Chocolate and God

God gave us...

God gave us the sun and the stars and the winds, and people worshiped the sun and the stars and the winds, instead of the God who made them.

Then God gave us the Law (in the Bible) and people worshiped the Law instead of the God who spoke it.

No matter what God gave people, eventually they were worshiping that thing, and not God.

So God gave us himself instead...
- Author Unknown

As people, we have a need within us to worship something other and/or bigger than us. We also long to be a part of something bigger than us; hence all the wannabes in the world (movie/music stars, writers just to name a few).

So what are we worshipping?
Worship means 'great or excessive love, admiration, and respect felt for somebody or something.

As humans, when we love something, we like to be able to see, touch, and even smell the object of our love. I love chocolate. I like to look at pictures of chocolate and I like to read descriptions of chocolate and how it is made. I even like to hear someone else talk about a great piece of chocolate they have enjoyed. I like to smell chocolate, but those things alone would never satisfy my love for chocolate. When I am blessed to be standing in front of a display of chocolates, especially homemade, I am a happy girl. I take time to select just the right piece, am I in the mood for nutty, fruit, milk, dark, salty. I love to consider all the choices. (Dark is my preference of late) After holding up the line too long, I make my decision. I slowly, almost reverently open the bag and take a deep breathe ... ah! Life is good! Then I get to enjoy the taste of it ... on a good day, it is everything I wanted it to be. Then and only then is my love for chocolate satisfied ... until the next time.

God's Word to us, the Bible says ... Love God with your entire heart, with your entire soul, and with your entire mind. So what does that look like? How do we love God? Do we walk around looking upward, reciting Bible verses, hugging holy statues or maybe we send God cute valentine cards? Is there a correct formula to follow ... steps 1, 2 and 3?

I have not yet found the formula for finding perfect chocolate ever time. Sometimes the displays of chocolate that look the best end up not tasting all that great. Other times I am in the mood for chocolate in the midst of an ordinary day and I have a quick bite of a Dove dark chocolate bar before I head out the door on an errand. I've had Dove before (often, actually) it is a good chocolate, but nothing extra ordinary. But that day, as I step outside, the sun is shining, my son is out the door on time and heading down the road, one of my favorite songs comes on the radio. With the flavor of chocolate lingering in my mouth ... the moment is wonderful.
I have been finding my walk with God to be similar to that. Some days when I am in a so-called 'perfect setting' to express my love to God, I am flat, feel lifeless and empty. Other days in the midst of life, in a moment when I least expect it, I am aware of the love/presence/joy of God in a very real way. Then my spirit responds with love to Him.

Those moments can be anywhere, whether it be observing His creation, teaching my boys, interacting with people or even doing laundry. And of course, when eating chocolate.