At the beginning of the year I thought about what I wanted my 2013 goals to be.  One of them was to be more intentional in blessing others.  In fact, on my little green index card I simply wrote ‘intentional blessings’.  I also wanted to listen more to God.  I so struggle with knowing if it’s Him half the time or even just obedience in general.  When He put something on my heart I wanted to follow through…especially when it came to something He was spurring my heart to do for someone else.

This hangs above Harper’s bed.

We say this to them all the time.  These two things are the important ones.  The ones when everything else fades away these will be the everlasting ones.  We can talk to them about it all day long, but if they don’t see us doing it…us acting it out…us really loving Jesus and others…then I feel like our words are lost.

This year I have tried to do my best to follow through.  When Jesus says…’send a gift card’…’write a note’…’encourage that person’…’bake cookies or gooey butter cake or cupcakes’…and yes, I’m pretty sure Jesus loves gooey butter cake…when He puts even a twinge feeling in my heart that I am suppose to act, I’ve tried to do so.  I’ve lacked…I haven’t always been obedient…I haven’t always obeyed with a cheerful or pure heart…but I’ve tried…I am trying…and Jesus has showed me grace.  I know I’m in major need of His grace and forgiveness. Every.Single.Day.

When Monday rolled around and school started memories came flooding back to the time when I was a kindergarten teacher.  I remember the stress, the overwhelmingness, the desire to be my absolute best for those kids, the figuring out of the kids…and parents.  I remember how crazy the first week was.  And I felt God nudge my heart to encourage and love on our staff with baked goods.  You may laugh…and that’s cool…it makes me laugh too, but I’ve been working on acting when Jesus says ‘act’.  So I got my bake on in order to encourage our teachers and staff because they so deserve some encouragement on their first week back.  Baked goods can change the world.

This morning I dropped off iced sugar cookies (cookie recipe and Royal Icing sort of recipe), Nutter Butter Balls, Gooey Butter Cake and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  A) I love having an empty refrigerator and B) It was crazy nice to see lots of smiles as Harper and I wagged in all those baked goods.  My kids watched and helped me bake this week.  They asked where these things were going.  They taste tested and approved.  And we were given the chance to talk and show them a way to love and bless others.

It wasn’t expensive or extravagant or hard and that’s one of the most beautiful things about blessing and loving others.  It doesn’t have to be big or grand…it can be so simple and small.  So today I want to encourage you to bless someone.  Maybe you’re good at writing cards or you could babysit a single mom’s kids or a couple who needs dinner together or maybe you can bake with the best of them and you know someone who could use a cookie.  Maybe you could just shoot someone an email or text and remind them of how precious and valued they are.  The list could go on and on.

I bet God has just the right person in mind and you could be used by Him to make a difference in their day.