Marshmallow!
Marshmallows are something I have never given much thought to. What about you? I mean I know they are on the aisle with the Jell-O if I should need them, but I don't usually ever give the soft white puffy things a second thought. I have often wondered why are they on the aisle with the Jell-O, seems they should be with... what category do marshmallows fall in? They kind of exist in a little world all by themselves, nothing else with similar characteristics. I wonder do marshmallows feel out of place on the Jell-O aisle.
Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against marshmallows, just don't buy them or think about them that often. I remember marshmallows from my younger days. I lived in a house with gas space heaters. My sister and I would hold marshmallows on forks near the flames and toast them. I also remember in another house we lived in with no gas heaters; my sister and I would hold marshmallows near electric stove burners and toast them.
I remember the heat that warmed me and the melted mallows that always made my heart smile.
By reading this, you can probably guess, I grew up in the city. I never experienced sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows. The gas heater was about as close as I ever got to a campfire when I was young.
In recent years, in my older days, I have been on outings where there were campfires, but still never roasted a marshmallow on a fire. Last week I went to a local park and we kind of camped there almost (stayed until dark.) We cooked hamburgers and baked beans on the fire and it was fun. Finally, for desert, we put marshmallows on sticks and toasted them just as the sun was going down.
As I held the marshmallow I realized this was the first time I had ever held a marshmallow by an actual fire. Even though I was full, I toasted two more, just because. This was something new and different I was experiencing and I wanted to savor every bite of the marshmallows that I had melted by the fire. I wanted to make sure I saved every bit of this memory that made my heart smile.
Since that day I have researched marshmallows. First of all, I called Wal Mart to double-check if the marshmallows were still on the Jell-O aisle. The grocery person said, "Yes, on the Jell-O aisle on the bottom shelf." I smiled as I hung up the phone. I imagine the person I called probably shook her head and said "Marshmallows!"
Did you know marshmallows originally came from a Marsh Mallow plant which first grew in Africa? I certainly didn't. Candymakers in early 19th century France made the innovation of whipping up the marshmallow plant sap and sweetening it, to make a confection similar to modern marshmallows. Later French manufacturers devised a way to get around using the sap by using egg whites or gelatin, combined with corn starch.
Have you ever checked the ingredients on a package of marshmallows? Marshmallows are still made from sugar, corn syrup, water, and GELATIN. Now, it makes so much more sense why the marshmallows are on the Jell-O aisle. I guess maybe the marshmallows do feel right at home there.
Today I think of marshmallows and me. People are often called marshmallows if they are soft and wimpy, with no backbone, and don't really fit in with the in-crowd. I guess part of that description partially describes me back when I was roasting marshmallows by gas space heaters.
But God placed me right where He wanted me. I seemed to keep ending up with people who I felt I had absolutely nothing in common with. After many years of sitting collecting dust on the bottom shelf, I finally figured out just what I was made out of. People who contained the very same ingredients I did surrounded me and picked me up. They showed me how to finally read the ingredients on the packaging God had placed around me. The Creator of the entire universe poured so many good things into me. The main ingredient is me is Christ and His Holy Spirit living in me.
Marshmallows! Isn't God amazing?
If today you haven't thought about God that much, kind of just know He is there if you should ever need Him ... go to the place where He is and pick Him up. Let Him show you just what you are made of. Everything will make so much more sense. He will warm your soul with His presence. He will melt your heart with His love.
jbp