This is my all time favorite flavor! I’m about to tell y’all how old I am, but I used to get it from Clark’s Drugstore or Thrifty. It could be pink or turquoise with medium sized bubble gum balls. Real bubble gum balls y’all, not chiclets. Hungry yet? Obviously I am, but my swooning over ice cream led me to thinking about the Holy Spirit. I know, nowhere but in Robin’s world does everything connect or lead to food.
Really though, here’s my thought process…
I like vanilla, but it’s usually smooth and unexciting. You can eat an entire pint (it’s only 16oz) before you know it because nothing made you aware of your actions. Now, if your life reflects mine, vanilla may not sound all that bad. There are seasons for vanilla and seasons for more. I’m in a season of more. I’ve gotten to the other side of my tribulations, my mind has settled and I’m dreaming again; now I feel ready for more. Problem is I still have some vanilla habits. Habits that just flow because they can, there’s no reason to stop them. Enter in the Holy Spirit, my bubble gum.
Bubble gum ice cream is flavorful and smooth until you get interrupted by a gum ball. You have choices when this happens, you can start chewing right away, intensifying the taste in your mouth, you can tuck it into your cheek for later or you can spit it out. All of these choices reflect how we interact with the Holy Spirit; when we start chewing right away we’re sensitive enough to stop, repent and correct or apologize for our actions. Making this choice comes with practice and it grows your spiritual walk in such a way that you feel grateful and enjoy the reminder that god is with you. Tucking the gum in your cheek shows that you’re aware that something’s disrupted your life, but because of pride, perhaps rebellion or maybe you’re just being ornery, you decide to deal with it later. From experience I can say that you will start looking like a chipmunk with cheeks full of unresolved issues. Then whenever you decide to start chewing, you won’t be able to enjoy the flavors and the lack of moisture makes the gum harder And you’ve got so many you’re trying to hold that it’s uncomfortable now. You might accidentally bite your tongue or the inside of your cheek trying to maneuver one into position to deal with. As a fellow sufferer from the “Head in the Sand” syndrome, I strongly suggest dealing with each issue as they come up, if you not you can get overwhelmed quickly and the lack of attention seems like the issue gets bigger.
Finally there’s a chance that you could spit them out every time you come across one; I’d like to say what a waste of perfectly free gum and you are missing out on the whole experience. The unknown hazard of this is you’ve placed obstacles in your own way by spitting out round objects that harden and have the capability to trip you up. Now you r path resembles a rocky road and technically you can only blame yourself. You are free to get mad at God, but let’s work towards being responsible and aware; actions have consequences.
Personally, I’d like a Black Cherry flavored life. The ice cream is yummy alone, but the cherries show up and they intensify the flavor in a way where you already know what to do; chew and swallow. These are the hiccups in life that you see coming and you’ve prepared yourself to deal with them. You’ve prayed, spent time with God and some of His people and now you’re ready for anything that shows up on your spoon.
What flavor does your life look like?