Day 21 - Ben & Jerry's

I was dropping the boys off at school today when I heard on the news that it was "National Free Scoop Day"....at Ben & Jerry's. Well, that does me no good since the nearest Ben & Jerry's is probably in the Minneapolis airport. All it did was make me think about ice cream. All. Day.

When I got home from the gym (strategically planned so I could eat said craving) I realized, mid-client email, that I had a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer! I was so impressed with my ability to anticipate my Half-Baked cookie dough/brownie cravings!

While I was digging into the ice cream (sans bowl - bachelor style straight out of the carton) I laughed thinking about how I eat ice cream. I love to pick through the ice cream & eat out all the good stuff - the pieces of cookie dough or brownie or girl scout cookies...it drives most people that know me crazy! Especially one someone in particular. :-) Anyway, I started trying to craft some analogy in my head about only wanting the good things in life & trying to avoid the more difficult things. Then, I realized that the plain ice cream would have to represent the difficult things, and that just didn't make sense. I just REALLY wanted my excuse for eating ice cream to be that I had a brilliant analogy. Turns out, I just wanted chocolate!

I put a good dent in that pint, but later in the day, I did feel like God was speaking to me. There have been many times in my life, like yesterday, when something amazing happens to me and I wonder why. All I can think about is how much I've screwed up and how I don't deserve those things. It reminds me of a passage in the Bible: (which I just picked up & is covered with Cheeto finger prints - that one wasn't me!)

This passage is from Matthew 7 when Jesus is teaching. He says:

"Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Isn't it great to know that God loves us just because it is His nature?! It overwhelms me to the point of tears that God cares about me. I sure haven't done ANYTHING to deserve it. Maybe I don't have a spectacular analogy, but have you ever thought about why God gave us sugar or desserts? Our bodies don't benefit from them, except to bring us the pleasure of eating it. God chooses to show us His love, JUST BECAUSE. Not because we deserve it, but because it is who he is!

Tyler is learning the most popular verse in the whole Bible for school this week. Read it slowly today, and savor it like a bowl of Ben & Jerry's. :-)

For God SO LOVED the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16