My husband and I both woke up with the flu last week. I think it was because the day before I’d gone on a long walk with Lulu, the wonder dog, and it was dusty and I was wheezing when I got home. That’s not how I caught the flu, just stay with me. In a meeting my husband looks up from some drafts he was studying and says, “I can hear you over here. You’re wheezing! Well, be healed, in Jesus name because I don’t have time to get sick right now.” I think selfish prayers provokes a sarcastic sense of humor. So I wasn’t surprised when the next morning I woke up with a croup, burning throat and fever of 101 and glands so swollen I couldn’t swallow. My husband woke coughing like a barking seal and saying, “What happened?” I said, “It’s the prayer. You should have just prayed healing with good motive.” He rolls his eyes. He doesn’t believe me. But I have James 4:3 or is it 6, I can’t remember on my side. Motive is the key.
All this to say that we got really sick. Since I had the half-hearted prayer over me, my fever never went over 102. His went to 104. We went to the doctor and got doses of Tamiflu and were assured it was not Swine Flu and told to go home and rest till Friday. Our doctor laughed when he said this because he knows us and because it was only Monday. My husband had a killer headache as well but then again, he wasn’t eating because he wasn’t hungry. I offered up everything I could think of.
Then he said it.
“You know what sounds good? Chef Boyardee Ravioli.” HUH? If this post could have sound effects, it’d have the rewind sound, or brakes inserted here. We never eat that. Oh, he knows, he says, that I don’t like it because I never buy it, but he LOVES it. Now, we’ve been married 7 years, do you think he’s ever bought a can or said, “Honey can you pick up a can of Ravioli at the grocery store?” Not once. Now I find out he LOVES it. And further I might add, the man hates pasta! Go figure.
Come to think about it when you’re sick you desire your own style of comfort food don’t you? I wanted Enchiladas. My little Mexican girl side comes out and I want hot food. So it makes sense. We didn’t eat the Chef’s cuisine at my house, so I have no reference. Oh yeah, he also said he missed some pan fried squirrel but since California rabbits don’t taste like Louisiana rabbits he assumes squirrels are the same, and so no go on that one. Yes, yes, yes, you’re right about that, I could do the big EWWW factor here but I hadn’t had menudo in months and had a bowl just a few weeks ago so we all have our gross things we eat. Even you if you think about it. Twinkies and Ding Dongs are some nasty food.
So we compromised and had veggie stir fry, homemade I might add, and Jamba Juice. Yes, we’ve determined to be pioneers and make our own memories of comfort food. Someday when we’re old (er), we’ll look back on this time and remember how it all began. “Remember baby, when we got that flu in 2009 and discovered that the best remedy is Jamba Juice? Who would have known?”
What about you? What do you eat when your sick? What makes you feel loved and cared for when you’re not feeling well? Spam? Chitlins?, honestly, I don’t even know what Chitlins are, or even if I spelled it correctly, it just sounds gross, or a good ‘ol bowl of chicken soup? My kids get sick and want a bowl of Ramen. How’s that for comfort food? We all have our stuff!
Pastor Susan 