I'm out of coffee!!!

     Being out of coffee (pop or tea if you wish) is never a good thing.  We caffeine addicted people are not in a good space if we don't have our beverage of choice.  When I look back over my day I find that I'm a person who has several negative habits.  For instance, I talk about chocolate as if it's my last meal before execution!  I am a fan of quick satisfaction.  The sooner the better.  Then, of course, there is the need for meat and potatoes meals.  For those of you who don't know what that means; I'll explain.  Growing up on a farm pretty much relegated us to meals that had the three basic food groups.  First was meat, second was potatoes, and third was some sort of vegetables.  Sometimes we would have dessert as well.  Every meal was similar with variations of ways to make those dishes.  So, some of my desires come quite naturally while others have come in the form of "that is really good!"
     By the way, I'm not really out of coffee.  I figured that would grab your attention.  When I am out of coffee the lack is quickly taken care of.  Same goes for anything else that is missing from the addictive side of my life.  For some people that might be the same as me.  For others, they have their own war going on over what they eat, drink or smoke.  There is a reason for this struggle though.  One of which is peer pressure.  Another is the media and their take on things.  You could also put jeans that don't fit anymore in this category.  The next time you are craving something, take a moment to figure out why it is there and if it's distracting you in your life.  I have made many excuses of why I need a chocolate fix.  None of them is valid.  Chocolate should be a category of it's own on the food charts! 
     When I first became a Christian, my addiction was Jesus.  That is/was/will be great.  Hmmm... three tenses.  This ought to be interesting.  When I look back to October 1, 1972 when I gave my life to Jesus I was on fire for Him.  I couldn't get enough time to read the Bible, meet with other Christians, talk about Jesus and talk with Jesus.  Some of you reading this maybe have the same experience in your life.  It wasn't just addiction though.  I really loved Jesus and loved his work on the cross so that I might be saved from myself.  Knowing someone who loved me more than I could every imagine and deserve, put a definite change in my life.  My life, once dead, was alive with what God wanted in my life and out of my life.  So, what happened?  What came up that took me away from that desire?  I can tell you it wasn't coffee or chocolate.  The draw of the world took me to a place where I took myself away from the love of God in Jesus.
     I can drink a pot of coffee right before going to bed and never have a problem going to sleep.  If my wife has a half cup of coffee after 12 noon she is up for hours.  Our bodies have very different reaction to caffeine.  Men generally lose more weight than women on the same diet.  This carries a whole dynamic of it's own.  Chocolate is universal...everyone should have some just in case.  And on it goes.  What to do with all of this?  You, like me, won't like the answer.  However it's from God and stated in the Bible.  We are to not be dependent upon anything that takes our heart and attention off Jesus.  I realize that this encompasses many areas of life.  That is the point.  When we take charge of our lives the motivation changes from heavenly to worldly most of the time.  We are encouraged to hold everything in check so that we won't sin.  This would include those many worldly habits.  It's not wrong to have coffee, chocolate, or any other thing.  It's wrong if that desire is taken off Jesus.  So, today I'll struggle until I let Jesus take care of my desires.  He's good at that.  Let Him be the center of your life.  When you do coffee won't mean anything.