We have a sweet little old lady that lives in a little trailer on the corner of our property. Seth and I have talked with her on a number of occasions and she seemed sweet enough but we think she is starting to lose her marbles a little bit. You see we hear the same stories over and over every time we talk to her. I know that I repeat stories to people sometimes but not 3 or 4 times in the same conversation. Because of this reason we have, at times, kept our distance probably more than we should. I hate to admit it but for a long time I saw her as a time waster, but oh how that Lord is changing my view.
I think I've mentioned before that I love to bake. I get in these moods where I feel like I will go crazy if I don't bake something. So much so that sometimes I get a little too zealous and bake a few to many somethings. Which results in me burning myself out from baking for a few weeks, okay days. It's a horrible habit to get in.
The last few, too many than I want to admit, months when I have had this baking frenzy feeling I've known that I was supposed to take some baked goods over to Miss Lucile. But I never did. I would find every excuse in the book as to why I could not take my homemade baked goods over to her. Every time I failed to share my sweet treats it would eat at me. When the baked goods were gone I would cringe, I knew they were meant for Miss Lucile, but I wasn't sharing. For awhile I stopped baking because I couldn't handle it. I don't know why I didn't just take something, anything over to her it would have done my mind and heart a world of good. Instead I chose to disobey. I chose to be selfish. I didn't want to be bothered with her. I didn't want to waste my time. I had better things to do. Plus, she would never know the difference if I didn't bring her anything. It wasn't like I told her I would or anything. Sadly, I started avoiding her at all cost too because of the guilt I felt.
The other day I was praying for Seth and I about our future and some decisions that we would have to make. At the end of my prayer I asked the Lord to bless us but before I could finish asking for those blessing I felt like the Lord said, "Tarah do you think I'm going to bless you when you don't bless the people I tell you to. People like Miss Lucile?" OUCH! That was my first thought. I can honestly say that my second thought was to repent and ask for forgiveness and my third was to figure out what I could bake for Miss Lucile. I'm glad to report that tonight Miss Lucile got her very own loaf of pumpkin bread! I made it last night and tried to take it to her then but she didn't answer. I know this wasn't an accident, the Lord was testing me. He wanted to see if I would venture over there a second time to deliver the goods. After failing this test too many times before I was not going to do it again, although sadly the thought to not return did cross my mind, but I did not give in. I successfully delivered the pumpkin bread to Miss Lucile. She was thrilled that I not only stopped by to say hello but that I brought food. Of course she insisted that I come in and share a piece with her and I graciously obliged. I ended up staying for 45 minutes. In those 45 minutes I don't know how many times she told me she was so excited that I stopped by or how many kisses on the cheek she gave me or how many multiple stories I heard but it didn't matter because ya know what I actually enjoyed myself. I am pretty much convinced that I need to visit Miss Lucile on a semi-weekly if not weekly basis. I have plans. Plans to have her over for dinners, take her on outings, taking my sweet baby girl over to visit. I'm not sure where these plans have come from or why I'm so excited about them but I think I'm going to act on them. Maybe the visit wasn't just for her benefit. Maybe I need Miss Lucile as a friends just as much as she needs me. Maybe this was about more than just baked goods and obeying. Maybe God does know what He's doing - imagine that! Ya, I'm pretty sure He knows exactly what He is doing!
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