28 October 2020

My day did not start out how I had planned. I had planned to do housework, some chores at the shops, and then working on some study that I desperately needed to do.

I received a call from one of my daughter’s, Melissa, to see if I could wait at her house between 9 and 12 for a man to come and install some blinds. The blind company had cancelled twice before, and my daughter had to work this day.

I said no problem, I could read and study while I was waiting.

Then my daughter-in-law, Brigette, rang. She asked if I could look after the younger three of her children because her next-door neighbour’s Dad had died, and she wanted to go to the funeral to support her.

I said no problem what time? It was at 1.30pm. I said ok if the blindman came on time I could make it back to my house to babysit. But if he was late, she would have to drive to Melissa’s so we could exchange cars, because I did not have the car seats that were needed. I needed car seats for a 6-month-old, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old.

I want to help as much as possible, for when my 5 children were little I did not have many people I could turn to, to help me when things like this came up because my parents lived in another State.

Then I got a message from Melissa, I no longer needed to come for the blinds. Aubrey was unwell so she was staying home for the day with her.  That worked well for me. I did not have to rush as much and could still fit in some chores and study before Brigette’s children came over.

Later that day Melissa had to go out to do a chore herself, so she took Aubrey who is 6 in the car with her.  I received this message from Melissa.

“After completing the job I had to do Aubrey asked me if she could have McDonald’s for lunch. When we got to the drive-thru window to pay for the Happy Meal, the cashier said the car in front of us had already paid for it. Aubrey’s first response, after finding out what had happened was, “Oh bless them!”

Oh, this put a smile on my face. Aubrey at such a young age saw the blessing it was to her and reciprocated with words of blessing to that unknown driver.

Oh, to be a blessing to others! It warms your heart. It warms your soul. It warmed Aubrey who did not even know this person.

It made me think – Am I a blessing to others? Even without their knowledge? Even if I get no recognition, but God knows?

We have heard Jesus encourage us in Luke 6:31

³¹ Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 

Luke 6:31 NASB

Or

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:31 NRSV

Also the famous line

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Mark 12:31 NRSV

God in scripture has told us be a blessing and He will bless us.

Specifically, in Proverbs

²⁵ The generous man is a source of blessing and shall be prosperous and enriched,
And he who waters will himself be watered reaping the generosity he has sown.

Proverbs 11:25 AMP

And in 2 Corinthians 9:8

⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

2 Cor 9:8 NLT

God will supply us for the blessings we give away, for he has prepared the good works for us to do.

I then later in the day happened upon in my studies this quote from a lady who I had never heard about before – Dinah Craik. She lived in the 1800’s and wrote many books and articles. This came from a book called, A Life for a Life.

This is my vision for Heart Women!!!!!!

To have friends like this!!!!!

Do you think the Holy Spirit was talking to me?

“But oh! The blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one’s deepest as well as one’s foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh the comfort – the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person – having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.”

Oh, to have God’s heart! To be Love. To be Kind.

To be a blessing.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Am I a blessing to others? Even without their knowledge?

What more could I do to be a blessing to others?

Are you a friend like that described by the quote from Dinah Craik?