A farewell to bread.

The G-bomb dropped a couple of weeks ago. G-bomb being “gluten sensitivity”. I found out that I can’t (well, shouldn’t) eat wheat anymore. Or corn. Or soy. Which is a pretty big bummer since I have eaten those things, oh, pretty much exclusively my entire life.

I’m not joking about almost exclusively eating wheat products. In high school I regularly ate a bagel for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - with cream cheese, turkey, and peanut butter, respectively. You know, for protein. And maybe some lettuce for vegetables. And mayo for dairy. Those food groups are important.

My post-high school eating habits improved, but not by much. I still ate pizza more than twice a week, and didn’t like steak because it didn’t come in a bun. I certainly never considered salad to be a main dish of any kind, no matter how much stuff was thrown on top to try and trick me. For Christmas, my mom gave my husband, sister, and brother-in-law Nike gift cards. My gift card was for IHOP. And I was happy about it.

So maybe you can see why I used to joke that if I ever found out that I was allergic to gluten, I would consider it a death sentence. Yes, I’m dramatic. But I also genuinely believed that I would starve.

But the survival instinct is strong, so when faced with the gluten-free reality, I decided not to let myself die just because I’m picky (I know, so courageous of me). I also decided not to continue eating the food that is apparently wearing down my insides, making me feel bad and, ironically, keeping me addicted. Because that’s creepy.

So I’ve shed quite a few tears. I mean, this is a significant lifestyle change. Not only can I no longer eat any of my favorite foods (except for eggs - bless you, eggs), but I also need to change how I shop for food, the restaurants I frequent, and how I travel. I definitely have to learn how to cook, an activity that I have blissfully avoided up until now.  I have to become one of those people who reads food labels. I actually have to eat for health instead of just taste. For many people, that’s a no brainer. For me, that’s totally new territory.

But this is coming at a time when I’m trying to see life’s “weeds” as hidden blessings, and this could be one of them. Maybe I’ll actually start to enjoy cooking. Maybe I’ll feel better than I’ve ever felt. Maybe I’ll develop a greater appreciation for food – one of the simplest of God’s gifts. And in the meantime, maybe I’ll cultivate a deeper dependence on Him and learn to trust the ways in which He chooses to sustain me.

“You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:7-8