Food for Thought

Chocolate!  I had to have a bite of something sweet.  Maybe I could make a cake, I mused, looking through supplies in the cupboard.  A Texas sheet cake!  That would be simple, although a lot of cake to have on hand.  I would cut the recipe in half, I decided.  Then I realized I had no powdered sugar for the icing.

My eyes fell upon a jar of Nutella on the shelf.  Maybe I could use that for the frosting!  After all, it was chocolate, delicious, and nutty as well.  I opened it to give it a taste test.  What was this? I was horrified to find the contents covered with tiny white bubbles!  I'd never seen anything like it, except when I saw mold on some homemade jelly once.  I ventured a taste, and it seemed okay, but my taste is off, so I had Howard taste it. He said it was fine.

Looking on the internet, I saw where other people had asked the same question: What are those bumps on top of the Nutella? The label said it should not be refrigerated, so it shouldn't have spoiled.  Several people advised one questioner not to eat it.  Some suggested scraping it off, which I had tried, but the squishy bubbles were throughout.

I even called my son, the Nutella expert, who had first introduced me to it on his wonderful crepes. He was clueless, never having experienced that before.  (I don't think the product lasts long enough around his house to go bad!)  Checking once more on the internet, I found the original  inquirer had since contacted the manufacturer, even sending a picture of said bubbles, and including a facsimile of the reply.

Turns out the bubbles in the mixture of fat and sugar are a result of temperature changes, and perfectly harmless! The yummy spread unrefrigerated is good for a year, and for even a couple of weeks past the expiration date!  The date on my jar was several months away, so I was able to use it with wonderful results.  The cake and topping were delicious!

It occurred to me that we have a manufacturers handbook in regard to our make-up, both physical and spiritual: The Bible. How many times do we seek answers to problems from friends, family, counselors, or professionals?  And yet if we follow the directives and instructions in scripture, obeying the principles and commandments of our Maker, our dilemmas are preventable, fixable, or erased!

II Timothy 3:16--17 tells us that all scripture is is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, "That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Our son was once given a "Knee-Owner's Manual," after surgery on an injured knee.  May we consult our Owner's manual that presents God's plan of salvation, as well as advice on healthy, happy lives on earth! The results and benefits are out of this world!