Something of Value

In the midst of a storm there is a lull - a quiet place where you know God is...you rest, you catch your breath...you breathe in the air and allow it to fill lungs. For your heart is pounding. Your breath taken away by the winds of the storm. But, here you are...in the lull of the storm. You look around you and the water is still. How can that be? It almost feels as though God has scooped you up and you and your boat are resting in His hand. How can that be? Yet, here you are and you feel your body relax...you are safe.

The weekend before last was like that for me. I had the joy and blessing of spending time with family. As I waited for the weather conditions to improve, I packed my car, doubled checked the items necessary for the journey and longed for the sound of the road from my car as I drove.

Finally, the time came and I literally sprang into my car and headed west! My face basked in the sun!!!!!!! It has been "several" days of cloudy and wet and cold and ice and cloudy and wet and cold. Today, the sun was up and shining! What a day indeed!!!! The miles passed easily as my car drove westward to the lull in my storm.

Funny how when you are in the car how your mind will travel a different path as you drive. Going over the past few weeks was a good thing. For with each event, I saw God there. My heart swelled with the waves of emotion as I thanked God for "being there!" What a faithful God we serve.

Time couldn't pass fast enough for me to arrive at the lull in my storm. Finally, the engined turned off and I gazed at the front door of the my first stop. I sat in my car for a short while and waited - thanking God for safe travel, calling my honey to tell him that I had arrived safely and just to look at the door that would soon open to smiling faces, many hugs, many giggles and most of all - to love!

Before I could knock on the door the sound of two little girls resounded - breaking the barriers of the storm and announcing fully and completely, "Nani's here!!!!!!!!!!!!" I couldn't help but laugh! What a hoot! What a joy!!! What a blessing!!!

Within seconds, the door bounded open and the hugging, giggling and kisses began - and again, and again! The lull was here and my heart and spirit breathed in the love and safely of being held in God's hand - away from the stormy waters and the crashing waves.

Time in the palm of God's hand was more than precious. Dinner with our two grown children and their spouses that are more like our own children, and FOUR grandgirls!!!! We laughed, colored the pictures at the table, talked about school and all that they wanted to share...I wanted to hear it all! All too soon the dinner ended and it was time to part...so I thought. Goodbyes were said and we headed back to our daughter's house only to learn that my son and his family were coming over for more visiting and...to sample the King Cake I'd made.
The next day of my visit, I made red velvet cupcakes with our daughter and her two daughters. When Nani is around, there is always something "cookin' in the kitchen!" As we were making the cupcakes, the conversation came around wedding rings. Since my daughter has two daughters she was thinking how she could leave both daughters a part of her wedding ring and engagement ring when they were sodered together. Our daughter asked me what would I do. I responded that since my stone on my wedding band was not an auethinc diamond, that it probably wouldn't be of value . (The original stone had been lost from its setting years before). My daughter's youngest daughter suddenly spoke, "Nani, I would want you ring because it belonged to you!" My daughter and I looked at each other and then my daughter said, "Mother, you can not get more purer love than that." I nodded with agreement and hugged on EK.

Isn't it funny how the things that we consider "of little value" mean "something" to someone else? Isn't it funny how some of the things we consider "of little value" i.e., time spent with family and friends, or a smile at someone in the grocery store, or a hug or squeeze of a hand mean "some of value" to the person that is receiving it? Isn't it funny that what we sometimes consider "of little value" or something that we would "just do" is truly the lull in someones storm? Is there something today that you consider "of little value" that you might share that would be "something of value" to the receiver?

The time came that I needed to say, "Goodbye." I thanked my family for the respite from the storm. Each and everyone of them hugged me and said, "Oh, it was nothing special, we love you." Truly, the time spent with them was definitely "something of value" to me. Comforted by the respite of being loved beyond measure, I then slid my the oars back into the sea of life and head back into the storm...but not without taking the love and comfort given. It felt snug around me...bearing me up...like a "lifevest" and I knew, without a doubt, I would not sink...after all, not only had my God made the boat but most of all...He made the sea! So, today, I share with you one of the "Valuable" moments we shared (I call these moments "God Kisses").

Our second day of baking we made Red Velvet Cupcakes with Sprinkled Covered Butterflies! Here's the recipe! Enjoy!

You will need the following ingredients:

For the Cake: 1 Box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake mix; 3 Large Eggs; 1 1/4 cup Water and 1/3 cup of oil (I use canola). Mix according to the directions found on the back of the cake mix box and pour into 24 Valentine decorated paper muffin cups, place in Pampered Chef Muffin pan or Pampered Chef Stoneware Muffin pan, and bake according to directions on back of cake box. Once the cupcakes are done, allow them to cool for a couple of minutes in the pan then place on Pampered Chef stackable cooling cake to cool completely.

For the Frosting: 1 tub of Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Butterflies: 4 ounces almond bark or confectionery coating candy melts (I used HEB Chocolate coating); 48 minature pretzles, colored sugars or sprinkles (I used a combination of Valentine themed sugars and sprinkles).

To make the butterflies, place the rectangle stone in freezer 1 hour or until frozen. Place chocolate coating in your microwaveable Pampered Chef measuring cup and heat on high 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring after each 20 second interval until chocolate coating is melted and smooth. Reoved baking stone from freezer and line with Parchment Paper. Dip rounded bottom of two minature pretzels into coating; shake off excess. Place coated ends of prezels onto frozen backing stone, forming a v-shape. Hold in place until it sets (30 seconds to several minutes) or until coating h ardens and pretzels reain in butterfly shape. Repeat with additional pretzels and remaining coating. You can return baking stone to freezer if it needs to be chilled again.

To decorate butterflies, drizzle with or dip additional melted chocolate coating or you can place chocolate coating in a resealable plastic bag. Secure with Twixit!Clip and trip corner of bag to allow coating to flow through. Drizzle coating over butterfly wings. Immediately sprinkle colored sugar or sprinkles. Allow coating to harden. You can also dip butterflies (that have the melted coating) into a Pampered Chef prep bowl filled with colored sugar or sprinkles. Allow coating to harden. This makes 24 butterflies. I used the resealable bag and then sprinkled the colored sugar onto of butterflies and allows to set.

While butterflies are setting, you frost the cupcakes with the Creamy Cream Cheese frosting. Place butterfly on cupcake immediately and then sprinkle with colored sugar and decorative sprinkles.

There is nothing sweeter than the love of family and friends. May YOU see, taste and feel the "Value" of time well-spent with your family and friends.