Wednesday, September 24, 2025
“Taste and see
that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of
those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)
One of the things that Mum had told
us was that she would like everyone to have an ice-cream cone at her wake. She particularly
had a fondness for Dairy Queen chocolate-dipped cones. Whenever the young grandchildren
stayed there for any sort of vacation time, there were always many trips to the
Dairy Queen. So, on Saturday, there was
a trip to the Dairy Queen (by some brave souls) who procured 25 chocolate-dipped
ice cream cones and brought them back to the house. By the time they arrived,
the ice cream was already melting. We all hurried out to the back yard and
grabbed a cone. But it was a messy
endeavour to say the least, A lot of folk, especially some of the great-grandchildren,
were covered in gooey ice cream by the time we were done. The patio area was
bespeckled with melted drips and drabs. Even some of the adults were wiping ice
cream off their clothes. We were all
laughing at the craziness of this celebration. It was a riot. Mum would have
enjoyed every inane, messy minute of it.
Taste and see the Lord is good. In these troubled, anxious times, we all need
to eat some ice cream and even drip a little chocolate-dipped ice cream on ourselves.
We need to be reminded of the joys of family, experience some laughter, don’t
take ourselves too seriously, do something silly, remind ourselves God has a
sense of humour too, and let the ice
cream drip away. It’s OK if it gets messy. It’s OK if we spill some. It’s OK when
we get together as family and friends and imbibe in life’s joys, laughter, appreciation
and gratitude. “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be
glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
As I write this, I have had a
morning of technical glitches. It has been frustrating, annoying and
exasperating. As my mother used to say at times like this, it is enough to make
a preacher swear. The world right now seems to be in one big technical glitch. Humour,
joy, hilarity, fun, whimsy even, are in short supply. We have a bitter taste in
our mouths or left with a sour taste. A
lot of stuff that is happening is hard to swallow. Our taste buds for life are
being affected by tastelessness and unsavoury times.
Perhaps, we are making it too complicated.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. More than likely, we will find this goodness in the small
sweet things in life. We’re in a wonderful season of harvest: apples, tomatoes,
corn, fresh garden vegetables. Eating is never more pleasurable than this time
of year. This harvest reminds us that there is goodness to be had and enjoyed.
But we need to carry this over to appreciate those things that make our lives
full of abundance and lives to be relished. Feast on the things that matter, be
it family and friend’s, our church and our faith, our health (even though not
always perfect) and our freedoms and this country we live in (again, not
perfect but far better than many.)
Paul wrote about those who abide by the rules: “Why do you let
yourselves be bullied by it? ‘Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near
this!’ “Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth
that kind of attention?” (Colossians 2: 21 -23, The Message Bible) But once we have an
appetite for the Lord’s Grace, Love and Mercy, there is a smorgasbord of life’s
wonders and a feast of sacred portions. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Sometimes though, it is a simple as letting some ice cream drip down
your chin and enjoying the moment for all its worth. Savour the moments like
these. They are precious!
Love you, Mum!
Dale
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