What I Love More Than Chocolate

I get on my hands and knees. I reach under the coffee table. I tip back the recliner to peer underneath. I dig my fingers in the cushions of the rocking chair.

I am looking for scattered M&M’s.

Minutes earlier I’d been holding the candy pieces in one hand, transferring them to a napkin in the other hand. But the napkin slipped, and the M&M’s fell everywhere.

But I’m not trying to find them now for myself.

I need to find them before someone else does.

My youngest grandchild is allergic to dairy. If he found and ate even one M&M, his body would react negatively.

Because of him, I’m viewing chocolate differently these days. When my grandson is at my house, I wait until he’s asleep before I pull out my chocolate chip cookies. Then I wash my hands afterward to remove any trace of dairy.

But it’s been a learning curve.

I sometimes forget how many of our foods are infused with dairy. I often have to double-check ingredient lists at the store and again at home for foods I buy for him. I google more, and ask my daughter more questions (Is this safe for him?). I look up dairy alternatives and keep photos on my phone of the type of milk he can drink.

Is it work? A little. But I do it gladly because I love my grandchild far more than I love any food.

This is how love works.

That’s what I hear Jesus telling his listeners on the mountain: first seek God and justice (the literal interpretation of righteousness), and other things will fall into place.

When Love is first, the rest comes easier.

I finally find every last M&M that I spilled. I throw them all in the garbage. They’ve lost their appeal for me today.

Love trumps even chocolate.


I’m almost finished memorizing Matthew 6:25-34 with my group this summer. This week’s verse is Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Next week is the final verse.

What do you love more than chocolate? Share your thoughts in the comments.

16 thoughts on “What I Love More Than Chocolate

  1. Pam

    I so hear you on this. Our youngest grandson (now 18) has a severe peanut allergy and peanut butter is a love in our house but can be deadly for him so I am always on the lookout for any risks and have been since his toddler days when it was diagnosed.

  2. Pari Ansari

    I love chocolate but not as much as I love my health . I also do not want to deprive myself to delight on chocolate so I treat myself once in a a while .

  3. Barbara Harper

    Our grandson and daughter-in-law are gluten-intolerant, so we’ve had a learning curve to deal with, too. It’s amazing what things have gluten that you’d never suspect, as with dairy and other allergens. It’s ever harder at restaurants, since you don’t have labels. And some places that have gluten-free items don’t understand that you can’t use the same pan, oil, or utensils for both gluten-free and regular food.

    We’ve missed a few things, like yeast rolls. But as you say, loved ones’ health is a higher priority. Baked good used to be a problem as well–GF cakes used to be really dense and heavy. But they’ve developed some alternate flour blends that have made GF baking come a long way.

  4. Tea With Jennifer

    Lisa I undersand! ?
    Although I’m the Celiac & the Lactose Intolerant one in our family, so I mainly take my own meals & snacks with me wherever I go, that I’ve prepared in my gluten free & dairy free kitchen. That frees up others so as to not to have to worry that they will cause a reaction because of gluten or dairy contamination.
    Visiting from Paula’s today ?
    Blessings, Jennifer

  5. Jeanne Takenaka

    Lisa, I loved this. Do I love chocolate? YES. But I love my three men (Hubs and two sons) way more. When my guys were little, they both had food allergies. Between mine and theirs, I became a very creative cook and baker. It’s not easy, but it’s oh, so worth it.

  6. Joanne Viola

    We have a family member allergic to tree nuts. She doesn’t even need to ingest it to react. This is a wonderful example of the lengths we will go to protect our loved ones. “Love trumps chocolate.” May we remember that love trumps everything!

  7. Suzette Katopodes

    My grandson was allergic to corn and it’s in so much of our food in the US. reading labels made shopping take longer. Learning all the different forms of corn was surprising. But, we remain diligent and read labels because we love our grandchildren more than chocolate. So much more.

  8. Joanne

    Oh absolutely! We are pretty fortunate that none of our kids have any food allergies but I do have a few family members that do and I’m always on high alert when they come to visit making sure that everything I feed them is Okay!

  9. Paula

    So beautifully spoken Lisa. Though I don’t have any food allergies, I have rotten IBS, and anything acts me up. This is so touching and full of modeling Christlikeness.
    I love that you shared this with Sweet Tea & Friends this month my friend.

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