A dearest friend marks another year of life this week, so when this entry about celebrating her birthday in March of 2009 popped up, it was the obvious choice for this week’s recycled post. This post had the added benefit of launching the annual spring asparagus controversy: Is it edible or is it a noxious weed? The post below will reveal which camp I’m in and may even garner some comments from readers who actually put the stuff in their mouths and swallow it!
Heavenly Thoughts
Monday night, five of us went to Bravo’s in West Des Moines to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Grilled asparagus was on the menu, which the birthday girl pointed out, even though she knew of my aversion to it. The other women all like asparagus and shared cooking tips concerning the evil vegetable. I tried not to gag. Finally, the birthday girl asked me not to post any asparagus rants on the blog this spring. What was I supposed to do? It was her birthday girl, and I was severely outnumbered. So I promised, knowing full well my chances of keeping the promise were slim.
This morning, asparagus came to mind again, once I talked myself into taking my morning walk. Forty-nine percent of me hollered, “I don’t like to walk in the cold,” while fifty-one percent replied, “But it’s so good for you. Your back feels better you walk.” The promised health benefits and a little vote-rigging with my emotional hanging chads got me out the door.
The cold was so unpleasant, I immediately thought of asparagus. Then my thoughts shifted to what I want heaven to be like: fresh strawberries and sunshine, time to do every good thing in the company of people I love. Then I had another thought. What if heaven isn’t everything I like, but me transformed into someone who loves to do the things God says are good for me? Exercise would be joy instead of drudgery. All work would be pleasure because it’s inherent goodness would motivate me.
Best of all, I would no longer be a picky eater with a sweet tooth. Healthy foods would be my favorites, and I would never overeat. It sounded like heaven to me until another thought stopped me short. What if, on every Valentine’s Day throughout eternity, I received a box of asparagus truffles? Would I actually enjoy them? Did I want to find out?
Then I devised a scheme to avoid the whole issue. I’ll save the truffles until my friend’s birthday and give them to her. She’ll be happy, I’ll be happy, and heaven will be spared the possibility of one of my asparagus rants. Keeping my promise to the birthday girl will be easy once eternity rolls around. Now if I can figure out a way to do it during this life.
Any suggestions?
