Juice Berries (and Other Emotional Thermostats)

I looooove juice berries. They are my snack of choice. Their flavour, texture and (interestingly enough), invitingly yummy look, all add to the experience of enjoying them.

I wonder if these, along with other snacks I enjoy, are representative of my moods at any given time. Could their consumption be a thermostat for what I may be currently feeling—an indicator providing a point of reference for the emotional fluctuations of my mind?

Some people like to consume sweet treats, while others lean toward the more savory types. Me? I like both—sometimes even at the same time. Does this sweet-and-savory-toothed predilection of mine, stem from some deep-seated desire for a tasty distraction as a counterpoint to what I may be going through in the moment?

Some would say this argument sounds suspiciously close to the foundational equivalency of a vice. Others may try to soften their approach and refer to it as a terminal case of a guilty pleasure. Is there a difference?

Vice. Guilty Pleasure.

Words which initially bring to mind things which are not good…or should be avoided…or denounced.

Descriptively speaking, a vice relates to an immoral or wicked behaviour, whereas a guilty pleasure refers to something one enjoys despite feeling it’s not held in high regard.

How about viewing your snack enjoyment as just that …something to be enjoyed…appreciated…even thankful for?

As an example—how many times in our lives, have we been provided with moments of pleasure, both expected and unexpected? Sometimes, seemingly out of the blue, we receive a divine touch, a word of encouragement, or a fresh revelation on something that we never understood before. These are little packages—little indicators from God, reminding us of His love and how much He cares for us.

And yes, that includes snacks. I would not be surprised if our Sovereign Lord, the Creator of the universe, Lover of our souls and counter of every hair follicle on our heads (those which remain for some of us anyway), would on occasion, trigger endorphins in us through the activation of the very taste buds He has so graciously gifted us with. I wonder if this viewpoint could enable us to separate the ‘guilt’ from the pleasure?

With that said, consider snacks as divinely orchestrated, culinary modes of edification - for the mind, soul and (sometimes) the body. After all, tasty snacks make the whole person feel good.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”