Have you seen those plastic boxes stacked at the entrance to Walmart? Pumpkin rolls stacked 6 or 8 boxes high and there for my purchase. Delicious pumpkin cake wrapped around a rich, tasty filling. I haven’t checked for calories and sugar, but I know it is an overload for my day. Every time I walk in (which is quite often) I am tempted to put one in my shopping cart. My husband is diabetic so he wouldn’t eat any of it, and it wouldn’t tempt him because he isn’t fond of the taste of pumpkin.

Of course, after quickly walking by for several days, I grab one and throw it in my cart. When I get to the register, I push it through just as though it is eggs or meat or a staple I really need. It sits on my counter at home-the same beautiful temptation it was in the store. I leave it for most of the day but finally tear open the lid and take my first little bite straight from the box, Delicious! I wait to eat my first slice as my dessert after supper. I feel a bit guilty, but my husband doesn’t mention it, and I gobble it down. The next morning, I decided it would be my breakfast. It’s just okay but not the delicious taste of the first nibble. Now three days later half of it stills sits in the box on the counter…no temptation…just dry pumpkin roll.

I saw it on the counter this morning and thought how my experience with the pumpkin roll is much like sin in my life. Many things through the years have looked so good that I thought I just had to have a “bite”. The first experience was exciting, and I really thought I would want more; however, the flavor is soon gone but the results remain. Usually I can overcome the result, let it “sit” and get on with life, but as with the sugar and the calories of the pumpkin roll some effects remain. Even though I have put the sin aside someone else’s hurt feelings, my own physical well-being or just my guilty feeling remain.