Day 94 - Kindness and Cheesecake

A friend relieved neck tension and pain and increased range of motion for my neck today with something called Touch for Health.  Thanks Nancy - what a kindness.   I've certainly been blessed with kind - and talented - friends.  Many times a phone call, a card, an email, a facebook message, a touch, are such a gift and seemingly miraculously timed to meet a specific need.  I think it is because each one of those friends have sincerely expressed that they are listening to El Hesed - God of Kindness.  In II Samuel 2:6 the prayer is "May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor..."  Kindness (Hesed) translates to deeds of devotion.   Remember when the term 'random acts of kindness' was so popular.  Those are good things but not as intentional as these deeds of devotion.  Another interesting term in the translation is unchanging love and mercy.

I'm sure I've disappointed God and disappointed my friends as well.  Yet because of their devotion to the Lord, they continue to show me unchanging love and mercy, just as the Lord does. Kindness certainly brings a level of relief, but I was surprised to see how much it also strengthens me.  It is evidence that God is living and active in their lives, and through them in mine, even - or maybe especially - in the moments when 'feelings' or emotions might suggest otherwise.  I certainly hope each person reading this will feel the importance of those acts of favor and kindness that you have opportunity to show to others.

Often, I think, we feel we can't do 'much' because of financial constraints, but these gifts of the heart - deeds of devotion are priceless and have a much deeper and lasting effect than anything that can be bought.  I know my life is brighter, my resolve is stronger, my love is deeper because of kindnesses that I have received.  How about you?

Remember the rich chocolate truffle I wrote about last time?  The Bija was so rich, I decided it needed something luscious and soothing to blend with it.  So I took another slice of the yummy Eli Cheesecake which I'd found at Pick n Save, and sliced it horizontally.  (It is a 6" cheesecake and was on sale, making it cost less for a slice than a boring by comparison granola bar!)  I gently melted the chocolate, and stirred in a few currents and peanuts and was ridiculously happy to spread the concoction between and on top of the cheesecake.  Oh, my.  God is good.  I'm so thankful for the gift of taste!

Evening meal was a quickie, but yummy.  Chicken egg rolls, carrots and brocolli and Campbell's beans (which I usually prefer cold with onion but deferred to hubby tonight for a warm combo meal.)

An afternoon snack was, for me, a mistake.  This is a fish patty from Hardee's. It was unfortunately, mostly breading and not even 1/2" thick.  Compared with the lovely flaky filet from The Farm... well it just doesn't compare.   It was also more calories than my decadent delicous cheesecake treat - go figure.  Tasted and tossed.

I got it because I spent hours in the car today and I broke my cardinal rule of being prepared when I watched hubby make egg salad out of the on-the-road snacks.  It was a purposeful rule breaking though, as I've been utilizing what is in the refrigerator preparing for an extended time of a variety of liquids beginning tomorrow.