Tag: chocolate

Posted in Christmas, communication, food, friends, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, thankful, travel

Scoops Not Spoons

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

 It was sure more than I was expecting. So a week or so ago a group of folks from several local churches loaded up a couple of vans and headed to Atlanta, Georgia to work at one of the Operation Christmas Child processing centers. On our work day our shift was seven hours and I can tell you two things. First, it is a long seven hours. We go to work and we do work. Our station consists of two people checking the boxes for donations (funds can’t go overseas—that’s a big deal for customs). Four people then check the boxes for an inappropriate items—candy, food, war toys, toy guns and the like—once again things customs frown on. Oh and by the way, you might be wondering what happens to all those item. They are donated to local ministries that don’t have to worry about customs! Oh also by the way…those four people are the last people to touch the inside of the boxes before the child opens it in their country…what a privilege. Then two people tape each box and four people (two scanning the packing codes and two placing the boxes in their shipping cartons.) There you go…a lot of great team work makes it all happen.

Well, our shift was over so we took our traditional team photograph in front of the OCC Christmas tree and shortly after we headed to the bus—a little weary but with a deep sense of satisfaction. We were definitely the hands and feet of Jesus. This year right in front of the processing center was a Culver’s and if you know anything about Culver’s you know they serve delicious ice cream. One of our team members loves ice cream—especially chocolate ice cream. When our shift was done, she headed straight to Culver’s. As a little God wink the flavor of the day turned out to be Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch. She was smiling from ear to ear.

When I saw her heading for the door, she said she was going to Culver’s. I said to her, from a short distance, “Be sure and get two spoons.” The implication was I was going to steal a bite or two. So as I approached the bus, here she came and in her hands was not one cup of Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch but two! She said, “Here you go mister bus driver.” Now I was smiling from ear to ear. Of course I graciously thanked her and that was when she said, “Well, you said to get you two scoops too. It was then that I had to laugh because what I said and what she heard was two different things and her version was so much better. I didn’t get a couple of bites but a couple of scoops. She had accidentally blessed me more than I could imagine.

At that moment I realized that this is exactly like God. You see, time and again, God gives us more than we could even know to ask for. Is there a verse for that? You bet. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” How about that—more than we might ask or think. I hope this will be a game changer for us. We need to understand that God is anything but stingy—He is an abundant God—just waiting to give not only more than we can imagine but also what is just right for us. I love that—a lot. Imagine that, a “I’ve got this” God who just loves to bless us. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Ex-lax

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” Genesis 3:6

I remember it like it was yesterday…or a couple of weeks ago anyway.  I am the youngest of eight children.  Some call me the baby of the family…I call it the best. My brothers and sisters nicknamed me precious.  I used to think it was because they were jealous, but I later learned they were just right.  And, because I was so precious, well I often was the target of pranks and other acts of terrorism.

The two sisters right above me and myself were called the three little ones.  That was because everybody else was several years older and therefore bigger.  My two youngest sisters were the main terrorists.  They loved to hold me down and tickle me mercilessly and then pull my ears till they were blood red. It’s because of them one of my ears sticks out further than the other. They were two tough cookies.

One time they pushed me out the door in my underwear and wouldn’t let me back in.  I banged and banged on the door all to no avail.  They, of course, will deny all of this but trust me, at the Judgement Seat all will be revealed, and they will surely be grateful for grace.

I have always had an affection for sweet things, and they even used that against me.  One day one of them came up and said, “Dewayne, do you want some candy?”  Well, my response was, “Well sure.”  It was a small box and in my excitement, I didn’t take time to read the label.  Honestly, since I was only about eight, I probably wouldn’t have known the difference anyway.  So, I opened the box and found that it was filled with chocolates.  There were only three or four pieces in the box and before long…they were gone.

I did notice that they tasted a little different, but they were sweet and they were brown so hey, that was close enough for me.  I should have been suspicious that the terrorists were being so nice, but I always was a trusting soul.  Several hours passed and before long time wasn’t the only thing that passed.  You see, my loving sisters had fed me a whole box of Ex-Lax.  They would deny it, you probably can’t believe it but trust me I was there.  Oh, boy was I there.

Well, I learned a lot of lessons growing up and this is one of them.  You see, things are often not what they seem to be. I thought I was getting a box of chocolates and instead I got a box of trouble.  It looked like chocolate, it even tasted like chocolate but it wasn’t anything close.  Did you know that the Bible warns us how the Devil and disguise himself?  It says that he can disguise himself as an angel of light when in fact He is the angel of darkness.  Remember that…things are not always as they seem.

I learned too that not everyone who comes bearing gifts can be trusted.  I should have known better when they offered that box but my desire for chocolate overruled my common sense.  That is what got Adam and Eve in trouble in the garden. The story is found in Genesis, and it says, “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful, and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.” And just like that…I found myself eating Ex-Lax.

It’s a tricky world out there…terrorists are lurking everywhere and sometimes they might be related so be careful.  Be sure and use your good common sense if someone offers you a little box filled with chocolates.  You might be getting more than you bargained for.  Like I said, I probably wouldn’t have understood the label even if I had read it. But do you know what?  My mama would have.  In fact, if I had gone to mama this story would have been totally different.  But, well, I didn’t.

As we journey through this upside-down world, don’t forget to go to your Dearest Daddy with your questions and mysteries.  He is always there, and He is always watching out for you.  You can trust Him. His box of chocolate is always the real deal.  So have a seat, open the box, and enjoy.  You can rest in Him.  He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne