God Gives Us The Best Treats!

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So, I’m not a big fan of Halloween, but I do love treats! I love to give treats to my dog. I love to treat my friends. My husband loves to treat me. It’s extra special when I can treat my girls or our grandkids. And, I’m thrilled when I can figure out how to best treat my son-in-laws!

When I was a little girl, my dad loved to treat me and my sister with chocolate covered raisins. It maybe even counted - just a little bit - as a ‘healthy’ snack since there were raisins hidden inside! In reality, I didn’t really care what was inside of the creamy chocolate, because daddy treated us to the good chocolate from the mall candy store - like Fannie May or Marshall Fields. 

Those little white snack bags with delicious chocolaty treasures inside were so special! After all, it came with a lot of love. My dad was a diabetic who kept a strict rein on his diet. He never ate our candy, but he did enjoy indulging in a whiff of the deliciousness inside our bags! In those brief moments, I felt extra specially loved and cherished. Such a simple thing to inspire such sweet memories of my father.

Today, I had another extra special treat. But, let me back up a few days so you’ll understand better why I hold this blessing so dear to my heart. Because of all the wet weather this year, our basement recently flooded. But, that water problem was compounded by a drain issue we'd been dealing with for weeks. Whenever I did a load of wash, it flooded a 6 ft area of the basement. Instead of the wash water going down the drain, it came up onto the basement floor. A hassle, but not something that had taken top priority to fix. So, after the effects of the recent hurricanes, we decided that the laundromat was the best instant fix!

Laundromats are great alternatives, but the main glitch for me is whether or not I have the courage to leave the laundry and run another errand. It seems like such a good use of time, but then I see the warning signs looming overhead. “We are not responsible for clothing left unattended.” “Do not leave laundry items unattended." "We are not responsible for any loss or theft of personal property.” Now what? Use my time wisely and run some nearby errands or watch my laundry go round and round?

Or, the even more tempting choice. I could get a pedicure. It’s right next door. It would be a fun treat, and the massage chair would be good for the pulled muscle in my back, right? Hmmmm…. Be responsible and attend my laundry or take a risk and get a little treat?

I chose responsible.

Why?
It was cheaper.
It was wiser.
I had just trimmed my nails the other day.
Bummer!

But, before I knew it, the laundry was complete. I did a few errands before driving home. It was a good day. Followed by several more good and productive days. And, then came my special treat. I got a pedicure today - and it was totally unexpected and totally free! My toes are now a super fun color, and I didn’t even have to wait to dry my nails before going about the rest of my day.

Yep! This super special nail painting moment was a gift to me from my 6 ½ year old granddaughter. She was oh so careful with the brush. She dipped it into the polish container, dabbed the excess off of the brush and then carefully painted each one of my toes. And, she did a great job!

Ok, so you are thinking, that’s cute but what’s the big deal? The big deal came a little while later. With no thought of my toes, I looked down to put my foot into my sock. But, what I saw was so much more special than if I would have gone to even the most exclusive nail salon. I had colorful toes that were a gift from my granddaughter. That simple, but unexpected moment, brought great joy to my heart. Now, for the next few days – or weeks – I’ll be reminded of my granddaughter and the most special pedicure I've ever had. It was the best treat ever!

How about you? Where have you seen God’s work in your life – treating you in extra special ways? It is often the smallest of things that have the power to bring the greatest of pleasures. Matthew 7:11 reminds us of a great principle. It says,"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much  more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

This week, I encourage you to watch for your Heavenly Father's special treats in your life - and maybe even extend a special treat to bless another. Perhaps you even know someone who would enjoy some chocolate covered raisins or a pedicure!



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