Temper, Temper Part V - Cooling Off Period

While I'm stirring my chocolate, I need to bring the temperature down to around 86 - 88° depending on what type of chocolate I'm using.

If I have a lot of different things I'm doing, I'll just let the chocolate "sit" for awhile - while I do something else.

As the chocolate "sits," the temperature cools down very slowly. This is the spiritual equivalent to being put on a shelf - or taking a break from ministry activities. This could be a voluntary cessation of activity. Maybe we sensed that our time with a certain ministry or activity is coming to an end and we step down.

However, in my case, my "break" from ministry activity was 'forced' because I failed to meet certain requirements. This caused me to examine myself and seek the Lord for what I should be doing with my life. Chocolate is not something I would have ever chosen for myself - but it is what God has chosen for me.

Generally, when we're "taking a break" from ministry, it is because God is about to do something even more important in our lives and He wants to make sure we're ready for the change. He wants to give us additional training, testing, and possible gifts to prepare us for our next step.

I've been "on the shelf" for about 2-1/2 years now. God gave me chocolate for my "job," but He has shown me this process of "tempering" is pretty much the same that we as followers of Christ go through as we grow spiritually. So...if you're "on the shelf" or things don't seem to be happening as quickly as you'd like them to, remember that you're in training for your next assignment and allow God to do the internal work He needs to do to get you ready.

Sometimes though...I "speed up" the "tempering" process with my chocolate. More about that in the next post.

Are you being "cooled" right now - or are you in the thick of things? Post a comment and let me know!

Temper, Temper Part IV - Shaken AND Stirred

To recap - First, I break the chocolate into pieces. Sometimes, we as followers of Christ need to be broken into pieces, when our hearts have become too hard.

Next, I melt the chocolate in some kind of pot. The temperature is fairly hot. When we are in the Master Refiner's fire, it's hot and it hurts. We have to believe that God is doing this for a GOOD reason!

NEXT: When I'm working with chocolate after it's melted, I continually stir the liquid chocolate so that all the melted cocoa butter crystals can be distributed equally throughout the melted mass. I stir and stir and stir and stir.

While we are being refined, God stirs us up for love and good deeds. During our times of trial, we should be stirring ourselves up to press into God, so that we can experience His mercy, His strength, and His love. When we're melted, we can become depressed. We have to rise above that and press in.

Substitute the words "press in" for "stir." So, as a chocolatier, I stir and stir and stir and stir and stir. We should then press in and press in and press in and press in and press in. I'll share how I do that (press in) next time.

How do you stir yourself up to press in? Post a comment and let me know.

Overcoming Fear

Picture: Maggie on her "perch" at the top of the stairs of our old house

When we first got Maggie, (who has sinced passed away in 2003), she was a very frightened dog.

A breed dog who'd had little human contact, she wasn't sure how to respond to love and affection.

She trembled for several hours after I first picked her up that late October day in 1994. There were a lot of "firsts" in her life and she was frightened. This was a new person who just took her away from all she'd known.

When she finally figured out she was "my" dog later that day, she stopped trembling. She helped me overcome fear of being a bad "mommy." She overcame fear of being held and being loved.

Today, God has me overcoming fear of getting my name "out there." I just sent what is called a "query letter" to a magazine about Temper, Temper. I had to overcome fear of rejection in order to do that.

What fears are you being asked to overcome? Post a comment and let me know.

Temper Temper Part III - Aaack! I'm melting!

In "The Wizard of Oz" the Wicked Witch of the West screamed when water was thrown on her. "Aaack! I'm melting! I'm melting!" she screamed as she literally melted away into nothingness.

The first thing I do as a chocolatier after breaking my chocolate blocks or callets into pieces is to melt the chocolate. I have to break down it's current form in order to get it to the place where I can "re-form" it. In order to be melted, it goes in a "hot" pan or bowl. I have several different ways I can melt my chocolate...melter...double boiler, etc. But the result is the same. It's gotta be in liquid form.

When God wants to "re-form" us, He first breaks us, then we're melted. It's the refining fire. It's hot and it hurts.

We are all in various stages of being "re-formed." What is God doing in your life? How is He re-forming you? Post a comment and let me know.

Temper Temper Part II - I'm in pieces - now what?

OK. You've been broken into a million pieces. Now what?

I will tell you that God has the Master Plan for your life. I know, you've heard that before - but what specifically, is that plan? Only God can answer that question.

But as a chocolatier, I have a plan for any chocolate I make before I make it. I don't just break up a piece of chocolate and decide to melt it down without knowing what I'm going to do with it.

What's God doing with you lately? Post a comment and let me know.

Temper Temper Part IA - Different ways to Break

This Almond Bark set properly and could be broken into big chunks or into little slivers. I chose big chunks. I used my hand in a plastic glove to break the large blob of Almond Bark into smaller chunks.

As the chocolatier, I can break slabbed chocolate several different ways. I can use a knife and sliver away at the block of chocolate or I can use an ice pick, or use the knife to cut large chunks off the block.

God uses many different ways to "break" us so He can "remake" us. He can use circumstances, He can use events, He can use our mistakes, He can even use our failures & successes to teach us what He wants us to learn.

Two years ago, God used a "failure" to teach me a very important lesson. I was totally broken, shattered into a million pieces. I had absolutely no confidence in myself to choose what to do next. That's when God gave me CHOCOLATE!

What has God shown you? Post a comment and let me know!