chocolate

Tuesday through Thursday we went to Arashá with another family.

We had a great time - nice place, good company, fun stuff to do.

One thing we did was make chocolate!

While we didn't start with the cacao, he did slice it open to show it to us.

Unfortunately, it was rotten.

I had hoped the family with us could try it because the goop around the seeds is delicious.

Once you cut it open, it is full of the large seeds and each seed is surrounded by white flesh which is really sweet.

Our teacher told us that they dry the seed for 5 days out in the sun.

Then, they roast the seeds - which is what he did just before we arrived.

These are the seeds right after they were roasted.

We rubbed the charred skins off.

Lucy was not too interested in participating.

She was kind of like the other animals in the story of the little red hen who made bread.

Didn't want to help make, but definitely wanted to help eat!

Here are the roasted, shelled seeds.

I think they are quite beautiful.

Very shiny.

Then the kids all took turns grinding up the seeds.

Not an easy job.

Maddy didn't participate in this step, as she found a new best friend.

A pretty cute one, too.

The ground cacao seeds.

The teacher let everyone try the ground seeds, if they wanted.

Not so yummy.

He put the ground seeds in a pan with water and began to cook.

The kids all stirred.

Added sugar.

Mixed powdered milk with water.....

...and added that.

The whole mixture cooked at a low boil for about 10 minutes and then, ta-da!

Scrumpdilicious cholocate.

Everyone got to enjoy some.

I really wanted to enjoy more.

I get a little greedy when it comes to chocolate.

I especially get a little greedy with chocolate when it is the last I will taste of it for 40 days.

Yup, I am giving up chocolate for Lent.

I have never "done" Lent before, but have often thought about it.

I know many people who give up something for Lent in order to identify with the suffering of Christ, for the 40 days before His Ultimate Sacrifice.

So, for the 40 days of Lent, the 40 days before Easter, I'm doing just that.

However, I'm not pretending that it is a sacrifice.

Giving up chocolate for 40 days can, in absolutely no way, be compared to any sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf..... and I am not just talking about dying on the cross here.

Although that was more than plenty.

There was so very much more sacrificed than that.

More that we can ever even dream.

But the giving up of chocolate is about discipline and is a type of fast, I suppose.

Every time I desire chocolate, see chocolate or think of chocolate, I want to use that as a reminder to think of Christ.

Who He is.

What He did.

To pray.

To thank Him.

To ask Him to make me more like Him.

And to not just think about my desires and wants first.

So ya, I'm giving it up, but really

it is not a sacrifice.

I am also giving up blogs.

Lately I've spent more than my fair share of time reading decorating and crafting blogs.

I definitely enjoy them.

But they can be a big time waster for me.

So, for 40 days - no blogs (other than this one, of course!).

My desire is to use that time that I usually spend on blogs and spend it with Him instead.

Why am I telling you this?

I am not doing it to suggest that you do the same -

unless you think that God is calling you to that.

I'm not trying to make myself look like some big spiritual giant -

although I would love for some growth in that area to be the result!

(and any time with me or with my blog would tell you that spiritual giant I am not!)

I need accountability.

That's why.

No, you don't need to call or email to check up on me (although you can if you want).

But I might write about it on occasion.

And knowing that you know helps me stick to it.

And I pray that God would bless our 40 leading up to celebrating His Salvation.

His love and sacrifice is more than we can imagine.