when i was little my aunt suggested to my mom that she buy a bag of M&M's and give one little chocolate morsel to me for each aisle in the grocery store. being the chocolate-lover that i already was as a youngin', these little treats apparently kept me fairly silent and a happy camper during our treks to the store (at least i think they worked pretty well - you'll have to talk to my mom to hear the complete truth).
i've grown up and now enjoy going to the grocery store and can do so without chocolate in my mouth. but in a lot of ways, i think i'm still the little girl in the grocery shopping cart, needing little pieces of chocolate along the way to get me through from aisle to aisle. except now it's not getting through aisles in a grocery store, but the days, weeks, and months of life's ups and downs, questions and uncertainties, frustrations and sadness, excitement and worry. sometimes the rain gets me down, and sometimes i just long so deeply to "get it" and am saddened that i don't.
what i find so surprising and wonderful is how God provides the chocolate candies to me in small but significant ways that give me the strength and the courage to persevere and carry on when i feel sort of stuck. it's the long conversations with friends, or the encouraging words from a professor, a short quote, or a peaceful and beautiful run outdoors. that's when i hear God speaking "i care about you and i'm still here."
so when i'm weary or frustrated or trying my hardest to be at peace, i need to wait - wait for God to provide the strength i need, in whatever chocolate-morsel form that comes in :)
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