Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Chocolate Is From The Lord


Baton Milk Chocolate - 30 Units | Chocolate ao Leite Baton - 30 Unidades - (PACK OF 03)

One of the many things we loved about our time living in Bolivia were these little chocolate rolls called Baton.  It was worth the effort to chop them up and make cookies, put over ice cream but my favorite way to eat them was frozen. Yep, when frozen they melt slower so the enjoyment last longer. 

Bolivia was the first country we served in with New Tribes, from August 1991 to June 1998 as dorm parents to high school boys.  Another set of dorm parents took care of the high school girls, two more sets of dorm parents for middle school children.  Most of their parents worked in remote places translating the bible into an unwritten languages, a few were Asian children whose parents wanted them to get an English education.  Most of the time we had five cultures living in our dorm...sure made for some interesting conversation. Those guys taught us a lot about trusting the Lord.   

Our pastor in Kentucky always had missionaries coming through so we were exposed to the needs from day one after we got saved.  Each one that came through made our hearts cry, we'll go with you, let us go, but like all things it's better to wait on God's timing.  We needed a little more chiseling and refining before we were ready to serve Him overseas.

 A fifty  some year old widow working in the Philippines in a tribe teaching literacy to the children came just in God's perfect time.  She shared her slides and after talking a few minutes about the needs we felt like she sit those people down in our church and God said, whose going to tell them????   It wasn't like we weren't already busy telling folks the gospel, I taught Sunday school, Ace had a bus route, we were faithful to witness every chance we got, sometimes to the same people and we were already supporting missionaries.  To know there were people tucked in remote place who had never heard the gospel one time again caused our hearts to say to God, we'll go.  

People have said to us, "you must love God very much to do what you did".   We tell them, no, He loves us very much and how could we not go give others a chance to know the love God.   My husband and I took II Corinthians 5:14 to heart...For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that, one died for all therefore all died, and He died for all , so that they who live might no longer  live unto themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

You know it's not about the location we serve it, it's about what are we doing in the location we live in right now.   It's harder physically to serve in a third world country but we think it's harder to serve spiritually in good old USA with too many choices of chocolates to keep us confused. 

Back to the Baton.  They were hand delivered by a missionary father bringing his daughter back to the states from Bolivia to enter collage. 
We knew him and his wife when they were both single, was there for their wedding.  He had no idea my husband and I had been talking about those little rolls of chocolate and our time in Bolivia.      When he handed them to me, these words popped out of my mouth straight from my heart.  " Oh, God loves me so".   He loves me so much He wanted to bless me with a box of chocolate Baton's.  Actually the better blessing was the few hours we had with this dear family.  Phil is the government rep for New Tribes Mission in Bolivia.  His wife and other children had to stay in Bolivia just because it expensive to fly the whole family. It's one of the sacrifices missionaries make to give the gospel out to the unreached.  

One last note:  God loved on us through those rolls of chocolate carried by hearts that are not living unto themselves.  How has God loved on you lately?

30 comments:

  1. How much time do you have? :) Suffice it to say I am so glad He is a God of the little and the big. A "little" thing like Baton shows you His care. As for me...anything chocolate is good. (except if it has coconut, nuts or cinnamon in it. :)

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  2. I hear you brother...He is so good to us...all the time even when there is no chocolate. The Baton's were my stress reliever in a house full of high school young men who could eat more chocolate cookies then I could bake in one week in one hour. I would start baking around 1 in the afternoon till the guys came home at 3 and of course they ran to the kitchen to pop those good smelling cookies in their mouths before they went out to soccer practice. Good memories.

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  3. God is continually blessing us, Betty! Today it was progress He helped me make in coming off a prescription drug that I have been taking for five years. It hasn't been easy but I give thanks to God for the improvement I see each day. :)

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  4. Pam, understand completely. Had to ween myself off a drug when we first got back to the states. Everyone told me how horrible it would be, it was tough but not impossible. Amazing how much He cares for the little things in our life. Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. God was so good to send you chocolate treats. Growing up as kids, Our church always enjoyed missionary speakers. Thank you for sharing your lovely exciting story with us here at “Tell Me a Story.” At: http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/

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  6. I've found God daily blesses us with those small things in life. It just takes us opening our eyes to His gifts and blessings. Great post:)

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  7. Dan, you are right on, His blessings is in every breathe we take. Without Him we would be nothing, without Him we'd surely fail, and without Him life would be hopeless, but with Jesus thank God I'm saved. (words of a song that came to mind as I read your comment) Thanks for the visit.

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  8. Good Morning, Betty!

    Gotta admit you had me at Chocolate is From the Lord! Thank you for sharing life, for offering glimpse in to what matters most ...

    I'm sensing His presence more as we go through trying times as a family. He is STILL good. All the time.

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  9. Hi Betty! Isn't it wonderful that we can see God so clearly in the smallest thing? Here was a little gift from a friend, and it felt like a Divine Appointment. Love that!
    Has God loved on me? Oh yes. I was able to help a friend recover from surgery...I didn't get crushed by my suitcase...my Dad is coming over for dinner tonight...all little things to someone else. Divine Appointments to me :)
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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  10. I loved this story, Betty. I think your selfless ministry is such a blessed testimony to God's love. Both in the way that He poured His love into you, and then poured it out through you to others. He's generous like that, isn't He?!

    God has shown me His love lately by giving me some beautiful territory to look at on a recent trip to Utah. I continue to be amazed at His colors!

    GOD BLESS!

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  11. Linda, what a draw even the word, "chocolate" is for us women. Voicing, God is good, in the trying times speaks more then any other thing. The lost watch us because we are different in so many ways but never more then when going through trial. Thanks for coming by.

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  12. Ceil, your three little things remind me of the song, Little Is Much When God Is In It. I pray for my eyes to be open more to the "little blessings" and thank Him for them. Oh the devil hates it when we open our mouths and say, God is good, all the time. Blessings.

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  13. Sharon, I love coming to your sight because of the beauty in pictures that you post. And always, and I mean always you have beauty in your words. Thanks for the visit.

    We did Utah years ago on motorcycles. I could have parked and stayed forever in certain spots. It was before I was a christian and even then in my darkness I knew a big bang could not have made the beauty I say. Big bangs of any kind only leave dust, darkness, confusion, torn and disrupted land. Never seen anything good come from a big bang. Blessings.

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  14. Betty,

    what a great story of God's tender care about the little things when He has already taken care of our biggest need: forgiveness...Thank you for sharing and blessing me :)

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  15. Dolly, so true, that fact He has taken care of the biggest need we have, salvation helps us see Him in the small things. Blessings.

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  16. Well what a great title for a post! It is wonderful how he crafts us each for the calling he intends for us, so we find ourselves impassioned and delighted by serving and performing his will. There's no better fulfilment than to be and do what the Father had in mind for us to be and do when he made us. I think this is definitely the way He has been loving on me lately, by allowing me to see who I am and what His will is for me, and to find my pleasure in doing it.

    'A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.' Ecclesiastes 2:24

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  17. Micah, that scripture in Ecc. says it all. I certainly enjoy the little thing so much more now that I am older. Guess because I am not in a hurry anymore to get to the next place. There is no better enjoyment than to let Him love on us His way. Thanks brother for visiting my site.

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  18. Thank you, Betty. These things are beautiful testimonies. They may not seem like much to some, but like you said, they demonstrate the love of the Father is such amazing ways. I've been very consumed lately with the things going wrong and trying to figure out what we're to do; but as I read this, I remembered that my wife and I had been praying for (and needing) a second car and God did it for an amazing price. We also got to sow financially into missionaries from Lebanon. So easy to lose sight of the testimonies when the heat of the struggle is so fierce, but I so appreciate your sharing this and bringing me back to gratitude. Thanks Betty!

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  19. Jason, you got it brother...it is so hard in the battle to even see God loving on us enough to keep us in the battle. How blessed we are to share even a tiny bit of what He suffered here on earth. Actually I get a little concern when God allows a little R&R from the battle.

    Great news about the car and of course you know my missionary heart. Thanks you and your wife for investing in those ones willing to fight the battle over seas. And thanks for the encouragement about my post.

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  20. Our Father really is in the details, isn't He? That's too cool... I'm blown away by how much love He pours out on me and mine constantly... I can't count that high!

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  21. How about a little lesser-backed golfinch taking a bath on my front stoop - the wisdom to deal with an adult {barely} child who is making some bad decisions, and countless other ways? Love your post, Betty! Have a blessed week!

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  22. Floyd, Me too brother, me too, overly and abundantly blessed beyond anything I deserve.

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  23. June, or those little birds God created has blessed me more time than I can count. And as for wisdom...He has given countless times. Thanks for visiting my site.

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  24. Betty,

    I get this! I understand the joy of savored sweets from afar. The ones that smell heavy with memories. What fun that you got to get those Baton chocolates from Bolivia. Mangoes and avocados are like that for me, along with some others.

    Our God is a sweet, generous God who takes care of us, huh?

    Neat to hear your story of how you and Ace got involved overseas, and to hear your love for missionaries around the world now too.

    Re your comment on my post "The Thing to Know on a Day of Firsts," ... "Men do the move but the women feel the move" -- what an interesting thought. Probably. :)

    We are feeling more settled this week, I'm noticing, and are thankful for this house.

    Have a great week,
    Jennifer Dougan
    www.jenniferdougan.com

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  25. Jennifer, I think what Ace is referring to is I get more emotional during the moving time, it unsettled me. Since men are more goal, task orientated they just focus on the move...we sometimes drown in the emotion of it at times. Glad you are settled...I love our new place...it's so easy to take care of and close to everything, hoping we stay here for a while.

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  26. I love how God pays attention to those small things that bring us pleasure. Thanks for this sweet reminder & for visiting me at Doorkeeper. Blessings, Betty!

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  27. Renee, glad to have found your site, will be back for another visit.

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  28. God is so amazing! Yes, His love should control us. In the US it's hard to give God that control. You're right, we have too many options here, too many ways we can be self sufficient.
    I pray I can say "yes" to whatever my Savior asks of me. It's my hearts desire to be controlled by His love and His will.

    Great post!
    God has been loving me this summer and answering amazing prayers. I talk about it on my post today.

    God bless

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  29. TC, time to head over to your post, been missing your words of wisdom. thanks for stopping by.

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