Just Rambling Today

Well - I have a half hour before I'm gonna walk, then make supper, then make some serious chocolate!

This yellow mum was in full bloom last year when I took it's picture. It was called "Golden Prophet." It was on my doggie's grave in the backyard.

But it didn't really survive the winter, although it had survived five others. It had grown and prospered. This year though, it didn't. It didn't grow at all.

There are seasons in our life when the things we do grow and prosper, and other seasons when it seems all is pruned, dead, and silent. Spiritually speaking, I'm just emerging from one of those "dead" seasons. I am not in "full bloom" yet, but I am growing. At least I think I am.

One thing I have learned from the 'dead' season - use that to its fullest. Use the time to seek the Lord, to pursue Him passionately, as the name of this blog suggests. Allow the Lord to prune away those things within you that are not pleasing to Him.

I'm using plant language here - but many of you know my 'real' language is CHOCOLATE! Because once we're "tempered" (pruned, refined, and we start to grow again) - God can use us in ways we could never imagine! And it WILL be SWEET!

We need to remember - it's a PROCESS!

Ends and Beginnings - Part V

Ends and beginnings...ends and beginnings. Life goes full circle and as something ends, something else begins.

Today is the last day of June - so this month ends. And so ends the first half of the year!

But! So BEGINS the SECOND half of the year!

I believe there is much to look forward to! I just wish I knew what it was! My main beginning is: I'm beginning to "submit" my writings to publishers. I have the Temper, Temper message being considered by several "take home papers." If it's published for real, that's a new beginning for me.

I just began a second installment on Twitter of the Chocolate Saga of the Master Chocolatier and the 2.2-lb. block of Chocolate called "Chocolate and the Master's Helper." You can follow it on Facebook as well.

So...while something ends, something else begins. I love the beginnings; but I don't necessarily love endings.

What do you think? What's beginning in your life? How has God brought you full circle? 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.

The Personal Chocolate Blog

Well...for those of you who know me, you know I've got a chocolate business. But I also know that God works through chocolate.

I've learned some things about chocolate that I hope will be of interest to you! Blessings! Thanks for all your comments!