This week was a little special for me. I have friends from all over the world, some I have known for years, some I have never actually met and some I may have only known for a short time but they quickly became like family and are there to stay. I met this family about 4 or 5 years ago. The instant we met, we became quick friends, then as time passed we became family. I love the whole family to pieces and can’t imagine life without them and wonder what took us so long to find one another. A few years ago when I got the call…sobbing on the other end…and the words “We lost everything”… I immediately got to work gathering, seeing what I could do and making the 3 hour trek to see how I could help. They would do the same for me in a heartbeat. See, a tornado had leveled their home and threw a tree right through their truck.
But this goes 2 ways, don’t think it is just me doing for them. See this website right here, yeah, the one you are reading? Well, they are the ones who help keep it running. They handle all that technical stuff that I have no idea what it even means. Anytime there is an issue they work tirelessly to resolve it…and give me reassurances that it will all be ok…because I tend to freak out a little bit when something goes wrong.
Recently, my friend Beth called me in a panic and needed to borrow a little money, I sent her the money never thinking anything about it. About a week goes by and a different friend calls me and asks can I get Beth to do something for her and she would pay her a set amount…it was the same amount that Beth had borrowed. So when I tried to pay Beth for the work she had done she said I owe it to you, just keep it. I stuck the money in my pocket and thought no more about it. Well, Beth and I were on the phone recently, talking about the upcoming warm weather, when we could all get together, what was going on in our lives, etc. It was mentioned that the tires on their vehicle were bald and that they had to stick close to home. Living on a very fixed income I knew it would be some time before they could afford new tires…and seeing as how another dear friend of mine owns a tire store, I got to work. I called Mark and he started hunting for a set of decent used tires that would fit what they needed and that I could afford. Tires were found and when I go to pick them up I pulled that money out that we had been passing back and forth to help pay for the tires. Mark told me to just keep it, that I would need to use it for gas money to deliver the tires. So, I set off to Alabama to deliver them…on my way I had to make a stop to see another friend and have lunch. I pulled out that same money…the very same money we have all been passing back and forth…to pay for mine and my daughters lunch. My friend looks at me and says “this one is on me, put your money away”. Well, I put the money back in my pocket, have a wonderful lunch with my dear friend and her mother, finish my journey to Beth’s house and deliver the tires and some plants. We sat and chatted for awhile and Erin and I headed home.
The story doesn’t end there. You see, there is ALWAYS more to a story.
About the time that Erin and I get to the Tennessee line it becomes a TORRENTIAL downpour and the lightening is SCARY! I am not normally scared of storms but this was a bad one. We drove in it for over an hour, creeping along wondering if it was ever going to let up. By the time I got to Dalton and exited the Interstate my knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard…and I was starving. We had made it to the other side of the storm and were debating on where to eat. I told Erin that after all that I was just wore slap out and just wanted to get home…so we decided to hit the Chick-Fil-A drive through. I placed our order and pulled around, waiting in line to get our food. As we pulled up to the window and I got out that SAME money to pay the young man and he informs me that the person that was in line in front of us had paid for our order!! How awesome is that?!
I am still toting around that money and one day I am going to use it for something good. Something really good, when the time is right I will know it and THAT money will surface again.
I hope you get the opportunity to bless someone this coming week or be blessed yourself! Happy Weekend Y’all!
So anyway, Chef Lewis and I were talking the other night and the subject of food came up (as usual). He started telling me about how he created this recipe by a complete accident and how fabulous it was. And, he was gracious enough to allow me to share it with all of you. So, I gathered up all the ingredients and traipsed over to my Mom’s house…she needed to have a dose of me, I could just tell. We got to work and had these babies knocked out in no time.
