Dove Chocolate

I love Dove Chocolate. Of course for obvious reasons, but also because when you open the wrapper, inside are pithy little comments for your brain to "chew" on while your mouth chews on the yummy chocolate. Today I indulged in two of them. The first read "Listen to your heartbeat and dance". Now that sounds like a relatively easy task. But, for me, it's not so easy. I have a hard time being still for any length of time. I usually end up sitting there thinking of all the things I'm NOT getting done. I get stressed out and then I pop up and I'm off to put another load of laundry in to wash or to the kitchen to wipe up or clean up a mess. Or, I think of all the projects I've been putting off for so long and feel guilty for sitting down "on the job". But today, I did sit down to listen. I really made an effort to hear my heartbeat. Here is what I heard...my husband humming as he fixed his morning coffee, my children laughing as they as they listen to their daddy read of the silly antics of "Calvin and Hobbs", the sound of the rain on the pond just outside the house and I realized, it's all the voice of God. It's the way He speaks to me and it's the most beautiful music there is to dance to. My heart beats, not just to give me physical life, but the real heartbeat of my life is to give me purpose and direction. The real heartbeat comes from the life He gives me.

The second wrapper said, "Don't think about it so much". I had to laugh when I read that one. My precious husband accuses me of over-thinking things all the time. He tells me not to let people (or circumstances) live "rent free" in my head. I do tend to worry things to death. Not just the current things, but the things that could be or might be or the "what-ifs". I love the verse in Philippians that tells me, "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise". (Phil. 4:6-8 CEV) I need to let that peace control the way I think and feel more often.