'Verses and Vittles': If God was a gumball
By Ruby Hicks
Published in News on September 23, 2016 2:20 PM
"For I the Lord do not change." -- Malachi 3:6
When our girls were small, just about everywhere we went they had those gumball machines. Back then you could put in a nickel or a dime, maybe even a penny, I forget, but you would get one gumball. Now you have to put in a quarter and get a bigger gumball.
Do you remember those things? Our youngest daughter absolutely hated the white gumballs; they were a flavor she did not like, peppermint I think. You may think I am telling a story, but I am not, so help me it is the truth: Every single time she put money in one of those machines she got a white one, not just once in a while but every single time. I was truly amazed, I just don't know how she did it, but it was a white one every time. I do know, too, she took after me, that's the way my luck runs. I am not a lucky person; door prizes and things like that I never win. The only time I win is when they have enough prizes for everyone to have one, otherwise I don't win.
As I was thinking about this, I thought if God was a gumball in one of those machines, one thing you could count on, and that is that He would come out the same color every time. God never changes. He is the same all day every day, now and forever. He will never ever change, and that you can believe. He is always waiting for us with open arms, and His love for us will never change. Another thing you can count on is that God will never be a gumball in a machine.
I'll bet if Norma got a gumball out of one of those machines today it would be white, or maybe, just maybe, her luck has changed.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for always being the same, thank you for being the one thing in this world that we can depend on. Thank you for your never ending love, and thank you for all you do for us. Amen.
Thought for the day: Be thankful that God is not a gumball in a machine; be thankful that He is here with us.
Prayer focus: Young children
Recipe: Volcano cake
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans)
1 cup flaked coconut
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs
1 stick margarine
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
24 oz. Hershey's chocolate syrup
8 oz. Cool Whip thawed
1 plain chocolate candy bar grated
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray with non-stick cooking spray 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the pecans and coconut in bottom of pan. Set aside. Blend dry cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large bowl; beat at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour over pecans and coconut in pan. Melt margarine and cream cheese in microwave, stir until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, mix well. Pour over cake mix. Bake 30-35 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Immediately after removing from oven, pour all of the Hershey's syrup over the hot cake. Cool completely. Top with Cool Whip and sprinkle with the grated candy bar. Refrigerate until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.
Ruby Hicks is the widow of James W. Hicks. The couple formerly pastored Rones Chapel and Bethel churches. Mrs. Hicks now lives in Goldsboro.