A few weeks ago I was preparing some chocolate confections for a craft fair happening in the community. Since I work with chocolate semi-frequently, chocolate and I have come to understand one another to a degree. Chocolate is pretty temperamental (kind of like me, actually) so when it comes to a meltdown (literally), I have to keep a watchful eye. However this last time, I made a mistake that cost me a batch of what could have been sweet sustenance.
In an effort to multitask, I walked away from my bowl of chocolate while it was melting. I wasn't stirring it constantly. I wasn't keeping it on a low heat setting. I wasn't even looking at it. Until... I returned and saw a scorched mess of sugary mass unfit for even the most desperate chocolate addict. It was ruined and I had to start all over again. In hopes to get more things done, I ended up being unfocused and wasteful.
And God spoke to me.
I thought about this chocolatey situation in light of life. We all have so many gifts, skills and passions. I believe we are called to use those to the best of our ability. But sometimes we find that we spread ourselves a little too thin... doing too much... multi-tasking... "getting more done". All these things are good things... but sometimes it's just best to say "no". Deep down, I struggle with letting jobs go 'cause for some strange reason I think that if I'm not the one to do it, I will have let someone down or the task simply won't get done. Or worse!! I think I'm the one that is capable of doing it the best, so why wouldn't I just do it?! The truth is, there are many people in this world way better than all of us. Taking on another task doesn't do anyone any good. We're stifling another's gift and clouding our own vision all at the same time. Bad, bad, bad!!
As this year comes to a close, I want to release this way of being. I want to focus on what needs to be focused on for me. I want to dedicate myself to the bowl of chocolate and make it the very best it can be. While I am a proponent of getting down to business and maximizing time... I am coming to see that working linearly, in a sense, can be more fruitful. So here's to 2012! May we take inventory of ourselves and grow & grow in the gifts knit within our being.
Oh and the end of my chocolate story goes like this...
I learned from my mistake that day, and the second time around the chocolate turned out perfectly melted. I stayed focused, even though it meant getting rid of some other components of my sugary confections. To be quite honest, I didn't need the other fluffy stuff. The lack of bells and whistles made my sweet treats shine more... the way chocolate was meant to be!
Let's grab hold of 2012 and shine like perfectly tempered chocolate. It's possible. We've got the Master Chocolatier working on us.
And God spoke to me.
I thought about this chocolatey situation in light of life. We all have so many gifts, skills and passions. I believe we are called to use those to the best of our ability. But sometimes we find that we spread ourselves a little too thin... doing too much... multi-tasking... "getting more done". All these things are good things... but sometimes it's just best to say "no". Deep down, I struggle with letting jobs go 'cause for some strange reason I think that if I'm not the one to do it, I will have let someone down or the task simply won't get done. Or worse!! I think I'm the one that is capable of doing it the best, so why wouldn't I just do it?! The truth is, there are many people in this world way better than all of us. Taking on another task doesn't do anyone any good. We're stifling another's gift and clouding our own vision all at the same time. Bad, bad, bad!!
As this year comes to a close, I want to release this way of being. I want to focus on what needs to be focused on for me. I want to dedicate myself to the bowl of chocolate and make it the very best it can be. While I am a proponent of getting down to business and maximizing time... I am coming to see that working linearly, in a sense, can be more fruitful. So here's to 2012! May we take inventory of ourselves and grow & grow in the gifts knit within our being.
Oh and the end of my chocolate story goes like this...
I learned from my mistake that day, and the second time around the chocolate turned out perfectly melted. I stayed focused, even though it meant getting rid of some other components of my sugary confections. To be quite honest, I didn't need the other fluffy stuff. The lack of bells and whistles made my sweet treats shine more... the way chocolate was meant to be!
Let's grab hold of 2012 and shine like perfectly tempered chocolate. It's possible. We've got the Master Chocolatier working on us.
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