Our shared puritanical past

The Puritans are alive and well, even in Georgia.

Most people do not know our Christian, Evangelical roots are from the Puritans and Pilgrims. I traced my dad's great grandmother Queen Ann Stephens McDuffie family back to one of her great several times grandfather being born in Plymouth Rock in 1608.

More relevant is the tracing of religion from the early Congregationalist to Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Church of God, Shakers, Mormons, etc. They are still with us.

Another religious group that had a big influence on us today but isn't a large denomination today are Quakers. Rose colored monocals were around in the 1600's.

I have a healthy respect for evangelicals having been born a member of it. I don't believe some of the pack's mentality.

I also know its faults. One is not recognizing reality or praying for a miracle. I believe in miracles. I just don't like praying for something that is going to happen due to the natural order or things.

The worst is a family with a daughter dying of cancer. Every once in awhile someone will chip in on the Facebook update page they see a miracle a coming. It could happen but the family and child knows how the disease is progressing.

They had eight pieces of baked chicken at Kroger for $4.99 in their Deli. They put the chicken out at 4PM and I got there at 3:53. After checking the clearance shelf, I came back and stood in line. Like most people I got in conversation with the other person waiting.

Her sister and brother in law are diabetics. She didn't know what sort but I discerned Type 2. Type 2 is hereditary and a disease of aging. It is true being overweight is a characteristic. It is a disease of aging and obesity in that the cells in your pancreas die and stop producing insulin.

In the treatment of Type 2 being overweight is good in that if you lose weight, you can reverse some of disease's progression. In addition, overweight people fare better in treatment of diabetes than their slim counterpart. Type 2 diabetics do not sustain the heavy organ damage that Type 1 suffer. Of course, someone has to manage their diabetes to withstand the toll it can take on your body.

I've been careful about what I eat and I have been able to maintain my sugar levels with diet. Well the craving for sugar happened and I knew my diabetes was acting up. I measured my blood sugar and it was high. My liver knew my body needed sugar, my brain was telling me to eat sugar, I went to the doctor and find myself on medication to improve my body's response to sugar.


My next step is to lose weight. And no, I wasn't eating sugar. My sugar is controlled.

Back to the woman talking, she told me how her sister does exactly what the doctor orders. I can hear our puritanical roots. I had made the mistake of saying my diabetes was acting up and I was eating a lot of chicken or eggs as meals.

She seriously tells me I need to pray to get my diabetes under control and cured like her sister.

I thank her. I grew up with many people with her logic. I imagine her sister understands my situation. The word is not cured or remission. It is under control.

I know in the scheme of things, type 2 diabetes is not the worst disease to manage. It is as old as time. My great-grandfather Dube Prestwood had diabetes. His brother Jess died from diabetes. One Christmas he decided to have a drink and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. An elderly friend of mine late husband died from eating too much dressing one Christmas. He made a pig of himself as she tells it. Tragically an acquaintance from high school had a 21 year old daughter die from complications of diabetes.

My big aggravation with it is that I have to think about it. The freedom to just eat is not there. I pick around with what I can eat. I know I am getting older. It is much better than the alternative.

What I wanted to say to the woman was, "You mean God reverses aging? We don't have to obey the passage of time if we pray enough."

I do pray. I pray for people to have relief from the ills they face. I pray for myself and family to be safe. I thank God for what I do have. I don't pray to be prettier, richer or younger. I pray to make the most of what I do have.

And yes, the $4.99 chicken was delicious.

The woman purchased two snack packs which cost $3.49 each. One eight piece would have been cheaper. Behind me was a former sixth grader who is in college with two roommates. They each were buying an eight pieces of chicken for $4.99. He was so smart, happy, and doing well. That is always great.

And yes, I know my puritanical roots are showing too. I just don't care for prosperity gospel.