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Popsicle And A Little Faith

By Staff | Aug 13, 2014

Not long ago, a good friend told me his sister was not feeling well. He visited with her the day before and had taken his sister some Popsicles. Although she was not well, it made her feel happy. He texted me and told me about his sister. I responded, “A Popsicle and a little faith can make a big difference.”

A small thing is a Popsicle-mostly water, a little flavoring, and some food coloring. Freeze it on a wooden stick and you have something most people think is wonderful treat. A little joy and happiness neatly frozen on a stick. That is as long as you don’t waste any time in eating the flavored treat before the summer’s heat begins to cause it to melt and run down your arms.

Popsicles are one of the foods that leave evidence of you having eaten one. Ask any kid who has just had a Popsicle to show their mouth or lips and you can almost immediately identify the flavor they had eaten. The most popular flavor of all is the cherry flavored Popsicle. Thousands of kids’ tongues and lips are colored red every day in this country from eating the frozen treats. Over the last century, many different flavors have been made into Popsicles. But cherry is still the most asked for flavor.

When I was growing up a Popsicle was prescribed as a source of relief for a sore throat or to help when your stomach was upset. Every kid that had their tonsils removed was prescribed ice cream or popsicles as a way to help with the soreness after the surgery. It was often the best medicine you could receive and it tasted good too.

Over 111 years ago, a young boy named Frank Epperson is known to have made the first Popsicle quite by accident. He left a cup filled with powdered soda and water sitting outside over night in the cold. In the morning, he discovered what we today call a Popsicle. From that single first frozen treat until today, the Popsicle has become a summer time delight known around the world. Each year over two billion Popsicles are produced and sold.

If you look at the ingredients in a Popsicle, you will find no reason the frozen mixture should make us feel happy or sad. In fact, it should make no difference in how we feel at all. But, the truth is the simple summer time treat can bring smiles and happiness to most everyone that eats one.

Perhaps we have a little faith from those days when a doctor prescribed that if we eat a frozen treat we will feel better. And even after a lifetime of dealing with the realities of the world, a little frozen treat still can make us smile. Even in difficult times, is it a little faith that makes the difference?

Our faith is kind of like a Popsicle. It is simplistic in its nature. It takes very little to create it. And it has enough variety for us all in flavors and colors. If you don’t tend to it and take care of it, it will slowly melt away. But if you believe, it will make a difference and that good feeling will last a lifetime. Both a Popsicle and faith should be enjoyed.

My friend’s gift of Popsicles was a small thing, but he realizes the importance of those small things in a person’s life when given with love at a difficult time. This is especially true when someone is hurting and needing help and a little faith to get through the day. Most likely each of us can remember back to our childhood and how a Popsicle made us feel a little better. Don’t be afraid to take a Popsicle to a friend in need, who knows, it may make both of you feel better.

And when you have had a tough day, take a few minutes to enjoy a Popsicle yourself. I am partial to grape. So if you see me with purplish blue lips, it is not lipstick, it is just a good old fashion Popsicle. At the same time remember those that are not well and offer a little faith and hope for a better day as we look Through the Lens.