It is at this time every year that my sweet tooth becomes, well… snobbish. Suddenly cookies, cakes, and any other kind of sugary foods lose their appeal. I crave only the best that the world has to offer: my grandmother’s orange and banana cakes (and also my mother’s pumpkin pie). As far back as I could remember, this has been one of those special memories of Christmas, and I am thankful that my wife has now taken over this wonderful tradition. I absolutely love these delicious desserts and savor every bite, and stretch the enjoyment by freezing part and cutting razor thin slices for myself and especially for others to whom I reluctantly share. My devotion to these delicacies is serious, and I forsake all others until the last piece is gone (which tends to be around mid-march).

Perhaps I’m the only one, but when I find something that truly delights my soul (or stomach), I can’t bear to waste precious calories by consuming less satisfying treats. Even when temptation strikes and I reach for cheap substitutes, my hand is stayed by a recollection of better things awaiting me in the refrigerator at home.

If only I could implement this discipline elsewhere in my life.

But the problem is that I have failed to fully appreciate the good things God has given me, tending to ungratefully devour His sweet blessings without truly tasting them. I have forgotten the pleasure it once brought me, and thus I lustfully fall into temptation, indulging in the cheap and immediate.

This has caused me to conclude that much of the sin in my life would be far less appetizing if I simply could improve my recall and savor every bite of what God provides.