Every Christmas when I was little, my mother would buy a box of chocolate-covered cherries. As soon as she opened the box, I would breathe in that wonderful scent. Rather than eat the candy whole, I would bite into one and the crème would dribble down my fingers. I didn’t want to lose one tiny drop of that scrumptious juicy center so I immediately popped the rest into my mouth. Mmmm. They are so delicious and part of the enjoyment of the season. For me, chocolate-covered cherries are little moments of delight.
Recently a friend sent me a Thanksgiving greeting and told me I was a blessing to her. Our society doesn’t often express encouraging words like those. But kind words can go a long way in helping us feel appreciated and loved. Reading that email was like eating a chocolate-covered cherry. It was a little moment of delight that fed a weary spirit. It was God saying, “I love you and I’m watching over you.”
God drops those bite-sized candies of joy into our lives everyday. We simply need to slow down to taste and enjoy them. A fiery persimmon sunrise after a week of clouds. A cardinal pecking for food outside the patio door. A sweet word of blessing from a new friend. A phone call from your son who says he’s homesick. Each a tiny moment in time, yet it can feed our spirit for the whole day when we recognize it for what it is.
Today and everyday stop and look for the chocolate-covered cherry moments God brings your way. Before long, you’ll know the moment he opens the box. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14, NLT). ©2009 Debra L. Butterfield
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