Going out for dinner is more complicated these days, but it’s always complicated for my wife and I.

With COVID, some restaurants have decided to keep their doors shut. Some only have take out or patio service available … which was okay until now when the temperatures have started to drop in the evenings. Having dinner on a patio might be rather chilly. 

Some restaurants have a limited menu so you might go there with a hankering and end up being disappointed because the chef wasn’t feel’n your favourite dish.

I even read somewhere that those who eat in restaurants have a higher risk of contracting COVID. I have no idea if that is true or not, but I heard it. 

So these days there’s lots to consider when going out for dinner. You have to weigh all the options … or lack thereof. 

You might think it would be nice to eat out, and even get kind of psyched to go out. But by the time you have looked at where you can go and what is available, you are almost ready to break out the peanut butter and jelly and call Yogi over.

I haven’t even mentioned that at most restaurants seating is a little more limited. Even if you could make a decision, you might not be able to get in or the wait time might be prohibitive.

If right about now you are thinking, “You’re right, Paul; it is a lot of effort to go out for dinner,” well, let me tell you, that is nothing. 

On top of all these barriers to going out for dinner during this current season, my wife and I have a whole other series of complications we need to hurdle over to get that meal out at a restaurant.

You see, Lily is allergic to seafood and fish. And I’m not just talking about getting a runny nose and sneezing from eating it. All that would do is alarm people, thinking she had COVID. 

No, Lily’s allergic reaction is anaphylactic … I know, you got hypnotized trying to sound that word out, didn’t you?

The bottom line with her allergy is that her throat closes up and she can’t breathe. She does always carry an epipen with epinephrine with her to counteract an allergic reaction, but it is an injection so it’s not something you are going to take just in case. … If she ever had to use it, we could add an extra hundred dollars to the food bill, so the food would have to be worth it. 

With this fish allergy, she has to be careful of cross contamination. She can’t have the fries if they cook fish in the same oil. It also seems that more and more restaurants serve a fair bit of fish, and they cook it using the same grills, pans or fryers.

So going out for dinner, for most of you at this time, is a breeze compared to what we have to contend with. 

Oh wait … I think we found a restaurant we can go to tonight.

Here’s the thing: You will make all kinds of considerations for someone you love to find a way to do something you really want to do. Because of what Christ did for you on the cross, you should know how much God loves you. So when God shows us something He wants us to do or stop doing, we should do all we can to make it happen. We should be willing to make the adjustments because we love Him.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What recent adjustment did you make for someone? Leave your comments and questions below.

Subscribe to the blog and receive posts like this one delivered to your email inbox twice weekly.