Walking on Sunshine...

This past month has been a doozie. See previous posts, if you want to know all of the crazy things that have happened to our little family in this month alone. 

Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for the many blessings God surrounds us with daily, but goodness gracious....it has been a whirlwind of crazy occurrences this past month!

This week was not much different. 

My precious mother-in-love came to our little town on Tuesday and spent the day with my daughter, Presley. 

They went shopping, ate lunch, and then made about 50 cookies for Presley's high school volleyball fundraiser. 

I was so thankful for this cookie making gesture because I had to work that day, so it was ONE thing less on my plate to do!

As I pulled in the driveway from work, I had a funny feeling in my tummy. Sometimes, God prepares us. I believe that with all my heart. 

I walked in the door, no one was home. 

My dog was laying prostrate on the floor with a very naughty look in his eyes. 

You know where this is going....

I looked around frantically for the cookies...

On a whim, I decided to check the laundry room. Maybe my daughter had stored them in there to keep away from our dog, Bo, who will eat anything in sight...including our underwear!

I slowly, with a deep inhale, opened the laundry room door. 

Crumbs of chocolate chip cookies were all over the floor. 

5 cookies remained. FIVE. 

Bo had eaten 45 cookies. FORTY FIVE. 

The cookies were due to be turned in early the next morning. I was exhausted and drained. 

And, I still had to take my daughter to a 2 hour practice that night. 

"Lord, Why?!!"

When my husband walked through the door, I dreaded telling him. I was going to wait until after her practice to give him time to mellow out from a long day at work. 

However, he knew immediately when he walked through the door that Bo had gotten into something. Our doggie had guilt all over his hairy little cookie-crumb-filled face. 

Lem threw his hands in the air and just said, "Can we PLEASE catch a break?!"

I finally just busted out laughing. I knew that in the big scheme of things, this was not a big deal. Lem wasn't quite to that point yet. He looked at me like I had lost my mind and just walked out the door. 

Oops. Too soon to laugh, I guess. 

The next morning, I drove to my hair appointment. Thank you, Lord, for hair appointment days. 

I was just so ready to sit in that big black comfy chair and not have to face cookie eating dogs, and exploding hot water heaters, and a car that has been totaled by a deer, and a leaky ceiling in our bathroom. 

I just wanted to melt in my hair dresser's chair for the rest of the afternoon. 

It was a nice break from the reality of life. I love the sweet girls that work at the salon. It felt good to escape for a bit. 

Finally, it was time to leave. 

I took my purse, feeling fresh and new, to the checkout counter. 

Allison, my hair girl, was ready to check me out. 

I grabbed for my debit card, waiting for the final number to pay. Long inhale...deep exhale..

She looked at me sweetly and said almost in a whisper, "Jill, you're mother in law, Jane, paid for your hair services today."

I gasped, and asked her to please repeat what she just said..

She smiled and said, "Your mother in law paid for your hair. You don't owe anything. "

Immediately, my eyes filled with tears. Allison's eyes did as well! The two sweet girls that assist Allison were standing there and they were just smiling from ear to ear. 

I hugged all 3 of them and told them how blown away I was! They were blown away too. 

I could not stop crying. 

Finally, I walked out and got in my car. I could not believe someone could be that generous and thoughtful. Especially, when I needed it the most. 

It was so timely. And so special. And so unexpected. 

After calling my mother in law and profusely thanking her, I called my dear friend, Erin. 

Erin and I had just been talking that morning on the way to the salon, so I could not wait to tell her what my mother in law had just done. 

I will never forget what Erin said.

"God knows what we need. He's so intimate with us."

When someone blesses you so sweetly, it inspires and encourages you to bless others. 

I asked God the whole way home how I could pour out a blessing on someone else just like my mother in law had poured out to me that day. 

When we bless others, it creates a domino of blessings around us. 

My challenge for you and for me today: BLESS SOMEONE TODAY. 

It doesn't have to be an extravagant gesture. Sometimes the smallest things are the most needed. 

Pray and ask God to lead you. HE WILL. 

He knows what others need...even if it seems silly or small to us, sometimes it is exactly what that person needs in the moment. 

A generous person will prosper;

whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

still walking on sunshine over here, 

jill