sit down, you're rockin' the boat!

I'm a creature of habit. I like things to remain the same, unadulterated by anyone else. I can count on the sun to rise and set, even if I can't see it through the clouds. I can count on my children asking when lunch will be ready at exactly 12:01 p.m. I can count on my Mister sneaking up behind me and kissing my neck while I'm blindly chopping onions. I can count on the dogs to bark every single time someone walks down the hallway. And I can count on the fact that we will have some kind of meat (this varies, so I guess there is hope for me!) for dinner.

I like my life the way it is. It is comfortable.

And sometimes that's not where God wants me to be.

I rarely talk about my faith on this blog because that's not what it was started for. I wanted a place to share whole food recipes (most of the time☺), homeschooling tips, and pictures of our crazy country life. But my faith is a large part of who I am. It is what defines me. I am a child of the Most High. I am a daughter of a King.

The King.

And He loves me with an everlasting love.

And sometimes that love causes me to stretch in ways I never thought that I would.

Last week my Mister and I went in for some allergy testing. Because of the Hashimoto's, and my hubby's chronic evening headaches, we knew there was something wreaking havoc with our health. Now, if you've never had allergy testing but plan to, I'm sorry to tell you, IT HURTS! (Actually, after my tears had been replaced with embarrassment, the doctor informed me that because of the Hashimoto's disease, my skin was extremely sensitive to the scratch tests. That would've been nice to know before all the crying.) My Mister took his testing like a man. Barely flinched. I was so proud.

After 20 minutes, the nurses came back in and read his results. Allergies to dog and cat dander, leaf molds (makes sense since we live on the edge of a forest), dust mites, salmon, and pork. I think he was more disappointed to learn that his dog allergy isn't enough to force the dogs out of their comfy spot by the fireplace.

Twenty minutes after that, they came in to read mine. Allergies to leaf molds, cat dander, and feathers.

Then they started on the food allergies.

Whole eggs, soy, oatmeal, barley, rye, whole wheat, Brazil nuts, peanuts, salmon, cod, shrimp, beef, chicken, and pork.

The nurse asked me if I was feeling okay. I was hot and itchy, but trying to focus on what was being said.

"'Scuse me? Did he say beef? And chicken? And salmon?" (This was followed with an after-crying hiccup I'm sure.)

The nurse left for a moment, then returned with the doctor who handed me an antihistamine and glass of water. "Drink", he said.

I suspected the grains. I hadn't had any glutenous grains since Thanksgiving. Which I should tell you has caused an overall reduction in size of 9 pounds! (The oats were a surprise.) And I was hoping that soy was on there so people would stop telling me I should consume more soy.  But beef? And chicken? And salmon?

"Kim, you're having a reaction to one of the tests."

All I could think was that they were all talking too much, and gosh, wasn't it hot in here?

"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME I AM ALLERGIC TO EVERYTHING IN FREEZERS NUMBER 2 AND 3?"

"You broke out in hives, but the antihistamine should kick in any time. Here's a second one in case you need it." 

EVERYTHING?

"Do you need to lie down?"

Do you remember the Tasmanian Devil of Saturday morning cartoons?

Ya. It was kind of like that.

I've been peddling a whole, organic, grown-in-your-own-dirt, grass-fed, free-ranging, grub-lovin' way of eating for the last 3 or 4 years. (2-1/2 on this blog.) I may not be the epitome of health, but I live the life that I preach. And I like it. Problem is, some of it doesn't like me back.

For a week I have been feeling sorry for myself. (I would throw myself a pity party, but I can't have the cake.) And I've been feeling a little lost. Everything that I've known is changed. What was once a normal, comfortable part of my life is gone. Now because of these new results, I have to change.

Here's the thing. God never gives us more than we can handle. And when He pulls us out of our comfort zones, He always provides a safe place to land. He has brought people into my life (some I've never even met!) who are buffering the sharp edges of this change. Vegetarians, vegans, people with severe food allergies (mine aren't life threatening!), and prayer warriors~all helping to make this transition a less painful one.

So what does this new plan look like? Environmentally speaking, the carpets have to go. At least in the living room and our bedroom. The rest will go much more slowly, as finances are available. And the dogs get to keep their warm little spot by the fire, they'll just be bathed a little more often. The leaves I can do nothing about, but I guess some of the maple and alder trees closest to the house will end up in the wood shed.

And the food? Not nearly as horrifying as I once thought. Dairy, legumes/beans, all fruits, veggies, corn, potatoes, and rice are all okay. So is turkey and oysters. I can live with that.

For now. I'm waiting for confirmation from the blood tests, just to be sure. (After all, we're talkin' faith, not trust!☺)

Faith gets out of the boat. The worst that could happen is that I'll get a little wet. But the best? I might find myself doing things I never thought I could.☺