One time when I carried my mother to Walmart, and she had filled her basket, and then was placing her items for check-out, the lady who was ahead of her in line turned around, kissed her on the cheek, and paid for all of her groceries...and that amounted to over $100. Mom was beside herself with surprise. We talked about it afterward, how God uses situations to care for us and supply our needs...and of course she shared what had happened with everyone she knew. Many times I had experienced money showing up at just the right time, sometimes in the most surprising and unusual places...in the kingdom there is no lack...we just ask and believe, and be prepared to not be afraid, but to receive. Faith for that provision is really tested during times that are the most frightening, and the need is greatest...our minds can cause us so much turmoil and worry...and we can truly be genuinely panic-stricken. But each time we make it through a difficult situation, in time we understand that we are indeed being cared for, and that He will not forsake us...and of course it's important for us to not forsake Him, but then who would want to do that, to forsake their Best Friend in this life.
I had to find something besides washing dishes in hot water as therapy for the stiffness...and I thought of modeling clay, but wondered if I could even do that on some days...so...I'm starting with Play-Doh and hopefully working up to clay eventually. So, occasionally you may see a Clay Critter appear...and here's the first one, a Play-Doh crab This stuff has come a long way from the days of big containers of yellow Doh.
I'm sure you know about "diabetic hands" by now...it affects grip strength in the most frustrating ways, and if you add cold weather affecting the joints as well, the combination of the two leaves one with difficult to control hands by January every year. I even sleep with gloves on sometimes, after I've had to go outside, in order to keep my hands warm enough. So this will be an experiment to see if I do better this year than last, so that my typing and computer work is not hindered. Otherwise I get on this roller coaster thing of being less productive in the winter, and then playing catch up in the spring. We'll see if this helps
It was fun to do it that way...it was giving of time more so than gifts. Back then I always traveled with a change of clothes in the trunk of my car. I know that man in the story you posted is blessed as he gives of his time as well as sharing food, and he and the folks he serves will have wonderful, rich memories that will last a lifetime. Once you've operated in the flow of that type of thing, it's easy to see a Greater Hand is at work, orchestrating the timing...it's so much fun to be part of the process...His Hand, and you feel like just the glove, partnering together. You feel like you're in an unrehearsed episode of Touched By An Angel, or something like that...haha. So now, at my age, I'm like a heat-seeking missile, looking for those little familiar impromptu opportunities that may be yet available. I enjoy sharing good news...there's a sale, there's a freebie, there's free software, and similarly...there's abundant Life, there's freedom, and there's plenty to go around, so that no one has to be left out...an equal opportunity invitation, and proposal.
That's exactly what I was talking about...the feeling that one's hands will never warm up, that incredible depth of coldness. Part of the issue for me is two types of blood pressure meds...side effects are cold hands and feet, so the issue is somewhat medication induced, as well as age-related. I have a soft, squishy "stress ball" that has helped a little with grip strength. But when I'm creating something, my mind and awareness of pain tends to go elsewhere, since I'm so focused on the creativity...so I'm counting on that to possibly encourage more activity with my hands, while being more fun than washing dishes or gripping a squishy ball
I was friendly with a gal at work who had one of those. Like me she suffered from Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, but hers had gotten so bad she had to have surgery on one of her hands, but got the stress ball to work on her other hand so she wouldn't have to have a second operation.
