Birthdays and babies

4:34 p.m. Today's project was to prepare for a baby shower I'm hosting for Chelsey, a member of my Mary Kay team, and sweet Christian sister; and also to send a nice gift to my lovely daughter-in-law Marisela for her 25th birthday. Wonderfully, she and my son Kriss are expecting their son in late March. Looks like I'll be in Long Beach quite a bit more often!

Both first-time moms have selected an earth tone, jungle theme for their sons' baby showers and nurseries. So I know the Lord understands if I got a tad mixed-up as to whether I was going to Target for a baby gift for Marisela, or  something for her birthday! (I'd already gotten a gift for Chelsey).

Steve and I took advantage of his handicapped sticker to park the Jeep in plain view of the front of the store where the computers are situated.  Since we'd come from the beauty salon where I often sell products, and I have a party tonight, there was a lot of inventory in the cargo space). A clerk showed me how to access Target.com and with a few minor setbacks, I sent Marisela's gifts to Long Beach.

Then it was time to find nice cards for both girls, and lo and behold, there was a cute giraffe card! I snapped it up immediately--that's Marisela's favorite jungle critter! So the Lord's direction was evident, even in a relatively minor matter. But is anything we do actually minor in God's eyes? II Chronicles 16:9 says,

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

In the last few days, I have noticed that whenever I would decide to do a little something for a person, that the LORD has been speedily covering it with surprising influxes of cash! Today's timely dollars came in the form of a Verizon rebate card for $50, just what I need to fill out the $400 initial deposit for our church's Israel trip due on the first of February!  Lots of niggling bills and obligations kept popping up, digging into my savings, but my determination to raise the funds is strong, and God is making it possible, even probable, even certain!!

I will close with another praise report: just came in from a facial and glamour party with $179.90 in earnings, and to tithe to the Lord from my business will be an utter joy!

Despite the late hour and the early wake-up call to get the baby shower together, I will be bouncing around with the joy of the Lord, praying to be a blessing to dear Chelsey and her family, and all of our friends. Ephesians 5:18:

...be filled with the Spirit...