Offering

"And by that will we have been sanctified throught the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10

Happy Saturday, the saturday after Good Friday and the day before Glorious Sunday!Thank you for the cross, Lord, thank you for the price you paid, the offering of your Son on the cross for our sins, all of them. Thank you for filling our basket of life, so to speak, with your blessings, one by one! Amen.

My day consists of dropping off and picking up children from activities (yes on Saturday) and in between, doing a little shopping for the finishing touches for easter baskets. It is one of my favorite things to do..fill the baskets and see the joy that comes from them taking out each piece of candy or surprise with a smile! Here again, there is a parallel, a lesson learned from my season of cancer. Today is the day to share something I've had on my heart about a week. And the Lord brought it all together this morning this morning so here goes...

"Since you have been through a cancer diagnosis, can you tell me what I can to help my friend, mother, etc? What is it that helped you the most?" This is the number one question I am asked and also the one suggestion I offer whether the question is posed or not..smile! My Suggestion or Answer...A CARD IN THE MAIL. A CARD. A CARD. A CARD. The day after I got home from my bilateral surgery (double masectomy), my children came home from school to find a Mommy who just wasn't, well, like their normal Mommy. At that point I was very weak and after about thirty minutes, I realized that though I selfishly wanted them right there with me, they were five and nine years old and full of energy! I needed to be in the bed and they needed to tell me of their day and play and get a snack. My Mom was here with me but quite honestly I needed a full-time nanny at the time:)Jeff had gone back to work after over a week, so I called in re-enforcement! My best friend since seventh grade, Heather, had weathered many storms and giggles with me along life's way, but on this day, she will never know what gift she gave to me. So thank you Heather, I want to say that today, oh my am I gonna cry thinking about this one. She came right over and picked them up for what I had just hoped would be some attention I couldn't give, and hadn't for three weeks since this whole process had started. Oh did she rise to the occasion! I remember my little "peeps" returning with excitement and full explanation of their gift for me..this beautiful basket...

And for the next year it was filled with card after card, that helped me in immeasurable ways to heal. The power of a card! I kept every single one (and I am not a keeper of all things, but these will be in my possession for years!) And even more, this sweet basket was made by Abby and Luke, which Abby's description : "Heather took us first to McDonald's, then to Michael's to pick out stuff for the basket in your favorite colors, then we went to her house, and sat at her table (emphasis here) and made it together." And Luke's description: "I don't really remember, we made it and I burned my finger with the glue gun." Ha Ha...I had to get their recollection of this memory! And do note there are yellow butterflies on the front, my healing yellow butterflies. And let me add one more nugget, the basket is FULL,I took a few out today and read the words, my heart overwhelmed with gratitude. What a gift. So I pray that you take away from this today, the power of sending a card!And the cute idea to make or give a basket to someone to use to store cards or other items while going through a season of sickness. For me, getting a card was a reminder that I was thought of that day and someone took the time to pick it out, sign it and mail it, helped me through many dark days and the light ones too. I love a card in the mail, a letter is worth gold to me, always has, always will, I guess. And to close here is the other basket we worked on Good Friday...our easter eggs, we plan to hide them at Gigi and Papa's house after our Sunday easter lunch!

"Holding out to the world, and offering to all men the word of life, and offering to all men the word of Life so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in, that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose." Philippians 2:16

Send many cards..it's your offering. Receive the greatest offering of Easter A RISEN SAVIOR!

Blessings,
Suzanne