"When Belgian Chocolate calls..."

So much happened today, I hardly know what to put, or where to start. But I am limited for space...

Okay, I'll talk about this; Years ago, I had issues with chocolate in that, where most people can take a little bite and leave the rest til later, I could not, and to be honest, over the years, it became quite an addiction. Eventually, I came to the point where I knew I'd have to give it up altogether because it is not good for anything to have such a hold on our lives.

Another good thing was to find out I was actually allergic to it, as I no longer experienced certain aches and pains in my muscles. Also, as I subsequently allowed the Lord to 'overhaul' my eating habits, many other physical symptoms disappeared from my body too, which I believe were as a direct result of eating certain foods.

Anyway, back to today. Every so often I'm prompted of the Lord to go for a nice meal. Recently, after receiving some birthday money from my Auntie, I decided to save it until Easter. There are two 'posh' restaurants nearby, - one more 'posh' than the other, and which also boasts beautiful views across the Thames river. After praying I felt this was the one I should go to.

However, the last time I visited there (which was Thanksgiving Day last year) when the coffee arrived, it was accompanied, not by the usual wrapped chocolate mints, (which are easy to refuse) but by three delicious Belgian Chocolates...one dark, one milk...one white...drool. Anyway, I got so carried away with the moment, that I 'caved' and ate them (yes, - all three). I thought; 'It's okay...it's just a 'one off...' I even prayed beforehand and remember feeling a freedom. Taking that as a green light from the Lord, I went ahead. The waitress even offered me more to take home! (I didn't!)

However, when Christmas arrived, whereas it wouldn't normally bother me at all, I suddenly found myself thinking about chocolate all the time, and whilst visiting my daughter and mother's homes (where it seemed to be everywhere) found myself strongly tempted to 'just have one or two'. - 'Come into my parlour said the spider to the fly'. I got a revelation...quick. The 'freedom' I'd experienced that Thanksgiving Day had been the Holy Spirit allowing me to make a choice...the right choice...

So anyway, back to the dilemma, I didn't want to go back to that same restaurant. - What if I couldn't refuse when the chocolates arrived? (Ha ha) So, this 'great woman of faith' rang the other place to enquire about the menu; 'Liver..(yuk)...pork...some sort of fish I'd never heard of....no thank you....there was nothing for it, - and I knew what the Lord was saying! - As well as repent, I had to face the situation again, and overcome...and I did, and had a lovely meal! Thank You Lord! He is so merciful!  : )

'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...'  Galatians 5 v 1.