I still remember the first time I was confronted with grapefruit. My family was visiting our great-great Aunt Helen and Uncle Harold in Tampa Florida. It was breakfast. We were sitting in their condo’s dining room that looked out over the Bay. On our plates were halved grapefruits and along side were these wooden handled spoons which had tips for cutting the grapefruit. At the age of five the only thing neat about this breakfast of toast and grapefruit was the spoon.
And there we sat around the table- Mom, Dad, Marilyn, Uncle Harold, Aunt Helen and GG (my great grandmother and Helen’s sister.) I stared down at the fruit. It smelled good, but I couldn’t be fooled – it was sour and I knew it. That day I ate toast and avoided the grapefruit, which is a shame. My Uncle Harold had been a citrus farmer and sold his orchards at retirement. I’m sure he knew how to pick out the tastiest grapefruits. But when you’re five those kinds of things don’t strike you as important.
Fast forward many years. I am now thirty four and have had 3 children. I have gained a less than desirable amount of weight. I have been searching for a way to loose the pounds. One way that I know of to loose weight is to avoid sweets. Anyone who knows me, knows this is nigh unto impossible. I enjoy a good chewy brownie, a bowl of ice cream, a freshly baked cookie – you name something decadent and I probably love it.
Over the last 3 weeks I have worked very hard at saying no to desserts. Its been really difficult at times. However, I have found a saving grace. Grapefruit. Not long ago as I walked through the produce section of the grocery store, I noticed them sitting there. They called out to me and for some unknown reason, I purchased a whole bag. That’s right – a bag of 10 grapefruits.
When I got home that night, as the rest of my family was having a treat, I prepared my grapefruit. Now, I must confess that I used a little sprinkle of sugar on mine, but as I took that first bite, something happened. I can’t define it – I can’t describe it. But – I devoured it. The whole thing – it was better than candy or chocolate or ice cream. A piece of God’s nature satisfied a craving that had been taunting me.
I’ve been thinking about the experience. I know that to be the woman that God wants me to be, I have to lay aside this weight. Not just the physical weight, but also the temptation that haunts me. Sometimes it feels like pounds hanging around my neck.
There is Scripture that talks about being tempted and it means something sweet and fresh to me today:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT. ”
In times passed I focused on the “able to bear” part. And I would wonder – “God, I can’t handle this temptation any more. Why are you doing this to me? Why can’t I say no to these foods that aren’t good for me?” But now I understand just a bit.
Before time God knew about me. He created me in my mother’s womb. He knew what my struggles would be and He knew what I would need to conquer them. And so – on the day of creation when he created all of the earth’s vegetation – he created Grapefruit. Somehow as I reread that Scripture today it seems as though he created it just for me. He promised that He would make my way of escape and He did.
Thank you God for creating such a delicious escape!
md
(written January 26, 2010)
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