I recently passed an assembly of carolers. They                 sang a familiar tune:

                  We wish you a merry Christmas…
                  Oh bring us some figgy pudding…
                  We won’t go until we get some,
                  so bring it right here.

I learned a bit about figgy pudding during a brief stay in London. Figgy pudding is a dense, steamed cake that ironically does not include figs. Its origins date back to fourteenth-century Britain. Modern versions of the holiday staple contain such ingredients as breadcrumbs, eggs, brown sugar, raisins, currants, suet, and alcohol.

     A few weeks ago, the lunch meat packager, Hormel, introduced its limited-time Spam Figgy Pudding. The delicacy includes all the elements found in traditional figgy pudding recipes. Plus, like all Spam products, it has an interminable shelf life in case of the apocalypse.

     If my mother were living today, I am confident she would purchase a can and insist that members of her family give it a try. Mom was a courageous soul when it came to trying new things. Mom would ask, “What do you have to lose?” My typical response: “Just the contents of my stomach.”

     King David encouraged his son, Solomon, to step out of his comfort zone and take a risk. The monumental goal was to build a temple of worship that would honor God. The undertaking of which would test Solomon’s resolve. The good news is the project was a fabulous success. The completed task both enhanced Israel’s allegiance to God and further strengthened Solomon’s capacity as a leader.

     Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” The truth is that doing nothing will never change the situation. Sometimes you have to open up and tell someone what they are doing is self-destructive. The person who declines to pursue a different job may well miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime. Many of our regrets stem from not doing what we could have done, as much as the things we should not have done.

     Consider taking David’s counsel then. Be strong and courageous. God is with you. Besides, what do you stand to lose if you don’t try? Setting Spam Figgy Pudding aside.