MIRACLE COOKIES

Well, with Valentine's Day coming up, I didn't want to miss a fundraising opportunity, so I was considering a bakesale, but then I got this strong sense that I was supposed to make a cookie for each person in my church, and put their name on it. So, I said, "So, what then, Lord? Am I supposed to sell them the cookie with their name on it?" And I just had the sense that I was supposed to make the cookies and put their names on them.

Okay, so those of you who know me, know that I believe in signs, and I'm always trying to follow God's will, so I was willing to consider this idea that seemed pointless. I have, however, had lots of crazy ideas that I thought were from God, that I didn't do, and then I realized that there have probably been lots of times I just didn't do God's will, so I figured this would be another. (Too much work.)

I also had lots of excuses: I don't make sugar cookies, don't have a recipe, would have to shop for a cookie cutter, don't have a frosting recipe, had only Sat afternoon after working for several nights, and then sleeping most of Sat. Still willing to consider it, but knew that I probably couldn't make it work. Strong compulsion to do it, though, strangely enough.

Sat evening, still hadn't had a chance to do much, but did buy some powdered sugar, just in case. Never got to buy a cookie-cutter, but discovered that my daughter had bought one at a yard sale, which I didn't know about! Found a recipe on the internet, and decided to go ahead and start. Figured if I made a stab at it, even if it didn't turn out, I could tell God that I'd tried. Made up a batch to chill, and then decided I needed a second batch, but didn't have anymore sugar. We live a long way from town, so too bad, oh well... David showed me three bags of sugar that he'd bought, which I hadn't found, so made a second batch.

So, cut out and baked cookies, invented a glaze, didn't have food coloring, but used maraschino cherry juice, which worked, and then found a recipe for piping frosting which worked well, actually.

Through the whole thing, I kept thinking that God had a good reason for this cookie-baking extravaganza, and that someone would be very touched by this, and I wondered who it was. Suddenly, at 2 am, as I was piping each name on the cookies, I had this sudden sense that this was all for me. Each step had been made possible, even though I'd thought that it really wasn't, and all I'd had to do was just take the steps to do it, and that somehow it had fallen into place. I felt that the Lord was telling me, "How much more will I take care of the details for something I really care about, like these children?"

So, in the end, I gave out the cookies to folks at church, but I don't really feel like it was a lost fundraising opportunity. I feel that I was obedient, even though I didn't understand it, and God is strengthening my faith.