It all started with the Chompo bar…
The dog-eared pages of this book attest to its beloved status in our family. In A Birthday for Frances by Russell Hoban, Frances the badger wrestles with the fact that it is her sister Gloria’s birthday.
Her struggle with the Chompo bar that she bought for her sister makes for a delightful story.
After endless readings of this book, chomped became an often used word in our family. (no surprise for the food-lovers that we are!)
We joke about the other verbs that punctuate our food foibles:
“I drilled those peanut M & M’s!”
“I ripped into that bag of chips!”
“I nailed those chocolate chip cookies!”
While these words are usually used in reference to a non food-related object, our family has found them humorous as descriptions of consumption. (pigging out, to be exact.)
All overindulgence aside (and atoned for), I began to ponder some words of a different sort – affirmation and conviction. Both of these relate to belief and confidence in a certain set of principles.
I like to believe that faith, hope, and love are a byproduct of the aforementioned words…and don’t they conjure up images of taking action?
To me, none of them connotes passivity.
And unlike a momentary lapse of culinary excess, acting in faith, holding on to hope, and having love for others are building tools, resulting in a sturdy foundation.
Living life with these operative words can keep us spiritually healthy, and ever mindful of God’s presence.
How often do faith, hope and love guide our daily interactions?
We could use these words as the basis for a spiritual fitness program, which could bring far reaching and long lasting results in terms of our relationship with God.
So, if you’re willing, here’s the drill…
Rip open your hearts to receive God’s words…
Nail them to the depths of your soul…
Feast (chomp!) on faith, hope and love….
And, unlike Frances, be willing to share…
I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy. ~Psalm 63:4-5 (GNT)
Another winner! All those memories… Love, Mom xox
Love you, too, Mom!!!
Love it!!!! THANK YOU!
Chomping of this thought-filled, memory-filled blog………….delicious…!!
:)
Haaaaaa. Just in time for Thanksgiving….. ;)
True!!!
Oh my you have hit on one of our classic favorites!!! Except with my girls, the verb which entered our lives was “She squeezed the Chompo bar”. You will recall that she squeezed rather than give it as the present. We knew that feeling of holding on, lack of generosity, secretiveness. Oh my, guilty! Would that we had grabbed onto the other verbs. Now we can laugh. But my conversion ‘moment’ was an insight into Jesus’ generosity, wouldn’t you know.
Thanks for the memories and realization of where we have changed, hopefully!
xo
So glad Frances is loved by your family, also!!! And your shared insights are so enlightening! Thank you, Mary Jane! xo
rip, nail, and chomp…I like it:)