A Taste of Kindness

     Today I read an article on Gizmodo about how ice cream was made in the 17th century. Ice cream is that one food I’ll eat no more how much I’ve gorged myself prior to having ice cream offered to me. “I am so stuffed. If I eat one more thing I will literally explode.” “Anyone want ice cream? It’s cookie dough!” “Two scoops right here… better make that three.”

     The first ice cream in history was made possible in 1671 without the use of refrigeration. The first mention of “ice cream” was made during a feast for British king Charles II. The creator of orange blossom ice cream, the first flavor until the end of the 1600s, was paid a yearly stipend to keep the recipe secret until the 1680s. Instead of mixing salt with ice as I do every few weeks to create a cold, creamy concoction, people in the 1600s used saltpeter. Saltpeter, KNO3, was first used for the creation of fireworks and gunpowder.

     No one knows how people stumbled on to the freezing properties of saltpeter but I’m incredibly glad that they did. There is verse in 1 Peter that comes to mind when I think about my adoration for ice cream. 1 Peter 2:2 reads: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” (NLT) Once we realize how kind God really is to us, we cry out for more. God sent his son to die on the cross though we didn’t deserve it. The thought of this sacrifice has the ability to drive us to greater acts of kindness and greater devotion to the God who loves us unconditionally. When you think you’ve offered enough kindness, remember the depth of God’s kindness and continue to grow.

Teddy Bear Blessings

     The Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen hosted their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” last Sunday. After the Hitmen scored their first goal, a  record 28,815 stuffed animals were thrown on to the ice at a game with only 19,289 in attendance! Over the past 21 years, the Calgary Hitmen and their fans have donated over 300,000 stuffed animals to over 50 local charities. The game, Calgary’s first with a sellout crowd , was delayed for 40 minutes while the stuffed animals were removed from the ice.

     The news is typically populated with countless stories featuring war, death, prejudice, greed, poverty, and other subjects that cause us to shake our heads with sadness and dismay. It’s good for the suffering of others to be brought to our attention. This type of awareness can spur us on to good works or instill gratefulness towards our own blessings. However, we must understand that our world is not without hope. While I look forward to life in heaven, I know there is much to live for here on Earth. There are many people in need of God and in need of our help. Maybe you had a stuffed animal that you carried with you through most of your childhood. I had a giant parrot who constantly poured Styrofoam stuffing around my house from numerous holes in his fuzzy flesh. What joy the smallest gestures can bring to the recipient and the giver! Jesus talked often about the joy of serving others. In Luke 6:38 he states, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NLT) Who do you know that may be in need? What can you give? We must consider these questions often as live in the image of a God who provides for us. – JMW