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THE HOT CHOCOLATE STORY
 

  A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.
 
  When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: 'Notice that all the nice looking expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the sour ce of your problems and stress.
 
  The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup but you consciously went for the best cups...and then you began eyeing each others cups.
 
  Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate, your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate we have.
 
  The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.
 
  Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Thank the Lord for your blessings in 2008. And enjoy your hot chocolate!
 
Thank You, God,
for giving us food of all kinds,
shapes, colors, aromas, textures, and flavors.
I praise You for strawberries!
And I delight in crisp yellow peppers and juicy oranges!
I praise You for giving us taste buds--
You didn't have to do that!
I praise You also for those edible pleasures
that I sometimes abuse.
Today I ask for the grace
to appreciate the daily sustenance You give me
and to appreciate it so much that I don't feel the need to be greedy.
Maker of everything delicious,
all day long I will notice Your genius and generosity,
and I will honor You with my appetites and my attitude. Amen.

I know there is going to be a container waiting for me. I think there is only going to be two more. I guess I should get ready for some more. I need to get a note off to MM about the move. What a screwed up deal. I cannot help but think that it is just a temporary thing. I got to stick with him through some of this stuff.

The day at the scalehouse was slow again. It looks like we may be shutting down on Friday. I hate to lose the money but I may work on the lawn. I had Jesus come by and chopped down the weeds for $90.00, I wished that the water system was easier to get going. Maybe I will turn things on sometime Friday.