulting from a failure to overcome craving with caution.  That’s just murder.  If, in the heat of passion, you choose to forego birth control…well…you may have made a baby you are responsible to care for in utero or out.  You did your choosing before the winning sperm penetrated the waiting egg.

If you don’t want the baby, then choose to give it to one of the thousands of couples who do.

HISTORY? WHY BOTHER?

Why do we bother to teach history if we are determined to ignore it?  Maybe you slept through your history classes (it has a lot to do with the attitude and style of the coach who taught you) or studied just enough to pass.  So, as a public service, here are some facts you may have forgotten.

1. No outside power has been able to gain and retain power in Afghanistan.  That’s right, none.
2. Remember the Crusades?  Every time foreign (Western) armies enter the Middle East, for good or ill, the inhabitants are reminded of those ancient incursions.  And, since they never forget, the vast majority will hate your guts.
3. In the process of conquering the known world, the Romans spread their armies too thin.  Consequently, they were unable to defend themselves when attacked.

• Why have we not learned the lessons from those who previously tried to occupy and control Afghanistan?
• Why can’t we see that we cannot win the hearts and minds of the Middle East through military might?
• Why do we continue to act like the world’s policemen and sacrifice the lives of our young women and men and maintain garrisons around the world?  Can we defend our own nation when the time comes?

The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind.  It is there, in black and white, in the history books.

FRANCIS

The new head of the Roman Catholic Church has taken the name, “Francis,” after Francis of Assisi, a truly remarkable man.  In nearly every way the Catholic Church is the antithesis of the ways of the original Francis.  The pomp and ceremony witnessed in the weeks surrounding the selection of a new pope is not a reflection of the simplicity and meekness of Christ and those who followed Him.  The apostles made certain that they were not honored as anything more than men with a mission.

As with so many great men and women, a lot of embellishment has been plastered on the stories of the man from Assisi.  I am thinking of one particular saying attributed to him, “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”  He said some wise and wonderful things, but no bona fide record of him having actually uttered this particular phrase exists.  I like to believe he really did.  It fits what I’ve learned about the man.

Jesus said it first in so many ways.  In His sermon on the mount, he made sure his listeners knew that what we do is as important as what we say.  Truly, truly God is glorified when the gospel is authenticated by salty, light-filled lives replete with compassion, service, love and good deeds (Matthew 5).  James takes pains to remind us that faith which produces no works is a dead faith (James 2).  There is no room in this short blog to list all the references in the writings of the New Testament regarding the absolute necessity of actions that validate our faith.  Trust me, there’s a bunch!

Those who claim to follow Christ seem to have forgotten that the world is watching.  Every disciple needs to be challenged to find some place quiet and do a little self-examination of the last 24 hours of their life.  I mean every aspect.  If your faith is validated by your good deeds, have there been any?  If your heart is known by your speech, what does your heart look like to your family, school mates, co-workers and friends?  If you are known as a follower of Christ, have you humbly served?  Have you treated those with whom you have come in contact with love and respect, no matter their station in life?  How have you lived when you think no one’s watching?

The world can know Christ only by seeing and hearing His followers.