Be a blessing!!!

At ladies retreat, Myra shared with us some practical tips to being a blessing to others around us.  She told us first to open our eyes and see people.  See their needs.  Meet those needs.  One of the ways she suggested we do this is with cookies.  She said that her family would bake cookies on Saturday and then on Sunday, the children would look for someone who needed encouragement.  What a fun way to train children to be on the look out for people and their needs. 

This weekend, two of my friends were on my mind quite a bit.  Sooo this morning, after spending some time reading Psalms and praying, I made a triple batch of those easy pumpkin muffins that I told you about a couple weeks ago.  You know the ones with the cake mix, the can of pumpkin, and the smidge-bit o'spices???  Is this ringing a bell?  I wrote about how much I loved these because I could make them with a gluten-free cake mix....if you really can't remember, go back through my older posts.  It's there.  (The recipe is, also, in my Notes section on Facebook.)

I made a double batch of regular sized muffins and then I pulled out the gluten-free cake mix and made those as mini muffins.  There's something about snacking on a mini muffin....or two or three...or half-a-dozen that don't make me feel nearly as bad as eating a full-sized one...or two or three....so on and so forth.

While the muffins cooled, I went to my card stash and found two fall-ish cards and wrote notes to these very special gals in my life.  I do thank the Lord for their friendship and encouragement that they freely bestow on me. 

After sealing the cards and making the muffins transport-able (what a fun word!!!!), I headed out to share the love.  First stop - TerraLand where I dropped off 20-some muffins and a note for Misty.  Misty and I had a few minutes to chit-chat...I didn't want to keep her from her Monday duties.  I know how long that Monday list can be... :( 

Second stop - Starbucks to purchase two pumpkin spice lattes and then I headed to Freeport to visit with Barb.  Barb, also, has stressful Mondays.  She had no idea I was coming.  It was soo nice to surprise her!  I wonder if she was suspicious....but that's okay.  Either way -- it was wonderful taking her coffee and muffins. 

The drive-time to/from Freeport gave me time to apply another principle from ladies retreat.  We were encouraged by one of the M's to really consider the words of the hymns that we sing to the Lord.  Most of the time I do -- but since ladies retreat, I've really taken the time to consider them.  While I was singing along with "Great is Thy Faithfulness" -- I thought about the words to the second verse..."Winter and summer and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above..."  AMAZING!!!!!!!  I would not have had those 45 minutes of reflecting on the goodness of the Lord and on His love had I not been a blessing today!!!  I'm so thankful that I had a day off so that I could share the love of Jesus with these two fabulous friends!

~ Angie