Within the last week, some very nice things have happened to me.  First of all, my way to the Women of Faith conference this coming weekend has been paid in full by my church or some wonderful person - I don't know which. 

Also, a friend slipped a $20 bill into my purse on Friday so I could take my kids to Burger King with the rest of the Friday Homeschool Enrichment crowd.  (She had apparently noticed that we don't do lunch after enrichment very often with the group and she wanted to bless us.)

And to add even more blessings - during that same lunch, another mom asked me if it would be okay if she took my daughter with her and her daughter (best friends) to the dollar store for some things to help fill the Christmas shoe boxes that the kids are doing at our church this year.  She said she'd give them each $10 to buy some things to fill the shoe boxes with.  I said, yes, of course!

My first reaction to all these kinds of blessings is usually - Lord, why must my family be so pitied?  (Is my humanity showing here?)  But this time, immediately after that thought came this one - Paula, your friends are not showing you pity, they are showing you love.

Oh, thank you, Father, for helping me put it all in the proper perspective.

Paula