Presents!!

Dear Chocolate Champions, I love presents. And I mean, I LOVE PRESENTS!! From the book “The Five Love Languages”, it was easy for me to recognize that words of encouragement and gifts were my top two. The other love languages are important to me as well however, to me there is nothing like someone investing positive words into me and giving me a present to boot. It can be wrapped ornately, thrown into a gift bag, or just handed to me by someone who says, “I saw this and thought of you”. It can be a big surprise, a little surprise, it just doesn’t matter! Earlier tonight, there were some star shaped/peppermint dusted peeps on my mom‘s kitchen counter. You know, they’re traditionally yellow marshmallows in the shape of chicks sold around Easter time accept, this was a Christmas version marshmallow. There were two packs of them. I eyeballed those suckers for 24 hours! I knew that my mom hated peeps, and I didn’t know if my dad liked them or not. So, I resisted opening them up. Thankfully, my mom told me that she had a surprise for me on a counter, and she had wondered if I had seen them. I said “are those peeps for me?” “yes”, she said. I felt like a kid and I proceeded to tell my mother that these star peeps would be fantastic in hot chocolate! Even she agreed with me. I have to mention another present that I got recently. A mentor and sister in the Lord went out of town to visit family. While she was out of town she went to the store with her daughter and her daughter said “that looks like something your Dede would like.” She was right. It was a sign that said “my soul has had enough chicken soup…now all it wants is CHOCOLATE! What a relief that Jesus is as much into gifts as I am. However, the gifts that he tends to give are much greater than star shaped peeps or a personalized sign. His gifts are life altering. Gifts like hope, a future, a new life, redemption, and forgiveness, there are so many to name. There should be a bumper sticker that says Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. Or…Jesus has been giving 2000 years longer than the Energizer bunny has been going! So this Christmas consider for a time the gift that God gave to us…his only son. The gift of a Messiah who walked on this earth perfectly, blamelessly, without spot or wrinkle all because of His love for you and me. That is one of the most spectacular gifts of Christmas that we will ever be able to receive. If you have never received the gift of salvation that Jesus has waiting for you, and if you want the gift of eternal life, then, pray this prayer with me: Dear Heavenly Father, I know that I have sinned. I believe that you are the son of God and that you died on the cross for my sin and rose again just for me. Come into my heart and make me like you. I give my life to you, I trust you, and I love you. AMEN!!!! Hey Babe, welcome to the family!! If you have made a commitment to Jesus for the first time, email me so that I can congratulate you and give you some information educating you on the best decision you have just made! And, if you have just rededicated your heart to the Lord, I wanna know too! I love every one of you. May you all have a wonderful Christmas! Take the time to read Luke 2 either by yourself, with your family, or both!. Luke 2 is the Christmas story. Since I write the Pieces of chocolate on Thursday nights, I will not be sending one out since next Thursday is Christmas. You may however, get one on Christmas weekend. So, celebrate Jesus and enjoy the loot! Love, Dede