Temper Temper Part VIII

We've been broken. We've been melted. We've been stirred and sometimes left to sit. We've had the "Seed" of the "Word of God" put into us. And, we may have had to sit even longer.

We feel we've been poked and prodded by God and we wonder - what is it all for?

When I work with chocolate, I, as the chocolatier, know that I have a purpose for doing all this to my chocolate.

Finally, the chocolate is in "temper." If it's milk chocolate, as shown in the photo, it's around 86°. One of the things I can do with "tempered" chocolate is to enrobe a truffle center in it, as is shown in the photo.

There are many other things I can do as well. I can pour tempered chocolate into a turkey mold and later find a perfectly solid, wonderfully formed milk chocolate turkey.

I can dip a pretzel rod, I can use chocolate to decorate other chocolate. I can use chocolate for flavoring my dark chocolate truffle centers - or as a coating for a truffle.

There are lots of things I can do with "tempered" chocolate.

Do you see the connection yet? When we have allowed God to "temper" us - we open up a myriad of opportunities for God to use us - however He pleases - because He is the Master Chocolatier.

Next time: Why it's important to be "tempered." What happens when chocolate isn't tempered correctly? How has God been "tempering" you? Where are you in the process? Post a comment and let us know.

Temper Temper Part VII - What Do I Do Now?

What do I do now?

As a chocolatier, I've broken the chocolate into pieces, melted it, etc. Now what?

I check the temperature of the chocolate. When it's melted, the temperature can be anywhere from 100 - 115° F. Then, I let it cool off...put seed in to speed the process - only if I've a mind to. I've stirred and stirred the chocolate so that the temperature reading will be accurate.

I check the temperature with a digital thermometer. It tells me right away whether the chocolate is in "temper" or not. It's got to be down to a certain range in order for me to work with it. If it's in temper, it's ready to roll.

Different things happen to break us, melt us, and stir us. God, the Master Chocolatier, has everything under control. If we "seed" ourselves with His Word, it may speed up our process - or it may not - but it's always important to know scripture. It's our daily bread, or in chocolate lover's language - our daily chocolate.

There may be a period of time where it seems nothing is happening in our lives. We plod along day after day after day. Nothing seems to change. Yet God is still in charge. Let's try to remember that He's checking our temperature. Are we in "temper" yet?

And why the process? Hang in there. The answer is coming soon. Next time: what I can do with chocolate when it's in temper.

What do you do when nothing seems to be happening? Post a comment and let me know.

Temper, Temper Part VI - Stirring & Seeding

In my last post, I said that there was a way to "speed" up the cooling off process.

It's called 'seeding.' When I have a molten mass of chocolate in front of me and I am pressed for time, I'll put in some "seed."

'Seed' is already properly tempered and set chocolate that has been cut into shavings or very small pieces for easy absorption. However, the hotter the melted chocolate is, the more 'seed' I have to put in. If I've got about eight ounces of melted chocolate and it's temperature is around 105°, I may have to put in a good 2-3 ounces of 'seed' chocolate in order to bring the temperature down quickly and smoothly.

I usually add it about a tablespoon at a time to make sure that I don't cool the chocolate off too quickly and that the the 'seed' is absorbed easily. I have to do a lot more stirring at the same time in order for the small shavings/pieces to be assimilated into the melted chocolate. I check the temperature often.

Can you see the correlation yet? What is the 'seed' in the life of a follower of Christ? It is the Word of God. It is the Bible. So...what should you do when you've been broken, melted, and stirred, and need to be cooled?

You put in your 'seed.' You press in to the Lord and you read the Word. You spend time reading and learning His Word. I believe because I pressed into the Lord by reading a lot of the Bible every day after my 'forced break' was the reason I was shown the chocolate so quickly. I'm not saying that God will always do this for you. But anytime you sink yourself into the Word of God, there will be good results.

Next time: What can I do now?