End of Chocolate Boycott (sort of)

A few weeks ago I learned from an SIM worker who is an advocate for children at risk that about half of the chocolate sold in the world is made from cocoa beans harvested by slave labor. So I announced a personal chocolate boycott in my blog. Yesterday I received a package from my cousin—four large fair-traded chocolate bars. Two are organic from the Lutheran World Relief (cocoa from small farmers in Peru and Dominican Republic). The other two are “Divine” brand, certified fair-traded, of cocoa from Ghana, probably available at a health food store. Thanks, Ammie. I’ll take them to our family outing in the Bahamas in May and share them with that part of your extended family. Now if we could just persuade Nestle and Hershey and Cadbury…! (stopthetraffik.com)

Here’s a story told by the late Peter Marshall, one-time chaplain of the U.S. Senate. A servant of a wealthy merchant went on an errand to the market. Suddenly he felt someone brush heavily against his shoulder. Somewhat offended, he turned toward the person who had jostled him, and found himself staring into a pair of eyes that spoke of death. Panicking, he dropped everything and ran home. His master met him and asked what was the matter. “Oh, Sir! Someone in the marketplace rudely brushed me, and when I faced him, he looked like the angel of death. He also had a look of shock on his face, almost as if he wanted to grab me but then backed away. I am afraid, sir. I don’t want to go back to the market.” “Saddle my horse and ride to the village of Samara,” the master said. “Stay there until I notify you that it’s safe to return.” The servant rode off, and the master went to confront the stranger in the market. “Who are you?” he demanded. “Are you the one who scared my servant?” “Yes, I am. I wasn’t trying to scare him; I was just so surprised to see him here. I am the Angel of Death, and I was merely passing the time here before heading to my assignment. You see, I have an appointment with him tonight in Samara.”

I don’t intend to be fatalistic, but I do believe there’s truth in this fable. We can ride as hard as we like to get to Samara, but some day we’ll turn the calendar page to the date that God has pre-written as the day He’ll call us home. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before even one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). And that will be a good day, too.

Thanks so much to all who are praying for my cancer numbers to drop again. As soon as I get a report this morning, I’ll post a short message on top of this one.

Blessings,
Carol